Now Playing Presents: The Avengers Movie Retrospective Series

Peter Parker fears there’s No Way Home to his happy life with MJ (Zendaya) after Dr. Strange casts a magic spell that brings all the previous Spider-Man heroes and villains into the MCU.  Is it Tom Holland’s responsibility to fix the messes made by Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Dr. Octopus (Alfred Molina), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Lizard (Rhys Ifans), and Electro (Jamie Foxx)? And were the spoiler-phobic right to avoid all social media before watching?  Find out on another unforgettable Marvel podcast. {Avengers Series} {Marvel Series} {Comic Book Movie Series}   {Spider-Man Series} {Venom Series}

Eons before the assembly of the Avengers, ten celestial caretakers known as Eternals came together to protect and guide human development on Earth. Did Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) deviate too much from the Marvel formula in telling the secret history of the planet’s first superheroes?  And should Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek get credit for bestowing culture on mankind with Hackers and Grown Ups 2 on their resumes? Find out if Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob share a Uni-Mind about the latest MCU installment. Listen Now.   {Avengers Series} {Marvel Series} {Comic Book Movie Series}

Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob played a nasty trick on listeners when they pulled Loki from the Summer 2021 schedule at the last minute.  Now they make up for lost time by diving into the first six episodes of Tom Hiddleston’s quest to conquer all of existence (or at least Disney Plus). Can the Norse God dethrone the three space lizards who currently police the future and promote the popularity of his nemeses The Avengers? And are the podcasters fated to review a never-ending stream of Marvel now that they’ve said “yes” to a TV series?  Listen and Find Out! {Avengers Series} {Marvel Series} {Comic Book Movie Series}

Could the next Legend of the Marvel Cinematic Universe be an unassuming San Francisco parking valet who prefers late night karaoke to taking down his father's infamous Ten Rings terrorist cell?  Martial artist Shang Chi is ready to answer the call for a modern Asian American superhero. But do comedienne Awkwafina, Crouching Tiger star Michelle Yeoh, and the Man Who Would Be The Mandarin (aka Ben Kingsley) offer enough protection for a magical gated community besieged by soul-sucking serpents? Hop aboard the Now Playing bus to find out! {Avengers Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}

Find over 1,000 in-depth movie reviews at NowPlayingPodcast.com

Scarlett Johansson breaks away from the Avengers after seven Marvel movies together so that her Russian secret agent Black Widow can finally headline her first solo adventure. Will Natasha Romanoff wipe the red from her ledger by hunting down the man who confined her childhood to war games in a Red Room?  And does super soldier father David Harbour, scientist mom Rachel Weisz, and tag along little sister Florence Pugh back the trained assassin the way Cap, Thor, and Hulk would?  Find out when you join the Now Playing family reunion and Listen Now! {Avengers Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}

Anthony Mackie shields himself from the pressure of becoming the next Captain America by taking to the sky as The Falcon for Marvel’s second Disney+ miniseries, and it’s made Sebastian Stan angry enough to relapse back into The Winter Soldier.  Can these two set aside their differences long enough to save the world from a group of political extremists enhanced by super-soldier serum?  And do these six episodes go by in a Blip, or is the MCU better suited to the big screen?   Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart smash a lot more than flags when you Listen Now. {Avengers Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}  {Captain America Series}

It wasn’t so long ago that Elizabeth Olsen was blowing up the big screen in epic films like Avengers: Endgame.  What curse has befallen her career that Scarlet Witch is now slumming it in a cheesy sitcom called WandaVision?  Is Marvel experiencing some Growing Pains while trying to raise the TV profile of their superheroes?  And is Paul Bettany merely a special guest star on the series, or has his cyborg Vision found a way to live on without an Infinity Stone?  Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart broadcast their thoughts on a massive podcast airing now! {Avengers Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}

Peter Parker leaves his friendly neighborhood Spider-Man alter ego behind for a journey Far From Home meant to alleviate the loss of mentor Tony Stark. But S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury won’t let the 16-year-old tourist shirk his Avenger duties while on European holiday, rebranding him “Night Monkey” so that Peter can fight elemental monsters alongside new superhero Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). Can the web-slinger still make time to kiss Zendaya on the Eiffel Tower while keeping Venice afloat, or London Bridge from falling down? Listen and find out! {Spider-Man Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}  {Avengers Series}

It was inevitable that the Marvel Cinematic Universe would reach an Endgame after producing 21 blockbusters over the course of 11 years. Can Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye undo the devastation of Thanos’ Infinity War by implementing Ant-Man’s crazy "time heist" plot?  And are IMAX screens big enough to contain the hordes of superheroes fighting for the spotlight in the sprawling final battle? Hosts Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart aim for the heart and the head as they assemble once more for a gigantic, in-depth review. Hear it now!  {Spider-Man Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}  {Avengers Series}  {Iron Man Series}  {Hulk Series} {Captain America Series} {Thor Series} {Guardians of the Galaxy Series} {Ant-Man Series}

