Marvelling at the MCU
Marvelling at the MCU is a long-form podcast in which a comic book geek and a film nerd re-watch the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Each week, they discuss the next film in release order, covering its comic book origins and real-world production. The hosts talk through key moments, argue about the MCU's narrative, and uncover Easter eggs. The show aims to add context and geeky insight for both Marvel fans and casual viewers.
Episodes
Marvelling at The Marvels: Why all the hate?
It’s time for the much-maligned Marvels, where Dave and Oli fail to understand the hate the film got when it was first released, discuss it’s place in the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe including Wandavision and Ms Marvel, and speculate about it’s relation to X-Men, Doomsday and Secret Wars.They also delve into some of the great lines and great performances, the less-than-great baddies, and Oli s
Guardians Vol 3: Nuance, voices and crying at CGI characters
Dave and Oli take a look at the 32nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and dive deep into the pain of knowing what's coming, the joy of Will Poulter and the incredible ability for CGI characters to make you feel the feels.All that plus Oli expands on his theory that none of the Guardians actually knows how to pilot a spaceship and Dave goes super deep on a character with less than five min
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – Dynasties, families and Jaws
It’s Quantumania this week, a film that neither of the boys find themselves getting excited about. Dave gets disappointed at the wasted potential of Kang, Oli laughs about Jaws comparisons, and both of them try to pinpoint the main issues that make it one of their least favourite films of the MCU so far. Also listen out for: Dave making more Red Dwarf references, Oli making excuses for Kang’s futu
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Speedos, breath holds and herbs
It’s another Wakanda week as the boys look at the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and manage to disagree on most of the good and bad bits. They dive into (sorry, not sorry) a very long film with some new characters, discussing the adaptation of Namor from speedo-wearing comic Atlanian to trunks-and-chest-piece Talokanil. They also explore shooting underwater and dry-for-wet, breath hold
Thor: Love and Thunder — Trying to be nice
The boys rattle through the 29th movie in the MCU, trying to find ways to be nice. They talk about the film’s comic origins as a major 616 storyline, the viability of early-stage rumours about the Mighty Thor, and flicking people’s clothes off. They also hit on God bombs, sentient weapons and full showman mode.CHAPTERS:00:00:0000:05:00 Film nerdery00:15:08 Comic geekery 00:41:16 Breakdown00:51:54
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: Sorcerers, witches and slingies
As the boys break down the 28th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Oli and Dave swapping positions on terrible plot dumps, Oli going full grump on pointless backstory, and Dave dives into everything from the Wanda/Scarlet Witch contrast to the Young Avengers to the Illuminati. Plus, you can enjoy Oli's deep, gruff voice courtesy of a cold (which he maintains contributes to the grump, but
Spider-Man: No Way Home — Besties, closure and three times the fun
We’re up to film number 27 in the MCU and another exceptional instalment of Spider-Man with No Way Home. Dave and Oli discuss what was believed, leaked and known about the triple-threat Spider-Men, the closure this film give to Maguire and Garfield fans, and the sheer number of awesome moments and beautiful—often brutal (physically and emotionally)—sequences.They also talk bad language, evil besti
Eternals: big casts, bigger celestials, tiny rainforests
Oli gets wound up over rainforests, finger guns, opening crawls and (more reasonably) disabled representation, while Dave ploughs his way through the comic canon of the Eternals and what they (and the Celestials) mean to the comic and cinematic universes. No spoilers for what comes next following Areshem’s emergence, just lots of discussion about how good this film could have been.Chapters:00:00:0
Shang-Chi: Awkward history, top chemistry, great fights
Dave and Oli dive into the 25th film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, talking awkward history, ret-conned character adjustments and, naturally, they use their vast martial arts knowledge to rate the fights as they go along.They talk about the impact of the pandemic on production, the film's individual storytelling approach—particularly flashbacks and subtitles—and what the post-blip world loo
Black Widow – Impeccable performances, less impeccable CGI
