Ever since the announcement came that Marvel Studios is working Thunderbolts, it had many wondering what the team of villains and anti-heroes might consist of. Surprisingly, it seems that Deadline’s Justin Kroll has just dropped the news on Matthew Belloni’s The Town podcast, as he reveals it’ll act as a sort of spinoff for Black Widow‘s Yelena Belova, which means Florence Pugh may be at the forefront of the project. According to Kroll, she’ll also likely lead “Marvel’s Suicide Squad” and potentially hints at John Walker and Zemo returning in the film.
[Florence Pugh] has got the Marvel superhero that’s already got a spin-off. Upcoming for her, actually, on that character is this Thunderbolts film, which is basically Marvel’s Suicide Squad. Hopefully, it has better results. But the concept is it’d be her leading the team of like Wyatt Russell’s [John Walker], Daniel Bruhl’s [Zemo], those anti-heroes that aren’t exactly good but aren’t exactly bad. So there’s that. And people seem to like the Yelena character.Justin Kroll
Her role definitely raises some questions on what exactly this take of the Thunderbolts will look like. Florence Pugh is continuing to rise in her stardom so it seems like Marvel Studios is definitely not going to waste this opportunity to make her a strong focus on the MCU. There’s an interesting aspect that highlights her importance and potentially why she was part of the first film entry to kick off this new Multiverse Saga. We’ll see how this potentially will come together once more details on the film are revealed.
There have been many theories about what we can expect from the upcoming Disney+ Day. Last year, we got a few announcements alongside official logo reveals. The big question for many is how much they’ll really show if D23 is right after but they might still use the chance to tease some Disney+ projects or even reveal some fun trailers. Plus, we’ll also get some new additions to the service to celebrate the occasion. Now, the official Twitter account is also seemingly teasing something X-Men related for the day.
The interesting thing is that they’ve made a few day countdown posts, but this time around they highlighted the hashtag. The inclusion of Hugh Jackman‘s Wolverine is definitely a curious choice but very unlikely is hinting at anything related to the 20th Century Fox era but there’s a chance we might get a teaser of some kind of the 90s animated series continuation X-Men ’97.
Of course, to temper expectations, there’s simply a chance they are promoting the fact that they have all the 20th Century films on the platform. Disney+ has advertised itself as the “Home of Marvel” and is definitely living up to that name. Perhaps they’ll finally add X-Men: Evolution to the platform, which was a great animated series based on popular animated characters. We still have a week to wait until we find out what exactly they might be teasing or if it’s actually anything, but there’s a lot of fun to have to speculate ahead of such a big event from Disney.
Top Gun: Maverick continues to exceed expectations. The Tom Cruise-led film finally hit digital on Aug. 23rd and has continued its streak of breaking records. According to Paramount, Top Gun: Maverick has become the No. 1 best-selling digital sell-through title ever in the U.S. in its first week of release.
The studio has also revealed that Maverick is already one of the top 20 best-selling digital releases in history after being available for one week. While the film is still playing in theaters, Maverick has been the top-selling item on Amazon within the United States consistently since it was released. It has also been the top-selling title on Fandango’s Vudu service since its release, with the service’s Top Gun bundle – including both films – also remaining a top-seller.
While the studio hasn’t revealed a dollar amount for the sales, the film’s digital performance shouldn’t be too surprising. After releasing in May, Maverick has earned $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office. It’s currently the 6th highest-grossing film in domestic box-office history, as well as the number one film this year.
Top Gun: Maverick, which stars Cruise, will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on Nov. 1st. It is also still playing in theaters. Those eager to catch the movie before it leaves theaters can catch it for $3 tomorrow as part of the inaugural National Cinema Day.
There’s been some confusion on what the future has in store for the DC Extended Universe. The newly established Warner Bros. Discovery is leaving some rather harsh scars on its own production side with various projects being outright canceled or even taken down. Still, there are a few projects that might make it out, such as Xolo Maridueña‘s upcoming Blue Beetle film. In a recent interview, the actor revealed that he was told how important Blue Beetle, whose secret identity is Jaime Reyes, will be for the DC Extended Universe.
