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  • ‘Andor’ Still Manages to Follow a Traditional Star Wars Template

    ‘Andor’ Still Manages to Follow a Traditional Star Wars Template

    If you’re familiar with Star Wars, or with many other literary and cinematic works such as The Lord of the Rings, The Wizard Of Oz, Iron Man, The Matrix, Lost or The Lion King, you’ve come to be pretty familiar with the a common template of stories, hero myth pattern studies popularized by Joseph Campbell: The Hero’s Journey, also known as the Monomyth. While divided into several steps, all of which are incredibly flexible, it has three main parts that can be easily summed up as 1) The Separation 2) The Initiation 3) The Return. These are the fundamental components of each Hero’s Journey, and they can be applied in a number of ways to strengthen, examine, and develop vastly different narratives on vastly different subjects.

    With the first three episodes of Andor having been released, it becomes clear how Cassian’s journey has, for now, managed to fit the steps of the journey included in The Separation. It’s interesting to notice how a show with such a tonal departure from the most recent set of Star Wars properties, still manages to capture the essential spirit of the franchise. With little to no bells and whistles, it demonstrated that there are a number of valid approaches that can be taken when developing a project within this universe, as long as the true foundations that led to the franchises’ success are still addressed and given room to serve the story being told.

    • Ordinary World

    The first step isn’t as much a step as it is a starting point. Although it may be hard to qualify Cassian’s life when we find him as ordinary, it is still the life that he has become accustomed to. Living in Ferrix, scouring the galaxy for his long-lost sister. His attempts to lay low when traveling to other planets like Morlana One are obvious, all things that help to clearly define the world he lives in.

    • Call to Adventure

    The moment when he must decide whether or not to take a step outside his comfort zone, in order to answer the appeal of his inner quest, comes when Cassian, still on Morlana One, is faced by the two Pre-Mor Authority employees. By deciding to engage them, and later to kill them off in order to leave no witnesses, Cassian clearly goes beyond his initial mission statement and, even if inadvertently, sets in motion events that will lead to him leaving his ordinary life behind.

    • Refusal

    While making preparations to leave Ferrix for good, Cassian decides to meet with Bix Caleen’s contact, Luthen Rael. Someone who initially was to only serve the purpose of handing Cassian the necessary credits to follow through with his intentions of leaving his life behind, ends up offering Cassian something more: the opportunity to fight the Empire not as an individual, but as part of something greater. Cassian, being true to himself, initially refuses to do so, questioning Rael’s true reasons and how futile such an endeavor would be.

    • Meeting with the Mentor

    This is also the moment where Cassian, albeit unbeknownst to him, meets what is sure to become an essential figure in his forming years as a Rebel intelligence officer. Luthen Rael demonstrates to have a special interest in Cassian, admiring his capabilities and basically offering himself to provide him with all the tools that will allow him to become the fighter he was always meant to be.

    • Crossing the Threshold

    When leaving Ferrix, Cassian is overwhelmed by memories of him leaving his home planet of Kenari, knowing that his life is about to change, maybe even more than it did then. At this point, Andor genuinely enters the domain of adventure, stepping outside of his world’s known bounds and into a perilous new world with unknown laws and boundaries.

    The next step.

    Following these initial steps in the Andor storyline, and if the Hero’s Journey is to continue, Cassian will undergo an Initiation of sorts, where a Road of Trials will come before him, as he proves himself worthy of continuing on the path that The Separation has led him down. It will be interesting to understand how the way his story develops in Rogue One will affect the way Andor’s structure over its two seasons is approached. Will Rogue One serve as a metaphorical Ressurection and Return, or will those final steps be addressed in the series with the movie serving as a worthy epilogue to the story of Cassian Andor?

  • ‘Bond’ Producers On Idris Elba and Casting Their Next Star

    ‘Bond’ Producers On Idris Elba and Casting Their Next Star

    James Bond will be back, he’ll just look a little different when he finally returns. The last time fans saw the iconic secret agent on the big screen, he was doing something he’d never done before – dying, and closing out an emotional arc to finish off Daniel Craig’s tenure in the role. Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who have been in charge of the Bond franchise since 1995’s GoldenEye, recently sat down with Variety to discuss what the future holds for 007 after such a definitive ending in 2021’s No Time To Die. The duo confirmed that their next leading man will be a “reinvention” of the character, something that became a necessity after Craig quote, “cracked Bond open emotionally”.

