Month: April 2018

Simpsons Creator On Apu Controversy: “People Love To Pretend They’re Offended”

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening has responded to the controversy surrounding the character Apu after a 2017 documentary criticised him as being a stereotype. In an interview with USA Today largely focused on The Simpsons setting yet another TV record, Groening said the blowback around Apu partially comes down to how people “love to pretend they’re offended.”

“I’m proud of what we do on the show,” he said. “And I think it’s a time in our culture where people love to pretend they’re offended.”

The April 8 episode of The Simpsons responded to the Apu controversy and went on to muster up even more drama. In this episode, Marge says, “Some things will be addressed at a later date,” with Lisa chiming in to add, “If at all.” USA Today asked Groening what these lines meant. He responded, “We’ll let the show speak for itself.”

Hari Kondabolu, who directed the 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu, responded to Groening’s comments on Twitter, saying Groening comes across as “like every other troll.”

Kondabolu said, “Well, that seals it. Matt Groening finally responded & sounds like every other troll on the internet who didn’t see the documentary. No one is offended by this character. It was, at times, insulting & was frustrating to many of us who were solely represented by that one image.”

In the wake of the controversy, Apu voice actor Hank Azaria said he is willing to step aside. The Simpsons is currently in its 29th season, and it just recently aired its 636th episode, which beats Gunsmoke (635 episodes) to become the longest-running scripted TV series ever.

The Simpsons is renewed for Season 30, but how much longer will the show run? Groening said in the USA Today interview, “I don’t see any end in sight.” And asked what’s left on his list of Simpsons-related accomplishments, Groening said he wants to see a theme park dedicated exclusively to The Simpsons. There are already some attractions at Universal’s parks, but Groening said he wants to go even bigger–and stranger.

“We need a 600-foot-tall statue of Homer at the center of a (theme) park. … And you eat dinner in his head,” Groening said.

Sure, why not.

from GameSpot https://www.gamespot.com/articles/simpsons-creator-on-apu-controversy-people-love-to/1100-6458621/

Best PC Games: Frostpunk Will Be The Most Depressing Game You Play This Year

Frostpunk is joined by superb strategy game Battletech, charming Zelda-like The Swords Of Ditto, and engaging rogue-lite RPG For The King in this week’s lineup of top Steam releases.

from GameSpot https://www.gamespot.com/videos/best-pc-games-frostpunk-will-be-the-most-depressin/2300-6443752/

John Cena And Dwayne Johnson Working Together On New Action Movie

Dwayne Johnson recently starred in Rampage and has quickly become a summer blockbuster star over the past couple of years. John Cena has been playing smaller parts in comedies but had a much bigger role in the recent movie Blockers. Both men, at one time, have been the face of WWE, and now, they’ll be working together, outside of the ring.

Johnson has been working on a movie with his production company Seven Bucks Productions for years, based on the Robert Ludlum novel The Janson Directive. The film finally found its lead in John Cena. Johnson took to social media to make the big announcement, which you can see below.

Reportedly, Johnson was going to star in the film but due to his busy schedule, he could not make it work (via Variety). He decided to move forward on the project as the producer while they looked for a new lead. Considering he’ll be in numerous movies, including DC Entertainment’s Black Adam, a Jumanji sequel, his HBO series Ballers, and even a Fast and the Furious spin-off, that may be for the better.

While Cena is currently known for his comedic roles in Blockers, Ferdinand, and Trainwreck, the actor had some action roles in the past, primarily through WWE Studios films such as 12 Rounds and The Marine. This was the same studio that gave Johnson his starring-role starts with Walking Tall and The Rundown, shortly after his big screen debut in 2001’s The Mummy Returns.

The Janson Directive follows an ex-Navy Seal, Phil Janson, who was formerly a member of a covert operations group called Consular Operations. Janson has a dark past as he was tortured by the Viet Kong during the Vietnam War. After the war, he works as a successful corporate security consultant, who takes on a job that goes south quickly, and Janson has to go on the run.

Novelist Ludlum is best known for his Jason Bourne series, to which he wrote three books about the character before his passing in 2001. While Ludlum only wrote one book about Janson, there are three more in the series, which are written under the Ludlum brand.

A release date for The Janson Directive has not been set yet,

from GameSpot https://www.gamespot.com/articles/john-cena-and-dwayne-johnson-working-together-on-n/1100-6458620/

30 Avengers: Infinity War Easter Eggs, References, And Callbacks You Might Have Missed

Avengers: Infinity War spoilers ahead!

