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  • ‘Mulan’ Premiere Access Only Lasts Until December

    ‘Mulan’ Premiere Access Only Lasts Until December

    Hard to believe that Mulan was originally going to air back in April. After all this time, the film will finally premiere on Disney+ next week. This time, however, it will only be available through the streaming services’ new add-on titled Premier Access. Anyone with an account can access the film but only if they pay an additional fee. It was promised that this wasn’t just going to be a rental but you would have access to it as long as you have your subscription. As such, we all assumed that it wouldn’t be made available on Disney+ for quite some time. Looks like our assumptions were wrong, as on European accounts the film was updated with a rather interesting tidbit.

    mulan

    As you can see, it clearly states that the film will be made available by December 4th for all Disney+ subscribers. This is huge, as it means that what you pay is to so you can see it early. Now it makes sense why Disney was so keen on confirming it wasn’t a rental and you’d have access to it as long as you are a subscriber. I mean, most of us expected the film to be made available at some point in the future. We compared this to other services internationally and there is no sight of it in the U.S. So far, this only seems to be confirmed for Europe.

    Still, it is a surprise that it would premiere anytime this year. You’d think they’d try to get as many people to give Premier Access a try instead of knowing they can just wait a little bit longer. Plus, they have to make up for the lost Box Office numbers they would’ve made normally with a release in the cinema. This is an intriguing move which could also be a test to see if they can make use of this new function in the future. Instead of relying on other VOD services, they can offer an early access to recent films before rolling them out on the platform. It is also interesting to note that the recently released “one-week” video does not include this information. There is a good chance this was added only recently and won’t be actively advertised.

    Alongside this update, we also got a look at brand new posters to highlight the film’s cast. Each one also includes the Premier Access branding for Disney+. No sign about it being available by December here either.

    Source: Twitter (Video), Twitter (Cast)

     

  • ‘X-Files’ Animated Spin-off In Development by ‘Bob’s Burgers’ Bento Box

    Following the recent success of the the animated Star Trek spin-off, Star Trek: Lower Decks, The X-Files have once again been reopened in. The iconic franchise will get an animated spin-off. It is currently in development for FOX. This story will focus on a group of agents stationed in Albuquerque. So, it’s no wonder the show will be named The X-Files: Albuquerque.

    The show will feature a group of agents who are given the cases that are too weird, ridiculous or even absurd for Mulder and Scully. Creator of the original series, Chris Carter, will return as the Executive Producer. Rocky Russo and Jeremy Sosenko are set to write the series and are also joining as executive producers. The show will be managed by Bento Box animation, whose previous works include Bob’s Burgers and Central Park. There is a good chance the animation style will be similar to their last projects.

    The original X-Files ran for 9 seasons. It returned in 2016 for a revival with two more seasons until it ended in 2018. The show starred David Duchovny as Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Special Agent Dana Scully,. They worked for the FBI and solved paranormal cases. It is currently unknown if either will reprise their roles for the animated spin-off. Little is known about the project, as no release date or casting has been announced. It will be interesting to see how this new interpretation will continue the legacy of the beloved science-fiction series.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘ANT-MAN 3’ Slated for 2022

    ‘ANT-MAN 3’ Slated for 2022

    Earlier this year, Ant-Man 3 seemed to slide down the list of upcoming Marvel Studios films as it took on a new writer in Jeff Loveness. Other films appeared to cut in line and the COVID shuffle of Marvel’s slate didn’t include a release date for the threequel. According to a new report, the film might just make a 2022 release after all!

    Yahoo Entertainment interviewed director Peyton Reed and dropped this little nugget in the piece:

    It’s worth noting that this is not a direct quote from Reed or anyone at Marvel Studios, but it is the first indicator we have had about a potential date for the film. You should all know by now that in the age of COVID, no release date is safe, but this is still encouraging news. We recently shared the information that production on the project had been moved from “early 2021” to June which, given the rumored size and scope of the film, could have it ready for a Summer 2022 release!