    Broccoli explained a bit further with a resonating pull-quote, reflecting on the current times and looking at the years to come:

    It’s an evolution. Bond is evolving just as men are evolving. I don’t know who’s evolving at a faster pace.

    Barbara Broccoli

    Wilson and Broccoli also joked about Craig’s infamous distaste of the franchise’s demanding time schedule and decades-long commitment, which the producers admitted will play a role in the casting process for their next film. They explained a star like Idris Elba, who fans have long been wanting for the role, would likely be too old or too busy to put aside so much of his life for the Bond films. The elaboration of their point also revealed the official casting probably won’t happen for a while:

    The thing is, it’s going to be a couple of years off. And when we cast Bond, it’s a 10-, 12-year commitment. So [Elba] is probably thinking, ‘Do I really want that thing? Not everybody wants to do that. It was hard enough getting [Daniel Craig to do it].

    Barbara Broccoli

    Wilson then added in jokingly that Craig was also in his early 30s at the time of his casting, adding further fuel to the rumor that the studio is looking mainly at younger actors during their process. It’s become clear that whoever ends up as the next Bond will be around for the long haul, and will have to be prepared to focus on the franchise above all else for at least a decade of their career. Here’s hoping it doesn’t take too long before a face can be put to the world-famous name.

    Source: Variety

  • The Cast of ‘Avatar’ on What They Love About the Films

    The Cast of ‘Avatar’ on What They Love About the Films

    Back in 2009, when Avatar flew into theaters, no one expected the James Cameron flick to become the megahit it would go on to be. Now, thirteen years later, the cast is readying for the release of the film’s long-awaited sequel, Avatar: The Way of the Water. Before the sequel hits theaters in December, however, Avatar will return to theaters for two weeks to allow new fans to experience the film on the big screen in 4K High Dynamic Range.

    To promote the upcoming re-release, Cameron gathered alongside the cast for a virtual press conference to discuss the franchise — both past and future. While the writer and director had plenty to say regarding how Avatar impacted blockbusters, the cast got a chance to talk about the films as a whole and why they enjoyed working on them.

    According to actor Stephen Lang, he is just grateful to have been a part of such a talented group of people. “I think I’m proud to be just part of a team of such talented, creative, generous people,” he explained. “And I think over the years that we’ve been together and apart and together, we’ve been able to kinda maintain a collegial and a forward kind of feeling amongst us. And that kind of, you know, spirit. That kind of team spirit I guess is something that I feel so pleased and gratified to be part of. And I’m just proud to be on the team.”

    While Michelle Rodriguez, who is also busy starring in the Fast & Furious franchise, it all comes down to the effort put into the storytelling. The actress feels that Cameron has put so much “mind and attention” into the storytelling, which she doesn’t feel is as valued by society these days. “I feel like Jim’s decision to tell this story is a decision also to show love and respect for life. And I feel like that’s rare,” she explained. “And I’m proudest of just being a part of that. Because I feel like it’s not done enough, you know? And for it to be as impactful as it was says a lot.”

    Sigourney Weaver, who has a long history of working with Cameron, noted she loves the character she gets to play most of all. She notes that Cameron is a bit of a scientist himself, which helped him create the character of Dr. Augustine. “I guess I’m proud that I got to play Dr. Augustine who is a scientist.  A woman scientist.  And Jim had given the world, the audience, and certainly my character this whole universe of a new flora and fauna, taking it so seriously… And so I was so proud to be part of the science of this so that you’re not dumbing down something for the mass audience.”

    Last but not least was Zoe Saldaña, who explained her excitement over belonging to a group she has much in common with and feeling as though she belongs. She also explained getting to work with Cameron has been a great experience because he’s “not an elitist,” but more of a “curious” person. “I got an opportunity to belong to a group of people that, you know, that I just, I feel I have so much in common with… You know, like jigsaw that you’re searching to belong,” she explained. “And you meet the ultimate curious person who’s Jim, and he extends, he shares, he’s curious. He’s not an elitist. And I just, you know, you get to be an artist.  I was given an opportunity, and I honestly feel that I ran with it. And then to be able to come back to that opportunity, it feels like it’s the gift that continues to give.”

