Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Hunter Radesi

  • ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ Prequel Announced as Graphic Novel

    ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ Prequel Announced as Graphic Novel

    This is Halloween, everybody make a scene! Or in this case, a full-blown graphic novel. TOKYOPOP, publisher of Western manga-style works, has officially announced a new installment in their line of comics based on Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Subtitled The Battle For Pumpkin King, the series will act as a prequel to the critically-acclaimed film, exploring a time before Jack Skellington was the undisputed Pumpkin King of Halloween Town.

    The story, set years prior to the events of the movie, will see Jack and his future rival – Oogie Boogie – as close friends. Eager to prove themselves, the pals pour all their passion into spooky projects so they might be known as the scariest duo in town. However, only one can earn their rightful place as the titular Pumpkin King. The Battle For Pumpkin King will reveal what happens between the two that turns them into bitter enemies, and leads to Jack’s eventual crowning.

    Written by Dan Conner, based on a story by Shaun McLaughlin and D.J. Milky, the full-color project features art from Deborah Allo and Roberto Scalia in another deep-dive into the holiday-themed world crafted by Tim Burton. The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Battle For Pumpkin King will be released as five single issue comics beginning in March of 2023, before dropping as a collected graphic novel in time for next Halloween. The novel follows two others previously produced by TOKYOPOP – Zero’s Journey, also written by Conner, and Mirror Moon, written by Mallory Reaves. Both are currently available.

  • ‘Black Panther’ Producer Gives Update On ‘Wakanda’ Spin-Off

    ‘Black Panther’ Producer Gives Update On ‘Wakanda’ Spin-Off

    When 2017’s Black Panther introduced Wakanda to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it became an instant sensation. Ever since, director Ryan Coogler has been hard at work on expanding the fictional nation’s corner of the Marvel world. A sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is almost in theaters. After that, Coogler will look ahead to the release of Ironheart on Disney+, a series which he is producing based on a character – Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams – debuting in his film, Wakanda Forever. On top of this, there are two more Disney+ projects reportedly in development from Coogler. One that’s set to delve into Wakanda and its people, and another that will tell the origin of Danai Gurira’s Okoye.

    It’s possible that these shows are one-in-the-same, though this has yet to be confirmed or denied. In fact, not much has been said about these projects at all in the time since they were announced. That finally changed this past weekend. Speaking to Collider ahead of Wakanda Forever’s premiere, producer Nate Moore gave an update on the Wakanda series. Unfortunately, it would seem the show is still quite a ways off:

    Because of the amount of time and attention that went into this film, and frankly the Ironheart show, that is probably not as far along as people want it to be, but there are certainly great ideas that we’re still talking to Ryan about. So, we’ll see how far we can get with it.

    Nate Moore

    The good news is that Coogler is putting a lot of time and care into the projects in front of him. The downside is that fans will have to wait much longer for anything else. That being said, Moore does not say the projects, or project, are dead. So, there’s no reason to panic yet.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11th. Ironheart lands in late 2023.

    Source: Collider

  • Ryan Coogler Reveals Original Plot of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    Ryan Coogler Reveals Original Plot of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    It’s not a secret that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2017’s Black Panther, was forced to undergo some changes in 2020. With production on the project already well underway, star Chadwick Boseman passed away unexpectedly from illness. As a result, changes had to be made to the story to account for his absence, leading to a very grief-focused sequel. Since the first plot details began to release on Wakanda Forever, fans have wondered what the film might have looked like before it lost Boseman’s King T’Challa. According to co-writer and director Ryan Coogler, it really wasn’t all that different.

    Speaking to Inverse during a recent interview, the acclaimed creative revealed that Wakanda Forever was always going to be about grief. The main difference in the original script, however, was the subject of the lead’s regret. In the finished product, audiences will see Letitia Wright’s Shuri and Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda grieving the loss of their loved one, while in the initial version of the movie, it would have been Boseman’s T’Challa grieving the loss of time.

    The tone was going to be similar. The character was going to be grieving the loss of time, you know, coming back after being gone for five years. As a man with so much responsibility to so many, coming back after a forced five years absence, that’s what the film was tackling. He was grieving time he couldn’t get back. Grief was a big part of it.

    Ryan Coogler

    Black Panther was one of many heroes who turned to dust in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, before returning to life the next year in Avengers: Endgame. It seems that the original take on Wakanda Forever would have joined the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 4 in dealing with the fallout of “The Blip.” As for Namor, the new film’s antagonist who strikes as Wakanda is at its most vulnerable, Coogler confirms he was always part of the story:

    There were other characters, for sure, that we considered including. Namor was always there.

