Remember a decade ago when Jennifer Lawrence, Kaley Cuoco and Kristen Wiig led the Great Pixie Cut Reckoning of 2014? Well, Brie Larson has just revived the trend with extremely chic results. 

The actress recently debuted her dramatic haircut on social media, sharing black and white images of herself sporting a much shorter hairdo in a much darker shade. The Marvel star’s brunette ‘do comes complete with baby bangs and face-framing sideburns, and of course she sports a wide smile in recognition of how rightfully chuffed she is with the transformation. The new look is particularly surprising given that, just the week, Larson shared images of herself with the classic long blonde locks we’ve come to expect from Captain Marvel herself.

Larson’s haircut was in service of her new role as Elektra (no, not that one) in the namesake West End stage show, which kicks off in London in a few months’ time. Playing the title character, Larson leads the cast of the revival of the Sophocles-written play, trading her Marvel suit for whatever it was people wore circa 420 BC. “Elektra is here,” the actress wrote in the caption, no-doubt catching the attention of Jennifer Garner. Larson is joined in the cast of Elektra by stage icons Stockard Channing, Marième Diouf, Greg Hicks and Patrick Vaill, among others. 

Speaking of the upcoming role, Larson — who went the Tom Holland route in swapping the big budget sound stages for live performance — said in September that she “couldn’t be more excited to perform in this Greek drama,” since “storytelling has always been the way I organize life, feelings and experiences.”  

Though she’s undoubtedly channelling the titular character of the play (pixie cuts were all the rage among Greek tragedians), Larson’s new look also recalls a more current reference in the form of How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, a film whose title coincidentally describes my track record on Tinder of late. If you recall, that film features the scene-stealing Mrs. DeLauer (played by Liliane Montevecchi), who, like Larson, sports a fringe-heavy hairdo and gives Kate Hudson a run for her money in terms of leading lady status. Speaking of Hudson, both she in Larson are among the legions of celebrities who’ve given their hair the pixie treatment over the years. 

Perhaps tired by the maintenance required of long locks (and the ease of avoiding a blow dryer), everyone from Emma Watson to Zoe Kravitz, Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Charlize Theron has debuted the classic tousled cut, much to the delight of fans. “You look gorgeous!” one fan wrote of Larson’s new look on X, with another adding that the actress’ “face is so dynamic and matches nicely with so many hair styles.” Others quipped that the character-inspired look was “not the Elektra I was thinking of,” or praised Larson for “getting into character” and showcasing her “dedication.” 

It’s far from the first time the Academy Award-winner has sent the internet into a tizzy with one of her posts. Last month, fans lived vicariously through a trip Larson took to Mexico with her Captain Marvel stunt double, and elsewhere campaigned for her to portray a live-action version of Tinkerbell after she stepped out in a fairy-like green dress. It remains to be seen whether such fanfare will arise during her run in Elektra, but it’s Brie Larson we’re talking about, so she’ll undoubtedly steal the show.

Fans have become so familiar with Brie Larson’s supersuit that a recent picture of the Marvel star in a bikini has sent them into overdrive, to the point of asking for her hand in marriage. 

The Captain Marvel star shared a bunch of images from a recent weekend-long trip to Mexico, and while there’s vicarious fun to be found in all the snaps of beaches, tacos and drag queen performances, it’s the shot of Larson in a black bikini that fans are truly marveling at (I’m sorry, I had to). 

The photo in question shows Larson chilling beachside in a stunning one-piece bikini, having a giggle and enjoying what looks to be a tropical-flavored cocktail (vacation goals!). Naturally, Larson’s beach-bound look caught the attention of legions of hopeful fiancés, with one presumably Mexican fan outright declaring that Larson “can marry me and have both nationalities.” 

One user even envisioned “sharing the rest of our lives together,” with another writing they “could never get tired of looking into your eyes.” Elsewhere, fans described Larson as “my heaven” and “my sunshine”, and said that they “we will be fantastic and amazing together.” Meanwhile, I can’t even get the person on Tinder to reply to me. 