After ten years and 18 movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become pretty self sufficient. While Avengers: Infinity War was obviously drawing its major plot points and some fun scenes straight from its comic book source material, the majority of the movie was actually layered with callbacks and references to other MCU movies–and some of them may not have been all that obvious.

So if you didn’t happen to brush up on your MCU history, or if you decided not to do the 31-hour long marathon prior to your Infinity War viewing, don’t worry too hard. We’re looking out for you. Here is a breakdown of Infinity War’s biggest Easter eggs, references, and callbacks to previous MCU movies and beyond.

1. Asgardian Refugees

Infinity War opens with a distress signal from an Asgardian refugee ship in the process of being attacked by Thanos and the Black Order, so if you skipped Thor: Ragnarok, this might have been a little out of left field for you. Ragnarok ended with Asgard being completely destroyed by the demon Surtur, with the survivors narrowly escaping on a spaceship. The post credits sequence, however, showed that same ship coming face to face with Thanos’s fleet, apparently just moments before the start of Infinity War.

2. We Have a Hulk

In a last ditch effort to get Thanos and his Children off their ship, Loki attempts to con him into a fight with the ultimate punchline “we have a Hulk.” This is a callback to Iron Man pulling nearly the exact same move on Loki himself back in the first Avengers movie. Apparently Loki’s learned a few lessons since then.

3. Loki and the Tesseract

It was Loki’s possession of the Tesseract that ultimately sealed the Asgardian refugee ship’s fate. But until that moment, we weren’t actually technically sure that he even had it. Loki was shown giving the Tesseract a suspicious glance during Thor: Ragnarok as he moved through Odin’s vault before the ultimate destruction of the planet, but the camera cut away before we saw if he picked it up or not. Unfortunately, the fact that he did really isn’t a surprise–Loki’s infatuation with the Infinity Stones has been a major motivating factor in just about all of his betrayals dating back to the first Avengers movie (and it was in just about every trailer).

4. The Stark/Potts Wedding

Tony Stark and Pepper Potts are engaged! But we knew that, of course, because we actually got to see him pop the question back at the very end of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Apparently Pepper said yes, though it happened offscreen, because things definitely seem to be going pretty well these days–at least until the whole Thanos thing happens.

5. That’s the Cauldron of the Cosmos

After being summoned by Doctor Strange, Tony wastes no time using sacred artifacts in the Sanctum Sanctorum as his personal furniture. The Cauldon of the Cosmos that Tony takes up leaning on is one of Strange’s time-bending tools from the comics which allows him to look into the past and alternate futures.

6. Rhodey’s Price

We briefly see James Rhodes out of his War Machine armor discussing the Sokovia Accords, where he talks about the “price” he’s paid for his choice to sign. This is a direct nod to his tragic accident after the airport fight in Captain America: Civil War–which also happens to be why he’s wearing a harness over his hips and legs. The accident left him with limited mobility, maybe even partially paralyzed from the waist down.

7. Even the MCU loves Spongebob

During their first encounter with Cull Obsidian and Ebony Maw, Tony wastes no time in tossing out a couple of witty rejoinders. He calls the Maw “Squidward” before properly engaging him in the fight–and while the resemblance is certainly uncanny, the Maw doesn’t seem all that bothered by the comparison.

8. Strange’s Parlor Tricks

Poor Doctor Strange is no stranger (get it?) to people not quite taking his powers seriously. During he and Tony’s first fight side-by-side, Tony makes a wisecrack about Strange making “balloon animals,” which places Tony squarely in the ranks of the dubiously canonical MCU late night hosts club where this Jimmy Kimmel sketch exists.

9. Rocket’s Prosthetic Problem

When Rocket, Groot, and Thor arrive on Earth during the battle for Wakanda, Rocket almost immediately teams up with (or, rather, is picked up by) Bucky Barnes. First, he wants to know how much for Bucky’s gun–not for sale–then, he wants to know how much or Bucky’s metal arm. Bucky rolls his eyes by way of response, but Rocket’s not that worried. He’s gonna get that arm.

Rocket’s love for prosthetics, especially cybernetic enhancements, dates all the way back to the first Guardians of the Galaxy’s scene in the Kyln prison. And honestly, at this point, it’s a borderline fetish. He doesn’t make good on his promise to disarm the Winter Soldier this time around, but hey, there’s always Avengers 4.

