Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Kat Dennings Teases Future Marvel Projects

    Kat Dennings Teases Future Marvel Projects

    Here’s a nice little weekend surprise. It seems that Kat Dennings will have a larger role with Marvel moving forward. In an interview with ExtraTV, she let slip that she has already been involved with some things that aren’t WandaVision related. The actress returned for the first time to the franchise in Marvel Studios’ first Disney+ show since her appearance in Thor: The Dark World. Her character Darcy Lewis and Randall Park‘s Jimmy Woo have become some fan-favorites, so there is a lot of hope for her to make a return in some form or another. There is the fact that she doesn’t really especially say that she is involved with Marvel Studios, so there is a chance these are involved with their other ventures.

    Marvel has been pushing out various small documentaries on Disney+, such as their 616 series. She also pulled back from saying anything else before getting into any trouble with the infamous Marvel snipers. It would make sense for her to appear in more future Marvel Studios’ projects, as Darcy might become the leading researcher for multiversal effects. She does confirm that she most likely won’t appear in Thor: Love and Thunder, as she has no information on the project and it already has started filming. Teen Wolf‘s Stephen Ford has also shared his interest in pitching an X-Files show that features Jimmy Woo. Dennings would be a perfect addition to the show and here’s hoping that her return signals many more projects in the near future.

    https://twitter.com/StephenSeanFord/status/1357847408789495808

    If you are interested, you can check out her interview with ExtraTV here:

    Source: ExtraTV via The Direct, Twitter

  • LockeDown #07: Church of Odin Reveals Its Mischievous True Face

    LockeDown #07: Church of Odin Reveals Its Mischievous True Face

    In a world full of uncertainty, LockeDown is there to keep you updated on everything that is happening in the world. In the biggest story of the day, it seems that the Church of Odin had a major secret it was keeping from the rest of the world. Has it destroyed our chance of working with New Asgard? John Locke is back to keep you updated as everything unfolds.

     

     

    If you enjoyed the episode, don’t miss out on getting early access by subscribing to our Patreon to be one of the first to listen to the next entry:

     

  • Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Teases New Iron Man Skin, Roadmap Update, and More

    Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Teases New Iron Man Skin, Roadmap Update, and More

    We are only a few weeks away from the Clint Barton reveal, so we couldn’t wait to see what the latest developer stream may reveal about current projects. It certainly did not disappoint this week, as we have a slew of new information and minor updates to tide us over until Hawkeye’s big reveal. So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump straight into the revelations of the latest Marvel’s Avengers datastream:

    • We can expect a timing on when the upcoming Clint Barton War Table will release. It is not a stream but a pre-recorded video.
    • They revealed another brand new arrow type, the Boomerang Arrows.
    • It got confirmed that a developer blog will release next week with details on the new Wasteland environment. We can expect some insight into the design and inspirations for it. The upcoming Blog will mention Omega Level-threats, as Hawkeye will also receive multiplayer content.
    • They’ve teased a brand new Iron Man skin with a cape, which could be the Infamous Iron Man design.

     

     

    • They are looking into animated nameplates.
    • King Hulk’s hair will get a fix in the next patch.
    • The Roadmap requires the necessary approvals to ensure the release dates. It might not include dates but rather the order of their planned DLC.
    • Currently, there are no plans for new vault missions.
    • HARM Room improvements and features are in development. It was a response to the potential of customization options, so they are looking into it.
    • Multiplayer content is still being looked into, as they want to ensure that everything works.
    • They confirmed that more missions are on the way for the Avengers Initiative. In general, their 2.0 plans include loot, progression, inventory upgrades, new interiors, mission structure, and difficulty. A majority of their team is now working on new content moving forward.

     

     

    • Have also confirmed more weather scenarios for future missions, such as rain.
    • They love the idea of adding mini-games into the Helicarrier or other Outposts.
    • Future Operations can also include multiple characters instead of just focusing on one, but the main focus is to utilize operations to introduce new characters.
    • There was a strong maybe on multiple people playing the same character in the future.

    Well, there you have it. I am really excited to see what the Iron Man skin looks like. It sounds like we can expect some other new skins to get added to the store. The 2.0 plans seem to be a massive undertaking for the team, as they aren’t just focusing on loot but most of the aspects that define the Avengers Initiative. Here’s hoping they can nail those in the coming months so we get some insight into what they are working on. Still, it was a very informative War Table, and cannot wait to see what Clint’s War Table has in store for us once it releases.

