We're still expecting over 20 superhero movies to come to the big screen between now and 2020. But which ones are coming in 2018?

Most people are hyped for the next "Avengers" movie, but there's much more than Marvel's "Infinity War" to get excited over if you love superheroes.

From R-rated laugh-fests to another DC Comics installment, keep reading to see which heroes — and villains — we'll see on the big screen this year.

SEE ALSO: Here are all the confirmed original shows coming to Netflix in 2018

Chadwick Boseman will start the year out with his own "Black Panther" solo movie.

Release date: February 16

What it's about: Before we get to the summer, Disney's next Marvel movie will follow T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) after the events of "Captain America: Civil War." After the death of his father, he returns home to take his rightful place as king of Wakanda. That's not going to sit well with an old foe (Michael B. Jordan).

Why you should see it: The star-studded cast includes Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael B. Jordan, and "The Walking Dead" actress Danai Gurira. Fans have been waiting since Black Panther's first comic-book appearance in 1966 for the character to get some recognition on the big screen.

Watch the trailer here.

"Game of Thrones" star Maisie Williams will join the "X-Men" universe in "The New Mutants."

Release date: April 13

What it's about: Sophie Turner isn't the only "Game of Thrones" star to head to Fox's "X-Men" franchise. The spin-off looks like a horror movie following five mutants who are trying to escape a hospital-like facility.

Why to see it: The first trailer for the film looks unlike any "X-Men" movie we've seen and that's a good thing. Since the success of "Deadpool" and "Logan," Fox has really started leaning into R-rated superhero movies.

Plus, Charlie Heaton from "Stranger Things" and "Game of Thrones" star Maisie Williams are in it.

Watch the movie's first creepy trailer here.

All of Disney's Marvel characters will come together in "Avengers: Infinity War."

• Disney and Marvel released a new look at "Black Panther" Monday night during the College Football National Championship.
• It's the next Marvel movie to be released "Thor: Ragnarok."
• "Black Panther" follows T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) after the events of "Captain America: Civil War" as he returns home to take his place as the King of Wakanda.
• We finally have a better look at the film's villains in the new trailer. Michael B. Jordan's Erik Killmonger will team up with Klaw (Andy Serkis) to go up against the Black Panther. He has a panther suit of his own!
• The film has an all-star cast of Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira ("The Walking Dead"), Martin Freeman, Forest Whitaker, and Angela Bassett.
• The soundtrack is produced by Kendrick Lamar.
• "Black Panther" will be in theaters February 16. Watch the trailer below. 

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• Stan Lee has been accused of groping young female nurses, walking around naked, and demanding oral sex. 
• Lee's lawyers have issued a statement denying the allegations. 

Marvel mastermind Stan Lee is being accused of sexual misconduct by several women who work for a nursing company he previously employed. Lee is strongly denying the accusations.

Lee — the co-creator of laundry list of Marvel heroes like Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk, and countless others — has become something of a goodwill ambassador for Marvel, appearing in lighthearted cameos in virtually all of their live-action films.

The 95-year-old has also been a near constant fixture at comic conventions, an enthusiastic champion of the geek culture he had a significant hand in creating.

However, new allegations suggest Lee is not nearly as altruistic as his creations. According to The Daily Mail, a nursing company employed to care for Lee have accused him of groping young female nurses, walking around naked, and demanding oral sex from them.

Lee's lawyers deny the allegations, suggesting the company is attempting to extract a cash settlement from him. They have issued an official statement on the matter, saying "Mr. Lee categorically denies these false and despicable allegations and he fully intends to fight to protect his stellar good name and impeccable character."

This is just the latest in a string of sexual misconduct allegations against high profile men in the entertainment industry in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Star Trek: Discovery star Anthony Rapp was the first to go public with disturbing allegations of misconduct by Kevin Spacey.

Spacey was swiftly fired from his Netflix series House of Cards and had his scenes in the Ridley Scott film All The Money In The Worldreshot with replacement actor Christopher Plummer.

Louis C.K. acknowledged long rumored allegations of misconduct against him were true, resulting in his movie I Love You, Daddy being pulled from its planned release; C.K.'s longstanding relationships with FX and HBO were also terminated.

Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer, and Paul Haggis have all been accused of sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to outright rape.

Despite the floodgates opening against powerful men, Stan Lee may end up being the most shocking of all. The 95 year old Lee is one of the most beloved figures in the entertainment world, and is in many ways the public face of Marvel.

This is certainly not the sort of headline Marvel wants to be dealing with as they launch their next film Black Panther (created by Lee and Jack Kirby). Nevertheless, this is the sort of shocking fallout that's going to keep happening as Hollywood's very public reckoning with abusers marches on.

Marvel fans may be horrified by this news, but the women who Lee allegedly harassed deserve to be heard. It seems highly unlikely this will be the last high profile revelation of sexual misconduct, but if would be perhaps the most disappointing, if accurate.

SEE ALSO: Leonardo DiCaprio wants to star in a Stan Lee biopic, according to the Marvel icon

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• There will be fewer movie sequels coming out in theaters in 2018, something audiences have been asking for.
• But one analyst says it will end up being a flat year at the box office.

If there was one thing Hollywood took from 2017, which had the worst movie attendance in 25 years, it's that audiences were through with the constant sequels. So 2018 will have fewer.

But will it lead to better box-office results?

Along with low attendance, last year saw the movie business suffer a drop in domestic box office, as the year-end figure just got past $11 billion (almost 3% lower than 2016). Much of the blame goes to uninspired sequels that no one went to see. This will, at least in part, lead to studios releasing a higher number of untested titles in 2018. But it might not be the remedy movie theaters are hoping for. 

Wall Street is forecasting a flat year at the box office for 2018. 

"The studios are relying less on sequels, which adds to forecasting volatility," Leo Kulp, an analyst for RBC Capital Markets, wrote in a Wednesday note. "While this could be good if the new content re-engages audiences, it could be a negative if they miss."

Where Kulp sees the biggest growth for the year is in the second quarter of 2018 where — you guessed it — the slate is heavy with sequels: "Avengers: Infinity War" (May 4), "Deadpool 2" (June 1), "Incredibles 2" (June 15), and "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" (June 22).

And 2018 will also mark the first time a "Star Wars" movie has been released outside of December since 2005's "Revenge of the Sith.""Solo: A Star Wars Movie" opens May 25, which is also a reason Kulp is bullish on the second quarter.

That big second quarter will, however, lessen the end-of-year kick the box office has gotten in previous years thanks to "The Force Awakens,""Rogue One," and "The Last Jedi."

Kulp is forecasting that the fourth quarter will have a 5% decline from last year, as it will be fueled by mostly newbies "Venom" (October 5), "Aquaman" (December 21), and "Mary Poppins Returns" (December 25).

Sequels will never go away, but if audiences will come out to see non-sequels this year, you can expect studios to get more confident in greenlighting them.

The first major test will come with the release of the anticipated Marvel release "Black Panther," which opens February 16.

SEE ALSO: Pixar's most and least successful movies at the box office, ranked

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• Chris Evans has been playing Steve Rogers/Captain America since 2011.
• Scott Eastwood tells INSIDER he auditioned for the role "many moons ago."
• Eastwood says though it didn't pan out, he'd welcome the opportunity to star in a franchise of his own. 
• The 31-year-old actor says Wolverine is actually his favorite superhero.
• He wouldn't be against dying his hair to play a younger Wolverine now that Hugh Jackman has said he is done playing the role.

It's tough to imagine anyone but Chris Evans playing Captain America, but it could have happened.

"I remember auditioning for Captain America many moons ago," Scott Eastwood told INSIDER Wednesday while promoting a new partnership with ANA airlines. "I always thought that was cool. I'm American. That's awesome."

He doesn't have any hard feelings though about losing out on the role.

"I think Chris Evans did an incredible job of doing it," he added.

The first Captain America movie was released in 2011. Evans has appeared in seven Marvel movies since, including two "Captain America" sequels. He'll next reprise the role in May's "Avengers: Infinity War."

Though he didn't wind up as Steve Rogers, Eastwood has appeared in the ensemble of several large franchises, including "Suicide Squad" and "Fast and Furious," and would be down for starring as the leading man in one of his own.