10. Like Footloose?

During their first encounter, Drax urges Star-Lord to tell Tony, Peter, and Strange about the “dance off to save the universe,” which gets a predictably mixed reaction from the Avengers. He’s of course referring to the final battle with Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 1, in which Peter started, well, dancing to distract Ronan from the Power Stone. Peter’s love of Kevin Bacon and Footloose were his inspiration for the move.

11. Space McDonalds

During their first major encounter with Thanos, Quill snaps that he looks like “Grimace” who, of course, is one of the classic McDonalds mascots–more specifically, the giant purple chicken-nugget shaped guy. Grimace was originally introduced as “Evil Grimace” in, uh, McDonalds lore(?) so Quill’s probably more accurate here than even he realizes.

12. The Collector’s Infinity Stone

While Thor explains the situation to the Guardians of the Galaxy during their first encounter, he tells them The Collector in Knowhere has the Reality Stone. When they assure him that isn’t possible because “only an idiot” would entrust a Stone to someone like The Collector, Thor fires back “or a genius.” His defensiveness is rooted in the fact that two of his close friends — Sif and Volstagg — were actually the ones to give the Stone over to him in the mid credits scene of Thor: The Dark World.

13. Reality Warping with Mantis and Drax

During their first big fight with Thanos in Knowhere, Mantis and Drax are two of the Reality Stone’s most obvious victims. Drax is turned into a heap of cube-shaped stone and Mantis is unfolded like a spool of ribbon. Don’t worry–they both get better the second Thanos leaves. Their temporary “deaths,” however, were actually direct call outs to the fates of Nebula and Eros in the original Infinity Gauntlet comics mini series.

14. The Fate of the Power Stone

Thanos actually starts the movie with one Infinity Stone already set into the Gauntlet — the purple Power Stone, which he got by “destroying Xandar.” We got a firsthand look at both Xandar and its ruling body, the Nova Corps, during the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, where the stone was left in their care.

15. The Iron Spider Suit

The end of Spider-Man Homecoming is actually where the Iron Spider suit was introduced, but Peter rejected it the first time around. Thank goodness Tony kept it around, or things would have gotten pretty dicey for our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in this movie.

17. Torturing Strange

While Ebony Maw holds Doctor Strange captive on his spaceship, he uses a series of crystalline needles to effectively try and torture the Time Stone out of his grasp. This is a repurposed scene from the comics event Infinity, where Strange is actually imprisoned by the Maw in his own mind and tortured in a strikingly similar way.

18. Teen Groot is a Gamer

Teen Groot is a pretty relatable kid, considering he’s actually an all-but-immortal tree alien. He spent about 80% of his time on screen in Infinity War with his face buried in a video game, the title of which is actually a double Easter Egg. It’s a reference to both the game Defenders and Marvel’s Defenders, the team of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage who currently exist in the strange liminal space of the Netflix MCU.

19. The Blue Man

The Russo Brothers continue their valiant efforts to blend the MCU and the world of Arrested Development after Civil War’s Bluth Stair Car cameo. This time, it was Tobias Funke himself, in full Blue Man regalia, locked away in the Collector’s vault. Apparently he blew himself straight into space.

20. The White Wolf

Bucky Barnes, the (ex?) Winter Soldier, is brought into the fray by T’Challa as he enjoys what looks like a pretty quiet, pastoral life. If you’re confused as to exactly what happened to Bucky between the end of Captain America: Civil War and this moment, look to the post credits scene of Black Panther, where we see Bucky wake up in Wakanda, his brain washing “cured” by T’Challa’s sister Shuri.

21. Doctor Strange’s Time Stone

Like Thanos, Doctor Strange also starts the movie in possession of an Infinity Stone, but he didn’t exactly destroy an entire planet to get it. The story of Strange and his relationship to the Eye of Agamotto, the locket in which the stone is kept, can be found in — surprise! — Doctor Strange, where he used it to defeat the ancient cosmic demon Dormammu.

22. Bruce Banner’s Green Problem

Bruce Banner spends the entirety of Infinity War completely unable to transform into the Hulk. While we’re still not exactly sure why that is, a lot of hints can be found in Thor: Ragnarok, where we learned that, prior to ending up on the ill fated Asgardian refugee ship, he spent several years on the planet Sakaar unable to turn back into Bruce Banner. It’s also possible that Hulk simply doesn’t want to emerge again after being defeated by Thanos in Infinity War’s opening scene. The two of them have a lot to work out, and not a lot of time to do it.

