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  • ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Digital Release Date, Bonus Features Confirmed

    ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Digital Release Date, Bonus Features Confirmed

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever served as a strong tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman and successfully continued the story of Wakanda on the big screen. Marvel Studios’ most recent theatrical release was also a massive success as a theatrical release in earning over $827 million at the box office. Though now, the film is moving to its next release window with its upcoming arrival to digital platforms and Blu-ray.

    February 1 will be the official launch of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on digital platforms. This is the same day as the release of the film on the Disney+ streaming platform. Meanwhile, the physical home media versions of Wakanda Forever will be available on February 7.

    In terms of bonus material, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is full of interesting new pieces for fans to dissect. A full-film commentary track done by director Ryan Coogler, writer Joe Robert Cole, and cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw will be available. In addition, a gag reel and two featurettes covering the aesthetic design of Wakanda alongside one about the themes of legacy will be included.

    Though the main event of the bonus features will be the four deleted scenes. Information about what they entail are below:

    Outside The Scope – Okoye has a shocking standoff with Ayo and the Dora Milaje. Aneka makes a challenging decision.

    The Upstairs Toilet – Ross infiltrates the NSA in disguise in an attempt to uncover information.

    Daughter of the Border – After a conversation with her Uncle, Okoye is faced with a daunting choice.

    Anytime, Anywhere – In Haiti, Shuri and Okoye share a bittersweet moment.

    These deleted scenes predominately follow further developments for Danai Gurira’s Okoye and her fallout from being removed as leader of the Dora Milaje. It appears these new scenes will likely add deeper context to her character and transition into the role of a Midnight Angel. Ultimately though with the extensive runtime of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in its original cut, it’s logical to see why her arc was more abbreviated in the actual film.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was directed by Ryan Coogler and was written by both Coogler and Joe Robert Cole. The film stars Leitita Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Dominique Throne, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, and Angela Bassett.

    Source: Comicbook.com

  • ‘Vision Quest’ Series May Introduce One of Marvel Comics Champions

    ‘Vision Quest’ Series May Introduce One of Marvel Comics Champions

    Paul Bettany‘s Vision has had quite a run in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From weapon of mass destruction to family man to weapon of mass destruction again, Vision has often found himself a pawn. One thing Vision has not done much of, however, is to write his own story but that might be something the blank slate White Vision gets a chance to do in the upcoming Vision Quest streaming series and a new rumor points in that direction.

    In a series of rumors from an anonymous source shared by the mods at r/MarvelStudiosSpoilers, there’s a compelling nugget of information about a potential plot point of Vision Quest. The rumor suggests that Bettany’s White Vision, last seen flying off from his battle inside the Hex in the final of WandaVision, will gain a daughter during the series: Viv Vision. In the comics, Viv Vision is a synthezoid created, along with her brother Vin and his wife, Virgina, by Vision to allow him to explore the complexities of the human family unit. Things did not go as planned for the Visions (as told in Tom King’s wonderful 12-issue run on Vision) but eventually Viv found herself a spot on a team of young heroes known as The Champions.

    The adaptation and exploration of Tom King‘s excellent work on the comics would come as no surprise to those who have read it and the idea that the White Vision would be interested in starting from scratch to study the emotions associated with a family make sense. While he possesses the memories of the original Vision, the White Vision will certainly need to have his own experiences to understand the idea of a family unit given that Wanda and Vision’s Hex family would NOT be part of said memories.

    Vision Quest is being developed by WandaVision and Agatha: Coven of Chaos showrunner Jac Schaeffer and currently has no release window.

  • ‘Stranger Things’ Star Sadie Sink Rumored to Be Headed to the MCU

    ‘Stranger Things’ Star Sadie Sink Rumored to Be Headed to the MCU

    The lack of actual news about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has the rumor mill cranking harder than ever. Rumors of project delays, plot points and potential castings have run rampant over the past few weeks and this week looks to be starting off no differently as a new casting rumor is making the rounds. According to an anonymous source (shared by Reddit’s Marvel Studios Spoilers mods), Stranger Things star Sadie Sink may be joining the MCU.

    The rumor is that Sink is being eyed to join the cast of Thunderbolts as team mainstay Melissa Gold, aka Songbird. While interesting, the rumor seems potentially problematic. Sink is only 20 years old and certainly looks younger than that; Gold has not traditionally been portrayed as teen/young adult in the comics. Additionally, Season 5 of Stranger Things is set to begin filming in May 2023 and Thunderbolts is rumored to begin filming in June 2023 and Marvel Studios features usually film for about 5-6 months, plus scheduled reshoots. Of course, there’s plenty of room to work around that as Sink’s Stranger Things character, Max Mayfield, was comatose at the end of Season 4 and Season 5 is expected to be in production for nearly a year and co-star David Harbour is also working both projects.

