Consider the Shared Universe Part V: Endless Possibilities

At long last, we have arrived at the final part of my journey into the shared cinematic universe. Beforehand, I stuck to the superhero universes, since this model is a staple of comic books and Marvel was the originator. But as we all know, Hollywood fixates on trends, and the shared universe model is king right now. I've written several other blogs about how the MCU's popularity would breed imitators, and not just other superheroes. My previous blogs have even discussed how to apply the model to other franchises.

But now that the MCU is definitely the "It" franchise, we know for sure that other series are planning to emulate it. I'm not going to stretch this series any further by writing a blog about each franchise. Therefore, this last entry is meant to dissect whether the shared universe model can work for these other series. I'll also take a look at some franchises that aren't adopting the formula now, but potentially could. Let's take a look, shall we?

In-Development

Star Wars 

The Story So Far- We all know the story of the Skywalker clan in that galaxy far, far away, complete with Jedis, lightsabers, the Force, bounty hunters, smugglers, droids, and Wookies. Since Disney bought Lucasfilm and wiped away the Expanded Universe of tie-in stories, the official canon now consists of Episodes I-VI and the Clone Wars and Rebels cartoons. Any films and EU material from here on out is considered official canon.

What We're Getting- Episode VII: The Force Awakens is coming to our galaxy this December. Beyond that, Rian Jonson (Looper) is confirmed to direct Episode VIII and at least write Episode IX. The shared universe model will take effect in 2016, when the first of at least three spinoff films is released. Aside from the director being Gareth Edwards (Godzilla), we know nothing of the film. It's rumored to involve a team of bounty hunters stealing the plans for the first Death Star, but nothing's official as of yet. The second spinoff has Josh Trank (Chronicle) as its director. Disney hopes to release a core Episode every two years, with the spinoffs released in between. By utilizing solo (ha ha) movies in addition to the main Episodes, Star Wars plans to adopt the same formula as its sister franchise Marvel.

Can It Work?- If any current franchise can adopt the shared universe model, it's Star Wars. The EU may currently be non-canon, but it was proof that the Star Wars sandbox can house hundreds of unique stories and characters. The Skywalkers and Solos don't have to be the focus of everything. It's a big galaxy, and there's room for everybody. The only hindrance would be if the traditionally episodic franchise can pull off quality spinoffs. Edwards and Trank are ideal choices to bring these stories to life, so at least there's talent involved. But it's still risky whether a Star Wars film that doesn't revolve around the Skywalkers can succeed. Another factor is overexposure. The first six movies were event films, and the seventh looks to be the same. Will audiences still be in love with Star Wars if they get a film every year? Several factors can work against this, but given the wealth of stories and characters, I'd say the Force is strong here.

Universal Monsters

The Story So Far- This is technically the original shared universe, since the whole idea of film crossovers came from these monsters back in the '30s. Universal simply wants to revive that grand plan, with last year's Dracula Untold acting as ground zero. 

What We're Getting- Universal is planning reboots for Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Wolf-Man, the Invisible Man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Reportedly, a Van Helsing reboot is also coming. Presumably this means the creatures will unite against Van Helsing once this flick hits theaters. 

Can It Work?- In theory, yes. With Universal's current mindset, no. I didn't see Dracula Untold, but I heard it was a mess. Universal apparently wants these reboots to be adventure films, completely removing the horror aspect. What they fail to understand is that the horror themes were what made those old films so great. If Universal wanted to revive their classic monsters universe by updating the tone of the '30s films, it could be a huge hit. But if Dracula Untold is the template, this is destined for failure. Also, while the 2004 Van Helsing is one of my guilty pleasures, I doubt a reboot acting as an Avengers-style monster team-up will gain any praise. Universal might be better off rebooting Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstien, or better yet, Monster Squad.

Lego

The Story So Far- The Lego Movie may have been recently snubbed at the Oscars, but its resounding critical and commercial succes has made a return to its unique world all but inevitable. 

What We're Getting- Phil Lord and Chris Miller are returning to write the sequel, but unfortunately not to direct. Their current plan is to explore the kid from the first film in his teenage years, where his outlook on Legos is entirely different. This obviously effects Emmet in the Lego-verse, who's struggling with the revelation that there's another world out there. It sounds like a great concept, so let's hope for the best. The shared universe model comes in through two spin-offs, Lego Ninjago and Lego Batman. We know nothing of the former, but the latter will apparently pay homage to every cinematic version of the Dark Knight, and deal with whether Bats can be truly happy. Sounds like fun. 

Can It Work?- The Lego Movie 2 will at least be a financial success, but it's hard to tell how it'll fair critically with Lord and Miller not directing. Ninjago is a popular brand, but I don't know how well it'll do given it's catered to a specific fanbase. Batman on the other hand could do wonders, given the character's break out status in the first film. Given this is a kid's franchise, and the original film already set up a massive world, the shared universe concept will probably work really well for this. It's hard to tell how connected they'll all be aside from sharing a world, but this Lego-Verse seems to have all its bricks in order.

Ghostbusters

The Story So Far- There's been talk of expanding the Ghostbusters franchise beyond the original two films since...well, since the second film dropped. A third film with the original cast is now, sadly, impossible. Harold Ramis is dead, Bill Murray isn't interested, and Dan Akroyd's gone insane. Ghostbusters 3 is no longer happening....

What We're Getting- ....which is why a total reboot with an all female cast is coming. Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) is set to direct, with Melissa McCarthy, Emma Stone, and Jennifer Lawrence all in the running to star. But here's the kicker. Sony is throwing around the idea of a giant Ghostbusters universe, with multiple teams fighting those ghastly gouls. Another Ghostbusters film could enter production alongside the female one, with Channing Tatum and Chris Pratt starring. 

Can It Work?- Not likely. Fans may be pissed at the very idea of a reboot, and while an all-female team may be a huge success, I don't see a shared universe emerging from it. It'd be better to just make a sequel introducing Tatum and Pratt as new members. Why make a completely separate film? How would they be different other than the inverted genders? The return of Gozer would be better than this.

Robin Hood

The Story So Far- The Prince of Thieves has been brought to film countless times, and it looks like he's set to come again. 

What We're Getting- Sony is considering a pitch for a shared Robin Hood universe, that would see Robin and each of his Merry Men get their own films before coming together as a sort of medieval superhero team. 

Can It Work?- No. Just, no. A standalone franchise about Robin and his men? Possibly. A shared universe? No way in hell. The day a film about Friar Tuck, Little John, or Will Scarlett is made is the day I give up on Hollywood. 

Other Possibilities

Godzilla/King Kong- Here's the facts. We know these two iconic monsters have crossed over before. We know the film rights to both of them are owned by Legendary Pictures. We know last year's Godzilla film is getting a 2018 sequel. We know King Kong is coming back in 2016 with a prequel/reboot called Kong: Skull Island. It's only natural to suspect that Legendary wants to bring these two creatures together. And here's more food for thought: Legendary also owns Pacific Rim. Imagine the Kong/Godzilla universe breaching the Pacific Rim universe through those deep sea portals, and the Jeagers have to fight them. I wouldn't expect major world building from this, just good old fashioned monster fights. Make it happen, Hollywood.

