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  • Leslye Headland’s ‘Star Wars’ Series to be a Martial Arts Thriller

    Leslye Headland’s ‘Star Wars’ Series to be a Martial Arts Thriller

    The Mandalorian just started its second season, but Disney+ is already hard at work on more series. Cassian Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi are already entering pre-production with more on the way. Among them, we got the report that Lselye Headland was working on an unnamed project featuring a female-led cast. She is known for her work on Netflix’s Russian Doll and Sleeping With Other People. We still know little about what we can expect from the series, but some new details might be teasing the direction they are going.

    The series will be an action thriller with martial arts elements. It would potentially push the franchise in a new direction, as we didn’t have a lot of hand-to-hand combat throughout. Jedi had the force and their lightsabers to do most of the fighting. It also states that it will be in an alternate timeline that has not been explored yet. It might not mean we are talking about alternate universes here, but rather a new time we have yet to explore. Perhaps the series will focus on a brand new era to set itself apart from the rest.

    The Disney+ series are great to expand smaller corners of the galaxy that we only briefly saw so far. The Mandalorian has been proving the potential of this approach. Even its shortest episodes highlight what is out there beyond the Skywalker saga. The upcoming series will explore the vast history that was just barely scratched in the original film series.

    Source: SlashFilm

  • ‘YOUNG AVENGERS’ May Be On Deck for Marvel Studios

    ‘YOUNG AVENGERS’ May Be On Deck for Marvel Studios

    On October 16th, Disney created 3 new production companies. The fact that they were created on the same day might point towards them being Marvel Studios properties. Marvel Studios has a track record of creating production companies in bulk where as other branches of Disney usually produce them one at a time. For example, as revealed by Murphy’s Multiverse, Grass-Fed Productions and Solve Everything Productions were created on the same day as were many of Marvel Studios upcoming Disney+ projects. While we don’t know that they are Marvel Studios production companies, we did find some additional evidence that backs up the possibility that they are Marvel Studios productions, though it wasn’t enough to make us 100% certain. So what are they?   The production companies are Standoffish Productions, Blueberry Waffles Productions , and Log Jam Productions. While we can’t tie them to any Marvel property, we do have some ideas.

    While this is a very loose connection, we think we have an idea of what one of the production companies could possibly be. Blueberry Waffles, here is our explanation. We have seen in Young Avengers Volume 2, written by Kieron Gillen and launched in January of 2013, that the team continuously meets up at Joe’s Diner for breakfast. In one of the issues, Kid Loki eats blueberry pancakes. As I like to say, waffles are just pancakes with abs, so this could be the production we are looking for. While we already know Marvel is developing a Young Avengers project, this could be them moving forward with the project. We are not 100% sure, but this could the answer.

     

     

    While this is some pretty shaky evidence, we do know that Marvel Studios is developing many other projects like Blade (he stakes vampires with wood, so Log Jam…get it?), Ghost Rider, Illuminati, Ironheart, Secret Invasion and Secret Warriors, in addition to Young Avengers, so there are plenty of reasonable options for these production companies. Keep in mind that not all production companies are tied straight to the comic books. For example, WandaVision was Static Productions. Nobody would have ever found that one out. It is the same situation for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier streaming series that was Pandemic Productions. Until we have further proof, all we can do is keep this in the back of our minds as something to think about and with Marvel Studios slate already pretty full, it would be a while before any of these projects got up and running.

  • ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Chapter 10 Explores the Wildlife of a Galaxy Far, Far Away

    ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Chapter 10 Explores the Wildlife of a Galaxy Far, Far Away

    Once again, The Mandalorian is back with a brand new episode. Funny enough, as Charles reported quite some time ago, this episode is directed by Ant-Man and the Wasp‘s Peyton Reed. The story of Din and the Child continues as they continue their search for others of his kind. Last week, he helped out a little town fight a rather unusual foe on Tatooine. Now, the episode continues where we left off. It leads him on a journey to an unknown planet that may have some unlikely dangers waiting for him. The first two episodes also have a rather curious connection that highlights one important aspect that makes the Star Wars universe feel alive, the creatures we meet along the way.

     

    Here is your spoiler warning. I will be talking about some aspects of the story, so if you haven’t watched the episode continue at your own risk. 