    The rumor also states that Songbird won’t be the only addition to the team shown in concept art at D23. The Sentry, whose presence in the film has been rumored for some time, and Anthony Ramos‘ Parker Robbins/The Hood are also said to be joining the roster of Thunderbolts in the 2024 film. While there’s no word what role Songbird might fill on the team, she could potentially be another experimental Super Soldier working under the command of CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. With filming only several months away, casting for the film should start to pick up over the next month or two, so fans may not have to wait long to see if this rumor checks out.

    Source: Reddit

  • RUMOR: Liv Tyler In Talks To Appear Upcoming MCU Film

    RUMOR: Liv Tyler In Talks To Appear Upcoming MCU Film

    Tim Blake Nelson might not be the last cast member from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk to make his welcome return to the MCU. A new rumor from Reddit is saying that Liv Tyler, last seen as Bruce Banner’s partner and the daughter of Thunderbolt Ross 14 year ago, will reprise her role in an upcoming MCU film that might be World War Hulk.

    A World War Hulk project was rumored to be in the works for some time, with some fans speculating that Captain America: New World Order would be a distilled version of it, given the involvement of The Leader and Thunderbolt Ross. With those characters playing a big part in the future of the MCU, it only makes sense for Betty Ross to be in tow.

    It’ll be fun to see what the dynamics will be between Bruce and Betty now that Skaar is in the picture.

    Source: Reddit

  • ‘Mayfair Witches’ Introduces a Major Player in Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe

    Episode 1 of Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches sets the stage for what promises to be a first season full of surprises as Alexandra Daddario‘s Rowan Fielding starts to uncover her true identity and the legacy that accompanies it. The road to those revelations began in “The Witching Hour” when Rowan’s adoptive mother, Elena Fielding, called into the New Orleans office of an as-yet-unnamed organization to speak to the agent assigned to Rowan’s file. Though it’s not quite on the same level, the unnamed agency has a little bit of the same feel as the central agency in charge of bounties in the John Wick franchise and it’s clear that whatever this agency is, it’s been established for some time. As it turns out, there is an agent assigned to Rowan, an “empathic investigator” by the name of Ciprien Grieve, and as the rest of the episode goes on to detail, he knows quite a bit about Rowan and the Mayfair family. While the episode itself is short on details about who Grieve is and the nameless organization by whom he is employed, Anne Rice‘s source material has plenty of clues.

    We Watch. And We are Always There.

    All signs point to Grieve working for an agency called the Talamasca. Created by Rice for 1988’s Queen of the Damned, the third novel in the prolific author’s Vampire Chronicles, the Order of the Talamasca is an ancient and secret society created to observe, chronicle and suppress the dissemination of information about the paranormal. Canonically, the Talamasca was founded in the year 758 by the ancient vampire Teskhaman, his fledgling, Hesketh, and the spirit known as Gremth. In Rice’s novels, the Talamasca served as the connective tissue between the Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches series.

    The character of Sip Grieve is something more of a mystery than the order for which he works because he is an original creation for the streaming series. According to EW, Grieve, who is played by Tongayi Chirisa, is an amalgamation of two major characters from the book: Talamasa agent Aaron Lightner and Rowan’s husband, Michael Curry. According to his file, Grieve possesses a power known as “Synesthesia Pareidolia.” The term seems to be a combination of two known sensory phenomena: synesthesia and pareidolia. Synesthesia is defined as a condition in which the stimulation of one sensory pathway activates another. For example, a sound may “sound” a certain color, words may “taste” a certain way or touching objects may trigger the visualization of certain objects. Pareidolia is a phenomenon in which a stimulus allows a person to derive meaning from an ambiguous perception. Taken together, it would seem that when Grieve touches objects, he can visualize their past and empathize with the people in those visions.

    Given Grieve is a composite character, it seems he may end up doing more than watching Rowan Mayfair over the course of the series. The character of Michael Curry plays a major role both in the life of Rowan and the plan of the being known as Lasher. That role is, however, incredibly spoilery to those who haven’t read the novels, so we’ll skip it for now.

    Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches is now streaming!

