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  • ‘The Hunger Games’ Prequel Adds ‘Game of Thrones’ Alumni

    ‘The Hunger Games’ Prequel Adds ‘Game of Thrones’ Alumni

    Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has added yet another impressive name to its cast. Deadline reports that Game of Thrones alumni Peter Dinklage has joined the cast as Casca Highbottom, who is the dean of the Academy.

    “Dean Highbottom is one of the most powerful people in Snow’s life. As the austere and vindictive face of the games, he sets the rules that will determine every aspect of Coriolanus’s fate. I’m thrilled that Peter will be bringing him to life,” director Francis Lawrence said in a statement to Deadline.

    Dinklage joins a cast led by Tom Blyth, who will play the young Coriolanus Snow, and Rachel Zegler, who plays tribute Lucy Gray Baird. Also starring in the film are Josh Andrés Rivera, Hunter Schafer, Jerome Lance, Ashley Liao, Knox Gibson, Mackenzie Lansing, Aamer Husain, Nick Benson, Laurel Marsden, Lilly Cooper, Luna Steeples, Hiroki Berrecloth and Jason Schwartzman. Production on the Hunger Games prequel is currently underway, with the film slated to hit theaters next year.

    “With production underway, we couldn’t be more excited about the way this cast has come together and thrilled to be welcoming Peter Dinklage to Panem. Peter is not just a fan favorite actor who brings a commanding presence to every part he plays,” Nathan Kahane, President of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group told Deadline. “He is one of the best actors alive. He will bring a formidable, charismatic authority to the important role of the dean of the Academy.”

    The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows an  18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, long before he became the president of Panem, as he becomes the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games approaching, Snow is alarmed to find he’s assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, a young girl from District 12 – the same district Katniss is from in the original series. Like Katniss, Lucy is defiant, but Snow finds a way to turn the odds in their favor as they race to survive and ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.

    The film will be released into theaters on Nov. 17th, 2023.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars’ Writer to Adapt ‘Grounded’ as an Animated Series

    ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars’ Writer to Adapt ‘Grounded’ as an Animated Series

    Deadline has announced the videogame Grounded is being adapted into a television series. The videogame, which is an Xbox exclusive, is being adapted for television by Star Wars: Clone Wars writer Brent Friedman. He’ll craft the story for Halo director Brien Goodrich, currently attached as a director on the project.

    The game was released for early access in July 2020. Since then, it has amassed over 10 million plays. The full version of Grounded will be released this September. The game follows four friends who have big plans before they start high school to help elevate their social standing. Unfortunately, though, their plans are soon upended after they stumble upon shrinking technology that leaves them two inches tall. Now, the four friends face a new obstacle: the backyard full of predators as they uncover a corporate conspiracy threatening their town.

     “We couldn’t be more excited about diving into the whimsical universe of Grounded. This partnership will be one of great collaboration, expanding on an already wonderful journey of exploration and adventure,” Tina Chow, the CEO of Bardel Entertainment said in a statement to Deadline.

    “The team at Obsidian have created an incredible world that has already grabbed the attention of the gaming community. We are excited to work with our incredible partners to bring the story to life in an animated series,” added Carl Whiteside, MD, WP/SC Productions.

    The animated adaptation of Grounded is being produced through Obsidian Entertainment and Xbox in association with Waterproof Studios/SC Productions, Kinetic Media, and Bardel Entertainment. As it stands, the series does not look to have a network attached.

    Source: Deadline

  • Embiggening ‘Ms Marvel’s Season Would Have Made It Even Greater

    Embiggening ‘Ms Marvel’s Season Would Have Made It Even Greater

    Over the last two weeks, comic book fans were treated to two major season finales — The Boys on Amazon and Ms. Marvel on Disney Plus. And both, in their own respective ways, delivered, despite being geared to two totally different viewer demographics and adapting two totally different flavors of source material. However, despite its high praise — the show currently sits at a 98% critics consensus — only Ms. Marvel has had to grapple with the overarching questions that plague the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 4 enterprise as a whole, namely whether it did enough to not only advance the story of its title character across a satisfying season of television, but also progress the phase’s meta-narrative. And while it may not be fair to put that pressure on any one show, the truth is, that’s always been part of the promise in an MCU offering. Film or series, the story is expected to succeed on its own while also succeeding within a massive serialized storytelling apparatus.