Harry Potter/Wizarding World- J.K. Rowling's amazing universe is ripe for further spin-off franchises. We're already getting one with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but given it's set 70 years before Harry, it seems more like a prequel franchise than an attempt to set up crossovers. I've already devoted a blog to explaining how a Wizarding Universe could work. Imagine Snape, Dumbledore, Voldemort, the Hogwarts Founders, the Marauders, and the Three Brothers getting their own films, plus more Beasts movies and a possible Quidditch franchise. I could see WB doing it. The only caveat is, like Star Wars, if people want to follow other characters in this world beside Harry. The lore and characters are there, but unless Rowling is overseeing them, this could turn into another gimmick.

Middle-Earth- Just like Harry, I've devoted a blog to explaining why this could work. It mostly depends on if Warner Brothers gets the rights to adapt the Silmarillion, given it's basically hundreds of smaller tales coexisting in the world of Middle-Earth. There wouldn't be accusations of stretching the material like The Hobbit, given this is a multitude of stories instead of just one. If The Hobbit proved anything, it's that audiences are in love with the world just as much as the characters in it. Frodo and Bilbo were huge hits, so who's to say Feanor, Beren and Luthien, Turin, and Earendil wouldn't be as well? Again, the only real risk is oversaturation, as people may tire of Middle Earth after constant exposure.

Star Trek- The TV shows did it, so why not the films? With a rebooted universe, you could restart Next Gen, DS9, and Voyager and have their crews cross over, and even re-do the Generations movie by bringing back the Nexus, allowing Kirk and crew to visit. But there's the tiny little problem of how this has already been done, and it indirectly doomed the previous series. Into Darkness already drew the fans' ire by remaking Wrath of Khan, so basically re-doing the entire formula of the old franchise would be a step backwards. It could still be done in theory, but it doesn't seem very likely right now.

Transformers/GI Joe- I consider both of these franchises beyond saving unless a major creative shake-up happens. But as long as both series are what they are, why not cross them over? The cartoons and comics have done it, and they're both owned by the same company. Bay should direct, as his Transformers films proved he already has a hard-on for the military. Why not just do an average Transformers film, and replace the dull military characters with the Joes? Either incorporate the continuity from the previous Joe films or just use the opportunity to reboot the property (it's not like either continuity is consistent, anyway). The thought of seeing Optimus Prime fighting side by side with Snake Eyes, or Cobra Commander with Megatron, may actually get me back into the theater. Then again it may not, but it's certainly possible.

Final Thoughts

I've now explored the shared universe concept extensively, with all its numerous possibilities. It's hard to really go in-depth about how a shared film universe can work, when Marvel is really the only franchise currently doing it. I can theorize and predict all I want, but I can't come to some great conclusion about this model the way I can with trilogies, reboots, or part fours. All the way back in my trilogy series, I talked of how the shared universe model can completely change the way Hollywood approaches serialized storytelling. That stance hasn't changed, given a shared universe still involves multiple, interlocking installments in one world. What makes the shared universe concept so unique from the sequel, though, is the characters. 

Look at how Marvel built its world. Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, and Thor all got their own films leading into the Avengers team. Phase One may have been riddled with problems trying to sell the universe, but one thing was certain: to make the universe work, each character had to work too. And if multiple characters had films coexisting with each other, these films had to feel similar enough to sell the world but different enough to justify each film. Iron Man can't be Captain America, just as Cap can't be Thor. 

With Phase Two, Marvel realized each film could mix in elements from different genres. This would emphasize the differences between the films, and allow the creators to keep challenging themselves. Iron Man 3 was an '80s sci-fi action thriller. The Dark World pure fantasy. Winter Soldier was a conspiracy thriller, while Guardians was a full-blown space opera. Each film brought a new genre to the universe, while expanding the world through individual, character-driven stories. The key to making an effective universe lies in this approach. By all means, interlock your films. Creating an expanding narrative and weaving characters and plot threads in and out is great, and it emphasizes how everything's connected. But don't let the world building outshine the characters. Marvel learned this with Iron Man 2, and Sony learned it the hard way with Amazing Spider-Man 2. 

Rushing a shared universe never works, especially when you try forcing all your world building into one film. Allow the world to grow naturally, by putting your characters before everything. If the audience doesn't care about the characters, they won't care about the world. This is why the DCCU is on thin ice if Batman v. Superman falters. Why the template of Dracula Untold doesn't bode well for Universal. Why Fantastic Four might not get to play with the X-Men. Marvel has been in the game long enough to know what makes a good shared universe, and what doesn't. Their formula is by no means the only way to do it. People seem to think that a giant crossover has to have solo films preceding it. DC may be on to a formula where solo films come after the team-up, with the crossover itself the proof of concept. Only time will tell if this will work, but it certainly has the potential to. 

Ultimately, the key to making a great shared universe is just make good movies. If all the movies are good, and potential for a crossover is there, audiences will get excited because they want to see all the characters together. That's what gave The Avengers its massive success. That's why fans want Batman v. Superman to succeed, and why they're pissed Sony won't give Spider-Man back to Marvel. Shared universes are born from the basic desire to see awesome characters team up. But they all have to be awesome. What good is a sandbox to play in if you don't have all the cool action figures? If Hollywood gets this, then Marvel may not be king of the shared universe for long. Competition is healthy, and if it leads to multiple awesome shared universes unfolding on our screens, millions of fans will be eternally grateful. There are dozens of fictional universes out there, waiting to be mined for future movies. It's time Hollywood knew about them.

Consider the Shared Universe Part IV: Spider-Man

As that catchy '60s song goes, Spider-Man can do whatever a spider can. And apparently, what a spider can't do is create a proper shared universe. Spidey has one of the best rogues galleries and cast of supporting characters in comic book history. With all those characters, Spidey has enough story arcs to carve out his own small corner of the Marvel U. As a standalone franchise, Spidey can soar. But when you try and spread those characters thin across multiple spinoffs, it's probably doomed to failure. 

The success of The Avengers has spurred Sony into taking their infant, Batman Begins-inspired Amazing Spider-Man reboot series and retool it into a Marvel-esque shared universe format. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was meant to be ground zero for this new shared universe. Now the entire concept is up in the air. This will probably be the most theoretical entry in my shared universe series, since right now the future of the franchise is so uncertain. I will entertain multiple theoretical Spidey films, both the ones that are technically scheduled and the ones rumored from the Sony Hacks. Time to explore this tangled web. 

The Story So Far: Sony has released five Spider-Man films spread across two film continuities: the now closed off Sam Raimi trilogy, and the two Amazing films. The latter continuity is (for now) meant to create a shared universe. The current film slate consists of a Sinister Six film, a Venom vs. Carnage film, and an untitled film consisting of female superheroes. These will then feed into the third Amazing film. However, this entire plan seems to have fallen apart in the wake of ASM2's lackluster box office performance. 

