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  • REVIEW: ‘Tales of the Jedi’ Is The Best Star Wars Animated Show Since Rebels

    REVIEW: ‘Tales of the Jedi’ Is The Best Star Wars Animated Show Since Rebels

    That the Jedi are the good guys in a Galaxy Far, Far Away is Star Wars‘ biggest lie. George Lucas dispelled that in his prequel trilogy. Dave Filoni examined the cracks of the Order in Clone Wars through the eyes of Anakin Skywalker. Rian Johnson brought it full circle in The Last Jedi when a disillusioned Luke Skywalker denounced the Order’s teaching. The streak to paint the Jedi as the galaxy’s most fallible figures continues as Tales of the Jedi puts the spotlight on one of the most underserved characters in the franchise, Count Dooku.

    The series, a precisely crafted six-episode anthology from Filoni, is split into two arcs. One explores Dooku’s fall from Jedi Master to Sith apprentice while the other chronicles various points of Ahsoka Tano’s life. Tales of the Jedi, in essence, is a masterclass on storytelling as Filoni compacts much depth and weight in a compact fifteen-minute format. In such a short amount of time, the stories explored evoke a sense of scale that eclipses some of the most important Jedi moments in Star Wars cinema.

    Much of that can be credited to the sheer scope of the storytelling. Both Dooku and Ahsoka’s journey span decades, exploring incidents in the far reaches of the galaxy that general audiences have yet to see. Like Lucas before him, Filoni brilliantly draws inspiration from other genres, giving certain episodes a distinct tonal feel. One episode that has Dooku investigating a kidnapping is inspired by mystery thrillers. Another episode that explores Ahsoka’s life in hiding after Order 66 taps into iconic Western tropes.

    The centerpiece of Tales of the Jedi is Dooku’s arc. Dooku’s fall from grace has long been a point of interest among fans and the show does a tremendous job of examining his disillusionment with the order. His episodes serve as one of the most straightforward indictments for the Jedi Order, delineating a clear line to where it all went wrong and why it went wrong. Dooku’s arc is tragic, regretful, and most of all, complex as it paints a portrait of a broken man on the brink of defeat. What used to be a character that was stunt-cased for the prequels is now one of the most compelling characters in the franchise.

    Ahsoka’s episodes, on the other hand, lack the intrigue of Dooku’s but make up for its familiarity. As one of the best characters in all of Star Wars, it’s always welcome to see Ahsoka’s story expanded, even through narrative minutiae. The opening of the season is her birth and how her tribe discovers her powers while the second is a vignette of her training under Anakin Skywalker. Both offer slice-of-life looks at the Jedi’s formative years. The kicker is her final episode which chronicles her life after Order 66. Without spoiling much, she ends up fighting the most badass Inquisitor ever created.

    Tales of the Jedi stands out as the best Star Wars animated series since Rebels. Even as its pacing and episode sequencing feel contrived, it showcases some of the best storytelling this side of the galaxy.

  • Charlie Cox Praises Vincent D’Onoforio; Talks Reuniting with ‘Daredevil’ Co-Star

    Charlie Cox Praises Vincent D’Onoforio; Talks Reuniting with ‘Daredevil’ Co-Star

    With Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock both making their respective ways into the MCU, it’s just a matter of time before the two meet up. Whether that meeting is a reunion between the two characters or their first meeting in a vast multiverse continues to be a hot topic of debate, but one thing has been clear since Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onoforio worked together on Daredevil: they each have a great deal of respect for the other. The two shared the stage briefly at D23 to discuss Daredevil: Born Again, an upcoming 18-episode streaming series and fans have been thrilled at the prospect of seeing them together again since. Fans aren’t the only ones excited about the reunion, however.

    In an interview with GQ following his appearance on She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, Cox gushed about D’Onofrio’s talents:

    He’s obviously a lovely guy, but more than that, he’s just such an extraordinary performer. He’s such a great actor. To be able to work opposite him and show up for a day of filming and see what he brings to the scene-which is always so much richer and more nuanced and more interesting [than] you could even have imagined in your mind I probably learned more from him about acting than I have from anyone else I’ve worked with. I think he’s made me a much better actor. Hopefully, I can learn more as we can continue working together.

    Charlie Cox

    D’Onofrio’s investment into the psychology of Wilson Fisk has been well-documented and paid huge dividends over the course of his time on the Netflix series. The actor has made it clear that he’s bringing the same energy to the character as he enters the MCU, meaning that when it comes time for him to meet Daredevil on screen, fans can expect something special.

