Big Week for Heroes

    Whether you are a fan of the MCU, the DCEU, or are just a fan of superheroes in general, this is a big week! Friday will see the release of the first episode of the MCU's second TV show, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and the highly anticipated Zack Snyder's Justice League will debut on Thursday.

    Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be the second MCU project to be released for "Phase 4" following the January debut of WandaVision. However, the release order that we are seeing now is not what was initially intended for "Phase 4." Originally, Black Widow was supposed to be the first title released in "Phase 4," but Marvel Studios' plans were altered due to the widespread closure of movie theaters because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was always intended to be the second project in "Phase 4," but had Marvel Studios stuck to the original schedule, it would have been released in August of 2020 following Black Widow's May release.

    However, August came and went without little word from Marvel Studios. Although, they did announce that WandaVision was still on track for a December 2020 release (which did not end up happening either). Regardless, WandaVision did end up making its debut ahead of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. WandaVision was a very unique and risky project for Marvel as they stepped away from using their traditional format. To many, WandaVision was a success, but to those fans who are craving traditional Marvel action, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier should be a lovely return to the familiar.

    Falcon and the Winter Soldier does not come without controversy though. Some fans are left wondering why Marvel wouldn't just make a "Captain America 4." The main reason is probably that Marvel wants to promote the streaming service of their parent company, Disney+. The decision to produce MCU TV shows that only subscribers to a streaming service can watch is without a doubt a great way to make money, but it also leaves fans that don't want to pay for Disney+ in the dust. According to Kevin Feige, the Marvel shows on Disney+ will be necessary viewing material to understand everything that is happening in the MCU. There have been other shows in the past that involve characters from the MCU, but the difference is that they are not at all necessary to watch in order to understand the MCU and it is questionable whether or not they are even MCU cannon.

    Regardless of any small controversy that surrounds Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it will almost certainly be a hit, but if Marvel isn't your thing, Zack Snyder's Justice League will probably please you. Ever since the 2017 theatrical release of Justice League, fans have been clamoring for the "Snyder Cut" to be released.

    For those who are not aware, Zack Snyder was the original director of Justice League as well as the director of Man of Steel and Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice. When family tragedy struck, Snyder had to step down from the project and The Avengers director, Joss Whedon, took over. Whedon allegedly reshot or significantly altered most of the movie, so what ended up being released to theaters was completely different from what Zack Snyder intended the movie to be.

    In 2020, Warner Media announced that Zack Snyder's Justice League would finally be released onto their new streaming platform, HBO Max. While this is a victory for many, much like the case for Disney+ Marvel shows, there are fans who dislike the idea of paying for a subscription to watch the film. However, it is important to note that Zack Snyder has said that he does want his version of Justice League to be in theaters eventually.

    Once again, Zack Snyder's Justice League will be released on Thursday, March 18 and Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be released on Friday, March 19. Both of these projects are certain to please fans regardless of the cost of streaming. The Charles Squared Podcast will cover Falcon and the Winter Soldier starting from the release of the third episode of the series and Zack Snyder's Justice League will be covered in a YouTube exclusive video.