     

    After losing the trail of other Mandalorians, he took on an escort mission. It didn’t go as planned, as they ended up in a chase sequence by the New Republic. At first, they were able to get away but crashed into an icy cave. Din’s new companion wanders off only for her to find a hot spring. Everything seems cozy until the Child ends up finding an egg that acts as his new lunch. The camera pans out and reveals Xenomorph-like eggs in the cave. After a quick snack, the other eggs start to hatch spider-like creatures, as their mother appears to snack on whatever may have entered their domain.

     

    It is a great way to switch up the episode structure, as this felt like a small tribute to classic creature features. As I mentioned, the eggs alone were a tribute to the original Alien franchise. The selling point of this spider is also its deep cut from the Star Wars franchise. It is known as Krykna and first appeared in Star Wars Rebels. It almost had its debut many years earlier, as he was a design by Ralph McQuarrie that was going to be in The Empire Strikes Back on Dagobah. The Krayt Dragon from the last episode had a cameo in A New Hope as a skeleton. The Mandalorian uses some deep connections to establish the deep ties that exist between the various Star Wars franchises in creative ways. It interweaves these elements with the overall narrative by building upon classic storytelling arcs, such as Seven Samurai, Clint Eastwood Western films, and now Alien. The scene of them trying to stay safe in the cockpit was a personal highlight of the episode.

     

     

    We have seen these connections weaved throughout the series and other franchises. Last season introduced the first live-action rendition of the Blurrg that made their debut in The Clone Wars. Every time we visit Tatooine, we see the Bantha make their appearance, especially accompanied by Tusken Raiders. Hell, the Mud Horn plays a key role in the discovery of the Child’s abilities and becomes Mando’s signit. These animals and their worlds highlight that these are living ecosystems. I believe we will see many more in the upcoming episodes, as the initial two had a strong focus on Mando facing the forces of nature. Hopefully, this means we will see a Mythosaur, which was even mentioned in the first episode, and Star Wars Rebels‘ Purrgil. Now, who wouldn’t want to see a whale floating in space?

    Source: EW

  • ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Chapter 10 Fights Instant Gratification

    ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Chapter 10 Fights Instant Gratification

    We all live in an increasingly fast-paced society where most things that take time are almost immediately rejected in favor of quicker paths. Sometimes we struggle just by trying to slow down, but it’s often by doing so that we find what’s really worthwhile. In the past few years TV, and more specifically streaming services, has massified the concept of binge-watching TV shows which, combined with the growing use of social media, have somehow forced us to consume these products promptly in fear of having the experience spoiled if we are just a couple of days late. Disney+, and a few others, have tried to go against this way of approaching their streaming media (for financial reasons, obviously), and not only does that work in The Mandalorian‘s favor, the show itself doubles-down on making itself take its time through their storytelling approach.

    By focusing on Din Djarain and The Child (notice there are hardly any side-plots that take the focus away from where they are and what they are doing and experiencing) the pace of the show has always been more on the slow side. We often go from point A to point B in such a manner that we allow for character growth just by witnessing the small and apparently innocuous day-to-day interactions between characters that, over time, become meaningful traits. And the same can be said when considering the over-arching storyline: Delivering The Child to his own.

    In Season One there were a few episodes that ended up making people feel a bit underwhelmed since they seemed to add little to the story, apparently not getting the characters any closer to where they were meant to be headed. Chapters 4 through 6 weren’t so much about The Child as they were about the world surrounding Mando, the people he met, the places he visited, the events that occurred. The importance behind all of these things wasn’t really apparent at the time, which lead to the complaints, but just two episodes into season two, and we now realize that the payoffs were there to be had. It just took them a bit longer than people might have expected, and dare I say that they were probably all the better for it. In hindsight, the appreciation for those episodes should increase, showing that sometimes people should just step back, and enjoy what they are given instead of complaining about that they didn’t get.

