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  • Disney May Be Considering ‘Black Widow’ Disney+ Premium Access After All

    Disney May Be Considering ‘Black Widow’ Disney+ Premium Access After All

    The pandemic hasn’t been easy on Hollywood. Most of their 2020 releases got delayed as it was uncertain if worldwide quarantines would end anytime soon. Yet, there is the question if people would be willing to return to cinemas as long as that uncertainty remained. Marvel Studios had to push back its entire Phase 4 slate by a year. Most of the releases have been shifted around as a result as well. One of those releases was Black Widow. 

    It was supposed to kick off Phase 4 in May of last year only to get postponed into 2021. Now, WandaVision is officially taking over that duty in the next few days. Even after all this time, the pandemic still looms over our heads. Studios, as well as theaters, are still reeling from the heavy losses of 2020. So, there was still hope to hold the 2021 release dates. It seems that the latest strategy with Raya and the Last Dragon may be signaling a new direction after all.

     

     

    Raya will premiere in March simultaneously on Disney+ Premium Access and theaters. It isn’t too dissimilar from how Warner Bros. currently has mapped out their entire 2021 release plan. Still, Disney has denied that any such whispers but happened, but we’ve seen them deny such claims once before. Pixar’s Soul went through a similar development before getting released on Disney+. It’s not an easy decision for Disney, as constantly postponing their releases doesn’t help their current plans. It leaves many to wonder if Disney would be willing to pull the trigger and risk it all with a Hollywood blockbuster such as Black Widow come May 2021. Right now, there are too many factors to say if theaters will return to what they once were by May.

    Source: Variety (Raya), Variety (2021)

  • Square-Enix Trademarks Teasing ‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’ Sequel or Spin-Offs

    Square-Enix Trademarks Teasing ‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’ Sequel or Spin-Offs

    It’s looking like this week will be dominated by Marvel, as we all anticipate the upcoming release of WandaVision. It seems like it isn’t the only thing happening this week, as Square-Enix has been quite busy as well. They had a big year in 2020. They released a remake of one of their most famous games, Final Fantasy VII, which was only the beginning of its return. The remake only centered on the Midgar arc, which was around four to five hours in the original. Of course, to make it an entire game, they’ve added new details and characters from the expanded compendium. It wasn’t until we saw the ending that we would come to realize that Final Fantasy VII Remake was more than what we may have initially bargained with.

    The ending took a very different direction, which left us with many questions. Zack Fair, one of the main characters from the original, somehow managed to change his fate. It kind of implied that he may have a larger role in the future of this new franchise. Well, it seems that there are plans with him, as Square-Enix has just filed trademarks for “The First Soldier” and “Ever Crisis”. They also trademarked a new Shinra Electric Power Company logo, the primary antagonist of the remake.

    The first trademark is connected to SEPC’s SOLDIER program that gave Zack and Cloud superhuman abilities. What makes it significant, however, is the first SOLDIER was Sephiroth. So, it may tease that he will have some kind Now, Ever Crisis is rather interesting, as it could tease a spin-off focuses on Zack, just like the prequel Before Crisis did. The new SEPC visual can be closely connected to the ending reveal from Final Fantasy VII Remake. Most of us were focusing on the upcoming sequel, so the potential of spin-offs is surprising. We’ll see if these trademarks might have some ties to the game’s direct sequel, especially with them trademarking new visuals. It is still good to know that some development is happening with the franchise, and I cannot wait for an official reveal of how they are moving forward with this franchise.

    Source: Gematsu

  • Marvel Studios’ ‘X-Men’ Still Being Actively Discussed

    Marvel Studios’ ‘X-Men’ Still Being Actively Discussed

    Disney Investor’s Day was filled to the brim with major announcements. We got the reveal of some new Disney+ shows, such as Secret Invasion and Armor Wars. However, probably the biggest surprise was the announcement of a Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four film. There was still no sign of their take on the X-Men, however. We do have the confirmation that Deadpool, who is closely tied to the franchise, will be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in his upcoming third film, but no word if we can expect, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, and all the other mutants to make their appearance any time soon. Now, with the WandaVision press junket underway, ScreenRant used this chance to ask him if there is anything he can say about the franchise:

    You know how much I love the X-Men. I already said that’s where I started. I can’t tell you anything before we actually announced it, but rest assured, the discussions have been long and ongoing internally.

