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  • ‘Werewolf By Night’: Tracing Ted’s Excellent Adventure in the MCU

    ‘Werewolf By Night’: Tracing Ted’s Excellent Adventure in the MCU

    Marvel Studios Werewolf By Night might be the first time Man-Thing has been present in the action, but breadcrumbs, hints and Easter eggs of the existence of the creature have existed for the better part of a decade. With Man-Thing, who Jack so lovingly refers to as Ted, now in the spotlight, a brief look back at his history, both recorded and imagined, is in order.

    Iron Man 3

    No, you didn’t miss Man-Thing in Iron Man 3; however, clues to his origin story could be found. In the comics, Ted Sallis was a scientist working on Project Gladiator, one of a billion attempts to recreate the Super Solider Serum flowing in the veins of Steve Rogers. Sallis’ research partner and lover, Ellen Brandt, was turned by A.I.M. and eventually tried to steal the research. Ted said no, Ted drank the formula, she shot Ted and Ted fell into the swamp. When he emerged from the swamp, he had become Man-Thing, obviously. Ted and Ellen had a less than happy reunion that led to Ellen’s face becoming horribly disfigured by the touch of Man-Thing because, as we all know, whatever knows fear burns at the touch of the Man-Thing!

    In an MCU that’s seen a few attempts at recreating the Super Soldier Serum, it wouldn’t be too surprising to find out that Project Gladiator went down at some point in time. More than that, however, A.I.M. agent Ellen Brandt had a gnarly facial scar and a missing arm that could easily be retconned to have been the result of an encounter with Man-Thing! Given that Iron Man 3 took place in 2013, we can deduce that Ted has been Man-Thing for at least a decade assuming Werewolf By Night takes place in the MCU’s present day of 2025.

    Thor: Raganarok

    Having (not really) established that Ted operated as Man-Thing as early 2013 really does little to explain away how his face ended up on the Grandmaster’s palace on Sakaar in Thor: Ragnarok. As the Grandmaster says, time works a little differently there, but what you can be sure of is that at some point before the events of Thor: Ragnarok, Man-Thing was one of the Grandmaster’s Champions. It’s not clear under what circumstances he found himself participating in the Contest of Champions, but from Jack’s dialogue in Werewolf By Night, it’s clear that Ted has a bit of a habit of getting himself captured. Perhaps he found himself unwillfully part of the Contest, became champion and won his freedom. Whatever the case may be, assuming Werewolf By Night takes place in the MCU’s present day, Manny eventually found his way back to Earth.

    Werewolf by Night

    Man-Thing finds himself the prisoner of the vile Verusa as the events of Werewolf By Night begin to unfold. And while he has his revenge on her by burning her up and tossing her body across the great room of Bloodstone Manor, what’s more important in giving us clues about Ted’s excellent adventure is his heart-warming relationship with Jack. Michael Giacchino did a fantastic job of retrofitting Jack, Ted, Elsa and other characters, both seen and unseen, into the MCU’s history. The timeline isnt’ clear, but Jack’s been around for a while and he’s known Ted long enough to not only become besties with him but also save his butt more than once.

    What’s Next

    The existing relationship between Jack and Ted makes one ponder what other monsters exist within the shared universe who have also been on the receiving end of Jack’s help. If saving monsters, like Ted, is what Jack does in the MCU, it seems like he, Man-Thing and their new friend Elsa, might be likely to team-up again at some point. Putting those 3 together is enough for the foundations of The Legion of Monsters.

    It’s also possible that Marvel Studios chooses to explore Man-Thing’s identity as the guardian of the Nexus of All Realities, a gateway located at a point where all of the many realities of the multiverse interest and can be accessed. The Multiverse Saga has just begun and isn’t set to end for three more years, meaning further exploration of the concept is sure to happen. Perhaps Man-Thing could appear in a project such as Loki Season 2 in a little less-monstrous capacity.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Jamie Clayton on Reinventing Pinhead in ‘Hellraiser’

    EXCLUSIVE: Jamie Clayton on Reinventing Pinhead in ‘Hellraiser’

    Classic horror remakes don’t always stick the landing but when they do, it’s a remarkable feat. This year’s Hellraiser reboot does exactly that, delivering new thrills for the modern audience while reinventing the franchise. At the center of this film is Jamie Clayton‘s Pinhead, who succeeds Doug Bradley’s original version in more ways than one.