    Source: EW

  • Mayfair Witches: Who is Lasher?

    Mayfair Witches: Who is Lasher?

    Episode 1 of Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, “The Witching Hour”, wastes no time introducing one of the series’ most important and mysterious characters to the audience. Following the episode’s cold open which introduced Annabeth Gish‘s Deirdre Mayfair and Alexandra Daddario’s Dr. Rowan Fielding, the episode cuts to a flashback to Deirdre’s youth, where she is played by Cameron Inman. While speaking to a priest during confession and carving away at the wooden confessional, Deirdre discusses a “man” that she says has been around most of her life and has always “known what she has wanted.” While the priest seems very concerned about the man’s continued presence in Deirdre’s life, she maintains that she doesn’t need him now that she’s older. As her penance is assigned, it’s revealed that she’s etched the word “Lasher” into the confessional. When Deirdre emerges from the church into a flurry of flower petals in the sky, she catches a glimpse of the man, Lasher, played by Jack Huston. With Lasher set to be at the center of everything that happens in Season 1 of Mayfair Witches, visiting the source material to get an idea of who he is and what to expect from him seems like a reasonable option.

    Though he appears in the guise of a handsome, well-dressed man with good intentions, Lasher has only his own intentions in mind. A spirit who shares a long history with the Mayfair family, Lasher longs to return to the world of the living and is willing to play the long game to do so. While the premise of the character in Mayfair Witches is that he serves each generation’s designee, the spirit’s manipulative machinations are a facade for his true intentions.

    Lasher’s history with the Mayfair family dates back to the 1600s when he revealed himself to Suzanne Mayfair in Donnelaith, Scotland. Their meeting began a generations long relationship in which one member of each generation of the family, the designee, would be able to see and command Lasher and be gifted magical powers. For over 300 years, Mayfair women “benefitted” from Suzanne’s deal with the devil without knowing the ultimate cost. The AMC+ series has already deviated pretty significantly from Anne Rice’s novels. Most notably, Mayfair Witches seems to have cut back quite a bit on some of the incestuous relationships detailed in the pages of The Witching Hour, Rice’s first Mayfair novel. Those incestuous relationships, engaged in at the behest of Lasher, were done with one goal in mind: keeping the power within the family. Lasher’s ultimate goal in doing so was to create a witch so powerful that she could conceive a child that would be strong enough to hold Lasher’s spirit and return him to flesh-and-blood.

    Over the course of Rice’s Mayfair trilogy, the long histories of Lasher and the Mayfairs were told and full of some pretty fascinating revelations. Without heading into spoiler territory, the first five episodes of Mayfair Witches only scratch the surface of these histories and just begun to hint at the true nature of Lasher’s intentions. Given the significant changes from the source material so far, it’s worth wondering how much of Lasher’s plan from the novels will be directly translated to the series but the overall structure seems to be the same. Jack Huston’s devil in disguise is definitely up to no good.

  • ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ May Retroactively Revive ‘WandaVision’ Fan Theories

    ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ May Retroactively Revive ‘WandaVision’ Fan Theories

    WandaVision may have been one of the most theorized projects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only was it Marvel Studios’ first venture into Disney+ and long-form storytelling, but its bizarre premise left many wondering what exactly are they building up to. While we now know that we’re definitely in the Multiverse Saga, the introduction of Evan Peters as a fake Quicksilver in the MCU left some fans a bit frustrated; ignoring the reactions to the meta Bohner joke for long-time sitcom fans. Yet, the recent development on the first spinoff series, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, could be the spark to revive some old theories once again.

    Keep in mind, we still know very little about what exactly the Kathryn Hahn-led Disney+ show has planned, but some of its castings are quite promising. The original title of the series was House of Harkness and hinted at further exploring her family tree. Yet, the project was suddenly renamed to Coven of Chaos, which opens up the possibility of jumping deeper into the supernatural world that Agatha Harkness resides. We assumed that the show might move away from Westview, the setting of WandaVision, but more and more castings hint that the place may remain important.

    The recent announcement that Debra Jo Rupp, who is currently set to appear in the Netflix revival series That 90’s Show, will join the cast of the spinoff. In WandaVision, she played Ms. Hart, someone who was trapped as part of Wanda’s hex over Westview. Yet, her return opens up a lot of questions on why exactly she’d have a role again. She could appear in the story as a minor background character but why spend more time in Westview? Or, could she have a role in a different part of the story after all?