    Well, it looks like there is still some time before they will explore that aspect of the MCU. It does make sense, as they will not want to rush these characters out while they map out what will make their version of the characters unique from 20th Century Fox’s run. There is also the question if they will focus on the Inhumans for a few years, who might make their reappearance in the upcoming Ms. Marvel Disney+ show. There has been no confirmation on their appearance, however, so anything is still possible. WandaVision may also open up the introduction of mutants, as there were teases that the Mind Stone released dormant abilities within Wanda. Whatever Marvel Studios decides, it is good they are not rushing out the characters after only just getting the rights. There is a chance some of them might make cameo appearances early on before rolling out into their own film. Marvel’s future is bright, so why rush it now.

    Source: ScreenRant

  • Jimmy Woo: The Story So Far

    Jimmy Woo: The Story So Far

    Agent Jimmy Woo is one of the more recent characters introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He made his on-screen debut in 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp. We got introduced to the cheerful FBI agent, who was assigned to oversee Scott Lang’s house arrest. Beyond that, we know very little about Jimmy Woo’s backstory. Going by his comic origin, there might be quite a lot more to unpack that the films have yet to explore. Especially, as we now know about his involvement in the upcoming Disney+ show, WandaVision, it might be a good time to take a look back at his short-lived story so far.

     

     

    We are first introduced to the character officially when he checked in on Scott Lang, who accidentally broke through his fence. He arrived shortly on the scene after Lang’s house arrest ankle monitor accidentally exited his house’s perimeter. Here we learned that Woo doesn’t know how to talk with kids, as he tells Cassie Lang her father’s legal rights in full detail. He is fascinated by Scott’s magic tricks before warning him that violating the rules would get him sent to prison for twenty years. Throughout the film, we see Woo hot on Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne’s tail, as they get an anonymous tip about their whereabouts at Berkely. He has a brief interaction with Bill Foster trying to get information out of him.
    During this time, he is unaware that Scott had escaped his home. Meanwhile, a giant ant is copying his daily routine to get the FBI off his trail. At one point, he checks in on Lang. Cassie delayed him long enough for her father to get back in time. Woo was also part of the team that captured Hope and Hank during their confrontation with Ghost, which he called his first win in a long time. Later on, the FBI would see Giant-Man on television and assume it was Lang. After another goose chase, he ends up running into Scott one last time at his place. So, he took his ankle bracelet and was just about to ask him if he wanted to hang out before leaving again.

     

     

    Funny enough, Jimmy Woo got briefly mentioned in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It seems he used to work for the spy organization and worked alongside Melinda May. As the show’s canonicity is uncertain, we do not know if that will remain part of his background. He was a member of Agents of Atlas alongside Shang-Chi at some point in the comics, so it could be in his future. For now, he will return in this week’s WandaVision. Still, his appearance is a bit of a surprise, but a welcome one. With his appearance in the show, chances are he will be one of the more prominent federal officers that will be in charge of “strange occurrences” in the town of Westview. And he’ll be working with the likes of the FBI and S.W.O.R.D., who we know will be present in the show. Whatever his role may be, we’re sure this agent is ready to take on any challenge that comes his way.

     

  • Kevin Feige Teases Multiple Seasons For Upcoming Disney+ Shows

    Kevin Feige Teases Multiple Seasons For Upcoming Disney+ Shows

    We are only a few days away from WandaVision finally airing. It’ll be the first in a wide variety of new shows that will kick-off Marvel Studios’ expansion into long-form storytelling. At first glance, it seemed like they were focusing more on mini-series than trying to focus on a yearly seasonal turnout. Disney+ is no stranger to it, as The Mandalorian just released its second season. However, that show also proved how flexible the streaming service is, as the upcoming third season will release later after a new show titled The Book of Boba Fett takes over its yearly release date. So, it made us wonder if Marvel Studios may embrace multiple seasons after all. Luckily, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed this is very much a possibility:

