As part of a series of moves intended to save over $5B at Disney, the company folded Marvel Entertainment into the larger studio and laid off its chairman, Ike Perlmutter. Perlmutter took control of Marvel Entertainment in the 1990s and grew the brand by selling off live-action rights to characters such as Spider-Man to other movie studios. Since selling Marvel Entertainment to Disney in 2009, Perlmutter’s control over its output continued to wain until, in 2015, he and Kevin Feige entered into Marvel’s own “civil war.” Disney’s then-and-now-again-headman Bob Iger, sided with Feige and the rest, as they say, is history.
Well, you’d have to ask Ike about that. But let’s put it this way: He was not happy about it. And I think that unhappiness exists today.
Bob Iger on Ike Perlmutter following Marvel Studios “civil war”
Iger’s recent return to Disney almost certainly was the beginning of the end for Perlmutter who recently attempted a “shadow coup” by manipulating the board of the company. Once that failed, it put him squarely in Iger‘s sites again and was likely the last straw for the man who has found himself at odds with Marvel Studios’ decisions for the better part of a decade.
Marvel Entertainment’s President, Dan Buckley, will remain employed at Disney and continue to work with Feige.
For a show that’s often been criticized as a slow burn, The Mandalorian has indisputably picked up the pace in its third season. Showrunner Jon Favreau–perhaps in response to those criticisms; perhaps not–seems to have evolved a bit in his storytelling, adapting it to move the overarching plot along more quickly while continuing to build the world of the New Republic. Chapter 21 of The Mandalorian, The Pirate, is perhaps the most impressive display of Favreau’s new approach as it continued to establish the failings of the fledgling New Republic while allowing the increasingly exciting story of the Mandalorian covert–and its future–to push ahead.
Now in the back half of the season, The Mandalorian is making good on some of the plot points left outstanding over the course of the first four episodes..and even the first two seasons. The bulk of the episode’s action takes place on Greef Karga’s new and improved Nevarro. That setting allows Favreau to highlight just how far the world of The Mandalorian has come over the course of three seasons while serving as a reminder that even though things seem on the upswing for these characters, there’s still a terrible evil out there that’s fated to take over. Karga’s renaissance as a man of morals who seeks to serve others in the service of himself illustrates just how fast and loose things are in the Outer Rim while also standing of a symbol of where the galaxy stands in the wake of the fall of the Empire: even though progress is being made, everything is still a work in progress.
As the rest of the galaxy attempts to make progress, no story is as progressive as the story of the Mandalorian culvert. From Paz Vizsla’s tense and passionate speech to the culvert’s return to Nevarro–this time as heroes–to the Armorer’s delayed acknowledgment of Bo-Katan’s experience in the Living Waters, the advancement of the Mandalorians and their place in the New Republic jumped through hyperspace in The Pirate. Since joining the Children of the Watch in Chapter 19, Bo-Katan’s place within the Tribe has been the source of constant speculation by fans, many of whom still don’t quite trust the former Nite Owl despite Katee Sackhoff‘s claims that the character is content falling in line behind someone else’s command. Though it’s not crystal clear in The Pirate, it does seem that while Bo-Katan will fill an incredibly important role in uniting the many tribes and clans of Mandalore at the behest of the Armorer, she’ll do so with the full support of Din Djarin.
However, just as things seem more promising than ever for the armored warriors of Mandalore as they forge a new path to the future…one in which they all look to put their old ways behind them…comes a reminder of their violent past. As much as the emergence of the Mythosaur moves the Armorer to begin the new age and reclaim Mandalore, the ghost of Gideon continues to haunt them. Though he’s yet to appear in Season 3, the architect of the Great Purge of Mandalore is out there and, it seems, there will be no true progress until his story comes to an end. In that regard, Favreau cleverly sows the seeds of the next arc of The Mandalorian into the closing moments of The Pirate. Was Gideon taken by a Mandalorian or were the Mandalorians set up? Given Gideon’s resourcefulness and vision, both seem equally possible and either spell trouble for the Mandalorians as look to reestablish themselves in the New Republic. It would be hard to find a better use of 43 minutes than what Favreau did with The Pirate.
Dave Filoni maintains that he “very rarely” makes a concerted effort to find ways to provide avenues for characters he created for the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels to make the jump to live-action. Rather, Filoni says he looks at them as characters with whom he is “comfortable” and likes “to see around” as he continues to tell stories in the live-action series The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and soon, Ahsoka.
