Comic book fans know well how important of a setting Chicago is to Riri Williams. And while Riri might not spend a lot of time there when she appears in Black Panther: WakandaForever, the Windy City will be featured when Ironheart streams in 2023. According to a new report, residents of Chicago might want to be on the look for Marvel Studios cast and crew to move in at the end of October.
The bulk of production on Ironheart is already in the books, having taken place in Atlanta over the last few months. As the production’s time in Georgia winds down, Screen Magazine has learned that Marvel Studios is set to begin work in Chicago “on or near October 24th.” Interestingly enough, Sam Bailey, who was brought on board as one of the Ironheart’s directors, is a Chicago native. Though it’s unclear which episodes will take place in Chicago or whether or not Bailey will helm those, it would make for a nice touch and lend an extra touch of verisimilitude to the project.
In the comics, Riri Williams was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. Identified as a genius at a young age, Riri turned her garage into a laboratory and lived a fairly happy, though introverted life. At the age of thirteen, however, tragedy struck while at a family picnic at Marquette Park. Given the production is headed to Chicago rather than trying to rebuild parts of it in Atlanta, it’s likely that at least some of the series might feature flashbacks to this time in Riri’s life and choose to shoot on location.
Riri Williams will be seen this November in theaters in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever before heading to Disney Plus in Ironheart!
As for episode 7, and much the previous week’s, there were a few new takes on less known comic characters. This time we got Man-Bull, El Águila, and Porcupine introduced into the MCU, all of which were already the focus of individual features by our own John Sabato. Taking a deep dive into how these characters were adapted to the small screen makes little sense now, so we decided to focus on three other villains with whom She-Hulk has a history that might end up getting adapted themselves in the future. Especially considering both present and future events within the overall MCU.
RED SHE-HULK
Red She-Hulk #66 (2013)
With the increased relevance to the MCU’s future that The Incredible Hulk has managed to gain in the past few months, with The Abomination coming back, and Tim Blake Nelson set to return as The Leader in Captain America: New World Order, it’s probably not that big of a stretch to think of a possible Red She-Hulk appearance down the line. Especially given how that particular movie will probably explore a potential explosion of Hulks in the MCU.
Even if the MCU’s Red Hulk might not turn out to be Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, due to the passing of the great William Hurt, why not bring back another character from the first Hulk outing, thus allowing Betty Ross to become Red She-Hulk?
Red She-Hulk #67 (2013)
Red She-Hulk shares many of her father Red Hulk’s abilities, including superhuman strength, which enables her to take on both the Hulk and She-Hulk. She can pierce even the thickest and most resistant skin with her razor-sharp claws and talons. Unlike her father, she can produce energy blasts, which she might use to devastating effect. Though this was only for a brief period in the comics, she could fly and had theoretically limitless strength in her form as the Harpy. She also could come to own her “big ass sword” that was initially presented to the Red She-Hulk during the “Fear Itself” storyline and was crafted by Tony Stark using Stark Industries repulsor technology and enchanted uru metal (the same material Mjölnir is made of) from the Real Eternal, Asgard.
ABSORBING MAN
She-Hulk #23 (2007)
With Titania becoming such a big focus point in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and with the apparentease with which superpowered people now show up in the MCU, why not bring someone close to her that also happens to have a history with She-Hulk? Absorbing Man fits the bill.
She-Hulk #23 (2007)
Crusher Creel, who we’ve already seen on the small screen in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., played by Brian Patrick Wade) has the power to imitate the matter and strength of anybody or anything nearby thanks to a mysterious potion. Most frequently, he duplicates the qualities of anything he touches, including solids, liquids, gases, and even energy sources. Over time, he learned tochoosewhichsubstancestoabsorb,andeven how to absorb multiple substances at once and combine their properties. During one of his encounters with She-Hulk, she realized that he could only ignore certain materials’ qualities if it wasn’t abundant. But drowning him in something that would be detrimental to his physical condition could then turn his powers, which could allow him to be the most powerful villain in the entire Marvel Universe, into weaknesses.
UNUM
She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision #1 (2008)
Another interesting foe that could come up against Jennifer Walters, is Unum. The cosmic entity Enmity (one of the Seven Friendless, a group of seven cosmic creatures) basically assembled the being Unum from the remains of many extraordinarily potent dead entities, including Dormammu. The Latin phrase “e Pluribus Unum” which means “out of many, one” is where the name of this enormous entity originates.
