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  • ‘One Piece’ Star Reveals Why Netflix’s Adaptation Replaced Luffy’s Sandals

    ‘One Piece’ Star Reveals Why Netflix’s Adaptation Replaced Luffy’s Sandals

    After a long wait, the first look at the live-action adaptation of One Piece has finally arrived. We not only got a poster teasing Monkey D. Luffy but also a special image offering a good look at the cast members that’ll become permanent parts of the Straw Hat pirates. Yet, there has been some controversy surrounding the first look.

    It’s not too surprising as anime live-action adaptations haven’t had the best track record. There are promising signs that this series might break that curse given Eiichiro Oda‘s heavy involvement and the showrunner’s active involvement in the community. Still, there will always be changes when bringing something to live action and one big change that stood out was that Luffy no longer wears his sandals but rather shoes.

    Luckily, Nami actress Emily Rudd took to her personal Instagram account to reveal why they made the change, as first shared by @OP_Netflix_Fan on Twitter. And the decisions on why they moved away from his usual footwear is a bit expected given the challenges of kicking people with open shoes.

    Sandals unfortunately are not the safest footwear to do stunt work in, and we didn’t want y’all to miss out on the amazing work [Inaki Godoy] can do and did.

    Emily Rudd

    It makes sense that they’d want to keep their stunt work as safe as possible, and while many want to point out that Luffy not carrying shoes fits his character but the shoes being used do the same thing. It doesn’t really matter if he slips into sandals or shoes he doesn’t have to tie, as he remains as carefree as ever. Plus, it’s impressive to think the cast was able to bring their own stunts to life and just adds that personal note to bringing these characters to live-action.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Avatar’ Producer Teases a Time Jump and Return to Earth in Future Sequels

    ‘Avatar’ Producer Teases a Time Jump and Return to Earth in Future Sequels

    Avatar is set to rekease up to three films going by the success of Avatar: The Way of Water. There’s always a chance that they could expand beyond that, but director James Cameron and producer Jon Landau have seemingly at least mapped out as far as its fifth entry. Instead of keeping everything as close to the chest as possible, they are giving us a small glimpse of what the future has in store for us.

    In a new interview with Empire, Landau got the chance to hint at what exactly is heading our way in the fourth and fifth Avatar entries. We know that the third will introduce the fire Na’vi race known as the Ash People. It looks like the first entry will feature “a big time jump” which also matches taking the age of the actors into account.

    Landau also highlighted once again the visit to Earth, which he previously confirmed in an interview with Gizmodo, which technically might be quite a spoiler on the future of a character in this story.

    We go to it to open people’s eyes, open Neytiri’s eyes, to what exists on Earth.

    Jon Landau

    This time around, he highlighted that they’ll get a chance to explore Earth which is suffering from “’over-population and a depletion of our natural resources that make life harder.” So, we’ll likely see Neyitiri exploring a world that is different from nature telling her exactly what humanity has done wrong. Perhaps it also opens the possibility of a rift between her and Jake Sully, as she never believed just how far humanity has fallen.

    Source: Empire via Variety, Gizmodo

  • Oona Chaplin Set to Play Fire Na’vi Leader in ‘Avatar 3’

    Oona Chaplin Set to Play Fire Na’vi Leader in ‘Avatar 3’

    Avatar: The Way of Water has passed the two-billion mark and has set in motion the future of a brand-new franchise. James Cameron is certainly excited to continue the work he started going beyond the third film, but he still is busy putting the finishing touches on Avatar 3. We already heard that it’ll introduce a new tribe of Na’vi that is based on fire; adding to more comparisons with the Avatar: The Last Airbender series.

    Now, we got a bit more information on this new race, as they are definitely going to be antagonistic but it’s uncertain if they might turn to the good side once humanity does its usual thing in these projects. These Ash People are “an aggressive, volcanic race” and it seems Game of Thrones‘ Charlie Chaplin is set to play their leader Varang. Producer Jon Landau shares why they decided on this direction in an interview with Empire.

