More than just content and every other aspect movies and series present, we’re also huge fans of how that story is told and brought to life, Marvel is a great example of that. They have a clever way of knitting everything together perfectly and with their recent extended universe including miniseries involving some of the Avengers characters, the studio has been able tell extended stories that link to their movies and all play a pivotal role in each other, it’s like a continuous loop that’s never ending and we for ones are here for all of it.

Our focus today, and as briefly mentioned up top, is based on Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, who confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy, and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

In classic Marvel manner, Black Widow doesn’t disappoint and is full of everything you would expect from a movie of its nature. It’s jam packed with all kinds of action sequences, fight scenes and a bit of humor throughout – all ingredients that have made Marvel such a success with most if not all of its movies. In what is her own solo Marvel movie without the support of other power cast members, Johannson does a fantastic job in leading the entire story line (was anyone ever in doubt really?) supported by an equally more than able cast.

Speaking of the cast, Black Widow also sees Florence Pugh feature prominently assuming the character of Yelena Belova, Natasha’s sister, with her onscreen chemistry with the lead (Johannson) being one of the highlights of the movie. Judging by how this movie ended, it’s clear that Pugh’s character is going to play a bigger role in the extended Marvel Universe… so yes do stick around for the end credits with an interesting Easter Egg and twist being revealed.

The movie is a breath of fresh air with more of a focus on family and its dynamics, we get to see Natasha’s origins in a completely different and realistic manner. It also sees a majority of a female led cast with Rachel Weisz (as Iron Maiden) also coming across in a powerful manner. This shouldn’t come as a surprise since the director (Cate Shortland) is also female and as we pointed out previously in this one, we’re huge fans of this approach and would be up to seeing more female characters portrayed in powerful roles.

Black Widow is a great watch, like all previous Marvel movies that came before it. It brings a slightly different mix to the current Marvel set up with the all female led cast and story line being a central and refreshing feature we really enjoyed. In as much as it isn’t all perfect from a story line point of view, it has enough (in action sequences and humor) to satisfy anyone looking for a great movie to watch. Well worth your time (especially if you’ve been invested in the entire Marvel trilogy from the onset). It definitely gets our stamp of approval.

Marvel’s Avengers has been delayed from May 15th to September 4th. That gives Crystal Dynamics around four months to put the finishing touches on the game, but maybe more importantly, the delay puts more space between it and Cyberpunk 2077, which is scheduled to launch on April 16th and is expected to be one of the biggest games of the year.

In a statement published to Crystal Dynamics’ website, the developer seems to suggest that this decision was made in part to address fan feedback. “When we set out to bring you our vision for Marvel’s Avengers, we committed to delivering an original story-driven campaign, engaging co-op, and compelling content for years to come,” Crystal Dynamics co-heads Scot Amos and Ron Rosenberg wrote. “To that end, we will spend this additional development time focusing on fine tuning and polishing the game to the high standards our fans expect and deserve.”

“The worldwide teams working on Marvel’s Avengers sincerely appreciate the support you’ve shown us,” the two continued. “We thrive on your enthusiasm and feedback and we can’t wait to show you more. We apologize for the delay. We’re confident it will be worth the wait.”

We got our first real look at Marvel’s Avengers at E3 2019, which came after a few years of build-up. Reaction to the footage that was shown and gameplay demos that were later offered was somewhat mixed. That may have prompted Crystal Dynamics to to push the game back, but the statement from Amos and Rosenberg doesn’t really delve into specifics.

For the release of Marvel’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Edition and Deluxe Edition will be available alongside the Standard Edition. Further, players who pre-order any version of the game will receive guaranteed access to the Beta (at participating retailers), a Marvel Legacy Outfit pack, and an exclusive nameplate to sweeten the deal.