He shared his experience after having a Zoom call with DC and what it was like getting another interview. “Why do these guys want to meet? What’s happening? I was so nervous. There’s so much riding on what they think about me.” He goes on to highlight what Walter Hamada, the president of DC Studios, told him about his character, as a way to also calm him down “Look Xolo. This role of Blue Beetle is going to be really important to this universe. We want to just make sure that whoever we go with is a real person and we’re not just hiring a face. It’s about more than what’s in front of the camera.”
It definitely sounds like Maridueña was chosen for that very reason, as he’ll bring a certain humanity to the role and the universe. Similar to how Spider-Man commonly becomes that human anchor for the Marvel universe. Luckily, it seems that the project is still moving forward as Warner Bros. Discovery still believes in the project. It’s unclear if Reyes’ role in the DCEU will also remain the same as they rewrite the next ten years for the franchise but it would be a shame not to make use of it.
SPOILER WARNING: This article will discuss spoilers from Spider-Man: No Way Home alongside the additional footage released in the extended cut.
With the official re-release of Spider-Man: No Way Home this Labor Day Weekend, Sony added extra incentive for audiences to get back into theaters by folding in previously unseen footage into an extended cut. Whether or not this was worth removing from the digital and Blu-ray release of the film remains to be seen, but nonetheless, there are some interesting new facets to discuss coming out of it. Before getting into the film itself, audiences are treated to an introduction via a video conference call from Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire. It’s a fairly straightforward exchange of pleasantries and gratitude about the experience of working on Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now a breakdown of the new footage.
(L to R) Hannibal Buress, J.B. Smoove, and Martin Starr in Spider-Man: No Way Home
FIRST ACT
The very beginning of the film remains the same as the original, with the first additions coming in the form of extended investigations done by Arian Moyaed’s Cleary with Peter Parker and company. The most noticeable difference is with Cleary having extended conversations with Peter about his previous ventures and his penchant for being in action near popular monuments. In addition, the infamous Night Monkey is addressed in the interrogation process.
The first outright new scene brought into this cut of No Way Home is the notably cut scene involving Harry Holland’s drug-dealing character being stopped by Spider-Man. The main focus then switches towards the civilians in the surrounding area accosting Peter Parker despite stopping a criminal which is built around a debate about the morality and culpability of Spider-Man being erroneously claimed to be a 14-year-old child. This scene closes out with the green paint being thrown on the suit of Spider-Man (as opposed to it just being part of a Daily Bugle montage).
The most distinct additions in this new cut are scenes at Midtown High School. Essentially every scene is expanded upon with new lines of dialogue from supporting and background characters expressing their excitement or disdain towards the webhead. One moment of note is Hannibal Buress’ Coach Wilson loudly goading Peter Parker to climb a wall during gym class with other classmates gawking onwards. This ultimately culminates in a new extended montage of interspersed sit-down interviews done by Betty Brant with supporting members of the Midtown ensemble. Of note here is the comically terrible green screen akin to the wonky production quality seen at the beginning of Spider-Man: Far From Home. The montage provides Buress, Martin Starr, and J.B. Smoove time to flex their comedic chops in the way of one-off cutaway lines. Additionally, audiences further dive into the vapid psyche of Flash Thompson in the midst of selling his new autobiography and receive some awkward closure between the Ned Leeds and Betty Brant relationship.
Charlie Cox as Matthew Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home
SECOND ACT
After leaving Midtown High, this version of No Way Home has no real changes to the structure of the film for a considerable amount of time. There are only two tangible additions of note. Firstly, there is a brief segment from J. Jonah Jameson on the Daily Bugle interviewing a construction worker on-site during the fight between Spider-Man, Sandman, and Electro. However, the construction worker comedically refers to it being a conflict between Spider-Man with a sparkle web fighting Dirt Man and a Power Monster (to the bemusement and confusion of Jameson). This scene is essentially an extension that leads into J. Jonah Jameson receiving the tip about the location of Peter Parker at the F.E.A.S.T. facility.
And then, this is followed up with the long-rumored second scene involving Charlie Cox’s Matthew Murdock. The lawyer is seen representing and defending Happy Hogan while under investigation from Cleary and his team at Damage Control. However, Hogan is distracted by watching the arrival of Peter Parker, May, and the villains into his condominium on the security camera via his phone (this scene is spliced with the original cut version of Peter and co. entering the condo). Murdock accosts Hogan for being distracted and closes by insisting on Jon Favreau’s character to stop sweating so much.
