I don't know how the
Avengers: Age Of Ultron is going to turn out, so most of this will probably be addressed in that film, but for now... Enjoy my take on what I want to see in the sequel to the most affective MCU film I've seen so far.
1. Hawkeye & (maybe) Black Widow
S.H.I.E.L.D. is/ was a big super spy agency, so I could accept that in CA: TWS, Clint Barton/ Hawkeye wasn't present at all because he could be otherwise engaged in some big scandal in Europe or mining explosion in New Zealand, or any another part of the globe. This is excusable but in Cap 3, I want to see him return as Scarlett Johansson was able to chew on some very meaty dialogue and character in The Winter Soldier, and I think in its sequel; Jeremy Renner could and should be given the same opportunity as well.
2. The Winter Soldier To Return
I loved how the Winter Soldier was depicted in both writing and (somewhat) acting, and I really hope that his post-credit scene does evolve into something larger and isn't just a throwaway feature to something that purely *could* happen. The last fight scene between him and Rogers is one of the best pieces of cinema I've seen in an action movie and I really think that Marvel and the Russo brothers would have to be crazy to not expand on that. Bring back Sebastian Stan and bring back Bucky Barnes. The potential to how awesome and ground-breaking that film would be is monumental.
3. Delve Into Steve A Bit More
The third point might sound like an innuendo and in some respects it can be perceived as that. Rarely in comic-book films have I wanted a couple to get together and kiss, and although it would definitely surprise me; I don't know if I'd care that much if Jane and Thor separated because in the long run it wouldn't really affect the franchise unless in
Thor 3, their relationship hits an all-time high; but the point I'm trying to make is that Natasha Romanoff and Steve Rogers had great chemistry in
Cap 2. They suit each other, they kick ass together, they're able to have fun conversations and it really works. Even though it's put out as a joke, when Black Widow wittingly asks Steve after kissing him to hide themselves "Is that the first kiss you've had since 1945"; it raises a intriguing question in that is Steve ready for a relationship in the modern age? Would he have the time? These are all great questions that could show another side to Steve and could keep the character fresh and involving.
4. Crossbones
By the climax of
Captain America: The Winter Soldier, I wanted Frank Grillo's Brock Rumlow to have a really well executed death. He was a character you love to hate who was deadly, experienced, a great slimy villain and I was satisfied when he was buried under a load of rubble and debris... but then I read about the easter eggs I missed in the movie on various websites and forgive me if I'm wrong, but the impression I got was that Grillo's character was the blue print for a villain in the comics called Crossbones. If I have this right, then I think he would be the ideal villain for
Cap 3 because we know who he is, so there's already tension, we know his skill set which makes us afraid, he's lethal and I can imagine at this point in time he's really pissed at Steve Rogers. Bring on
Captain America: Birth Of Crossbones!
5. The Falcon To Be Developed
I love Anthony Mackie and I loved his character in
CA: TWS. I thought he was a really great, funny guy who proved to Steve that good, honest people still exist in the modern world. But in the sequel I want to see who Sam Wilson really is and dig deeper into his background and what he feels he stands for. I look forward to seeing him again, but hope for some form of back story whether it be in flashbacks, or flat out explanations and exposition. For more Mackie-ness check out
The Adjustment Bureau, Real Steel,
8 Mile, etc.
6. Where Is S.H.I.E.L.D.?
The end of
Cap 2 left us on quite a cliffhanger for what's going to happen to S.H.I.E.L.D. after the whole HYDRA reveal, but I'll offer my take on the situation. Nick Fury is trying to hunt down corrupt members who were involved with the whole HYDRA scenario which leads him to the main man in the post-credit scene; Baron von Strucker. Stuff happens in the
Avengers: Age Of Ultron which includes the two twins (Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch) onto the team, but the main point is S.H.I.E.L.D. is now a lower rogue agency that's just a quarter of the size it was, but Steve still works for them because he knows now who to trust and who not to in that section.
7. More Emotion & Character Moments
The above image is from a deleted scene in
Marvel's The Avengers, and it's an incredible piece of art highlighting the "show don't tell" rule that I think could've stayed in the final feature instead of the cutting room. I admit that
The Winter Soldier did a fantastic job with the emotive moments it had; some of which could've brought me to tears had I been on my own and let my emotions flow; but I'm not asking for more of the same, because that would be repetitive, but try to pull your audience's heart strings in new, exciting ways. Steve having an entire film with Bucky trying to show him old school photos and telling him the fun they've had desperately trying to bring back the Bucky he knew and loved with Bucky angry at himself for forgetting who he possibly was and maybe even is would easily make it the most affective entry in the MCU to date.
8. Actually Kill Someone!
Several people died in
CA: TWS, but if the film had been as ambitious as it sometimes looked it was going to be, all the main characters in the film would have been deceased by the end credits. Steve almost gets killed once, Nick Fury narrowly avoids death a couple of times, Black Widow almost gets knocked off the exact same way at least twice, and Falcon avoided massive fire power in the climax almost like the Lord himself had given him a death-free card. Even though it doesn't bother me in the least that everyone made it out alive, it's the fact that in almost every half hour in the film, at least once a character looks like he/ she's gonna snuff it. Some might say that it shows how high the stakes are, and I might agree but when you start noticing it about the fifteenth time they've attempted it, it takes you out of it for a little while.
9. More Hand-To-Hand Combat
The action in
The Winter Soldier was magnificent; there's no doubt in my mind about that. I'm not one of those movie-goers who thinks that a film benefits from action, but when it's done well it definitely deserves points, and I don't necessarily want
more of it in the sequel, but I do want it at the same standard which kind of contradicts my title, but whatever. That scene where Cap takes on the Leaper in the opening action scene was something else though!
10. The Adventures Of Captain America
List your thoughts down below and tell me what you thought of CA: TWS, what you're looking forward to in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, Cap 3, and just for fun the Batman/ Superman project going head-to-head with Captain America 3 on the same weekend. Peace...