With production on James Gunn‘s Superman: Legacy tentatively slated to get underway in January 2024, the search for the actors and actresses who will fill the film’s key roles is well underway. In May, a list of potential frontrunners for the roles of Superman, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor emerged and while that list was stocked with talent, there’s been no official word of anyone landing a spot just yet. Now, a new report from Variety indicates that Gunn may still be looking for his Superman and that a new name has joined his list of candidates.
The trade is reporting that model and actor Pierson Fodé, best known for a 280-episode run on The Bold and the Beautiful, may have caught Gunn’s eye and be among those up for the role of Kal-El. Fodé‘s self-taped audition included a “montage” of the small-town farm in Montana on which the actor grew up and it apparently gave off some Clark Kent/Smallville vibes that Gunn reportedly enjoyed.
Landing what must be one of the most coveted leading roles in Hollywood would be a major step up the ladder for Fodé whose biggest film credits include a supporting role in Woody Harrelson and Kevin Hart‘s Netflix original The Man from Toronto. Variety reported that no decisions have been made and that everyone’s reps declined comment. Superman: Legacy is currently set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.
As audiences prepare for the return on Miles Morales in his second animated feature film, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, word comes that Sony plans to bring the character back to the screen in a live-action project. At the red carpet premiere of Across the Spider-Verse, producer Amy Pascal confirmed with Variety that the project is one of many in development at Sony.
“You’ll see all of it. It’s all happening,” said Pascal when asked if the protagonist of the Spider–Verse trilogy would make his way into live-action. Created in 2011 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, Morales quickly became one of Marvel Comics most popular heroes. After originally becoming the Spider-Man of the Ultimate universe after the death of Peter Parker, Morales jumped into the mainstream/Earth-616 continuity in 2015’s Secret Wars and has remained a prominent part of the company’s line of comics since.
It’s unclear just how far into development the live-action Miles Morales project might be at this time and if it’s a project that Sony is tackling solo or in collaboration with Marvel Studios. Spider-Man: Homecoming featured Morales’ uncle, Aaron Davis, played by Donald Glover, and what has been interpreted to be a reference to Miles. While that reference could ultimately just be an Easter egg, it’s probably in both studios’ best interests to work together to define Miles Morales’ live-action future as allowing him to interact with the already-established MCU characters would benefit his development the same way it has with Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. As exciting as the news of a live-action Miles Morales film is, however, it’s best to temper expectations until the project is much further down the development pipeline.
For the better part of a year, leakers and scoopers in every corner of the internet have promised the imminent release of news concerning the status of the fourth movie in Marvel Studios and Sony’s ongoing collaborative Spider-Man franchise. Lo and behold it seems they were correct as news has finally arrived!
At the red carpet premiere for Sony’s highly-anticipated animated sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Amy Pascal confirmed that while there will still be a Spider-Man 4, the development of the film has been paused during the ongoing strike by the Writers Guild of America. “Are we going to make another movie? Of course, we are,” said Pascal of the next Tom Holland-led adventure. “We’re in the process, but the writers strike, nobody is working during the strike. We’re all being supporters and whenever they get themselves together, we’ll get started.”
What that means for the untitled fourth MCU-set Spidey flick remains to be seen but it probably won’t be making that oft-rumored Summer 2024 release date and even a projected 2025 release would be uncertain until some potential endpoint to the strike can be ascertained. At the very least, it’ll give Daredevil: Born Again stars Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio a nice respite following their year-long production on that ambitious streaming series before they step back into their roles in Spidey 4.
Short of Norman Osborn, no single man that has ever walked the fictional or non-fictional planet Earth has a greater vendetta against Spider-Man than Avi Arad. Unlike Norman, however, Arad seems relatively unaware of his ongoing destruction of all things Peter Parker. After producing Marvel Comic-based such as 1998’s Blade, 2000’s X-Men and 2002’s Spider-Man, Arad went on to produce some of the worst CBMs in the history of the genre and famously forcing Sam Raimi into including Venom into Spider-Man 3, tainting the franchise.
As penance for his sins, Arad went on to ensure that Sony could produce a number of outrageously terrible films built around Spider-Man villains including Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius and the upcoming Kraven the Hunter along with another half dozen films that certainly aren’t making the top 25 CBMs. Now Sony leans heavily into both animation and their relationship with Marvel Studios to resuscitate the studio’s reputation with the Web-Head, Arad reveals that, once again, he is clueless about another Sony project.