So plentiful are the declarations of love that Larson would be wise to compile them to use as her actual wedding vows which — much to these fans’ dismay — will probably be saved for her artist boyfriend Alex Greenwald, not the random accounts in her comments section. 

Those eagle-eyed fans who looked beyond the bikini picture would have seen what looks to be a fabulous Mexican holiday, with Larson snapping everything from adorable chihuahuas in a nightclub to hotel room mirror selfies and a pit-stop at a Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant. 

In the accompanying caption, the Oscar-winning actress listed off even more highlights from the trip, like losing her sunglasses in the ocean after being “smashed by a big wave,” seeing old friends, and somehow avoiding a hangover. 

Making me even more jealous, Larson made the trip to attend the wedding of Joanna Bennett, the actress’ longtime friend who served as her body double for Captain Marvel. Alongside that credit, Bennett has also done stunt and body double work on Aquaman and Justice League, so her new husband probably thinks twice before getting on her bad side. 

“I love you so much!” Bennett wrote amongst the swathes of thirsty fans in Larson’s comments section. “Thank you for being there on our big day my bestie for the restie.”

Unsurprisingly, it’s not the first time Larson has endeared fans with an all-black outfit, since a recent photoshoot of the actress in a simple black dress was show-stopping enough to launch calls that she be cast in the next James Bond film.

Then, fans demanded Larson take on the role of Tinkerbell after she shared images of herself in a green slip dress. At this rate, Larson should forgo the traditional audition process and simply wear a movie-inspired outfit to secure her next big role. 

In other Larson news, the actress celebrated turning 35 earlier this month on an extremely popular date for celebrity birthdays, sharing the day with fellow birthday celebrators Julie Andrews, Emerald Fennell, and Zach Galifianakis.

Happy Libra season, everyone. The best month of the year is upon us and, as always, it was ushered in by what may well be the most star-studded birthday of the Gregorian Calendar, led by none other than Captain Marvel herself.

The magic you start feeling in the air on Oct. 1 isn’t just in your head. It seems the date really does hold some kind of superpower because you wouldn’t believe the amount of uber-talented people who were born on it, beginning with the stunning Brie Larson, who turned 35, and the Julie Andrews who turned 89.

Also on Oct. 1st, 2024, former president Jimmy Carter turned 100th. Born in 1924, he became the first U.S. President to live a full century. He’s been in hospice care for the last 19th months in the same one-story home he built with the former first lady in the early 1960s in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. The 100-year-old joined his friends and family on his birthday to witness a military flyover with four fighter jets.

While that triad is impressive as is, the list is far from ending there. How about Emerald Fennell, the Oscar-winning director of Promising Young Woman and Saltburn? English actors Rupert Friend (Asteroid City, Anatomy of a Scandal) and Richard Harris (two-time Oscar-nominated actor most famous for playing Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films)? Or maybe Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis and Lovecraft Country‘s Jurnee Smollett?

Not content? Sarah Drew of Grey’s Anatomy fame, Stranger Things alum Priah Ferguson, Mission Impossible bad guy Esai Morales, Shadowhunters heartthrob Matthew Daddario, Randy Quaid’s older brother Randy, and Walter Matthau of the Lemmon/Matthau comedy duo were all Oct. 1 babies as well. And let’s not forget queen Michaela Coel who was born in London in 1987 and has thankfully decided to bless us with her artistry for the last ten years.

Who we can forget is former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May. Other controversial figures born Oct. 1 include English soccer rising star Mason Greenwood, who was accused of abusing his girlfriend, and American actor Stephen Collins who confessed to sexually assaulting three minors in 2014.

Still, the balance is undoubtedly positive. Tell me another birthday that has originated four Oscars, seven Emmys, six BAFTAs, ten Golden Globes, four Grammys, one presidency of the United States, and one prime ministry of the United Kingdom. I’m willing to bet that you can’t.