"I'd love that," Eastwood said. "If the opportunity comes around, you know, one that I'm passionate about and one that I like, yeah, I would welcome that opportunity."

There is one other superhero who sparks Eastwood's interest. 

"My favorite comic-book character is Wolverine," he said. 

Hugh Jackman said after 17 years of playing the clawed Marvel mutant that he was stepping down from the role after "Logan." Not even a potential Disney and Fox mergercould get Jackman to reprise the role.

Perhaps Hollywood will one day want a newer, younger Wolverine? 

"They'll probably tell me I'm too old or something," quipped Eastwood, who is 31 by the way.

There's one other thing that may hold him back. We know Wolvie has darker hair.

Would Eastwood dye his blonde hair to play a younger Logan?

"Yeah, why not?" he said.

We could get on board with this. You can next see Eastwood in "Pacific Rim: Uprising" in theaters March 23.

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• Brie Larson was announced to star in "Captain Marvel," Marvel's first stand-alone female superhero movie in its cinematic universe, in 2016.
• The first photos of her in costume appeared online.
• Fans are applauding the costume's functional footwear.
• Other female comic-book characters ranging from Wonder Woman to Gamora ("Guardians of the Galaxy") have worn heels or wedges in battle.

We finally have our first look at Oscar-winner Brie Larson's Marvel superhero in costume after some photos from set hit the web.

Take a look:

In contrast, here's how Captain Marvel's costume usually looks in the comics:

While some fans are a bit mixed on the deviation from Captain Marvel's traditional red and blue costume, others are applauding the costume for one thing: her footwear.

Take a close look at Captain Marvel's boots in her costume and you'll notice there's no heel or built in heel to elevate her foot. They're flat and functional. And that's just how they should be for anyone who's fighting crime.

Fans who have noticed the push for form over fashion are very happy with Marvel's choice for the heroine.

This reaction is in direct contrast to when Wonder Woman's costume was first revealed in 2015 at San Diego Comic Con. Many fans were disappointed by the Amazonian's lack of appropriate footwear. Instead of a flat heel or more Gladiator-style type shoe, her foot was on a platform wedge.

As SuperheroNews.com executive editor Sean Garber pointed out, other recent female comic characters ranging from Catwoman in "The Dark Knight" trilogy to Gamora in "Guardians of the Galaxy" have all worn either heels or some sort of wedge while in combat.

Running in heels is near impossible. Now imagine kicking, jumping, or flipping around while in them and trying to maintain balance. It's not practical.

The boots are welcome on Larson's superhero Carol Danvers who has super speed, strength, and the ability to fly. In the comics, she has been a member of the Avengers.

"Captain Marvel" is expected to hit theaters March 8, 2019. 

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• Marvel released the first trailer for its "Ant-Man" sequel Tuesday morning.
• It will be called "Ant-Man and the Wasp."
• Paul Rudd will be back as Ant-Man. This time he'll have Evangeline Lilly as a sidekick named The Wasp.
• Her character will have wings and blasters on her suit.
• The movie will take place after the events of "Captain America: Civil War."
• According to Marvel's official synopsis for the film, Ant-Man wil team up with Hope van Dyne (Lilly) and her father Dr. Hank Pym on a new mission to "uncover secrets from the past."
• "Ant-Man and the Wasp" will be in theaters July 6. Watch the trailer below.

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• The first reactions for Marvel's "Black Panther" are in.
• Critics love it.
• Directed by Ryan Coogler, the movie has something to say about the nature of blackness.
• The cast and design of the movie is remarkably strong.

Marvel's "Black Panther" had its world premiere Monday night in Los Angeles, and the first reactions from the critics who saw it are overwhelmingly positive.

The movie focuses on T'Challa, also known as the superhero Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman. He struggles to claim the throne of the fictional African country of Wakanda after his father, the king, dies. It also stars Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, a Wakandian exile who seeks the throne himself, and features Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, and Daniel Kaluuya.

Ryan Coogler — who directed Jordan in "Creed" and "Fruitvale Station"— directed "Black Panther" and edited across the hall from Ava DuVernay, who was working on her "A Wrinkle in Time" movie for Disney.