In an interview with Variety, Arad claimed that a Spider-Woman movie–based on another character whose live-action right are shared by Marvel Studios and Sony–would be coming “sooner than you expect.” Wildly enough, since casting for Spider-Woman, which Sony exec Amy Pascal says “is happening“, was underway in prior to COVID shutting down Hollywood in 2020, fans have been expecting the film, once believed to be helmed by Olivia Wilde, to have been in theaters already. However, fans are set to be treated to Sony/Marvel fare such as Madame Web and, maybe, El Muerto instead while the theatrical future of Spider-Woman, a far more premiere Marvel Comics character, remains uncertain.
Whether or not Wilde is still attached to the Spider-Woman project–which was slated to feature Jessica Drew–is unknown. However, given that Marvel Studios and Sony have a very strange and unfortunate relationship over the character’s live-action right, anything less than a Disney/Sony co-op will not do the character justice.
On the heels of their live-action reimagining of The Little Mermaidgarnering an A Cinemascore and opening to largely positive critical reviews, the studio has found a director for one of its next big remakes. According to THR, Thomas Kail, who directed 2020’s filmed stage production of Hamilton as well as Broadway and Off-Broadway of Hamilton and In the Heights, has signed on to helm the Dwayne Johnson-led live-action Moana.
Earlier this year during a conference call with investors and Bob Iger, it was revealed that Johnson and his Seven Bucks Production Company were leading the charge in developing a live-action reimagining of Moana, one of Disney’s modern classics.
I’m deeply humbled and overcome with gratitude to bring the beautiful story of Moana to the live-action big screen. This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace and warrior strength. I wear this culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reunite with Maui, inspired by the mana and spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me. I want to thank my partners at Disney for their strong commitment to this special endeavor, because there is no better world for us to honor the story of our people, our passion and our purpose than through the realm of music and dance, which is at the core of who we are as Polynesian people.
Dwayne Johnson on the Moana reimagining
While Johnson shared that he would be reprising the role of the demigod Maui, the studio made it clear that there was no timetable for when production might begin as they were searching for a director. Now, it seems they’ve found their guy in the Tony Award-winning Kail. After winning the 2016 Tony for Best Direction of a Musical for his Broadway production of Hamilton, Kail found himself on familiar ground when he led the Disney Plus production of the show which streamed to rave reviews in the COVID-ravaged entertainment landscape of 2020. Kail is currently in the midst of a Broadway run on Sweeney Todd and is also tapped to direct a feature film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof.
According to Disney, the live-action reimagining of Moana “will celebrate the islands, communities and traditions of Pacific Islanders as seen through the eyes of a young woman eager to pave her own path. Moana’s journey of self-discovery and reflection on the lives of her ancestors won hearts worldwide, as did her newfound friendship with an exiled demigod named Maui.”
Secret Invasion looks to stand apart from the usual MCU fare by shifting the focus away from its powered heroes and toward the shadowy world of spies. While that means that Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury is at the center, he’s not alone which means that this Ultimate List is quite a bit busier than most. If you want to get your homework done before Secret Invasion‘s June 21st premiere, you better get started.
Tier One
Tier One projects are non-negotiable essentials to be watched/re-watched before streaming Secret Invasion. If you want to understand what’s happening, these six projects–listed in chronological order– lay the foundation.
Captain Marvel
While the next chapter in Carol Danvers’ story will be told in The Marvels, which hits theaters in November, Secret Invasion is every bit of a sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel as well. The film introduced Talos and his refugee Skrulls–including his daughter, G’iah– to the MCU and set the stage for Fury’s relationship with them. As explained by Emilia Clarke, the faction of Skrulls looking to take over the Earth are sick and tired of waiting for Fury and Talos to make good on the promise of finding them a home world which is essentially what’s going on in Captain Marvel making that one a must on the rewatch.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Who do you trust? If you’re Nick Fury, you don’t trust too many folks at all. The Winter Soldier tore Fury’s life to shreds but he escaped and rose from the ashes like the fiery phoenix with an eye on taking down Hydra. Though she’s not featured in it, The Winter Soldier goes a long way in revealing just how much Fury trusts Maria Hill, who is set to play a big role in Secret Invasion. It also provides all sorts of opportunities for Fury to have been simmed and replaced by a Skrull, so if you’re rewatching it, try it through that lense and see how it might change the film for you.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Though Fury doesn’t play a pivotal role in the Avengers’ defeat of Ultron, the second Avengers film goes a long way in revealing just how little anyone really knows about Fury and just how capable he is of pulling off major surprises. If he helped hide the Bartons from the world and can happen to full a Hellicarrier out of thin air, what other surprises does Fury have up his sleeve? Or is that even Fury’s sleeve?