All these famous birthdays on the first day of October are just further evidence that this really the greatest month of the year. Fall is in its full glory with all its warm colors, chilly winds, and warm pumpkin beverages, and Halloween is just around the corner. It’s the perfect balance of busy and mellow. I know my fellow Libras will agree.

Several famous women who have starred in Marvel Studios movies have been the center of high-profile controversies. Letitia Wright and Evangeline Lilly, for example, have both been deemed irresponsible for sharing anti-vaccination views.

Brie Larson, however, seems to attract controversy for *checks notes* merely existing. She doesn’t smile? Controversial. Promotes feminism? Controversial. Shrugging off negative critical reviews? Controversial. Thankfully, more recently, the Marvel actress, who plays Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has garnered attention for all the right reasons — for looking fabulous in a photoshoot.

Posting on her X account, Larson shared four photos of a simplistic shoot in which she’s wearing a classy little black dress and standing against a white background. The Oscar-winning star, who will turn 35 on Oct. 1, looks absolutely stunning in the images — a notion her followers tended to agree with. In fact, one fan suggestion — which was completely on-point, incidentally — is that the shoot proves that the MCU star would be perfect for a role in another blockbuster movie franchise.

The franchise in question? James Bond.

Brie Larson should join the James Bond franchise

The fan suggested Larson should be “the next Bond woman.” While it’s unknown whether the fan meant Larson would be ideal for playing a female version of James Bond or a typical “Bond girl” isn’t clear, we have to imagine the immensely talented star would nail either role with her effortlessly cool demeanor and incredible look.

Meanwhile, praise came in from every direction for Larson, with arguably the most elaborate compliment coming from this user:

Various compliments about Larson came from other users, who wrote about how great she looked and what a nice person she is. Here are a few of them:

Of course, there were some rude idiots, as is the online norm. As usual, their spelling, in addition to their rudeness, demonstrated why they shouldn’t be allowed internet access and why their opinions aren’t worth taking notice of.

It’s “Whose,” you uneducated dolt.

It was nice (for the most part) to see Larson on the end of some positivity. All too often, she’s been the proverbial punchbag for fans and the media, and it’s frankly wholly unjustified.

We’ll look forward to seeing her reprising her role as Captain Marvel in the near future and, hopefully, showing up in the Bond franchise, too. With Daniel Craig having departed the role after 15 years and five appearances in 2021, it’s there for the taking, and a fresh female take on the character would undoubtedly be intriguing. For now, as per IMDb, her only apparent upcoming project is the comedy movie Lady Business, which she is both starring in and directing. However, the film has been in the pipeline for some time, so whether or not it will actually happen remains to be seen.

Just as the Avengers have disbanded on screen since Endgame, the many leading stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have put aside their spandex outfits to embrace other acting challenges over the past few years. From Chris Hemsworth donning an artificial schnoz in Furiosa to Robert Downey Jr.’s Oscar-winning Oppenheimer performance (yes, now he’s back at Marvel as Doctor Doom, but still…).

Another Oscar-winner, Brie Larson, isn’t one to sit around and wait for Kevin Feige to call her either, as the Captain Marvel actress has been confirmed to be embarking on a bold new project that should excite Larson’s most loyal fans. Interestingly, she’s following in the footsteps of her fellow Marvel star Tom Holland who did the same thing earlier this year.

Brie Larson is playing Elektra… No, not that one

Brie Larson has been announced to be making her West End stage debut in 2025. This makes her the second major MCU star to tread the boards in recent times, after Holland’s recent run in Romeo & Juliet. Larson is set to play the lead in Elektra — no, not a stage adaptation of the Jennifer Garner movie, but the classical Greek tragedy from Sophocles.

