Murphy's Multiverse

Category: Features

  • ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Chapter 14 Primer

    ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Chapter 14 Primer

    In the latest episode of The Mandalorian Chapter 13, “The Jedi”, a lot of exciting stuff happened. The Child got a name, which I think we all love. I have been waiting for him to get a name for a while now and I was expecting something closer to Yoda, but Grogu is pretty cute, too. We got Ahsoka! Her first live-action appearance happened in the first few moments of the episode; she was so awesome and powerful and it felt pretty cool to see an awesome female Jedi character in the show. We also learned that beskar, which is the material Mando’s armor is made out of, can’t be cut with lightsabers. Ashoka gets a beskar spear which she gives to the Mandalorian. Ashoka says she won’t train Grogu, she sends them off to an old Jedi temple on the planet Tython to let Grogu choose his own path.

     

    There are only three episodes left and there are a lot of things that have been set in motion along the way in Season 2, but the question is how many of them are going to be resolved before the end of the season. Some of the things that could possibly get resolved before the end of the season are:

    • Boba Fett is alive!
    • Bo-Katan is after Moff Gideon
    • Moff Gideon has created Dark Troopers and is tracking Mando to get Grogu’s blood
    • Grogu has to contact other Jedi and determine his future.

    Any of those things could be followed up on in the next few episodes or they could become arcs in other Disney Plus Star Wars streaming series or in Season 3 of The Mandalorian.

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    We can all agree that every time that the Mando tries to make it somewhere, there is a bump in the road. So I think this week’s bump in the road is going to be that Moff Gideon will find the Mando and the two will face off in a brutal battle for Grogu! We have learned that the beskar spear can’t be cut by lightsabers, but maybe the Darksaber can break it. If this happens and Mando gets defeated, Gideon can steal Grogu, changing the game and putting Din Djarin back in the position of hunter instead of hunted!

    The Mandalorian Chapter 14 streams tomorrow!

     

  • HBO Max: Warner Bros. 2021 Film Release Schedule

    HBO Max: Warner Bros. 2021 Film Release Schedule

    Warner Bros. may have started a brand new development within the cinematic market. They just announced that they will release their entire 2021 slate simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. Now, the official trailer does mention that the films and release schedules are subject to change. It has been quite confusing with all the delays in 2020, so let’s look at a quick rundown of all films slated to release next year. The new HBO Max release schedule will technically start as of December 25th with Wonder Woman 1984. So, as of now, Mortal Kombat will kickstart the year but we still have no trailer for the film, so there is a good chance it will get delayed. Here is an overview of all Warner Bros. 2021 films:

     

    January 15th, 2021: Mortal Kombat

    March 5th, 2021: Tom & Jerry

    March 12th, 2021: The Many Saints of Newark

    May 21st, 2021: Godzilla vs. Kong

    June 4th, 2021: The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

    June 18th, 2021: In the Heights

    July 16th, 2021: Space Jam: A New Legacy

    August 6th, 2021: The Suicide Squad

    October 1st, 2021: Dune

    November 5th, 2021: Elvis

    November 19th, King Richard

    December 22nd, 2021: The Matrix 4

    December 22nd, 2021: Sherlock Holmes 3

    No Release Date: Judas and the Black Messiah

    No Release Date: Those Who Wish Me Dead

    No Release Date: Malignant

    No Release Date: CryMacho

     

    It is quite an extensive list of films that we can expect to get released in the coming year. We will see if any of these dates will change throughout the year, especially if some of the films that are still in production might face delays due to the pandemic. HBO Max’s subscriber numbers are sure to rise with every major release, so it’ll be interesting to see if it will be able to compete with Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ through this strategy. We will see if other film giants will also follow in this digital revolution.

    Source: The Numbers

  • Our Pitch For a ‘Superior Foes’ Series In the MCU

    Our Pitch For a ‘Superior Foes’ Series In the MCU

    I promised myself I’d swear off writing one of these on account of them taking so much of my headspace for weeks at a time but I just had to write it down because I dug the idea so much. One of the best things I’ve read in the past 5 years was Nick Spencer‘s Superior Foes of Spider-Man, a screwball spin-off featuring the Seinfeld version of the Sinister Six. The comic saw several D-list villains come together to try tried to make it as a supervillain team all the while dealing with each other’s bullshit. The comic’s unique tone reminded me of the works of the Coen Brothers and shows like Better Call Saul. How it deftly bridged the wacky irreverence of characters, the despicability of their actions, and the absurdity of the situations they get themselves in. So it was only natural for me to imagine this show as a dark comedy, in the vein of the shows I mentioned above, should it ever make it to the MCU. And yeah, I went the extra mile and tried to plot an entire season.

    SETTING

    Ever wondered what it was like to live in the 5 years when half of the universe disappeared? I have, which is why this Superior Foes story is set in that timeframe, approximately a year before Scott Lang escapes the Quantum Realm. That time gap is so ripe for interesting stories and themes. The main thing I wanted to figure out was what the quality of living was like in a world that essentially nosedived into chaos and oblivion. Does it feel post-apocalyptic? Does the world look like an episode of The Walking Dead? With half of the world gone, imagine how crippled law enforcement would be and how remaining criminal organizations would fill the void left by their rivals.  How does one make a living in a period like this? It already sets up an immensely intriguing arc. This story tries to address those ideas while staying true to the spirit and irreverence of Nick Spencer‘s comic.

    Mind you, this iteration of the team is a reimagined one with none of the characters from the comics with the exception of Beetle. Because the comic was super Spidey-centric, I wanted a team made of up villains that didn’t necessarily belong to one particular rogue’s gallery. Also given how finicky the live-action rights of Spidey characters are, I figured to just try to keep most of the characters within the legal rights of Marvel Studios. However, l think what made the comic so good was the type of characters it included; Overdrive and Boomerang are legit D-listers that added a fun irreverence to the story. The characters that show up in this story are in that vein and are some of the most ridiculous characters in Marvel’s history.

