A bunch of mercenaries - and one civilian - find themselves working together after they are all betrayed by the same person. It’s a journey that forces them to examine their own misdeeds as much as those of the people they’re going after. They just have to stay alive long enough to expose this major conspiracy, and convince the powers that be that, on this occasion, they’re not the bad guys. On the face of it, Thunderbolts*  is a typical Marvel  team-up movie. A bunch of super people, who don't get along, are forced to team up in order to save the world, or at least New York. Only this time the super people aren't exactly the cream of the crop. They're not even the B team. In fact, they're probably the last people you'd want to call, unless you're planning something illegal, that is. And even then you wouldn't want them working together. These lone wolves certainly don't play well with others. Which makes it all the more hilarious to watch them try. Yes,...

Earth 828. Four years ago a team of astronauts returned from a mission to space having been changed by a cosmic storm. Since that day they have used their new found abilities and status to protect their world and to make it a better place. Only now they must fight to protect their own family, as well as the Earth, from the planet consuming Galactus. As Obi Wan Kenobi once said; "You've taken your first steps into a larger world." That's what  Marvel  has done with First Steps . Well, they've opened up that larger world, anyway. Allowing us to step into it. And what an incredible world Earth 828 is. A 1960's image of the future.  Vibrant, hopeful, and uniquely technological.  Except that  on Earth 828 it actually is the 1960's - 1964 to be exact.  It's all very classic Marvel , with a little of The Jetsons and Thunderbirds thrown into the mix. This includes the team's retro look, their car, and their  robot assistant, H.E.R.B.I.E., who is particul...

In the wake of T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman)'s death, Wakanda is faced with a new threat. Other countries are once again looking to acquire vibranium, sometimes aggressively so. Up to now Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and her armies have been able to protect what's theirs. But the actions of these nations have drawn the attention of the under water world of Talokan, and its leader Namor (Tenoch Huerta), and he will stop at nothing to keep vibranium out of their hands. If nothing else, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever  is a loving tribute to Chadwick Boseman. The opening scenes featuring T'Challa's funeral carry with them the sadness of his passing, and yet, more importantly, they are a celebration of his life and the character he embodied. More than that, Wakanda Forever  - and all those who worked on it - carries on the legacy that he started with Black Panther . His absence is felt throughout, it's like a driving force behind everything, including some beautifull...

In an effort to cheer up Quill (Chris Pratt), and restore his love of Christmas, Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista) travel to Earth in search of the perfect gift. With the help of Marvel  and the Guardians of the Galaxy , James Gunn has finally got the chance to share his love of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special , and to spread a little festive cheer while he's at it, with his very own Holiday Special. But a Holiday Special born from Gunn's interesting sense of humour can only mean we're in for another gonzo galactic adventure, one served with copious amounts of cheese, and - rather unsurprisingly - an excellent soundtrack. All of which Gunn delivers, and more. Seeing the Guardians deliver Christmas in their own (very) weird way, it turns out, is actually a perfect way to get into the holiday spirit. As well as being a delightfully sappy adventure, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special  is a fun way to catch up with the gang before the arrival of ...

There was some exciting stuff coming out of this years San Diego Comic Con! This includes panels for the Game of Thrones  spin-off; House of The Dragon , and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power . And lets not forget the trailers for I Am Groot  and John Wick: Chapter 4 . The latter being particularly exciting for me, as our favourite assassin not only takes on another legion of killers in his feud with the High Table, but also must face up to the question of "where this ends". Obviously DC  and Marvel  to give us a glimpse of their upcoming slates, although DC 's wasn't quite on the same scale as Marvel 's. This might have something to do with the controversy surrounding some of their stars, but it certainly didn't stop them from wowing us with the two trailers they did show us. First up we've got a new trailer for Black Adam , which hits UK cinemas on 21st October. Dwayne Johnson's titular all-powerful being is causing chaos while Pierce Brosnan...

  After Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal) posthumously revealed to the world that he's Spider-Man, Peter Parker (Tom Holland)'s life, and the lives of those around him immediately began to fall apart. In an attempt to put the genie back in the bottle Pete turns to the only person he can... Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). But things rarely work out for the Web-Head, the way he plans. Now he and the good doctor must deal with the multiverse trying to tear itself apart, not to mention the new friends it has brought them. Tom Holland's third solo outing as the MCU's Wall-Crawler is his biggest so far, and yet in some ways it still feels like an adventure with our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. He may be dealing with bigger and bigger threats, but you can still see him taking the time to help the little people (like the lady who bought him a churro), and a lot of that is thanks to Holland.  Whereas with previous versions of Peter Parker it has been a quick transition...