In Elektra, Larson will portray the eponymous protagonist who is consumed by grief after the assassination of her father, leading her to team up with her long-lost brother Orestes in order to seek justice and vengeance. No other casting details have been confirmed at this time. The play comes from Empire Street Productions, the team behind Jodie Comer’s award-winning Prima Facie.

“I couldn’t be more excited to perform in this Greek drama, or in better company collaborating with Daniel Fish and Anne Carson,” Larson told BBC News, “Storytelling has always been the way I organize life, feelings and experiences. I look forward to sharing space with the wonderful West End audience while we explore this timeless story.”

Elektra marks Larson’s first time treading the boards since performing in a production of Our Town in 2010, at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, USA. Elektra will kick off its run at the Theatre Royal Brighton for a single week (Jan. 13-18, 2025) before switching to the Duke of York’s Theatre in London for the remainder of its three-month run, kicking off Jan. 24.

Will Brie Larson return to the MCU after The Marvels?

With Larson making her return to the stage after 14 years, clearly the Room actress is looking to challenge herself as a performer at this point in her career, which may lead some to wonder if we’ve seen the last of her as Carol Danvers.

It is a fact at this point that there are no confirmed appearances for Captain Marvel on the docket, something that may or may not be linked to the embarrassing box office failure of The Marvels last November. Seeing as the sequel stands as the MCU’s lowest-grossing movie of all time, the studio is unlikely to fast-track Captain Marvel 3 anytime soon, so it does add up that Larson has enough free time to commit to a 12-week stage production.

At the same time, it would be surprising if Carol simply vanishes from the franchise as some kind of role in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars is surely to come. It’s also worth noting that Larson has, to date, appeared in all of director Destin Daniel Cretton’s movies, so at least a cameo appearance in his upcoming Spider-Man 4 seems highly plausible. Ironically, that would bring both Larson and Holland together again — maybe they could swap West End stories.

Fan casting celebrities as your favorite characters is nothing new, but fans often have to explain their reasoning behind a certain fan cast. However, sometimes, a celebrity does all the work for you. In this case, it’s Brie Larson, who’s effortlessly channeling a fan-favorite character in her most recent picture on X.

Brie Larson’s gorgeous green number sparks inspiration 

Brie Larson’s recent X (formerly Twitter) picture had fans fawning over her laid-back and natural beauty. She shared a photo of herself standing in a garden wearing a mint green slip, with her blonde hair falling over her shoulders. Smiling softly, her make-up was very understated, adding to the natural and earthy look of the picture. As with everything Larson posts, the fans just couldn’t get enough.

Comments and quote tweets immediately started gushing about how gorgeous she looked, with many pointing out how similar she shared a resemblance with none other than the snarky fairy, Tinker Bell. The Disney icon, who is also blonde, is typically seen in a green dress similar to the one Larson was wearing in the picture. Many fans believe that Larson doesn’t only look the part, but would be a great actress to embody Tinker Bell’s nature. After all, Captain Marvel’s got the spunk… a little magic couldn’t hurt.

Another Disney character Larson resembles is Persephone. While some people might only be familiar with depictions of Persephone as a Greek goddess, she is actually a member of the Disney pantheon as well. In fact, Snow White is often credited as the first Disney princess after the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. But only a handful of fans know that Persephone came before. She starred in the 1934 Disney short, Silly Symphonies, where she can be seen prancing around in a springtime garden in a green slip, blonde hair dancing in the wind.

Maybe it’s time for Brie to have another iconic Disney moment. And we all know she can sing too! But whether or not you agree with this particular fan cast, the one consensus that we can all agree on is that Larson looked stunning!

A funny thing happened on The Marvels‘ way to streaming. Despite releasing in theaters to widespread disinterest in November, once the MCU sequel hit digital people suddenly started giving it some much-needed positive attention.