    PLOT

    EPISODE 1

    Prologue: Paladin’s origins

    Arms dealer and crime syndicate boss Sonny Burch gets word that a highly dangerous, “world-changing” piece of hardware is stashed in an abandoned AIM base in Arizona. Fearing the hardware falling into the hands of rival organizations, he commissions washed-up mercenary Paladin to form an extraction team of his own. Paladin brings his partner-in-crime Jeb into the fold along with four down-on-their-luck schmucks – Stilt-Man, Paste Pote-Pete, Jester, and Beetle. Jester is quickly kicked out of the team for being an asshole. Expecting some resistance from rival factions, Sonny Burch contacts former Stark employee William Riva to arm the team. The team heads to the hidden AIM base in Montana where they encounter a rival faction led by Grizzly. The two groups engage in a piss-poor firefight with Paladin’s team escaping with the hardware. The group takes shelter in one of Nick Fury’s hidden bases in the state. They open the hardware and see that it’s the severed head of Ultron. It awakens instantly and becomes sentient.

    EPISODE 2

     

    Prologue: Paste-Pot Pete origin story

    The robot’s awakening sends the entire team into a panic. They angrily debate on whether to surrender Ultron to Burch, who they think is planning to use the robot to take over the world. Fearing another world-ending catastrophe just after the snap, conscience strikes the team and they all agree to betray Burch and come up with a new plan: bring the head to the Avengers HQ and get compensated handsomely. The team departs Fury’s hidden base and soon after that, Burch gets an anonymous message informing them of their plans. 

    EPISODE 3

     

    Prologue: Stilt-Man origin story

    Tensions rise between the team as they make their way to Roswell, New Mexico, where Jeb has set up a rendezvous with a contact, a former Hammer Industries agent codenamed K, to get them to New York as soon as possible. Paladin and Beetle grow distrustful of one another, believing each other to have their own agendas while Stilt-Man and Paste-Pot Pete take a liking to Ultron, who is now an active participant in the team’s discussions, helping them navigate through the trip. They also meet Gary the Cameraman, last seen in Iron Man 3, who they befriend. The team makes an effort to keep Ultron a secret from K to stay out of trouble but is futile as K manages to see Ultron. Learning the full extent of their situation, K agrees to take them to New York. As they prepare to depart for New York, the team is ambushed by Jester and Grizzly’s crew, who are now working for Burch. The fight goes poorly once again and much to everyone’s dismay, Beetle escapes with Ultron in the middle of the fight.

    EPISODE 4

     

    Prologue: Beetle origin story

    The fight abruptly ends as everyone races to find Beetle. Both Paladin and Jester’s team make several attempts to outpace one another. Beetle rushes through the streets of Roswell when she is suddenly stopped by K, who reveals himself to be a Skrull named K’ravt. Both teams arrive in the nick of time just as K’ravt is about to steal Ultron from Beetle, much to their shock at the revelation. Nonetheless, they band together and have their own little Endgame moment, a posse of ragtag misfits against one evil alien. That sense of relief quickly goes away when a small Skrull aircraft hovering above them decloaks and beams down three more Skrulls, revealing the Skrull Kill Krew. Jester’s team zooms past everyone leaving Paladin’s team to fight them. Against all odds, the Skrulls are defeated by Paladin’s team but not without repercussions. Stilt-Man and Paladin are wounded in the fight. The aircraft they were supposed to use to fly to New York, which is actually a Skrull ship, has been destroyed. But most important of all, Jeb makes an earth-shattering revelation and reveals himself to be a Skrull.

    EPISODE 5

     

    Prologue: Jeb origin story

    With two members injured, having no resource to move on with their plan, Beetle having just betrayed them, and the revelation that Jeb is a Skrull, the team reaches an all-time low. They are helped by Iron Man 3’s Gary the Cameraman, who they meet in Roswell earlier. Gary helps them find shelter in a warehouse outside the city. This episode mostly has the team dealing with their trust issues and coming to terms with how screwed up they are. Paladin gets outed by Beetle for trying to secretly contact Burch throughout their trip. Paladin comes clean with his debt problems with Burch, but claims he didn’t sell the team’s location to him. Jeb is confronted by the team on whether he planned to surrender Ultron to the Skrulls. 

    Ultron helps them devise a plan on how to deal with their two dilemmas: getting to New York and dealing with Burch chasing them. They decide to have Burch come to them under the pretense of surrendering Ultron. In actuality, they plan to steal Burch’s repurposed Quinjet, who has been seen using it in the first episode. They make the call and set a rendezvous. Burch makes several calls to various mercenaries to help him out but is unsuccessful. With no other option, Burch brings out a mysterious weapon. As Ultron helps the team strategize, we cut to an undisclosed laboratory where we see a kid sitting in front of several huge monitors mimicking and controlling what Ultron is saying through a mouthpiece in real-time. The kid turns out to be Amadeus Cho. 

    EPISODE 6

     

    Prologue: Amadeus Cho origin story

    The episode opens with 8-year old Amadeus Cho walking around the Avengers compound. He peeks out of a window to see Captain America and Falcon boarding a Quinjet. He walks by Bruce Banner’s office and looks inside to see if his favorite Avenger is in the room. Jump to 3 years later where he, his sister, and his mom, Helen, are living in the city. The snap happens and his sister and mom disappear. Cut to 3 years later, Amadeus is in a makeshift laboratory tinkering with something on his computer. We see him help law enforcement raid an illegal arms cache through remote hacking. Satisfied with the raid, Amadeus continues with studying the schematics of a redacted Ultron file he uncovers. He tracks the file’s origin to Arizona. On his computer, he parses through files of wanted active crime bosses. On the list is Sonny Burch among several others. Amadeus manages to remotely access the head of the Ultron bot and anonymously puts the word out that the head is up for grabs.  

