DC ExtraTime: The Lohan Beach Club and Marvel Cinematic Universe Unite

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Brie Larson as Captain Marvel

Many years ago, the most iconic animated TV series of our time, The Simpsons, envisioned a world where 20th Century Fox would once become owned by The Walt Disney Company when it combined the searchlight logo of the former with a tagline of the ladder in one now memorable screencap. That pipe dream became a reality this week when Mickey Mouse's ambition of taking over one of his studios' rivals was realized when Disney completed the company's $71 billion takeover of much of 21st Century Fox, including its movie studio, TV production arm and other assets... creating a powerful media super conglomerate.
   This news came at the most opportune time for those who follow the movies just ahead of the summer blockbuster season that kicks off in over a month from now. The now combined Disney/Fox operation -- which turned Hollywood's major film studios into the Big Five -- now distributes films not only from their two main film studio units, but also the iconic family animated films by Disney Animation and Pixar - including Toy Story, the Star Wars franchise, and titles from Marvel Studios. All of these assets will provide the ammunition for Disney to take on Netflix for world domination in the streaming sphere, which includes the top-grossing film of this spring.
   When the Disney/21st Century Fox merger became official late Tuesday night, those who avidly follow Marvel Comic movies began to discuss the seemingly inevitable prospects of all of their favorite characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe being under one roof, with crossovers now all but certain. Think of that as the fantasies coming true for everyone connected to this world the same way Challenge fans imagine having all of their favorite Challengers competing in one mega-season. The Universe is miles ahead of all other movie franchises in having grossed over $17.5 billion at the box office, part of a $28 billion business when merchandise sales and other related things are factored in.

Earlier this month saw the release of the 21st film in an MCU saga that dates back to Iron Man over a decade ago, and last year produced the year's two biggest films as measured by the cash flowing in at the box office: Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther. The new film is Captain Marvel, which strategically dropped on International Women's Day, March 8th, and is the first of its kind in the Marvel franchise where a woman is playing its lead role: Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson playing superhero Carol Danvers, a comic book character who bears the movie's title. Anna Boden and filmmaking partner Ryan Fleck co-wrote & directed a movie set in 1995, which sees Carol become Captain Marvel when the world finds itself in between two alien worlds in conflict.

Clark Gregg playing
Agent Coulson

   Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Bendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Annette Bening and Gemma Chan join Bree on the cast, as is someone whose lineage in the MCU goes all the way back to the beginning. Agent Philip Coulson appeared in Iron Man eleven years ago, along with its 2010 sequel, Thor and The Avengers, and is the lead character on ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson serves as a high-ranking member of the espionage agency, and has been featured in comics, a digital series and other media. Captain Marvel sees the Agent back when he was a rookie on the police force... and the role itself -- the longest lineage of anyone who's appeared in the MCU --  is portrayed by Clark Gregg, who's also done voice work for Marvel's animated series, and pre-Marvel appeared on The West Wing, Will & Grace and The New Adventures of Old Christine.
   It would seem a strange segueway from a spring blockbuster movie that‘s garnered over $800 million at the global box office to an MTV Reality series, but there is one link... thanks in part to the kind of link-up that can only happen when you live down in the land of the stars: Hollywood.