The Marvel Cinematic Universe may seem at times like the most powerful film franchise on Earth. But lest we forget that at only nine years  MCU is actually a fairly young entity, at least when compared to the 40-year-old Star Wars canon, or, better still, the 55-year-old James Bond franchise. In today’s Nerdist News Talks Back, host Jessica Chobot, Nerdist Managing Editor Alicia Lutes, and Nerdist Associate Editor Kyle Anderson take on the daunting task of discussing all three of thees powerhouse franchises. Settle in, this could take a while.
Now, we’re used to meager players like screenwriters and movie stars not being able to spill any deets on forthcoming Marvel properties, but it appears that even Stan Lee is kept under tight watch. The proverbial father of Marvel Comics let it slip (before being reined in by an associate) during a Q&A in Des Moines, Iowa, that a popular comic book character would be making a surprise appearance in the upcoming movie Infinity War. So who could this mystery hero be?
Lee also doubled down on Kevin Feige’s proclamation that the team would love to see all Marvel Comics characters come together on the big screen. Is it too much to hope for that the Avengers might eventually cross paths with the X-Men?
Next, our latest glimpse of The Last Jedi may not have revealed much, but it sure did get our kyber crystals glowing. The stars of the latest Star Wars feature assembled for a Vanity Fair cover photo shoot, showing off some new garb. Notable details include a curiously scarred Kylo Ren and a helmet-less Captain Phasma. Shout out your thoughts on the covers!
Finally, we close out Nerdist News Talks Back with some very sad news: the passing of Roger Moore, whom we’ll always remember as James Bond. Jess, Alicia, and Moore fan Kyle dig into the actor’s best turns within and outside of the Bond universe, but please do share some of your own favorites as well!
Let us know what you think about the works of Roger Moore, this new look at The Last Jedi, and hints of a secret Infinity Wars inductee!
Image: Disney/Marvel
