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The Marvel Cinematic Universe made its legendary mark on the superhero world in 2008 with the very first Iron Man film. It’s no secret that the MCU has become increasingly popular with each celebrated addition to the franchise. Superhero films are nothing new to Hollywood, however, the MCU are experts at knowing exactly how to create a franchise that can successfully stand on its own. What separates this franchise from the others? The perfect harmony of action and comedy of course!
“It’s good to meet you, Dr. Banner. Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I’m a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster.”
(( Tony Stark — Entertainment Weekly — The Avengers (2012) ))
Where It All Began
Iron Man (2008) was a blockbuster hit when it premiered and is still a treasured classic to this day. The film introduced the main character of the MCU, Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist, and brilliant inventor. Stark’s origin story was so powerful that it was able to launch the entire MCU franchise. This film was a knockout with audiences for its incredible storyline, stunning cinematography, dynamic characters, and witty dialogue.
The comedic ingredient was what made Iron Man incomparable to every superhero flick that came before it. (( The Hot Corn )) Stark’s genius sense of humor carried on throughout every single MCU film that he starred in. Twenty-three Marvel films later, the MCU became globally known for its comedic relief, and Stark remained the captain of the Avenger ship the whole way through (no offense to Captain America).
“Yeah, I can fly.”
(( Tony Stark — Iron Man (2008) ))
One cherished scene that stood out to audiences was when Stark was testing out the Iron Man suit’s flying abilities. On day eleven, test thirty-seven, Tony flew uncontrollably around his garage and provided hilarious entertainment until he finally landed correctly. The scene contained a perfect blend of humor and triumph. The comedy kept the audience engaged while the landing brought immense gratification.
Star-Lord Introduced
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know how this machine worked.”
(( Peter Quill — Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) ))
Whether it was an overload of slapstick humor or perfectly timed one-liners, there are a few films within the MCU that stand out comically among the rest. Which one would most MCU lovers put on the top of such a list? Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). The film starred a new character, Peter Quill, or as he likes to call himself, “Star-Lord,” a sarcastic and animated bounty hunter and his team. The picture did so well that the MCU went on to create a sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) three years later.
Throughout Guardians of the Galaxy, Quill went on several adventures with his crew; Gamora, Drax, Groot and, Rocket Raccoon. Each character shined on their own and provided the audience with great amusement. Guardians of the Galaxy‘s formula is similar to that of The Avengers as the film focuses on a group of compelling and clever characters who bounce comedic commentary off of one another. Just like every other MCU film, Guardians of the Galaxy is wildly admired and unique. Without the comedy, the film would have still been marvelous (pun intended) but Marvel did what it does best and yet another comedic star was born. (( CBR ))
“On my planet, there’s a legend about people like you. It’s called Footloose. And in it, a great hero, named Kevin Bacon, teaches an entire city full of people with sticks up their butts that dancing, well, it’s the greatest thing there is.”
(( Peter Quill — Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) ))
A recognized comedic scene from Guardians of the Galaxy was when Quill and the gang were arrested by Rhomann Dey, a member of the Nova Corps. Dey read Quill’s crime history aloud, as Quill pretended to wind his hand up and gave Dey the middle finger. The action was so absurd, even Dey cracked a smile. This scene illustrated how Guardians of the Galaxy successfully pushed the MCU humor boundaries. It is evident that the film was not afraid to go to raunchy or crude places.
A Classic
Another fan favorite is Thor: Ragnarok (2017). Ask any MCU fan who loves a good belly laugh, and they will agree that this is “the one.” Thor is one of the most iconic, entertaining, and amusing characters in the entire MCU. The character dished out almost as many classic and memorable cracks as Stark. In the film, Thor escaped imprisonment and took down his wicked older sister, Hela. Thor’s relationship with his brother, Loki, was also an amazing source of entertainment. The brothers’ banter truly made the film that much more hilariously charming; a source of comedy that continued throughout many MCU films.
“Damn you, Stark. Point Break!” – Thor
(( Thor: Ragnarok (2017) ))
One of the most beloved scenes in Thor: Ragnarok is when Thor tried to gain access to the ship’s control panel. After several confident attempts with names for himself such as “God of Thunder” and “Strongest Avenger,” Thor realized that Stark had programmed the computer with the name, “Point Break.” This reference is a callback to The Avengers (2012), where Tony nicknamed Thor “Point Break,” due to his resemblance to Patrick Swayze in Point Break (1991). In Stark’s defense, the remark was pretty on the nose.
Let’s Get A Professional Comedian On Board
“Hats and sunglasses? That’s not a disguise, Hank. We look like ourselves at a baseball game.