    There are good humans and there are bad humans. It’s the same thing on the Na’vi side. Oftentimes, people don’t see themselves as bad. What is the root cause of how they evolve into what we perceive as bad? Maybe there are other factors there that we aren’t aware of.

    Jon Landau

    It definitely will add a bit more to the exploration of the various Na’vi cultures we’ve seen to this point. There’s a chance that perhaps these Na’vi have been excluded from the connection we’ve seen with various races and the Ash People living in a volcano don’t have the same connection to nature that others have. Though, we don’t yet know what the environment looks like in this new part of Pandora.

    Source: Empire via Variety

  • ‘Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches’ Renewed for Season 2

    ‘Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches’ Renewed for Season 2

    AMC has renewed Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches for a second season. The news comes halfway through the show’s first season, following the show’s performance thus far. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Mayfair Witches has averaged around 560,000 viewers from initial viewers. That’s ahead of Interview With the Vampire which tends to average around 490,000 viewers. As it stands, Mayfair Witches had the biggest series debut to date on AMC+ and, over its first 30 days, was the most-watched season of any series on the streamer.

    “We are thrilled with the reaction to this series, especially in the wake of the incredibly strong reception to Interview, and can’t wait to bring the fans second seasons of both series in this rich, vibrant and expanding universe based on the works of Anne Rice,” AMC Networks entertainment president and AMC Studios head Dan McDermott said in a statement to the press. “In a business in which ‘nobody knows anything,’ we knew what we were hoping for in terms of building a television franchise around these remarkable characters and stories, and to see these shows arrive and captivate viewers in the way they have is so gratifying and energizing for everyone involved, and there is so much yet to come.”

    Esta Spalding, who serves as the showrunner for Mayfair Witches, expressed their excitement over the renewal. “Anne Rice’s Lives of the Mayfair Witches is a sumptuous epic tale that we’ve only begun to explore. I’m so grateful to the fans and viewers of the show who’ve given us the chance to continue telling this story.”

    Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, which is based on Rice’s Lives of Wayfair Witches trilogy, follows doctor Rowan Fielding (played by Alexandra Daddario) who discovers she is the heir to a family of witches. Jack Huston, Tongayi Chirisa and Harry Hamlin star in the series alongside Daddario.

    Season 1 is expected to end its run on February 23rd, while production on Season 2 will begin later this year in New Orleans.

    Source: THR.

  • Ed Brubaker’s ‘Criminal’ In Development at Amazon

    Ed Brubaker’s ‘Criminal’ In Development at Amazon

    Amazon Studios is negotiating to bring Ed Brubaker‘s creator-owned comic book series, Criminal, to the small screen. The series debuted in 2006 and has been awarded three Eisner Awards and has always been among the most in-demand books on shelves. Brubaker has been one of comics’ most prolific creators of the 2000s, writing for both DC and Marvel, where he and artist Sean Phillips first launched Criminal under their Icon imprint.

    According to the trade report, Brubaker will serve as the showrunner and executive producer for the Amazon adaptation and is currently putting together a writers room. Criminal is set in the fictional Center City where mini-arcs follow rotating protagonists and their connection to generational crime.

    Source: Deadline

  • Seth Rogen Believes ‘The Boys’ “Wouldn’t Exist” Without Marvel Studios

    Seth Rogen Believes ‘The Boys’ “Wouldn’t Exist” Without Marvel Studios

    There’s been an online debate for years if Marvel Studios catering too much to a younger audience. With the rise of more adult fare like The Boys, some people feel like there’s no place for that franchise anymore. The series creator Seth Rogen, however, does acknowledge that the films are “just not for” him as he believes it’s not made for an “adult with no children.” Though he also aknowledges that is his own personal taste and praises Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige.

    Yet, he also goes on to highlight that The Boys “wouldn’t exist” if it weren’t for the existence of Marvel Studios. It’s classic counterprogramming that we’ve seen many times throughout the years and a simple evolution that was set by the produciton company in the superhero genre. It’s common that alternatives pop up that cater to different types of audiences that may want to embellish in mocking the other. He also highlights how the “Western” never truly went away but many of its elements still live on in modern projects.