One such character with whom Filoni–and fans–is exceedingly familiar, Bo-Katan Kryze has become an integral part of the ongoing story of The Mandalorian after first being introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars before returning in a major role in Star Wars Rebels. While Bo-Katan’s story continues in The Mandalorian, the core cast of characters of Rebels will see their story continued in Ahsoka, which streams later this year on Disney Plus. But while Ahsoka Tano’s live-action debut came during the second season of The Mandalorian, the crew of the Ghost is patiently waiting to take their turn. While footage from Ahsoka has revealed that Chopper, Hera, Sabine and Ezra, as well as villain Grand Admiral Thrawn, are all set to appear, there had been no word on whether Lasat hero Zeb would make the jump to live-action.
The good news is that fans won’t have to wait any longer to find out as Zeb made his live-action debut in Chapter 21 of The Mandalorian, The Pirate. While it was little more than a cameo, Zeb shared a scene with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee‘s New Republic Adelphi Ranger Carson Teva in a bar on an unnamed planet. The bar was a cameo fest as Filoni, executive producer RickFamuyiwa and director and Obi-Wan Kenobi showrunner Deborah Chow all appeared in their respective Star Wars roles but the surprise appearance of Zeb was certainly the highlight.
The scene revealed that Zeb, whose familiar voice was once again provided by Rebels voice actor Stephen Blum, has joined the New Republic as a Ranger. For a character who often expressed his desire to stay out of the larger goings on in the galaxy, Zeb has certainly come a long way. The episode of The Mandalorian also works as a bit of a proof of concept for bringing the Lasat character to live-action for Ahsoka and it’s a test Lucasfilm passed with flying colors. Given the intersection of the plots of The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a way for Zeb to meet up with his old friends and join their search for Ezra Bridger!
Just 24 hours after the news broke that Liv Tyler was returning to the MCU as Betty Ross in Captain America: New World Order, set photos have emerged providing a first look at the actress in her return to the role.
There's some major new "Captain America: New World Order" set photos featuring Liv Tyler, Anthony Mackie (in an arm sling) and more filming in a cemetery! https://t.co/0Yuwf8QJ5Y
The photos show Tyler, Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson, Shira Haas‘s Sabra and Xosha Roquemore’s unnamed character at a cemetery. The fact that the group has assembled there could portend bad things for Betty Ross’s father, President Thunderbolt Ross.
It wasn’t too long ago that fans questioned whether or not The Incredible Hulk was considered MCU canon but now, over the course of several projects, multiple characters from the film have returned. While the prominence of those roles has certainly varied, the sudden influx of Hulk-related characters at a time when a popular rumor that a World War Hulk/Hulks project is in the works continues to swirl is certainly a pleasant coincidence…if you subscribe to that sort of thing. With the return of Liv Tyler‘s Betty Ross to the MCU in Captain America: New World Order, the revival of 2008’s The Incredible Hulk is nearly complete. But after all these years, what would finally bring Betty Ross out of the shadows?
In early 2023, Marvel Studios One Above All Kevin Feige made it known that Betty’s father, General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, will be the President of the United States in Captain America: New World Order. The easiest assumption is that Betty could return in a cameo to celebrate her father’s election. However, that would likely call for a very, very brief appearance by Tyler, one that would be very easy to keep secret, and given that she was spotted on set yesterday it seems that it’s unlikely that would be the ONLY reason she might return.
Thunderbolt Ross’s Presidency isn’t the only major change expected in the film, however, and it’s likely the other big development for the character, now played by Harrison Ford, may be more likely to lead to his daughter’s return. It’s roundly assumed that Thunderbolt Ross will, as he does in the comics, become Red Hulk in Captain America: New World Order. Though it’s unclear what role, if any, he’ll play in Ross’s transformation, it’s also widely believed that Tim Blake Nelson‘s Samuel Sterns will have some part in it just as he did in the comics. Marvel Studios isn’t much for one-to-one adaptations of arcs from Marvel Comics but this seems like one time when things line up pretty well for them to pull heavily from the source material. Once Ross becomes Red Hulk, however, things will have to diverge from that source material a bit.
For a significant amount of time in the comics, Ross went to great lengths to prevent the public from learning he was Red Hulk. A series of convenient stories were concocted, Life Model Decoys were deployed–general subterfuge to keep his secret. Captain America: New World Order co-writers Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson will undoubtedly have to work some of this into the film as having a rampaging Red Hulk as the President of the United States just won’t do. Life Model Decoys are certainly an option to explore, though it’s one that the MCU hasn’t really embraced in the past. Part of whatever story the do choose to pursue might be tied to exactly how Red Hulk’s powers are defined in the MCU.