    Ryan Coogler

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11th.

    Source: Inverse

  • REVIEW: ‘The Dragon Prince’ Journeys Into ‘Mystery of Aaravos’

    REVIEW: ‘The Dragon Prince’ Journeys Into ‘Mystery of Aaravos’

    After a three-year hiatus, The Dragon Prince has returned – and this time, things aren’t exactly the same. Now dubbed The Dragon Prince: Mystery of Aaravos, the fantastically animated series from creators Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond is shifting gears to a fresh story arc. Once about the journey of an unlikely trio through magical, foreign lands, the latest season features its protagonists settled into new roles after completing their former goal. Alas, peace can never remain for long, as a dormant threat hinted at in previous seasons finally makes itself known to the entirety of Xadia. Now, the realm’s greatest, and youngest, heroes must reembark on another adventure to stop the evil of Aaravos in a complicated social climate they’re still trying to mold.

    The Dragon Prince has always quietly been a wonderful educational tool for children, and young adults, who may have only tuned in for the dragons and magic. The series has a marked history of using its fantasy world to parallel the political strife of Earth’s own, and the Mystery of Aaravos is decidedly no different. For all the story elements that have changed in the show’s time away from air, its commitment to commenting on the ethics of governing and world war is admirably still intact. For any parent reading this, whose kids have not yet picked up The Dragon Prince – this is a gem of a project flying just under the pop culture radar. Its first three seasons are often thrilling, with genuine moments of suspense and certifiably cool action sequences, and its chock-full of characters both adorable and valiant. Its messages, a mix of subtle and on-the-nose, are also the exact kind that the youth of today should be hearing. Love and humanity are more important than anything else, and The Dragon Prince believes this wholeheartedly.

    That is what stays the same in Mystery of Aaravos, the show’s upcoming fourth season, which doubles down on its wholesomeness from the very beginning. What’s changed is the primary goal of the series’ main characters, who have successfully brought back the dragons and begun the process of uniting the realm. Now skilled in their respective crafts, the young heroes must figure out how to tackle an insurgence of dark magic with the help of other magic users, instead of on their own. It’s actually quite refreshing to see the fruits of previous season’s labors paying off, and brings a warm sense of progress to The Dragon Prince as a whole. The latest episodes do an excellent job of bringing their characters to exciting new places, developmentally speaking, without forcefully betraying anything established in prior installments. Natural development is a wildly underrated aspect of storytelling, and it’s nice to see The Dragon Prince handle it so well here.

    With its new conflict also comes a new sense of drama, and the ending to the first quarter of the season indicates the series might be headed toward darker alleys than it’s ever explored before. This is something seen in Ehasz projects in the past, as Avatar: The Last Airbender also matured with its audience. Of course, as previously stated, the lightheartedness of The Dragon Prince is still there in the latest season, it’s just packaged with moments that were surprisingly brooding. It would seem that mental health will play a larger role in Mystery of Aaravos, with multiple characters not finished reeling over the events of years past. In only the first few episodes, this topic is addressed with the same reassuring grace that continues to make The Dragon Prince a must-watch for little ones.

    Ultimately, the latest season of The Dragon Prince offers a delightful mix of old and new. It’s exactly what longtime viewers hoped they’d find upon their return, with enough differences to justify a four-season renewal. Although only four episodes were made available for review, the velocity of the season makes it easy to be confident in its continued high-quality. Fans should be excited to dive back into Xadia, because so far, it’s been worth every minute.

  • Marvel Launching Official ‘Black Panther’ Podcast 

    Marvel Launching Official ‘Black Panther’ Podcast 

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is closer than ever, but it’s not the only Black Panther project on the horizon. In collaboration with Marvel Studios and Marvel Entertainment, Proximity Media has announced an official podcast dedicated to the iconic character with a premiere date of November 3rd. Titled Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast, the six-episode limited series will be written and hosted by acclaimed creative Ta-Nehisi Coates. The goal of the project will be to explore the making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the next major chapter in the Black Panther saga, while honoring the remarkable legacy of star Chadwick Boseman.

    Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast will be executive produced by Ryan Coogler, the co-founder of Proximity Media and the director behind both live-action Black Panther films. Also producing are Paola Mardo, Proximity’s Head of Audio, as well as Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian. Mardo released the following statement regarding the creation of the podcast:

    Ever since Ryan, Zinzi, and Sev entrusted Proximity’s Audio division with this project, our goal has been to tell the story of the making of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ with as much heart and authenticity as the film itself. With our premiere episode, we’ve accomplished this goal while breaking new ground in the process, thanks to the awesome collaboration between our incredible host Ta-Nehisi Coates, our talented podcast production team, and our collaborators at Marvel and Disney.

    Paola Mardo

    The debut episode will feature a conversation between Ryan Coogler and Coates, in which the two friends reflect on the cultural impact of 2017’s Black Panther and the late Boseman. After the series’ November 3rd premiere, subsequent episodes will release weekly beginning in January of 2023. Scheduled guests include actors Dominique Thorne and Angela Bassett, composer Ludwig Göransson, production designer Hannah Beachler, writer Joe Robert Cole, producer Kevin Feige, and many more. Each episode will weave scripted host narration with an original score from Göransson, film clips, and field recordings. Fans will be able to experience the making of Wakanda Forever like never before.

    The first episode of the podcast drops on November 3rd. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrives in theaters on November 11th.

    Source: Disney

  • Ranking Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ From Best to Worst

    Ranking Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ From Best to Worst

    This Halloween, there are plenty of terrifyingly grotesque projects to watch across all streaming platforms. However, none are quite as unique as Guillermo del Toro‘s Cabinet of Curiosities. An anthological series of short films written and directed by a swath of award-winning horror creatives, the Netflix Original is an excellent practice in scaring the living daylights out of even the most devoted thrill-seekers. Specializing in the strange and unnerving, nearly every installment in the collection is worth a watch. Unfortunately, not every episode can be as good as the rest, and the uninitiated should have a guiding hand in selecting which to view should they only have time for one or two. As such, Murphy’s Multiverse has ranked every entry in the Cabinet of Curiosities based on spookiness and overall entertainment value. So, carry on, but beware of more than a few tentacle monsters…

    1. The Autopsy

    F. Murray Abraham in The Autopsy

    Without a doubt, the clear high point of the series. Directed by David Prior (The Empty Man) and written by David S. Goyer (Blade), The Autopsy immediately stands as a horror classic. The short is based on a 1987 story from author Michael Shea, in which alien lifeforms possess human bodies for their own nefarious purposes. When a coroner, played by the incomparable F. Murray Abraham, comes across a corpse carrying one of these aliens, it leads to a night of horrific revelations and bodily mutilations that no viewer will ever forget. The script is the most arresting that the Cabinet of Curiosities has to offer, pulling the audience in from the very beginning and refusing to let go. Even at its most freakish moments, it’s nearly impossible to look away, and Abraham‘s performance seals it as a must-watch for fans of the genre.

    2. Pickman’s Model

    Crispin Glover and Ben Barnes in Pickman’s Model

    Coming in at a close second is Pickman’s Model, a short film based on the H.P. Lovecraft story of the same name. Directed by Keith Thomas (Firestarter) and written by Lee Patterson (Colony), this tragic tale concerns a pair of artists in the early 20th century, played by Ben Barnes and Crispin Glover, who encounter each other repeatedly over the course of a decade while the former slowly descends into madness over the latter’s increasingly disturbing work. The episode is a masterclass in suspense and paranoia, and the duo of Barnes and Glover are perfectly cast in their roles. Some major changes are also made to the original story’s plot and ending, which will keep devoted fans on their toes and leads to some disturbing imagery that will remain engrained in the brain for days after. viewing.

    3. The Viewing

    Peter Weller in The Viewing

    An original creation from the mind of notably unconventional director Panos Cosmatos (Mandy) and his writing partner Aaron Stewart-Ahn (also Mandy), this is one episode that differs significantly from the others. Featuring an all-star cast (Eric André, Steve Agee, Sofia Boutella, Michael Therriault, Charlyene Yi, and Peter Weller), The Viewing plays mostly as a My Dinner With André-style conversation piece. A group of the world’s brightest minds are brought to the home of a mysterious, wealthy benefactor, who refuses to explain why they’ve been gathered until the shocking end. Despite being a bit less spooky than its counterparts, the episode ranks third for its enchanting aesthetic and electrifying finale. All that talking leads to quite the payoff, and the acting is pretty good to boot.