    Source: GQ

  • Charlie Cox Wants More CGI In ‘Daredevil: Born Again’`

    Charlie Cox Wants More CGI In ‘Daredevil: Born Again’`

    Charlie Cox is back as Daredevil and he’s ready to make a few improvements. The actor made his big return to the role of lawyer Matt Murdock in last year’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, before putting on the vigilante suit and seeing a little more screen time in Disney+’s latest series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. When fans finally saw the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Murdock take action, however, it looked a little different than the last time he appeared on Netflix. In She-Hulk, Daredevil was made to be a bit more acrobatic than he was in his own show, with additional CGI being used to more accurately reflect his comic book abilities. In a new interview with GQ, Cox revealed his hopes that this use of CGI continues in his next solo outing, Daredevil: Born Again.

    When asked about what he hoped to accomplish on Disney+ that he wasn’t able to do on Netflix, the former Stardust star gave the following answer:

    I guess what I would say is: hopefully, on the Disney+ show, Born Again, we will be able to use—and I hope that we do it sparingly, I believe it should be used sparingly—but we’ll hopefully be able to use a tiny bit more CGI in the action sequences. Just to emphasize his gymnastic abilities that have been basically impossible to do.

    Charlie Cox

    Marvel’s Netflix shows were known for their lower-budget feel, often resulting in the use of more practical action choreography that limited what Cox could do as the famously spry superhero. Of course, this doesn’t mean those fight scenes weren’t extremely well-done. Just that with a little added CGI, they might be able to do something more faithful to the source material. Also, to be fair, Cox prefaced his answer with a disclaimer explaining why he couldn’t give a more detailed response:

    I’ve learned that these questions are a little tricky because the problem with them is that if I start detailing things I’d like to do, then very quickly, it becomes a news story. It potentially gets in the minds of not only the fans but also the creators and the writers. I really want to be careful not to muddy those waters because if it turns out to be a good idea, it can be a shame because it robs the fans of that moment of discovery. So forgive me for being a little bit vague in this area.

    Charlie Cox

    Daredevil: Born Again is set to debut on Disney+ in the spring of 2024, with Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio returning to their respective roles of Murdock and crime lord Wilson Fisk.

    Source: GQ

  • Warner Moving Ahead with A-List DC Characters; ‘Wonder Woman 3’ On Deck

    Warner Moving Ahead with A-List DC Characters; ‘Wonder Woman 3’ On Deck

    Even as claims of a “leadership vacuum” persist as the Walter Hamada era comes to an end, Warner Bros. is continuing to develop its DC properties. James Gunn is actively developing new projects; Henry Cavill is back as Superman; and Matt Reeves continues to build his Gotham universe through a series of projects being developed both for theaters and streaming. With the news of Superman and Batman projects in the works came news that the other member of DC’s Trinity is still very much in the plans as well.

    According to a report by THR’s Borys Kit, Warner Bros. expects a script treatment for Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 3 to be ready soon. Jenkins first brought the character to the big screen in 2017 and then again in 2020 and has been working to finish the script for the third film for the last year. At one point, it was expected that production on Wonder Woman 3 might kick off in 2023, but no updated timeline has been made available since the Warner Bros./Discovery merger.

    Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman has been one of the highlights of the DC Universe’s modern era and her character will be the first to complete a trilogy of films for the studio. She’s already appeared in 4 films and has an appearance the upcoming Shazam!: Fury of the Gods. With the news that Cavill is back as Superman, it would seem that it’s only a matter of time before the two reunite on screen…with Batman?

    Source: THR

  • J.J. Abrams’ ‘Zatanna’ Looking for New Streaming Home

    J.J. Abrams’ ‘Zatanna’ Looking for New Streaming Home

    In 2019, HBO Max signed J.J. Abrams to a $250M deal to develop projects for the streamer. Among the highlights was the development of DC’s Justice League Dark franchise, which was to include projects such as Constantine, Madame X and Zatanna. The former two projects were recently cut from HBO Max’s budget as ongoing shifts at Warner Bros. continue to change the landscape at the streaming service. Now it seems that HBO Max has moved on from the latter as well as Zatanna is now looking for a new home.

    Amongst an incredible wealth of information in a report from THR’s Borys Kit came the news that Zatanna has joined Constantine on the scrap heap at HBO Max. According to Kit, however, while the shows are dead at HBO Max, Abrams is shopping them to other networks in hopes of keeping them alive. Constantine was the furthest along of all the Justice League Dark projects, having been set to film this Fall. Set to be 8-episodes, it was going to adapt the story of John Constantine’s fateful encounter with Astra Logue. Zatanna had been in development since early 2021 with Oscar-nominated director Emerald Fennel on the script.