What makes her especially interesting in the context of the MCU is that Unum was established with the sole intent of eliminating all heroes, but initially focusing on female heroes, something that could lead down a compelling path in terms of storyline and real-world analogies. Unum was essentially invincible, but She-Hulk managed to defeat it and as a result of the revelation that Enmity was only using her as a tool for amusement, the mighty Unum turned against her creator, destroying her physical form, and committing suicide.
She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision #1 (2008)
It’s doubtful any of these characters might show up in the final two She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episodes, considering how Daredevil and perhaps even The Leader could be making appearances. But with Jen’s story continuing beyond the show, and with the series making it clear that no character of off limits, it shouldn’t take long for her rogues’ gallery to expand significantly in the not-so-far future. Either with these or other characters.
The first seven She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episodes are now streaming on Disney+.
In an episode that feels very small in terms of scope, scale and what’s accomplished as far as advancing the plot, those words, spoken quietly to Cassian by Faye Marsay’s Vel Sartha may capture the larger essence of the Age of the Rebellion better than any spoken on screen in any Star Wars project to date. Episode 5 of Andor, brilliantly titled “The Axe Forgets” showcases some beautiful scenery and wonderful cinematography as the backdrop to Cassian’s struggle to forge bonds and build trust with his new team. In what feels like the calm before the storm, the episode’s team-building moments that make up the bulk of the runtime seem to echo classics like John McTiernan’sPredator and Peter Jackson’sLord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings.
When they start their march, they are a team only in the loosest sense, united only because everyone, as it turns out, does have their own rebellion. And while they don’t initially trust nor much like one another, they are able to find common ground by understanding how each of them has been the tree on the receiving end of the Empire’s axe…and none of them have forgotten. And so while it may not feel like the larger plot of the 12-episode first season of Andor has moved along much by the end of Episode 5, for this group of people about to strike out against the Empire, nothing could have moved at all if not for the time spent together in it.
The creative duo of director Susanna White and writer Dan Gilroy teamed up to illustrate the growing tensions not only amongst the team on Aldhani but also far away on Coruscant. Kyle Soller’s Syril Karn is hen-pecked by his insufferable mother, Eedy, while holding on to his hatred for Cassian; Denise Gough’s Dedra Meero continues to sense a growing threat, too random for anyone else to see; Mon Mothma’s work for the Rebellion is coming at the cost of her family; and Luthen Rael expresses anxiety that he may have overreached in his effort to strike back at the Empire. Though each of them only get a little time to shine in the episode, White and Gilroy make the most of it, carving each of their unique concerns out of the same material: the Rebellion, which now includes Cassian. And it’s Rael’s words in the episodes final moments that truly serve to frame just how tense of a moment the entire galaxy is on the edge of, even if only a few of them know it. As he says, what comes next may just be the start of it.
In that sense, “The Axe Forgets” feels like the last bit of requisite exposition before the show switches gears. The characters have been developed, the costs to them made clear and their roles in it seemingly solidified. Episode 6 would seem to be the time for Andor to transform into the fast-paced action-adventure that fans certainly associate with the Star Wars franchise. But as the pace quickens, keep in mind that while each of the Rebels are trees who have been hit by the axe of the Empire, they’ve all been axes to the tree of the Empire and they are about to collectively take their biggest hack yet. And as the roots of the Empire extend to new parts of the galaxy, they’ll prove a tough tree to fell.
Just yesterday, Illumination and Nintendo revealed our first look at what the upcoming Super Mario Bros. film will look like. While the animation studios’ reputation had many concerns, the visuals showcased in the poster for an upcoming exclusive Nintendo Direct did seem promising. We got the classic hero shot from behind looking at the world he’s about to enter and most of it seems pretty faithful to the games.
Now, the first look at the character may have leaked early. Someone working for Mcdonald’s has shared a piece of artwork on Discord (which subsequently was shared by Twitter user @ConnorEatsPants) to offer a first look at the actual design of Mario and he seems mostly faithful to the original games.
did a McDonalds employee in the ConnorEatsPants discord just leak the first photo of Mario in the Mario Movie pic.twitter.com/DK7hITeJAP
There are tweaks that make the character look a bit more “realistic” but nothing truly distracting to state that this is some kind of live-action version of the original. We might hopefully find out what he sounds like in the upcoming teaser as Chris Pratt takes on the role of the iconic plumber.