Disney asked critics not to publish their full reviews until February 6, ten days before the movie's theatrical release, so we won't see their full thoughts until later. And first reactions like this are generally positive. But the effusiveness of the reviews on Twitter are still remarkable.

In particular, critics are highlighting the work from Coogler and Jordan in making a Marvel movie of substance, that tackles relevant issues while still giving audiences a good time.

Here's what they're saying.

It's the first superhero movie to put black characters front-and-center.

Ryan Coogler is the first black director on a Marvel film — and he made it count.

After years of breezy Marvel movies, this one is substantial.

Michael B. Jordan's performance as the villain Killmonger was a standout.

It introduces a whole new cast of characters to obsess over.

The female characters have plenty of room to breathe.

The movie deserves Oscar nominations for its design.

"Black Panther" opens in theaters on February 16.

Watch the "Black Panther" trailer below:

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• Octavia Spencer said in an Instagram post that she is planning to buy out a screening of Marvel's "Black Panther" for an "underserved community" in Mississippi.
• Spencer said she wants "all our brown children" to "see themselves as a superhero." 

Octavia Spencer is doing something heroic to celebrate the release of Marvel’s new superhero tentpole “Black Panther.” The Oscar winner has announced on Instagram that she is planning to buy out a Mississippi movie theater in an underserved community so that black children have the opportunity to watch “Black Panther” for free. Spencer will be in Mississippi when the movie opens in theaters.

“I will be in [Mississippi] when this movie opens,” Spencer wrote to her over 290,000 followers. “I think I will buy out a theatre in an underserved community there to ensure that all our brown children can see themselves as a superhero. I will let you know where and when Mississippi. Stay tuned.”

Spencer is just one of many people planning to buy out screenings of “Blank Panther” to give underprivileged kids the chance to see the superhero movie for free. New Yorker Frederick Joseph raised $40,000 on GoFundMe to buy out a screening in Harlem, and he’s created the #BlackPantherChallenge that urges other people in communities all over the country to start similar campaigns to raise money for free screenings.

“Black Panther” premiered earlier this week and the first reactions have been extremely positive. Critics are saying the tentpole is an “astonishing” achievement, the “James Bond of the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” and the movie that “will save blockbusters.” Fandango just announced the film is outpacing all other superhero films in terms of advanced tickets, and the box office is expected to be in the $120 million range for opening weekend.

“Black Panther” opens in theaters nationwide February 16.

SEE ALSO: 'Black Panther' had its world premiere, and people say it's a 'thoughtful masterpiece' and the first Marvel movie with a political message

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• Disney and Marvel released a new trailer for "Avengers: Infinity War" during Super Bowl 2018.
• It teases so many Marvel superheroes gathering together on screen together, including the Guardians of the Galaxy, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Black Widow, and Vision.
• They'll all team together to take down Gamora's father Thanos (Josh Brolin). 
• He has been slowly collecting together Infinity Stones introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. (You can read more about them here.)
• "Infinity War" will be in theaters May 4, 2018. Watch the new trailer below.

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Marvel released a new trailer for "Avengers: Infinity War" during Super Bowl 2018 and while it teases over 20 superheroes a lot of fans are freaking out over the final moments of the 30-second teaser. 

The final seconds of the trailer hover over villain Thanos (Josh Brolin). But you may have overlooked a few scars on their face.

There are three distinguished marks on his face.

A lot of fans think they look like claw marks from Wolverine and are convinced we may see the character pop up in the next "Avengers" film. 

So what's the deal? Will Wolverine be in the next "Avengers" movie?

Hold your horses. 

If you've watched the previous Marvel movies, you'll know Thanos has a ton of scars and lines on his face.

If you look real close at the new trailer, you can see the other aging lines and marks on his face and chin.

The lines look like they've been changed a little from previous movies to look more like deep cuts and gashes. 

You may still be of the belief that Wolverine could be in the movie. Those definitely look like claw marks, right? It's pretty unlikely.

Hugh Jackman just did his last outing as the character in "Logan." 