    The moves happen as Warner Bros. and Discovery continue their merger and ahead of the two companies streaming services merging into one platform in 2023. For Abrams, it means that 3 years into his deal he has yet to deliver on the promise. In addition to the cancellation of his Justice League Dark projects, another project he developed, Demimonde, was scrapped. Abrams is set to produce the upcoming Constantine film starring Keanu Reeves and also working with Ta-Nehisi Coates on his Superman project, which is said to be set outside the DC Universe’s main continuity.

    Source: THR

  • Charlie Cox Discusses Differences Between Netflix and Disney+ Versions of Daredevil

    Charlie Cox Discusses Differences Between Netflix and Disney+ Versions of Daredevil

    The return of Charlie Cox as Matthew Murdock and Daredevil has been one of the most hotly discussed topics in the superhero landscape. Once believed to be a relative impossibility following the Netflix cancellation, this portrayal of Daredevil has been given a second wind of energy that will continue into in his own 2024 Disney+ series. While his return in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has been met with general praise from audiences, some level of debate has amassed on the differences in portrayal of Matthew Murdock on Disney+ as opposed to Netflix. The somber tones of the original Netflix series are not present in the recent Disney+ series, though that’s absolutely logical with the latter being distinctly comedic in nature. It has, however, led to some questions about how this will translate to Daredevil: Born Again.

    While speaking with Variety about his return to the role, Charlie Cox took some time to speak about the different side of his character shown in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

    We’ve never really had an opportunity to explore the levity that there is in the comics. Obviously Daredevil at his core works better as a show that’s geared toward a more mature audience, but even life that is very serious has comedic moments in it. I felt like this was a really good opportunity to put Daredevil in a world where tonally there is a lot more fun to be had, it’s a lot more lighthearted, tongue in cheek. It was a really great experiment, both for me and for the character, to see how we fit into that world. It was just a question of freeing up a little bit and allowing myself as an actor to go toe-to-toe with Tatiana and make sure that Daredevil didn’t become the butt of the joke because he’s overly serious, to make sure he had his charisma, charm and wits. Whether that will play into what we do next year with “Daredevil: Born Again,” I don’t know, but it was certainly a fun experiment.

    Charlie Cox

    Charlie Cox makes a strong point about the importance of moments of levity despite his character being commonly associated with darker themes. Matthew Murdock’s role in She-Hulk doesn’t necessarily negate the character’s other experiences in the Netflix Defenders-verse. While the tone of Daredevil in She-Hulk was different from the Netflix series, it was also greatly in-line with the seminal Mark Waid run on the character in the comics.

    Whether or not this tone will remain for Daredevil: Born Again does remain a question. But if the quality of his material remains the same, it shouldn’t really matter what tone Daredevil will have for this upcoming series.

    Source: Variety

  • Charlie Cox Discusses What to Expect in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    Charlie Cox Discusses What to Expect in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    With She-Hulk: Attorney at Law having wrapped up its first season on Disney+, fans have begun further anticipating the next venture involving a superheroic lawyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Charlie Cox has received generally rave reviews for his performance in the final two episodes of She-Hulk, greatly raising the level of interest for Daredevil: Born Again, which arrives on Disney+ in 2024 with 18 episodes (an unprecedented move for Marvel Studios projects on the streaming platform). While talking with Variety about his return as Daredevil, Charlie Cox discussed the concept of an 18-episode series and how it will impact the production and story of the new series.

    It’s mad. I have no idea; your guess is as good as mine. Just in terms of shooting, physically it’s going to be a real slog and that will be a challenge in and of itself, which I’m excited about. It’s such a bold move. The character being a lawyer lends quite well to that. There’s a lot of story you can tell, just outside of the superhero element.

    Charlie Cox

    With Daredevil: Born Again being primed to be such a deep dive into the titular character and his world, questions will be asked of how much from the original Netflix series will be folded into this adaptation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When asked about who from the original series Cox would like to reunite with, the actor played it relatively coy. However, he did go fairly in-depth into the concept of being curious about where the character’s “canon” will be when the show streams.

    It was an absolute delight to work with everyone on all of those shows at Netflix. They were the beating heart of all of those shows. I would be honored and thrilled to work with any of them again. I would hate to single anyone out and I would hate to speculate because I just don’t know what the plan is going forward. That’s way above my pay grade. There are so many great stories to tell. There are stories to tell again. That wouldn’t be inconsistent with what they do in the comic book universe. Often a new writer and artist will take over a book and they will start from beginning. So maybe we’ll be doing that, but I genuinely don’t know. I’m just thrilled that I’ve been invited to the party.