    Truthfully, without Marvel, ‘The Boys’ wouldn’t exist or be interesting. I’m aware of that,” Rogen said. “I think if it was only Marvel [in the marketplace], it would be bad. But I think it isn’t – clearly. An example I’m always quoting is, there’s a point in history where a bunch of filmmakers would have been sitting around, being like, ‘Do you think we’ll ever make a movie that’s not a Western again? Everything’s a Western! Westerns dominate the fucking movies. If it doesn’t have a hat and a gun and a carriage, people aren’t going to go see it anymore.

    Seth Rogen

    ONe could argue that the understanding of what is and isn’t “adult” does leave a lot of wiggle room. The Boys offers some powerful story telling but also enjoys its over-the-top violence and earning its hard-R rating. Yet, that isn’t the case for everyone. Marvel Studios isn’t making films specifically for children but something anyone can enjoy at all ages, as not every adult without a child might agree with Rogen‘s view on the matter.

    He makes a good point that a certain type of filmmaking has been very dominant finanically speaking in comparison to traditional cinematic experiences, though he also tries to drive a wedge between these two by describing one as “audiovisual entertainment” and “cinema,” creating a distinction of these experiences.

    The debate that sparked from Martin Scorsese has flip-flopped from creative to creative. Blockbusters are still a big part of the cinematic experience but what one describes as “cinema” can change from person to person. There should not be a reason to create a distinction but consider the ramifications of one type dominating the other. Though this is a matter we’ll likely never see a consensus on the matter given how discourse has changed over time.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Detective Pikachu’ Sequel Still “In Active Development”

    ‘Detective Pikachu’ Sequel Still “In Active Development”

    Yeah, I had to question that title as well but it seems that the long-awaited sequel to Pokémon: Detective Pikachu is still “in active development” according to a Legendary Entertainment representative. Of course, we don’t know at what stage it is exactly without anyone actively involved with the project but it seems Legendary is still keen on releasing the project at some point if possible.

    The sequel was renewed ahead of the first entries’ theatrical release. So, Legendary was all in creating their own universe. Yet, we also heard that Netflix was potentially going to reboot the film to better tie into their new TV series that is being developed by Lucifer‘s Joe Henderson.

    As such, it’s hard to say if we should ever actually expect a sequel or not. The new series was announced back in July of 2021 and there has been little movement on the project since. So, we don’t know if Netflix passed on the project or if even The Pokémon Company may have decided not to move forward. As of now, the cinematic future of this franchise leaves us questioning things like a Wobbuffet.

    Even the writer of Detective Pikachu, Benji Samit, and Dan Hernandez, pointed out that there’s a general rights issue for Pokémon that may be the leading cause of why we haven’t seen anything moving forward. The film did a lot right and offered some of the best live-action adaptations of an anime but sadly seemingly lost all momentum since its release in 2019.

    Source: Polygon

  • Marvel Studios Publishing Scott Lang’s Memoir From ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’

    Marvel Studios Publishing Scott Lang’s Memoir From ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’

    If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to get a look into the mind of Scott Lang, you’re in luck. Marvel has unveiled that they are publishing the book Look Out for The Little Guy which is inspired by the novel written by Scott Lang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

    The book is set to hit bookstores and was created in cooperation between Marvel Studios, the filmmakers, and Hyperion Avenue, which will explore what truly happened between the Avengers and Thanos. The statement shared by Lang is the following:

    Once upon a time I was just a guy living a normal life who committed a crime (for the greater good!), unfortunately, went away for a couple of years, got out and became a Super Hero, joined the Avengers, went down to the Quantum Realm, and then came back and saved the universe. You know, typical dad stuff. Dive into the pages of my new book, Look Out for the Little Guy, to read all about what it’s like to be the little guy (and sometimes, the very, very big guy) overcoming all the odds to help defeat Thanos