The Sony Hacks have revealed that a deal with Marvel was underway to share Spidey between the two companies. Had this deal gone through, the current Sony film slate would be scrapped, in favor of a new Spider-Man being introduced in Captain America: Civil War. From there, the new Spidey would appear in a trilogy of solo films set in the MCU, directed or produced by the Russo Bros. (The Winter Soldier). Spidey would also appear in the two-part Infinity War film. This deal seems to have fallen apart as well, due to creative issues between both companies. According to the hacks, Sony has since proposed multiple in-house alternatives, including an animated film directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Lego Movie) and another reboot focusing on an adult Spider-Man in a relationship with Mary Jane, based on the "Kraven's Last Hunt" comics arc. A spy film starring young Aunt May was never really proposed (thank God). 

A "Spidey Summit" is scheduled for sometime this month to decide what to ultimately do with the character. Recent rumors say the summit has already happened, and purportedly a deal has been struck to put a new Spidey into Infinity War, since production on Civil War is past the point where Spidey can be included. Other rumors say Sony was floating the idea of keeping its original shared universe slate, in addition to a multiverse crossover with the Raimi films. Ultimately, the Marvel deal and Raimi crossover have both been denied, but remain possibilities. The future of the franchise is still up in the air, whether with Sony or Marvel. Due to the uncertain future of the franchise, I've chosen to explore all of these possibilities, and how they could possibly create a closed off shared universe or contribute to the MCU. 

Predictions

Sinister Six (November 11, 2016)- This is the only film from Sony that has a definite release date pegged for the time being. Until we get a press release, this is still happening. According to the Sony Hacks, the purported plot was either going to be a massvie, effects heavy heist film or a team-up with Spider-Man against a larger threat. I've heard everything from the film continuing the threads from ASM2 to this being a "soft reboot" that recasts Spidey. Drew Goddard is still attached to direct, and the hacks say he really wanted Tom Hardy to play a skyscraper sized Sandman attacking Paris (yes, you read that right). If the team-up aspect is explored, the larger threat is a symbiote, either Venom or Carnage. If Venom, part of the plot would have Spidey don the black suit, only to discard it after the Six make fun of his new look (yes, you also read that right). 

So let's pretend Sony actually has a plan with these films (which I highly doubt). Taking these email hacks into account, along with what was set up in ASM2, here's my personal theory. The film has Harry, Rhino, Doc Ock, Vulture (all but confirmed) along with Black Cat (Felicia was in ASM2) and Kraven (he's heavily rumored). Gustav Fiers/The Gentleman (the shadow man from both films) acts as Harry's liason to gather the Six Nick Fury-style. The premise is a Spider-Man film from the villain's perspective. 

Spidey never appears as Peter Parker, and does at some point get the black suit, which like the Ultimate books is a genetic experiment. The empowered Spidey defeats the Six, prompting Doc Ock to discuss usurping control of the team from Harry with the Gentleman. When Fiers refuses, citing orders from someone else, Ock kills him and takes over the team anyway. The Six painfully separate the symbiote from Spidey, alarming Felicia and causing her to quit. Harry, bitter at Ock and the team, leaves on his own, and bonds with the symbiote to form Venom. In my proposal, the Six do not team with Spidey. With Harry and Felicia gone, two roster spots open up. It is revealed Fiers was taking orders from Norman Osborn, who's still alive and on life support. Ock goes to Norman and performs surgery on him, empowering Norman as the Ultimate Green Goblin. 

Venom vs. Carnage (2017)- Rumors have hit the web that this film is all but dead, which is unfortunate because I think it's the only spinoff that has any real potential. It's scheduled for an unknown release date in 2017, which furthers the belief the spinoff is dead or at least on hold. Anyway, here's my theory. Off the backs of S6, Harry, now Venom, develops a partnership with and dependence on the symbiote. He'll end up becoming a lot like the 616 version of Eddie Brock, obsessed with gaining vengeance on Spidey for ruining his life and also proving he can be a better hero than Peter. He'll be an anti-hero, trying to generally do good but fighting the urge to viciously kill his victims. 

Part of the symbiote will leave and bond with serial killer Cletus Kassady, to form Carnage. I've heard another rumor that film Carnage will go the ultimate route and be a cloned Gwen Stacy, to keep Emma Stone on board. But if the Venom film does move forward with Carnage as the villain, I don't think Carnage Gwen makes sense in that context. Obviously the rest of the film will focus on the rivalry between Venom and Carnage, and result in Venom defeating his spawn and Kassady dissapearing. A credits scene will reveal he's taken up the final vacant spot on the S6 team, now co-run by Ock and Norman. 

Untitled Female Hero Film/Black Cat/"Glass Ceiling" (2017)- We know next to nothing about this film, other than "Glass Ceiling" is the working title. Since Felicia was included in ASM2, I'm inclined to think this could be a Black Cat film or a female ensemble film with her as the main character. So let's theorize. If I'm right in thinking that Black Cat is part of the initial S6 roster and then leaves, she would flee New York after they try hunting her down. She goes to another city like Boston, Houston, Chicago, or San Francisco and sets up a new civillian identity. 

Felicia decides to atone for her sins by using the Black Cat identity in a "Robin Hood" fashion, stealing from the wealthy and corrupt to give to the poor. We could see flashbacks to her upbringing to help understand her motivation better. Cat's actions earn her the hatred of local mob boss Silvermane. He sends the Enforcers to deal with her, consisting of Tombstone, Hammerhead, and Shocker. After defeating them, Cat would fight Silvermane and his daughter, Silver Sable. Tone wise I'd like the film to be more like a crime thriller with a kick-ass female lead. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 3 (2018)- This film was originally scheduled for 2016 until S6 took its spot. The film is (for now) due for a 2018 release. Since the other spin-offs hit first, I'm guessing ASM 3 is being retooled as an Avengers style team-up flick with Spidey as the central character. In accordance with that, here's my theory. Peter, now in college, is still recovering from Gwen's death, his forceful separation from the symbiote, and his defeat at the hands of the S6, who haven't been publicly seen since. When the S6 return more powerful than ever and try taking over New York's underworld, Peter must stop them with the help of Venom and Black Cat. Peter considers Cat a potential love interest, and also sees how the Venom suit has corrupted Harry and attempts to save him from it. 

Ultimately, Peter puts down the S6 with help from his "amazing friends." (See what I did there?) Felicia leaves to resume her new life in another city, while Harry dies making peace with Peter. Now able to fully move on from Gwen's death and Harry's betrayal, Peter starts a relationship with fellow college classmate Mary Jane. The Six's defeat also exposes Oscorp's corruption and clears the name of Peter's father, wrapping up those story arcs for good. 

Other Sony Proposals- So let's assume that entire shared universe plan is scrapped, but Sony still keeps Spidey's film rights instead of making a deal with Marvel. What then? Well, the Sony Hacks revealed several alternatives. One of the more prominent ones was a proposal to treat Spidey like James Bond, and just keep recasting him and doing standalone adventures not beholden to continuity. This would be a great approach if the idea was to abandon the shared universe concept and just focus on making good Spidey flicks. 

