[Spoiler alert: Do not read on or watch the video above if you are worried about any kind of “Captain Marvel” spoiler or tease at all.”]
The embargo for Marvel’s first female superhero film, “Captain Marvel,” has lifted, and TheWrap’s resident fanboy Umberto Gonzalez, and film reporter Beatrice Verhoeven are here to give you their thoughts.
“I walked away from it feeling empowered as a woman, I think it sends a great message to young girls of not needing to conform to what people tell you to do, to embrace your inner strength… it’s very different from other movies,” Verhoeven said. “Brie [Larson] is a revelation, and I think the message is different from other Marvel movies, and I think it’s going to play really well among young girls.”
Early tracking for Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” is projecting that the film will have an opening weekend of more than $100 million when it hits theaters on March 8, which would make it the first big box office hit of 2019.
Aside from “Black Panther’s” mammoth $201 million opening last year, this film is on pace to be the highest opening for a debut superhero installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. By comparison, 2016’s “Doctor Strange” opened to $85 million, while 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” opened to $94 million. This tracking also means that “Captain Marvel” could rival or even top the last film to feature a female superhero, “Wonder Woman,” which opened to $103 million in 2017 and went on to gross $412.5 million domestic and $821 million worldwide.
“Captain Marvel” stars Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, an Air Force pilot who was recovered by the Kree after mysterious circumstances and was transformed into the titular superhero at the cost of her memories. After crash-landing back on Earth during the 1990s, Carol must recover her past self and save the planet from getting caught in an intergalactic conflict with the help of future SHIELD director Nick Fury.
“Overall, not the best Marvel movie, but it’s very solid and if there is one little spoiler-ish thing… does it lead into ‘Avengers: Endgame?’ The answer is yes,” Gonzalez said.
“Captain Marvel” is directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck from a screenplay they co-wrote with Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Jac Schaeffer. Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, and Jude Law star alongside Larson.
Watch the reaction video above.