(( Scott Lang — Ant Man (2015) ))
Already a very well-known comedian, Paul Rudd took on the titular role in Marvel’s side-splitting Ant-Man (2015). In the film, Scott Lang (Rudd) meets Dr. Hank Pym, who recruited Lang to stop his competitor from replicating his technology. Lang was taught how to use Pym’s famous ant-man suit which allowed Lang to access superhuman strength, communicate with and control ants and, shrink or enlarge in size. This formula alone made for a wickedly funny film and Rudd’s delivery was unforgettable. The movie earned a sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), where Lang was thrown into another battle, but this time, with a partner by his side. (( Vulture ))
The classic Ant-Man scene that induced a roar of laughter from theater audiences came when Pym asked Lang if he was ready to redeem himself. Lang agreed that his days of “Breaking into places and stealing shit” were done. When Lang asked Pym what he wanted him to do, Pym candidly replied, “I want you to break into a place and steal some shit.” This quote demonstrated Ant-Man‘s hilariously dry and candid style of humor. The film, and Lang himself, became quite popular among audiences for such awkward and blunt bits.
It’s All About Balance
Comedy was never a main focus for superhero pictures. Just look at The Dark Knight (2008) or Man of Steel (2013). Of course, many of these films are sprinkled with a bit of humor, but the MCU certainly takes the cake. The comedic material is just as significant as the action. Without the adventure aspect, this franchise would not work and, without the humor, it would not be true to the MCU brand.
The comedy of the MCU films was either delivered through the actions or the dialogue. In order for the material to be greatly successful, there had to be exceptional characters to execute the humor. Every Marvel film focused on several main characters at once. The franchise juggled the entire Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy crew, and dug deep into their backgrounds so that the audience was able to fully understand each member on a more connected and insightful level.
Thor is an admired main character who is fully aware of his dashing good looks and fit physique. Avengers: Endgame (2019) took full advantage of the comedic potential there. How so? By making the character do something no one would ever see coming; completely let himself go.
One of the most priceless moments in MCU history comes after the great tragedy of the previous film, Avengers: Infinity War (2018). Rocket Raccoon and The Hulk go on a mission to find Thor and inform him that they might be able to fix Thanos’ colossal destruction. To the pair’s surprise, they discovered the “new” Thor. Drunk, much heavier and disheveled, Rocket tells him he looks like “Melted ice cream,” and, well, he wasn’t wrong. (( NME ))
“Noobmaster, hey, it’s Thor again. You know, the God of Thunder? Listen, bud, if you don’t log off this game immediately I am gonna fly over to your house, come down to that basement you’re hiding in, rip off your arms and shove them up your butt! Oh, that’s right, yes! Go cry to your father, you little weasel!
(( Thor — Avengers: Endgame (2019) ))
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
By incorporating humor within the dialogue, each character was able to fully showcase their personality. Captain America first appeared in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), as a World War II veteran turned super-soldier. As he was born in 1918, his humor is more mature than the other members. He was constantly made fun of for shouting, “Language!” at Stark, who yelled, “Shit!” during a suit malfunction. Captain America is notorious and loved for its censored “dad humor.”
Another correlation between the MCU characters and their specific playfulness is that it is directly linked to their personal journey. Each character has dealt with great tragedy in some form or another. Thor was not always the hilarious jokester that MCU fans know him as today. He endured great heartbreak, lost both of his parents, and was forced to kill his own sister.
Similar to Thor, Tony Stark and Peter Parker lost both of their parents, as well. There’s also Peter Quill’s backstory, which includes losing his mother to her battle with cancer and being abandoned by his father. The characters used comedy as a coping mechanism to deal with their heavy losses. Dealing with tragedy and overcoming it through humor has been a main theme in the MCU. This is profound to the audience, as viewers relate to grief and heartache.
What’s So Funny?
“Dude, you’re embarrassing me in front of the wizards.”
(( Tony Stark — Avengers: Infinity War (2018) ))
The humor is perfectly timed throughout the MCU films. Dialogue is not going to be funny on its own; the context is crucial. Each hilarious moment related perfectly to the character and the actions that surrounded it. The MCU paid great attention to the film’s target audience and what would be humorous about that age range.
In Black Panther (2018), there is a comment made by Shuri to T’Challa, where she pointed at his shoes and said, “What are those!” During the time of the film’s release, this quote was a viral meme that the younger audience could relate to and find humorous.
“He’s a friend from work!”
(( Thor — Thor: Ragnarok (2017) ))
The comedic component of the MCU is not simply a cinematic tool, it is a part of the infrastructure of the franchise. Without its acclaimed humor, Marvel would not be the empire it is today. These films are special and rare. Audiences walked away from each picture with full hearts, tears of laughter streaming down their faces, and great eagerness for the next epically comedic picture to come. The MCU made its viewers feel at home like they were actually a part of the Avengers family, and well… they always will be. (( Nerdist ))
A large part of the genius behind the MCU franchise is that there are twenty-three films, meaning there was loads of nostalgia to pull from. This factor is directly related to the comedy angle as jokes were able to go full circle. Viewers felt a deeper connection to the punchlines as they watched the characters for years and grew along with them. The MCU movies dealt with very grave subject matters, such as the fate of Earth’s existence.
While the films are fantasized versions of reality, with superheroes chasing after aliens and other superhumans, they still felt quite realistic. This aspect allowed the viewer to become submersed in the films’ storylines. Just like in real life, the MCU cushioned the blow of its turbulent reality by applying comedy. Every individual film from the MCU franchise shows the audience that even when everything seems as if it has entirely fallen apart, humor can always be found in the noise of the pandemonium.