The idea of using "Kraven's Last Hunt" and exploring an adult Peter with Mary Jane is also great. Kraven the Hunter would come back into Peter's life and bury him alive, only to take up the Spider-Man identity to prove he's better at it. Since it focuses on an older Peter in a relationship with MJ, it could even be a loose continuation of either the Maguire or Garfield continuities. Maybe Sony could still move forward with the Garfield films and its spinoffs, and just use this concept for future films. If this happens, then they should bring back the Kraven actor from the S6 arc, which would give the film more weight since they've fought before. The film could even have a Wrath of Khan feel, exploring Peter's mortality and life choices by confronting a past enemy. I think it would work great, but given the current shared universe landscape, it doesn't seem likely. 

So what about an animated film? Spidey does have a rich history in animation, and getting the Lego Movie guys to direct is, admittedly, a masterstroke. If they can do for Spidey what they did for Lego Batman, this could be big. I'd love to see a villain like Mysterio brought in, since you could take full advantage of his illusions to do wonderful things with the animation. Big Hero 6 also proved animated superheroes can succeed, so it's not unheard of. Sony may have more room to be faithful to Spidey's comic lore, going as big as possible in terms of scope without worrying about inflating the budget or making things "realistic." The only thing is, will it be a standalone feature or still connected to the Amazing-verse? 

Going the James Bond or animated route would be a cool way to differentiate Spidey from the other superhero franchises out there, standalone or otherwise. But the Sam Raimi crossover still intrigues me. Should DC never realize their multiverse concept, Spider-Man is the only other comics character I can think of who could pull off using alternate dimensions. Video games, cartoons, and most recently the comics have utilized this story, and it could also be a cool way of capitalizing on a "universe" with only Spider-Man. 

Imagine a whole team of Spider-Men and Women uniting against a villain, either Mysterio (like the game), an evil Spidey (like the cartoons) or Morlun and his family (like the comics). It'd be a great way to incorporate the Garfield and Maguire versions, connecting the entire spider franchise up to that point. It'd also be a great way to seed more spin-offs starring other Spider characters, and not worry about continuity since they're all in separate realitites. Imagine a Blade Runner-esque Spider-Man 2099, or a detective thriller Spider-Man Noir? This would also lead to what could definitely revitalize the Spider-Man brand: introduce Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen. 

Both are characters that have gained quite a bit of popularity among comics fans. They allow for diversity and their own story arcs. In Spider-Gwen you can bring back Emma Stone and have your female led film. In Miles you have a worthy successor to Peter Parker who's also a half black half Latino kid, attracting a more modern audience. Now imagine bringing all these Spiders together, alongside the Garfield and Maguire versions. It'd make a killing. And if Sony does decide, at the end of the day, to sell the rights back to Marvel, you can still justify the whole endeavor by saying the MCU is another parallel universe, so its version of Spidey is just co-existing alongside the rest. Which brings me to my next proposal...

MCU Proposal- Let's assume the Marvel-Sony deal did go through and Marvel got the rights to use Spidey. This may be null and void for the time being, but considering where both franchises are heading (Sony is floundering, Marvel succeeding but in need of new heroes), it's much more likely to still happen. I mentioned in my MCU entry that Spidey could show up in Civil War. To expand a little on that, I imagine he'd be a rookie hero, either high school or college, who got his powers shortly after Ultron. 

Since he's impressionable and has a lot of potential, Tony recruits him into the pro-reg side. Tony and Pym collaborate to create the Iron Spider suit (just look at the Yellowjacket suit and tell me it wouldn't make an awesome Spidey costume). Like the comics, Peter has doubts and eventually switches to Cap's side. While it's said the current Civil War script doesn't have Spidey, should a deal come to fruition, I could see some reshoots putting Peter in as a minor role, almost like a cameo. He doesn't have to be the focus, given it is technically Cap's movie.  

Should Peter get his own solo MCU franchise, I could see his first solo film dealing with the Civil War fallout, and coming out in November 2016. Norman Osborn and Oscorp, with the full support of Tony Stark and J. Jonah Jameson, create a new government sponsored superhero named the Scorpion, aka veteran Mac Gargan. Spidey is a fugitive who has yet to sign up with Cap's side full-time, since Bucky is now leading the charge in the wake of Steve's death. Peter considers quitting when Scorpion gets more acclaim then him. 

Eventually Gargan goes insane and starts killing people, forcing Spidey's hand. Peter is hailed as a hero despite his fugitive status, and Gargan is imprisoned. This would be the first film. I'd love for a Netflix show like Daredevil to pick up from here, showing Osborn, set on revenge, creating Peter's rogues gallery to get back at him. They form the first version of the S6, and by the show's end Peter is convinced to help the anti-reg side full time. He could even team with Daredevil throughout the show, who's trying to convince him to join Bucky's team. 

This would lead to Peter being part of Bucky's Avengers team by the time Infinity War starts. He'd participate in the battle against Thanos, during which he'd bond with the symbiote. After the two-parter, Spidey's next film would kickstart Phase IV in 2019. It'd involve Peter dealing with the black suit and discarding it, only for Osborn to find it and have it bond with Gargan to become "Agent Venom." Gargan would join Osborn's personal superhero team, the Thunderbolts, led by Osborn in the Iron Patriot suit. 

The Thunderbolts are secretly a new version of the S6, marketed as heroes. Peter would fight the Thunderbolts and expose them, pissing Norman off. By film's end, Norman sheds the Iron Patriot identity and becomes the Green Goblin. A third film, either towards the end of Phase Four or maybe even in Phase Five, would be a full-on Spidey vs. S6 fight, with assistance from other heroes. It would have Peter then joining a new iteration of Avengers, and just acting as a supporting character in other films as more heroes get their chance at solo movies. 

Can It Work? In all honesty, no. While I've outlined several proposals that could, in theory, allow this to work, the fact of the matter is Sony has no idea what direction to take with Spidey. They're too focused on mimicking what's popular instead of following their own vision. The current plan is destined to failure, since it was halfhazardly set up and is being done more for marketing rather than creative reasons. Similarly, the idea of in-house reboots, Sam Raimi crossovers, and animated films may be appealing, but since they've all been proposed, it's shown Sony only cares about them for monetary purposes. The only way I could possibly see Spider-Man working in a shared universe capacity is to have him return to Marvel. Bringing Spidey home would allow him to maintain and define his identity in the context of a larger universe, and bring more adventures to the screen with other superheroes. 

If a deal with Marvel can't be reached, then either the standalone James Bond approach or a multiverse concept would make more sense. Both of those concepts operate off the idea that Spidey should be his own thing, cut off from the shared universe idea altogether. Spidey simply does not have enough varied characters to support spin-off franchises. As such, a shared Spider-Verse with one unified continuity won't work. This is surefire proof that in an age where the shared universe is king, not all franchise characters can adopt this model. Tomorrow I will end my oddyssey through the shared universe concept, by exploring what other, non-superhero franchises are due for this approach, and whether or not they can succeed. 