    Source: Twitch

  • ‘WandaVision’: Westview is Toying With Vision

    ‘WandaVision’: Westview is Toying With Vision

    WandaVision is a fascinating project for Marvel Studios. It is their first officially released long-form story that spans multiple weeks. After over ten years of films, we’ve come to have certain expectations on what defines a Marvel Studios project. Suddenly, they throw all of that out of the window for a mystery thriller series focused on Wanda and Vision. On top of all that, the show kicked off with three episodes that were primarily sitcoms from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. We then break up the pace by watching people within the Marvel Cinematic Universe watching the show within the hexagon that surrounds Westview. Darcy Lewis is echoing us as viewers that are witnessing everything unfold within the sitcom show. Yet, there something only we can see. It seems that Wanda and the town are desperate to keep Vision in check and distract him from uncovering the truth.

     

    There will be some spoilers for the latest episode. Only continue at your own risk if you haven’t watched the latest episode yet and wish to avoid all spoilers.

     

    Every sitcom episode seems to unravel Wanda’s control over Westview. The initial Dick van Dyke Show tribute only really fell apart in the final few minutes, as Mr. Hart almost suffocated on a strawberry. Yet, if you rewatch the episode, Vision was already suspicious while questioning what exactly his day job was. He was too drunk in the second to notice anything, but once we hit the 70s, reality started to seep in. It was hard enough for him to make sense of his wife giving birth to twins in a matter of hours. Herb cutting through a brick wall without blinking an eye was the last straw for him to realize that something is off. If only Wanda didn’t rewind to ensure he wouldn’t notice. After a short intermission in the MCU, we’ve finally arrived in the 80s.

     

    Here is where things get interesting. Vision still plays along most of the time, but Wanda’s control over the town has mostly fallen apart. Agnes randomly asks if they should redo a shot before returning to the usual format. Wanda uses her magic in public without caring to hide it anymore. I mean, the twins age from babies to 10 years of age within no time at all. Naturally, all of this starts to make Vision question what is happening around him. He manages to break Norm out of Wanda’s control over him to realize what exactly is happening around him. It leads to a confrontation between the two, where we uncover that Vision has no memories of his time before they arrived in Westview. At that very moment, an iconic knock distracts at the perfect time and derail the conversation.

    Wanda confirms that she was not responsible for that. In a way, it feels like Westview or the hex that surrounds it was trying to distract them. We might even have evidence that the next episode will do something similar. A major reveal is that Vision notices there are no children in the town. Wanda tries to distract from that question, but it is true. Even with the “For the Children” line from the second episode, we only met the twins. Yet, if you look closely at past trailers for the upcoming Halloween episode, we suddenly see children. We already know it won’t work going by the official teasers, but it may be hinting at a greater force trying to ensure that Vision remains in Westview. There might be a chance Wanda’s new guest could have something to do with it.

     

    Source: YouTube

  • RUMOR: Willem Dafoe Spotted on ‘Spider-Man 3’ Set

    RUMOR: Willem Dafoe Spotted on ‘Spider-Man 3’ Set

    Spider-Man 3 is slowly turning into an insane film. In a recent interview, Tom Holland called the upcoming threequel one of the most ambitious standalone superhero films ever made. There is also the report by Variety that claims the film will have a similar setup as the animated film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. So, it seems pretty clear that we are heading towards a multiversal storyline. We already know a variety of actors joining the production with Alfred Molina being a major highlight. A few months back, Illuminerdi did run a story claiming that Willem Dafoe and Thomas Haden Church were also in negotiations to make a return. Well, it seems that there might be some truth to that rumor.

    Geeks Worldwide revealed that a close source of theirs has confirmed that Dafoe was seen on the film’s set. They sadly could not offer any details or confirm which role he might be playing. There is also the question about how big a role he might have, as it could be nothing more than just a brief cameo. Still, it is great to see actors from the original Sam Raimi trilogy make a return in this film.

    There is a chance he is either playing Norman Osborn from the original films, a new version of that iconic character, or even someone completely new. The post-credit sequence already kick-started the return of iconic Spider-Man cinematic characters with J.K. Simmons making a grand return as J. Jonah Jameson. So, maybe Dafoe is playing the MCU’s version of Osborn that could have a larger role in future films. At this point, anything is possible with this film and it is just speculation until we get an official word from Sony or Marvel Studios.

    Source: GWW

  • Edgar Wright’s ‘Ant-Man’ Could Return in Marvel Studios’ Disney+ Era

    Edgar Wright’s ‘Ant-Man’ Could Return in Marvel Studios’ Disney+ Era

    Just recently, Edgar Wright revealed that he and Kevin Feige finally buried the hatchet. To offer some context, Wright worked on Ant-Man back in 2003 with Joe Cornish. At the time, Artisan Entertainment held the rights before it returned to Marvel Studios. At one point, it was part of the original 2006 line-up alongside Iron ManThor, and Captain America before getting delayed due to concerns the technology hasn’t quite caught up with the idea. After a second draft and test reel, it would join the franchise’s second phase before Feige gave him time to work on The World’s End.

