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  • Ray Winstone Blames Marvel Reshoots for His Sleepy ‘Black Widow’ Performance

    Ray Winstone Blames Marvel Reshoots for His Sleepy ‘Black Widow’ Performance

    It doesn’t take a well-trained eye to notice that reshoots took a toll on Black Widow. Despite strong performances across the board and a thrilling first two acts, a “poorly staged, plotted, and executed” third act  kept it from realizing its potential as a truly great spy film.

    Part of the problem came by way of the film’s big bad, General Dreykov, the worst villain in the studio’s Phase 4 and, perhaps, the entire body of work that makes up the MCU. Played with big grandpa-fell-asleep-on-the-toilet-again energy by Ray Winstone, a potentially great villain who should have felt like evil incarnate came across as a flatline. And now we know why Winstone grumbled his way through his scenes.

    In an interview with Variety, Winstone explained that after filming his scenes–whichnbe called “the best thing” he had “done for a really long time“–director Cate Shortland (almost certainly at the behest of Marvel), had him reshoot his entire performance.

    “I worked with this amazing director, Cate Shortland, and we worked on what my character was going to be,” started Winstone. “He was like a pedophile running around all these girls, and they’d become black widows. We used to get applauded on set. It was probably the best thing I’ve done for a really long time,” said the actor of his time on set during principal photography.

    “Then I come home after finishing the job and get a call saying we need to do some reshoots,” continued Winstone. “I say: how many scenes? [Cate] says ‘all of them.’ So I said she should recast [the role], but I was contracted, so I had to do it. I go back, they do my hair all nice, put me in the suit, and I couldn’t do it. I’d already done it. I thought, ‘I’m not doing it now. I’ve done it. That’s how it’s going to be.’ That’s rejection, you know? There’s nothing worse than doing something, leaving it on the floor, and then being told it’s not right.”

    It certainly sounds like Winstone had a miserable experience and it showed as he was barely coherent as Dreykov during Black Widow‘s third act which was a sloppy, VFX tragedy. While it’s clear there was an entirely different version of the film which included an entirely different version of Dreykov, it’s unlikely that fans will ever hear about it, much less see it.

    Source: Variety

  • Wyatt Russell Joins the Cast of Another MCU Project

    Wyatt Russell Joins the Cast of Another MCU Project

    After debuting as an antagonistic force in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Wyatt Russell‘s John Walker has becoming an increasingly sympathetic character as he’s worked through a redemptive arc. His rough persona made him the perfect foil to Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova in Thunderbolts* and now, as part of the New Avengers, he’ll help Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as they attempt to save the Multiverse in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, fans will have another chance to catch Russell’s U.S. Agent before he hits the big screen again in 2026.

    According to a recently updated project profile for Marvel Animation’s Marvel Zombies, Russell will voice (presumably) Walker in the four-episode mini-event.

    Debuting on D+ on September 24th, the TV-MA series spins out of the ending of Episode 1.01 of What If…?, “What If…Zombies?”, and sees the survivors of a zombie plague search for answers to their survival.

    After the Avengers are overtaken by a zombie plague, a desperate group of survivors discover the key to bringing an end to the super-powered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world.

    -Official Synopsis for Marvel Animation’s Marvel Zombies

    Whether Walker finds himself among the infected or not is unclear; however, given that David Harbour and Florence Pugh are also among the announced cast members, it is possible an alternate reality version of the Thunderbolts could be on display in the series.

  • ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Will Feature a “Changed” Sue Storm

    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Will Feature a “Changed” Sue Storm

    Vanessa Kirby has been widely and roundly praised for her work as Marvel Studios Sue Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. After sacrificing herself to save Earth-828 from Galactus, Sue was brought back to life by her immensely powerful son, Franklin and while the fallout of that wasn’t addressed in the film, Kirby recently made it clear it will have an impact on her character going forward.

    In an interview with Movie Web, Kirby–who has been in production on Avengers: Doomsday since March–gave some insight into why she’s excited to continue on with the character and teased a potential dark twist spinning out of her  death and rebirth.

    “I love that I get to continue with Sue because it’s so interesting,” said Kirby who said her character’s experience with death has been heavy on her mind.

    I’ve been thinking a lot doing Avengers and stuff about how someone that’s been through, in the space of basically a week, someone who has given birth and has died and come back to life… how a death experience like that would change you.

    -Vanessa Kirby

    And she’s been doing more than just thinking about it as it sounds as though in preparation for Doomsday, Kirby has been doing some research into how near-death experiences can change a person. “I’ve been listening to a lot of people that have had those kind of experiences and what they learn, and therefore how different they are after they come back from that,” said Kirby. But how big of a change could it be?