    We then see various points of the season through Amadeus’ perspective; the heist, talking to the team, manipulating them to go through certain routes and locations, pinging Burch on their whereabouts, the arrival of the Skrulls until we get to the present. The team is now holed up in a bunker in Arizona awaiting Burch’s arrival. Expecting Burch to arrive with a slew of mercenaries, the team prepares a plan to take down Burch’s crew efficiently with Jeb masquerading as Paladin and Paste-Pot Pete planting a slew of traps. Things turn upside quickly when Burch arrives with his secret weapon: the Super Adaptoid. Of course, the fight doesn’t go as well as Burch had hoped as the Adaptoid doesn’t have any formidable abilities to adapt from his enemies. 

    The tide turns in favor of the team as they gain the upper hand. But just as they’re about to defeat the Super Adaptoid, the fight is interrupted by the intervention of an unexpected challenger: Bruce MF Banner, who is now Smart Hulk. The Adaptoid’s power level increases and the fight becomes a lot harder. But the team manages to come together and help Professor Hulk destroy the Super Adaptoid. Burch tries to make his escape but is stopped by Gary. The destroyed head of Ultron is uncovered in the rubble. 

    Burch is arrested once more and is shipped off to the Raft. Professor Hulk tracks down Amadeus Cho’s location where they meet in person for the first time. It is revealed that Cho was instrumental in Bruce’s success in merging both his and Hulk’s personalities as he anonymously corresponded with Bruce and sent formulas. Cho admits to taking a liking to Paladin’s crew and asks Hulk what happened to the team. Bruce reveals that he let the team go under the condition they attend Steve Rogers’ group counseling session on a weekly basis. Cut to the team sitting in a circle with Steve Rogers. 

    CHARACTERS

    Paladin – a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who excelled in the boot camp and wowed superiors but failed to be amount to anything on the field. Needless to say, Paladin peaked way too early. His days on the field as a SHIELD agent were a dud as several missions he was involved in were botched due to his incompetence. The collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D. became Paladin’s opportunity to prove himself elsewhere so he turned to private military contracting where he failed as well. Desperate to finally win in life, he sets up an elaborate operation with the help of his friend Sonny Burch’s finances where his team is intended to come out successful. Paladin, once more, takes another L as the snap happens during the mission, leaving him as the only survivor. Paladin becomes in debt to Burch.

    Jeb/J’bronii – A shy soft-spoken Skrull who has assimilated on Earth for several years. Jeb was originally sent to Earth alongside countless others to help facilitate the pending Skrull Invasion.  His task was to infiltrate Hydra to learn the ins and outs of the organization. However, a misunderstanding leads Jeb to join an industrial company called Hydro. Jeb manages to work his way up the career ladder and is an assistant regional manager when the snap happens. Having not heard from his superiors or allies in years, Jeb starts feeling guilty – thinking the Skrull Empire has somehow failed the invasion of Earth – and starts a journey of self-discovery to reclaim the Skrull in him once more.

    Stilt-Man – A henchman whose claim to fame was that he squared off with Captain America in the Lemurian Star, an encounter that left him permanently injured. He befriends Jeb and Paste-Pot Pete after a chance encounter and the three begin hanging out regularly. When he gets the invite to join Paladin’s team, he is given a suit of armor that allows him to extend his height. Neither malicious nor decent, Stilt-Man is a bit of a dummy who thinks hanging out with supervillains would elevate his chances of being a famous superhero one day. Gets along with Ultron and Paste Pot Pete really well.

    Paste-Pot Pete – The everyman of the group. Paste Pot Pete began dressing up and fighting crime in his youth inspired by the adventures of Captain America. Unlike his teammates, Paste-Pot Pete has no ambition in power or wealth. Now, he’s a mild-mannered 60-year old man urged his late grandson who perished in the snap to relive his glory days as a cheesy costumed fighter from the 80s. Arguably the nicest member of the group.

    Beetle – Daughter of a retired crime boss called the Beetle. The Beetle in his heydey was one of the west coast’s most powerful crime bosses until the 21st century came along, where his traditional organization was left in the wind by the more tech-centric organizations like AIM. The Beetle eventually had to sell off most of his assets to a rival group, leaving him and his family broke. The power struggle left by the snap convinces the now-retired Beetle to urge his daughter to help rebuild his criminal organization. He sends her on a path that leads her to Paladin’s team.

    Amadeus Cho – a boy-genius who grew up in close proximity with the Avengers thanks to his mother Helen Cho’s involvement with the team. Cho exhibited breathtaking intellect at a young age, impressing the likes of Bruce Banner. Cho is instrumental in Bruce’s eventual transformation into Professor Hulk, anonymously corresponding with Bruce in every step of the experimental process. With no one left to assist the Avengers after the snap, Cho takes it upon himself to round off the remaining criminal organizations as a vigilante hacker. His masterplan essentially is to put a stop to Burch’s operation so he comes up with an elaborate scheme to entrap Burch.

    Sonny Burch – Since getting arrested by Jimmy Woo and the FBI, Burch has managed to slither back into society and is up to no good once more. Since we last saw him in Ant-Man and the Wasp, Burch has gone up the ranks of criminality and is now the top dog in his organization.

     

     

    Bruce Banner – Avengers: Endgame glossed over the finer details of how Bruce managed to merge his personality with the Hulk so I thought it neat to fill in some of the blanks of his transformation and build Bruce’s world a little bit. An Endgame deleted scene also showed Bruce rescuing a family in a burning building, which would have teased the Hulk actually doing some day-to-day superheroics. I figured what better way to showcase Bruce’s full transformation into a real hero by him going on missions himself to stop bad guys.