Marvel’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Edition features a full color 12” statue of Captain America. Designed by the artisans at Gentle Giant, this deluxe high-quality PVC statue captures every texture and detail on Captain America’s uniform. Marvel’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Edition also includes a copy of the Deluxe Edition, an exclusive SteelBook® case, Hulk Bobblehead, Mjolnir Keychain, Black Widow’s Belt Buckle, Iron Man’s Prototype Amor Blueprints, Kamala Khan’s Honorary Avenger Pin, a commemorative Avengers group photo, and 72-hour early access before the September 4, 2020 release date.

In any case, Marvel’s Avengers is one of Square Enix’s biggest releases in 2020, and now it looks like we’ll have to wait longer to play it.

The latest trailer of the movie has just been released and it’s got us all tingly inside with excitement. Just a word of advice, if you haven’t seen Endgame yet then this might not be for you as it contains lots of spoilers!

Spider-Man: Far From Home hits our big screens on July 2.

To this day we can still recall just how blown away we were by part 1, popularly known as Infinity War and how we were counting down to the eventual culmination with the title later confirmed as Endgame. A more than fitting title when you think about it. With a whopping running time of exactly 3 hours and a minute, this one is definitely not for the faint of heart and no doubt it will test your movie watching acumen. But if you have been invested from the start and been literally counting down like us then this should not be a problem. If anything, you definitely know that it will be more than worth it…which then perfectly leads us to our thoughts.

Cast – Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Bradley Cooper & Josh Brolin

Directors – Anthony & Joe Russo

Genre – Fantasy/Science fiction film

Running Time – 181 minutes

The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios’ grand conclusion to twenty-two films, “Avengers: Endgame.”

There is no doubt that the Russo brothers who are responsible for putting so many of Marvel’s masterpieces together have outdone themselves with the Avengers trilogy. Their other pieces of work include our other favourite movie trilogy (outside the Avengers series) from the Marvel stable, the Captain America trilogy (The Winter Soldier & Civil War) to be exact. To say we are fans of theirs is putting it very mildly. There was no perfect way to sum it all up than with this.

Infinity War left most of us in limbo and with a lot of confusion…what Endgame does is put everything into perspective and answers several questions we all had. We won’t lie this is one fantastic and epic movie. It will no doubt be everything and more everyone expected it to be, it exceeded even our highest expectations. There’s always hype behind certain things including this movie but it’s more than fitting in this instance.

Endgame is full of emotional moments (keep some tissues close by) and will be quite the rollercoaster ride so best be prepared for that…It’s unlike any superhero movie and there’s no doubt that it is the best superhero movie to have been put together. It brilliantly pays tribute to the previous movies in the trilogy meaning that in order to understand some of its nuances you will have had to have seen the previous movies, and for anyone who hasn’t, well, sorry. It feels like the perfect way to sum it all up, sadly we will say goodbye to certain heroes but it also presents us with a new dawn full of new heroes.

If Infinity War was the flight we were on then Endgame is when we soar and land. It has everything and will no doubt serve as an inspiration to some (us included). We are more than glad to have been invested in the whole Marvel Universe from the start with Endgame feeling like the perfect reward. There’s also nothing more magical than the last two scenes which include the epic last fight…so do stick around until the very end. Marvel has served us well and we look forward to its new chapter. If anything, Endgame is a tribute and the perfect love letter to its loyalists and the original superhero characters. Such is its greatness though that it also presents great entertainment for those who just want to watch a great movie. Very very well played Marvel and that’s why it gets a 9.5 out of 10 rating! EVERYONE NEEDS TO SEE THIS ONE.

No matter how you look at it, this one is going to be something beyond special. A marker that Marvel will lay down to truly bring all its great work into one. We have been here from the start and are definitely here for this one. Avengers Endgame will be in cinemas from 24 April 2019. We can’t wait!

We bet you are equally licking your lips at the prospect of this one. Luckily we don’t have to wait much longer as Frank Castle officially returns on our Netflix screens on the 18th Jan…yes, that soon!

The Premise

Following a scandal, journalist Eddie Brock attempts to revive his career by investigating the Life Foundation, but comes into contact with an alien symbiote that bonds with him, giving him superpowers as long as they share the same body.