This week, Dave and Oli dive into the 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and admit that their minds have been changed by re-watching a film neither of them were looking forward to. Dave explains the history of mind control, Oli waxes lyrical about Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh and they both attempt to curb their disappointment with the final half hour of the film.Chapters00:00:00 In
Marvelling at the Sagas
After reaching the end of the Infinity Saga and before diving into the less-nostalgic Multiverse Saga, Dave and Oli take a look back and look forward to what we understood of the Sagas before we really knew anything of the Multiverse beyond what the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) had mentioned in Dr Strange. Where did things stand, what did we know of the films to come and, crucially, do we feel we&#
Spider-Man: Far From Home — Fake heroes, real relationships
Dave and Oli discuss the 23rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the (official) final film in the Infinity Saga. From call backs to the very start of the MCU to Shakespearean references, ridiculous villains to mentions of the multiverse, the guys dive into it all.00:00:00 Introduction00:08:46 Comic background00:27:02 The Breakdown00:37:35 Peter tingle00:48:22 Edith arrives01:09:02 Peter and
Avengers: Endgame – The Closest Thing to Perfect
We’re finally here! Dave and Oli dive into Endgame from its gut-punching opening to its curtain-call ending, nothing is missed. Except possibly your favourite bit, because that’s always how these things go. Oli talks about the three things (one tiny, one small, one big) that make this not a perfect movie, Dave revels in the glory of finally getting that moment and they both wax lyrical about Mjoln
We're back! Up next on Marvelling
Thanks for sticking with us while we've been away, and we're sorry to have left you on an Endgame cliffhanger! That episode is coming next week, but here's just a little taste of what to expect over the next few weeks as we cross the threshold into the Multiverse Sage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Let us know what you think in the comments on Spotify or by hopping over to our social
Captain Marvel: Simming Skrulls and Crafty Kree
We’re back from our extended break and can’t wait to bring you the latest instalment as we look at the 21st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Dave and Oli dive deep into the comic roots of all the characters, how they’re portrayed and how old they both feel know that this is a “period” movie that’s set in the 90s when they were both teenagers.
Aside from their own aging, they also touch on Al
Quick Update: We'll Be Back!
Hello fans! We've been away for a few weeks, but we're very much hoping to be back next week with Captain Marvel, leading to our big episode on the end of the Infinity Saga (depending on your view of Spider-Man: Far From Home), Avengers: Endgame.
Thanks for listening, thanks for being patient, and thanks for all of your feedback. We'll see you next week!
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Misdirection, Embiggening and Ghosting
Dave & Oli dive into the sweetness, lightness and comedy of the 20th film of the MCU, discussing the impossible difficulty of following Infinity War, how cleverly the vital plot points of Endgame were seeded, and the joy of Michael Peña.
They also talk awkward marital age gaps, crashing cars and (yes) clunky exposition. Plus, they make sure to continue ensuring the word “embiggen” makes its
Avengers: Infinity War: leaf-ing us wanting more
This week, Dave and Oli finally dig in to the 19th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We discuss the mixing and melding of characters from disparate parts of the universe, blending comedic moments with the gut punches, and Dave rants about Thanos taking his armour off.
We’re finally here, at the start of the epic two-part culmination of the MCU’s Infinity Saga and it’s no understatement to sa
The Essential Infinity War Primer
This week, Dave and Oli present a reminder of everything you could ever want or need to know about the 19th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Ahead of our full breakdown next week, we talk about the long process of developing, writing and shooting the two epic features that wrap up the Infinity Saga, and cover the stories and comic runs that provided inspiration for what we see in the fini
10 Years of the MCU — a Marvelling Special
Dave and Oli are joined by two special guests to discuss the first ten years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including favourite moments, best memories and the characters we wished we’d seen. It’s a geek’s nerdy delight as a collective group of geeky nerds who love comics and films get stuck in to what makes the MCU so special.
What was your favourite part of the first 10 years of the MCU?