23. The Secret Avengers

There’s still quite a bit of tension between the two separate factions of the Avengers in the wake of Civil War, which is why it’s actually a pretty big deal that Vision and Wanda were having their little romantic liaisons even now. It’s also why Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, and Natasha Romanoff were able to burst into the scene like a well oiled machine when Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight attacked–they’ve been spending the last two years operating as fugitive superheroes.

24. Vision’s Consciousness

While Vision obviously has the Mind Stone, a major element of Infinity War’s plot revolves around the idea that more than just the Stone is what’s keeping him sentient. Bruce banner rattles off a list of different sources for Vision’s identity including himself, Tony Stark, Jarvis, and Ultron as different AI consciousnesses that are working and learning from one another inside him. We actually see this in action during Vision’s creation back in Avengers: Age of Ultron, where he’s first introduced as a repurposed body Ultron intends to hijack.

25. Killed by a Dark Elf

While Rocket tries to (awkwardly) console Thor prior to their arrival at Nidavellir, Thor gives a pretty bleak run down of his family history. We just watched Thanos murder Loki at the start of this movie. The sister? That’s Hela, the villain of Thor: Ragnarok, which also happens to be the movie where Odin died. His mother who was killed by a Dark Elf? That’s Friga, who was murdered by Malekith in Thor: The Dark World. And the “best friend,” of course, was Heimdall, who also died in Infinity War’s opening.

26. Off to Vormir

It may not look like much on screen but the planet Vormir actually is a place from Marvel comics–it’s just not a very populated or important one. Vormir is a relatively backwater planet in one of the many arms of the Kree Empire, populated by lizard-like people who apparently have all either died off or peaced out for the MCU incarnation.

27. Keeping up with the Quills

When Peter tries to one-up Thor’s tragic backstory, he talks about his traumatic experiences with his father–which also just so happens to be the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2. There we learn that Peter’s father is actually Ego, the Living Planet, who seduced and impregnated his human mother in the process of trying to create a perfect heir.

28. Welcome to Nidavellir

To replace his lost hammer Mjolnir, Thor, Rocket and Groot travel to a place called Nidavellir, home of an ancient and magical forge built around the heart of a dying star. Nidavellir is actually one of the “nine realms” of Marvel’s Norse mythology, recast for the MCU to actually be a totally independent planet-slash-space station rather than some sort of alternate dimension.

29. Watching the Sun Rise

Thanos’s final moments in the film show him living out his own prophetic wishes–he wanted to watch the sun rise on a universe grateful for his accomplishments. This moment is actually borrowed and repurposed from the Infinity Gauntlet mini series where Thanos becomes a humble farmer after having his eyes opened to the truth of his endless quest to woo Mistress Death.

30. Calling Captain Marvel

In the final moments of the post-credits scene, we see that Nick Fury has sent a distress signal using what looks suspiciously like a very sci-fi 1990s beeper. The symbol on the screen loads as a gold star across a blue and red background–an icon associated with Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, who is set to debut in her very own solo movie come 2019.

from GameSpot https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/30-avengers-infinity-war-easter-eggs-references-an/2900-1973/

The Game-Changing God Of War Secret Hidden In Plain Sight

One of the first things you see at the beginning of God of War is Kratos chopping down a tree with a yellow handprint upon its trunk. It doesn’t take long to figure out that handprint belongs to Faye, the recently deceased companion of Kratos and mother to their son Atreus. It’s a powerful scene that kicks off the reborn God of War in a far more measured and poignant fashion than any previous game in the series. It’s also a hint to a subtle yet important piece of a secret that comes full circle once you complete the game. The following description contains spoilers, so consider finishing the game before reading on.

When speaking to God of War director Cory Barlog last week, he made mention off camera of a tidbit that left many of us surprised, both for how interesting it was and how the details therein had almost completely flown over our heads.

In the final moments of the game, as Kratos and Atreus ascend the highest peak in Jötunheim to spread Faye’s ashes, Atreus makes note of a yellow handprint on the face of a climbable ledge. Atreus points out that print belongs to Faye, but the implication of its proximity to an interactive piece of the environment totally passed us by until Barlog set the record straight: every handhold and ledge you grapple onto in the game is painted the same color as the handprint because they were also left by Faye.