    Avatar will be temporarily removed from Disney+ ahead of its re-release in theaters. The re-release will be for two weeks only beginning on Sept. 23rd and will see the film available in stunning 4K High Dynamic Range. Written and directed by Cameron, Avatar stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver. The film was produced by Cameron and Jon Landau. The long-awaited sequel, Avatar: The Way of the Water, will finally be released in theaters this December, just in time for the holidays.

  • ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ From Page to Screen: Episode 5

    ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ From Page to Screen: Episode 5

    Welcome back to yet another From page to Screen focusing on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. In the show’s first week, we looked at the differences between the comics’ and series’ versions of Jennifer Walters’ origin story. The following week, viewers got a live-action introduction to Jen’s new legal job, taken straight out of Dan Slott’s and Juan Bobillo’s 2004 She-Hulk run—Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway (GLK&H). Episode 3 introduced a reimagined version of comic book villains and in its fourth week, the show decided to focus on Jen’s love life. As for episode five, it shed some light on Jen’s nemesis, Titania.

    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 1
    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 1

    We had already gotten a quick glimpse of her on the show’s premiere, only for She-Hulk to bring her down with a single punch as she raided a courtroom. This, so far, has been the only actual physical confrontation between the two on Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. As for the comics, the story has been quite different as it is Titania’s strength and endurance that have propelled her into becoming one of She-Hulk’s lifelong adversaries.

    Secret Wars #3 1984

    When a cosmic being known as the Beyonder whisked Marvel’s best fighters to a mysterious realm known as Battleworld during the catastrophic events of Secret Wars, Titania (then Mary MacPherran) saw her life forever changed. She was unintentionally included in the group, just a regular citizen who had grown up being teased by peers for being from a low-income household and diminutive in stature. She and her buddy Marsha are then sent to Battleworld after making up a connection with Spider-Woman when Doctor Doom eventually finds them stuck there. He promises to equip them with cutting-edge alien technology in exchange for their participation in his army, which he intends to use to battle the Marvel superheroes on Battleworld. Once they agree, both of them undergo transformations: Mary becomes significantly taller and gains superhuman strength, endurance, and durability; Marsha can turn her entire body into blazing plasma.

    Secret Wars #3 1984
    Secret Wars #3 1984
    Secret Wars #7 1984
    Secret Wars #7 1984

    Following this, the two of them change their names to Titania and Volcana, respectively, and join forces with Doctor Doom to become villains. Titania then battles She-Hulk for the first time, achieving a rare win that would later develop into a protracted conflict between them.

    As for the show, and per the initial casting call when the character was referred to as Lucy, Titania is described as a glamorous Social Media influencer, a Kardashian-type if you may. Her origin is bound to differ from the comics’ since we’re still a few years away from the events of Secret Wars, with little to no guarantee that the upcoming movie will even play out in a way similar to the 1984 comic run where Titania made her debut.

    Although her super-human strength appears to still play a big role in her character, she has found other ways in which to confront Jen. According to Jameela Jamil, who plays her on-screen, her biggest superpower might actually be “being annoying.”

    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 5
    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 5

    Titania stands out because I think she’s the most annoying of them, actually. I think she almost doesn’t need to use her strength; she could just annoy you to death…and I think that is a superpower that we haven’t really utilized enough. She’s also very glamorous… and I like the fact that she’s completely unselfconscious. She’s completely unselfconscious and so, so weird.

    Jameela Jamil

    With Tatania deciding to face off with She-Hulk in a court of law instead of going the more traditional route of punching herself out of a situation, the series has deprived itself of the more action-orientated approach the comics usually go for, but the outcome of said decision is likely going to make her rethink strategy. With four episodes to go, and given the relevance given to the character, it’s perhaps pretty likely that a brawling face-off is in the cards, even if Titania doesn’t quite feel as the big bad the series has been teasing for a while.

    Secret Wars #7 1984

    The first five episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law are now streaming on Disney+.

  • ‘House of the Dragon’- Episode 5 Recap

    ‘House of the Dragon’- Episode 5 Recap

    The board is set. Pieces from the past are in place. And they’re moving fast.

