Post-credits stings, cameos, continuity are they really vital to the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Thats the kind of game-changing compromise that only seemed to exist in our wildest dreams until very recently.
It remains the third most financially successful movie of all time.
So whats been the secret to the Marvel cinematic universes success?
However, wed say theres a bit more to it than that.
Heres our argument for why continuity isnt actually that important to the Marvel cinematic universe… And it was entertaining for the casual viewer, too.
Even in a not-very-loved film, fans were being treated to nuggets of interconnecting fun like nobodys business.
Bringing in new characters, teeing up future events its hard to argue with that.
The unexplained Cap-esque shield found by Coulson during StarksIron Man 2experiments, for example.
This brief bit came across like Marvel Studios execs pleading for approval Look!
Shields are cool, right?
Theres another moment like this at the end ofIron Man 3.
And, of course, it was there to squeeze in another joke.
Hardly vital stuff, but fun nonetheless.
Has shared continuity become less important to heros standalone films, then?
Now its time for some major nit-picking, for which I apologise in advance.
How could the first film in a franchise feature continuity errors, you ask?
Well, its thanks to theAgent CarterOne-Shot that was included on theIron Man 3DVDs.
In this One-Shot, set shortly after WWII, Howard Stark invites Peggy Carter to run S.H.I.E.L.D.
That Coulson only came up with the S.H.I.E.L.D.
Its a chink in the armor of the usually excellent Marvel Studios.
and Coulson fails to retort with shut up!
It took me ages to come up with that acronym!
TheAgent CarterOne-Shot caused even more continuity questions when theAgent CarterTV series eventually got made.
Are we meant to count both as canon?
Is Coulson just really bad at remembering acronyms from the 1940s?
The prevailing theory at the time was that Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D.
Are any of these major problems?
Wed argue that its all down to the quality of the films.
Fingers crossed that studio execs have picked up on that, too.