Captain America: Civil War
James Rhodes’ MCU story has truly been fascinating but the events of Civil War altered the trajectory of the character’s arc more than any project to date. After joining the New Avengers following the events of Age of Ultron, Rhodey found himself on the wrong end of a tragic accident that certainly made him rethink which type of suit he’d like to spend the rest of his life in. Obviously, he went on to help save the world because that’s what heroes do, but by the time Secret Invasion rolls around it seems as though he’s looking to step out of the armor for good. Or is he? Or is it even him?
Spider-Man: Far From Home
The post-credit scene to Far From Home is quite possibly more important to the ongoing narrative of the MCU than the entire body of the film. The revelation that Talos and his wife, Soren, had been simming Fury and Hill while Nick was on space vacation–meaning an entire movie’s worth of Fury events didn’t include Fury–should make us all question whatever we think it is we know about the MCU. This certainly wasn’t the first time Talos posed as Nick…and it certainly won’t be the last.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
All we know so far about Everett Ross’ role in Secret Invasion is that he’s sneaking around in the shadows as one of Fury’s allies. And while you might think all you’d need to know is how he escaped government custody at the end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the additional backstory that film provides for him is worth the watch.
Tier Two
Once you’ve seen the Tier One projects, you’d be just fine settling in for Secret Invasion without feeling lost. That said, if you’ve got the time to dig deeper and get a little more context on the not-quite-necessary-but-still-important events in the main characters’ lives, the Ultimate List will point you in the right direction.
Avengers: Infinity War
The beginning of a two-film arc in which audiences really got to see Cheadle elevate the role of Rhodey, Infinity War comes close to a Tier One project but falls a tad short. Rhodes’ dismissal of General Ross’ order should have cost him his USAF career but it didn’t seem to derail it at all given where he is as Secret Invasion begins.
Avengers: Endgame
The Russos carved out a pretty meaty role for War Machine here and it’s by far one of Cheadle’s most enjoyable performances in the role. From tossing around the idea of killing baby Thanos to helping retrieve the Power Stone during the Time Heist, Endgame gives Rhodey a ton to do even if none of it seems to really be impactful in setting the stage for Secret Invasion.
Tier Three
If the completist in you is telling you to watch them all, then we encourage you to do so.
Iron Man
The beginning of James Rhodes’ MCU journey, Iron Man introduces the character as one of Tony Stark’s best buddies. Played here by Terrence Howard, Rhodey is constantly frustrated with Tony but can’t seem to say no to the guy. The film also marks the MCU debut of Nicholas J. Fury as he begins the work of assembling his Avengers by sneaking into Tony Stark’s Malibu mansion.
Iron Man 2
Don Cheadle stepped in as Rhodey in the 2010 sequel which is only really worth watching to track the character’s work with the U.S. Government, which is a major plot point in Secret Invasion.
Captain America: The First Avenger
Part of Nick Fury’s MCU story, Captain America: The First Avenger gave a very fair impression of the lengths The Spy would go to in order to sell a lie.
The Avengers
One of the best MCU films to date, The Avengers is worth watching at any point in time; however, it paints a very murky picture of Fury and just how willing he is to keep secrets from anyone and everyone. The project also marks the MCU debut of Fury’s right hand, Maria Hill, who looks primed to play her biggest part yet in Secret Invasion.
Iron Man 3
While he gets relegated to a bit of a sidekick role in his adventures with Stark, Rhodey’s political career is advanced here when President Matthew Ellis upgrades him to the Iron Patriot and puts him front and center in the battle against The Mandarin.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
In his last appearance before we see him in Secret Invasion, Colonel Rhodes and Sam Wilson have a discussion about Sam’s decision to place the Captain America shield in the Smithsonian.
According to CanWeGetSomeToast, a scooper who is hiding in the Multiverse, Vision’s synthezoid children, Vin and Viv, who were created by Vision so he might enjoy the human experience of having a family, are both set to appear in Vision Quest.