Sure enough, upon its arrival on Disney Plus, the film that seemed destined to become the most forgotten and least-viewed Marvel Studios production earned itself a surprising groundswell of popularity and some enduring chart-topping powers. “Hey, I wish I saw this in cinemas,” said a whole bunch of folks, while those that did and enjoyed it glared at the camera like Jim from The Office.

Speaking of John Krasinski, he definitely won’t be reprising his role as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four, which promises to carve out an exciting new corner of the MCU. Marvel’s First Family have one of the richest rosters of associated characters in all of comics, so Kevin Feige and company will no doubt be hoping to fuel years’ worth of storylines based around them. But could the rise of the Silver Surfer lead to the crushing downfall of Carol Danvers?

Silver Surfer spin-off claims could be bad news for Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel

Hot on the heels of The Fantastic Four announcement, a rumor has emerged that a Silver Surfer spin-off is in the works at Marvel Studios. As has been suspected for the longest time, Norrid Radd is said to be making his way to the MCU in The Fantastic Four, with Marvel supposedly on the hunt for an actor as you read these words. This is totally uncorroborated as yet, but it does come from insider Daniel Richtman, who claimed that Pedro Pascal was playing Reed Richards before that was officially confirmed.

Silver Surfer is easily one of the most important characters Marvel inherited from Fox because, despite only making the one movie appearance to date, he’s one of the most integral cosmic characters in Marvel’s canon. You could even argue that he’s Marvel’s single most integral cosmic character. And that’s why the studio apparently being keen to promote him to leading status could be bad news for Carol Danvers, who currently stands as the MCU’s top-tier extraterrestrial tentpole.

As The Marvels made clear, by pairing her up with heroes from Ms. Marvel, WandaVision, and Secret Invasion, not to mention using her movie to set up the coming of the X-Men, Carol certainly was viewed as an anchor for the entire MCU. However, with the film underperforming so drastically there’s every chance that Marvel is working on pivoting focus away from her. Just look at how we’ve learned that Kang’s role was already being decreased after Quantumania bombed, before Jonathan Majors’ legal troubles came to light.

Larson herself remains cagey about her Marvel future, but even if she does end up returning for Avengers 5 and Secret Wars, there’s a decent chance that, in a few years time, space might not have enough space for both Captain Marvel and Silver Surfer.

Outside of her superhero antics as Captain Marvel, Brie Larson has enjoyed an illustrious acting career. Since making her debut at just eight years old, Larson has starred in a slew of buzzy films and television shows, which this year brought her to the hallowed halls of the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards. The ceremony — which largely recognises the best acting performances of the last year — took place at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, with Barbie and Oppenheimer leading the pack with four nominations each. Larson received a nomination, but what is her broader nomination history with the SAG Awards, and has she ever won? 

Has Brie Larson ever won a SAG Award?

Brie Larson has received two SAG Award nominations over the course of her career. The first was in 2015, when she was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for her performance in the claustrophobic thriller, Room. While it was a competitive race — populated by the likes of Cate Blanchett for Carol, Saoirse Ronan for Brooklyn and Sarah Silverman for I Smile Back — Larson ultimately took home the win. 

Room — which co-starred Jacob Tremblay and William H. Macy — marked a breakout moment for Larson, with the SAG trophy adding to her broader awards-season success. That same year, the actress won a Golden Globe, BAFTA and Academy Award for the same role in Room. Larson’s second SAG Award nomination came this year when she received a nod for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie. 

The nomination was for Larson’s performance in the Apple TV miniseries, Lessons in Chemistry, in which she portrayed a feminist cooking show host in the 1960s. Larson was nominated in the category alongside Uzo Aduba (for Painkiller) Kathryn Hahn (for Tiny Beautiful Things) and Bel Powley (for A Small Light). Ultimately, it was frontrunner Ali Wong who took home the trophy, for her role as Amy Lau in Netflix’s Beef. 