After watching the trailer it’s clear that this is unlike any Marvel movie and one thing is for sure, it’s not for the fainthearted. Venom officially drops 5 October 2018 and Ster-Kinekor is releasing the movie in IMAX. Bookings for the pre-screening (happening on the 4^th of October) open tomorrow, Tuesday, 25 September for 5 hours. Hurry to get your tickets as this is one of the must see movies of the year!

The Premise

Danny Rand (Finn Jones), the Immortal Iron Fist, has left behind the day-to-day oversight of Rand Enterprises, throwing himself into his mission to defend New York City. But when an old friend returns with twisted intentions, it threatens the fragile peace Danny maintains within his community, and within himself.

Marvel’s Iron Fist Season 2 is now available to stream on Netflix.

Silliness and pure swag in the Marvel universe doesn’t come any better than Deadpool and if you haven’t seen the first installment…my only question is WHY?! I absolutely dig this character, Deadpool is unlike anything ever seen in any superhero universe. Watch any of the promo videos for the movie and you’ll see why. Such was the success of the first one that a second installment was immediately confirmed and in the works.

It’s finally here with our favorite hero continued to be portrayed by the oh so cool Ryan Reynolds and the gorgeous Morena Baccarin (who I have a huge crush on) returning as his love interest. Starring alongside them this time around is the villain (of sorts) Cable played by the colossal Josh Brolin who did an amazing job in his portrayal of Thanos in Infinity War.

All set up to be something special, did it live up to the billing and is it another gem from Marvel?

Cast – Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Jack Kesy & Stefan Kapičić

Directors – David Leitch

Running Time – 2 hours

The Plot

After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Miami’s hottest bartender, while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor – finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World’s Best Lover.

I did mention that this is one silly movie, didn’t I? The above synopsis should further add to that argument. The whole franchise is set up in a unique manner and mixes outright ridiculousness, bags of humor, violence and all out action. The movie is a breath of fresh air and paints the comic book world with a much lighter brush. Even individuals who aren’t necessarily fond of comic books and like movies will find themselves enjoying Deadpool. That’s probably the reason why the movie is currently breaking all kinds of records at the box office managing to even surpass Infinity War in the process.

Despite its humor and light heartedness, the movie does include a few serious moments that will have you pause for a minute (like literally a minute though). The whole premise of it is driven by humour excellently led by the brilliant Reynolds who is tailor-made for this role. Whilst watching, it was also interesting to note the X-Men references throughout the movie and how the character is closely linked to that universe in the overall Marvel Comics Universe (MCU)…would be interesting to see our friend Deadpool in an X-Men movie…probably won’t happen anytime soon but its always nice to dream and stranger things have happened before so why not?

Deadpool 2 picks up where the first installment successfully left off. A brilliant franchise that is unique in its approach and unlike anything ever seen in any comic book-based story. A different but equally successful product from Marvel who continue to produce magic. I’m quite amped for the next movie in the franchise (yes looks like there will be another one…rejoice!) and overall can’t wait to see what Marvel does next with their other upcoming movies. A perfect blend of humour, silliness, ridiculousness and action, Deadpool 2 is everything and more I could have wanted in any good and enjoyable movie. An epic 8.5 out of 10 rating is what it gets from me. Go see it NOW.

From Friday, 13 April to Sunday, 22 April DStv Premium customers will experience an unprecedented cinematic journey with the M-Net Movies Marvel Studios Pop-Up Channel. This super-powered channel, which will be added to the already existing six M-Net Movies channels on DStv, will be available for ten days only on channel 109 and will feature 15 of the most pulsating films from the massively popular Marvel Studios franchise.

During these ten days, the M-Net Movies Marvel Studios Pop-Up Channel will run from 06:00 CAT to 00:00 daily. Each day of the week a film from the franchise, which has overlapping storylines, will be screened in chronological order, i.e. according to how the films were released in cinema. Starting with 2008’s Iron Man, viewers can revisit the stories of their beloved heroes all the way through to Spiderman: Homecoming, which will close the channel on Sunday 22, April.

