Marvel Studios is currently making a splash at San Diego Comic-Con, and the latest project to get the spotlight is Ryan Coogler‘s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Much of the movie’s details have been officially kept under wraps since its announcement. This has included the identity of Michaela Coel‘s mystery character, which has been a source of speculation since she joined the cast some time ago. With the entire cast brought out on stage, fans finally learned who Coel will be playing. The actress will bring to life Aneka, a member of the Dora Milaje when the film hits theaters in November.
Author: Hunter Radesi
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SDCC: First Footage Description of ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’
After a long wait, San Diego Comic-Con is finally here. Not only that, but we also have Marvel Studios’ grand return to the event giving us a glimpse of what is to come. There have been many theories of what to expect, especially with Phase 4 slowly coming to an end. Well, now that the wait is over we got a few glimpses at some already well-established projects such as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
According to those in attendance, the first footage from Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania was featured in a reel made just for the convention. The brief teaser reportedly included glances at Bill Murray’s unnamed character, the Quantum Realm, and Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conquerer. Apparently, the teaser was heavy on the idea all roads lead to conquering. Another small detail confirms Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang will have a new job as an author when fans see him next. At one point, Kang speaks to him and says:
“You’re an interesting man, Scott Lang. You’ve lost a lot of time. But time, it isn’t what you think.“
The villainous MODOK also makes his first appearance in the trailer. His shot is said to be very quick, only revealing his large mechanic head. No discernable actor could be seen as the character.
Source: SDCC
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SDCC: Production I.G. Will Produce Keanu Reeves’ ‘BRZRKR’ Anime For 2 Seasons at Netflix
All eyes may be set on John Wick: Chapter 4, but Keanu Reeves has an entirely different project he’d like his fans to focus on. The actor made a surprise appearance at San Diego Comic-Con to discuss the future of BRZRKR, a brand new franchise co-created by Reeves and writer Matt Kindt. Debuting as a Boom! Studios comic book series in 2021, the story follows an immortal warrior named Berzerker as he battles his way through time. After centuries of honing his skills as a killer, B spends the modern age working as a government agent and attempting to find a way to end his unnaturally long life. The titular hero is illustrated in Reeves’ likeness, and the Hollywood icon has big plans for the character’s future.
It was announced last year that Netflix would produce a live-action film adaptation of the comic with Reeves in the lead role and Project Power’s Mattson Tomlin helming the script. At the time, it was said an anime series would act as the streaming service’s follow-up to the movie, but no further information was given. Now, Boom! Studios has revealed that the anime will be produced through Japanese company Production I.G., best known for their acclaimed work on Ghost in the Shell and Eden of the East. It was also confirmed that the anime will last only two seasons, planned ahead as a contained story as opposed to an ongoing epic. If that wasn’t enough, Reeves closed his panel with a final reveal that Random House will be publishing a BRZRKR novel from an unnamed New York Times bestselling author. The identity of the author is being kept under wraps for now.
Source: IGN
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Michelle Rodriguez On Losing ‘Fast X’ Director and the Future of the Franchise
The Fast & Furious franchise is closer to the finish line than ever before, but the final leg hasn’t been without its setbacks. Fast X, currently planned as the second-to-last installment in the series, lost its director in April after on-set disagreements caused Justin Lin to experience burnout. He was quickly replaced by Louis Leterrier, who has since kept the film on track for its May 19, 2023 release.
At San Diego Comic-Con to promote her latest project, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, actress Michelle Rodriguez was asked about Fast X and its current state of affairs. The longtime series star excitedly revealed to Deadline that losing a director didn’t delay the movie’s production at all and that it actually may be further along than fans thought:
Oh, I couldn’t even believe it. We lost a director and everything and nothing was stopping that machine, let me tell you. We’re almost done. I mean, production is literally like, four weeks or five weeks away from finishing.
Michelle RodriguezRodriguez was then asked where her character, Letty, fit into the scheme of things, and how much work she had left to complete before moving on. Her answer was succinct and surprising:
Bro, I finished already. I finished shooting. We did our thing, baby. Trust me, you’re gonna see so much craziness you’re gonna be like “Oh, I get it.”
Michelle RodriguezFast X has been billed as the first of a two-part franchise finale, but Rodriguez seems to think there could be more in the tank after the formal Fast Saga comes to an end. When asked about the future of the franchise, she didn’t appear convinced that the currently-untitled Fast 11 would actually be the series’ closer:
I have no idea, mama. Trust me. At some point we’re gonna have to pass the baton on to the younger generation. Don’t worry, we’re popping out kids. It’ll happen.
Michelle RodriguezRodriguez can be seen next in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, hitting theaters March 3, 2023.