As for her future SAG Award aspirations, Larson has a few projects on the horizon that could spell future nominations. The actress is set to star in another, currently untitled Apple TV series as a CIA agent, and will make her sophomore effort as a director with the upcoming film Lady Business. The word is still out on whether Larson will ever take home a win for playing Carol Danvers, but we’re guessing Madame Web is perhaps the only superhero movie worthy of award-season contention (that’s a joke, obviously). 

Cassandra Webb’s superpower might be receiving visions of future events, but even those without fancy Spider-Senses predicted how Madame Web would turn out long before we heard Dakota Johnson talk about how her mom studied spiders in the Amazon before she died. So it’s no surprise that Deadpool 3 is already making numbers the Sony bomb-in-the-making will never see at the box office. But, first, it turns out The Marvels could’ve been a whole lot darker…

The Marvels nearly ending on Captain Marvel’s combustion snuffs out hopes for Captain Marvel 3

Now that it’s on streaming, Marvel folks are loving how fun and light-hearted The Marvels is (it’s about time, people!), but the film’s original ending no doubt would’ve left us stunned and picking our jaws up off the floor along with our spilled popcorn once the credits rolled. Dar-Benn actress Zawe Ashton has revealed that the movie’s climax initially had Carol Danvers and her nemesis “combust together,” which apparently confirmed that Captain Marvel was supposed to die in this film before reshoots changed the ending. Suddenly Brie Larson’s hedged bets about her MCU future make sense… Marvel can’t be keen on a Captain Marvel 3 if they nearly killed her off. Right?

Deadpool 3 is officially YouTube’s most-viewed trailer ever…

Who says nobody cares about Marvel movies anymore? Following its premiere on Super Bowl Sunday, the internet is still buzzing from our first glimpse at Deadpool 3, or Deadpool & Wolverine as it’s properly called. Whether because it marks Ryan Reynolds’ return as DP for the first time in six years or because this year’s Super Bowl was the highest-rated television event since the 1969 Moon Landing (!), DP3‘s trailer has gone down as the most watched trailer on YouTube, beating fellow multiversal Marvel threequel Spider-Man: No Way Home to the top spot on the back of 365 million views at launch. That bodes well for its box office figures this July!

… While Madame Web is officially the worst Marvel movie since Morbius

You know what doesn’t bode well for a movie’s box office figures, though? Launching on Rotten Tomatoes to a critics score that’s almost not old enough to drive. At the time of writing, Madame Web is sitting at a mere 17% on the reviews-aggregate site, after shockingly scathingly reactions that tell us exactly why Sony waited until the day before its worldwide release to lift the review embargo. With its Sony predecessor Morbius sitting at 15%, the Dakota Johnson vehicle is in real danger of falling even lower than the Jared Leto meme machine. We didn’t know that was possible until now, which proves that despite rampant superhero fatigue, at least Marvel is capable of setting new records.

Do you ever think sometimes the Marvel multiverse has gotten too big? Sure, those of us who spend way too much time online and know the difference between a Kree and Kraglin understand the complicated, corporate differences between, say, the MCU and Sony’s Marvel Universe, but anyone with the glamorous, busy life of a Hollywood star is forgiven for not having the time to take a crash-course in Marvel minutiae. Someone, for instance, like Madame Web‘s own Dakota Johnson.

Yes, it might be time to officially declare the Marvel movie medium too oversaturated, as it seems it’s even confusing the stars of these films themselves, and — who knows — maybe even misleading them to take jobs they otherwise wouldn’t. With Madame Web opening in theaters just in time to become the Valentine’s Day movie you should definitely not take your date to see, many are wondering… just why did Dakota Johnson sign up to star in this movie?

Based on the evidence, fans have speculated that Johnson may have been under the misapprehension that she was joining the MCU…

Did Dakota Johnson believe Madame Web was made by Marvel Studios? The conspiracy theory, explained

This conspiracy theory got kickstarted with Johnson’s very first public comment on her Madame Web casting. When announcing her involvement in the film on Instagram, the Persuasion actress got folks talking by tagging Marvel Studios in the post. She also tagged Sony Pictures, which has left some convinced that Johnson believed it would be a co-production venture between the two studios, much like Tom Holland’s Spider-Man films are.