    With season two underway, we are probably getting that same approach from Favreau and his team. Chapter 9 brought us Boba Fett, after being teased way back in Chapter 5, and now, even though Chapter 10 might seem like a bit of a filler episode since it did little to advance the overall plot, we got some interesting season one references that probably should grow into something more in the future. Along with a few concepts, locations, and creatures that may very well deliver in spades in upcoming episodes. This way of doing things is sure to make for much more fulfilling moments down the line, making the audience feel like the wait was worth it, and the payoffs were earned. For instance, there is no doubt in my mind that not addressing Boba Fett’s return right after confirming it is the right decision, and it will only make that moment that much sweeter when it does occur. The bottom line is we just need to be patient and, while doing so, pay more attention to what we do get with each episode. The Mandalorian wants us not only to reach the destination but to enjoy the ride. We’ll eventually get to where we’re supposed to be, and the little things along the way are what could make it all the more special.

     

     

  • Leaked First Look at Tyler Hoechlin’s New Superman Suit

    Leaked First Look at Tyler Hoechlin’s New Superman Suit

    Since his first appearance on Supergirl, Tyler Hoechlin’s Clark Kent has sported the same suit. There was one exception, as he wore a black variant in the Elseworlds crossover, but that was technically Doctor Destiny pretending to be Clark via the Book of Destiny. Never the less, he was bound for an upgrade sooner or later. Now, the first season of Superman and Lois is set to hit the CW early next year as the newest addition to the Arrowverse, joining shows like Batwoman, Flash, Stargirl, and Black Lightning.

    While they aren’t the best, new set photos have given us our first look at what Hoechlin’s new suit will look like and it already seems to be a vast improvement on the first with a much more streamlined look with the removal of the infamous cape clips a new belt, new red boots, and what looks to be a much brighter emblem on his chest. The look is highly reminiscent of the look Superman first sported back in 2016 at the dawn of the current DC storyline, Rebirth.

    Superman and Lois is set to take flight on February 23rd. It will feature the return of Tyler Hoechlin’s Man of Steel and Bitsie Tulloch’s Lois Lane as the couple adjusts to parenthood on a post-crisis Earth-Prime, where Clark will have to balance being a superhero and a father.

    SOURCE: CanadaGraphs

     

  • No Good To Us Dead: ‘BOBA FETT’ Series Headed into Production

    No Good To Us Dead: ‘BOBA FETT’ Series Headed into Production

    Last week The Mandalorian brought Boba Fett back from the dead. Now, according to a trade report, Lucasfilm has greenlit a solo mini-series about the newly resurrected bounty hunter which could begin principal filming as soon as next week!

    Mark Hamill addresses Boba Fett returning in Mandalorian season 2

    Rumors about a possible Boba Fett series date back to early 2019 but Temura Morrison’s appearance at the end of Chapter 9 seemed to cement Lucasfilm’s plans to bring Boba back into the limelight. Much of the future of Star Wars seems tied to Disney Plus with several live-action series already in the works (Cassian Andor and Obi-Wan foremost among them), the Bad Batch animated series and former Disney CEO Bob Iger indicating that the success of The Mandalorian would lead to spinoffs set within that corner of the universe. If Boba Fett is the first among those spinoffs, Lucasfilm is coming out swinging.

    The trade report indicated that Lucasfilm has been keeping the development of this series (and possibly others) close to the vest and, for that reason, were unable to confirm a start of production or who might be working on the project; however, should production start up over the next few weeks, we would hope some official news might break.

  • Black Panther 3

    Black Panther 3

    Premiere: TBD

    Following the premier of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, franchise star Letitia Wright indicated that a third film was “in the works at Marvel Studios. Nearly two years later, in November 2024, Denzel Washington revealed that a role had been written into the film for him, though the studio has yet to confirm the project was in the works.

    On December 17, 2024, the project was officially confirmed to be in development by Marvel Studios Chief Creative Office and President, Kevin Feige, Black Panther 3 will be written and directed by Ryan Coogler.

    Cast

    • Letitia Wright as Shuri
    • Denzel Washington in an unknown role
  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Journal: Ideas for Future Raid Missions

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Journal: Ideas for Future Raid Missions

    It has been a while since I last made a new entry in the ongoing journal for my journey with Marvel’s Avengers. The last time I discussed the importance of taking breaks. Well, I have been playing more infrequent, but I have been hitting an urge to see more of the game. In the State of the Game blog, they talked about the addition of Omega Level-Threats that will add something new to the game’s core concept. We are still highly anticipating the AIM Cloning Labs that will give us our first spoonful of how this concept will evolve. We also had the leak that Wakanda will have a unique raid-event that takes place in the mines against classic Black Panther villain Klaue. So, let us go through some ideas that could be a great way to expand the game.