    It will vary. There are some shows that have been built to further expand our storytelling and then go into features. We’ve already announced Lizzie Olsen being a part of “Doctor Strange 2.” We’ve announced Teyonah Parris being part of “Captain Marvel 2.” There are some shows that, while always interconnected, are being built with multiple seasons in mind. So it’ll vary the way a lot of I think great TV now varies, whether it’s a couple of years between seasons of “Game of Thrones” or “Stranger Things,” or one offs like — what did I just watch? — “Queen’s Gambit.” One of the fun things about streaming is the rules are loose, which allows for you to just follow creatively, where you want to go.

    Sadly, Feige is as tight-lipped as ever and did not give away which season could potentially be mapped out with multiple seasons. Interestingly enough, almost a whole year ago, our very own Charles Murphy did break the news that Loki was very likely to get a second season. It seemed like many of the lead and supporting roles were given options to return. A few days ago, the news broke that Loki showrunner Michael Waldron was also inking up a massive deal with Disney that would include a potential second season. So, it seems very likely that at least the God of Mischief was going to explore this. As Feige points out, they aren’t as restricted with their seasonal turn-out so they will adapt each show’s future season to fit within the overarching storyline, as they switch between Disney+ and feature films. So, we’ll see if WandaVision, Hawkeye, and the many other series might also return for multiple seasons.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY’ Casts Its Sparrow Academy

    ‘THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY’ Casts Its Sparrow Academy

    After being renewed for a third season this past November, we now have further confirmation on how the cast for Umbrella Academy‘s new season will look like. The Hargreeves children discovered that their actions have led to a brand new timeline. This led up to the final scene of season two teasing the appearance of the Sparrow Academy. Following these events in Dallas, Sir Reginald got a glimpse of what the future held for both himself and his Umbrella Academy. In order to give himself a future, where he didn’t have to die in order to bring his estranged children back together, he decided to get different children altogether. As such, making up a team that would hopefully be able to avoid the apocalypse in a way the older ones couldn’t in the first season.

    This new team is now confirmed to feature Justin Cornwell, Genesis Rodriguez, Britne Oldford, Jake Epstein, and Cazzie David. Justin H. Min. will also be part of the ensemble after portraying the main timeline’s Ben Hargreeves in the first two seasons of the show. The third season, which will consist of 10 episodes, will hopefully begin production this February and will see the return of stars Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, Aidan Gallagher, Ritu Arya, David Casteneda, Emmy-Raver-Lampman, and Robert Sheehan. It will be interesting to see the conflict between these two families escalate throughout the next season, and how much it’ll follow the original comic. The Existential Dread Inducing Psykronium Cube is already going to be an interesting addition to an already crazy show.

    Source: Deadline

  • Kevin Feige Willing to Experiment with Episode Lengths for Marvel Studios Disney Plus Series

    Kevin Feige Willing to Experiment with Episode Lengths for Marvel Studios Disney Plus Series

    The length of the episodes of Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series has been the subject of internet debate for quite some time. With WandaVision’s early episodes all checking in around 30 minutes, it’s clear that somewhere down the line the episodes are going to get longer in order to add up to the 6 total hours of time promised by the studios. In an interview with Collider, Kevin Feige shed some light on how the studio is experimenting with the episode lengths in some of the upcoming series.

    Well, we’re looking a little differently. We’re looking at it as developing them as either six hour-episodes, or nine or 10 half-hour episodes. So, for instance, WandaVision started that way and Falcon and the Winter Soldier as 30 minutes, but because it’s streaming, it’s Disney+, and the rules have blurred over the years, yes. Some can be 23 minutes. Some can be much longer than that. But She-Hulk, for instance, is being developed as 10 30-minute episodes. Some will be longer and some will be shorter. Loki, Falcon and the Winter Soldier is being developed as six 40-50-minute episodes.

    Some of what Feige said confirms things we’ve been hearing for some time, such as She-Hulk’s ten episode first season. However, it’s the first time we’ve heard any info on episode lengths for either The Falcon and The Winter Soldier or Loki, both of which are apparently going to be 6 episodes averaging 45 minutes a piece, giving a total run time of about 4.5 hours, or 2 movie’s worth of time devoted to these characters.