(L to R) Tobey Maguire, Tom Holland, and Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker Variants in Spider-Man: No Way Home
THIRD ACT
Following the new Matt Murdock scene, there are no new full scenes added to the film in the new cut. However, audiences will come to find a few new brief exchanges between the Spider-Man variants while on the Statue of Liberty scaffolding. These are all extensions of conversations already seen in the original No Way Home. Of note, Andrew Garfield’s variant continues his motif of being uber-excited about being able to interact with two versions of himself and is already planning a future meet-up between the trio. In addition, there are further points made about Tobey Maguire’s ability to create organic web-fluid and the unconscious process in which he generates it. Audiences will likely find a brief, yet tender exchange between Maguire and Garfield’s versions discussing the thought of being able to have second chances on past mistakes to resonate most strongly out of all of the additions. Once the villains then arrive for the final battle, the film remains the same course with no changes or additions abound.
Angourie Rice as Betty Brant
POST CREDIT SCENE
Though there still remains one last surprise for audiences who stick around to the end of the film. A new post-credit scene is introduced that adds an interesting perspective to the resolution of Spider-Man: No Way Home. It takes the point of view of a final school news broadcast from Betty Brant celebrating the graduating class of Midtown High. In it, she discusses all the various events that they’ve gone through during their years, including The Blip (with Betty and Jason Ionello dusting and returning during news broadcasts). Though what’s most notable is the presence (or lack thereof) of Peter Parker. To slightly dispute the leak description from Reddit, Tom Holland’s character is technically present but is conventionally barely cut out of frame in every photo he is in (or has birds flying in front of his face). And of course, there is no mention or memory of him during the scene.
This helps bring new insight and understanding towards the nature of Doctor Strange’s spell and how the memory of Peter Parker was wiped from the minds of everyone in the world. And of course, provides a discreetly somber reminder of the lonely place Spider-Man is in at the end of the film.
THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS
Ultimately, the extended edition of Spider-Man: No Way Home was a fun experience, but certainly not game-changing in any way. As one can infer from the breakdown, a vast majority of the new scenes come from the first act of the film and at Midtown High School. While all the scenes brought new perspectives and enjoyable moments, director Jon Watts and his team made the right call in making the opening of the film as succinct as it was. Confirmation that Angourie Rice’s Betty Brant is an unsung hero in this first Spider-Man trilogy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is almost certainly the main takeaway. The only scene that could be considered worthwhile to have been included in the original cut was the Matt Murdock-Happy Hogan scene and the new lines from the Spider-Man variants solely from how little was changed via their additions. It will come down to the individual viewers to determine if the extended cut of Spider-Man: No Way Home was worth a full-on new theatrical release. However, if a fan is interested in being able to see the film again on the big screen as it was designed, it’s certainly an enjoyable experience either way.
With She-Hulk: Attorney at Law being well under way with its first season on Disney+, one of the standout characters fans have connected with is Emil Blonsky, a.k.a. Abomination. The character, of course, is played by Tim Roth, who returns to the role and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a reformed villain serving a prison sentence. It’s certainly not the way many expected to see the character return, and it turns out, the character very nearly had a different fate planned for him. When sitting down with IGN, the actor revealed what the original fate of Blonsky would have been after The Incredible Hulk.
I remember talking to Kevin [Feige] on set of [The Incredible Hulk] and Stan Lee as well. The idea was that they locked him up in a steel vault and sank it to the bottom of the ocean and left it there. So that when you found it at the beginning of whatever film that might have been… That’s where you found him. And he’d had time to think. About what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go.
Tim Roth
The idea of Abomination being locked in a confined space and submerged deep into an ocean could’ve led to a different adaptation of the character upon a return. However, Roth went on to further elaborate on how his position in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law still has some mirrors to this original fate.
Well in a sense they kind of did it in She-Hulk. He’s in isolation, dealing with his inner monster… and he’s been in a bubble… in a maximum security [prison] in total isolation, for many years. So now what do we get? Who is he? And the journey he goes on will possibly dance around the knife edge of ‘is he or isn’t he [reformed]?’ And I know I had some fun with him.
Tim Roth
The concept of reforming oneself has been ever prevalent with the character of Emil Blonsky and it’s interesting to see how Tim Roth has run with that character direction. Ultimately, it could be considered a surprise that Abomination returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after over a decade of not being mentioned. This is especially the case for a subversion of the villainous role. Roth spent some time discussing his feelings about his return and the nature in which he was brought back.