  • ‘Westworld’ Producers & Team Downey Developing ‘Sphere’ HBO Series

    ‘Westworld’ Producers & Team Downey Developing ‘Sphere’ HBO Series

    There are those films that seem like they’ll be major hits but somehow end up missing the mark. Among them is the 1998 film Sphere. The novel-adaptation had everything going for it. It had quite the cast with Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone and Samuel L. Jackson headlining the project. Yet, the film flopped and was critically panned. It normally would be the end of a potential franchise. Now, after 22 years, HBO has shown interest in another attempt at adapting the 1987 Michael Crichton novel even after the original film bombed.

    This is no small project either, as Westworld producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy are currently attached. They will be working alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey‘s Team Downey. Denise Thé will act as showrunner for the project. This is noteworthy, as she is currently the showrunner of Westworld. Have to say, did not expect that their next project would be another Crichton adaptation. Going by their track record, we can expect some more existential crisis once we witness their version of the story.

    Sphere tells the story of a group of scientists that explore thousand feet below the ocean. Under the ocean, they believe that they may have uncovered alien lifeforms in a  spacecraft that crashed thousand of years ago. In their journey, they might uncover something much darker about human nature. It’s the perfect kind of story for the Westworld team to tackle, who also have a lot of experience with HBO. This is also Team Downey’s second project with the network after the Perry Mason reboot. This could be quite the dream team and we might have another suspenseful thriller on our hands.

    Source: Rotten Tomatoes, Variety

  • Data Leaks Reveal Spider-Man & Black Panther Coming to ‘Fortnite’

    Data Leaks Reveal Spider-Man & Black Panther Coming to ‘Fortnite’

    Once again we are diving into the world of data leaks. To add some variety, we are going to explore a different game. Today’s focus will be one of Twitch’s most popular games, Fortnite. Yes, even Epic’s game isn’t safe from data miners. They just entered their fourth chapter that was titled Nexus War. It is a massive crossover with Marvel that features characters like Thor, Iron Man, Galactus, and many more. The iconic Battle Royale map has also been completely overhauled for the event. Looks like there is still more to come, as a few data miners have uncovered achievements that hint at the addition of Spider-Man at some point.

    It all started when it was uncovered that a variety of costumes are included in the game from Marvel that has yet to be confirmed. Not too long ago, it was leaked that a potential Silver Surfer outfit would be added at some point. Most of the design already seemed ready to launch.

    These were confirmed by data miners ShiinaBR and HYPEX, who then also shared the visuals of the in-game bundle in action. These users have been actively sharing details on the massive crossover event. It doesn’t end there, as they also found unique sounds that would also confirm the appearance of a Black Panther skin.

    Now, let’s get to the big reveal with the least evidence so far. The inclusion of Silver Surfer and Black Panther does confirm some credibility to what they found within the game’s data. In addition to these reveals, there was a curious inclusion of achievements for Spider-Man. Most notably, one that includes his iconic logo. There is also data that suggests that Carnage is also a potential skin within the game’s code.

    Unlike Silver Surfer, we have no idea what designs these characters will have. Still, Fortnite art design is great in translating these characters into 3D models. Iron Man, She-Hulk, and Doom look great in-game already. So, these additions are going to fit right in. This season has been a massive event with countless new characters being added to the game. It will be interesting to see just how big this will end by the time Marvel and Epic have revealed all their plans.

    Source: GameRant, Forbes, Twitter (Fortnite News), Twitter (Spider-Man HYPEX), Twitter (Spider-Man ShiinaBR), Twitter (Black Panther)

  • ‘Dune’ Empire Covers Offer First Look at Arrakis Sandworms

    ‘Dune’ Empire Covers Offer First Look at Arrakis Sandworms

    We are all waiting for Denis Villeneuve‘s next project Dune. After a long wait, we finally got a glimmer of life from the project. A description of the official trailer was leaked online and started building hype for the upcoming trailer release. Well, looks like that isn’t all just yet. Empire just revealed brand new covers for the upcoming film. There is one that gives us a look at the House Atreides and another focusing on the Fremen. That is not all, the best reveal is our first official look at the sandworms of Arrakis. A staple of the franchise, it was surprising that we haven’t gotten any promotional material teasing them up until now.

