Entertainment
The Way To Save The Marvel Cinematic Multiverse Is Already Available
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
You can make many Marvel fans instantly cringe with just one word: multiverse. The multiverse was intended to add some flavor and spice to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it soon became a storytelling crutch that emphasized fun cameos over actual storytelling. Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is the biggest offender in this regard. Many fans want Marvel to abandon this storytelling crutch altogether, but I’ve got a different recommendation, true believers: instead of focusing on endless multiversal cameos into the main universe, Kevin Feige and his team should give us entire films set within other universes.
Make Mine Multiverse
In other words, my suggestion for Marvel’s multiverse moving forward is that we should have a “Variant” of the What If…? television series applied to feature films. Like the comics it is named after, that show presents how wildly different a familiar universe would be if something different had happened to change the timeline. However, I don’t believe that the MCU should be limited to just “what if?” cartoon tales and should instead take a page out of Sony’s book by creating the live-action equivalent of the Spider-Verse films.
To keep things simple, Marvel could simply look to its own publication history for ideas on what multiverses would make for awesome feature films. The low-hanging fruit would be to adapt the original Ultimates line of comics which presented different and updated versions of iconic heroes as a way of luring in new readers who might otherwise be intimidated by decades of comics lore.
A movie or even an entire series of movies set in this universe would provide the perfect excuse to bring back dead MCU heroes like Iron Man while recasting as needed…after all, it was these comics that originally gave us a Black Nick Fury (modeled after Samuel L. Jackson, no less). Plus, like the original comics, such movies could take whatever the fans and writers loved about the old universe while giving everything a much-needed bit of modernization.
So Many Marvel Multiverse Options
But the Marvel comics have given us other multiverses that could make for great feature films, including Earth-65, the original home of a Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy) who squares off against an evil version of Matt Murdock. Sure, making a live-action Spider-Gwen film would mean Marvel would need to collaborate with Sony again, but both studios could use a win. At this point, Marvel hasn’t made anything good lately other than Deadpool & Wolverine, and Sony’s only major superhero hits have been the Venom and Spider-Verse films. Frankly, a live-action movie focusing on Spider-Gwen (a known quantity to fans) could be a much-needed hit for both studios.
As a longtime Marvel comics nerd, there are other multiverses I think need the big screen treatment, including the one with Squadron Supreme (they’re like the Justice League but cool). Plus, while we need to get proper MCU X-Men before we can get multiversal mutant cinema, the Age of Apocalypse and Powers of X comics represent, respectively, old and new takes on multidimensional mutant storytelling. Heck, if Marvel can get over its moratorium on solo Hulk movies (where’s our live-action Planet Hulk movie, you cowards?!?), a Future Imperfect film would be, well…perfect.
In addition to giving Marvel fans great new films to enjoy, this approach would keep the MCU endlessly fresh. New actors could be cast for old roles even as current actors could act against type as wild versions of familiar characters. Disney’s writers would have carte blanche to adapt the best of the multiverse comics or just create something new completely from scratch. What I’m saying is that it’s time for a very special What If…? adventure: what if Marvel stopped worrying about preserving its own Sacred Timeline and could just tell the kinds of cool, standalone stories that won so many fans over in the first place?
The ball’s in your court, Marvel. And if you need a creative consultant to give you this really obvious advice on the regular, my rates are quite reasonable. Especially compared to Plan A, which is continuously bringing truck loads of cash to Robert Downey Jr. whenever you’re worried your franchise is failing.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
Mashable Top Stories
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