  • ‘STAR WARS’: How Pierce Brosnan Became a Fancasting Favorite for Thrawn

    ‘STAR WARS’: How Pierce Brosnan Became a Fancasting Favorite for Thrawn

    Besides introducing Ahsoka to a Star wars live-action project, Chapter 13 of The Mandalorian made way for yet another character to emerge from a Star Wars animated series. It was revealed that Anakin Skywalker’s former Jedi Padawan is searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn, most likely because finding him might help her get to her missing Jedi friend Ezra Bridger. So being, this seems to indicate that, even though it probably won’t be on The Mandalorian, Thrawn is now also set to make a transition to live-action.

    Ever since the character first appeared on Star Wars Rebels, there have been several ideas on who should play the part, should it ever make its way to a non-animated project. British actors were pretty much on the forefront, as most of the Imperial Officers we’ve gotten so far in Star Wars movies have had that common characteristic, going back to Peter Cushing in the ’70s. Benedict Cumberbatch (who played the similarly stoic Khan in the Star Trek franchise), Jason Isaacs, and Hugo Weaving were amongst the names that surfaced as being popular choices for the role.

    In April 2019 another name managed to gain traction amongst fans, mostly due to the mural unveiled at Star Wars Celebration Chicago. The massive mural portrayed the entire saga, as well as the rest of the more prominent projects in the Star Wars Universe (Rogue One, Solo, The Clone Wars, and Star Wars Rebels). An interesting feature of the said mural was that all the animated characters were depicted as photorealistic figures, and not as their animated counterparts. In the Rebels section, taking his place alongside Kanan Jarrus, Hera Syndulla, and the aforementioned Ezra Bridger was Grand Admiral Thrawn, and his resemblance to actor Pierce Brosnan was uncanny.

    This led many to believe that Brosnan could have turned out to not only but the frontrunner for the part but he could actually already have signed onto some Star Wars project, even though there was none in sight. But now, with what we’ve witnessed on The Mandalorian, an Ahsoka-centered live-action show could be it. But does Brosnan really fit the role?

    If we take into consideration the voice talent chosen to impersonate the part on Star Wars Rebels: Not really. Thrawn is an Imperial Officer, but he isn’t your usual one. Him being a Chiss and not a human, Rebels didn’t go the British route and cast Lars Mikkelsen, a Scandinavian actor in the role, with a somewhat Scandinavian accent. Lucasfilm took great care in getting Ahsoka Tano’s voice to translate into live-action almost seamlessly so it would make sense for them to do the same when it came to Thrawn’s. Most actors are obviously capable of doing their job in many accents, so this obviously isn’t a deal-breaker, even though it isn’t how past choices have been made.

    Regarding his appearance, there is no doubt Brosnan could look the part. But the former 007 would definitively be more on the older side of what the character requires. The last couple of seasons of Star Wars Rebels, where Thrawn’s age would have been something between his early 40s and early 50s, are set roughly ten years before the events of The Mandalorian. This would mean that if we encounter Thrawn after the Ahsoka episode, he could be between his early 50s and early 60s. Pierce Brosnan is currently 67 years old. With at least a year before we would see him in the actual role, he would be almost ten years older than the oldest Thrawn could realistically be. We are obviously talking about an alien that doesn’t need to age at the rate humans do, and the role isn’t exceptionally physical, so even though Lucasfilm is probably looking for someone younger, this shouldn’t immediately put him out of contention.

    All things considered, I wouldn’t put my money on the Brosnan casting. Even though he would certainly be capable of playing someone with Thrawn’s demeanor, it’s fair to think that casting someone younger would open a few more storyline possibilities for the character. The mural is obviously a fun thing to examine, but given that Thrawn is a blue alien with red eyes, the makeup alone needed for the role is bound to make it easy for almost anyone to end up with the right look. There should be little doubt the artist used Brosnan as inspiration, but it’s certainly a stretch to think Disney would leak information that way. Ahsoka Tano herself is also pictured on the mural and she doesn’t look at all like Rosario Dawson. And since both characters are connected in the way Lucasfilm has decided to introduce both to live-action, their development should have come at a similar time, giving yet another reason not to think too much of Thrawn’s portrait.

     

     

  • Olivia Wilde Should Cast Aubrey Plaza as Spider-Woman

    Olivia Wilde Should Cast Aubrey Plaza as Spider-Woman

    Looks like Aubrey Plaza is at a career-high. She was a standout in Hulu’s Happiest Season. Her next film, Lawrence Levine’s Black Bear, is scheduled to release on December 4th after receiving rave reviews at 2020’s Sundance Film Festival. Now, the news broke that she is also joining Jason Statham in Guy Ritchie‘s upcoming thriller Five Eyes. Now, we started to wonder if we might see her join another superhero-based franchise in the near future. She has openly talked bout her interest in playing She-Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    She-Hulk? Oh my god, I would love to be She-Hulk. Because I had super-strength? Yes, I want to be She-Hulk. Write that movie and I’ll do it. I would love to be any kind of superhero or person with super-strength.

    Well, the role went to Tatiana Maslany but that doesn’t mean there is still a chance for her to get a role. Now, there are many great roles she could take on, especially with her interest in a character, who has super-strength. Actually, isn’t there one more Marvel property looking for a female superhero? One that already has an amazing director signed on? I think there is even a rumor that while it being a separate company it will have Marvel Studios’ involvement? Oh yeah, Olivia Wilde‘s Spider-Woman is currently in some form of production. The story of Jessica Drew, a former HYDRA agent who is trying to find her place in the world after realizing her memories were manipulated.

     

     

    Now, we have no idea which story arc the upcoming film will be inspired by. She was part of HYDRA, she had a private detective agency, she got replaced by the Skrull Queen, and just recently had a kid. That last storyline especially redefined her character after a controversial image was released that oversexualized her. It gave her a truly unique story arc. We got a sassy mother-to-be trying to juggle her life and her friendship with Carol Danvers. Aubrey Plaza is no stranger to playing a mother figure, as she took on that role in the Child’s Play remake. Her time on NBC’s Parks and Recreation showcased her snark that would be perfect for a hero, who has probably gone through anything one can think of in a superhero world.