    This was created by Bond’s Jane Yun and Enrique Torres in collaboration with the film’s crew. Empire always had a knack for making some amazing covers but I think they outdid themselves this time. The sandworm in the background as an oblivious Paul Atreides walks desert is a beautiful visual. I am really curious how Villeneuve will use these kaiju-level beasts that hunt the sands throughout the story. His flair for visual spectacle will certainly make them stand out even more.

    Let’s take a minute to just talk about how amazing this cast looks on these covers. Timothée Chalamet, Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, and Rebecca Ferguson make up the House Atreides. The indigenous of Arrakis, the Fremen, consist of Javier Bardem, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, and Sharon Duncan-Brewster. The director went out of his way to make sure this desert story will feature some amazing talent. Here’s hoping the wait for that trailer reveal goes by fast.

    Source: Empire

  • Kelly Marie Tran Joins Disney’s ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’

    Kelly Marie Tran Joins Disney’s ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’

    Disney’s next major animated film Raya and the Last Dragon sounded promising. The film is currently set to release on March 12th, 2021. It will explore the kingdom of Kumandra. The visuals will take inspiration from Southeast Asia. Awkwafina is set to star as Sisu, a dragon trapped in a human body. They will set out to restore her powers and dragon-form. It sounds like an intriguing premise. The Asian-inspiration also could offer some unique visuals.

    Looks like a lot has happened since the original announcement. Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada have taken over directing duties.  Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins remained listed as co-directors. She Kills Monsters‘ Qui Nguyen has been added as a screenwriter alongside Adele Lin. Not only that but Star Wars’ Kelly Marie Tran has officially replaced Cassie Steele as the voice of Raya. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ CCO Jennifer Lee offered the following statement to these changes.

    As filmmakers, Don and Carlos bring a combination of animation know-how and emotional storytelling to Raya and the Last Dragon, bringing our fantasy adventure to surprising, original, and dynamic heights. They both saw the potential for this film and had a strong vision for the story, especially for our lead character, played by the wonderfully talented Kelly Marie Tran. And no small feat, directors Don and Carlos, writers Qui and Adele, and the entire crew of 400 Disney Animation artists are making this film together, while separated and working from home

    Disney also shared a first good look at Raja and her companion Tuk Tuk fully rendered.

    Raya-and-the-Last-Dragon-720x300

    These changes aren’t unusual for animated pictures. Also, they were hit by the pandemic just as production was starting. A lot of their work is being done remotely. It is uncertain how involved the original directors still will be. With the March release date, they have quite a lot of work ahead of them. Especially if they make quite a few changes. This will be Disney Animation’s first Southeast Asian inspired story. The addition of Tran also makes her their first Southeast Asian lead and cannot wait to see what she brings to the role.

    Source: IGN, Entertainment Weekly

     

  • ‘Resident Evil’ Netflix Series to Explore Wesker Legacy

    ‘Resident Evil’ Netflix Series to Explore Wesker Legacy

    Netflix, in the midst of a run of dominance in the Streaming Wars, has not been afraid to dabble in original content that has been tried and failed at before. Their team has been quite successful with their adaptation of Castlevania, and this success even led to the announcement of a series based on Devil May Cry. Now, it looks like they are eyeing one more gaming franchise to adapt, as they have confirmed that a Resident Evil series is currently in development. Not only do we have that, but we also got a tease of what we can expect from the adaptation that will explore two separate timelines. Supernatural‘s Andrew Dabb and The Walking Deads’ Bronwen Hughes are attached as showrunners. It will consist of eight episodes with an hour runtime. We got the following description for the show:

    In the first timeline, fourteen-year-old sisters Jade and Billie Wesker are moved to New Raccoon City. A manufactured, corporate town, forced on them right as adolescence is in full swing. But the more time they spend there, the more they come to realize that the town is more than it seems and their father may be concealing dark secrets. Secrets that could destroy the world. Cut to the second timeline, well over a decade into the future: there are less than fifteen million people left on Earth. And more than six billion monsters — people and animals infected with the T-virus. Jade, now thirty, struggles to survive in this New World, while the secrets from her past – about her sister, her father, and herself – continue to haunt her.