More recently, in February 2024, Johnson recalled how she bumped into Scarlet Witch star Elizabeth Olsen shortly and asked her about her experience making Marvel movies. “When I got the Madame Web role, I ran into Lizzie Olsen and spoke to her about it,” the actress said. “That was helpful. She said she had a great time … seemed very relaxed about it so that was comforting.” Johnson getting advice from someone who’s made Marvel films for a completely different studio only reignited the theorists…

Then there’s what happened after the Madame Web trailer dropped in November 2023, and became the most instantly memed Marvel trailer since, well, Sony’s last superhero movie, Morbius. Just a week later, Johnson parted ways with her talent agency. As Variety noted, this “raised industry eyebrows” as it certainly seemed to indicate some regret on the actress’ part over being attached to such a mercilessly mocked project. What’s more, Johnson hasn’t been shy about her dissatisfaction with Hollywood across the Madame Web press tour, even noting how the industry is “really f***ing bleak” right now. Curious words to use to hype up your latest popcorn film!

Nobody knows the real reasoning behind Johnson’s decision to make a bed web with Sony for this project, but it definitely seems like she may have once been under the impression she was joining the likes of Captain Marvel and Black Widow as the latest leading lady of the MCU. Unfortunately, Dakota Johhnson’s Madame Web isn’t the new Brie Larson. With that movie’s Rotten Tomatoes score, she’s more like the new Jennifer Garner.

It’s always one step forward, two step back for Marvel‘s Multiverse Saga. The step forward? The Marvels is finally on Disney Plus, and it’s leading to some exciting developments that may suggest it’s going to go down as something other than the MCU’s worst ever movie. The two steps back? Its streaming release also has us worrying about Brie Larson’s franchise future more than ever. And it turns out the Marvel universe isn’t as entirely out from Jonathan Majors‘ shadow as it may appear.

Jonathan Majors still haunts the MCU as latest developments in his sentencing coincide with key Marvel releases

Jonathan Majors may have been fired by Marvel immediately upon his domestic assault conviction in December, but the MCU still apparently can’t avoid being overshadowed by the latest twists and turns in the actor’s legal troubles. Just as his initial trial coincided with the releases of Loki season 2 and The Marvels in theaters, Majors caused waves by failing to turn up to court for his sentencing on Feb. 6, the eve of The Marvels hitting streaming. Majors’ sentencing has now been rearranged to April 8. And it just so happens that predictions indicate X-Men ’97 will arrive on Disney Plus across March and April. In short, we might not see him on screen again, but the impact of Majors is sure to be felt on the MCU for a long while to come.

The Marvels hits Disney Plus, wins widespread adoration, and teases Brie Larson is done as Captain Marvel

So The Marvels is now on Disney Plus, and there is a lot to unpack. First of all, the recent flurry of newfound support for the film from when it debuted on digital has continued and then some following its streaming arrival. What’s more, its apparent importance to the future of the Multiverse Saga has just been massively hyped up thanks to The Making of The Marvels special that just dropped alongside the movie. Unfortunately, it’s not all sunshine and roses as that same documentary features Brie Larson casting doubt on whether she’ll even be back as Carol Danvers at all. The good news is The Marvels might not be the last MCU movie fans will rewatch, but it might turn out to be Larson’s last MCU movie period.