Source: Deadline
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‘Madame Web’ Set Video May Confirm Dakota Johnson as Julia Carpenter
Filming for Sony’s latest Marvel project, Madame Web, is currently underway in Boston, and a new video from the set may have finally confirmed who Dakota Johnson is playing. The film’s titular character is traditionally portrayed as an elderly woman confined to a magically extravagant chair, so the casting of Johnson as the lead has perplexed fans since the news of her involvement broke in February. Rumors have circulated for months that the former 50 Shades of Grey star might be playing a different iteration of Madame Web than longtime Spider-Man readers are accustomed to seeing, and the latest footage from the set has likely confirmed this to be the case.
The outfit worn by Johnson in the video is clearly a match for the character Julia Carpenter, who has a long history in Marvel comics. Carpenter was introduced in 1984’s famous Secret Wars story as the second Spider-Woman, after Jessica Drew, having obtained spider-like abilities from a secret government experiment. The heroine would appear on-and-off in Spider-Man comics for the next handful of decades, until she made the transition from Spider-Woman to Madame Web in 2010. She gained the latter’s clairvoyant powers as the original Madame Web perished, and chose Carpenter as her successor.
Madame Web is in production under the direction of S.J. Clarkson, and has thus far assembled a fairly impressive cast. Aside from Johnson, audiences will also see Sydney Sweeney, Adam Scott, Isabela Merced, Emma Roberts, and Mike Epps appear in the film. It’s still unknown who any of the other stars will be playing, but Johnson‘s seemingly confirmed role as Carpenter may give fans a hint as to the direction the story will be going.
Source: Twitter
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Rege-Jean Page Explains Why He Joined ‘Dungeons & Dragons’
The celebrity of Rege-Jean Page has only just begun, and the actor can’t seem to wait for audiences to see his next project. Hot off the smashing success of Bridgerton‘s steamy first season, Page left the series and pursued other work. He can next be seen on the same streaming service that made him a star, portraying a lead character in Netflix’s action thriller film The Grey Man. There, he’ll act opposite Hollywood icons Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, under direction from blockbuster maestros Joe and Anthony Russo. If that wasn’t enough to solidify Page‘s spot as one of the industry’s next great leading men, his follow-up to The Grey Man will likely do the trick.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves will be the first theatrically released, live-action adaptation of the world’s most famous role-playing game since 2000’s critical failure, Dungeons & Dragons. Page plays a Paladin named Xenk in the film, putting his name up with the likes of fellow cast members Chris Pine and Hugh Grant. The former Mortal Engines star is currently at San Diego Comic-Con promoting the movie, and offered a fantastic answer when asked by The Hollywood Reporter why he joined the cast in the first place:
In a word, it was fun. It was really, really fun. I remember picking up the script and not knowing what to expect and hoping it was good and then it surpassing every hope that I had for it. It’s full of heart, and humor, and compassion, and adventure… You always love it when a job makes it hard to say no, and so I didn’t.
Rege-Jean PageIf Page is even the least bit accurate with this description, then Honor Among Thieves won’t be a release fans will want to miss. The reboot, directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, hits theaters on March 3, 2023.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Becomes 10th Highest-Grossing Film of All Time Domestically
Ride into the danger zone, because Top Gun: Maverick has become the 10th highest-grossing film of all time domestically. The critically acclaimed sequel, directed by Joseph Kosinski, has officially beaten out 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi to earn a place on the historic list. It does so with a current domestic total of $622 million at the box office, just passing the $620.2 million brought in by the eighth entry in The Skywalker Saga. Maverick joins a coveted group that also includes Spider-Man: No Way Home, Titanic, Jurassic World, and Avatar.
The film is the second installment in a franchise that started back in 1986, with Tony Scott‘s original Top Gun. The only returning cast members from the first film are Tom Cruise, whose character headlines the sequel, and Val Kilmer, who appears in what could be one of his final film credits. Miles Teller co-stars as “Rooster,” the son of Anthony Edwards‘ deceased “Goose”, alongside Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell, Jon Hamm, Monica Barbaro, and Lewis Pullman. The plot of Maverick sees Cruise‘s titular rogue pilot brought back to the Top Gun academy as a reluctant instructor, charged with prepping a new generation of graduates for a near-impossible mission.