    Plus, if Kevin Feige is involved with the project, we could see her play off of Brie Larson and join other heroes in the wider MCU. She would be a great addition and we could even get a joke when she meets Maslany‘s She-Hulk. Plaza can bring in a unique charm that could play on Spider-Woman’s unique experiences. The character exists solely to ensure the copyright to any variation of Spider-related characters but received some of the most unique storylines out there. Here’s hoping that Wilde makes use of the characters’ unique history and listens to this random writer fan-casting her film’s lead.

    Source: Deadline, CinemaBlend

  • Exploring ‘Daredevil’s Future Beyond Its Netflix Run

    Exploring ‘Daredevil’s Future Beyond Its Netflix Run

    For those out there hoping to support the return of Netflix’s Daredevil, be sure to check out the site SaveDaredevil.com. They’ve probably been campaigning for its return since its cancellation, so be sure to give them a visit while you’re at it!

     

    It is crazy to think that Daredevil‘s third season aired two years ago. Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio reminded us why they were the perfect duo to take on the dynamic between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk. The original Netflix deal was massive, as they signed up for four series consisting of 13 episodes. Not just that, they also made a deal to film most of the series directly in New York City, where it would all lead up to a The Defenders crossover. It was going to be the small-screen Avengers built on Marvel’s Television division. Right now, Netflix still held a tight grip on the rights to all franchisees that aired on the streaming service. So, many of us were waiting for the moment they could return. Supposedly, the rights return two years after it aired its final episode, and we are finally at that point. So, let us look at how exactly Daredevil could become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

     

     

    Now, like many, I want the core cast to return. Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, and Elden Henson were outstanding. Matt Murdock is always conflicted between the devil calling him to defend the streets, but also his human need for a normal life. He is nothing without Karen Page and Foggy Nelson keeping him centered, as he balances being a lawyer and vigilante. Of course, there is also Vincent D’Onofrio‘s Wilson Fisk, who may be one of the best Marvel villains brought into live-action. Also, I hope we also see the return of Ayelet Zurer‘s Vanessa. Her relationship with Fisk elevated it in unique ways and managed to humanize all of Fisk’s actions in an interesting way. While we’re at it, Wilson Bethel deserves more time as Bullseye, just saying. Now that Jamie Foxx is going to return as Electro in Spider-Man‘s still-untitled third entry, there is no excuse that they can’t have the iconic cast return.

    There is, sadly, one major issue of continuing the series where it originally ended. I don’t believe that every part of The Defenders will remain the same. Most notably, there is a good chance that Iron Fist will get a complete reboot. Out of all of the Netflix series, it felt like it was trying its hardest to avoid the aspects that made the character unique, which may be something that Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige wants to change. Yet, a massive part of the crossover was how the main antagonists, the Hand, had strong ties to K’un-Lun, where Danny Rand gained his magical fist. Maybe this time we get to visit the hidden city. Daredevil‘s third season has built on the events that transpired during Netflix’s mini-series. If it weren’t for the four vigilantes taking on a group of supernatural ninjas, we wouldn’t have had Matt’s reawakening that would lead to him taking on his original mantle.

     

     

    As I write that, it doesn’t mean it is impossible, just that it may not fit into Feige‘s plans. Plus, they seem to have mapped out quite a bit ahead, as plenty of series and films are about to enter production. So, we might not see anything related to any of the Netflix series by the latest of 2023 or even 2024. Now, there is a way that it could work to integrate the events from all Defenders into the mainline MCU overarching storyline. The approach is simple: all of them are already active once we meet them again. It would be a similar approach to that of The Incredible Hulk. Yes, Mark Ruffalo looks nothing like Edward Norton, but the storyline mainly remained the same. So, why couldn’t everything from Daredevil‘s first season up until Jessica Jones‘ final season has taken place in the same timeline with some slight alterations?

    Even if someone else takes over the role of Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, or Luke Cage, the main events still occurred. Viewers are technically familiar with what transpired. They can make references to past events as an easy recap for newer viewers. They can also leave some aspects vague to adapt it to fit the new narrative. There is no need to rehash Murdock’s origin story again besides showcasing some of the emotional cores that defined him. Netflix could be part of a different dimension, as the mainline MCU’s events were similar in most places.

     

     

    They did something similar with Spider-Man: Homecoming, where they built on everyone’s understanding of the character’s core principles. It was a popular show on Netflix, so there is no need to retread old ground. That would only be necessary if Feige had any plans to reuse the Hand in different ways. Even if they don’t continue the storyline set up by the first three seasons of Netflix, they can still use people’s understanding of the characters to move forward rather than retread familiar ground once again. We also saw the advantage of an ongoing format for the characters, so it would be a waste not to continue the series on Disney+, especially when they are exploring darker characters like Moon Knight on the platform. Their introduction though could open up the potential to having them crossover into films, which seems to be the plan for many of the streaming characters. Either way, if Marvel Studios decides to move forward, I hope to see this amazing cast return so that they can continue the story where they left off.

    Source: Digital Spy

  • Star Wars’ ‘THE MANDALORIAN’: Who is Grand Admiral Thrawn?

    Star Wars’ ‘THE MANDALORIAN’: Who is Grand Admiral Thrawn?

    Chapter 13 of The Mandalorian gave us the first live-action Ahsoka Tano as well as the first time Grand Admiral Thrawn was referenced to in a live-action Star Wars project. But who is Thrawn and why is Ahsoka searching for him?

    Mitth’raw’nuruodo, better known by his core name, Thrawn, is a Chiss, a species renowned for their blue skin that comes from the planet Csilla in the Unknown Regions. He is a brilliant and ruthless strategist that believed that one should get to know their enemy profoundly to be able to predict every move they make in battle. He understood that every single aspect of a certain culture, from music to architecture, from its values to its traditions, is what would ultimately define one’s modus operandi on the battlefield.