As She-Hulk proved, not all Hulks are created equal and whatever method Sterns chooses to transform Ross into Red Hulk, it’ll probably result in him having similar powers to his comic book counterpart. Those include but are not limited to, a constant emission of gamma rays that make him a walking thermonuclear bomb and the ability to absorb all sorts of energy from his surroundings. Whether or not Ross is a willing participant in Sterns’s experiments that turn him into Red Hulk (smart money is that he totally is), he may not be thrilled with the results and may seek some help. Given that Betty is something of a scientist herself and one with a background in gamma radiation and Super Soldiers, it could be that her father will swallow his pride and seek out her expertise.
Of course, there’s one more option that may be a bit of a natural consequence of all the above that these recent set photos might strongly support: Thaddeus Ross is dead. Or perhaps he is “dead.” While being “dead” is more preferable to being dead, it’ll have to be Schrödinger’s Ross for now but being “dead” also provides much more flexibility for future stories…including that rumored World War Hulk/Hulks story. Tyler’s presence at a cemetery all but cements the death of the President in the film but what if, in a very comic book twist, Ross’s death–as far as the public knows–comes at the hands of a Hulk. This allows both for Ross’s identity as the Red Hulk to be kept secret and for the character to survive for another project where he can face off against Bruce Banner’s Hulk as Jeph Loeb intended.
After all, Hulks can’t really die and it would be an abject tragedy for Red Hulk to finally be introduced into the MCU only to die in his first appearance and never get to square off with his big, green nemesis. Could Betty be complicit in hiding her father following his “death”? That’s certainly an interesting possibility based on an already interesting albeit uncertain situation. If so, and given Red Hulk’s near-constant emission of gamma rays, could Captain America: New World Order be thebeginning of Betty’s path to Hulk-hood? Fans likely won’t find confirmation of this or any theory easy to come by until the film hits theaters May 3, 2024.
Thanks to a photo taken on the set of Daredevil: Born Again, a trade report has confirmed that Arty Froushan has joined the cast of the Disney Plus streaming series.
According to the report, Froushan has joined the series as a character named “Harry”, a code name, who appears to be associated with Wilson Fisk’s Mayoral campaign. A casting call for the character described him as “intense and inscrutable.” It is believed that Froushan’s deal is for just one season.
The New York location of Daredevil: BornAgain continues to be the gift that keeps on giving as photos and videos from the set of the Disney Plus series continue to roll out on a near daily basis. Recent photos from the Times Square set seemed to indicate that a popular rumor about the plot of the show may be correct; now, the first shot of star Vincent D’Onofrio on set mat further back those rumors.
The photo, found in Marvel Studios Reddit, shows D’Onofrio looking very distinguished–perhaps even Mayoral.
D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk was last seen in the finale of the streaming series Hawkeye and was sporting a significantly different style than what he’s spotted in here. Given this looks like a public appearance in the middle of the day following what seemed to be a political rally, it seems as though there may be quite a bit of weight behind the Mayor Fisk rumors.
Production on Marvel Studios Daredevil revival, Daredevil: Born Again recently got underway in New York City, kicking off an ambitious production schedule that is slated to be spread out over the majority of 2023. Over the past week, photos from the set have indicated that the series will be revisiting the childhood of Wilson Fisk, a time that was well established in the Netflix Daredevil series. Star Charlie Cox has already made it clear that Born Again isn’t a fourth season of Daredevil but rather a “whole new deal,” that would provide the opportunity to revisit and retell stories from the Netflix series. Now, for the first time, co-star Vincent D’Onofrio has given his input on how the new series compares to Daredevil.
“We’ve only just started shooting. I think we’re a couple weeks in, and the show is going to be very, very different than the Netflix show, and it’s so exciting because what we’re doing is quite something.”
Vincent D’Onofrio
What exactly will be so different? According to D’Onofrio, Daredevil: BornAgain is set to subvert the expectations of the audience.
I think it’s something that people are not going to expect. But, always with these Marvel old comic stories that are being revisited and reinvented by us actors, and the writers, the main thing is to answer the fans.
Vincent D’Onofrio
How will showrunners Matt Corman and Chris Ord pull that off? According to D’Onofrio, by providing an original and emotional take on the characters.
To give them what they want but try to be original in some way at the same time, and so that’s what we’re doing on the show. It’s definitely an original way to look at this, and it’s really deep, really emotional.