    Charlie Cox

    Charlie Cox makes some interesting points here about the possibility of Daredevil: Born Again being a true fresh slate for the character away from what he did before. The specific status of “canon” within the Netflix universe of Marvel characters, however, does still remain nebulous. That said, the inclusion of Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin alongside rumors about other returning Netflix characters can lead to the belief that at least some of the core story beats will remain intact.

    The growing romance between Daredevil and She-Hulk caught the attention of fans, and She-Hulk, after showcasing strong amounts of chemistry in the latter two episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Fans have begun to ask questions about whether Jennifer Walters will make some sort of appearance in Daredevil: Born Again. Charlie Cox addressed the idea.

    I don’t like to speculate; I’ve learned over the years that when you get excited in an interview and you talk about things that could happen, the problem is that they then litter the internet. People talk about it, and then if it is a good idea, you end up ruining it for the fans. The only thing I’ll say is that I had such a blast working with Tatiana. She’s such an extraordinary actor, and the characters’ chemistry was really strong. There’s more fun to be had there, so whether we can go on that journey a little longer and our lives can collide again, I don’t know but I’d certainly be in support of that, if it can happen.

    Charlie Cox

    Source: Variety

  • WB Prepared to Move Ahead with a Sequel to ‘The Flash’

    WB Prepared to Move Ahead with a Sequel to ‘The Flash’

    Even as questions about star Ezra Miller continue to surround The Flash, news comes that WB remains incredibly committed to the property. While the first film won’t hit theaters until June 23, 2023, Borys Kit reports that the studio already has a script in place for a sequel should the first film be well-received.

    David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who penned the script for Aquaman, has put together the framework for a follow-up to The Flash, which is said to be an adaptation of the classic DC Comics story, Flashpoint. Just what the future holds for the franchise will first depend on what comes of recent events surrounding Miller, who has been arrested several times in the past year and recently pleaded not guilty to one charge. Common among fans is the theory that if WB decides they can no longer work with Miller, the Flashpoint nature of The Flash would easily allow for the role to be recast.

    The news of the potential sequel comes amidst a slew of news about the potential future of DC films. While Matt Reeves continues to build out the world of The Batman, James Gunn looks to be on board for multiple new projects and Henry Cavill is set to return in a new Superman project. As WB continues the search for the “Kevin Fiege” of their DC Universe, it seems that the good work of developing projects continues.

    Source: THR

  • New ‘Superman’ Project in Development at Warner Bros.

    New ‘Superman’ Project in Development at Warner Bros.

    Spoiler Note: There is a spoiler in the below article regarding Black Adam. The spoiler has been online for about a week now, but for those avoiding spoilers, please stop reading now.

    Along with the news that James Gunn is developing two more potential DC films, and Matt Reeves is seeking to expand upon his Batman universe, comes the news that Warner Bros. Discovery is finally ready to bring back the Man of Steel. The Hollywood Reporter has claimed that the studio is keen to get a new Superman project underway.

    While Walter Hamada was developing a new Superman project alongside writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, that project seems to be no more. Instead, Warner Bros. Discovery looks to be bringing back Henry Cavill in the role following a power play by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The Black Adam actor is said to have approached Hamada about bringing Cavill back, much to Hamada’s dismay. After Hamada rejected the idea, Johnson reportedly went over his head and went to Warner Bros. Pictures heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who gave him the approval to bring Cavill’s Superman back. The actor, of course, will appear in an end credits scene of Black Adam. (This was revealed by Johnson himself publicly.) But now, it seems he’ll also be headlining his own project again soon.

    Interestingly, THR also noted that the studio was eyeing Christopher McQuarrie, but he’s currently busy with Mission: Impossible. With Gunn said to be developing two mystery DC projects, it’s possible Superman is one of the films he’s looking to direct.

    Source: THR.

  • Matt Reeves Developing Multiple Projects Based on Batman’s Villains

    Matt Reeves Developing Multiple Projects Based on Batman’s Villains

    Along with developing a sequel to the critically acclaimed The Batman, Matt Reeves is looking to expand his DC universe. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that, along with the previously announced Penguin spinoff, Reeves is currently meeting with writers and directors to build out movies focused on Batman’s rogue’s gallery. It is of note, that the outlet suggests the projects will focus on both established and obscure villains, including characters ranging from Scarecrow to Professor Pyg.

    All of these projects are said to be in the very early stages of development, but Reeves is keen to build out movies on these characters. Like with The Penguin, Reeves will be involved to an extent, but his main focus is The Batman 2.

    Updating…

    Source: THR.