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The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next major film project, The Marvels, is gearing up for release later this year! Hot off the end of Ms. Marvel on Disney+, we’ll finally see WandaVision’s Monica Rambeau team up with Kamala Kahn and Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel. Despite the anticipation surrounding Marvel’s next crossover event, there is a character outside the feminine heroes who is prime to steal the spotlight, much like he did years ago when the MCU officially introduced Captain Marvel. Although you could think we’re referencing Nick Fury or some lost connection from the early days of the MCU, we’re talking about someone much bigger, better, and more adorable! That’s right, forget Avengers and multiverses; we can’t wait to see more of Goose the Cat.
An Orange Tabby Cat Named Goose Steals the Heart of Marvel Fans
2019 introduced Marvel fans to the MCU’s newest addition, Captain Marvel. Famously played by Brie Larson, the movie dove deep into the background of Nick Fury’s Avengers Project and how it came to be. Captain Marvel would introduce us to a younger version of Samuel L. Jackson’s character before he brought “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” together. Captain Marvel laid the groundwork to introduce Maria Rambeau and Kamala Kahn in later phases of the MCU; it also placed a foundational emphasis needed for Marvel’s Secret Invasion on Disney+. Although the film would introduce instrumental characters like Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos, a Skrull who becomes an ally to Nick Fury, and Jude Law as Yon-Rogg, the world immediately fell in love with Goose the Cat.
Credit: Marvel
Goose the Cat is an adorable orange tabby who hides an incredible surprise. As Nick Fury would find out the hard way, Goose was hiding a secret; he was a Flerken. What’s a Flerken? That’s a fair question that requires a very long answer that breaks down the differences between the MCU and comics; however, for the sake of time, a Flerken is a space creature that can swallow objects using octopus-like tentacles that project from its mouth. Being a Flerken, Goose the Cat famously swallowed the Tesseract and ensured Nick Fury would have to wear an eye patch during the rest of his career.
Fans Can’t Wait for Goose the Cat to Return in ‘The Marvels’
Although there have been many leaks regarding The Marvels, you won’t find any of that here. Instead, information about the new MCU film is dictated by what’s available to the public. Much of that information is derived from sneak-peek trailers that Disney and Marvel have dropped to promote the movie. One trailer explicitly shows the return of Goose the Cat alongside Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Kahn. As Goose has become an unofficial mascot of The Marvels, fans can’t wait to get another hilarious film that features the feline friend.
Goose is a Real Cat Who Does Real Cat Things on Set
Goose is mostly portrayed by a real cat on screen. Although there are some instances in which Marvel must rely on CGI, generally, the cat is the real deal. As you can imagine, having a live cat (several actually) on a live movie shoot can create a lot of special considerations and issues for actors and producers. However, it can also make for memorable situations as, despite a big-budget film, cats will still do cat things. This is no different for Goose the Cat, and recently, handlers on set sat down with CBR and discussed the hilarious antics of trying to control the naughty feline behavior of the furry stars.
Meet Nema and Tanga, the two feisty felines portraying Goose on camera. Hilarious in itself, CBR suggests that the two cats were specifically decided on by director Nia DaCosta for separate but particular reasons. According to cat trainer Jo Vaughn, Nema will handle the film’s stuntwork, while Tanga will serve as “eye candy.” Each cat’s unique personality seems to allow them to portray Goose in different ways, and each will get their fair share of screen time, with Nema handling the action-pack scenes and Tanga melting our hearts with up-close footage. Although working with cats on a movie set may seem like a gravy job, a wide range of things must be considered on set to ensure the safety of Goose and anyone working with him. No footage was shot with Brie Larson as she is very allergic to cats. However, despite safety considerations, cats often do what they want, even well-trained ones, and Jo made it clear that Nema and Tanga were no exception to this rule.
Credit: Marvel
“The naughtiest thing one of them did happened when we were on one of the sets where the ground was quite gravelly. We were all ready to go, and it was just a giant cat litter box. He didn’t go to the toilet on set, but he came out and just started rolling around in it straight away.“
Vaughn went on to explain that the cats were well-prepared for the shoot; however, at times, it was a lot to handle.
“We had a three-month training period. I read through the script, and marked down all the actions that the cat needed to do. These cats go onto set knowing everything that they’re going to do. When we come to shoot, we break it down day-by-day. The day before we will prep what we’re going to do the next day so it’s fresh in their mind. The most challenging aspect of training a cat is the enormity of the sets, the huge crew, and time constraints. It’s a lot for a cat.“
Credit: Marvel
Despite the difficulties, Marvel fans are very excited to get more storyline with Goose the cat. Especially considering the over-all impact he had on the location of one particular Infinity Stone. It’s a safe bet that Samuel L. Jackson will play a large role in the film as Nick Fury, and we’re certain that the next onscreen back and forth between the two will make for a very memorable scene. The Marvels is currently scheduled to debut in theatres on November 10, 2023.