    Viserys’s Desperation

    The King is dying by the second. Collapsing multiple times, the Iron Throne wounds are festering all over the place on him. Even with this, he braves stormy weather to go to Driftmark and set things right with Lord Corlys Velaryon, by combining their houses through the marriage of Rhaenyra and Laenor, giving Corlys what he’s been vying for since day one: his family and blood on the Iron Throne. Viserys isn’t used to being the one to ask for things, because being the king, his word is law. He recognizes the danger that Rhaenyra will be in if he dies and she is still unwed and heirless, especially with his son Aegon in the picture. He needs to cement his daughter as the one heir, and this marriage should seal the deal. Maybe…

    Another key factor is Lyonel Strong, the replacement Hand of the King, having taken over from Otto Hightower. He’s been following Otto’s example in finagling his children into the mix, with his son Larys whispering in Alicent’s ear to create more of a rift between her and Rhaenyra. Passing on the knowledge that Rhaenyra drank the moon tea seemed to cause Alicent quite a problem. And Larys really laid it on thick that he hoped Rhaenyra isn’t ill. The other Strong, Harwin, saved Rhaenyra from the brawl at the end of the episode. If you didn’t notice on first watch, take a look at how Lyonel prods Harwin to go after her. Shades of Otto telling Alicent to comfort Viserys in the early part of the season.

    The Green Dress

    Alicent has tried to play nice with Rhaenyra. She didn’t choose to be Viserys’s wife and has been a pawn of her father’s since the very beginning. She is doing what the Westerosi society requires of a noblewoman: to marry a lord, be faithful, follow the rules, and spit out those kids. So when she sees that Rhaenyra is throwing a fit because she has to marry, and can even choose who to marry, it’s easy to feel sympathetic towards Alicent. Last week we noted that Rhaenyra lied right to her face about her extracurricular activities and that quickly came to a head this episode. Alicent brings Ser Criston Cole in to grill him about Rhaenyra, still thinking that it was Daemon who was the partner. Criston folds like a lawn chair and confesses almost instantly, with Alicent taking it all in silence and rage that her best friend would lie so easily to her.

    This combined with Otto stating that her children will never be safe if Rhaenyra takes the throne, were the final dominoes for Alicent. In his mind, the children will always be rivals and Aegon being male makes him the better claimant, and Rhaenyra will eliminate them from contention. Her arriving late to the feast dressed in traditional Hightower green was a statement in itself, and this is the scene that names Alicent’s faction The Greens. The Hightower light burns green when at war.

    Laenor, Rhaenyra, and That Scene

    Rhaenyra and Laenor grew up together, so they’re very familiar with each other. Laenor is gay, Rhaenyra knows this, and takes some advice from Daemon in that they will marry, make public appearances together, do all the necessary stuff, but also have some paramours on the side. Laenor’s partner is Joffrey Lonmouth, and for now, Rhaenyra’s side piece is Criston Cole. Both Laenor and Rhaenyra agree with this notion, and happily go into the feast with a plan in place.

    Criston Cole will be one of the most polarizing characters in this series that isn’t named Rhaenyra or Daemon. He feels that he’s simply being used and that his vows mean nothing to his Princess (which is very true). The only way he sees he can redeem his honor is if he and Rhaenyra run away to the Free Cities in Essos and start over. For some reason, Rhaenyra doesn’t want to give up her entire kingdom and family for a guy she’s been sneaking around with. Who knew! So with them done and finished, Cole was staring daggers at Rhaenyra, something Joffrey noticed. Joffrey sauntered over, thinking that he could come in and make quick friends with his paramour buddy, and what he got in return was his entire skull caved in with everyone looking on in horror. Whoops! Maybe don’t approach a Kingsguard knight sworn to celibacy and tell him you know that he’s been porking the Princess he’s sworn to protect, since, you know, if it gets out that is a death sentence for him. Cole, destroyed by the entire ordeal, was about to seppuku in the Godswood before Alicent came to save the day.

    Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding was a little depressing after that debacle, along with Viserys collapsing for the 17th time this episode.