While Viv has gone on to join the Young Avengers and have some wild adventures, the cookie crumbled a little differently for Vin who died within the same 12-issue series in which he was introduced. While any news or rumors about Marvel Studios projects are welcome at this point, it’s also a sobering reminder that Vision Quest, which was once on track to head into production in early 2024 will almost certainly be delayed by the ongoing WGA strike and the potential pending strikes of Screen Actors Guild and the Directors Guild of America. Though Disney was looking for a way to spread out its streaming content, this probably wasn’t what they had in mind.
It was rumored for quite some time but there was still some surprise that Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is getting a remake before the original first entry. Yet, there’s also the fact that the numbered series starts to jump between the past and present. The stories of Naked Snake and Solid Snake are deeply intertwined. With a new Delta in the title, it seems the franchise is moving towards a new direction and Konami offered some insight into why they decided to kick it off with Naked Snake’s story.
A Konami spokesperson shared the following statement offering insight into why they went with Snake Eater first:
We chose Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater because it depicts the birth of BIG BOSS (Naked Snake), which is the starting point of the Metal Gear series. Another reason is that many fans have been requesting a remake of this game for a long time.
They also highlight that they are using the Greek letter Delta as a way to highlight that this remake is a change but won’t change the structure.
The Delta symbol (Δ) was chosen because its meaning fits the concept of the remake project. Delta is a character from the Greek alphabet that means ‘change’ or ‘difference’ in mathematics and variables, and also has the meaning of changing an amount without changing the structure.
The big takeaway from an interview with IGN, however, is that they are quite open to remaking other projects even as they are re-releasing the originals for those that haven’t had the chance to play these iconic gaming titles.
Regarding remakes of previous games in the series other than Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, we will listen to player demand and consider accordingly.
Metal Gear Solid is quite popular as a franchise and a modern take on a classic; if proven they can keep it on the same level as the Resident Evil remakes. So, it wouldn’t be too surprising if they could start their own take on reviving the classic franchise as they build the story from Snake Eater to The Phantom Pain.
We’ve kind of suspected it but the long-rumored Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater remake won’t have an involvement from Hideo Kojima, who created the original franchise. After he left Konami, they kept the rights to his creation and he went on to found his own production studio, Kojima Productions. While he’s currently busy with Death Stranding 2, Konami is trying to revive the franchise with a remake of the original.
Sadly, Kojima is not involved at all with the project and neither is Yoji Shinkawa, who created the iconic designs for the various characters from the franchise. Though it seems that Konami developers are actively working on the game even though they wouldn’t outright confirm who was the development team. Virtuos is supporting and has worked on the Metal Gear series in the past.
A Konami spokesperson only had the following to say in an interview with IGN:
They are not involved. However, the development team will work hard to create this remake and also the ports (for Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection) so that they can be enjoyed on multiple platforms by even more players all around the world.
It’s uncertain if Konami will even try to get Kojima’s sign-off on the project, especially with how their relationship ended some years ago. Long-time fans are still uncertain about his involvement and if the team can truly keep the spirit of the original alive. His work was a very personal one and you always knew it had his hand in some form or another involved. So, we’ll see if Konami can carry on the torch and avoid another Metal Gear Survive.
The hype surrounding The Flash is a troubled one. While the film has been in development hell for quite some time, Andy Muschietti is finally going to reveal it to the world in just a few more weeks. Yet, the discussion surrounding its leading star, Ezra Miller, has left some questioning his future as the iconic hero.
In 2020, the actor made headlines due to choking a woman before it started going to new questionable levels in 2022. Miller was stated to be in treatment for “complex mental health issues” and is completely absent from the film’s promotional run. Yet, Muschietti believes that they are the only one right to play Barry Allen.
If [a sequel] happens, yes. I don’t think there’s anyone that can play that character as well as they did. The other depictions of the character are great, but this particular vision of the character, they just excelled in doing it. And, as you said, the two Barrys — it feels like a character that was made for them.
Andy Muschietti
His wife and co-producer, Barbara Muschietti, also highlights Miller’s role during filming and highlighting that he was “the most committed” actor on set to bring the different variations of Barry to life.
In principal photography, Ezra was brilliant and the most committed and the most professional [actor]. Ezra gave everything for this role — physically, creatively, emotionally. They were absolutely supreme.
Barbara Muschietti
It’s hard to say what people will take away from the film and if Miller will still stick around once the new era of the DC Cinematic Universe kicks off under James Gunn and Peter Safran’s management. Warner Bros. Discovery has put all its money into this film’s box office and we’ll see if it’ll manage to do just that once it finally releases next month.
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