    If Marvel Studios followed one particular path from the pages of Marvel Comics, Sue’s return from the other side could be used to introduce Malice, a manifestation of the darkness inside the character. As wild as a direct adaptation of Malice into the MCU might be, some version of the character might be in the cards, especially since Kirby recently revealed her desire to explore an entirely different side of Sue than has been done in any other big screen iteration.

    I’m dying to do Malice. She’s come from a really tough background. She lost her mother in a car crash. Her dad tried to save her mother. He couldn’t. He then spiraled, became an alcoholic, got locked up in prison for murdering a loan shark, and then died. Sue had to become a mother to Johnny. They were orphans. They had to fight for themselves. What I loved about her was that she chose a path that was inherently a positive one. She chose to keep her heart open and to stay warm. The Future Foundation, for me, wasn’t a noble political act, but it seemed to me that it’s Sue’s nature.

    -Vanessa Kirby, Variety

    Of course, Kirby’s interest in exploring that particular direction does not necessarily mean Malice will ever appear in the MCU; however, with the First Family set for appearances in a pair of Avengers films ahead of a likely sequel, there’s plenty of narrative runway to let Kirby take Sue down that road.

    Sources: Movie Web, Variety

  • New ‘Marvel Zombies’ Synopsis Teases a Key to Stopping the Super-Powered Undead

    New ‘Marvel Zombies’ Synopsis Teases a Key to Stopping the Super-Powered Undead

    Marvel Animation’s What If…? spinoff, Marvel Zombies, was recently given a new, earlier release date that will see it hit D+ well ahead of Spooky Season. The four-episode TV-MA mini-event was originally developed as a movie before being broken into four parts and according to director Bryan Andrews, it will deliver on its premise and unleash “a lot of insanity.” And now, thanks to an updated Disney press release, a new synopsis for the story has been revealed.

    Spinning right out of the ending of “What If…Zombies?”, which saw Spider-Man, Black Panther and the head of Ant-Man travel to Wakanda where zombie Thanos awaits, the event series will introduce additional surviving heroes to the mix including Ms. Marvel, Kate Bishop, Shang-Chi and Yelena Belova. The new press release confirms that Paul Rudd will return to voice Scott Lang and that Wyatt Russell and Tessa Thompson also lent their voices to the project.

    After the Avengers are overtaken by a zombie plague, a desperate group of survivors discover the key to bringing an end to the super-powered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world.

    -Official Synopsis for Marvel Zombies

    Starring Awkwafina, David Harbour, Simu Liu, Elizabeth Olsen, Randall Park,
    Florence Pugh, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, Hailee Steinfeld, Tessa Thompson, Dominique Thorne, Iman Vellani and Todd Williams, Marvel Zombies will debut on D+ on September 24th.

  • After Skipping the Summer Convention Circuit, Marvel May Be Ready to Make Some Noise

    After Skipping the Summer Convention Circuit, Marvel May Be Ready to Make Some Noise

    By choosing not to put together a big Hall H presentation at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, Marvel Studios seemed content letting Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps do its talking this Summer. Both films were a hit with critics and fans and generated plenty of discussion; however, with a year-long wait until the next MCU film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, hits theaters, there will need to be some additional topics of conversation. And while production on Destin Daniel Cretton‘s Spidey film has been making headlines, it’s likely to move inside for a significant chunk of time, disappearing from the spotlight. That leaves Marvel Animation’s Marvel Zombies and Marvel Television’s Wonder Man on the docket and, so far, neither have drawn much interest from fans. So, what can Marvel Studios do to make some noise?

    Without its every-other-year D23 convention on the calendar, it looked as though the studio may have intended to go the rest of the year without showing off its future slate; however, over the past week, the revelation that the studio will have a presence at a pair of events has provided some hope for a look at Marvel’s plans for 2026!

    First up, Destination D23

    Destination D23 is a Disney fan event, specifically a smaller, biennial event held in Walt Disney World that alternates with the larger, flagship D23 Expo. This year, it’s taking place from August 29-31 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. The event offers fans a chance to celebrate Disney’s past, present, and future through exclusive presentations, behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming projects, special guests, and unique shopping experiences. On Saturday, August 30th, the Walt Disney Studio’s Showcase will give fans in attendance “an exclusive look at the movies fans love, and a glimpse into what to look forward to from Disney’s film studios,” which, of course, includes Marvel Studios.

    While Marvel has not been confirmed to have a presence, it is possible that the event will include an appearance by Kevin Feige. And with no films on the slate until next year, the panel could contain some information about Avengers: Doomsday, which remains in production in the UK.

    New York, Neeeeeew Yoooooork…Comic Con

    Held at the Javits Center from October 9-12, NYCC will be “Four jam-packed days of pop culture, film and TV studios, studio and brand activations, comics, celebs, authors, voice actors, panels, and geeky goodness right here in NYC. And most importantly, a home for heroes, villains, and nerds to be accepted and embraced,” and Marvel Studios WILL be there.

