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  • ‘Moon Knight’ Director Backtracks on Season 2 Tease, Hints at Interest in Exploring Character’s Judaism

    ‘Moon Knight’ Director Backtracks on Season 2 Tease, Hints at Interest in Exploring Character’s Judaism

    Not too long ago, Moon Knight director Mohamed Diab was asked by a fan alongside Oscar Isaac, who was visiting Cairo at the time, if they were working on a second season. At the time, they jokingly stated why else they’d be there and Diab also shared a “Season 2” tease on Twitter. So, it seemed like maybe there was a chance that something is happening. Yet, it seems the director may have backtracked on that statement in a new tweet.

    Moon Knight had a strong focus on its Egyptian mythology and DID, which led to some fans being disappointed with the lack of Jewish representation. while it was present, there have been many discussions on if it was enough. In response to a tweet on the matter, Diab has hinted that not only is he definitely open to exploring it more but also now backtracked that there are no talks in regards to the character’s future.

    It’s confusing as we don’t know if the previous teases were just them playing around or he may have accidentally revealed something he wasn’t supposed to. Moon Knight definitely feels right to continue after that post-credit sequence. Jake Lockley was teased throughout the entire season for a last-minute reveal, and there’s also the question of how exactly they might want to include the character in future projects.

    Considering that two personalities left the life of a superhero behind, it would be odd not to further explore that dynamic before throwing them into a crossover storyline. There’s definitely something interesting to explore with the concept of the inner conflict with being used by an Egyptian god with a Jewish background. Here’s hoping they get the chance to further explore it.

    Source: Twitter

  • Walter Hamada Almost Left Warner Bros. Due to ‘Batgirl’ Controversy

    Walter Hamada Almost Left Warner Bros. Due to ‘Batgirl’ Controversy

    The shelving of Batgirl for tax reasons is something that left quite the bitter taste with many long-time fans of DC films and Warner Bros. Under new leadership, David Zaslav has been taking a hammer to most every prominent project they have with one controversial decision following the next. Now, it turns out that DC Films president Walter Hamada was just about to exit the studio over the recent decision.

    While he’s agreed to stay, it does seem like it’s going to be short-lived as he’ll supervise the release of Dwayne Johnson‘s Black Adam in October. He’s not made a comment in regards to this current development but it does seem to lack the last pieces are falling apart at Warner Bros. Discovery. There’s still some questioning on their decision to not even give the film a chance theatrically, as it seems it was deemed “not strong enough” for that kind of release.

    The big reveal is that Hamada has not been consulted about the decision and simply found out during a test screening for Black Adam. He naturally was worried bout those heavily involved with the production who haven’t really been informed either until the news was first released by the New York Post, which stated that low test scores were one of the reasons.

    Hamada has been a highly discussed figure in the DC realm due to decisions surrounding Justice League back in 2017. Internally, there was a lot of pressure of setting a path for these projects and creating their own shared universe like Marvel but things have been bumpy along the way, even if The Suicide Squad, The Batman, Aquaman, Peacemaker, and more still shined bright. If he’ll truly leave the company we’ll have to see once the Black Adam releases.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Doctor Strange’ Storyboard Artist Reveals Mordo’s Grisly Original Fate

    ‘Doctor Strange’ Storyboard Artist Reveals Mordo’s Grisly Original Fate

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did a pretty good job of continuing the threads established in Stephan Strange’s first solo outing, but there was one major loose end that never wrapped up. While Chiwetel Ejiofor did return for the sequel to reprise his role as Karl Mordo, the Ancient One’s top former student and Strange’s one-time mentor, it wasn’t in the way most fans expected. Mordo had ended 2016’s Doctor Strange disillusioned with magic users and promising to rid the world of it’s “too many sorcerers”. Many assumed this meant the sequel would see him follow his comic book arc to become Strange’s arch-rival on Earth, but instead, the mainstream timeline’s version of the character never appears at all.

    Audiences were treated to an alternate Earth-838 Mordo, who lives in a world where Strange has died and he has ascended to become both Sorcerer Supreme and a member of the Illuminati. The film leaves the fate of Earth-616 Mordo completely up in the air, but according to storyboard artist Jeremy Simser, that was not always the case. Months after the release of Multiverse of Madness, the artist has unveiled a series of panels that confirm Ejiofor‘s potential villain was once supposed to perish at the hands of Elizabeth Olsen‘s Scarlet Witch:

    There had previously been rumors that the film’s original script had Mordo losing his head after trying to stop Wanda Maximoff on his own, but this is the first solid look at how that might have played out. Luckily for fans of the character, and those hoping to see him fulfill his comic book role down the line, Simser mentions in his caption that deleted scenes don’t count as part of Marvel Cinematic Universe canon. So, perhaps there’s still room for Mordo to flex his villainous muscle in Doctor Strange 3.

    Source: Instagram

  • Hall of Murphy: Episode 19 – All Things SDCC

    Hall of Murphy: Episode 19 – All Things SDCC

    Hall of Murphy is back as John and Joe take some time to discuss all things San Diego Comic-Con with Black Adam, Shazam, and even some DC League of Super-Pets thrown in for fun.