    Seven shows and eighteen months in, then, it’s worth assessing whether the Disney Plus structure has done enough to position its MCU series to succeed. And in particular, whether the SIX-EPISODE structure has done those series any favors. Because, unlike Ms. Marvel, The Boys, like Peacemaker before it, presented audiences with stories told over eight episodes, and it was able to dive deeper into the internal motivations of its leads, all while also doing the requisite amount of worldbuilding, new character introduction, and progression of supporting character arcs that we expect from great television.

    In the cases of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which functioned as an extended prologue for Captain America 4, and Loki, which served as a bridge between Avengers: Endgame and the Multiverse Saga to come (not to mention its own second season), Marvel’s stumbles with respect to telling a six-part episodic story weren’t as damning as they could’ve been. But in the case of Hawkeye, Moon Knight, and now Ms. Marvel, which were all intended to be launching pads for new characters, the fact that certain aspects of the plot had to be sloppily executed and certain antagonists had to be left underdeveloped in order to get our main arcs to their respective endpoints hampered the final product.

    In contrast, WandaVision, due to its unique sitcom structure, was afforded an additional three episodes to stretch its legs before diving into the six-part sprint we’ve now grown accustomed to. And while it admittedly didn’t fully stick the landing with respect to its climactic action, it ended on a tremendously satisfying emotional note for our lead characters, and it gave audiences enough insight into what Agatha Harkness and Monica Rambeau’s respective arcs might be to provide emotional stakes for wherever their next steps take them. And of course, the series was able to address the state of the world post-Blip and how the status quo had changed.

    Had Ms. Marvel been afforded an additional two or three episodes to tell its story, the writers would have gotten the opportunity to flesh out what exactly the Clandestines’ motivations were, so that Najma wouldn’t have seemed so one-dimensional, and her villainous turn less abrupt and nonsensical. One more episode in Karachi would have given us more insight into the Red Daggers’ organization and the opportunity for Waleed and Kareem to be made even more compelling as mentors and allies to Kamala. Affording an entire episode to the Partition would have allowed the emotional climax of that story to breathe, instead of abruptly transitioning into poorly articulated Noor mumbo-jumbo which completely undercut the tragic star-crossed love story between Aisha and Hasan, and the part Kamala got to play in it. Not to mention, more time would have given the show more space to explore Kamala’s friendship dynamics, particularly concerning Nakia and Zoe, who not only proved to be bright spots in the finale but also play significant roles in the comics. In short, the things the show did well, we would have been able to luxuriate in, and with respect to the things it didn’t do well, there would have been more time allotted to fixing them.

    Again, this is not to say that any of the MCU series have been bad. However, they’ve all been limited in certain respects, and six episodes hampers the storytellers’ ability to serve their characters in a satisfying way. (What If…? both as an animated series and a hybrid of an anthology show and a serialized show had its own unique challenges, even with nine episodes to work with.) And in the case of Ms. Marvel, while we do expect there to be a second season (which will clearly take place sometime after The Marvels, based on the stinger), some elements of this season can’t be revisited and retroactively improved. Especially when the “mutation” revelation has rendered some questions moot. So its flaws are its flaws, no matter what comes next. But hopefully, a nine-episode season of She-Hulk, paced differently from the six-episode breakneck pace that the other shows have struggled under, will convince Kevin Feige and the producing brain trust that the MCU’s characters — especially ones as thematically rich as Kamala Khan — need at least eight episodes each season to fully flesh their stories out. And then we can look forward to an embiggened Season 2.

  • REVIEW: ‘Stray’ Is Death Stranding But With a Cat

    REVIEW: ‘Stray’ Is Death Stranding But With a Cat

    It’s easy to reduce Stray down to its simplest form: a modest walking simulator with little to no action or a basic platformer with light puzzles that even the most novice gamer can solve. But Stray is proof the simplest things can bear the most meaning. It’s not a game made to be formidable or to challenge. It’s a game keen on examining the meaning of home, community and the mystery of its own world. It’s a game meant for anyone longing to be moved by a journey of curiosity and awe. Stray isn’t a gamer’s game but rather, an experience to be remembered.

    Set in a very distant future in the remains of underground human civilization where sentient computers have assimilated as humans, players take control of an unnamed cat who is separated from its family in the lush outside world. As the stray makes its way through the neon-tinged labyrinth, players will encounter quirky robotic NPCs, tiny bacterial enemies called Zurks, oppressive law enforcement, and B12, the amnesiac robot who serves as the guide throughout the adventure back home. Much of the world is unraveled through B12’s perspective, whose reactions serve as the emotional core of the game. The cat, along with the audience, is the spectator while B12’s journey of self-discovery is what drives the narrative. 