    Halfway Through Season 1

    This episode ends the first part of the timeline for House of the Dragon, and both Rhaenyra and Alicent will have different actors (Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke) take the stage beginning in Episode 6, which also means there will be a substantial time jump. Next time you’ll see them, Rhaenyra will have 3 children to keep up with Alicent. From the promotional pictures, Rhaenyra’s children are all dark-haired. Pretty odd that two silver-haired parents gave birth to someone with dark hair.

    The sides are established, the seeds have been planted, and you’ll see the growth next Sunday. It’ll only get crazier from here.

  • NFL Week 2: Tuesday Tea

    NFL Week 2: Tuesday Tea

    Happy Tuesday, friends! As we turn the page on week two and prepare for a not-so-great on-the-paper matchup between two teams coming off frustrating losses, we have to take one last look at the week that was. Comebacks and collapses, individual greatness, and some seats becoming hotter quicker than expected (or not expected, in some respects), let’s look back like Thanos at the end of the Avengers and see what 8 things we liked from this last weekend, one from each division.

    AFC East


    I really liked what I saw from the Miami Dolphins. We aren’t the biggest fans of Tua, but Mike
    McDaniels is doing what he can to get his best players in space to do what they do
    best: run and run fast. Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gisecki had big people catches to extend
    drives or, in Waddle’s case, win the game, but all Tua really had to do was get the ball to
    Waddle and Tyreek Hill and let them go. The run game looked better this week as well, but
    speed kills in the NFL, and the Dolphins have it in spades.

    NFC East


    The Eagles defense was able to lock up an explosive Vikings offense. Darius Slay held
    all-world WR Justin Jefferson to 1 catch on 6 targets: in fact, Slay had more caught balls on
    Jefferson targets than Jefferson did when they were matched up. They pestered Kirk Cousins all game and could have the division clinched by Halloween.

    AFC North


    The Ravens are, very clearly, the best team in this division, but a monumental collapse has
    them tied with Cleveland and Pittsburgh this morning. Those two teams play on Thursday and, barring a tie, we will get one game of separation. The Ravens get the Patriots on Sunday, which should be a win for Lamar and Co. before they get a heavyweight fight versus the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen. This loss to Miami is going to sting, because they could’ve been 3-0, with a little bit of a cushion in case they lose to Buffalo. Instead, they now need a bounce-back win to keep pace.

    NFC North


    The Lions are going to be a tough out. They run the ball, protect their QB, and have an emerging talent at WR. They, also, got 3 sacks and a world of pressure from their first-rounder Aidan Hutchinson, which should make Kirk Cousins very nervous come Sunday. The biggest thing you’re seeing from this team is that they show up, even when there is a talent gap, and if they can get the QB position right and have Jameson Williams returning? Look out.

    AFC South


    I picked the Jaguars to win this division before the season started, and after Sunday’s drubbing of the Colts, I feel really good about that. Trevor Lawrence is a stud, Doug Pederson taking a year off was genius, and they may have the premier young edge duo in the league in Josh Allen and number one pick Travon Walker. The Colts aren’t as good as people think (sorry, Meg), but to be shut out like this is concerning. The Jags are going to continue getting better, and Trevor Lawrence has the potential to really elevate them come playoff time. A date with the Chargers on Sunday will tell us a lot about where this team is right now.

    NFC South


    The Bucs are in trouble, in large part because Tom Brady looks like a man who is only on the
    field because he doesn’t want to go home and work on his marriage. It’s Tom Brady, what do
    you expect me to do? The Bucs’ offense averages 19 points a game, with none of the
    vaunted big plays we are used to seeing from Brady and this crew. Mike Evans is
    suspended because he doesn’t like Marshon Lattimore putting him in a car seat, and they’re
    relying on Scotty Miller and Breshad Perriman to lead this passing attack. Throw in the OL
    issues, and the Bucs have the making of a one-and-done team if the Saints don’t keep them out entirely.

    AFC West


    Russell Wilson had one more completion than the Broncos had penalties, for those keeping
    score at home. Through two games, the Nathaniel Hackett offense looks like it did when he was calling plays in Jacksonville: uneven and like it doesn’t know what it wants to be. They paid Wilson A LOT of money to make this offense move, and so far the results are not good. They’re already two games behind Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs with a Sunday night tilt against a very good 49ers team. This could get uglier than a Master P sneaker real quick.