Vincent D’Onofrio
Daredevil: Born Again was presented as an 18-episode maxi-series slated for 2024. While the release schedule of any and all Marvel Studios streaming projects remains up in the air while the company restructures a bit under Bob Iger’s renewed leadership, Born Again not only looks to still make its debut in 2024 but also, according to D’Onofrio, already be penciled in for a second season. According to D’Onofrio, fans of the Netflix series may have to play the long game, but by the end of that second season, they’ll get “what they want.”
And, by the second season, there are gigantic, gigantic payoffs—in the first season, too, but I can’t say much about that—but the fans are gonna really get what they want. It’s really quite cool to be doing it.
Vincent D’Onofrio
What is it fans want? If it’s a healthy amount of Cox and Jon Bernthal who is returning as Frank Castle, D’Onofrio has some.good news.
These are two guys that, just as men and actors themselves, are legitimate people and I love those guys, Jon and Charlie. I just love them. They’re just awesome, good people, and their acting ability speaks for itself. They’re both very good, and it’s nice. It’s always nice to come on a set and you know that the other main actors are as prepared as anybody could be. It shortens the day, and that kind of preparation lends itself to a great scene.
Vincent D’Onofrio
As if it weren’t already evident given the 18-episode structure of Season 1, fans are going to have to sit back and let the story of Daredevil: Born Again unfold before they get an idea of exactly what’s going on and how it does or does not connect to the stories told on Netflix. Fortunately, with Bernthal, Cox and D’Onofrio on board, it should be an enjoyable ride.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will hit theaters in just under six weeks and is expected to pack an emotional punch as it will serve as a farewell to this particular group of Guardians. The threequel has a lot to accomplish including making good on Vol. 2′s Adam Warlock tease, introducing a new villain in Chukwudi Iwuji’s High Evolutionary, killing off a Guardian or so and fitting whatever surprises Gunn has in store into its runtime. Whether it runs for 1 hour and 56 minutes or 3 hours and 2 minutes, we know that somewhere on social media, it’ll be criticized for being too short. But how long will the film be?
According to Atom Tickets, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to be the longest film of the trilogy–and the longest of Gunn’s directorial career–clocking in at 2 hours and 29 minutes. Once that news got out in the wild, it was only a matter of time before Gunn, who continues to be incredibly active on social media even as he continues on in his new role as co-chair of DC Studios, addressed it. And, as it turns out, that runtime is in the ballpark.
“It’s around that long, although that’s not yet exact,” said Gunn when asked if the reported runtime was accurate before adding, “and I promise not a second is wasted.” “There’s no fat,” Gunn said of Vol. 3’s plot explaining that “It was necessary to experience the full arc for every major Guardians character, not only for this film, but for the trilogy (or, I should say, trilogy plus).“
It’s around that long, although that’s not yet exact. And, I promise, not a second is wasted. There’s no fat. It was necessary to experience the full arc for every major Guardians character, not only for this film, but for the trilogy (or, I should say, trilogy plus). https://t.co/HwqXOtzesm
Gunn went on to explain that “It’s just the length of end credits that are being estimated in this running time.” The end credits of Marvel Studios’ films, of course, famously feature mid and post-credit scenes and depending on how many there are, the length of those credits will vary. While one or two is the norm, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 had five stingers spread out throughout and after the credits rolled. Whatever the case, Gunn’s made it clear that the film will clock in around two and a half hours long making it one of the five longest MCU films and significantly longer than the average MCU film, which clocks in at 2 hours and 12 minutes.
Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to 2019’s megahit, Joker, has been in production for some time and quite a few interesting photos and videos have leaked from the set. Lady Gaga, who joined the cast as Harleen Quinzel, has been captured on set a few times but not as her alter ego, Harley Quinn…until now.
A new batch of photos and a video show Lady Gaga in her full, spectacular Harley Quinn look accompanied by a whole bunch of Gotham’s finest.
More professional pictures of Lady Gaga on the set of “Joker: Folie à Deux” in New York City. pic.twitter.com/Q9YogZ6fUO
Given that several of the members of the crowd are either in Joker masks or full Joker makeup, not to mention the sign someone made asking Joker to marry them, it would appear that Joaquin Phoenix‘s Arthur Fleck has become a cult hero in Gotham following the events of Joker. That film ended with Fleck in Arkham Asylum, where it’s expected he will meet Lady Gaga’s character. A recent video from the set of the film shows what is widely accepted as the asylum burning as the duo escapes.
Joker: Folie à Deux, which will be a musical in parts, will be released at part of the new DC Studio’s Elseworlds banner on October 4, 2024.
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