Plus, while Wolverine is a Marvel character. The character is a Fox property.

OK, but isn't Disney supposed to be buying Fox?

Yes, it was announced in December 2017 Disney will purchase 21st Century Fox's film studio and a bunch of its TV assets for $52.4 billion. 

The impending deal will allow Fox's Marvel-owned characters to appear in Disney's Marvel movies like "Avengers" and "Captain America." That includes X-Men, Deadpool, and Wolverine. 

But Wolverine isn't part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, yet. That deal with Fox hasn't won't take effect until about a year after regulatory review.

So, you're saying, there's a chance Wolverine could be in a future Marvel movie by Disney?

Sure, but don't expect to see Jackman in the role. The actor made it clear while doing press for his latest movie "The Greatest Showman" that he believes his time is done as Wolvie even if it means working with the Avengers.

It’s interesting because for the whole 17 years I kept thinking that would be so great, like I would love to see, particularly, Iron Man and the Hulk and Wolverine together. And every time I saw an Avengers movie I could just see Wolverine in the middle of all of them like punching them all on the head," said Jackman, according to Collider. "But I think, unfortunately, the ship has sailed for me, but for someone else I would like to see Wolverine in there."

"Avengers: Infinity War" will be in theaters May 4, 2018. 

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• Marvel finally gave Black Panther his own movie, and it was worth the wait.
• It's a movie that has lots of action, but also has a deep story about family, heritage, and community.
• Michael B. Jordan elevates the movie from good to great.

Like “Wonder Woman” last year, “Black Panther” is a project that fans have been waiting decades to see. And just like “Wonder Woman,” it was worth the wait.

The latest superhero movie brought into Marvel’s MCU may be its most meaningful yet. In a time when audiences want different stories told by (and focused on) people who rarely get the spotlight, “Black Panther” comes at the perfect time.

Director Ryan Coogler — who showed with “Creed” that he could work within the confines of an existing franchise and still give us something special — uses the tools and resources that come with Marvel Studios to build out a movie that isn’t just filled with action (and sometimes has a Bond film vibe), but also brings the audience on an emotional journey about family and community.

We meet up with T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) following the death of his father (which happened in “Captain America: Civil War”) and his return to Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. Immediately, we are thrust into the beauty, technology, and heritage that is Wakanda, a nation located in Africa that Black Panther rules over, and is technologically advanced due to the use of a special material called Vibranium.

The fact that Wakanda is hidden has protected its people, but T’Challa knows that the tech they possess could help those outside its walls. Should he let his kingdom be more open to the outside world? It’s something he ponders until he learns that Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis), now sporting an arm cannon since “Age of Ultron,” is causing trouble with the Vibranium he possesses. When T’Challa investigates with his new and improved Black Panther suit, it’s revealed that Klaue has teamed with Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), who has a shocking backstory related to T’Challa and his family that could affect everything T’Challa is trying to do.

Honestly, there are moments in this movie that get really deep. This is far from a Marvel movie with constant action. There’s a solid story in “Black Panther” (written by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole), which might get tiresome for some audiences. But what it does is help with delving into the story arc of Killmonger, and bolsters Jordan's standout villain performance.

Jordan plays a Killmonger fueled with hate and emptiness — we won’t give away why — but he also delivers it with a swagger that’s just a joy to watch. The movie takes off more in story and viewing enjoyment whenever Jordan is on screen.

Perhaps the biggest strength of “Black Panther” is its character development. This is particularly true for T’Challa’s sassy sister/tech wiz Shuri (Letitia Wright), and the head of his royal guard, Okoye (Danai Gurira), who are major scene-stealers.

Lupita Nyong’o, Daniel Kaluuya, Martin Freeman, Forest Whitaker, and a small (but important) role for Sterling K. Brown, round out a really strong ensemble.

And the movie isn’t all serious, just so you know.

There are a lot of lighthearted moments — from Shuri making fun of T’Challa’s footwear, to Serkis’ over-the-top antics as Klaue (honestly, it’s nice to see Serkis get to perform on screen once in a while in his own skin and not motion-capture form), to Martin Freeman as CIA operative Everett Ross who is used perfectly as the vessel for any soft-handed jokes about race (as he’s the only white guy on Black Panther’s team).