    4. The Murmuring

    Essie Davis in The Murmuring

    One of two episodes written by maestro Guillermo del Toro, this episode is essentially a classic haunted house story. Directed by Jennifer Kent (The Babadook), The Murmuring sees two ornithologists take up residence in an old, abandoned, isolated mansion while researching the murmurs of birds. Andrew Lincoln and Essie Davis put in admirable performances as a married couple recovering from personal devastation, and although the short is less creative than some of its fellow entries, it is one of the most genuinely horrifying. Several scenes are straight-up hard to watch, putting it solidly at number four on the list.

    5. Lot 36

    Tim Blake Nelson and Sebastian Roché in Lot 36

    The other episode from del Toro, Lot 36 revels in leveraging harm at the United States’ worst demographic. Directed by Guillermo Navarro (Hannibal), this episode focuses on a racist, disgruntled veteran – played by Tim Blake Nelson – who purchases the storage locker of a recently-deceased occultist. What he finds inside is predictably monstrous, and his fate is set up beautifully as the story progresses. It’s a solid hour of horror, but nothing all that special or memorable, landing it firmly at the top of the bottom half of this list. However, it does get bonus points for taking place in Buffalo, New York. Go Bills!

    6. The Outside

    Martin Starr and Kate Micucci in The Outside

    Clearly developed as one of the highlight shorts from the series, The Outside falls a little flatter than intended. Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night) and written by Haley Z. Boston (Brand New Cherry Flavor) based on a story by author Emily Carroll, the episode sees a meek woman and her unassuming husband, played by Kate Micucci and Martin Starr, have their lives turned upside down by the disgusting effects of a new skincare routine peddled by an omnipotent television salesman, played by Dan Stevens. While it carries an intriguing thesis, The Outside fails to be as entertaining as its premise suggests it could be. It’s also not all that scary, pushing it down to the lower half of the list.

    7. Graveyard Rats

    David Hewlitt in Graveyard Rats

    A Victorian period piece, based on an old short story by Henry Kuttner, Graveyard Rats is more shock than awe. Written and directed by Vincenzo Natali (Splice), the short features a scummy gravedigger, played by David Hewlitt, who robs the residents of his graveyard in the middle of the night, only to discover in terror that a colony of rats is doing the same. The episode has a fairly enthralling third act, with some pretty upsetting visuals, but is otherwise a bit of a snore. Not something that many viewers are likely to watch again.

    8. Dreams in the Witch House

    Rupert Grint in Dreams in the Witch House

    The last of Lovecraft‘s stories featured in the series, Dreams in the Witch House is a great idea with a pretty disappointing execution. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight) and written by Mika Watkins (Origin), the episodes sees Rupert Grint as a broken young man searching desperately for the soul of his dead sister. His hunt leads him to a mystical attic in a cursed house, where he comes across a sinister witch and her furry familiar. The production work on this one is great, but some key changes from the original plotline make for a lesser version. It doesn’t hold interest but does have some cool moments. Unfortunately, not enough to lift it from the bottom of the list.

  • THEORY: ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ is James Gunn’s Drax/Mantis Spin-Off

    THEORY: ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ is James Gunn’s Drax/Mantis Spin-Off

    In 2020, before the onslaught of Marvel Studios’ fourth Phase truly began, the idea of minor side characters getting their own spin-offs was still a little absurd. Major supporting players had already been confirmed for semi-solo projects on Disney+ – mostly paired with related names – in the form of series like WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but there had yet to be any announcements for shows like Agatha: Coven of Chaos that would indicate just how loose Marvel was willing to play it. This is why, at the time, it seemed like such a longshot when Dave Bautista revealed James Gunn had pitched a Guardians of the Galaxy spin-off film starring Drax and Pom Klementieff‘s Mantis to Kevin Feige and the folks at Marvel.

    Speaking with Collider in support of his movie My Spy, the former wrestler stated that he was interested in teaming with Gunn and Klementieff for a side project on top of the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. His character and Klementieff‘s shared a surprising chemistry when they met in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Bautista felt Gunn was correct in wanting to mine that relationship for more gold. The revelation came after the actor was asked if he’d be willing to star in his own Disney+ series:

    I wouldn’t do a series because Drax as a series would be really rough with the make-up and everything, it would just be too tough. What I would like to do is, honestly, and this is not my idea, I’m stealing this idea, James Gunn had the idea to do a Drax/Mantis movie, and that’s what I’d be up for because there’s just too much fun there.

    Dave Bautista, in March of 2020

    Not long after, Gunn took to his Twitter account to confirm the pitch actually happened. Not only that, the director stated his concept had still not been officially ruled out by the Marvel brass, as many outlets had assumed:

    True. But this was never ruled out. I still think it could be amazing.