    We sat down with Clayton and asked about her process of reinventing the character. Clayton credits much of her performance to director David Bruckner‘s vision.

    It was wild. It was unlike anything I’d ever done. This role was the biggest challenge for me physically, mentally, and emotionally. Luckily, I had David [director] who literally one of the most amazing directors I’ve worked with. So generous with his time and ideas. We had many conversations about what the Hell Priest’s intentions were. What she would be feeling and thinking at every given moment. David gave me the room to play on set and we tried lots of different things and moments. He would direct me in a way that was so patient. I’m so happy that it’s me.

    Clayton’s incredible performance should only lead to more appearances in brand-new Hellraiser films. The look, voice, and gravitas she brings to the role are what makes the film ultimately sing. Without Clayton, the film wouldn’t have had the same reception at all.

  • ‘Smile’ Aiming for $13+ Million Second Weekend

    ‘Smile’ Aiming for $13+ Million Second Weekend

    Paramount’s Smile looks set to take the top spot at the box office for its second weekend. The horror flick is currently on track for at least $13 million in its second weekend following $3.85 million in sales on Friday.

    Directed by newcomer Parker Finn, Smile pulled in an impressive $22 million in its opening weekend. A feat made all the more impressive considering the film had a modest budget of $17 million. Smile stars Sosie Bacon and focuses on a therapist who meets a graduate student that has recently witnessed a gruesome suicide. Soon after, she begins experiencing frightening experiences she can’t explain. In order to survive, she’ll need to confront her past in order to escape her horrifying new reality. The film also stars Caitlin Stasey, Kyle Gallner, Robin Weigert and Kal Penn.

    Should estimates hold, Smile’s $13 million second weekend will be enough to hold off newcomer, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, from Sony. That film is currently on track for an $11 million opening across 4,350 theaters. It’s an adaptation of the 1965 Bernard Waber book that tells the story of a Crocodile named Lyle that happily lives with the Primm family in New York City, until a neighbor tries to send him to a zoo. The film stars Javier Bardem and singer Shawn Mendes.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘Silent Hill’ Film Director May Have Confirmed the Long-Rumored ‘Silent Hill 2’ Remake

    ‘Silent Hill’ Film Director May Have Confirmed the Long-Rumored ‘Silent Hill 2’ Remake

    If there was any rumor mill that has been going on for quite some time in the industry, it would be that a new Silent Hill game is in some form of development. Konami has moved away from producing films itself and it made many wonders if the iconic horror franchise would ever see a return. Surprisingly though, there were hints that multiple games might be in some form of development and now the director of the 2006 film adaptation, Christophe Gans, may have just confirmed those rumors.

    In an interview with the French website Movie & Game, Gans hinted that there are “several games in development” with “several teams” involved. Now, that alone isn’t the biggest aspect of this confirmation, as he also has pointed out that Bloober Team is working on a remake of Silent Hill 2, which has been rumored for some time now. Just recently, South Korea’s rating boards have hinted at a project titled Silent Hill: The Short Message which many have theorized is the other original entry in the franchise that was teased for some time.

    Of course, the question remains how viable is his confirmation, as he confirms he’s not actively involved with any of the projects directly. Well, he mentions that he’s actively in contact with Team Silent and is also actively working on another film adaptation. There’s still no official confirmation on who is working on what game, but perhaps they are waiting for a joint announcement to tease the return of the project. In May, it was hinted that there are three projects in development and with enough months having passed, here’s hoping that news on it may be closer than we think.