I laughed. I thought it was hilarious. When [Marvel] told me what they had in mind, I just laughed, I thought it was wonderful, and impossible, and mad… It also in a sense was nice because then I could revisit my kids’ childhood.
Tim Roth
It can be assuring to know that at least the performer behind the character has a positive experience for his time returning to this role. The first three episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law starring Tatiana Maslany as the titular character are now streaming on Disney+.
There’s been a lot of excitement surrounding the many new project heading to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Many were also anxiously waiting for an update on the long-rumored Captain America sequel. Back in July, we learned that Julius Onah would tackle the job as director for the film which would get the subtitle New World Order during San Diego Comic-Con. As it turns out one of She-Hulks‘ stars may have had a hand in helping get him the job.
As it turns out, it seems that Marvel Studio was consulting on the director’s abilities with Tim Roth, who co-starred in Luce by Julius Onah. In an interview, it turns out that he’s only found out about his former director’s new job in the Marvel family and was quite excited for this new opportunity for him.
Okay, let me tell you this. Julius is incredible. He’s an extraordinary human being and the story that we told… Again, it was my second time working with Naomi Watts, too. I love her. She’s one of the funniest humans you’ll ever meet, but Julius is extraordinary and I didn’t know that he was doing that. They came to me to ask me about him. And I wrote letters and stuff. I’m so glad if… You know what? They’re in safe hands. I’m so pleased, I didn’t know. You just told me, I didn’t know
Tim Roth
It’s great to see that Marvel Studios also consults with the many actors they’ve worked with and their history with various directors. Onah is an exciting addition as he’ll bring something new to the franchise that is generally going through chance with its new lead in Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson. It’ll be interesting to see how they explore the character’s new position in the world and continue where Falcon and the Winter Soldier left us off.
Deep in the Sundering Seas, a ship sails toward peace and freedom. All onboard are merry, as they know what bountiful future awaits them, save for one soul. Galadriel, a young Elven warrior, is not content. She looks around with concern and restlessness as her companions begin to sing a holy song in unison. Her brethren embrace what they understand to be a blessing, yet Galadriel is unable to wrap her mind around the same joy. The boat rolls onward, but her true journey lies somewhere behind it. This scenario, which plays out near the end of The Rings of Power‘s first episode, is how many may have felt when The Lord of the Rings films first premiered two decades ago.
Universally loved by fans and critics alike, it quickly became heresy to suggest the original live-action trilogy wasn’t for everyone. While all manner of brethren sang it’s praises like a holy verse, some simply couldn’t bring themselves to join in. Their journey lay elsewhere, in the gutters of other fantasy deemed “less-than” by those who could more naturally comprehend the great works of J.R.R. Tolkien. To be fair, these high-ground thoughts were never entirely misplaced. Peter Jackson‘s movies are indeed a generational achievement, and the novels they’re based on are undoubtedly a cornerstone to which all subsequent entries of the genre owe their existence. Nevertheless, The Lord of the Rings was never an easy story for the average viewer to sink their teeth into.
Filled with intense exposition and expansive world-building, it could often feel like there was homework required to fully appreciate the cinematic experience. Beautiful, awe-inspiring filmmaking, for sure, but also perhaps too much for some to take in at once. On the other hand, Jackson‘s Hobbit prequels were derided for leaning too far in the other direction. Too much explosive action, not enough thoughtful commentary. The Rings of Power, a new prequel series from Amazon set a full Age before the events of Tolkien‘s seminal masterpiece, feels special for at least one major reason – it works in a way where viewers are granted both pace and spectacle. The series’ pilot and its follow-up, each directed by J.A. Bayona, are chock full of the gorgeous visuals and thrilling set pieces one has come to expect from adventures set on Middle-earth, but pull them off while maintaining the intellectual integrity of the franchise.
Anyone who might have been worried about the show not living up to the iconic aesthetic of the films can rest well knowing this is not the case. It’s very clear that The Rings of Power is the most expensive television series ever created. From the very beginning, it looks absolutely unreal. This is the same Middle-earth fans have spent years obsessing over, only it feels quite a bit younger. Not only are several of the protagonists in the ensemble cast literally younger versions of established Tolkien characters, like Morfydd Clark‘s aforementioned Galadriel or Robert Aramayo‘s gleaming Elrond, but much of the landscape gives off the essence of a used car restored to its former glory. The grime of Sauron has yet to truly taint the world, even if his dark presence is ever looming.