“Black Panther” opens in theaters February 16.

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• Netflix just released a new trailer for its second season of "Jessica Jones."
• The second season will have Jessica delve deeper into her past as she's learning to live with being known as a super-powered killer.
• The show's second trailer teases her best pal Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor) as Jessica Jones' sidekick. In the comics, she eventually becomes a character named Hellcat.
• We also see a small glimpse of last season's villain, Kilgrave (David Tennant), clapping at the end of the trailer.
• Season two of "Jessica Jones" will premiere on Netflix March 8. Watch the trailer below.

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• Sony Pictures released the first trailer for its Spider-Man spin-off, "Venom," on Thursday.
• The footage puts the "tease" in "teaser trailer" and fails to even briefly show Tom Hardy as the title character.
• As of now, "Venom" is not connected to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is instead a contained story that most likely won't feature Tom Holland as Spider-Man.

Sony Pictures has finally released footage of one of the most perplexing comic-book movies in recent memory: "Venom," a solo movie directed by Ruben Fleischer ("Zombieland") focused on Spider-Man's arch-nemesis. It opens October 5.

The first teaser dropped Thursday morning, and definitely emphasizes "teaser." While there's plenty of Tom Hardy, there's no footage of him as the title character. The rest of the impressive cast, including Michelle Williams and Riz Ahmed, are briefly shown.

From what can be gathered from the limited amount of footage, Hardy's troubled Eddie Brock character is transformed into Venom after an alien spaceship crashes to Earth.

If you're wondering if this is connected to any other Marvel films, you're not alone.

In 2015, Sony Pictures struck a collaborative deal with Marvel Studios over the film rights to Spider-Man. In the deal, neither studio would profit from each other's films featuring the character, and Marvel would be able to use its own version of Spider-Man while Sony continues to finance, distribute, and have creative control over its films.

Since then, Sony has set out to prove it can make its own Spider-Man movie once again. Only this time, it doesn't feature the wall-crawler.

Instead, Tom Hardy stars as one of the character's most popular villains, Eddie Brock, aka Venom. It's been over a decade since we last saw the character on the big screen in 2007's "Spider-Man 3," which concluded director Sam Raimi's trilogy. The film was a disappointment, and has a 63% Rotten Tomatoes score compared to "Spider-Man" and "Spider-Man 2," at 89% and 93% respectively.

Back then, Brock was portrayed by Topher Grace as a competing photographer to Spider-Man's alter ego, Peter Parker.

By recruiting Tom Hardy for the role, and based on this first trailer, Sony seems to be sending the message that this movie will have a very different tone than "Spider-Man 3."

The question remains whether Spider-Man will actually make a small appearance. It's been rumored that Tom Holland's Marvel Studios version of the web-slinger may drop by, but nothing has been confirmed. 

In the mean time, watch the first trailer below:

SEE ALSO: The latest 'Deadpool 2' trailer introduces Cable while taking jabs at 'Justice League' and 'Toy Story'

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• The first teaser for "Venom" was dropped Thursday morning.
• The clip features Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock.
• But there is no glimpse of the Spider-Man villain.
• Fans were not pleased. 

The first teaser for "Venom" is here with no Venom in sight.

Tom Hardy is bringing the Spider-Man villain to the big screen in his own Marvel movie, but fans aren't thrilled with the film's teaser. 

From the first few clips, it looks like a generic action movie. 

The short video features Hardy as Eddie Brock on a motorcycle, in a store, in either a hospital or a lab, and running through the woods. But the only glimpse of the future Venom is a quick clip of Riz Ahmed's character in possession of the symbiote. Once that merges with Brock, Venom is born. 

Venom isn't new to the Marvel Universe and was even featured in "Spider-Man 3," so fans know what he generally looks like.

Even the first poster for the film doesn't show the villain. It's merely a black background with Venom's eyes. 

This could be a marketing ploy to get people talking. If that's the case, it's working.

"Venom" is set for release October 5, 2018. 