    Source: Movie & Game via Bloody Disgusting

  • 20th Century’ to Adapt YA Novel ‘Feed’, Rising Nigerian Filmmaker Attached to Direct

    20th Century’ to Adapt YA Novel ‘Feed’, Rising Nigerian Filmmaker Attached to Direct

    It looks like the acclaimed young adult novel Feed is getting an adaptation. 20th Century has gotten the rights to M.T. Anderson‘s novel and has also already found its choice in director. Not just any, but an up-and-coming Nigerian filmmaker, Stanley Kalu, who only recently graduated from USC. He is set to write and direct the project. Zachary Green is attached to produce the love story and this is Kalu‘s feature debut.

    The book has recently been named among Time magazine’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time, which explores a dystopian America where consumers are directly linked to the internet. Yet, it’s mostly a love story at heart as a kid names Titus Gray takes a trip to the moon over the weekend, where he meets Violet Durn and ends up trying to fight the feed.

    The novel may be part of YA category, but it does explore darker themes like consumerism, data mining, and what future the U.S. might be heading towards. It even became a finalist in the 2002 National Book Award and was given an honor from the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards for Fiction a year later. Kalu is also set to produce the film which will be launched under Green’s Bantu, Inc. banner.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘WALL-E’ Director to Tackle Searchlight’s New Sci-Fi Epic ‘In the Blink of an Eye’

    ‘WALL-E’ Director to Tackle Searchlight’s New Sci-Fi Epic ‘In the Blink of an Eye’

    It looks like the 2017 Black List entry by Colby Day is finally getting an adaptation, as Searchlight has set Andrew Stanton as the director of the epic sci-fi drama In the Blink of an Eye. This marks Stanton‘s return to live-action after making quit the name for himself helming Pixar’s iconic entries like WALL-E and Finding Nemo. Russian Doll‘s Jared Ian Goldman is also joining the production as a producer but the project is just moving forward.

    Searchlight projects are normally on the smaller side of cinematic budgeting, but it seems they might venture out a bit more with this project. Stanton is no stranger to working with big-budgets and massive projects in scale, which makes him a fitting choice for this sci-fi adaptation. The concept explores the history of the world and explores three distinct stories, which will definitely be a challenge for a limited runtime.

    Colby Day‘s script appeared on the Black List and became his jumping-off point into screenwriting. He has gone on to work on Spaceman based on a Czech novel, which will be directed by Chernobyl‘s Johan Renck with Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan attached. He’s attached as an executive producer on the project with Searchlight’s Tylor Friedman and Apolline Berty overseeing the project.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • Keanu Reeves Exits ‘The Devil in the White City’ at Hulu

    Keanu Reeves Exits ‘The Devil in the White City’ at Hulu

    Back in August, it was confirmed that Keanu Reeves was set to headline The Devil in the White City for Hulu. The news came after reports suggested Reeves was in talks for the gig back in January. Now, Variety is reporting that Reeves has officially exited the project.

    The Devil In The White City was meant to be a big-budget take on the 2003 novel of the same name by author Erik Larson. The book tells the story of two men, an architect (Daniel H. Burnham) and a serial killer (Henry H. Holmes), who soon find their fates forever linked thanks to the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. Reeves was set to portray Burnham who was described as brilliant and fastidious, desperately seeking to leave his mark on the world. It’s currently unknown as to why Reeves exited the project. At the time of Reeves’ casting, the role of Holmes had not yet been cast.

    The adaptation of The Devil in the White City has long been in the works. Leonardo DiCaprio originally purchased the rights to the novel in 2010 with the intent to make it a feature film at Paramount with Martin Scorsese in the director’s chair. While Scorsese is still attached, following the move to Hulu, he’s now only serving as an executive producer alongside DiCaprio. Todd Field (Little Children) was to direct the first two episodes.

    Source: Variety.

  • Bang the Table: Week Five

    Bang the Table: Week Five

    Player Of The Week:

    If you don’t have this man on your fantasy team, please go get him. Tyler Higbee is on a tear right now. He leads all tight ends in catches and is fourth in yards. The guy even plays special teams and sealed the win against Arizona. Momma, there goes that man!