Daredevil: Born Again is either very bad at keeping its secrets or very good at misleading us

Marvel is either playing a very discerning or dumb game with Daredevil: Born Again. With production taking place on the streets of New York, set photos have flooded social media revealing everything from Daredevil’s new suit to Wilson Bethel finally in a Bullseye costume. The thing is, though, Marvel fans are smart and it’s not taken much to put two and two together and speculate that a major, and controversial, moment from the comics could be about to be adapted. I mean, they’re really laying the evidence on thick. But is Marvel employing some ingenius subterfuge here, deliberately planting supposed spoilers in order to get the fans talking and paying attention at a time when the MCU really needs it? Or has poor production planning resulted in secrets being spilled far too soon? Maybe the show’s new investigative journalist/potential Spider-Man pal can discover the truth.

Kumail Nanjiani has shocked his fans by revealing that he had to go to therapy following the release of his so-far single Marvel movie, Eternals, in November 2021 due to the intense backlash the Chloe Zhao-directed film received. On top of people being concerned for his mental health and sympathetic to his experience, Nanjiani’s revelations also shocked people as many had completely forgotten Eternals ever existed, even if they were among those scathingly reviewing it at the time.

For Marvel commentators and critics it’s easy to lay into the latest piece of subjectively disappointing MCU content online and then move onto the next thing to get annoyed about, but Nanjiani’s discussion of his own personal experience reminds us that internet chatter can have a longer-lasting effect in the real-world. Given the impact it had on his mental health last time, the actor would be forgiven for turning down the opportunity to return as Kingo in the future.

In this regard, Nanjiani’s situation is recalling the equally unsavory treatment of another Marvel star. Ever since Captain Marvel released in 2019, Brie Larson has faced endless hate from some quarters online. To date, the actress has yet to publicly address the toxicity or if and how it has had an impact on her, but rumors abound that it has dampened her enthusiasm for playing what should be the role of a lifetime. Her own future in the franchise is equally as in doubt as Nanjiani’s, going by comments from the Oscar-winning actress’ own mouth.

Obviously, toxic fandom is not exclusive to the MCU, far from it, but a community that used to be full of positivity has certainly become typified by vitriol in many instances over the past few years. Clearly, it would be beneficial to remind folks that these packages of Marvel content are made by real people with real feelings and not simply developed by Kevin the robot from She-Hulk just to irritate us. If only there was the perfect series sitting on Disney Plus ready to binge to educate us all? Oh, wait, there is…

Brie Larson and Kumail Nanjiani’s experiences prove one underrated Disney Plus series should be compulsory viewing

The backlash that both Larson and Nanjiani and sadly many other cast and crew members of the MCU have faced, particularly across the Multiverse Saga, makes it all the more necessary for fans to check out Marvels Studios: Assembled on Disney Plus. A fresh hour-long special is released anytime a new movie or TV show lands on the streamer that dives behind the scenes of the production, allowing the viewer unique insight into how the project came to life.

Even if you’re not a fan of the project in question, every episode of Assembled is an essential watch as it reminds you that this movie, no matter how flawed you might find the finished product, was put together by a huge and very dedicated team full of passionate and talented people who made every creative decision with the best of intentions. It’s easy to come out of one of these specials with a newfound appreciation for the film or show, now that you’ve seen the hard work that went into it.

For example, The Making of The Marvels showcases the moment when Larson wrapped on the sequel, at which point she was overwhelmed by emotion. As the star makes clear in a voiceover, she isn’t sure where her character goes from here and therefore if she’ll get to play her again. That’s pretty meaningful for an actress who once signed a seven-picture deal with the studio. For context, she’s only appeared in four films to date. Who knows what may have happened to cause this uncertainty, but the fact that these movies haven’t gone down as Larson was no doubt hoping they would must be a factor.

Likewise, Eternals had one of the finest casts Marvel has ever assembled, Nanjiani very much included, and yet its poor reception has seemingly blocked the way to all of them from returning — even Harry Styles, at present. Both Brie Larson and Kumail Nanjiani, and many more, deserved better from the MCU fandom, and perhaps even from Marvel Studios as a whole. We know all too well that it’s not easy being a superhero within the Marvel universe. It turns out it’s not so easy being one in the real universe either.