    Scott Lang

    The book will include 20 pieces on Scott Lang’s time as Ant-Man and is set to release September 5th. It’s already available as a preorder for those willing to take a look into the story of Avengers’ smallest yet biggest hero. It’ll be a must-buy for anyone who wants a deeper look into what it’s like living in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Source: Marvel

  • Release Date and Episode Titles Revealed for Volume 2 of ‘Star Wars: Visions’

    Release Date and Episode Titles Revealed for Volume 2 of ‘Star Wars: Visions’

    One of Disney +’s best Star Wars projects to date was 2021’s nine-episode anime anthology, Star Wars: Visions. The series consisted of shorts inspired by and set in the Star Wars galaxy that were not mandated to exist within the canonical timeline. The shorts were well received and a second season was ordered up fairly quickly and set for 2023. With Season 2 of The Bad Batch, Season 3 of The Mandalorian and Ahsoka all on the slate, 2023 is a busy year for Star Wars and fans wondered where Volume 2 of Visions might fit. Now we know.

    In an official release from Disney, Senior Vice President Franchise Content & Strategy at Lucasfilm James Waugh revealed that Volume 2 of Star Wars: Visions will stream on Disney Plus on Star Wars Day/May 4th! Like the first season, Volume 2 will consist of nine episodes from different animation studios, which were revealed in a Tweet.

    Waugh, who serves as an executive producer on Visions, talked about the studios and the “incredible” shorts they have put together for Volume 2.

    With Volume 2, we expanded our canvas to take audiences on a global tour of some of the most talented creators from around the world. Every short is incredible, full of heart, scope, imagination, and the values that make stories distinctly Star Wars — all while opening up bold new ways of seeing what a Star Wars story can be.

    James Waugh

    The release was accompanied by the episode titles, which are listed below with their animation studios and directors. The studios and directors are all newcomers to the series.

    • “Sith” (El Guiri, Rodrigo Blaas)
    • “Screecher’s Reach” (Cartoon Saloon, Paul Young)
    • “In the Stars” (Punkrobot, Gabriel Osorio)
    • “I Am Your Mother” (Aardman, Magdalena Osinska)
    • “Journey to the Dark Head” (Studio Mir, Hyeong Geun Park)
    • “The Spy Dancer” (Studio La Cachette, Julien Chheng)
    • “The Bandits of Golak” (88 Pictures, Ishan Shukla)
    • “The Pit” (D’art Shtajio and Lucasfilm Ltd., LeAndre Thomas and Justin Ridge)
    • “Aau’s Song” (Triggerfish, Nadia Darries and Daniel Clarke)

    May the 4th be with you!

  • Disney Set to Make a Splash at Super Bowl LVII

    Disney Set to Make a Splash at Super Bowl LVII

    Disney has several major tentpole films slated for release in 2023 and according to a new report, marketing for them is going into high gear. Deadline reports that Disney will be very active at this year’s Super Bowl, promoting as many as six of their upcoming films.

    Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, which will release just a few days after the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles square off in Super Bowl LVII, will certainly be on display during the big game. It is expected to be joined by spots for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Little Mermaid and Pixar’s Elemental with spots for Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny and The Marvels possible as well. In the case of The Marvels, Disney has yet to show off any footage of the new film other than to the audience in attendance at last year’s D23 Expo, meaning this would be the first look at the project for general audiences. In the past, it has often been the practice to release a full trailer online following a 30-second TV spot during the game.

    While Disney does have a multitude of streaming projects rolling out on Disney Plus this year, including Season 3 of The Mandalorian on March 1st, the report makes no mention of their plans for marketing those other than to add that Disney is not expected to showcase the upcoming Marvel Studios streamer Secret Invasion during the game.

    Other studios will be in on the fun as well, with spots for The Flash, Fast X, Scream VI, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts all set to debut.

    Super Bowl LVII will be played on February 12th and will be broadcast on Fox beginning at 6:30 PM ET.

    Source: Deadline