Top Gun: Maverick has been somewhat of a saving grace for the film industry, bringing audiences back to cinemas in droves after a dreary few years. The movie’s success also came as a bit of a surprise, with few people expecting the legacy sequel to compete with the likes of Marvel Studios and Hollywood’s other heavy-hitting franchise films. Its popularity can be attributed to a genuinely great final product, combined with the star power of Cruise, nostalgia for the iconic first adventure, and a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Source: Twitter
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‘Everything, Everywhere All At Once’ Receiving Theatrical Re-Release With Extra Footage
Everything, Everywhere All At Once will, once again, be coming to a theater near you. The hit indie film, directed by creative duo Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, is set to receive a theatrical re-release on July 29th. According to a report from Deadline, heading back out to cinemas for another go-around will earn audiences an exclusive new introduction from the filmmakers along with a full eight minutes of outtakes, presumably played at the end of the movie.
The re-release of Everything, Everywhere All At Once is likely part of A24’s awards campaign for the film, which currently has a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It will also increase the already-impressive box office haul attained by the project, which is A24’s highest-grossing ever at $94 million globally.
Everything, Everywhere All At Once stars Michelle Yeoh as a struggling laundromat owner who discovers the answers to her problems either lie somewhere in the vast plains of the multiverse, or deep within her own heart. The movie also features Ke Huy Quan, in his first major American film role since 1992’s Encino Man, as well as Stephanie Hsu, James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Harry Shum Jr. and Jenny Slate round out the cast in supporting roles. This will be the second time A24 has re-released one of its films with a slightly longer cut, following Midsommar‘s second turn in theaters in the summer of 2019. The next major release from the studio will be Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, a horror comedy starring Pete Davidson and Amandla Stenberg, on August 5th.
Source: Deadline
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RUMOR: ‘The Marvels’ Will Feature Musical Elements
Carol Danvers is one of the galaxy’s mightiest heroes, but does she also have one of its best voices? A new rumor making its way across the internet says that The Marvels, the upcoming sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel, will feature musical elements in the film. The information comes from a variety of online outlets with a strong track record of being correct, and if true, could help The Marvels stand out in Marvel Studios’ extensive Phase 4 plan. According to the word on the street, the movie will include a sequence in which its characters visit an alien planet where song is the only developed form of communication.
Star Brie Larson is set to reprise her role as Danvers, which will surely help if The Marvels actually does lean into its musical side. The actress is known for her vocal capabilities, having previously flexed her golden pipes in projects like 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and a solo album, titled Finally Out of P.E., released in 2005. So, if any member of the cast has the qualifications to pull off a musical number, it’s Larson.
While The Marvels having a potential musical section comes as a surprise, there is actually a basis for the concept in the comics. 2014’s Captain Marvel #9 took it’s titular character to the planet Aldana, where all living beings spoke to each other in rhyme and music. The move would also set up The Marvels as the second major comic book movie to feature musical elements in the next couple years, coming before Joker: Folie à Deux does the same thing with Joaquin Phoenix.
The Marvels is set to hit theaters on July 28, 2023.
Source: The Direct
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‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Writer Surprised By Post-Credits Cameo
Thor: Love and Thunder was full of surprises, but it’s biggest was perhaps one that came after the credits started rolling. A brief mid-credits scene introduced fans to Hercules, played by Ted Lasso’s Brett Goldstein, in a reveal that will likely serve to continue the adventures of Thor and his cohorts. The cameo caught global audiences off guard, and apparently, it was just as much of a shock to the film’s writer as it was to everyone else.
Screenwriter Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who partnered with director Taika Waititi to craft Love and Thunder’s story, told Variety that she was mostly unaware of Hercules’ inclusion before seeing it at the premiere. However, the creative didn’t seem to mind being left out of that decision:
I saw that at the premiere with everybody else. In the same way that I guess Taika didn’t know Thor was coming back, I did not know that Roy Kent was Hercules. I’m a huge Marvel fan, so I was delighted to have one moment in the movie where I was truly surprised.
Jennifer Kaytin RobinsonWhen pressed over how she could have gotten all the way to the film’s release without knowing about the cameo, Robinson admitted she did have some idea the appearance could be happening. It would seem not all conversations at Marvel Studios are as secretive as people think:
I knew there was talk about Hercules. The name Hercules was not not said in conversations that I definitely, probably wasn’t supposed to overhear, but did. So the minute I saw the beginning of the scene, I knew he was gonna be talking to Hercules. I didn’t know who they cast. But I was like, is this gonna be Hercules? I just knew that it was a thing that they were like, “We’re gonna want leeway with this, so stay away from it.”
Jennifer Kaytin RobinsonThe last bit of Robinson’s quote is especially interesting, as it could suggest Marvel’s plans for the future of Goldstein’s character are still being figured out. Also, the fact that the film’s writer was kept in the dark about the script’s addition speaks volumes about the lengths Marvel will go to maintain a big reveal.
Source: Variety