Consider the Shared Universe Part III: DC

Day 3 of my shared universe series is upon us! After two days of Marvel, it's time to focus on their Distinguished Competition. In the past, DC has relied solely on Superman and Batman films to keep themselves afloat. And for awhile that was fine, considering Supes and Bats were the two most iconic heroes out there. With the rest of DC's stable untested, Warner Brothers was fine with keeping them the subject of various animated films and shows.

But in this new post-Avengers age, it's been proven that people will flock to any B or C-list superhero as long as they're handled well. Look at what Marvel did with Guardians versus DC's Green Lantern flop. When it comes to bringing their non-Superman and Batman heroes to life, DC doesn't have a great track record. But with this new initiative to bring DC's roster of heroes to the screen, we may finally be seeing signs of major shake-ups in how Warner Brothers conducts one of their most lucrative properties. 

The Story So Far: In regards to this DC Cinematic Universe that WB is constructing, the only canononical entry is Man of Steel. Beforehand, WB released five Superman films and seven Batman films (not counting animation). None of those films are canon to this new universe, nor is the 2011 Green Lantern film, nor the expanding DC TV universe of Arrow and The Flash. Off the backs of MoS, Warner Brothers plans to release ten more films from 2016 to 2020, with more solo Superman and Batman films following that slate. 

Predictions

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (March 25, 2016)- Complicated title aside, this film is on everybody's radar for 2016. While the subtitle and casting decisions point to a Justice League origin story, I'm inclined to think this is actually a clear cut Man of Steel sequel with Batman as a major supporting character. The other heroes are glorified cameos, meant to establish their existence. And while it's a long shot, it's perfectly possible for these heroes to come together as a proto-Justice League before the credits role. And as to the rumor that the film is secretly going to be released in two parts to cover everything, I'm not entertaining that thought until it's proven. As of now, BvS is still one film, so I'm treating it as such. Based on the official casting, minor spoilers from production photos, and the announced film slate (with some likely correct Internet rumors thrown in), here's my prediction. 

Zod's invasion in MoS has turned most of the public against Superman. Lex Luthor is turning the media against him, making him out to be a menace. Bruce Wayne, while hating Luthor, agrees with his stance that Supes is dangerous after personally witnessing the fallout of the battle. Superman's presence has caused other superhumans in hiding to reveal themselves. Among them are Diana, princess and ambassador of the Amazons, and Orin, king of Atlantis. Clark uses his pull at the Planet to investigate reports of other metas, and becomes particularly fascinated by the urban legend of the Batman. When Clark holds a meeting with Diana and Orin to discuss the growing superhuman population, Luthor secretly records it and leaks it to the press. This causes a mass panic, as the people believe Superman will lead an alliance of superhumans against humanity.

Afraid of permanently losing the public's respect, Supes tries to help break up a border dispute between two Middle Eastern countries. His presence only escalates the tension, and Supes is forced by the government to back down. Realizing he is beyond control, the gov. asks Luthor to deal with the Superman problem. Clark goes to Gotham to cover the Gotham vs. Metropolis football game (Victor Stone, the future Cyborg, is QB for Metropolis). He uses the opportunity to gather evidence for his Batman story, and interviews Bruce Wayne. Wayne, who's studied every scrap of Superman footage, deduces Clark is Supes. He promises Clark an exclusive interview with the Batman, and uses the meeting to spring his knowledge of Supes' identity on him. Bruce antagonizes Clark into attacking him. Supes wins the fight but flees in shame when he sees Batman is mortal.

Luthor deduces that Wayne funds the Batman and gives Wayne kryptonite, which he harnessed from the terraformed section of the Indian Ocean. Armed with kryptonite and a mech suit, Bats challenges Supes to a rematch in Gotham. Bats wins and beats Supes to near death. Seeing the humanity in Clark for the first time, Bats realizes Luthor's played them against each other. Luthor unleashes Doomsday, a flawed Kryptonian cloned from a salvaged Genesis chamber. Vic Stone is severely injured in the wreckage. Supes and Bats team up to fight Doomsday, but are too weakened from their earlier battle. Diana and Orin show up to help, and manage to put down the creature without severe human casualties. Supes seems to die, but ends up surviving. Supes and Bats voice their respect for each other, and agree with Diana and Orin to team up in times of crisis. Supes becomes a hero in the eyes of the public, with a statue made of him.

Suicide Squad (August 5, 2016)- Boy did this film jump on everyone's radar. Thanks to an all-star cast portraying key DC villains, this film is set to expand the DCCU in enormous ways. I don't have any major predictions plotwise for this film, but here's my best guess. We definitely know that Amanda Waller assembles the Squad, led by Rick Flagg, and including Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Enchantress, and Harley Quinn. We also know Joker's involved. My guess is Quinn is needed to help the team fight the Joker, but is conflicted whether to betray the team for him. I'm also thinking Lex Luthor will get wrapped up in the plot, which is part of a larger conspiracy involving the coming of Brainiac.

Wonder Woman (June 23, 2017)- While a persistent rumor says this film is set in the 1920s, with sequels exploring WWII and modern day, there's no real evidence to support that. The producers have confirmed Diana is the daughter of Zeus, meaning this is most likely based on the New 52 run. In accordance with that, I'd like to see a film set after BvS that heavily focuses on Greek mythology. My personal theory sees Diana return to Themyscira to find her home torn apart by civil war. Ares, the war god, has empowered the sorceress Circe to declare war against Diana's mother, Queen Hippolyta.

Circe takes one of Diana's close friends, Barbara, and turns her into her servant Cheetah. Diana learns that should Circe's rebellious Amazons win the war, they will open the gate to Tartarus and give Ares an army with which to overthrow Zeus on Mt. Olympus. Diana is conflicted over whether to side with her mother and father, or her brother and best friend. She relives her origin via flashbacks to remember her roots, and decide whether humanity is ultimately worth saving or if she should give it all up for a chance at godhood. By film's end, Diana learns of the presence of an evil "New God", who is preparing to attack humanity.

Justice League Part I (November 17, 2017)- For the first part of DC's epic team up, I'm predicting that this'll be the first we see of Ezra Miller's Flash and Ray Fisher in full Cyborg mode. They will be introduced as younger, rookie type heroes who team with Supes, Bats, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman to combat Brainiac, who Diana belives is the "New God" she was warned about. The Justice League is officially formed to fight Brainiac, who is summoned to Earth by the same signal from the Fortress that summoned Zod.

Brainiac teams with Luthor and possibly other villains to form the Legion of Doom. One of Brainiac's drones is captured by Vic Stone's father, Dr. Silas Stone, and used to turn Vic into Cyborg. Vic becomes a major asset in the battle against Brainiac and the Legion. After defeating Brainiac and Luthor, the team is visited by Green Lantern Hal Jordan, who tells them that a bigger threat is coming: Darkseid, the true New God. This was heavily rumored awhile back, and I'm inclined to believe it as it's the perfect excuse to take time recasting GL properly, while giving Brainiac his due as a JL villain and saving Darkseid, the bigger threat, for a later film.