    James Gunn, in March of 2020

    For a year following the news, not much was heard in the way of Drax and Mantis movie. However, there was movement on an entirely different Guardians of the Galaxy spin-off. At the 2020 Disney Investor’s Day presentation, only nine months after Bautista and Gunn had voiced their Drax-based desires, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was unveiled. Marvel pulled the curtain back on a short film, a new type of project they would later dub a ‘Special Presentation,’ that would be written and directed by Gunn for a holiday release, with Bautista, Klementieff, and the rest of the Guardians line-up returning for more intergalactic antics.

    The mini-movie seemed to be a completely separate idea at first, something reinforced by more comments made by Bautista in 2021. In an interview with Digital Spy, after once again being asked about the status of a Drax/Mantis film, the Army of the Dead lead was far more pessimistic about the project’s chances of seeing the light of day:

    There were talks for a while about a Drax and Mantis film. It was really because it was James Gunn’s idea. He really wanted to do a Drax and Mantis film. He laid it out to me. I thought it was such a brilliant idea, but I haven’t heard any follow-up from the studio. I don’t think they’re very interested, or it doesn’t fit into the way they have things mapped out…

    Dave Bautista, in May of 2021

    Bautista‘s remark about the studio not fitting the project into their schedule, once again, felt correct at the time. Marvel’s Multiverse Saga is jam-packed with new series, films, and special presentations, and a Drax/Mantis story falling by the wayside in the midst of it all was fully believable. After all, the Holiday Special had been in the works for a good while at that point, and it seemed logical that Bautista would know the extent of his character’s future by then. Furthermore, when the Holiday Special was first announced, Gunn had specifically stated on his social media that it was an idea he had in the tank for a very long while, making it appear as though the short and any other Guardians-related concept pitched in the year prior weren’t one-in-the-same:

    One of my favorite stories ever, which I have bugged Kevin Feige endlessly about over the years. I can’t believe we’re actually doing this. And, yes, I unironically loved the Star Wars Holiday Special as a kid.

    James Gunn, in December of 2020

    In another tweet, posted months later, Gunn stated that he had outlined a treatment for the Holiday Special “years ago,” but had only just finished the actual script in April of 2021. Again, this felt completely innocuous and raised no suspicion among fans who might have been trying to speculate the special’s plot. With the script done, Gunn moved to work on Vol. 3, and the Holiday Special would not begin filming until February of 2022.

    Then, just this month, the Holiday Special dropped its first round of marketing. The trailer, a hit with fans, showcased the short film’s plot – with Peter Quill sunk into a depression, Drax and Mantis decide they can brighten his Christmas by heading to Earth and kidnapping his childhood hero, Kevin Bacon. While the released footage features nearly every member of the Guardians, Drax and Mantis seem to get the most screen time, haplessly wreaking havoc across Los Angeles in their quest to bring home the Bacon. Additionally, the poster dropped by Marvel to accompany the teaser featured only two members of the titular team:

    Drax and Mantis on the Holiday Special poster

    Marvel Studios has a long history of repurposing unused ideas and concepts. It seems plausible that, with Marvel unwilling to play ball on a full-blown Drax/Mantis film, Gunn was able to combine the idea with his long-brewing Holiday Special. Although the creative has seemingly had the Special Presentation in mind for years, he did not actually develop its final script until after conceptualizing the Bautista/Klementieff vehicle. In theory, Gunn might have been able to increase Drax and Mantis’ roles in the special after seeing their spark in Vol. 2 and realizing they would not get another opportunity to star in a project together following Vol. 3. Bautista‘s 2021 claims that a Drax/Mantis movie was not happening predate filming by nearly a year and could have simply come from the fact the actor had yet to see the short’s script and was unaware it had largely become focused on himself and Klementieff. Or the Stuber star simply doesn’t consider the Holiday Special a true Drax/Mantis spin-off.

    Of course, it’s also possible that none of this is true. It could just be that the Holiday Special organically shifted towards focusing on the featured duo as the story came together, or that the other Guardians play a much bigger role than the trailer suggests. Still, it’s fun to imagine that the Holiday Special is secretly the Drax/Mantis movie that Gunn has spent years asking for. Perhaps when he said he’d been bugging Feige about the Special for a long time, he didn’t mean the Holiday part specifically. Only time, and pure unwarranted speculation, will tell.