We know surprisingly little about the actual story of this film, but it may explore his first visit to the Mushroom Kingdom and making his way to save the princess. Of course, they could mix things up and have Bowser kidnap Luigi which adds a more personal touch and potentially have his baby brother driving the Koopa King crazy. Whatever they may have planned, we’re closer than ever to get a true first look.
In October of 2021, BOOM! Studios launched BRZRKR, a comic book series about an immortal half man/half god named B. who bears a striking resemblance to a real-world immortal: Keanu Reeves. Written by Reeves and Matt Kindt with art from Ron Garney, BRZRKR was quickly picked up by Netflix who is developing an animated series and a live-action film that Reeves will star in and produce. Now, as development on the project continues, it turns out Reeves may decide to wear another hat.
In an interview with Collider, Reeves revealed that there’s a 33% chance that he will choose to direct the adaptation. While Reeves is one of Hollywood’s most beloved and busiest talents, he has only one credit to his name as a director in the 2013 film Man of Tai Chi. Interestingly enough, according to Reeves, his involvement as writer led him down the path to eventually direct.
I know how it’s a lot of work, but the film that I directed, Man of Tai Chi, was born, I became the director because I was part of the writing process, and I didn’t want to hand it over. I was like, oh, okay. I have to direct this. I’m not quite there yet on ‘BRZRKR’. I have to read the script, but I’m also interested in having a collaborator and what they could bring to it.
Keanu Reeves
Even as Reeves did not write the script for BRZRKR and admits he has not yet read it, it’s reasonable to assume he’ll feel a similar ownership over the project given that he’s the co-author of the source material. Certainly something to keep an eye on as things progress.
While Tom Holland has yet to officially sign up for another solo Spidey adventure in the MCU, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige made it clear to fans that they planned to continue collaborating with Sony to develop Spider-Man 4. The fourth installment of the franchise has been in active development for nearly a year, but short of Sony execs making it clear they want Holland, Zendaya and director Jon Watts back for the project, there’s been next to no news on the project made available to fans. And if one of the original trilogy’s stars is to be believed, the actors are in the same place.
Actor Jacob Batalon, who played Peter’s best friend and man-in-the-chair, Ned Leeds, recently spoke with Collider and indicated that while he’s sure there will be a Spider-Man 4, he isn’t sure if there’s a part in it for him. Discussing the ending of Spider-Man: No WayHome, which saw his character’s entire history with Peter wiped from his memory, Batalon described the conclusion as “poignant”, adding that it “really puts an exclamation on the continuance of Spider-Man, but maybe not with us, and I think that’s a great thing. We may not necessarily be a part of it, in the end, but it was a beautiful ride anyway.”
The film’s final scenes depict Peter moving on, creating a new, more comic-accurate suit and swinging above New York City during the holiday season, seemingly promising more adventures for the Wall-Crawler within the MCU, even without the word of Feige. But with Ned and Zendaya’s MJ no longer having their formerly strong relationship with Peter, it’s natural to wonder what role, if any, the characters might play. And given Ned’s importance to the first three films in the franchise, it would also be natural to think he’d have some sort of a heads up as to what the plans might be for his character. But according to Batalon, that’s not the case.
I feel like actors are the last people to know. I think that people assume that actors are always hiding secrets. I promise you, we don’t know anything. But again, if it’s the right place, at the right time, with the right group of people that we’ve been with, I would say, why not? But other than that, whatever happens, happens. Really, those decisions are up to the big bosses, the people who sign the checks. We’re open to the idea, but we’re not hoping for it.
Jacob Batalon
As Batalon points out, Marvel Studios actors are often thought to be dissembling, if not flat out lying, about their involvement in future projects, so he’ll have to forgive those of them who aren’t quite buying what he’s selling. That said, it’s hard to imagine a long-term plan for Spidey in the MCU that doesn’t eventually loop Ned back into Peter’s life…one way or another.
After going through a long development process, the revival of the hit sitcom Frasier has officially received a series order from Paramount+. This news comes after the initial announcement of the sequel series all the way back in February of 2021. As well, word of a revival of Frasier has been in Hollywood circles dating back to the summer of 2018. Beyond it serving as the return of Kelsey Grammer to his beloved and iconic role of Dr. Frasier Crane, not much is currently known about what the revival will consist of.
The series is being written by Chris Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Joe Cristalli (Life in Pieces). It is being produced by CBS Studios and Kelsey Grammer’s production company Grammnet Productions.