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• With "Black Panther" hitting theaters this weekend, the film's stars, Chadwick Boseman and Danai Gurira, played a fun game with Vanity Fair called "fear box."
• During the game, Boseman and Gurira had to reach into a box and figure out what mystery object they were touching.
• The objects in the box ranged from live creatures like chameleons and chicks to inanimate objects like stuffed animals and grapes. 
• "I feel like I can't tell the difference between things that are alive and dead," Boseman said.
• Watch their hilarious reactions below. 

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The cast of "Black Panther" are clad in gorgeous headdresses, gowns, ornate makeup, and warrior gear. Many of them look red carpet ready in the film.

Some of them wore wigs and spent hours in the makeup chair to be transformed for Marvel's latest superhero movie. 

Keep reading to see how the "Black Panther" cast looks outside of Wakanda.

After the events of "Captain America: Civil War," Prince T'Challa/the Black Panther returns home to Wakanda to take his place as king.

His father was killed in an explosion during the beginning of "Captain America: Civil War."

41-year-old Chadwick Boseman keeps most of the Black Panther beard intact off set, too.

Boseman picked up his accent for the movie from actor John Kani, who plays his father, King T'Chaka.

Nakia is a Wakandan spy who also happens to be T'Challa's ex-girlfriend.

She's fiercely loyal to her country and is a skilled warrior. She also has a soft spot for T'Challa.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a cash cow for Disney since it kicked off with "Iron Man" in 2008.

The franchise has made over $13.5 billion worldwide to date, and that number will rise drastically this weekend when "Black Panther" opens, as is projected to break some box office records.

Critics seem to love the MCU, but they especially are in love with "Black Panther." The movie currently has a 98% ranking on Rotten Tomatoes.

Check out where that ranks among the 18 movies in the MCU, according to critics on Rotten Tomatoes:

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18. "Thor: The Dark World" (2013)

Critic score: 66%

User score: 77%

What critics said:"The 'Crocodile Dundee II' of superhero films — in a good way!"— Slate

17. "The Incredible Hulk" (2008)

Critic score: 67%

User score: 71%

What critics said:"In close-up the Hulk is more cartoonish than scary, but when he's ripping armed vehicles to shreds? Kewl."— Houston Chronicle

16. "Iron Man 2" (2010)

Critic score: 73% (certified fresh)

User score: 72%

What critics said: "It's easy to talk about what 'Iron Man 2' doesn't do, but what it does do is so full of energy and genuine enthusiasm that it's hard to imagine anyone walking out unhappy."— CinemaBlend

Warning: There are major spoilers ahead for "Black Panther."

"Black Panther" is a near-perfect movie from Marvel. Michael B. Jordan outperforms Chadwick Boseman as one of Marvel's best villains since Loki and the women of the movie steal the show.

But there's one thing I can't shake about the movie and it hurts an otherwise flawless movie. It's a conversation that comes up just about every time a Marvel movie is released. 

Last chance to head back before major spoilers.

"Black Panther" fails to kill off any of its lead characters. Now, before you pounce and suggest that movies don't need to kill off anyone, you're right. I'm not suggesting that's a requirement of a movie.

However, "Black Panther" toys with emotions by presenting the opportunity to kill off several main leads throughout the over two-hour spectacle and fails to follow through on any of them.

"Black Panther" has not one, or two, but four opportunities to kill off some big characters. The movie takes every opportunity at its disposal to put a lead in danger — whether it's Black Panther's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman), or even Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) himself. 

And it's noticeable enough while watching to be distracting. In some cases, it's even downright frustrating to tease a death when you know no one is actually in danger. We listed the characters who could have died from least likely to the most expendable character.

The first character who could have been killed: Black Panther

T'Challa was thrown off a cliff and left for dead until his body was found. We weren't really worried about Black Panther coming back from his fall. He's the main character after all, and, if you've been watching any trailers for "Avengers: Infinity War," it's clear as day that he's in the movie alongside Captain America and company. 

The second person who could have been killed off: Shuri (Black Panther's sister)

Late in the movie, Shuri goes up against Erik Kilmonger (Michael B. Jordan) and it's not looking good for her. 