    During the Clone Wars, he traveled the galaxy learning everything he could about several races (including the Mandalorians and the Twi’leks), ending up crossing paths with Anakin Skywalker himself.

    Once the Empire rose to power, he understood that it would be in his interest to swear fealty to the Emperor by assimilating himself into galactic society. He did so by graduating from the Royal Imperial Academy on Coruscant and then rising through the ranks fairly quickly, mostly due to his impeccable performances in battle as well as some shady maneuvers behind the scenes.

    Some time later, when the rebels of Lothal became increasingly effective in their fight against the Imperial forces that had tried to establish themselves on the planet, he was called to help tear down the advances of said rebellion. This is where he came in contact with the crew of the Ghost. Their final confrontation at the end of Star Wars Rebels (set before the events of A New Hope) ended with both him and Jedi Ezra Bridger being dragged into hyperspace by the Purrgil (whale-like creatures with the natural ability to fly through hyperspace) being lost somewhere in the Unknown Regions never to be seen again.

    After the Battle of Endor, where the second Death Star was destroyed and the Empire was defeated, Ahsoka made it her mission to find her missing Jedi friend. And she seems to acknowledge that if she manages to find Thrawn, Ezra should be close by.

  • ‘THE MANDALORIAN’: Grogu’s Force Quest Could Redefine the Jedi

    ‘THE MANDALORIAN’: Grogu’s Force Quest Could Redefine the Jedi

    Almost all of the buzz around Chapter 13 of The Mandalorian was understandably centered on the spectacular live-action debut of Ahsoka Tano with the name of The Child and his heartbreaking backstory taking a distant second place. As interesting as the reveal of Grogu’s (dude, it is so hard to convince myself to type that) past as a Jedi Youngling was and as many questions as it generates, it’s the path he’s been set on to determine his future that I’ve found fascinating. In what’s become modus operandi for this series, Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka casually laid out the plans for the next episode or two:

    Go to the planet Tython. There you will find the ancient ruins of a temple that has a strong connection to the Force. Place Grogu on the seeing stone at the top of the mountain…If he reaches out through the Force, there’s a chance a Jedi may sense his presence and come searching for him. 

    And with that, Din and Grogu are onto the next part of their journey, a journey that has successfully followed a simple, straight-forward and repetitive beat for 1.5 seasons now. Each new stop seems to deepen and enrich the story and relationship of the Mando and The Child as it expands on the already massive mythological tapestry of Star Wars and, lately, that’s meant drawing from more than just previous live-action films and, in some cases, cracking open the “Legends” treasure chest.

    The Mandalorian: Rosario Dawson Comments Following Ahsoka Tano's Debut

    If you’re new to Star Wars and unsure about the “Legends” label, have no fear. For a long, long time, all of Star Wars was made up of 3 films and a Holiday Special. Over the years, the Star Wars universe grew unofficially through novels, comics and video games in what was known as the Star Wars Extended Universe (EU). In 2012 when Lucasfilm was purchased by Disney, Disney inherited all of George Lucas’s “canonical” work plus a whole mess of “non-canonical” stuff in the EU. In an apparent effort to streamline what was and was was not “canon”, Disney labeled the EU stuff as Legends material and the films, Holiday Special, Ewok Adventures, The Clone Wars (and maybe some other stuff) as Canon. This schism was pretty painful to a lot of folks as great characters with incredible stories such as Thrawn, Jacen and Jaina Solo, Mara Jade and more “didn’t count” now. Since that time, however, some characters and locations from the EU/Legends have made their way into modern Canon. Season 1 of The Mandalorian introduced Death Troopers to Canon and then we got Dark Troopers in Chapter 12. Grand Admiral Thrawn was a major player in Star Wars Rebels and was named dropped by Ahsoka in Chapter 13. And finally and most relevant to Grogu’s growth, the Deep Core planet of Tython has made the jump as well.

    Originally introduced in 2013 in a short story in Star Wars Insider 141, Tython actually made the jump from Legends to Canon in 2019 when it appeared in Doctor Aphra #40 (yes, Star Wars comics written by Marvel Comics after the purchase of Lucasfilm by Disney are part of Canon). The issue presents very little information about the planet, but we do quickly learn it was once inhabited by Jedi and that the Force is incredibly strong there similar to Ach-To, the planet where Rey met Luke at the end of The Force Awakens. In this instance, the Canon depiction of Tython seems to share quite a bit in common with its more fleshed out Legends counterpart and, if that is the case, Din is taking Grogu not only to a location where he might choose his own destiny but, quite possibly, the place where the Force itself was first discovered.

    In Canon, Tython is thought to be one of five locations to have been home to the first Jedi temple; in Legends lore, Tython was home to the Je’daii Order, a precursor to the Jedi Order, and the very place where the Je’daii came to understand the true nature of the Force: the Light, the Dark and the balance of the two. Tython’s two moons, Ashla and Bogan, represented the duality of the Force as one shined brightly in the night sky while the other remained cloaked in darkness. As Je’daii grew in the Force, they would spend time on one moon or the other to help them remained balanced. Get a little too dark-sidey and you head to Ashla for some light; get a little too light-sidey and you go chill on Bogan in the shade. The planet was also home to nine temples, each of which was home to Je’daii masters teaching different skills to their pupils. Eventually and as is the way with all things Force-related, some people chose the Dark side, others chose the Light and, a war broke out. The Light-siders won and formed the new Jedi order.

    The planet itself was incredibly geographically diverse and at least some of the Legends design made into its appearance in Doctor Aphra. Should Dave Filoni be so inclined, he could use Grogu’s Force quest as an opportunity not only to develop the geography of the planet beyond what we saw in the comic book but also shine a light on the mysterious past of the Jedi order in a streaming series that is being watched by millions. In truth, only the hardest of hardcore Star Wars nerds know anything at all about the origins of the Jedi and the Sith and I’d wager only a small percentage of that already exclusive club could take folks to school on the ANCIENT history. I know I certainly couldn’t.