Before they reach their End Game, Marvel Studios takes audiences back to where it all began for S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Nick Fury (Samuel “Mother-Flerken” Jackson) - a 1995 close encounter with Captain Marvel. Can Brie Larson’s space invader rectify where her loyalties lie when warring factions of Kree and Skrulls descend upon Earth to claim Annette Bening’s lightspeed technology? And when will the femalien be ready to use her flaming fist power?  Find out if Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob had a Mar-Velous time revisiting the Grunge Era when you Listen Now!     {Marvel Series}  {Avengers Series}  {Comic Book Movies Series}  {Captain Marvel Series}

The box office for 2015’s Ant-Man might be considered small in comparison to other Avengers films, but Marvel banks that the second Paul Rudd adventure will make a bigger impact on the big screen thanks to The Wasp.  Are the two pint-sized superheroes simply chasing a Ghost when they shrink to a subatomic level and hunt for long lost scientist Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer)?  Podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob don’t need truth serum to tell listeners what they really think of the 20th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Listen now! {Avengers Series}  {Ant-Man Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}

Ten years ago Marvel Comics gambled their entire existence, using all their remaining IP as collateral, on the idea that they could make superhero films better than anyone else. 18 movies later, Marvel Studios makes their biggest bet yet - a billion dollars that audiences will love “the most ambitious crossover event in history” and one gaudy gold glove!  Is more the merrier when it comes to superheroes on screen, or are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes set up for an epic fail?  Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob now as they review Avengers: Infinity War! {Spider-Man Series} {Marvel Series} {Comic Book Movie Series} {Avengers Series} {Iron Man Series} {Hulk Series} {Captain America Series} {Guardians of the Galaxy Series} {Doctor Strange Series} {Thor Series} {Black Panther Series}

Chadwick Boseman bounds to the screen as Black Panther - the latest Marvel superhero to leap from comic pages into his own blockbuster movie. Will the newly crowned African Avenger continue to hide his technologically-advanced kingdom from the exploitative Western world? Or will Oakland militant Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) usurp the vibranium throne and use Wakandan firepower to finally Kill Whitey?  The revolution will not be televised… but colonizers Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart will certainly podcast about it all on this epic show.  Listen now! {Avengers Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}  {Black Panther Series}

The God of Thunder was ready to change his image after Now Playing and so many others hammered his solo films as the silliest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Third effort Ragnarok not only puts Thor in the arena with longtime frenemies Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston), but pits him against powerful new characters Hela (Cate Blanchett), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum).  Should the studly superhero have been so quick to chop off his golden hair, or would those shears have been better served cutting out some jokes in this 130 minute epic? Find out if hosts Arnie, Jakob and Stuart rain on Marvel's latest parade by listening now!    {Marvel Series}  {Avengers Series}  {Comic Book Movies Series}  {Thor Series} {Hulk Series}

Marvel's Inhumans are the result of combining alien DNA with humans. In that way they're neither human nor alien, they're inhuman. Likewise Marvel's Inhumans is a halfbreed--it's neither television nor film. It is the TV series pilot premiering this weekend on IMAX screens. Is it worth the IMAX ticket price to see a shorter version of network television four weeks early? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob in this hair-raising review to find out! {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}  {Avengers Series}

Spider-Man has finally come home! While Marvel Studios started without its most popular characters, an agreement between studios (aided by some North Korean hackers) has now made it so Marvel's most super of heroes, Spider-Man, can stand alongside the other cinematic Avengers. But this is this third big-screen incarnation of the wall crawler in 10 years. Does this one swing higher than Raimi's and Webb's movies? Listen to find out! {Spider-Man Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}  {Avengers Series}   {Iron Man Series}

James Gunn defied all expectations. 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy was the first Marvel studios film to go cosmic, and with stars like a raccoon and a talking tree, it could have easily crashed. Instead it has become many fans' favorite entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now Gunn is back, as are all the Guardians. The stakes are higher. Does this movie rock as much as the first? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out! {Avengers Series}  {Guardians of the Galaxy Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}

Fourteen movies into the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes the Strangest movie yet -- Doctor Strange. This film eschews all the other movies' science fiction basis to bring that magic feeling to the franchise.  Can lauded actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, and Tilda Swinton cast their spell on our reviewers?  Listen now to find out!    {Avengers Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}  {Doctor Strange Series}

Is this movie Captain America 3 or Avengers 3?  Cap is back and he’s brought the whole team. Iron Man, Ant-Man, Black Widow, Vision, Scarlet Witch, and half a dozen other costumed heroes appear–to fight! At issue is the UN wanting to control The Avengers, and Captain America going rogue to save his friend Bucky, The Winter Soldier.  Can even an IMAX screen hold this many heroes and give a satisfying story?  Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out! {Avengers Series}  {Iron Man Series}  {Marvel Series}  {Comic Book Movie Series}  {Captain America Series}  {Spider-Man Series}  {Black Panther Series}