Just hours after DC Comics officially announced the Batman-Superman movie, Marvel fired back with Avengers: Age of Ultron. I have already heard some of the criticism, and am preparing myself to hear even more. Before we go jumping down Marvel’s throat about Avengers: Age of Ultron, there are some issues we need to consider. Lets take a look at some of the potential arguments.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Age of Utron is Too New
Where is there a rule written which states that Marvel has to incorporate older stories into the movies? Yes, Loki was the first villain in the Avengers comics, and the first villain in the movies, but that does not mean that Marvel has to follow suit with the next storyline in the comics. While the Space Phantom story from Avengers #2 would be an interesting story to tell, Age of Ultron is a much stronger story.
But, We Don’t Have a Full Enough Cast for Avengers: Age of Ultron
How long should Marvel wait to make Avengers: Age of Ultron? The X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four are all movie properties owned by other companies. If Marvel were to wait to make this movie to ensure all of the players from the comic are involved, Avengers: Age of Ultron might not be made for a decade, if at all.
Also, as Marvel has proven with the Phase 1 movies, they do not have to follow the comics exactly (or barely even loosely) to make blockbusters. The Avengers was one of the top grossing movies of all time. They can pull this movie off without Wolverine, Spider-Man, or Reed.
But, What About Hank Pym?
Here is a bit of an odd one. If Hank Pym is going to be the creator of Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron, it means he will be launched in the Marvel cinematic universe before his own movie. Avengers: Age of Ultron is slated for May of 2015, and Ant-Man is slated for November 2015. There is nothing wrong with introducing him in an Avengers movie before his own. In fact, this will help to introduce him to a wider audience before he has his own movie. Please have Wasp, Marvel. Please have Wasp.
Avengers: Age of Ultron Alienates Older Fans
How can anyone say Avengers: Age of Ultron alienates older fans? None of the Marvel movies have followed the original comics exactly. If anything, they have followed the Ultimate Universe closer. Each movie has had enough shout outs to the way “things used to be” to keep older fans and collectors happy. None of the Marvel movies in Phase 1 were flops, and Avengers: Age of Ultron is sure to follow the same formulas used thus far.
Avengers: Age of Ultron is Only to Sell the Newer Comics
The hell it is. The main goals of Avengers: Age of Ultron would be to continue the Marvel/Disney dominance of the comic-book based media market, continue the superhero movie legacy Marvel has created, and to make the other comic book publishing companies stand further back in line. Selling comics is an impact, but not necessarily a goal of the movie franchises Marvel is running with right now in much the same way that selling toys and other merchandise is an impact. Yes, this announcement will get more people in the stores picking up Age of Ultron – but that is not the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is to keep Marvel on top of the comic book industry for many years to come.
What Impact Will This Have on the Marvel Cinematic Universe Timeline?
Who says that there has to be enough time travel in Avengers: Age of Ultron to disrupt the space-time continuum? Marvel might even know a way to pull off the story without having time travel at all. The movie title might simply be a way to indicate that the Avengers will be battling Ultron. We will not have any clue as to how this will all play out until closer to the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron, or we might have to wait until the first movie or two passes after the next Avengers movie. Only time, and Marvel, will tell.