Frasier began as a spinoff to the classic sitcom Cheers, in which Grammer reprised his role that initially was a foil to the love story of Sam Malone and Diane Chambers. Frasier followed the titular character following his move from Boston to Seattle and his new career as a radio psychiatrist and dealing with reuniting with his turbulent family. Airing on NBC between 1993 and 2004, Frasier became a massive success in the television landscape. In its 11-season run, the original series and its cast earned a then-record 37 Primetime Emmy Awards (only to recently be broken by HBO’s Game of Thrones).
The new sequel series for Frasier will certainly have a lot to live up to in relation to the previous television homes of Dr. Frasier Crane. And for the young Paramount+ streamer, it is certainly hoping this can become the stalwart smash hit it is in the business for.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson‘s Black Adam is flying high in current projections. The New Line and Warner Bros. Discovery film is currently eyeing an opening between $70 million and $75 million. Should those numbers hold, Johnson will easily score his biggest opening as a leading man – not including the Fast & Furious films, of course.
Black Adam is set to debut on October 21st and is reportedly on track with Sony’s Venom flick, which went on to earn $80 million in October 2018. As is always the case, projections are not concrete and countless things could alter a film’s box office release including word of mouth. With the pandemic still ongoing and theaters struggling to recover, Black Adam‘s estimates are thought to be on the lower end but an $80 million opening isn’t entirely out of question.
The road to get to this point was a rather long and bumpy one for the actor. Johnson was initially cast as Black Adam in November 2007 and finally got to suit up as the character when Black Adam entered production last year. Now, with Warner Bros. Discovery looking to revamp its DC output and Black Adam being one of only two films released by the studio in the fourth quarter, Johnson’s Black Adam has a chance to chance to help build the DC Universe going forward. The actor has been heavily promoting the film, having made an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con in July, where Discovery treated fans to a sneak peek at the film. He also introduced a new trailer for Black Adam at the Los Angeles Rams-Buffalo Bills game which helped to kick off the 2022 NFL regular season.
Starring alongside Johnson in Black Adam are Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate. Black Adam is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a script by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani.
A new massive success story for Netflix is Dahmer: Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. In its second week on the streaming service, it has been viewed a total of 299.84 million hours. This follows the 196.2 million hours viewed in the debut week for the limited series. This puts Dahmer: Monster only behind Stranger Things 4 as the second most watched English-language series in a week. For reference, the two separate batches of Stranger Things 4 episodes released were initially viewed for 301 million and 335 million hours, respectively.
Based on the momentum the series currently has, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Dahmer: Monster to be viewed more than the likes of Lucifer and Bridgerton and end up being a top five all-time viewed series for the streaming stalwart. It has already surpassed the ninth place ranking based on its statistics and has passed the likes of Ozark and 13 Reasons Why. All in all, Dahmer: Monster has the potential to join Stranger Things and Squid Games as one of the largest success stories for Netflix.
The series was created by Ryan Murphy, best known for his work on American Horror Story and American Crime Story, alongside Ian Brennan. It stars Evan Peters as the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and follows a dramatized account of ten separate murders conducted by him and how the ineptitude of police establishments allowed Dahmer to get away with them for so long.
20th Century Studios has optioned the rights to Night of the Ghoul, the comic series hailing from author Scott Snyder and illustrator Francesco Francavilla. The six-issue series was initially released as a Comixology original, with the first five issues available now through Amazon and Comixology, but will soon be available in print courtesy of Darkhorse Comics. Rob Savage, who directed Host, is on board to direct with 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Dan Cohen set to produce.
Night of the Ghoul centers on a father and son as they seek to learn the true story behind a long-lost horror film that was made during the golden era of monster movies. However, as they dive deeper into their search, they’ll soon find themselves unleashing the very thing the long-thought-to-be-destroyed film was trying to keep hidden. While the film currently does not have a writer attached, Snyder and Francavilla are set to executive produce the film.
Snyder, an Eisner & Harvey winning author, is one of the biggest names in comics today. Night of the Ghoul is just one of many projects Snyder has in development. Earlier this year, it was revealed HBO Max was developing Dark Spaces: Wildfire, based on his IDW comic of the same name. While last year, it was announced that Netflix was developing Nocterra for the small screen.
It’s currently unclear whether or not the film is being developed for a streaming service or theaters, however, there is currently no release date attached.
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