    NFC West


    The Niners were my pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl but that was before Trey Lance got hurt. I thought Lance’s mobility and big play potential would open up this offense in a way that Jimmy Garrapolo just doesn’t. With Lance out for the year, I just don’t think the Niners have enough at QB to compete with Stafford, Rodgers, and Brady. With that said, they can rush the passer, and that’s usually been their recipe for success under Kyle Shanahan since he’s only had limited QBs to work with. The run game is currently 4th in the league in yards, so I think they’ll lean on that even more with Jimmy, but you’re going to have to score points in bunches come playoff time. How they look going forward is going to be fascinating.

  • REVIEW: ‘Stargirl’ Episode 3×04, “The Evidence”

    REVIEW: ‘Stargirl’ Episode 3×04, “The Evidence”

    The previous episode of Stargirl left us with a mighty cliffhanger, as Sylvester Pemberton seemingly lay lifeless while doing some investigating of his own and being attacked by an unknown assailant. Episode 4 furthers the murder mystery in Blue Valley while throwing the spotlight onto a suspect that was thought to have perished towards the end of Season 1, leading the Justice Society to question a recent allegiance and Courtney distracted by a blossoming romance.

    ‘The Evidence” moves the story ahead in a productive way, but it can feel like it’s spending a bit more time on its b-plots rather than focusing on the premise of the episode. We’re given much more character moments, ones that have felt lacking throughout this season specifically between Pat and Sylvester. The duo had butted heads a bit and had their moments, but it never felt like they got those moments of growth until now, with the once great sidekick known as Stripesy acting as Pemberton’s anchor and helping to guide him towards a new purpose in life.

    DC’s Stargirl — “Frenemies – Chapter Four: The Evidence” — Image Number: STG304g_0007r — Pictured (L – R): Luke Wilson as Pat Dugan and Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore / Stargirl, and Joel McHale as Sylvester Pemberton / Starman — Photo: The CW — © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    It felt as if the biggest part of the episode was cast aside and not given attention until the final minutes of the episode. The episode title leads you to believe that they’d found something shocking that’ll push the story on forward more, when in reality, it just sets that up for presumably what is to come in the next episode. A dragon scale at the scene of the crime leads the team to believe that Dragon King could be back in play, hypothesizing that his numerous experiments on himself could’ve brought him back, with others showing their reluctance to trust and immediately throwing the blame onto the newly pardoned Cindy Burman, whom the audience themselves isn’t all that sure they should be trusting either.

    The biggest revelation of this episode would be Dr. McNiders diagnosis of just what is going on with Sylvester Pemberton and how he’s been able to return after spending ten years six feet under. McNider believes that prolonged exposure to the Cosmic Staff has energized Pemberton’s body, similar to how Jade was imbued with the power of the starheart. This reveal just feels a little murky, feeling like you should be scratching your head a little bit because… that’s it? It just felt like something so important was so casually revealed and could’ve been built up to a little bit more.

    Another bright spot of this episode is finally seeing some payoff to the relationship set up between Cameron Mahkent and Courtney Whitmore, something that’s been planted since season one. This episode reaffirms just what kind of person Courtney is because when she sees someone in need, she’s going to jump into action, no matter what else is going on. She can see Cameron struggling with his newfound cryokinesis abilities and feels the need to help him, when deep down we can feel the guilt she holds knowing the true fate of his father, feeling like she owes him while crushing on him at the same time.

    To cap it off we get a better glimpse of just what exactly is going on behind the scenes, as the Helix Institute has yet to make its presence known, we got a peek at Mister Bones within a room full of monitors, a much better look at the villain and the series seems to tease his arrival is getting closer and closer. Not a bad episode, but not necessarily the strongest episode of the season.

  • New ‘Wakanda Forever’ Merch Offers Closer Look at Comic-Accurate Ironheart Armor

    New ‘Wakanda Forever’ Merch Offers Closer Look at Comic-Accurate Ironheart Armor

    Many were surprised when the first look at Ironheart’s armor in Riri William’s first live-action debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever looked nothing like her original comic armor. With her sweet to have her own Disney+ series in the near future, it would’ve made sense to build up to the more comic-accurate design. At least that was until a new merch leak revealed a more comic-accurate design.