The Flash (March 23, 2018)- It seems weird speculating on this film when the Flash TV show is doing such a good job with the mythos. If I had to guess, I'd say this film will deal with the origin either in an opening montage or flashbacks, and have the Scarlet Speedster either fight Captain Cold and the Rogues or Reverse-Flash. Yes, those villains are also on the show, but it'd be cool to see how a film version with big budget effects does it. Given Miller's age, maybe having him be Wally West would be better, as it would differentiate him from Grant Gustin's Barry Allan on the show. Wally worked great as the Flash of the Justice League cartoon, so it's not completely unheard of.

Aquaman (July 27, 2018)- Since Jason Momoa has been confirmed for the character, I expect the DCCU version of Orin/Arthur Curry to be quite the badass. For his film, I'd also base it heavily off the New 52 run. We'd do flashbacks for the origin again, and focus on Arthur/Orin dealing with the responsibilities of leading an underwater kingdom. Arthur's half brother Prince Orm is the main villain, with Black Manta and the Trench as side villains.

A partial adaptation of the "Throne of Atlantis" arc would be great, where Arthur abdicates the throne and Orm takes the opportunity to lead an invasion of the surface. Arthur's relationship with Mera should obviously be explored. Personally, I'd love if the film also took some influence from the '90s version and have Arthur lose a hand, replacing it with a hook or harpoon head. You know, for extra badassery. Also, Kaldur'ahm, the new Aqualad from the Young Justice cartoon, should be involved, because reasons.

Shazam (April 5, 2019)- Aside from Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock aka The Scorpion King playing Black Adam, we know nothing of this film. It is said to have a lighter tone than the other films, meaning it may be more childish to reflect the age of the main character. This should obviously be an origin story, showing how Billy Batson is chosen by the wizard Shazam to become his new champion. Billy must fight the old champion, Black Adam, when he awakens to destroy the world as vengeance for an ancient betrayal. Johnson's described Black Adam as an "antihero", so we'll probably get a more sympathetic version of the character.

Justice League Part II (June 14, 2019)- The League takes on Shazam and Green Latnern as new members in their fight against the New God Darkseid, who comes to destroy Earth with an army of Parademons. Personally, I'd like to see Martian Manhunter and the Hawks (at least Hawkgirl) added as well, as alien refugees whose planets were ravaged by Darkseid. We have no evidence for this, obviously, but it would be nice to see. Darkseid should definitely be the villain though.

Cyborg (April 3, 2020)- I'm not knocking Cyborg as a character, but let's face it: he's not deserving of his own film. He just doesn't have a lot of personal story arcs to carry a film franchise. While the New 52 made him a Justice League founder, I and many others knew him as a Teen Titan. I personally think this film is secretly a Teen Titans movie, with Cyborg as the leader, founder, and main character. If that's the case, a line-up of Raven, Beast Boy, and Starfire would be great, along with some version of Robin or Nightwing. Deathstroke should be the villain, maybe alongside Terra to do the betrayal storyline from the cartoon and "Judas Contract" comics arc. Here's hoping.

Green Lantern (June 19, 2020)- For the last confirmed film on the DCCU slate, we finally get a new Green Latnern movie. Hal Jordan should be redeemed from his last film, but if they use the movie as an excuse to introduce the other Earth Lanterns, like Kyle Rayner or (especially) John Stewart, that would be great. Sinestro should be the villain, and maybe go the whole nine yards and do the Sinestro Corps storyline. If Kyle or John becomes Hal's student, it would create a unique dynamic of Hal training a partner while fighting his old mentor. The film should definitely be a full on space opera, with almost no time on Earth. If the 2011 film taught us anything, it's how not to make a good GL film. DC should at the very least learn what didn't work, and adjust things accordingly.

The Future- Beyond these films, we know more solo films for Bats and Supes are coming. In addition, Guillermo Del Toro is working on his Dark Universe film, which would adapt "Justice League Dark" and include the DCU's magical characters like John Constantine, Zatanna, Deadman, and Swamp Thing. Obviously I'd like that film to be made, to build more on the magic side of the DCCU. As for future Supes and Bats films, I have a few ideas. Solo Superman movies should introduce Supergirl, and maybe Cyborg Superman as a villain. Since the DCCU Batman is older, any solo Batman films should (in my opinion) introduce Terry McGuiness and do Batman Beyond. If DC wants prequels set before BvS, then films adapting the "Court of Owls," "Death in the Family/Red Hood," or "Hush" comic arcs would be great to see.

Also, I think a third Justice League film should adapt "Crisis on Infinite Earths", with the GL film teasing Anti-Monitor. With such a huge event, it would allow DC to incorporate characters from throughout the multiverse, including the Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, and Adam West Batmans, the Smallville and Reeve/ Superman Returns' Supermans, and the Arrow and Flash universe. As part of the build up, WB could even make films adapting key Elseworlds tales, like "Kingdom Come," "All-Star Superman," "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?," "Red Son," and "Gotham by Gaslight," among others. My only justification for this theory: Geoff Johns namedropping the multiverse to explain seperate TV and film canons. By acknowledging previous, unrelated films and shows and allowing for films outside of a shared universe, DC would actually have a leg up over the continuity-heavy Marvel.

Can It Work? Based on the announced film slate, DC is obviously approaching the shared universe concept differently than Marvel. While there will ultimately be four films leading into the first Justice League, most of them will be standalone films that probably won't have much bearing on that film's plot. BvS will probably be doing most of the world-building, which will be debated up until the film's release. Will BvS be another Iron Man 2 or Amazing Spider-Man 2, stuffing in characters and plots to help set up a universe? Only time will tell.

While most people think Marvel's way is the only way, I applaud DC for taking a somewhat different approach. The world building is coming in a huge team-up film instead of a solo movie, and the solo movies seem more like standalone spinoffs then essential jigsaw pieces in a larger story. The larger team ups are coming earlier, to sell the characters before their own movies flesh them out. It seems like DC is literally reverse engineering the Marvel method, but we won't know how well it'll work until BvS comes out. The key to success is, as always, to make quality films. If the films offer a satisfying standalone experience with characters people can root for, then team ups followed by spinoffs has a lot of potential to work.

However, there is an inherent risk with this method. If BvS bombs or underperforms, then the entire DCCU film slate is scrapped. It's great to see Warner Brothers finally showing faith in their lesser DC properties, but that faith will vanish if they don't test well in the BvS flick. That's where a potential Multiverse concept could come in handy. With parallel universes, all previous superhero films and shows not in the same universe could still "count." You could make whatever standalone stories you want and not worry about whether things are connected. Instead of a shared universe, you do a shared multiverse, with interdimensional crossovers.

That has a lot of potential to work, but the spinoff method seems to be what DC is adopting for the forseeable future. As it is, this could work, but it's very dependent on the popularity of one film to find success. Marvel's formula allows them to keep going even if one film flops. So even though the success of this method could kickstart a new way of approaching the shared universe concept, its untested viability could ultimately doom it to failure. We'll see come 2016. Until then, let's turn our focus to a "shared universe" that's entirely lost its potential to be one: Sony's Amazing Spider-Man franchise. Tomorrow we'll explore that tangled web, so today we'll say adeu to the (potential) DCCU. 

