Captain Marvel: After Credits, Endgame Theories, Easter Eggs, And Everything To Know

Captain Marvel hit theaters earlier this month, where it's dominated the box office. It's a big movie, both in terms of how much money it's generated, but also as the first female-led superhero movie for Marvel. Notably, it's also the final movie before Avengers: Endgame, a film that will conclude what's now known as The Infinity Saga. Carol Danvers' debut slips comfortably into 10 years of world-building and continuity, and that leaves a lot to unpack in terms of what we've learned and what it all means for the future of the MCU. Here's everything on the powerful new addition to the Marvel universe--and be sure to keep checking back, as we'll expand this with all of our Captain Marvel coverage in the coming days and weeks. You can also get a peek at Carol in the new Endgame trailer, where she meets Thor.

Captain Marvel Reviews

First and foremost, you might just be wondering if the movie itself is any good. For that we have our Captain Marvel review. Critic Michael Rougeau concluded that while the movie is enjoyable, it's hampered by its placement sandwiched between two halves of the Thanos story.

"In the MCU, timing is everything. Black Panther appearing just before Infinity War last year whetted fans' appetites for more Wakanda, making the Avengers' arrival there a cheer-worthy moment. Seeing Ant-Man and the Wasp a few months later provided a pleasant palette cleanser to wash the taste of misery from our mouths. Now, with mere weeks to go before the current phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe concludes with Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel--despite being a good movie in its own right--feels like a forced cul-de-sac we have to drive impatiently around to get where we really want to go."

For a wider view of reviews from around the industry, check out our review roundup. Then you can go watch the movie in confidence, and add to its growing box office take (which has now exceeded $760 million worldwide). We'll wait.

Back from the movie? Good.

The End-Credits Scenes

Of course, it wouldn't be a Marvel movie without at least one post-credits scene. Captain Marvel comes with two, so you'll want to stick around to see them both. And if you did watch each of the scenes and you're left wondering just what it all means for the future of the MCU, check out our detailed breakdown of the Captain Marvel post-credits scene. One of those specifically ties in with Endgame, although Captain Marvel's presence in the movie was shown to everyone as part of the recent Endgame trailer.

Easter Eggs

As you'd expect from a movie set in the '90s, Captain Marvel is packed with Easter eggs and references. These include not just those to things like Blockbuster and music of the era, but also to various things from the MCU that you might not spot on an initial viewing or without being a superfan.

Big Questions

As is to be expected from a movie that is one piece of a larger puzzle--and one that's clearly meant to pave the way for future Captain Marvel films--we've been left with some big questions. Some of these involve the Skrulls, others deal with the Kree, and one everyone is surely wondering is why Nick Fury didn't call Carol for help sooner.

Theories

Beyond just questions, we have theories after watching Captain Marvel. Some of these, if they pan out, could have major consequences for the MCU going forward, like if this movie paves the way for the X-Men to show up. That's made possible by Disney's Fox acquisition, which is set to go through soon and would bring more licensing rights under the control of Marvel Studios.

What It Tells Us About Endgame And Phase 4

Of course, as the movie released just prior to the goliath that is Endgame, it's worth considering what Captain Marvel might reveal to us about the next Avengers movie. There are the Kree and Skrull to consider, of course, but also a variety of other considerations.

If you want to look even further ahead, there's Phase 4 of the MCU to consider. Only a single specific movie--this July's Spider-Man: Far From Home--has been named and dated, but we know Marvel won't be easing up on the pedal. For what we do know, check out our roundup of what we know about MCU's Phase 4.

Nick Fury's History Gets Patched Up

Through the magic of Marvel's de-aging CG, Nick Fury gets a facelift for the prequel film Captain Marvel. But it also reveals quite a bit about his history--including how he gets his eyepatch--as well as that of the Earth's mightiest heroes. Read up on all the new details we learned about Nick Fury and the Avengers from Captain Marvel.

Skrulls in the MCU

Now that you've seen the film, you may be curious for a little background on its comic inspirations. The Captain Marvel of the MCU takes some significant departures from main Marvel continuity.

For example, this movie brings in one of the biggest threats in all of Marvel continuity, the Skrulls. If you're a fan of the comics or just starting to brush up on your Skrull history, though, you may be surprised at how different the Skrulls presented in the MCU actually are. Make sure you've seen the movie before exposing yourself to spoilers, mind.

Goose the Cat is a Star

Similarly, Captain Marvel's pet cat Goose is based on the comic book character Chewie, another feline friend. But Chewie is no ordinary cat. Read up on the history of Chewie in the comics and how's he's similar and not-so-similar to Goose.

Tracking the Tesseract

We've been seeing the Tesseract artifact slowly weave its way through Marvel continuity for years, and Captain Marvel adds a new wrinkle to it. You can read up on the entire journey of this mystical artifact and how it comes into play once again in Captain Marvel.

Stan Lee's Cameo

Captain Marvel features a particularly nice message to the late Stan Lee, who passed away last year. The movie itself includes a Stan Lee cameo, and as such we've updated our ranking of the best ones he's done so far. As Marvel's Kevin Feige has confirmed, this won't be the last time we see him in a Marvel film.

Do You Need To See Captain Marvel Before Endgame?

If you aren't someone who likes going to the movies and are wondering how essential Captain Marvel is, we've got some thoughts on if you need to see it before Avengers: Endgame. Of course, we can't be certain until that movie is released, as it's anyone's guess as to what elements of Captain Marvel it will draw on.