    While it was a shame that it was spoiled instead of kept as a surprise during Wakanda Forever‘s theater run, that has become the norm when it comes to merchandise early releases. Still, the design looks great and stands out even though many worried it be too close to that of Tony Stark’s iconic Iron Man armor. It also seems she’ll use some new types of weaponry at her disposal as first seen in the images shared by @CeeOfCreativity on Twitter.

    We’ve technically never seen the weaponry that she’d rely on and it seems we shouldn’t expect a copy of the arc reactor-based attacks like the Unibeam. She’ll likely make use of what Wakanda has to offer that’ll also help her more quickly develop the armor. So, we’ll likely see different test versions throughout the film until she gets the final design.

    It does open up the question if the upcoming Ironheart Disney+ series will act as a prequel, or if she simply doesn’t have the right energy source to keep this armor going for a long period of time. So, she tests out other types of armor to have other options at hand, or perhaps she’s one of the reasons that Armor Wars‘ storyline kicks off with her actions in the sequel.

    Source: Twitter

  • Brec Bassinger May Have Confirmed a Rumored ‘Stargirl’ and ‘Titans’ Crossover

    Brec Bassinger May Have Confirmed a Rumored ‘Stargirl’ and ‘Titans’ Crossover

    Warner Bros. Discovery is going through a bit of a transitional period as of right now with many projects up in the air for now. Many were wondering if this would also affect shows like Titans, Stargirl and Doom Patrol following the plug being pulled on quite a few projects. Luckily, it seems they aren’t done with these series yet.

    With recent news that the fourth season of Titans would premiere in November, Stargirl actress Brec Bassinger teased that she could be making her way to the blue-filtered world. In the past few weeks, we have seen a few rumors hint at a crossover between Geoff Johns‘ series, Titans, Stargirl, and Doom Patrol, which would all come together as a culmination of the past few years. it seems Brec has all but confirmed that.

    Below you’ll see a recently shared photo of Bassinger suited up as Stargirl alongside Ryan Potter as Beast Boy, who if you look close enough can see he looks to be wearing an all-new suit and finally shed that dreaded jacket.

    Details on this crossover still remain under wraps and it’s unknown just how the Titans cross paths with the citizens of Blue Valley. Seems like the Titans could meet their universe’s version of Courtney, as they head back to San Francisco considering the two shows were confirmed to be taking place on different earths within the new DC Multiverse, which was created following the events of the CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths event.

    It remains unknown just who from the Titans and Doom Patrol cast will appear and just where this crossover will even happen. Both Titans and Doom Patrol season 4 have wrapped filming with Titans set to debut sometime in November.

    Source: Twitter

  • Jeff Loveness to Start Writing ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ Soon, May Hint at Production Start

    Jeff Loveness to Start Writing ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ Soon, May Hint at Production Start

    When we discuss future projects, we commonly get the most insight into when productions start. May it be through hints by actors or others involved with a film, or even just an official statement. In the case of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, we may have gotten our first hint at when writer Jeff Loveness will start working on the film’s script.

    Grand Canyon University seemingly invited Loveness as their mystery guest for an Inside Entertainment! panel from last week. What stands out is that the schedule includes him attending the event on September 16th with the statement that he’s set to start writing the script “in two weeks.”

    Of course, this confirms that he hasn’t worked on the script already and there’s a chance that he’s likely pitched the idea before getting the gig. Of course, that’s just speculation but given his work on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, he may have likely been eyed for the project anyway as it’ll potentially lead into the next major Avengers film. Plus, he’ll be the first to also have established the character of Kang in a film.

    Though, what makes this reveal interesting is that it gives us a good hint on when they might start production. It does seem likely that they could start working on the film by the end of 2023 or at least 2024. It’s not unusual for them to start working on a film while the script is still being finalized, which gives the production some flexibility moving forward.

    According to some rumors, a Shang-Chi sequel is eyeing a 2025 release, which could still fit right in if it starts production earlier next year if director Destin Daniel Cretton is set to tackle the project before focusing on The Kang Dynasty. He’s also involved with a Wonder Man Disney+ series, which doesn’t mean he’ll necessarily direct. For now, we can only use these nuggets of information to speculate.