    On October 11th, fans are invited to “join special guests for a look behind the scenes at Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ shows from Marvel Television and Marvel Animation.” With Marvel Zombies  streaming on September 24th, only Wonder Man remains on the 2025 slate. It is possible–perhaps even likely–that Marvel uses the panel to roll out the first full trailer for that project but that’s almost certainly not all that they’ll get up to.

    With Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again set to hit D+ in March, Marvel could wow the NYCC crowd with a first look at the upcoming episodes. Additionally, given Marvel Animation’s presence, a look at Season 2 of X-Men ’97 and/or Season 2 of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man could be in order. It’s possible the studio could also provide a first look at the Paul Bettany-led Vision series and reveal additional animated projects in the works.

  • Lucasfilm’s CCO Addresses the Future of Animated Star Wars Projects

    Lucasfilm’s CCO Addresses the Future of Animated Star Wars Projects

    Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels have arguably done as much to build the Star Wars mythology and fandom as any projects made since George Lucas‘s original trilogy. Created by Dave Filoni—who has since become Lucasfilm’s Chief Creative Officer–the series introduced original characters and have become springboards for stories set in the New Republic Era. Lucasfilm’s latest ongoing series, The Bad Batch, came to an end after its third season, leaving fans without an ongoing series to look forward to and with a mandate issued by Disney President Bob Iger that slowed the company’s major production studios down significantly, there were plenty of concerns that the end of the animated era was near. Fortunately, Filoni sees it differently.

    While speaking at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, Filoni told fans that animation has hand and will continue to have the support of Lucas, stating that the studio was to produce animated projects for “20 more” years.

    I thought my job at Lucasfilm Animation would last about two years – it has now been 20. This is truly possible because of the incredible dedication and hard work of the many talented people who have worked at Lucasfilm Animation. Fans have embraced our work in a way that no one could have predicted – well, maybe one person did. George Lucas always believed in animation and believed in our team. He said, ‘Dare to be great,’ and that’s what we’ve done for the last 20 years. I hope we do it for 20 more.

    -Lucasfilm CCO Dave Filoni

    The next 20 years of animated action will kickoff in 2026 with Star Wars: Maul- Shadow Lord, which was announced at Star Wars Celebration Japan earlier this year. Set after the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the new series will follow Maul as he “rises again to lead the underworld factions,” and “rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire.”

    Beyond that, always in motion, the future is but with Filoni serving as its curator, fans have reason for new hope.

    Source: Games Radar

  • Former ‘X-Men ’97’ Showrunner Details Marvel Studios Failed ‘Nomad’ Project

    Former ‘X-Men ’97’ Showrunner Details Marvel Studios Failed ‘Nomad’ Project

    In late 2020, Murphy’s Multiverse scooped Marvel Studios’ plans to develop a Nomad project which we deduced would star Chris Evans‘ time traveling Steve Rogers. At the time, the studio had recently revealed plans for Armor Wars, Ironheart and Secret Invasion without ever mentioning Nomad, leaving fans to come to believe the latter was never truly in the works. By 2023, Marvel had still never given any indication of a Nomad project being in the works despite evidence that the studio was still working at it behind the scenes. Now, for the first time, a former Marvel employee has given some insight into the struggles to develop the project while teasing its premise.

    Amid a wave of posts on X, X-Men ’97 Season 1 showrunner Beau DeMayo—who was fired from the series in March 2024–explained that Nomad fell apart when the Marvel Parliament member in charge was unable to crack the story because they had not “researched the character and that arc.”

    DeMayo went on to say that the actions of Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame created a branch of reality in which Howard Stark became an evil, Hydra Iron Man and that the studio planned to take inspiration from the novel and Netflix streaming series The Man in High Castle. That would likely have been set during an alternate, dystopian post-World War II era in which Hydra achieved its goals of world domination.

    It’s unclear if Nomad was intended to be a theatrical project or if it was being developed for streaming; however, it sounds as though it would have fit VERY nicely into The Multiverse Saga, creating an alternate Earth on which Hydra, not the SSR and later S.H.I.E.L.D.,

  • Trade Reports Dispute Deadpool’s ‘Doomsday’ Appearance

    Trade Reports Dispute Deadpool’s ‘Doomsday’ Appearance

    Ryan Reynolds‘ Wade Wilson is known for stirring the pot…and now he’s started a rumble amongst the Hollywood trades. Following a social media post shared by Ryan Reynolds sparked speculation that Deadpool was set to make an appearance in Avengers: Doomsday, THR’s Borys Kit and Aaron Couch seemingly confirmed the role in THR’s Heat Vision newsletter…and then the fun began.

