Warning: This text on Captain America: Courageous New World accommodates spoilers from the movie’s trailer.
When the primary teaser trailer for Captain America: Courageous New World landed, I used to be fairly fast to see it (although not fast sufficient to get to cowl it for Escapist). What I noticed truly excited me — a brand new feeling for Marvel movies, which I’ve discovered myself drifting away from by way of anticipation very similar to the remainder of the world. This one, nonetheless, regarded prefer it could possibly be completely different as one thing new with hints of a spy thriller blended with superheroism. Then the Crimson Hulk teaser hit. It was only a glimpse of the villain’s hand and bottom, nevertheless it immediately sucked all the thrill out of the trailer for me.
Regardless of my occupation requiring me to cowl the movie trade and write information about it, I had, surprisingly, steered away from any and all spoilers for Courageous New World. So I wasn’t conscious that Crimson Hulk is within the movie, however the shock of the character’s look isn’t the rationale that I really feel let down by the tease. As a substitute, it’s the truth that Marvel put the tease in in any respect, as if the studio’s confidence within the movie isn’t sufficient with simply Anthony Mackie’s Cap. It appears like Marvel desperately making an attempt to hype up pleasure with a “look who’s right here” second. These will be thrilling … however by no means in a trailer, even when Crimson Hulk is the film’s villain. Almost all the remainder of the trailer appears like a political thriller, teasing what could possibly be a really fascinating movie, however the big pink hand on the finish obliterates that immediately.
Crimson Hulk’s presence appears like Marvel as soon as once more throwing a personality into the combo simply to do it as a substitute of delivering the movie that the primary a part of the trailer teased. The kicker on the finish of the teaser (to not point out the poster that includes Crimson Hulk’s hand grabbing Cap’s defend) immediately makes the film really feel extra like one other “franchise-builder” as a substitute of a film of its personal. It takes all of the wind out of the sails of a teaser that in any other case felt like Marvel might need been making an attempt to do one thing that stands out. That’s a bit worrisome.
Plenty of the time, I’m truly a defender of the MCU as I’ve discovered that, whereas comparable, the franchise typically dips its toe into completely different genres and kinds. However this Courageous New World tease appears like Marvel failing to have faith within the movie — prefer it wants Crimson Hulk to excite folks.
I feel one other side of why the Crimson Hulk tease is disappointing is that it means the movie shall be each massive superhero spectacle and spy/political drama, which the MCU has already failed at with Secret Wars, the place what was purported to be a down-and-dirty spy collection ended up in a literal vomiting of superpowers flying throughout the display. And, sure, this can be a bit hypocritical as I proceed to be insanely excited for Deadpool & Wolverine, a movie whose total premise is “hey, you already know these guys, and now they’re collectively, and look Sabertooth too!” however that’s simply it. That’s Deadpool & Wolverine‘s total premise; it’s not Courageous New World‘s. The latter’s tease of Crimson Hulk, irrespective of how massive a task he performs within the movie, feels disingenuous, not thrilling.
There’s additionally the truth that Courageous New World‘s Crimson Hulk tease falls flat due to a problem that plagues all movies however particularly over-hyped Marvel motion pictures: Studios present every thing off within the trailer. If Crimson Hulk is a serious a part of the movie and teasing him is akin to not exhibiting off the second foremost character of the film, then one may argue that you must tease him. Nonetheless, you don’t need to. You don’t have to indicate every thing. There’s clearly sufficient happening in Courageous New World to chop collectively an fascinating trailer for the movie with out exhibiting Crimson Hulk and nonetheless go away one thing as a shock. Trailers don’t have to indicate off total movies, Marvel.
There’s a very actual likelihood that I’m simply an previous man yelling at a cloud, that this film will land and be superior. I’m, in spite of everything, merely complaining about how a seconds-long clip on the finish of the primary teaser for a movie ruined the teaser and hype for me, not the precise movie. I’m nonetheless going to see Captain America: Courageous New World; I’m simply much less enthusiastic about it because of a pair of pink ft. However, man, do these pink ft appear to say lots.