    One of the most popular theories early on was that Emma Caulfield‘s Dottie was a witch just like Agatha. We knew that she was going to turn out to be the antagonist of the show, which led to us theorizing there must be more going on. Yet, Dottie never was connected with any story and simply ended up as a victim. The actress was one of the first returning actresses cast for the project. With Debra Jo Rupp‘s return as well, it almost feels like Agatha may have had a contingency plan after all.

    When we last saw her, Wanda hexed her into a role that she was playing throughout the Disney+ series. Yet, she won’t likely be able to break free from her reality-altering powers so easily. Theoretically, she might be freed the moment Wanda is taken out during the event of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, or she has some help. It would be fun to find out in retrospect that Caufield and Rupp’s characters were part of the ruse this entire time. It not only adds depth to the events but also retroactively confirms many theories.

    We still have no news if Evan Peters might also return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ralph Bohner, but there’s a lot of potentials to explore his character more. He was rumored to be the person that Randall Park‘s Agent Woo references in the film being part of a witness protection program. Perhaps he was her Plan B and the reason that she stayed at his house, or he may even be further connected to the multiverse than we at first assumed. With new Mephisto rumors also circulating online, who knows just how many theories from WandaVision may make a return, or could even finally be confirmed once Agatha: Coven of Chaos releases on Disney+.

  • Paul Rudd Spotted Filming Some Additional Reshoots for ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’

    Paul Rudd Spotted Filming Some Additional Reshoots for ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’

    Reshoots have become quite common for any production, but it became quite normalized when Marvel Studios included it as part of their usual production cycle. While reshoots received a bad reputation over the years, most notably with projects like Justice League, it’s an important part of any filmmaker wanting to tighten up their film as much as possible ahead of its release.

    Of course, there’s the trouble of including additional shots requiring CG work, which would cut it close before a film releases and adds a lot more pressure to those involved with that part of the process. Ever since COVID hit, that time window has gotten difficult to keep in check and also added more pressure to the industry.

    Yet, it’s interesting to note that Paul Rudd has seemingly been spotted by Twitter user @paulruddcom undertaking some reshoots for the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. It’s notable given that the film is set to release just next month and they may be adding some more minor shots to the production. He’s not in his Ant-Man suit and it seems connected to the opening hinted at in the film’s trailer. So, they may just be adding some minor scenes as a pick up, which was also hinted at by Big Screen Leaks.

    For now, it shouldn’t be something to worry about and reshoots have also commonly taken some time up to the release. Here’s just hoping that there aren’t many CG-intense sequences that had to be filmed putting more pressure on the artists bringing the vision of the Quantum Realm fully to life in the upcoming sequel. It should also be noted that most of the film was filmed on the Volume, which may elevate some of that pressure, but we know too little from the production to really know how much they are still working on at the moment.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter

  • What to Expect from Marvel Studios 2023 Films

    What to Expect from Marvel Studios 2023 Films

    Marvel Studios 2023 theatrical release is all sequels, all the time. Two trilogy cappers (Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) lead up to The Marvels, the sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel, which is the only 2023 film with a new director at the helm. Only three films, but quite a bit to be excited about, so we thought we’d get you ready by letting you know what to expect from Marvel Studios upcoming slate of films!

    Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

    Peyton Reed‘s Ant-Man films hold a funny spot in the minds of MCU fans. Some people love them, some people find them incredibly boring and some people aren’t sure why they spent time watching them. While fans may not love Quantumania, it’s unlikely anyone will be bored or wonder why they spent time watching this one as it will advance the longform narrative of Marvel Studios’ Multiverse Saga more than any project to date.

    Expect big action, a wild antagonist in Corey Stoll‘s M.O.D.O.K., some surprising revelations about the Ant-Family and a knockout performance by Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, who is all about getting out of the Quantum Realm to go about…conquering. Also expect some interesting twists, turns, double-crosses and unresolved issues that will set the gears in motion for the big Avengers films at the end of the Saga!

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

    Originally targeted for a May 2020 release date, the final chapter in James Gunn‘s Guardians trilogy (and in his time at Marvel Studios) arrives this Summer with the promise that not everyone will make it out alive and no one will make it out unchanged. The emotionally charged first trailer made it clear that just about every member of the team will face a life-or-death situation as they investigate Rocket’s origins and his ties to the High Evolutionary.

    Expect good music, a day-late-and-a-dollar-short adaptation of Adam Warlock, an unsettling villain in Chukwudi Iwuji‘s oddball High Evolutionary and tears. While death is on the line for all of the Guardians, our money is on Dave Bautista‘s Drax kicking the bucket, especially given his recent expression of relief that the “silly performance” of the character is behind him.

