Marvel Studios: Season Two?

There are several things that rummage through a studio's mind after a colossal debut like the one "The Avengers" just had. Immediately after "The Dark Knight" came out, there was heated speculation as to whether there would ever be another "Batman" film from Christopher Nolan. What does working on a film like that do to you after your featured star dies? But here we are four years later, with another go on the way. The "Transformers" series isn't at all likely to die down anytime soon. I'm surprised Warner Bros. hasn't pushed for further "Harry Potter" iterations wherever they can find them. So the question is worth raising, even if it's already answered, where do "The Avengers" go from here?

Marvel Studios already has its three primary sub-franchises renewed for further adventures. "Iron Man 3" has long been in pre-production, and will soon begin official photography. There's quite a bit of news and buzz surrounding that enterprise, with Ben Kingsley in talks to play a sort of villain for the film. Guy Pearce is pretty much a shoo-in at this point for a role. It's really advocating for a wide palette of stars in every Marvel film to come. They can't make excuses for not having people of high caliber anymore. Shane Black of "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" is set to direct the film after writing it, but what gets me most excited for the film is cinematographer John Toll. Tapping the man who shot "The Thin Red Line" for your film will get you that kind of attention.

Quick Takes: "Iron Man", "Incredible Hulk", "Thor"

"Iron Man"

Directed by Jon Favreau

Did anybody else think it was an absolutely terrible idea to give this franchise to Jon Favreau? Don't get me wrong, because the guy got it started damn well. The first 90 minutes of this film are characteristic of the great film everybody believes it to be. The Stark character is very intriguingly placed in our world, and his purview is stated firmly as a go-between of military power and moral integrity. He's an idealist, but one that fits pretty firmly into a certain mindset that is closed off. He never questioned things, until his convoy was attacked, murdered, and him taken into captivity. That's where we see a dynamic shift in the character, and while Favreau may not be so interested in it, Robert Downey Jr. relishes it.

It's enough to have a chance for pure fun when Downey Jr. is concerned, and his natural comic timing hits best with the screw-the-script-we-have-an-outline-let's-improv-it mentality that the film takes on. The rest of the cast doesn't quite keep up, specifically Terrence Howard. He was no great loss, to be entirely honest. Gwyneth Paltrow, however, is rather adaptable to it. But all intriguing juggling of technology and morality work, until the Iron Monger moves in. As soon as the plot builds up the requisite villain, it loses its way. It simply doesn't know how to finish, and it ends up mindlessly action-oriented. No plot. No full-circle resolution to the arcs. It simply doesn't work, and that's what stops it from being Marvel's tops.