     

     

    The problem was that the standalone script was facing issues with the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s growth. As a result, creative differences due to constant rewrites led to Wright leaving the project two months before production start. Six years later, he revealed that they were able to bury the hatchet:

    I’m very glad I did it… he was really touched that I had reached out, and I feel what he wrote was great. I told him that I read what he’d said about ‘Aliens’ to James Cameron, which he said was just wild. So it was nice, it’s a nice happy ending to that story.

    It is great to hear that these two titans in the industry were able to make amends. Wright left a lasting impact on how to do visual comedy in the industry. He moved on to direct Baby Driver, which continued to skyrocket his cinematic career that started in 2004 with Shaun of the Dead. So, it was a huge loss for everyone involved that he could not realize his vision of the original script that Joss Whedon described as Marvel’s best. Now, it seems like a distant dream that may never see the light of day. Well, at least that was until Marvel Studios’ latest project, WandaVision, proved we are in new territory.

     

     

    Marvel Studios’ expansion into long-form storytelling introduced us to a show that embraced its sitcom inspirations completely. It broke the formula that has plagued the releases even after the Marvel Creative Committee finally was disbanded. Kevin Feige had the freedom to give his directors more freedom. Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn confirmed that Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter and his committee added haphazard notes that disrupted the production process, such as their decision to ax the Awesome Mix.

    They probably added to the tension surrounding Wright‘s Ant-Man. After some time has passed since they got disbanded, we have a new and more diverse future for Marvel Studios. WandaVision is proof they are willing to explore new types of stories. Even their films have changed drastically over the years. Thor: Ragnarok proved how much freedom a director has nowadays. The MCU project is truly a vision that only Taika Waititi could bring to the silver screen. We are not talking about the same Marvel Studios from five years ago.

     

     

    As such, there is a possibility they use the current multiversal storyline to create unique one-offs that explore existing characters. They could explore a past story within the MCU that doesn’t have to concern itself with the overarching storyline too much. How about we go back in time to follow a young Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne becoming heroes in a pulp-era? The early times of using Pym particles and his adventures as Ant-Man. It still feels like the one storyline Marvel has yet to explore, and it is a waste. It would be a great Disney+ film or TV series, where he can go wild with ideas that were tragically lost when the original script got scrapped. Even if that chapter ended, I will always keep out a little hope that there is a possibility of him returning and make the film he worked so many years on.

    Source: Collider, IndieWire, Collider (Creative Committee), SlashFilm

  • Nhut Le Joins ‘The Suicide Squad’ Spin-Off ‘Peacemaker’ as Judomaster

    Nhut Le Joins ‘The Suicide Squad’ Spin-Off ‘Peacemaker’ as Judomaster

    2021 is going to be a massive year for comic book fans. It also is going to be a great year for James Gunn, who has been working hard on his upcoming DC film, The Suicide Squad. The director still has some time on his hand until he tackles the next entry in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. So, he decided to make an original HBO Max show that focuses on John Cena‘s character Peacemaker, who is set to make his live-action debut in the upcoming film. The spin-off will be produced and written by Gunn, who will also direct multiple episodes.

    The series seems to take a lot of inspiration from the original Charlton Comics with many iconic characters being hinted at through the casting breakdowns. We got the first casting announcements around two months ago so we were hotly anticipating the next bit of news. Well, it has finally arrived, as Nhut Le has joined the production in the role of Judomaster.

    The character has an extensive history and originally premiered in Special War Series #4 all the way back in 1965. As Deadline points out, DC created a new version of the character in Justice League Quarterly #14 in 1994. He originally was a sergeant in the Second World War named Hadley “Rip” Jagger. There was also a female version named Sonia Sato, who made their debut in 2007’s Birds of Prey #100. It is uncertain which version the Groundlings and UCB alum might be playing. Le has played a recurring role on Comedy Central’s The Kroll Show and Disney Channel’s Raven’s Home.

    Source: Variety

  • UPDATE: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Already Started Filming in Turkey

    UPDATE: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Already Started Filming in Turkey

    UPDATE: Here is a quick update on the article, as @Orochimarusama_ was kind enough to translate the statement by Mehmet Ersoy, which reveals that filming has already begun in Cappadocia. They also seem to be eyeing several other locations, so we will see if there is even a chance we might already see some shots from the set make their way online as filming continues.