“This channel is a special treat for the legions of Marvel fans—both old and new—who have enjoyed the live-action exploits of favourite Marvel Superheroes in films that express the unique vision and creativity of their filmmakers, and deliver thrilling action and visual spectacles with relatable characters,” says M-Net’s Head of Publicity, Lani Lombard. “The timing of our M-Net Movies Marvels Studios Pop-Up Channel is also absolutely perfect with the franchise currently creating an incredible buzz worldwide”  

The release of the recent Black Panther became the biggest film of all time in East, West and South Africa, showing that Marvel Studios is at the forefront of the comic-book-turned-action-pop-culture phenomenon. While the M-Net Movies Marvel Pop-Up channel will give DStv viewers the opportunity to enjoy more gems of the franchise, which has been ten years in the making, it also serves as a lead-up to the new Avengers: Infinity War which hits South African cinemas on Friday, 27 April 2018.

On top of the 15 feature films (see list below) there will also be programming linked to the behind the scenes of the movies, such as: United We Stand, Divided We Fall; The Making of Captain America: Civil War; Guide to The Galaxy with James Gunn and more. 

Additionally, avid fans of the blockbuster franchise will be treated to a range of documentaries offering incredible insight into the history of Marvel. These include: Marvel 75 Years From Pulp to Pop; From Asgard To Earth (Thor); Marvel’s Captain America: 75 Heroic Years; Ultimate Iron Man: The Making of Iron Man 2 Rebuilding the Suit; Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe just to mention a few!

The fifteen Marvel Studios blockbusters on the channel are:

• Iron Man (2008)
• Iron Man 2 (2010)
• Thor (2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
• Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)
• Iron Man 3 (2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
• Avenges: Age of Ultron (2015)
• Ant-Man (2015)
• Captain America: Civil War (2016)
• Doctor Strange (2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Find the schedule on mnet.tv/MMMarvel or on DStv.com under printable schedules as well as on the EPG (Electronic Programming Guide) on your decoder.

Cast – Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo & Anthony Hopkins

Director – Taika Waititi

Genre – Fantasy/Science fiction film

Running Time – 2h 10m

The Plot

In Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok,” Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk!

One of the movies I’ve been anticipating (no guesses why) has finally landed on the big screen. Needing no introduction, the character Thor has firmly established themselves in the Marvel Universe. Played by the oh so cool Chris Hemsworth (who I admit to having a small “man crush” on), our hero returns in a new edition simply titled Thor Ragnarok.

I always make it a point to check what the guys at Rotten Tomatoes (one of the most reliable movie sources) make of any movie before deciding whether or not it’s worth checking out. Surprisingly and utterly blown away to find out that Thor Ragnarok is rated at an astonishing 96% from a 100! A very and I mean very rare rating for any movie especially since the site includes the harshest of movie reviewers around. Losing my mind over the prospect, I couldn’t wait to check it out. Thankfully MNet Movies and Ster Kinekor came to my aid with a cool pre-screening.

Shot in Australia and featuring two Aussie actors in the main cast: Hemsworth and Cate Blanchett (who plays Hela, the first female villain to appear in the MCU), the movie’s events are set two years after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron and perfectly sets up the next big MCU ensemble movie, Avengers: Infinity War.

It’s no secret I love comic book based movies and one of the reasons why is they allow you to escape the real world and into a fantasy world that’s usually mystical or magical in some way. Thor Ragnarok has this and more, including cool action sequences and hilarious moments throughout, the humour is what sold it the most for me. It’s a well put together movie with a cool plot that’s not difficult to follow or believe.

Unlike DC, which is usually dark and mysterious in its approach, Marvel has always been lighter, Thor Ragnarok is another good example of this. After finally seeing it I can declare that it’s the best superhero movie this year. Should be interesting to see if it takes the bragging rights outright especially with DC’s much-anticipated Justice League movie also coming through later next month…so once again, over to you DC!