    Helicarrier Under Attack

    One of my favorite missions in the Reassemble campaign was the attack on the Helicarrier. We switched between Avengers to keep it from crashing into New York City. It was the only time we get to explore beyond the Outpost area. We also already have assets from the campaign, so they only have to add a few new places to showcase the different rooms that keep this flying fortress afloat. Plus, it can also include various villains with each playthrough. Each time you could be in a unique event that changes depending on what villain is attacking. Taskmaster is more focused on a tactical takedown, so he attacks many vital areas throughout the Helicarrier. So, you need to coordinate with your team, so they don’t hack your systems or destroy the engine room.

    It doesn’t always have to be a fight either. The Avengers may be hiding some powerful items in their vault. It opens up the possibility for a character like Ghost to infiltrate the place, which forces you to retrace her steps as she uses the environment to hinder you from catching up. Your main base of operation has a lot to offer, and it could also give you a reason to explore it more in the future. If you know it like the back of your hand, the better you are at keeping everyone safe aboard. It also could tie into my old idea of developing the Helicarrier and its staff. You have to invest some credits to keep it flying, or you are back in its original hiding spot. It also continues the tradition of SHIELD’s Helicarriers always going down in flames.

    NYC in Flames

    We still don’t know how big of an update Spider-Man will be. The character will be a PlayStation exclusive. As such, he could be without any story elements or unique missions. Still, I would love to see the addition of Green Goblin, as we desperately need some more villains in this game. His glider gives him the ability to fly around the map. So, why not create a raid built around his mobility that keeps the ongoing conflict going. You will need to patrol the streets that are on fire from his attacks and his minions. You’ll have various time-sensitive missions, such as taking out the fires by helping firefighters or bringing civilians to safety. The city is on the collapse, so you will have to be strategic about how you approach each situation. Sometimes you’ll need to work as a group, or you can split up to cover more ground. It’ll require much more teamwork to make sure you can make it within the time limit.

    Throughout the map, Goblin would show up and add to the problems. So, you aren’t facing him in one single boss fight but scattered at random times throughout the city. He gets more aggressive the better you perform, so if you are trying to go for a faster time, you will be facing a tough fight to take him down. It wouldn’t be the most complex concept to add to the game, but it could add some heroic moments that some in the community would like to see. This raid will also switch-up the rescue missions of SHIELD agents and Inhumans. 

    Attack on Attilan

    Speaking of Inhumans, it would make perfect sense for the Royal Family to make their appearance at some point. The Inhuman race was the main focus of the campaign, and Kamala has a fun relationship with giant bulldog Lockjaw. I believe that they should slowly introduce them as a way to help out the Inhuman Resistance to find a home. The Kree will also have a role in the future, so we can start introducing Black Bolt and the rest now as potential allies. Lockjaw actually can serve as the teleporter to bring you to the new Attilan Outpost. There you help them adapt to their new home as part of a brand new mission chain. You could also support the Royal Family by recovering the stolen Terrigen crystals by AIM.

    Suddenly, Attilan gets attacked. It turns out, the Kree are already here and started their assault on earth. Now, you have to defend the city and its citizens from the invasion. The Kree have started coming down with their warships, so you will need to take out their mothership to force them to flee for now. The Avengers start fighting their way through the city before highjacking one of their ships. After fighting the crew, you crashland in your objective, where you will end up facing a small army that is led by Ronan the Accuser. It ends up in a massive brawl as you fight your way through waves of enemies while dodging Ronan’s attacks. Can you imagine if that is just the beginning?

    Source: Square-Enix

  • ‘Stargirl’ Casts Jim Gaffigan as Thunderbolt

    ‘Stargirl’ Casts Jim Gaffigan as Thunderbolt

    Stargirl has been slowly adding to its cast as it prepares for its upcoming second season. They finally found their main villains in Shade and Eclipso. There was also the casting of Ysa Penarejo, who might end up being Alan Scott’s daughter Jade. Slowly, the show has been gathering its new members to join the Justice Society of America, but it looks like one more character will be joining Courtney. Stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan reportedly will join the cast to voice a fully CG-character known as Thunderbolt. In the comics, he lived inside a pen. It briefly was seen in the show, so many expected his addition sooner rather than later. Entertainment Weekly also shared the following description of the character.