    The Marvels

    The Marvels represents a totally different direction for the Captain Marvel franchise under the direction of Nia DaCosta. It’s a bit of a risky move, having the film’s two co-leads and the main plot device be products of Disney Plus streaming series that not all moviegoers will have watched, but it’s also the kind of change of pace the franchise needs after a less than stellar first outing.

    Expect a much more upbeat, fast-paced film than Captain Marvel and the possibility that Iman Vellani steals the show. Despite the wacky body-swapping premise, it’s not all fun and games, however, as The Marvels has a very real and terrifying tie to the big arc of the Multiverse Saga that will help fans who have so adamantly repeated that they don’t know where things are headed figure out where things are headed!

  • REVIEW: Anne Rice’s ‘Mayfair Witches’ Worth a Short Spell

    REVIEW: Anne Rice’s ‘Mayfair Witches’ Worth a Short Spell

    A spoiler-free review of Episode 1

    Anne Rice might be best known for her Vampire Chronicles novels, amongst which the bestselling Interview with the Vampire has now seen multiple adaptations, most recently brought to life in AMC’s 2022 television series by the same name.

    But within Rice’s gothic horror world, which AMC has dubbed the Anne Rice Immortal Universe, there be witches, and the Mayfair Witches have a dark and compelling history taut with mystery that should lend itself well to a chilling mystery series. Based on Rice’s best-selling trilogy, Lives of the Mayfair Witches, the eight-episode series centers on Rowan Fielding (Alexandra Daddario), who discovers she is descended from a powerful family of witches haunted by a powerful spirit known as Lasher (Jack Huston). Rowan’s seemingly confident and calculated life—she’s a gifted neurosurgeon, after all—is thrown into chaos when she discovers a burgeoning power within herself that she cannot control.

    Harry Hamlin as Cortland Mayfair

    Rice’s love for New Orleans and its rich, gothic history has always made for gorgeous film and television adaptations, and Mayfair Witches is no exception. In the debut episode, “The Witching Hour,” the lush and haunting backdrop of Mayfair Manor is outshone only by the lavish mansion and decadent parties of Cortland Mayfair (Harry Hamlin). In the recent past, a young Deirdre Mayfair (Cameron Inman) escapes to the seeming freedom of Cortland’s estate, but behind the scenes it’s clear he’s manipulating events to achieve his own ends. For what purpose is unclear, but his laissez-bon-temps-rouler sort of attitude is more uncomfortable than disarming. What is clear is Lasher, the sometimes-companion of young Deirdre, is not at all welcome to the rest of the Mayfair clan.

    Jack Huston as Lasher

    Throughout the frenetic first episode, Rowan is anxious to discover her biological family history. While she has an incredibly close emotional bond with her adoptive mother, events lead to Rowan questioning her new supernatural gifts. In present-day, adult Deirdre (Annabeth Gish) is seemingly a withered invalid, kept safe and under control using antipsychotics. When her new physician decides to stop her treatment, Lasher appears again. Coincidentally, Rowan will find herself haunted as well.

    If you’re not quite following the time-hopping storyline, you’re not alone. It would presumably take an in-depth knowledge of the novels to see the connections being teased out in this first episode, they’re so ethereal. Showrunner Esta Spalding (On Becoming a God in Central Florida), Writer Michelle Ashford (Masters of Sex), and Director Michael Uppendahl (American Horror Story, Walking Dead) have delivered a turbulent first episode that, given a little more runtime, might settle into compelling television. While the series debut doesn’t quite achieve anything particularly novel or emotionally riveting, it manages to satisfy a “just-one-more-episode” sort of intrigue that confirms Mayfair Witches is more mystery/thriller than its drama/horror counterpart, Interview with the Vampire. While the plot might tug you along throughout the first half of the season, Rowan is unlikely to capture your interest beyond her immediate predicament. Her whirlwind backstory is at times both empowering and flailing. Which isn’t to say she isn’t interesting—who wouldn’t want to follow a supernaturally gifted, brilliant, and beautiful neurosurgeon around? But you’re much more likely to stick around to find out what happens to Rowan, rather than what she chooses to do.

    Episode one of Mayfair Witches debuts on AMC and AMC+ on Sunday, January 8 at 9:00 pm ET/PT. The eight-episode series then releases weekly.