No Caption Provided

Obviously, these seemingly convenient yellow markings also made it easier for us to navigate God of War’s environments, but Santa Monica Studio gets credit for adding narrative significance to an otherwise mundane and overlooked video game trope. It also reinforces the revelation minutes earlier, when Atreus and Kratos discover that there was more to Faye than they’d ever previously assumed.

When we first meet the two characters, Atreus is inexperienced and suffering from an unknown affliction. Kratos, despite his physical strength, was emotionally weak, still carrying the baggage of his former life. It’s only through the journey laid out for them that the two find the individual strength and knowledge to overcome their issues, and ultimately form a bond strong enough to stand up to the threats headed their way–threats Faye was all too aware of. Looking back, knowing that Faye was guiding their every move, puts everything in a fresh perspective.

For more on God of War, be sure to check out our dissection of Kratos, a former bloodthirsty character that Santa Monica Studio turned into a touching, introspective father. And whether you’ve played God of War yet or not, consider our plea to play the game in immersive mode, which we think enhances the overall experience in surprising ways.

from GameSpot https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-game-changing-god-of-war-secret-hidden-in-plai/1100-6458617/

Stardew Valley Gets Multiplayer Beta On PC

Stardew Valley is one step closer to bringing multiplayer to the main game, and now players on PC are able to opt-in to a new beta that allows them to try out co-op play. Developer Chucklefish has announced version 1.3 is now in public beta, and those who want to try multiplayer can do so by following a few steps.

To enable the new beta, right-click the game in your library and select Properties. In the Betas tab, type the password jumpingjunimos and click Check Code button. You should then be able to select Beta in the drop down box, and that will prompt the game to download version 1.3. Chucklefish encourages players to back up their game first, and gives instructions on Steam.

In Stardew Valley’s new multiplayer, you can host your own farm. Up to three other friends can live with you on your farm, and you’ll need to either build them cabins to live in or use pre-built ones. Cabins are cheap, so it should be easy to get your friends in the game fairly early. You’ll all share the farm, your money, and world updates, while inventory, skills, and NPC relationships will all be kept separate.

You can choose whether you want your friends on your Steam/GOG list to be able to join, or if you’d like your farm to invite only, meaning only those with invitations or invite codes will be able to join your server. Chucklefish is sharing a few other details about multiplayer too. For instance, you can marry another player; only the host will be able to pause the game; to sleep, all players must head to bed and say ‘yes’ to the dialog, otherwise the day won’t end; starting a festival works the same, with all players needing to be at the festival location before it can begin.

You can get more details on the new multiplayer beta from the patch notes on Steam. Chucklefish says there will be new content coming to the single-player game and it will announce more details about that at a later date. Multiplayer is coming to consoles, as well, with the Nintendo Switch version being the first to get it.

from GameSpot https://www.gamespot.com/articles/stardew-valley-gets-multiplayer-beta-on-pc/1100-6458618/

Dragon Quest 11 Pre-Order Bonuses Announced For PS4

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age launches for PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam this September, and those who reserve the PS4 version ahead of its release will get a few extra goodies with the game. Square Enix has revealed pre-order bonuses for Dragon Quest XI, which will vary depending on where you purchase the title.

Those who reserve the title from GameStop will receive a set of eight exclusive buttons, featuring the game’s main cast of characters. On top of that, players will also receive a pair of in-game bonuses: the Elevating Vest and a pack of three Seeds of Skill.

The Elevating Vest is a piece of equipment that grants the character wearing it extra experience points after a battle. The Seeds of Skill, meanwhile, are consumable items that bestow an extra skill point on the character who eats them. You can take a look at GameStop’s pre-order bonuses below.

No Caption Provided

Dragon Quest XI is also available for pre-order from Amazon, and players who reserve the title there will receive a slighly different pack of in-game bonus items. Along with the aforementioned three Seeds of Skill, Amazon’s pre-order pack contains the Arriviste’s Vest, a “glitzy gold waistcoat” that awards players with extra money after a battle.

Dragon Quest XI launches for PS4 and PC on September 4. A 3DS version was released in Japan, but Square Enix confirmed that edition won’t be localized. Dragon Quest XI is also in development for Nintendo Switch, although that version won’t be available until “much later” due to technical reasons.

from GameSpot https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dragon-quest-11-pre-order-bonuses-announced-for-ps/1100-6458615/

Marvel Films: How Much Money Did They Make At The Box Office?