    The wishes he grants often cause more trouble than the wish-asker would ever expect. But despite his somewhat constant supernatural disasters, the Thunderbolt’s heart is always in the right place, even if it is wounded by the friends he has lost throughout his long existence.

    He is an extremely powerful character in the comics, so it seems they will stick to that very fact. Thunderbolt can fulfill wishes like other genies and is from the land of Bahdnesia. The casting confirms he will make an appearance at some point, but it is uncertain if he will have a larger role in the story. CW may be using the character for a one-off episode, and he will end up back where he came from by the end of it. Still, he could also end up being the Ex Machina for the story, as they are about to face some truly powerful enemies. Gaffigan is a fun addition to the cast, so it would be a waste not to have him around for multiple episodes, but we will see once the show airs its second season on the CW.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Theory Thursday: Welcome to New Salem

    Theory Thursday: Welcome to New Salem

    It’s been known that comics usually take inspiration for their stories from our world and the times that we live in. And Marvel Comics is no exception. After all, Stan Lee himself once said; “Marvel is the world outside of our window”. During the week, I started to look around for any sort of clues that Marvel Studios could tell us about WandaVision and the town that it’s going to be set in, which is WestView. Now, while looking around, I noticed something really interesting in Google Maps. There are multiple WestViews across the United States, but the one in particular that caught my attention was WestView, Indiana. The reason why it caught my attention was that in Indiana, WestView is “an unincorporated community in SALEM Township…” And then my brain clicked.

     

     

    For my US History nerds (and for those forced to read The Crucible in High School), we know that Salem (in Massachusets) was infamous for the Witch Trials they held in 1692. Many “witches” were persecuted, tried, and executed as part of those trials. And Marvel Comics acknowledges Salem as well in the comics, but where real-world history ended, Marvel Comics continued to write the story their own way. After their persecution, many witches sought refuge near Colorado and founded their own community known as “New Salem”. Now, in order to keep themselves safe, they isolated themselves from the rest of humanity and made their community only accessible to those who possess magical abilities. Now, why is New Salem so important to Marvel Comics and possibly to WandaVision? Well, it’s the home and residence of one of the most powerful witches in Marvel Comics, Agatha Harkness.

     

     

    Theory: ‘New Salem’ might be an important location in WandaVision.

     

    Going back to the Google Maps research I did, whenever I looked up Salem across the US, nearly every Salem location was associated with WestView. WestView Drive, WestView Ave., WestView Manor, the community of WestView, etc. While I am hesitant to say that WestView is specifically a “dummy” location and that WestView is actually the community of New Salem, I am certain that we might see the community of New Salem appear at some point during the show. Most of Agatha Harkness’ story in the comics is set around the community of New Salem and the strain she possesses with the members of that community, who have branded her a traitor for leaving them and deciding to interact with the commoners, mainly the Fantastic Four. Wanda and Vision also play very pivotal parts in the comics after Agatha Harkness’ spirit contacted them to come to New Salem during the 2nd series of comics for “The Vision and the Scarlet Witch”. 

     

     

    In this particular comic above, Wanda and Vision faced off against Vertigo and the “Salem Seven” after Agatha Harkness contacted them to come to New Salem. At one point, Vertigo absorbed the power of all of the residents of New Salem and lost control, killing the residents of New Salem in the process. But Wanda actually tried to contain and redirect the power after Agatha Harkness had taught her how to channel magic or “hex”. Eventually, Agatha’s astral form in that comic had told Wanda not just to channel that power, but to actually use it and she actually succeeded in using her power to redirect it to the mountain and destroying New Salem. If we were to see this portion of the comic play out in WandaVision, it would actually be a nice callback to Captain America: Civil War (2016) when Wanda couldn’t contain and redirect her power properly causing the explosion in Lagos and the death of dozens of innocents which brought about the events of that film.

     

    WandaVisionIS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO PREMIERE AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR On Disney Plus.