Let u
Black Panther: Breaking Barriers, Brilliant Cast, Brave VFX
Dave and Oli discuss the 19th MCU flick and cover establishing new heroes, the brilliant design and execution of new depictions of technology, and yet more missing limbs. And yes, we do talk about visual effects because it’s impossible not to, but we try to touch on some of the exceptional elements of the VFX and not to linger on "that" bit.
Black Panther is a seminal film not just in th
Thor Ragnarok: How much comedy is too much comedy?
The 17th film in the MCU finds Dave and Oli agreeing with each other but still rating the film differently. How, you might ask? By way of a comedy vs drama debate, Oli misidentifying a wolf and Dave’s Kiwi accent of course. Be sure to also listen out for Blackadder and Flight of the Conchords references, Horsey Thor (finally!) and Oli’s inability to read his own notes.
What did you think of Thor:
Spider-Man Homecoming: Suit Lady, Dance Moves and Soggy Masks
Either the 16th film in the MCU or the first film in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU)—or both—Oli and Dave dive in regardless and talk about reading too much into Marvel films, not killing off villains and Shockers One and Two.
Also, weird physics, soggy masks and Oli finally letting something slide. That alone makes this a must-listen episode.
(00:00) Introduction
(02:17) Movie background
(10:55
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2: Friends, Family and Mary Poppins
We’re going cosmic again (Dave’s very excited) with the 15th film in the MCU. In which you can hear Oli debating his ‘meh’ while celebrating the greatest [spoiler] in cinema history and Dave getting annoyed about Celestials.
We also talk about the importance of flawless VFX for communicating emotion, battle with pronunciation all over the shop and remember the greatness of Knight Rider and Zardu
Doctor Strange: Magical, Mystical, Cher
It's magic and mystery time as Dave and Oli deep-dive into the strange world of... erm... Doctor Strange.
Dave gets over-excited by new introductions, Oli spots comic vs filmic characters, and they both get overexcited at a Cher reference as they look at the 14th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plus, Dr Nick, waiting for Cumberbatch and massive changes to major characters.
If you enjoy
Captain America: Civil War – faithful adaptations and superhero changing rooms
Dave and Oli talk about great adaptations, booby costumes and where superheroes get changed as they look at the 13th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Also in this episode: Oli rants about VFX while Dave ignores him, Oli learns that some clunky dialogue comes direct from the comics, and Dave gets wildly over-excited.
If you enjoyed this episode, it makes a massive difference to us if you'
Ant-Man: Biggening weapons, trailer spoilers and neutral Tank Engines
Dave and Oli find themselves disagreeing more than they ever have before as they examine the 12th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In this episode, they discuss clunky exposition, the genius of Michael Peña and the differences between the Pym and Lang Ant-Men in the comics (and the film).
They also talk about biggening and smallener weapons, creative sound design, and debate the relative me
Avengers: Age of Ultron (Part 2): he didn't see that coming
Dave and Oli are back for the second part of their mammoth look at the 11th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They discuss great action, great visual effects and finally resolve their argument about where the Sokovian castle was. As if that wasn't enough, they also cover everything from pep talks to parting moments and all the things in between.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (Part 1): Yes, it's great, but where's Hank Pym?
Dave and Oli are back after a brief house-move hiatus with a special two-part look at the 11th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They discuss the ins and outs of Ultron’s depiction on screen vs the comics, missing Hank Pym, and the clever vs clunky way new characters are introduced. Plus we find out why Lizzie was told to look at James’s balls.
With far too much to fit into a single episode,
Guardians of the Galaxy: we are Groot
Dave and Oli take an in-depth look at the 10th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the one that Dave has been waiting for because he gets to talk about the multiple and myriad Cosmic Characters across the Marvel Universe (cinematic and otherwise). The boys dive into who the Guardians are, their history in the comics and how they’re portrayed in the film, as well as ragging on Ronan, raving a
The Winter Soldier: Dave's fave, Texas switches and spandex myths
Dave and Oli discuss the ninth movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They get lost in Scarlett Johansson’s performance, Oli enjoys Thunderbirds launch sequences and Dave dives into the changes from comic stories (and characters) as his favourite story is turned into his favourite movie.