    Source(s): Collider, IGN, Marvel, Digital Spy, Twitter, Comic Book, Empire,

  • RUMOR: Dr. Doom Will Not Be ‘Fantastic Four’ Villain

    RUMOR: Dr. Doom Will Not Be ‘Fantastic Four’ Villain

    When Marvel Studios regained the rights to Fox’s roster of characters in 2019, speculation began to run rampant. Starting with its fourth “Phase,” the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be able to include everyone from the X-Men to the Silver Surfer in its films and series, and fans couldn’t wait for their favorite heroes and villains to be introduced. At the top of most people’s wish lists, however, was perhaps the greatest villain ever to grace the page. In the minds of fans, Dr. Victor Von Doom, played by Julian McMahon and Toby Kebbell in previous failed attempts at bringing the baddie to life, had a shot at big screen redemption in the next Fantastic Four. Unfortunately, if the latest rumor from Jeff Sneider is true, that won’t exactly be the case.

    In the latest episode of Sneider’s video series Hot Mic, the insider claims that Dr. Doom will not be the antagonist in 2025’s reboot of Marvel’s first family. Instead, he says, Doom will be introduced in the film’s mid-credits scene, setting the villain up for a bigger role in the future of the franchise. If correct, that kicks the door open for a brand-new villain to take the reigns as the Fantastic Four’s initial challenge. Doom has been used as the main threat in both previous live-action origin stories, although he was not part of the group’s first outing in the comics. That honor belonged to the Mole Man, who has yet to appear on film. Perhaps this will be the classic villain’s chance to nab the spotlight, or maybe Kevin Feige and Matt Shakman will opt for something a little crazier – like a trip to the Negative Zone and a bout with Annihilus. Fans will have to wait and find out.

    Source: Hot Mic

  • James Gunn Teases His New Favorite MCU Character in the ‘Guardians’ Holiday Special

    James Gunn Teases His New Favorite MCU Character in the ‘Guardians’ Holiday Special

    Marvel Studios shocked the world today when they dropped the first trailer for their next Special Presentation, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, only a day after starting marketing on one of their next films, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. One of the biggest surprises in the teaser was the revelation that Hollywood icon Kevin Bacon would make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as a fictionalized version of himself. The actor has been jokingly referred to as an “Earth legend” by Chris Pratt‘s Star-Lord on multiple occasions, and it would appear his fellow Guardians took the phrasing to heart. According to the trailer, much of the Holiday Special will feature Dave Bautista‘s Drax and Pom Klementieff‘s Mantis attempting to kidnap Bacon as a present for a forlorn Peter Quill.

    After the footage made its way online, director James Gunn took to his social media to comment on a very specific Tweet from, oddly enough, a full year ago. In October of 2021, Gunn stated that the Holiday Special would introduce his all-time favorite MCU character to fans of the franchise, resulting in months of theories as to who the creative could be talking about. Now, Gunn confirms that he had Bacon in mind the whole time, hinting that the actor’s role in the short film is a favorite of his.

    As revealed by the trailer, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is set to debut on Disney+ on November 25th. The Special Presentation will act as a bridge for the long gap between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Planet of the Apes’ Sequel Adds Five New Cast Members

    ‘Planet of the Apes’ Sequel Adds Five New Cast Members

    The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes just gained five more inhabitants. Travis Jeffery, Neil Sandilands, Sara Wiseman, Lydia Peckham, and Ras-Samuel Weld A’abzgi have all joined the cast of the upcoming Apes sequel, which is set to begin a new chapter in the decades-long saga. They join the previously announced Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Peter Macon, and Kevin Durand to round out an impressive ensemble. There are currently no details on their roles or, truthfully, the plot of the film, but the latest entry in the franchise is expected to take place in the same universe as Matt Reeves‘ critically-acclaimed trilogy. The Maze Runner‘s Wes Ball will take over directing duties, as Reeves has moved on to his Batman projects.

    Jeffrey is best known for his roles in films like Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Angelina Jolie‘s Unbroken, along with television appearances in projects such as AMC’s Preacher and Netflix’s Heartbreak High. Sandilands recently appeared in Netflix’s surprise hit Sweet Tooth and has found plenty of work at The CW in shows like The Flash and The 100. Wiseman is currently starring in Peacock’s mystery series One Of Us Is Lying, while Welda’abzgi can next be seen in the Disney+ original series, The Clearing. As for Peckham, she is perhaps best known for her role in Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop adaptation, as well as a litany of indie projects like Only Cloud Knows and Take Home Pay.

    Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set to release on May 24th, 2024.

    Source: Deadline