    The Mandalorian's Grogu: Baby Yoda's Real Name and Star Wars Origin Explained | Den of Geek

    Grogu’s journey to Tython can do more than help the one-time Youngling determine his future; it can serve as the first legitimate, live-action history lesson on the Force. Think about it, outside of “its an energy field that created by all living things”, what does the casual Star Wars fan (and there are a great many of those watching this series) truly know about the Force? As the curator of the great mythology that Lucas created, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Filoni take us all to school for part of an episode. Bust out your space macarons. We all want to know if Grogu is going to get in touch with Sebastian Stan Luke or Kylo Ren or someone we aren’t even expecting (Ezra Bridger ?), but maybe it’s what we don’t know that we want to know that will truly make these next 2-3 episodes as mind-blowing as they’ve been promised to be.

    Chapter 14 of The Mandalorian will begin streaming this Friday at 3:00 AM EST!

     

  • What to Expect from CCXP Worlds

    What to Expect from CCXP Worlds

    CCXP Worlds is just around the corner and it’s setting itself up to be an event of its own as perhaps the biggest virtual comic convention and pop culture festival in the world. CCXP Worlds will host a familiar format to DC Fandome; using Unreal Engine to create “a 3D map” where visitors will be able to “enter the little worlds, or the stages, where the attractions will be broadcast…to see the panels and watch firsthand the trailers of studios’ upcoming releases.” as explained by Roberto Fabri, CCXP director of marketing and one of the creators of this virtual project, in a recent interview.

     

     

    With over 150 hours of programming and panels from lots of studios from around the world, it can be difficult to keep track of what to watch and when to watch it. Thankfully, we’ve compiled a pretty nice list of what to expect when CCXP rolls around this week.

     

    AMC: If you’re a Walking Dead fan, then this panel might definitely interest you. For their third consecutive year, AMC will be present at CCXP and they will bring a panel focused around their latest installment to the Walking Dead franchise: The Walking Dead: World Beyond. The Walking Dead: World Beyond tells the story of the first generation of humans that grew up during the zombie apocalypse, where Iris (played by Aliyah Royale), Hope (played by Alexa Mansour), and their friends Elton (played by Nicolás Cantú) and Silas (played by Hal Cumpston) seek answers regarding the world while going up against the undead dangers the world has to offer.

     

    Collider: Joe and Anthony Russo are confirmed to be present this year at CCXP at a panel presented by Collider. The directors behind Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame will be discussing their origins with Arrested Development, their success with the MCU films and their upcoming projects like Cherry (2021) with Tom Holland or the possible Extraction (2020) sequel with Chris Hemsworth.

     

    Funimation: You guys into anime? Well, you should check out what Funimation has in store for you. Funimation is one of the biggest anime distributor companies in the world, with titles such as My Hero Academia, The Rising of the Shield Hero, Attack on Titan, and many more. For CCXP Worlds, Funimation will host an incredible panel with two of the most popular anime franchises in the world: Attack on Titan and My Hero Academia. The panel will host Lucas Almeida, Mayara Stefane, Pedro Volpato, and Bruno Sangregorio; the dub actors for Attack on Titan as well as Lipe Volpato, Fábio Lucindo, Nestor Chinese, and Luisa Horta; the dub actors for My Hero Academia. It is expected that they will reveal updates regarding their upcoming seasons and will also provide fans with a first-hand look at four episodes of each anime and exclusive content from the series. As for My Hero Academia fans, it’s expected that they will also address a brand new project that has been teased in recent days. It is rumored that this project may be a brand new movie.

     

    Paramount: They will be hosting a panel announcing their upcoming projects, including a panel for the upcoming film ‘G.I. Joe Origins: Snake Eyes’. It will feature Larry Hama, one of the creators behind the GI: JOE comics, and the actor portraying Snake Eyes; Henry Golding. The film will explore the character’s origins and is expected to drop in October 2021. It is possible that they might show some sort of footage for the film.

     

    Prime Video: Amazon Prime Video will be hosting multiple panels for this edition of CCXP Worlds. Amongst them include panels for the upcoming Invincible series (starring Steven Yeun and J.K. Simmons), The Wilds (starring Sarah Streicher and Amy B. Harris), & The Expanse. It is unknown at the time of writing this article if Amazon will give any sort of update on Season 3 of The Boys, which is expected to start production sometime early next year.

     

    Sony Pictures: Sony Pictures will be holding a Monster Hunter panel featuring Milla Jovovich, Diego Boneta, and director Paul W.S. Anderson, to promote the film which premieres this coming December. It is unknown at the time of writing this article if Sony Pictures will be hosting any other panel or making any other sort of announcements at CCXP Worlds. We know that during Expocine in October, Camila Pacheco; the Executive Marketing Director of Sony Pictures Entertainment in Brazil, told attendees back then that the film had already started production and that we would get our first look at the film sometime in December 2020. With CCXP around the corner and with hundreds upon thousands upon millions planning to attend the virtual convention, it would be the perfect opportunity for Sony to shed some light on the upcoming film.

     

    Universal: Universal will be holding 2 panels at CCXP. One of the panels will promote the upcoming animated movie; “The Croods 2: A New Age” with director Joel Crawford and Rodrigo Lombardi. There will also be another panel with Vince Vaughn and Kathyrn Newton to talk about their upcoming movie, “Freaky”.

     

    Warner Media: Without a doubt the heavy hitter of the weekend, they’ll be hosting a nearly 5 hour and a half long panel discussing all sorts of projects from their different branches. Warner Bros. Pictures, Home Entertainment, TV, Games, Consumer Products, Particular Crowd, HBO, DC, Cartoon Network, and Adult Swim will all be present to discuss their upcoming projects. We’ll expect to hear updates on WW84, The Suicide Squad, and more!