They also talk about creative partnerships, practical stunts and effects, and whether or not not Falcon should
Thor: The Dark World: underwhelming villains, awkward plots and being English
Dave and Oli discuss the eighth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including why Malekith was so disappointing as the Big Bad of the movie, how well the writers shaped the comedy in the story, and how weirdly easy it was for something buried “deep where no one will find it” gets discovered by accident by a random human.
You will also hear both men discuss being English and watching a film made
Iron Man 3: Wasted characters, brave choices and Red Bull stunt teams
Dave and Oli discuss the seventh film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first film in Phase 2. They hit on confusing character dynamics, the surprising and high-risk choices around the use of The Mandarin and why the other "twists" in the film don't have the same impact.
Have friends you think would love the show, too? We'd love it if you shared it with them – even better
Avengers Assemble Part 2: Who's the dude with the big purple chin?
In Part Two of their special two-part look at Avengers Assemble Dave and Oli talk about unexpected stunt work, seamless VFX and how to make teamwork work. Picking up on tiny details, almost-invisible references and sharing stories of the making of the film, this is our most complete look at one of the MCU films yet.
If you enjoy our show, it makes a massive difference if you're willing to shar
Avengers Assemble Part 1: too much for a single ep
Dave and Oli present the first in a special two-part look at the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which contains so much cool stuff there was no way to fit it into a single regular-length episode.
In Part One they discuss how unique this film was when it was first released, why it may be Nick Fury's flick and the total lack of humour in DC films. Picking up on tiny details, spotti
Captain America: Skinny Steve, Oli's obsessions and Dave's volume control
Dave and Oli discuss the fifth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Dave learns the depths of Oli's love for British character actors, Oli learns the depths of Dave's obsession with Tommy Lee Jones and they both agree it's safer not to bother visiting Tønsberg.
Bonus points in this episode if you can spot the point at which Dave was forced to turn down his excitement due to the incre
Thor: Gods, Dave's faves and Shakespearean references
Dave and Oli discuss the fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which Dave was destined to love and Oli was destined to wish he had loved. As per usual, their discussion ranges wildly from Maid Marion to Shakespeare references, missing pieces to quotable lines.
00.00.00 Introduction
00.01.59 About the film
00.05.53 Relationship to the comics
08.37.05 Breakdown
00.28.50 Introducing the come
Iron Man 2: Whiplash+, War Machine and meeting Black Widow
Dave and Oli take an in-depth look at Iron Man 2, the third movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In this episode, we discuss the blend of Whiplash and Crimson Dynamo (apparently it's all in the armour), the introduction of Natasha Romanov (and awkward butt shots), and Oli finally learns why Dave was so excited about Rhodey's "Next time, baby" in the first Iron Man film. And yes, he agrees that
The Incredible Hulk: strange choices, dodgy VFX and broken cameras
Dave and Oli dig into the oft-forgotten second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: The Incredible Hulk. In this episode we discuss our disappointment in the VFX, why Betty is such a confusing character and the frustration Tim Blake Nelson must feel at not being included in the rest of the MCU (yet).
Time stamps
00.00.00 Introduction.
00.02.00 The unique distribution deal.
00.04.39 Alignment wit
Iron Man: the flick that kicked it off
Dave and Oli start in the same place the Marvel Cinematic Universe did with a breakdown of Iron Man. In this episode we discuss why director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr were brave choices by Marvel Studios, why the blend of both special and visual effects help the film hold up so well, and why Iron Man was the perfect choice to kick-start a long-term project for a bold new movie studio.
What are we even doing?
As we prepare our weekly watching – starting with Iron Man next week – here's a little get-to-know-you ep with comic book geek Dave O'Hara and film nerd Oli Lewington.
On this show you'll hear about (amongst other things) our favourite Marvel characters, our favourite Marvel Cinematic Universe characters and which of the films of the MCU we're most looking forward to re-watching.
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