Marvel comes through and kills it once again. Thor Ragnarok is less serious in its approach but the same can be said for many of Marvel’s other offerings. A good warm up for the main event, The Avengers: Infinity War, Thor Ragnarok will easily appeal to any movie watcher who just wants to check out a good, light hearted movie that also has cool action sequences. Best comic based movie for 2017 so far, go check it out…and no it has nothing to do with my man crush…okay maybe a little. Bottom line is you won’t regret it, Thor Ragnorak get a cool 4.4 out of 5 rating from me.   

Taking such a cinematic and immersive approach to a television series has never been done to this degree, with Marvel’s Inhumans director Roel Reinè using IMAX® cameras to take full advantage of the scale and scope of the IMAX canvas. In IMAX theatres, Marvel’s Inhumans will be presented in its entirety in an expanded IMAX 1.9:1 aspect ratio – offering moviegoers 26% more of the image than normal – for a truly immersive experience.

The IMAX release of Marvel’s Inhumans has been designed and customized to take full advantage of The IMAX Experience, with crystal-clear images, powerful digital audio and customized theatre geometry.

What’s it all about anyway?

Marvel’s Inhumans is ABC’s third Marvel television series, following Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Marvel’s Agent Carter.  The plot follows the story of the Inhuman Royal Family’s escape to Hawaii after a military coup, where they are greeted with surprising interactions with the lush world and humanity around them. Now they must find a way to reunite with each other and return to their home before their way of life is destroyed forever.

The series stars:

Anson Mount as Black Bolt – The enigmatic, commanding King of the Inhumans, with a voice so powerful that the slightest whisper can destroy a city

Serinda Swan as Medusa – Queen of the Inhumans and wife of Black Bolt — his most trusted advisor, a fiercely resilient warrior who has the ability to move and control her hair the way most people use their hands and fingers.

Iwan Rheon as Maximus – The clever and charming Inhuman that is fiercely devoted to the people of Attilan, especially his brother, the King – although he harbors an intense desire to wear the crown himself.

Ken Leung as Karnak – Cousin and closest advisor to Black Bolt. His gift is an ability to see the fault in all things – people, plans, structures, everything. He’s Black Bolt’s most ardent supporter and strategist and is often seen as the royal family’s planner and philosopher.

Eme Ikwuakor as Gorgon – Cousin of Black Bolt, member of the Royal family, and leader of Attilan’s military. With super strong legs, complete with hooves, he can generate destructive seismic waves with a single stomp makes him a force to be reckoned with among Inhumans. The yin to his cousin Karnak’s yang, Gorgon would rather fight than talk to solve his problems.

Isabelle Cornish as Crystal – Medusa’s sister, Crystal, is the youngest member of the Royal family and has the ability to control the four elements of fire, earth, water and air. Impetuous and independent, she is also deeply devoted to her family.

Mike Moh as Triton – Black Bolt’s cousin, he’s calm under pressure and supremely athletic. His gift is his fish-like ability to live underwater.

Sonya Balmores as Auran – Head of the Royal Guards on Attilan, a capable and no-nonsense woman. She is fiercely loyal to the King of Attilan.

Ellen Woglom as Louise – A smart, intense, and focused woman. Her job at a private aerospace company is her life, second only to her passion for all things space and lunar.

Lockjaw as himself – Crystal’s 2,000 lb canine (yes, a dog!) companion with the ability to teleport.

You can enjoy the IMAX release of Marvel’s Inhumans only at Ster-Kinekor seven IMAX® theatres across the country, situated at Eastgate in Johannesburg, Cradlestone Mall in Krugersdorp, Mall of Africa in Midrand, The Grove Mall in Pretoria, Gateway in Durban, Baywest Mall in Port Elizabeth and CapeGate in Cape Town. 

The good news is we have two tickets available (yeah only two, word has it that these are in high demand!) for one of our lucky readers. To stand a chance of winning, simply answer the below question in the comments section:

Who plays Maximus in Marvel’s Inhumans?

Congrats to our winner Duvane Moodley! For those of you who were unlucky, you can book your ticket by visiting www.sterkinekor.com or the Ster-Kinekor app. Hurry!