• Home
  • About
  • Listen Now
  • Community
  • Links
  • Buy Our Books!

Why The Marvel Cosmic Universe Probably Won't Be The Next 'Star Wars'--At Least Not Right Now

8/3/2014

 
Picture
by Brian LeTendre

Given the blockbuster success of Disney/Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy this weekend, it will be very interesting to see how Guardians and the rest of the Marvel cosmic universe are handled moving forward.

Guardians of the Galaxy is an amazing, sci-fi, swashbuckling adventure that showcases some of the great characters, worlds and storylines the Marvel cosmic universe has to offer. One could make the argument that in its totality, the Marvel cosmic universe should be considered in the same conversation as Star Wars.

Or at least, it could be, if Disney wanted it to be. All the pieces are there.

But I don’t think we’ll ever see the Marvel cosmic universe as fully realized as it could be. Because the same company that owns Marvel also owns the Star Wars universe. And from a business standpoint, making the Marvel cosmic universe as big as it could be would mean bringing it into direct competition with Star Wars.

Despite many fans’ reaction to the prequel trilogies, there’s no denying that Star Wars is still a cultural phenomenon, and a household name. It’s also clear that Disney has big plans for Star Wars, from the new movies, to the new animated series, to the Marvel comics that were just announced at SDCC a couple weeks ago.
Picture
Don’t get me wrong--this is a very good problem for Disney to have. But as a Marvel fan, I think it will result in the relegation of the Marvel cosmic universe to just another corner of the Marvel cinematic universe. Because it it’s just one part of the Marvel U, then it doesn't have the potential to negatively impact the success of future Star Wars endeavors. We'll get our Guardians sequel in 2017, and they'll finish out the Thanos arc and then move on to Civil War. The cosmic universe will fade to the background as Civil War is not a cosmic tale.

In this situation, it might actually be better if Disney didn't own Star Wars. Because you can bet your bottom dollar they’d be pushing to make the Marvel cosmic universe their Star Wars universe.

At the end of the day, I’m so happy that Guardians of the Galaxy exits, and that it was this good, that I would be fine if that’s all we ever got. But it’s hard not to think about the potential of that universe when the glimpse of it we just got is so darn great. I mean, think about the Annihilation series, and how epic those stories are. You could do seven or eight movies off of the first Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest alone. Of course, there is that small problem of Fox having the rights to Silver Surfer and Galactus, but that could be worked around.

Now, in the almost 0% chance that the next few Star Wars movies don’t do so well, or the brand suddenly dips in popularity, Disney can at least rest assured they have the Marvel cosmic universe waiting in the wings.

And of course, since they own both universe, they could just decide to connect them together, right? 


Right? 

I mean, stranger things have happened.
Picture
Wayne
8/3/2014 05:24:21 am

I don't think owning two space properties is going to be a problem. GotG did not feel very "Star Wars"y. Star Wars films are going to eventually coming out yearly, and be on TV. I don't think the occasional Marvel Cosmic movie will be much competition.

Brian
8/3/2014 07:51:43 am

That's just it--I think it will just be the occasional Marvel Cosmic movie because of Star Wars.

milkman (Ian)
8/7/2014 02:23:22 am

I thought GotG was very Star Wars-y in the truest sense in that it wasn't about the lore or the science or any of that stuff that made the prequels so back. When the world building became the focal point the movies became less interesting. In the original trilogy the world was just there and the ham-fisted explanations weren't there and we could just focus on the characters and thats what made GotG so great. I thought it had the best kind of Star Wars feel.

Wayne
8/7/2014 08:09:16 am

Like SW, GotG has great characters. I was touched by Groot's "sacrifice". He saved them with a hug!!! That said I don't think GotG had the depth that the OT does. To be fair, A New Hope does not have depth by itself either so maybe I'll feel differently after a few more movies. Right now, though, it feels like a very surface level movie.

milkman (Ian)
8/15/2014 06:34:38 am

For sure they are different movies. I'm just saying on a visceral level, I was taken in just as I am with Star Wars. Even at my age I was all in.


Comments are closed.

    Sponsored by:

    Picture
    Picture

    What's New?

    Here's where we post news, reviews and show notes, and you get to comment on them!

    Archives

    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    Categories

    All
    Books
    Comics
    Games
    Movies
    Music
    Secret Identity
    Toys
    Tv

    Get Social With Us

    Picture
    Picture

    Subscribe To Our RSS Feed

    RSS Feed

    Looking For The Old SI Website? 

    Look no further! You can visit the old site and read through the article archives by clicking here!
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.