    Source: Collider

  • Murphy’s Law: Episode 77

    Murphy’s Law: Episode 77

    Charles M. has seen the first 3 episodes of WandaVision and shares his brief reactions! The Charleses discuss the other big news of the past week and look ahead to a big year full of Marvel Studios content!

  • Kevin Feige Confirms ‘Deadpool 3’ as an R-Rated MCU Film

    Kevin Feige Confirms ‘Deadpool 3’ as an R-Rated MCU Film

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe is ever-expanding. Avengers: Endgame ended the era of the first three phases with quite the bang. Now, we are opening up new avenues for Marvel Studios to explore. The first major addition is the expansion into long-form storytelling through Disney+. WandaVision will kick-off this new direction in just a few days, which will highlight the franchise taking new chances with its stories. It also looks like they are opening up to also introducing characters from other franchises, as is the case with Ryan Reynolds‘ Deadpool. When it was announced that the third film was moving forward, many wondered how it would fit into Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige‘s master plan. Looks like

    In an interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Feige revealed that the third entry of the Deadpool franchise is indeed part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not just that, he also said that the film will keep its R-rating. So, those worried that Deadpool becoming a part of a larger universe could change his rating can breathe a sigh of relief. He did confirm that Lizzie Molyneux-Loeglin and Wendy Molyneux are still hard at work on the script alongside Reynolds, but it will not enter any form of production until 2022. Here is his comment:

    It will be rated R and we are working on a script right now, and Ryan’s overseeing a script right now… It will not be [filming] this year. Ryan is a very busy, very successful actor. We’ve got a number of things we’ve already announced that we now have to make, but it’s exciting for it to have begun. Again, a very different type of character in the MCU, and Ryan is a force of nature, which is just awesome to see him bring that character to life.

    Deadpool will certainly shake-up the Marvel Cinematic Universe in major ways. It will be interesting to see how they integrate the third entry for the character into the larger MCU. There could be a good chance that he has a multiverse story of his own, or his time travel actions from the last sequel led to him crossing dimensions. Either way, it’ll be interesting how they will balance his fourth-wall-breaking while still trying to keep the existing franchise as grounded in its own reality.

    Source: Collider

  • Monica Rambeau: The Story So Far

    Monica Rambeau: The Story So Far

    Finally, we have only a few more days until WandaVision gets released on Disney+. So, we thought it would be the perfect time to catch you guys up on some of the essential players in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the upcoming series. To kick it off, we’re taking a look at a character that appeared around two years ago on the silver screen for the first time. Canonically, she has been in the MCU for over 20 years, so she’ll be quite different when she makes her return to the franchise. So, let’s not waste time and take a closer look at Monica Rambeau.

     

     

    Monica Rambeau made her debut in 2019’s Captain Marvel. She grew a close relationship with Carol Danvers, who she saw as part of their family. Monica would often refer to her as Auntie Carol. She, however, got the adorable nickname Lieutenant Trouble. When Carol was presumed dead after the accident with Lawson’s plane, young Monica refused to believe that her aunt died that day. She kept all of Carol’s things, so it would be ready when she made her eventual return. A few years later, they were finally reunited. Monica was essential to help jog Carol’s memories, which got jumbled after the explosion and her time with the Kree. Even at the age of eleven, Monica had quite a lot of insight and handled the sudden introduction to aliens almost better than her mother. Carol gave her the honor of choosing which color she should use for her former Kree uniform, which ended up being the iconic colors we know from her comic run.

    All these events happen in 1995, so we won’t see her again until she’s all grown up. As far as we can tell, she is working for a government agency known as S.W.O.R.D. We’ll get a chance to possibly delve more into her personal history and story once we get into WandaVision. Lieutenant Trouble’s past experiences as a child and her interest in the bizarre make her the perfect character to help pull Wanda out of whatever strange sitcom-inspired dimension she is trapped in. Going by her comic origins, her inclusion might also tease a bright and heroic future for Rambeau.