    RE

    Off the bat, it is an odd choice to explore the current day with a brand new Raccoon City and what sounds like the post-apocalypse, but the franchise has been interpreted in many different ways across many different gaming generations. After Resident Evil 4, the games started to embrace a more action-oriented approach, but the seventh entry flipped the script by returning to its roots while adding a first-person perspective. Capcom has even started remaking the classic games, with some exceptional twists, that focus more on the Zombie horror and jump scares that made us fall in love with the franchise so many years ago.

    This series, at least initially, sounds like it will take a lot from the Resident Evil games AND films. Paul W. S. Anderson reinterpreted the franchise and only loosely based it on the games with only the zombie designs and names of characters carrying over. The confirmation that the series will star a pair of Wesker twins named Wesker already alludes to the iconic villain from the games. However, he also had a recurring role in the film franchise when he first appeared in Resident Evil: Extinction. Constantin Film, who produced the films, is also returning for this project. They do confirm this will be a brand new story but it wouldn’t be surprising to see even more elements from the films carried over. Whatever it may end up being, it will certainly be a wild ride.

    Source: IGN, Empire

  • VIDEO: ‘BLACK WIDOW’ Trailer Rereleased with ‘NEW MUTANTS’

    VIDEO: ‘BLACK WIDOW’ Trailer Rereleased with ‘NEW MUTANTS’

    After the strangest journey ever, New Mutants finally landed in theaters this weekend. Theater goers will also get an extra bonus: another look at the final trailer for Marvel Studios upcoming film, Black Widow!

    https://youtu.be/dsSaN57-87w

    While there appears just a snippet of new footage in the trailer, it has been cut to include the film’s November release date and, as someone pointed out in our Discord server last night, it does not state “ONLY IN THEATERS” as some other recent trailers have! We’ll have to wait and see what this means for any potential home release for the film.

    Black Widow will be in theaters November 6, 2020.

  • Untitled ‘Cassian Andor’ Series Eyeing November Filming Start

    Untitled ‘Cassian Andor’ Series Eyeing November Filming Start

    Around two weeks ago, we noted that the untitled Obi-Wan Kenobi show was eyeing to start production in September. At the same time, the Rogue One spin-off also seems to have restarted pre-production. We got the news that Adria Arjona joined the cast. Finally, we got some more news that may point to the Disney+ show eyeing to film in November.

    There were initial reports at the end of 2019 that the Disney+ series would be filming in Europe. It even had June 2020 set as the potential production start. This lined-up with the Special Effects Supervisor Neal Scanlan confirming they were already six weeks into pre-production in April. They were forced to close down as a result of the pandemic. Everything was set on hold but the recent casting had confirmed that pre-production was reignited.

    In an interview at the beginning of August, Diego Luna confirmed that filming would start soon. Now the only question remained when Instagram user Bespin Bulletin claimed that the production was eyeing late July to start again. The casting did support this claim and Luna‘s comments did hint at a filming start in the coming months. They already had six weeks of pre-production done, so they didn’t have to start from scratch.

    In the post, it was mentioned that a Redditor by the name of Chopper 3 had posted some info on filming a Star Wars project. Checked it myself and did find the Reddit post in question that claimed they plan to film from November until July.

    UK shooting November to July?
    byu/Chopper3 inStarWarsLeaks

    As Bespin Bulletin points out in their IG post, productions would take around eight months which would match the mention by Chopper3. When it was originally by Production Weekly that they were eyeing an October 2019 production start, the length would’ve matched intending to finish by June 2019. Thinking back, it has been quite the ride for this Star Wars show to get off the grounds. While we still have no official word, it would fit the timeline. Interestingly, both the new Star Wars shows are filming around the same time. There is a good chance they will re-use assets between projects. Production hints from the Obi-Wan Kenobi show also pointed to this being the case. Hopefully, this will be a good sign for more new Disney+ shows coming next year.

    Source: Guardian, DiscussingFilm, Comic Book Movie, Bespin Bulletin, Reddit, TheForce.net, The Playlist