Because other companies own the rights to some of Marvel’s properties, characters from all across the Marvel universe have been featured in twice as many films as DC. This includes characters from The Avengers, Spider-Man, the X-Men, and more. Here are how all those films did in the box office, in order by worldwide totals, adjusted for inflation.

Check out how DC’s films did at the box office here.

Box office numbers and information came from IMDb and Box Office Mojo.

UPDATE 4/30/18: Avengers: Infinity War added.

The Punisher (1989)

The late ’80s Punisher film was full of bad dialogue, a cheesy plot, and many unmemorable moments. Somehow, the Dolph Lungren driven film found a cult following.

Worldwide total: $533,411 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,036,873)

The Punisher was only released in Europe.

Man-Thing (2005)

Man-Thing went straight to the Syfy Channel in the States; however, it did get a small release in Europe.

Worldwide total: $1,123,136 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,386,167)

Punisher: War Zone (2008)

The over-the-top, ultra-violent Punisher: War Zone didn’t have the box office success it hoped for, even with the Punisher spinning from a chandelier, shooting people.

US: $8,050,977 (Adjusted for Inflation: $9,013,304)

Worldwide total: $10,100,036 (Adjusted for Inflation: $11,307,285)

The Punisher (2004)

Thomas Jane played Frank Castle in the highly-anticipated 2004 film, but it received mixed reviews, even with WWE wrestler Kevin Nash playing one of the villains.

US: $33,810,189 (Adjusted for Inflation: $43,142,087)

Worldwide total: $54,700,105 (Adjusted for Inflation: $69,797,797)

Elektra (2005)

Spinning out of 2003’s Daredevil, Jennifer Garner starred as the titular Elektra in this critically panned film.

US: $24,409,722 (Adjusted for Inflation: $30,126,321)

Worldwide total: $56,681,566 (Adjusted for Inflation: $69,956,023)

Howard the Duck (1986)

Most people remember only a couple things from Howard the Duck: Lea Thompson having sex with the titular character and a topless female duck. It was a pretty weird film.

US: $16,295,774 (Adjusted for Inflation: $35,838,510)

Worldwide total: $37,962,774 (Adjusted for Inflation: $83,489,699)

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)

The Ghost Rider sequel didn’t win over American moviegoers as much as the rest of the world, with the majority of its box office coming from other countries.

US: $51,774,002 (Adjusted for Inflation: $54,354,651)

Worldwide total: $132,563,930 (Adjusted for Inflation: $139,171,513)

Blade: Trinity (2004)

The third and final Blade film had the titular character joining up with the famed Nightstalkers to hunt vampires.

US: $52,411,906 (Adjusted for Inflation: $66,878,035)

Worldwide total: $128,905,366 (Adjusted for Inflation: $164,484,338)

Fantastic Four (2015)

Last year’s Fantastic Four was a bit of a mess, but it still managed to pull in over $100 million from the rest of the world.

US: $56,117,548 (Adjusted for Inflation: $57,069,583)

Worldwide total: $167,977,596 (Adjusted for Inflation: $170,827,340)

Blade (1998)

Blade was the film that really kicked off the comic book movie craze that’s been running for 18 years now.

US: $70,087,718 (Adjusted for Inflation: $103,642,965)

Worldwide total: $131,183,530 (Adjusted for Inflation: $193,989,053)

Blade II (2002)

The sequel to Blade did well, and it helped studios realize that mass audiences have a thirst for superheroes.

US: $82,348,319 (Adjusted for Inflation: $110,333,930)

Worldwide total: $155,010,032 (Adjusted for Inflation: $207,689,316)

Daredevil (2003)

The only superhero film to feature a fight on a see-saw didn’t have a great reach to the international market.

US: $102,543,518 (Adjusted for Inflation: $134,330,893)

Worldwide total: $179,179,718 (Adjusted for Inflation: $234,723,482)

Ghost Rider (2007)

Nicolas Cage suited up as Johnny Blaze in what many comic book fans consider to be an entirely forgettable film.

US: $115,802,596 (Adjusted for Inflation: $134,622,151)

Worldwide total: $228,738,393 (Adjusted for Inflation: $265,911,608)

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

The Incredible Hulk was the second film in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. This was the only film in which Edward Norton played Bruce Banner.