    Shortly after Heat Vision was published, Deadline’s Anthony D’Allesandro’s sources disputed THR’s claim, telling the reporter that nobody had “seen Reynolds on set in London, and he isn’t set to appear in the next two Avengers movies.”

    Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Later, The Wrap’s Umberto Gonzalez supported Kit and Crouch’s original report, adding that his sources shared that “we haven’t seen that last of Deadpool, and will see him next in Avengers: Doomsday. But no one is going on the record about it — yet.”

    A pair of prominent social media scoopers threw some additional fuel on the fire. My Time To Shine Hello seemed to confirm Reynolds appearance while Cryptic HD Quality indicated that the Merc with a Mouth would lead his own team in Doomsday, perhaps referring to some of The Void’s Resistance fighters from Deadpool & Wolverine.

    To nobody’s surprise, Marvel is sitting out the trade war, choosing not to comment and likely waiting to make it official…or not… whenever they roll out the rest of the cast of the film.

    Sources: Deadline

  • New Report Reveals Marvel Studios’ Plans for Deadpool

    New Report Reveals Marvel Studios’ Plans for Deadpool

    A recent social media post by Deadpool & Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds ignited speculation that Wade Wilson might have a role in Marvel Studios’ next big event film, Avengers: Doomsday. While Reynolds was not included among the 27 cast members who were announced in an epic, 5-hour marketing stunt in late March, it’s always been clear that the cast of the 2026 film would include far more stars than those in the initial announcement and according to a new trade report, Reynolds will be one of those.

    In the latest edition of THR’s Heat Vision, reporters Borys Kit and Aaron Couch shared confirmation that Reynolds‘ Deadpool is set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday in some capacity.

    Sources tell Heat Vision that yes, Deadpool will appear in Avengers: Doomsday. (Don’t expect him to actually be joining the Avengers team, though.)

    -Heat Vision

    After successfully navigating and escaping The Void before saving the Multiverse from Cassandra Nova, it’s hardly surprising that Reynolds‘ “Marvel Jesus” would return alongside the studio’s biggest stars with Incursions now threatening to obliterate the Multiverse.

    “I think Deadpool works so well appearing with the X-Men and Avengers, but he always needs to stay an outsider. His ultimate dream is to be accepted and appreciated. But he can’t be accepted.

    -Ryan Reynolds

    THR’s claim that the appearance will not include Deadpool teaming up with the Avengers is consistent with Reynolds’ wishes for the character’s future in the MCU. “The character trait I love most about Deadpool is that he’s a fanboy. His enthusiasm and longing to be part of a team is really endearing to me. It’s his overarching wish-fulfillment story. But I don’t think he should ever be an Avenger or an X-Man,” explained Reynolds in a 2024 interview. “If he becomes either, we’re at the end.“ It sounds as though the end is not near after all, at least not for the Merc with a Mouth.

    Source: Heat Vision

  • James Gunn Teases Production Start on the Next Installment of His Superman Saga

    James Gunn Teases Production Start on the Next Installment of His Superman Saga

    With DC Studios hosting the red carpet premiere of Season 2 of Peacemaker and Superman debuting on digital platforms this week, James Gunn has spent quite a bit of  time in front of the press and he has rarely remained silent in such situations. As such, it was no surprise that he broke some DCU news earlier this week, though the subject caught nearly everyone off guard.

    I’ve already finished the treatment for the next story in what I’ll call the Superman Saga. The treatment’s done–which means a very, very worked out and I’m hopefully going into production on that  treatment–and I’m working on that not too far away from today.

    -James Gunn

    After a recent mention of Gunn’s involvement in a “Super-Family” movie, the DC Studios co-chair revealed he has finished work on a treatment of what he referred to as the next story in the “Superman Saga.” Furthermore, the news that the film would be headed into production “not too far away from today,” certainly turned heads as it could possibly mean a third Superman Family film would be in theaters over a 2 or 3 year span, following this summer’s Superman and next year’s Supergirl. Now, in a new interview with Collider, Gunn has provided some additional information about the treatment and, once again, teased an imminent start of production.

    “We’re scheduling it now, ” said Gunn of the production of the new film which will star David Corenswet but will NOT be Superman 2.

    “I’m totally done with the treatment. My treatments are incredibly intense. They’re not regular treatments. They’re 60-page treatments with dialogue and everything,” Gunn devulged. “And so, now I’m just turning that into a script. We’re planning out when we’re going to shoot that. It’s going to be much sooner rather than later.“

    Though no details have been revealed, fans have come to believe that the project may see Kal-El, his cousin, Kara Zor-El, and her dog, Krypto, team up to take on classic Superman baddie Brainiac. Should DC Studios schedule production sometime in 2025–which would align with the idea of “not too far from today”–it wound stand to reason that casting would get underway soon and that more details about the film would begin to make their way online.

    Source: Collider