He's hovering over her for, what feels like, several minutes as he's just, I don't know, waiting for Black Panther to dive in on cue to save her from his clutches. And that's exactly what happens.

This would have been a shocking, but impactful death on T'Challa. But Shuri had plot armor — someone needs to run that Wakanda lab and build all of the cool tech at Black Panther's disposal. Moreso, the two share this amazing brother/sister bond that normally isn't seen in a big film. She was also one of the funniest additions to the movie. You can't get rid of her! She has to stick around for the sequel. 

The third potential casualty: Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman)

Ross is strapped into a simulation in Shuri's lab where he needs to take down a bunch of aircrafts attempting to carry weapons made using vibranium technology out of Wakanda. The ship is taking on a lot of damage and there's another ship trying to break into the lab that's right in front of Ross. 

Shuri tells Ross to exit the simulation and get to safety. He refuses and continues to carry out the mission. He easily could have died a hero, fighting for Wakanda. But in true Disney fashion, he was not only able to complete the mission successfully but then made it out of the lab with seconds to spare before it was destroyed. 

Ross isn't even a major character. He's just a CIA operative. Sure, it would be cool to have a mini "Sherlock" reunion with him and Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange in "Avengers: Infinity War," and that very well may be Marvel's plan for the fans, but Freeman really doesn't need to be in any movies moving forward so it's a bit frustrating he survived.

The fourth character who could have been killed: Okoye (Black Panther's personal body guard)

During the big fight sequence at the end, Erik (Michael B. Jordan) gets a hold of one of the Okoye's guards. General Okoye and the other women look on as he's threatening her life. Before anyone can save her, he slits her throat. 

The death feels a bit meaningless, because it was a side character we barely saw on screen. Erik should have been holding the leader of the women, Okoye, for the moment to have more resonance. Yes, Danai Gurira was a big asset to the film; however, it doesn't seem necessary for her character to have to survive. Once again, Marvel fans probably knew she wasn't in much danger since she also appears in a trailer for "Infinity War" with Black Panther.

The consequence of playing it safe

If you've been on this 17-movie journey, the missed opportunity to kill off a big character starts to become a pattern and it's insulting to the audience. Here's how it works. Some B-level character or love interest gets into danger/kidnapped. It looks like they're on the verge of death. A hero swoops in and saves them in the last minute because there's no way the film can actually kill them off.

On the flip side, a lesser-tier character will wind up getting killed off without the bat of an eye. It begins to become routine and predictable.

It's a small flaw that's not unique to "Black Panther," but one that continues to pervade Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The only big character to get killed off "Avengers: Age of Ultron" was the speedster Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). But that wasn't a big deal. He was just introduced earlier in the film. Plus, Fox had recently introduced its own version of the same character in "X-Men: Days of Future Past" and he was instantly a fan favorite. There wasn't room for two Quicksilver characters.

Similarly, there was every opportunity to kill off the non-superpowered Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) in a heroic manner in the same film. In "Captain America: Civil War," Rhodey gets shot out of the sky accidentally by Vision (Paul Bettany) and instead of getting killed he winds up paralyzed in his legs. The guy was shot out of the sky!

When a movie or TV series fails to kill off any main characters, it robs the audience of the opportunity to experience real fear for a character's life. Every fight, fall, or potential threat feels empty. 

It's not like doing this would be received poorly. Warner Bros.' "Wonder Woman" did this to great success when it abruptly killed off her love interest Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) even though he had a big role in the comics and the two lead actors displayed effortless chemistry.

But "Infinity War" needs to kill off a few characters, right?

When "Infinity War" comes to theaters, there will be well over 20 big superheroes on screen. They can't all make it out alive, right? You would think so! But I'm not holding my breath. Why? "Black Panther" introduces technology that makes it so Black Panther's sister can basically bring back anyone from the brink of death — as long as they can make it to her secret lab in Wakanda on time. 

This is probably why we see War Machine/Rhodey (Don Cheadle) up and about in "Infinity War" after suffering a debilitating injury in "Captain America: Civil War." (It's also a way to keep the merchandise machine going.)

It's a reminder that there are no stakes or consequences in Marvel movies. Frankly, it's getting old.

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