US: $134,806,913 (Adjusted for Inflation: $150,920,278)

Worldwide total: $263,427,551 (Adjusted for Inflation: $294,914,841)

Hulk (2003)

Ang Lee’s Hulk was incredibly stylized and very ambitious. While it did well worldwide, it received mixed reviews.

US: $132,177,234 (Adjusted for Inflation: $173,150,739)

Worldwide total: $245,360,480 (Adjusted for Inflation: $321,419,561)

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

The Fantastic Four sequel strayed a bit from its comic roots and may have added a bit too much humor for many purists’ liking.

US: $131,921,738 (Adjusted for Inflation: $153,360,881)

Worldwide total: $289,047,763 (Adjusted for Inflation: $336,022,102)

X-Men: First Class (2011)

This 2011 X-Men film went back in time, to the ’70s, to examine how the first X-Men team came together.

US: $146,408,305 (Adjusted for Inflation: $156,886,822)

Worldwide total: $353,624,124 (Adjusted for Inflation: $378,933,184)

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Chris Evans made his debut as Steve Rogers in this World War II film, which featured a CG’ed Evans to make him look scrawny.

US: $176,654,505 (Adjusted for Inflation: $189,297,758)

Worldwide total: $370,569,774 (Adjusted for Inflation: $397,091,643)

Fantastic Four (2005)

Fox’s Fantastic Four introduced the world to the famed comic book family and was as big of a hit ovearseas as it was in America.

US: $154,696,080 (Adjusted for Inflation: $190,924,903)

Worldwide total: $330,579,719 (Adjusted for Inflation: $407,999,356)

X-Men (2000)

Hugh Jackman made his debut as Wolverine in 2000’s X-Men.

US: $157,299,717 (Adjusted for Inflation: $220,181,238)

Worldwide total: $296,339,527 (Adjusted for Inflation: $414,803,059)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Although many people consider it to be the worst of all the X-Men films, X-Men Origins: Wolverine still pulled in more money than the first X-Men movie.

US: $179,883,157 (Adjusted for Inflation: $202,103,489)

Worldwide total: $373,062,864 (Adjusted for Inflation: $419,146,005)

The Wolverine (2013)

The sequel to the worst X-Men film did a bit better, but mainly because it resonated more with a global audience.

US: $132,550,960 (Adjusted for Inflation: $137,148,994)

Worldwide total: $414,828,246 (Adjusted for Inflation: $429,218,142)

Thor (2011)

The god of thunder got his own solo film in 2011, which did very well overseas.

US: $181,030,624 (Adjusted for Inflation: $193,987,078)

Worldwide total: $449,439,994 (Adjusted for Inflation: $481,606,645)

Ant-Man (2015)

Once again, the world market came out in droves to see another Marvel film, which featured a superhero who controls ants.

US: $180,202,163 (Adjusted for Inflation: $183,259,297)

Worldwide total: $519,250,779 (Adjusted for Inflation: $528,059,882)

X2: X-Men United (2003)

X2 had some of the coolest scenes in all of the X-Men franchise.

US: $214,949,694 (Adjusted for Inflation: $281,581,762)

Worldwide total: $407,711,549 (Adjusted for Inflation: $534,097,697)

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

The latest X-Men film made the bulk of its money overseas.

US: $155,442,489

Worldwide total: $534,619,896

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

The final–and worst–of the original X-Men trilogy brought in the most money.

US: $234,362,462 (Adjusted for Inflation: $280,209,618)

Worldwide total: $459,359,555 (Adjusted for Inflation: $549,221,767)

Logan (2017)

Fox tries its hand at another Rated R comic book film, featuring Logan slashing his way through everyone.

US: $226,275,826

Worldwide: $616,189,858

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

In its opening weekend, Infinity War pulled in more than half a billion dollars.

US: $257,698,183

Worldwide total: $640,521,291

Iron Man (2008)

Iron Man was the movie that kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even though–at the time–mass audiences weren’t very familiar with the character, it was still a box office success.

US: $318,412,101 (Adjusted for Inflation: $356,471,651)

Worldwide total: $585,174,222 (Adjusted for Inflation: $655,119,641)

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Thor: The Dark World wasn’t a critical hit, but it did bring in around $180 million more than the first film.

US: $206,321,198 (Adjusted for Inflation: $213,478,233)

Worldwide total: $644,783,140 (Adjusted for Inflation: $667,149,896)

Big Hero 6 (2014)

While Big Hero 6 was a gigantic departure from the source material, this animated feature from Disney did great in the States and even better worldwide.