  • Warner Bros. Discovery Working on 10-Year Plan for DC Franchise

    Warner Bros. Discovery Working on 10-Year Plan for DC Franchise

    In the beginning many were frustrated to see Warner Bros. rushing through the DC Extended Universe, jumping the gun to catch up with Marvel Studios. The course correction never really came and since 2017, its been an uphill battle for fans. With the Discovery merger the new heads seem to be dedicated in expanding and pushing the DC property to its fullest potential with quality content.

    During the Q2 earnings call for Warner Brothers Discovery, David Zaslav announced that DC is one of their highest priorities in getting situated. On top of the announcement that DC would be becoming its own studio within the company, Zaslav has confirmed that they’ve put a team together to run said studio and have put together a ten-year plan, mentioning outright it is similar to what Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios have built over at Disney.

    No word has been made on what exactly this “10-year-plan” entails and it’s unknown if WBD will announce a slate anytime soon. Another interesting part of this announcement is what’s going to happen with the current universe. Could the new plan be set on the foundations of the old one, with The Flash mentioned during the call and Zaslav saying he thinks the studio can make the film better? This could possibly hint at reshoots for the film and maybe allow them to alter the ending so that it could allow another new DC Universe to be born of it as a result, as it seems Zaslav is not a fan of the Keatonverse idea.

    The third time’s the charm, as many say, but this might even be closer to their fourth. No matter what, let’s just hope that they can get it right this time and the DC universe is able to thrive the way everyone knows it can.

    Source: Twitter

  • HBO Max to Merge With Discovery+ by Summer 2023

    HBO Max to Merge With Discovery+ by Summer 2023

    A major bit of news in the age of streaming has come to be during the Warner Bros. Discovery earnings call. JB Perrette, the CEO and President of Global Streaming and Interactive at Warner Bros. Discovery announced that HBO Max and Discovery+ are set to be combined into a singular streaming service in the US next summer. On the earnings call, Perrette discussed the plans for rolling out this new operation.

    Our primary focus for the rollout will be in the markets where HBO Max has already launched. We plan to launch the service sequentially starting in the U.S. next summer. Latin America will follow later in the year. European markets with HBO Max will follow in early ‘24, with additional launches and key Asia Pacific territories and some new European markets coming later in 2024. There’s much work to be done over the coming months. There’s lots to do, we’re determined to get it right, which will take a bit of time.

    JB Perrette

    JB Perrette also spent time discussing the rationale for this decision, with the more appointment viewing experience of HBO Max and the comfortable viewing experience of Discovery+ being more strongly served on a singular platform.

    These are two critical and powerful components of a strong and sustainable subscription business. Coupled with our world-class collection of globally recognized brands, franchises and characters, it is truly an unprecedented combination in an already crowded market.

    JB Perrette

    The news of this radical shift from Warner Bros. Discovery is coming off the heels of an already loud week from the company in terms of shuttering projects. This includes the cancelations of Batgirl and the sequel to Scoob, despite them being well into the post-production process. It remains to be seen how much more will be altered in this new status quo from David Zaslav’s newly minted regime at the Hollywood stalwart.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘First Kill’ Showrunner Blames Netflix’s Poor Marketing for Cancellation

    ‘First Kill’ Showrunner Blames Netflix’s Poor Marketing for Cancellation

    When the marketing for First Kill kicked off back in May, the marketing seemed to enjoy drawing comparisons to Buffy the Vampire Slayer while also trying to use the teenage lesbian aspect as a selling point. The marketing never truly went beyond either, giving First Kill shaky legs to begin with, only for the poor reviews to tear the Netflix series down further. So, it’s no surprise that the showrunner, Felicia D. Henderson, has spoken out against the show’s poor marketing, citing it as the reason it was ultimately canceled.

    Two days after the news broke that First Kill would not be returning for Season 2, Henderson sat down to speak with the folks at the Daily Beast about the cancellation. “I so enthusiastically signed on to this show [because] it has something for everyone,” she explained. “Strong women leads, supernatural intrigue, an epic, Shakespearean battle between warring families, and a prominently featured Black family in the genre space, something Black viewers crave and a general audience needs to be treated to.”

    However, as she notes, while the marketing for the series was stunning, it never really did a great job at selling what First Kill was about. “The art for the initial marketing was beautiful. I think I expected that to be the beginning and that the other equally compelling and important elements of the show — monsters vs. monster hunters, the battle between two powerful matriarchs, etc. — would eventually be promoted, and that didn’t happen.”

    Here are some of the posters released for reference.

    While Henderson’s comments are understandable, it’s also worth noting the romance aspect was the center focus of the story. Still, Netflix did fail to showcase the powerful families in the series, as well as the various monsters lurking nearby.