    The adventure, as mentioned, is simple. Stray takes a no-frills approach to its gameplay loop, focusing on the barest essentials. The game is fairly linear with no backtracking involved. There are hubs such as The Slums or Midtown where players can freely explore without advancing the story and where players can do fetch quests. The story is divided into a couple of chapters with each one seamlessly flowing into the next.  A stripped-down traversal system is Stray’s most predominant mechanic where all it takes is one button for the cat to jump from platform to platform with no precision required. Unlike our real world where cats practically can and will jump on anything, Stray only allows certain objects for platforming. These objects are signified by a button prompt which may be turned off for a more seamless experience. There is no combat in this game save for a portion where the cat is given the means to fend off Zurks. A very basic stealth section is present in the latter parts of the game where the cat needs to hide from patrolling sentinels. Beyond those segments, players may only avoid and run from enemies they encounter.

    Stray compensates its lack of gameplay depth through its relatively immersive design. It isn’t quite an immersive simulator but it has elements that make the world feel seamless. In true feline form, Stray’s world is meant to pique every ounce of the player’s curiosity. This is achieved through a beautifully crafted post-apocalyptic world that marries the urban aesthetics of countries like Hong Kong and Taiwan with retro-cyberpunk flourishes. The game’s concrete neon world is nothing short of spellbinding with each of its corners meticulously designed to tell its own story. Not to mention the world’s sense of scale and perspective which is utterly breathtaking. From alleys that are overcast with striking neon lights to the towering concrete that overlook it to the horrific mutations that grow underground, there’s always something to look at in Stray. 

    Stray also never bogs players down with objectives or map markers, giving players the freedom to immerse themselves in the story at any level. There’s a menu for items picked up but it hardly gets in the way. NPCs will tacitly bring up objectives that can be fulfilled but the game never presses players to complete it. Instead, the game gives players the space to intuitively connect a random item they may have picked up exploring with an NPC’s random line of dialogue. Intuition is Stray’s driving philosophy and its gracefully integrated into the gameplay by developers BlueTwelve Studios. 

    But perhaps the most significant and defining element of Stray will be the things players can do as the cat. Scratching, sleeping, meowing, and nuzzling are some of the things players can do, which in turn, Stray’s world responds to. Meowing elicits reactions from the robots surrounding the cat. Nuzzling up to them garners affection. If players are feeling mischievous, the cat can even trip NPCs on a stroll. The cat may even find its own head stuck inside a paper bag. These are things that seem insignificant within the totality of the game but it’s inarguably the most essential part of it. To experience the journey and world through the eyes of a lost cat finding its way home is Stray’s greatest offering and it does it in strides.

    Even as its imperfections persist, Stray lands on its own four feet. And like a true cat, it will outlast and outlive all the things working against it. It’s not a perfect game by any means but it’s one that will resonate profoundly.

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ From Page to Screen: Episode 6.1

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ From Page to Screen: Episode 6.1

    With Ms. Marvel’s Episode 6 and finale, entitled “No Normal”, the series’ connection to Ms. Marvel comics continues to be present, in both major and subtle ways. In Episode 1, we looked at how the series adapted from the comics the moment Kamala’s powers were activated; for Episode 2 we delved into the comics’ and series’ introduction and handling so far of the character Kamran; in Episode 3 we looked at the interesting source material for the series’ villains, the Clandestines; and in Episode 4 we went into how Red Daggers were introduced and how they compare to the comics’ Red Dagger. As for Episode 5, following our dive into Kamala’s ancestors during Partition, we also looked at some Bruno-centric plotlines the series may have invoked or started.

    The finale had numerous references to Ms. Marvel comics, particularly its first 2014 run, though with plenty of references to the 2015 run as well. Like last week, this week will feature two From Page to Screen entries. In this article, we focus on two of the most obvious and major connections—Kamala’s powers and her Ms. Marvel mantle.

    “Embiggen”

    Those maybe less familiar with Ms. Marvel comics may have been caught slightly off guard when Kamala, seemingly out of nowhere, says, “embiggen” before using her light powers to essentially construct a massive version of herself. Now, “embiggen” is not its own word capable of ascertaining much meaning outside of Kamala in the comics. As we’ve discussed before, the power changes made from comics Ms.Marvel to live-action Ms. Marvel were significant. In the comics, her powers were called embiggening. In the DIsney+ series, we know that she summons power from the Noor Dimension to create hard light constructs.