     

    Locked Panels: If you notice the original schedule (Version 1), there’s a panel that is currently locked and unannounced that will go live at 5:30 pm EST. In Version 2, multiple panels that were announced in Version 1 of the schedule have now been locked, but we expect those panels to stick to what was originally announced, so right now there’s only 1 panel where we have no idea what it could be. Now, that secret panel has a duration of about 30 mins similar to the durations of some of the other panels from other studios like Funimation, Universal, Paramount, and Sony. Also, if you look at the rest of the schedule, you’ll notice that on the Omelete Stage, they’ll usually react to the big panels from Studios happening at the Thunder Arena in real-time and that section is also locked, so there is a large possibility that at that time, a studio is going to be presenting during that 30-minute time slot. Notice that some of the previous participants from last year are not on schedule for CCXP, most notably Marvel Studios, Disney, and Netflix. Now, at the time, we have no idea who might be presenting at that panel, but if CCXP is keeping that panel a secret, chances are it might be something interesting. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

     

    The CCXP Worlds Schedule will be updated regularly until the day of the event.

    Source: CCXP Worlds Schedule v1, CCXP Worlds Schedule v2

  • ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ CHAPTER 13: Theories Galore

    ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ CHAPTER 13: Theories Galore

    Chapter 13 of The Mandalorian finally brought us a live-action Ahsoka Tano. There was an incredible amount of expectation regarding her debut not only because of how fans like the character but also, as we’ve stated before, due to her connections to several other characters and the resulting storytelling options. Even though this episode probably ended up raising more questions than the answers it gave us, it has allowed for several hypotheses about the show’s (and Ahsoka’s) future to begin creeping up, some that may deserve elaborating on.

     

    Bo-Katan will indeed return

    Of all the relevant characters introduced so far this season, Bo-Katan is the one whose path seems to be most interlinked with Mando’s. So being, a future encounter is still very much on the table, and Chapter 13 helped to solidify that idea.

    We learned that Ahsoka wasn’t really stationed on Corvus on a more permanent basis, and the fact that the heiress of the Mandalorian throne knew that she would be on there for just a few days makes us wonder if both of them are in constant contact. If that is so, it’s very much possible that if Ahsoka senses that Grogu is in any sort of peril she’ll call upon Bo-Katan and her group of fellow Mandalorians to show up and help out.

    Moff Gideon obviously plays a huge part in all of this, since he’s the likeliest reason as to why Grogu might find himself in danger. Also, since he is both chasing Grogu and being chased by Bo-Katan, they are bound to meet up one way or another. There is no way that her line “Your bravery will not be forgotten” in Chapter 11 doesn’t mean she will show up in a time Din really needs her to.

    Also, the spear Din is given by Ahsoka, that “belongs with a Mandalorian”, might end up being wielded by Bo-Katan as both she and Djarin take turns battling Gideon and his Darksaber.

     

    Ahsoka is off on her own journey

    It came as little surprise that Ahsoka wouldn’t be training Grogu. If she did that would mean that she would either have to become a series regular or that Grogu would leave the show, and none of those two choices seemed all that reasonable. Another reason is that Ahsoka seems to be on her own path. Her search for the location of Grand Admiral Thrawn has given her purpose and that is where her focus lies.

    The Mandalorian won’t show us what comes next for her in regards to Thrawn as that is too good a story not to overshadow Mando’s own journey. So being, be sure to expect an Ahsoka Tano series where we will continue to explore what really happened at the end of Star Wars Rebels, as the search for Thrawn and Ezra Bridger continues.

     

    ‘The Mandalorian’ is set before the ‘Star Wars Rebels’ epilogue

    Regarding the end of Star Wars Rebels, the exact timeline placement of its epilogue was always a bit murky. All we knew is that it was set after the events of Return of the Jedi, after the Empire had been defeated. There we saw an older Ahsoka returning to Lothal to pick up Sabine as they both set out to find Ezra. What The Mandalorian appears to show us is that, as the search for Ezra and the search for Thrawn are ultimately one and the same, Ahsoka seems to be trying to locate one so as to reach the other. She is then searching for Thrawn before seeking Sabine’s aid, later on, only reuniting with her after getting a better idea of where Ezra could be located, and the help needed to retrieve him safely.

     

    The Darksaber will cut through Beskar

    The show keeps both referencing Beskar’s abilities and bringing more of it into the fold. This time we got a spear of pure Beskar that is gifted to Din by Ahsoka since it “belongs with a Mandalorian”. This all fits with the conflict escalation theory after getting Moff Gideon’s Dark Troopers just last week. We’ve now learned how Beskar manages to hold back lightsaber strikes, but Gideon doesn’t have a conventional lightsaber. Since the Darksaber is not only of Mandalorian origin but the weapon of the ruler of the planet, it would make sense for it to be able to overcome Mandalorian armor, thus giving its wielder an edge over the rest of Mandalore. Having Din enter a fight with Gideon only to see the spear cut in half by a Darksaber blow will achieve several things: It will surprise both the audience and Din; It will up the stakes by putting Din in an unexpected tough situation; It will do all of this without compromising Din’s health since it’s the only piece of Beskar that isn’t attached to his body.

     

    Grogu will reach out through the Force but no Jedi will come. For now.

    After being instructed to go to the planet Tython, Grogu will try to establish a connection to whoever is listening so as to choose his path going forward. Even though Ahsoka stated that “there aren’t many Jedi left” we know that there are still quite a few out there. The show is preparing us for the chance of not having anyone answer Grogu’s calling, something that it will, later on, reveal not to be true. Without Ahsoka there to verbalize Grogu’s thoughts he won’t be able to know it for sure, and that will play a part in the twist down the line.