    While First Kill did make Netflix’s Top 10 for within its first week, the show had trouble with audiences completing the series. Deadline reports that First Kill ranked at Nov. 7 with 30.3 million hours watched, peaking at No. 3 in its first full week of release with 48.8 million, going on to clear 100 million hours viewed within its first 4 weeks. Despite all of that, the series lacked the competition hours necessary for Netflix to renew it.

    Still, in the end, Henderson is grateful for Netflix did do. “They licensed the IP, paid for a pilot script, and gave it a healthy production budget.”

    First Kill is streaming now on Netflix.

    Source: Daily Beast.

  • James Gunn Teases Tonal Change for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3’

    James Gunn Teases Tonal Change for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3’

    As the Marvel Cinematic Universe heads towards the end of Phase Four and into the beginning of Phase Five, one of the most anticipated projects for fans is Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3. With that, those in attendance at San Diego Comic-Con this past month were able to view a first look at what’s in store for the final chapter of this specific saga. And now, in addition, director James Gunn has given further intel on what to expect from his upcoming film. In an interview with Gamespot, Gunn discussed the tone of Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 and how it differs from the first two iterations of the franchise.

    It’s an incredibly emotional story. Much more mature than the other Guardian stories in a way because, you know, we started making these movies that were 10, 11 years old when they saw the first one, and now they’re 20, 21 years old. The movie has grown up with them.

    James Gunn

    The news of a more emotional and mature story for Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 is sure to pique the interest of fans who will be curious as to how exactly this will transpire. One could make the assumption that the introduction of Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary will be the impetus for a relatively darker story in dealing with the trauma that Rocket Raccoon has at the hands of his creator. In addition, the San Diego Comic-Con exclusive trailer showcased the dramatic nature in which Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill is dealing with the ramifications of trying to rebuild a relationship with Zoe Saldana’s Gamora. This despite the Gamora of this film being a multiversal variant after the death of Earth-616’s version during the events of Avengers: Infinity War.

    The more mature narrative for this film would also be in line with a trend often seen in recent Marvel Cinematic Universe franchises in which the third film of a saga changes deviates from the general tone of the previous two. These have included the likes of Thor: Ragnarok, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and will seemingly continue with the upcoming Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (which also arrives in theaters in 2023).

    Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 is currently scheduled to open exclusively in theaters on May 5th, 2023.

    Source: GameSpot

  • Lady Gaga Confirmed for ‘Joker 2’

    Lady Gaga Confirmed for ‘Joker 2’

    A day after an official release date was given to Joker 2, aka Joker: Folie A Deux, director and co-writer Todd Phillips took to social media to confirm Lady Gaga‘s casting. News that Gaga would be joining the Joker sequel first hit in June, with Deadline revealing she was in talks to portray Harley Quinn in the film. While news has continued to hit regarding the Joker sequel, this marks the first official confirmation that the singer/actress is set to co-star alongside Joaquin Phoenix.

    In the video below, we see a silhouette of Phoenix’s Joker as he looks to be dancing with a cigarette in his mouth, followed by a silhouette of Gaga with what appears to be a heart on her cheek. The silhouettes then come together in a pose before confirming the Oct. 2024 release date.

    Production on Joker: Folie A Deux is expected to begin this December, with a good chunk of the story reportedly set within Arkham Asylum with some musical elements involved. Little else is known regarding the film, however, it’s possible the sequel could take cues from the Mad Love comics storyline. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see how it all comes together.

    Joker: Folie A Deux will hit theaters on Oct. 4th, 2024.

  • OFFICIAL: Keanu Reeves Boards Hulu’s ‘Devil in the White City’

    OFFICIAL: Keanu Reeves Boards Hulu’s ‘Devil in the White City’

    Back in January, news circulated that John Wick actor, Keanu Reeves, was in talks to board Hulu’s adaptation of Devil in the White City. Now, it looks to be finally official as Hulu has announced Reeves will star in the adaptation of Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City.

    Devil in the White City was given a limited-series order by Hulu consisting of eight episodes. It tells the story of two men, an architect (Daniel H. Burnham) and a serial killer (Henry H. Holmes), who soon find their fates forever link thanks to the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. Burnham is described as brilliant and fastidious, desperately seeking to leave his mark on the world, while Holmes is a handsome and cunning doctor who created his own pharmaceutical “Murder Castle” on fairgrounds — a palace is meant to seduce, torture and mutilate young women. Production is expected to kick off next year for a 2024 launch.

    Along with starring in the series, Reeves will also serve as an executive producer on the project alongside Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio. Also executive producing the series are Rick Yorn, Jennifer Davisson, Stacey Sher, Sam Shaw, Todd Field, and Mark Lafferty. Shaw is also writing the series and will serve as its showrunner, while Field will direct the project.

    The Devil in the White City has been in development for quite some time. As previously noted, DiCaprio picked up the film rights back in 2010 with the project originally being set as a film at Paramount for Scorsese to direct. Eventually, though, Hulu acquired the project in 2019 and announced its plans to make a big-budgeted adaptation of the novel with DiCaprio and Scorsese still on board as producers. This will mark the biggest television role for the ever-busy Reeves, who is best known for starring in the John Wick films these days.

    Source: Deadline.