As a result, the premiere episodes exude a fairly fresh aura to potential new fans of the franchise. This is not a project anyone has to rewatch older films to enjoy. It’s amicable for those who have loved what’s come before and welcoming to those who’d finally like to try giving Middle-earth a shot. There is some of that familiar exposition, yes, but the show’s episodic format allows for it to be delivered in smaller, separate doses as opposed to all-at-once. Interspersed between are countless moments of shock and amazement that will leave audiences pondering on how a television series could pull all of it off. There are grand scenes of war, charming competitions of friendship, slaughtering at the hands of a lumbering troll, and a horrific game of hide-and-seek played with a skull-fit orc.
It’s impressive how effortlessly The Rings of Power shifts between these many masks in its attempt to weave an epic tale. The characters, too, are plenty of fun to spend time with. New light is shed on well-known names, enough to make them – possibly – even more likable, and enthralling introductions are made for the latest faces to join the universe. Viewers are reminded exactly why they fell for the varying species of Middle-earth, especially the Hobbits and the Dwarves. Any time spent with Harfoots (Harfeet?) or the cave-dwelling Khazâd is an automatic highlight of the episode.
Best of all, the premiere episodes leave fans with more questions than they do answers. Without spoiling anything, there’s much to dissect in the coming season. Despite a runtime of over two hours and a lot to establish, A Shadow of the Past and Adrift do a fantastic job of keeping the audience entertained and engaged while setting up plotlines that will last for a long time to come. With an agreeable approach and a stunning coat of paint, The Rings of Power might just be the first Lord of the Rings entry that everyone can fall in love with.
In an age of legacy sequels and classic franchises getting a second chance, it always feels like a question of time before a franchise gets another reboot of some kind. Scream just recently managed to offer a new look at the iconic slasher Ghostface with a returning cast from the originals continuing the storyline. Now, it seems that New Line Cinema is teasing the return of another iconic horror icon.
IN a rather simple Instagram post, New Line Cinema has posted what looks like a phone notification hinting at Jason Voorhees, the iconic slasher lead of the Friday the 13th franchise, sending a message through Instagram. It’s difficult to not take this as a tease that a sequel of some kind is in development. There’s been quite a few rumors that something was in development, even Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes working on a potential reboot of Friday the 13th after being involved with the 2009 remake.
Until now, the last time we saw Jason in action was in the 2009 version, which was directed by Marcus Nispel. What was actually quite a great new take on the franchise sadly didn’t quite make the splash many hoped it would at the box office and never got a sequel. Simply titled Friday the 13th, it was a perfect jumping-off for a new franchise but it never moved forward.
Ironically, the 2010 remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street faced a similar issue of reviving the cult classic but not getting the same critical reception. It also didn’t manage to continue the franchise but a potential successful remake of Friday the 13th could also see a new attempt to bring back Freddy Krueger as well. Considering Chucky got a second life with direct-to-DVD sequels and a TV series, horror is in a good place right now
Happy Football Friday and welcome to another edition of The Morning After Huddle!
Here’s what you need to know:
First, Titans Running Back Derrick Henry is a very happy man this morning. Henry is now the highest-paid running back in the NFL. The Titans reworked his contract to give him a $2 million raise for the 2022 season for a total of $14 million. Henry will be a free agent once this deal expires and this gives the Titans the ability to create a new deal in the off-season.
Moving along, new Saints and Former Jets Safety Marcus Maye is in trouble with the law. Maye is facing charges of aggravated assault related to a road rage incident. Police say that Maye is the driver in an incident that involves pointing a firearm at another vehicle that was occupied by juvenile females. Maye’s lawyer denies the claims. Maye is still facing discipline for a 2021 arrest related to driving under the influence and leaving the scene. More to come with this story.
Next, Cardinals cornerback Antonio Hamilton is heading to the non-football injury list. Hamilton is revealing news of a kitchen accident over the weekend. He shared photos via his social media showing what appears to be second-degree burns after a ”freak accident”.” The burns are the result of spilling cooking oil. Hamilton is now set to miss at least the first four games of the season as he recovers.
As always, thanks choosing The Morning After Huddle for your NFL news. We’ll see you Saturday for more news you need to know!
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