Consider the Shared Universe Part II: X-Men/Fantastic Four

Marvel may be the current king of shared universes, but competition is coming. Whether that competition has a real chance is something I hope to find out. In Part Two of my oddyssey through the shared universe concept, I'm taking a look at the Marvel properties owned by 20th Century Fox. That being the X-Men and Fantastic Four. While right now it's unknown whether or not the upcoming F4 reboot will even be successful, and if it will cross over with the X-Men should that happen, I'm going to act as if it's part of this universe Fox is developing. The reason? Fox knows it'll gain more in the long run if they take advantage of all the superheroes they have. So let's get theorizing, shall we?

The Story So Far: In regards to what's canon with this universe, it's a little complicated. As of this writing there have been seven X films released (five core films and two Wolverine spin-offs). Because of Days of Future Past, the events of the original X trilogy and both Wolverine movies have been retconned out of existence, in favor of a new timeline (think Back to the Future II or the 2009 Star Trek reboot). So technically, only two X films (First Class and Days of Future Past) are canon going forward.

However, we have one main X film and three more spin-offs in active development. In addition, should the F4 reboot take place in this new timeline, that also counts, as does the sequel that currently has a release date. There's also an "untitled Fox superhero film" scheduled for 2018. For those keeping track, that's 2 films so far with 4 X films, 2 F4 films, and one mystery film coming. Also, the two previous F4 movies and the Daredevil and Elektra films have no bearing on this timeline. Make sense? Doesn't matter, moving on. 

Predictions

The Fantastic Four (August 7, 2015)- So let's assume I'm right, and the new F4 film is set in the same universe as the rectonned X-Men films. Obviously the X films are period pieces, while F4 is modern day. Here's my basic plan for making this work, assuming Fox is serious about making a shared universe out of X-Men and the F4. And yes, I know they've said that for the time being they're "separate universes", but I don't really buy that. As long as they have F4, Fox will try and tie them into their more successful property. But in accordance with what I've said before, a film must work on its own before tying into a larger universe. 

Whether standalone or part of a universe, this film has an uphill battle. Between the controversy surrounding the plot, casting and character changes, many fans have written this off as a flop. Granted, every previous attempt to bring the F4 to life has failed (creatively at least). But let's see what we definitely know. The new film is set in modern day and is partially based on the Ultimate comics. We also know Doctor Doom and Mole Man are the villains, and that Doom is an anti-social blogger named Victor Domashev. We also know the Storms are African American, and Susan Storm was adopted into the family, thus making her and Johnny foster siblings. Aside from that, we know next to nothing. 

Okay, let's start theorizing. If this is based on the Ultimates run, then it makes sense for the team's powers to come from experimenting with a portal to the Negative Zone dimension. This would also allow an origin different enough from the first 2 films to not be considered a total retread (cough Amazing Spider-Man cough). Domashev may be a blogger, but he could still be a member of the Latverian royal family who's really good with tech and wants to inspire a revolution through social media. 

Domashev, Mole Man, and our four heroes all work at the Baxter Building think tank under Dr. Storm, trying to open the N-Zone portal. Doom tampers with the project, wanting to use it to his own ends. Everyone is teleported through the N-Zone and emerges with powers, the result of exposure to extradimensional energy. The Four are quarantined, while Doom returns to Latveria and uses his emerging powers (let's say he can control technology at will) to become its ruler. 

He creates an army of Doombots, and with asistance from Mole Man, attacks the F4 to get his hands on the portal tech. Doom hopes to expand his empire to envelope the entire world by reopening the portal, saying he glimpsed creatures on the other side. The Four embrace their powers and defeat Doom, who's sucked into the portal. Throughout the film, the Four are seen as freaks and associated with mutants, before earning the public's respect by defeating Doom. An end credits scene will reveal the X-Men exist, and timeline wise this takes place closer to the future segment at the end of Future Past. 

Deadpool (February 12, 2016)- Well here's a film we definitely know will be a part of the X-Men universe! Deadpool's finally getting a proper film treatment. We know this because Ryan Reynolds is coming back, the script's been online for years, and it's been confirmed to redo his origin (since Origins Wolverine has been retconned). Assuming that same script or a variation of it will be the story, we'll see Deadpool flashback to his beginnings with the Weapon X project before battling a team of mutant mercenaries. 

Honestly, the plot could be about anything. I don't want to theorize too much, and only predict that the film will be aboslutely insane. The leaked test footage that got the film greenlit can pretty much attest to that. Here's what I will predict: the film will end with Deadpool being recruited by Cable to join X-Force. It'd also be pretty cool, keeping with DP's metahumor, to have him comment on the pressure of being in a shared universe before this team-up happens. Sort of a self-aware parody of the Nick Fury scene from Iron Man. In terms of tone, Deadpool needs to be zany and over-the-top. With superheroes the leading Hollywood genre, this is the perfect film to satirize the whole thing. Make it happen, Fox. 

X-Men: Apocalypse (May 27, 2016)- This film will be insane. Bryan Singer is returning to direct, with Oscar Isaac the titular villain, in a film set in the '80s that will end the First Class trilogy in destructive style. We know Xavier, Magneto, Mystique, Beast, and Quicksilver are coming back. Wolverine will most likely join them, if that Future Past cliffhanger is anything to go by. We also have a short list of actors for younger versions of Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Storm, meaning they're definitely in. Now here's some serious speculation. I think Angel and Nightcrawler will be in the film as well, and Singer's just keeping things quiet. Nightcrawler will be a teen, and it'll be revealed Mystique and Azazel are his parents. Angel will be recruited alongside Scott, Jean, and Storm. 

So we now have Xavier leading a team of X-Men that includes Beast, Scott, Storm, Jean, Angel, Quicksilver, and Nightcrawler. Mystique has Logan in custody and is currently running the Weapon X program under the guise of Stryker. Magneto's off on his own, doing Magneto things. Apocalypse, an ancient mutant Pharoah, awakens after sensing the timeline disruption from Future Past. He uses the Weapon X program and Mystique as pawns to create his new Four Horseman. Logan is one of them, with his transformation being the new timeline's explanation for his adamantium. Angel will also be captured and turned into Death, complete with blue skin and metal wings. Magneto and Jean can be the other two, with Jean slowly turning into her Dark Phoenix persona (Singer never got to properly do that arc, so here's his chance.)

Mystique goes back to Charles, allowing her to reconnect with Beast and get to know the son she abandoned. Scott, in love with Jean, is dead set on getting her back. Redemption and fighting off your inner demons will be the running theme. By film's end, all of Apocalypse's Horsemen will be freed, and help the X-Men defeat the evil mutant. He will be believed dead, and everyone will be together in the X-Mansion. At film's end, we learn this was all being told to Logan by Xavier after he woke up at the end of Future Past. In a credits scene, we learn that Apocalypse was only defeated but not destroyed. He returns again, determined to get back at the X-Men and take over the world. 