    Source: Twitter

     

     

    Even as the pandemic lurks, Marvel Studios is not holding back on getting their productions together. They’ve been hard at work on their future slate even if there is still a possibility Black Widow gets another delay that may affect their entire line-up. Just a few days ago, we got our first look at Thor on the set for Thor: Love and Thunder rocking a nice Thunderstrike-inspired costume. The film is slated to release in May 2022, so they have enough time to get productions. There is a good chance that other films for that year might be entering productions in the coming months. Marvel Studios might try to keep potential delays into account and plan in some additional months just in case. It looks like one of those films might also already eyeing its filming locations, as the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, has let slip that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is filming in Turkey on the Turkish TV channel Habertürk TV.

     

     

    I won’t claim I speak a lot of Turkish but the channel is discussing tourism and the pandemics’ impact. They then namedrop Ant-Man during their section on the countries’ filming economy. I think I heard out that Cappadocia might be the location they are eyeing for the upcoming production. It is a beautiful location that is famous for its Hot Air Balloon Flights and Pigeon Valley, where you can find the ruins of Uçhisar Castle. Speaking of, that location could be a perfect backdrop for the Quantumverse’s secret inhabitants that was teased in a deleted scene from Ant-Man and the Wasp. Cappadocia is a beautiful place and has been used for a variety of films and TV shows in the past. It seems rather likely that the Ant-Man threequel is slowly getting ready to start production, especially as Michael Douglas did hint at him growing his goatee in time for production again.

    Source: YouTube, Travel Magazine, SyFy, IMDb, ComicBook

  • ‘Batwoman’, ‘The Flash’, and Many Other CW Shows Get Early Renewal

    ‘Batwoman’, ‘The Flash’, and Many Other CW Shows Get Early Renewal

    The pandemic has changed up the TV landscape with many shows seeing a postponed release. We are a far cry away from the original September release date. Still, some broadcasters put a lot of trust in their shows even before they even officially aired. Among them, The CW is quite famous for its trend of early renewals. Well, it looks like they have started 2021 with a bang by doing exactly that. Their renewal includes various veteran shows, such as The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Riverdale. Jared Padalecki‘s Walker was picked up for an early second season before it officially aired. Various shows were also renewed for their third or fourth season, such as Batwoman, In the Dark, Legacies, Nancy Drew, and Roswell, New Mexico. Superman & Lois is also getting an additional two episodes for its upcoming season.

    CW’s CEO Mark Pedowitz gave the following statement on this early renewal strategy:

    Though we’re just a few weeks into the new season, we wanted to get a strategic head start on next season with these early renewals, which allows our production teams to start laying out story arcs and hiring staff, and at the same time, continues to provide us with a strong, stable schedule to build on for next season.

    It is hard to deny that the ongoing pandemic might still have a strong influence on this decision. Cinemas are still closed, so TV is the dominant offering for those seeking some escapism. It was the perfect season for streaming services to grow, but it also was an opportunity for channels to gain a wider audience. CW is aiming to expand with some spin-offs, such as one focused on Painkiller from the recently canceled Black Lightning showThere was still the surprising cancelation of Green Arrow and the Canaries, which was going to continue on the show that put the channel’s DC shows on the map. We’ll see what direction the CW heads with its 2021 series and what the future has in store for its DC line-up.

    Source: Variety

  • Don Cheadle Confirms Appearance in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’

    Don Cheadle Confirms Appearance in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe is growing and starting to become more and more interconnected. WandaVision already set the first steps, as classic characters like Darcy Lewis and Jimmy Woo had a larger role in the overarching narrative. Now, it seems like Falcon and the Winter Soldier has one icon from the franchise making an appearance. In an interview with the BroBible’s Post-Credit Podcast, the actor may have accidentally revealed that he will be making an appearance in Falcons and the Winter Soldier. In the interview, he states that:

    It’s really a fun and interesting and, by all imagination, completely open-ended — this can go anywhere. It’s great, I can’t wait to get in the room with the writers and figure out how all those things [connecting Armor Wars to the MCU] happen. You know, Rhodey shows up in Winter Soldier and Falcon’s show. So, it can be a lot.

    Cheadle might have joined the ranks of Mark Ruffalo and Tom Holland, who are notorious for accidentally leaking information on the films. His addition also opens up the wider universe, as we didn’t know what role War Machine would have after Avengers. Endgame. There is also a chance that the storyline of Armor Wars may also connect to the series. Rhodey is also in a similar spot to Sam, as he will have to carry on the suit that many connect with Iron Man. Even if he has a different branding, it still is heavily tied to Tony. I can imagine Sam and Bucky meeting up with him to get their hand on some information, or even the plane we see them take in the latest trailer. Whatever his role may be, it is always great to see Cheadle return, and cannot wait to see what the MCU has in store for his character.

    Source: BroBible