    He’s becoming a really nice safety valve for Matthew Stafford in an offense that has not looked like the Super Bowl caliber it was. My hope is that Higbee finally finds the end zone against the Dallas Cowboys.

    Team of The Week:

    Ravens Flock, what is going on with your team? I am running out of words to describe the play I’ve seen. The defense ranks 30th in the league in yards allowed and 28th in yards per play. This is nasty work!

    Where is the vaunted Ravens defense that only allowed 10 points per game once upon a time? The defense that ran hard to the ball? A defense that took a quarterback’s lunch money before he even realized it was gone? I’m banging the table for the Ravens to find some sort of life against their division rival Bengals at home, with a very leaky offensive line.

  • ‘Interview with the Vampire’ and ‘The Walking Dead’ Boost AMC+’s Viewership and Subscriber Growth

    ‘Interview with the Vampire’ and ‘The Walking Dead’ Boost AMC+’s Viewership and Subscriber Growth

    It looks like AMC’s decision to invest in Anne Rice-focused projects was the right decision. According to Variety, the first release, Interview with the Vampire, has been a major boost for their AMC streaming service. It and The Walking Dead’s final season kick-off played a big part in giving the service its highest two days of viewership and subscriber growth since its initial launch back in 2020. AMC+ has shared the following statement:

    The premiere of ‘Interview’ and the return of The Walking Dead’ drove AMC+ to the most successful two days in its history on Sunday and Monday and highest levels of series viewership and new subscriber acquisition ever.

    The service pulled in 10.8M subscribers across all platforms including AMC+ with the premiere of Interview with the Vampire being the biggest launch for the service. It seemingly beat out the freshman drama Dark Winds that previously held that record and managed to triple that series numbers. So, AMC is going to continue to bank on the newly won popularity of these projects.

    According to some data that Variety could acquire, it seems that 75% of the first streams were from new customers, which is quite a substantial showcase of just how big the draw was. The timing of a massive new series based on a highly popular book released around the same time as AMC’s biggest series ever seemed like the perfect recipe for success.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Werewolf by Night’ Star Shares the Challenges of Bringing the Werewolf to Life

    ‘Werewolf by Night’ Star Shares the Challenges of Bringing the Werewolf to Life

    Werewolf by Night has finally been released on Disney+ and many got to enjoy the horror-inspired story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first werewolf. Not just that, but we also got to enjoy the captivating performance by Gael Garcia Bernal in the role of Jack Russel and his lycanthrope counterpart. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bernal reveals what it was like becoming the character and also the awkward beginnings to realize his performance.

    Yes, that’s the idea. It starts from there. Before I started to work on this, I was like, “What am I going to do?” But once you get your feet dirty and put your hands in the clay and start to play around, you gain a little bit of the character. There’s a little bit of appropriation that happens, and once you put the mask on, the whole world is built. That’s when the howling becomes a natural part of what one is doing, and then the embarrassment goes away. At the same time, as actors, we’re used to that. It’s not that we don’t get embarrassed or shy about what we’re about to do, but you have to go through it. It’s like jumping into cold water. Once you’re in the cold water, it’s even colder outside of it, so it’s better to stay in.

    Gael Garcia Bernal

    He also got a chance to highlight the makeup process to bring the character to life. He highlights how it took around four hours early on but the process sped up as production went along.

    Yeah, [Old] was nothing compared to this. The mask by itself was incredible. It took a while. The first time we did it, it took close to four hours, and then it started to take less and less. By the end, it was actually quite fast. Fortunately, there were many aspects of the costume that were practical. Everything was in camera. We didn’t have to put tracking dots on me [for performance capture]. The whole costume was weirdly scary and odd as well. 

    Gael Garcia Bernal

    It’s definitely interesting how they approached the costume, especially with the more practical take on the character. A recently revealed BTS image from the production even showcased that Man-Thing had a practical suit on set as well. If Giacchino decides to return to direct more Marvel monster features, perhaps we’ll get even more fun and scary designs exploring this new corner of the MCU.

    Source: THR