Gambit (October 7, 2016)- If I ever needed proof that Fox wants a shared X-Men universe, it's this. Deadpool and Apocalypse were a long time coming, but I never thought the Rajun Cajun would earn his own film. Then again, Gambit is one of the more popular X-Men, with a backstory perfect for film. Plus, like DP, Fox has the benefit of ignoring the previous version from Origins. All we know about this film is the release date and that Channing Tatum is playing Remy Labeau. That doesn't leave a lot to work with in terms of where this can go plotwise. But here's what I'm thinking. 

We'll follow Gambit growing up as a thief in New Orleans, learning of his mutant power to infuse objects with kinetic energy to make them explode. Mr. Sinister is the main villain, who approaches Gambit to join a team called the Marauders. Gambit is tricked into wiping out a race of subteranean mutants called the Morlocks, who he once lived with. Feeling immense guilt, Gambit turns against the Marauders and Sinister. By film's end, we learn Sinister is working for Apocalypse, who wanted the Morlocks extinguished as part of his plans to rid the world of weakness. Gambit is approached by Cable and Deadpool, to join their X-Force team with the sole purpose of destroying Sinister and Apocalypse. 

Wolverine 3 (March 3, 2017)- Aside from the return of Hugh Jackman (duh) and a release date, nothing is known about this film. However, I keep hearing "Old Man Logan" come up when talking of Wolverine comics to adapt, and this seems like a perfect time to do so. The only problem is a proper "Old Man Logan" film would be set in the MCU, with Red Skull, the Venom symbiote, Hawkeye, and the Hulk all huge players. Obviously things will have to change, but my proposal keeps to the basic story. 

Instead of a future where all the Marvel supervillains teamed up and won, this is a future inspired by the '90s "Age of Apocalypse" arc. After Days of Future Past, Apocalypse returns and attacks. The X-Men are killed, the Mansion is destroyed, and Apocalypse rules North America. Through Sinister and the Marauders, he has gathered an army of mutant followers. The more powerful mutants divide the country amongst themselves. Sabretooth, Logan's brother (the opening of Origins wasn't retconned) controls California, where Logan lives a quiet life with his family. He hasn't popped the claws in years. There should be a very post-apocalyptic/western feel to this, like if Logan was Clint Eastwood's character from Unforgiven dropped into the world of Mad Max. 

Victor's children (inspired by X-23 and Daken) come to collect Logan's rent and threaten to kill his family if he doesn't pay. Logan promises to get the money before the end of the month. A blind Gambit offers Logan money if he helps him travel the country and get to D.C., the seat of Apocalypse's power. After encountering various obstacles, they reach D.C. only to find Apocalypse set a trap. Gambit is killed, while Logan is tortured and injected with a techno-organic virus that converts his arm into a living metal. Apocalypse hopes to reaquire Logan as one of his Four Horseman. 

Logan escapes and flees D.C., only to find his family dead when he returns. Popping the claws for the first time in years, Logan kills X-23 and Daken before entering a final duel with Sabretooth. He kills his brother, before setting out on his own. Logan is contacted by a group of mutants resisting Apocalypse, who have been alerted to his actions in D.C. They are led by Bishop, Psylocke, and Blink, whose powers have been amplified so she can open portals through time. Desperate to escape this hellish future, Logan decides to form X-Force and prevent the Age of Apocalypse. With the virus threatening to consume his entire body, Logan takes the name Cable. I'm basically adapting Ultimate Cable, since I know Fox will want to keep Jackman involved as the series' poster boy. Cable will then go back in time to recruit Deadpool and Gambit, tying back into both of their films.

Fantastic Four 2 (June 2, 2017)- So let's once again assume a) that the first F4 film will be successful and b) that Fox does want an X-Men crossover. In this film, we find the Four opening another N-Zone portal and exploring the dimension using the Fantasticar. They find a still alive Doom, who has teamed with Annhialus, the ruler of the N-Zone. Doom and Annhialus escape into our world with the intention of ruling it, and the Four have to stop them. A credits scene has Logan/Cable's X-Force (Psylocke, Bishop, Blink, Gambit, and Deadpool) reach out to the F4, asking for their help against the second coming of Apocalypse. 

Untitled Fox Superhero Film (July 13, 2018)- We know nothing about this film, other than it's a superhero film from Fox scheduled for 2018. It could very well be X-Force, since that film was under development a year ago. The problem is, all talk of X-Force ceased when its screenwriter, Jeff Wadlow, made a film called Kick-Ass 2 that tanked at the box office. Point being, I don't think this film is getting made. However, I liked the X-Force concept enough to include them as the SHIELD-like glue that holds this universe together. 

My personal theory for this film? It's a massive crossover, where the X-Men, X-Force, and Fantastic Four team up to prevent the Age of Apocalypse from happening. This'll have Bryan Singer directing, and be one last hurrah for the old cast of X-Men (Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, etc. etc.) Future Past could've been that if not for the retconned ending with all of them alive. In terms of how this plays out, I'd just like it to end with Apocalypse finally destroyed and the Age of Apocalypse/Old Man Logan timeline retconned away. But we don't see the new future that came about, just Cable, Bishop, Blink, and Psylocke fading from existence.

Logan could even die here, so Hugh Jackman can end his esteemed career as Wolverine on a high note. So what of the future? Well, you could eventually bring Wolvie back as a Weapon X clone and recast him. In the meantime, focus on the other X-Men and keep the continuity going, but just recast. Use future tech to justify more comic book elements. Go to space and introduce the Shi'ar (Fox'll need to compete with Marvel and DC's cosmic stuff). Maybe do variations of the "House of M" or "Phalanx" arcs. Take advantage of the F4 characters. Make Doom a huge global threat. Re-introduce Silver Surfer and Galactus (consult the Ultimate Galactus trilogy). Make Onslaught a new overarching villain. Get the rights to Namor back from Universal and make him a giant baddie, given he's Marvel's first (published) mutant and has history with the F4. Between the two properties, the possibilities are endless. 

Can It Work? As I've just gotten through saying, there's a lot of potential here for a "second MCU" based just on the F4 and X-Men. Hell, if F4 bombs and goes back to Marvel, the X-Men alone have enough characters and stories to create a shared universe. While it would be great to see both of these properties back at Marvel, Fox's recent successes with First Class, The Wolverine, and Days of Future Past show they can at least handle the X-Men properly. F4 is another story, and its success or failure may determine whether a shared universe with both teams is possible. But there are definitely enough characters to expand the universe, and they all have interesting stories that mix in different genres and flavors to prevent things from becoming stagnant. Basically, I can see it happening. 

At the very least, Fox needs to keep making quality X films, and make sure they maintain a consistent continuity now that their timeline's straightened out. A shared X-Men universe is definitely a possibly. A shared X-Men/F4 universe less so, but it could still happen depending on the reboot's quality. The potential for awesome films would be even greater in that scenario, but it's hard to say since the F4 film hasn't dropped yet. We've only begun to see what an expanded X-Men film universe can offer us. Come 2016, we'll know for sure. As long as Fox keeps up the good work with their X films, they could have a superhero universe to rival Marvel's. And, should they get their act together, DC's. That will be the subject of tomorrow's entry, where we see whether bringing the Justice League to our screens is really possible.