US: $222,527,828 (Adjusted for Inflation: $226,571,635)

Worldwide total: $657,127,828 (Adjusted for Inflation: $669,069,247)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

The followup to Iron Man did exceptionally well across the globe.

US: $312,433,331 (Adjusted for Inflation: $345,362,224)

Worldwide total: $623,933,331 (Adjusted for Inflation: $689,692,749)

Doctor Strange (2016)

Doctor Strange did decently in the United States, but it made the bulk of its money internationally.

US: $231,901,043

Worldwide total: $670,042,595

Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

Amazing Spider-Man 2 may not have been a huge hit in the States, but it killed overseas.

US: $202,853,933 (Adjusted for Inflation: $206,540,223)

Worldwide total: $708,982,323 (Adjusted for Inflation: $721,866,049)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

One of Marvel’s best solo superhero films, Winter Solider made the bulk of its money overseas.

US: $259,766,572 (Adjusted for Inflation: $264,487,086)

Worldwide total: $714,766,572 (Adjusted for Inflation: $727,755,411)

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

The time-travelling sequel to X-Men: First Class did very well.

US: $233,921,534 (Adjusted for Inflation: $238,172,389)

Worldwide total: $748,121,534 (Adjusted for Inflation: $761,716,504)

Deadpool (2016)

In a surprise to many people, an R-rated superhero film did very well in the box office.

US: $363,070,709

Worldwide total: $782,603,445

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Many moviegoers consider Guardians of the Galaxy to be the best team movie Marvel has put out to date. Sorry, Avengers.

US: $333,176,600 (Adjusted for Inflation: $339,231,132)

Worldwide total: $774,176,600 (Adjusted for Inflation: $788,245,046)

Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

The Spider-Man reboot wasn’t as great as fans hoped, but it still did well in the box office.

US: $262,030,663 (Adjusted for Inflation: $275,091,452)

Worldwide total: $757,930,663 (Adjusted for Inflation: $795,709,344)

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

The third installment in the Thor series raked in over $100 million its opening weekend in the United States.

US: $314,647,663

Worldwide: $853,471,734

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is turning out to be a hit. Star-Lord learns his father is from the stars and more than just a humanoid.

US: $389,813,101

Worldwide total: $863,563,831

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

The first Spider-Man film to exist within the Marvel Cinematic Universe had a good opening weekend, pulling in $117 million. It still has a long way to go to catch up with Sam Raimi’s films from last decade.

US: $334,201,140

Worldwide: $880,166,924

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man follow-up also did great.

US: $373,585,825 (Adjusted for Inflation: $476,698,677)

Worldwide total: $783,766,341 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,000,092,489)

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

While Spider-Man 3 made a ton of money, it’s considered to be a terrible film.

US: $336,530,303 (Adjusted for Inflation: $391,221,224)

Worldwide total: $890,871,626 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,035,650,832)

Spider-Man (2002)

Spider-Man was the first Marvel film to reach a billion dollars, when adjusted for inflation and held quite a few other records.

US: $403,706,375 (Adjusted for Inflation: $540,903,708)

Worldwide total: $821,708,551 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,100,961,565)

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

The latest Captain America film has heroes fighting heroes, so of course, people went to the movie in droves.

US: $407,264,745

Worldwide total: $1,151,852,525

Iron Man 3 (2013)

The final Iron Man film did exceptionally well.

US: $409,013,994 (Adjusted for Inflation: $423,202,200)

Worldwide total: $1,215,439,994 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,257,602,155)

Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther made close to $200 million its opening weekend, setting a box office record for a movie opening in February. It hit a new record after the weekend of March 10 as it made $1 billion worldwide.

US: $665,355,740

Worldwide total: $1,299,855,740 (As of 4/9)

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

The Avengers sequel pulled in almost a billion dollars overseas alone.

US: $459,005,868 (Adjusted for Inflation: $466,792,915)

Worldwide total: $1,405,035,767 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,428,872,237)

Avengers (2012)

Finally, sitting pretty at the top spot is the first Avengers film.

US: $623,357,910 (Adjusted for Inflation: $654,428,878)

Worldwide total: $1,518,594,910 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,594,288,526)

from GameSpot https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/marvel-films-how-much-money-did-they-make-at-the-b/2900-833/