    Ms. Marvel #2 (2014)
    Ms. Marvel #1 (2015)

    As different as those two power sets are, the series clearly has tried to link the two in some ways. When Kamala stretches her light constructs in a way that looks like an extended arm and fist, it invokes her embiggening powers in the comics. The live-action version of “embiggen” was Kamala’s use of her powers to essentially grow herself into a much more formidable and in-control being. While the seemingly abrupt “embiggen” did not make a ton of sense in the context of the show, it was one of the biggest pieces of fan service that anyone familiar with comics Ms. Marvel would have cheered at. 

    Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel Episode 6
    Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel Episode 6

    “Ms. Marvel”

    One of the mysteries of Ms. Marvel was how Kamala would end up with the name of “Ms. Marvel”. In the comics, Carol Danvers had previously used the moniker, and that was essentially the whole story. In live-action, Carol Danvers was always only Captain Marvel. Many fan theories suggested that the name would come from something family-based, as the show’s themes focused heavily on that topic. Moreover, names like “Ms. Marvel” are becoming a bit outdated now, so it would need to be something personal and loving.

    Ms. Marvel #5 (2014)

    And indeed the answer came in the finale that Kamala’s parents apparently nicknamed her “Ms. Marvel” as a young girl, based on the rough/expansive meaning of “Kamala.” An Arabic name, “Kamala” translates to “perfection”, which Kamala’s father tells her in Ms. Marvel #5 (2014). In Ms. Marvel, that same conversation takes place, though her dad expands upon it. He suggests that the “perfection” translation does not quite do it justice and that it also meant “marvel.” “Ms. Marvel” became a pet name from her parents, and Kamala seized on the opportunity to share the same name with Carol Danvers.

    Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel Episode 6
    Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel Episode 6
    Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel Episode 6

    Ms. Marvel is now streaming exclusively on Disney+.

  • Morning After Huddle: July 18th, 2022

    Morning After Huddle: July 18th, 2022

    Happy week ahead, Multiversers; we are back with a Monday morning edition of the Morning After Huddle. As we anxiously await for SDCC (stick with us: we’ve got you covered), the NFL sprints towards NFL preseason in just a couple of weeks. That, coupled with Madden 23’s nearing release date, and guess what? It’s beginning to look a lot like football. Let’s see what we got for you this morning, starting in New England with a second year QB who is in a terrible situation.

    • Mac Jones had a very good first half of 2021 and then an awful second half, culminating in a playoff game where he and the Patriots were systematically routed. Bill Belicheck had to hide his rookie QB in many games down the stretch and, now with no notable addition at WR and the departure of Josh McDaniels, this young QB will be asked to do so much more. In order to do that, it seems Mac Jones switched up his diet. No more big Macs at 3 AM for the former Crimson Tide QB, as Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston shared Jones’s anecdote about how he improved his diet this off-season. Now, if only his GM had chosen to improve his wide receiver room.
    • Speaking of wide receivers, Justin Jefferson set social media ablaze when he said that he will be the best wide receiver in the NFL by the end of this upcoming season. Jefferson has been the most productive young WR this side of Randy Moss in NFL history, eclipsing even the impressive marks of one Odell Beckham, Jr. As he nears a big-time contract and has taken over the number one WR role in Minnesota, it will be interesting to see if his claim pans out. Defenses will be looking to make other guys in the Vikings passing attack beat them.
    • On the topic of big claims and defenses, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson believes that the New Orleans Saints will have the best defense in the NFL. The word “dominate” was thrown around by CGJ to on Good Morning Football, and with the additions to the back end with Marcus Maybe and the Honey Badger, there’s a good chance he’s right. The Saints defense was top 5 statistically in almost all defensive categories, and if they get Michael Thomas back to where he was then that can only help a Saints defense that really has ridiculous talent at all three levels. They’ll be somewhat tested in that division with Tom Brady and Marcus Mariota in an Arthur Smith offense, but not as tested when you remember they get to play Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield. The Honey Badger, proof that you can always go home, is probably salivating at those two matchups.
    • Lastly, on the topic of going home: Bobby Wagner’s career in Seattle ended this off-season, and he wasted no time signing with the Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams. Wagner is a California native and, while we never know what role that plays in decisions, he said that it actually was one of the reasons he chose the Rams. Now, I buy it, but I also can’t help but wonder how much of this was that he also gets to play versus the Seahawks twice in one year, and he gets to compete for a Super Bowl.
  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Drops By 68% in its Second Weekend

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Drops By 68% in its Second Weekend

    Fans have all been keeping a close eye on where exactly Thor: Love and Thunder would end up in its second weekend. After quite the drop on its second Friday at 80%, the film still managed to pull in $46 million at the domestic box office. That makes for a 68% drop, which is higher than Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ 67% drop. Still, the film grossed higher than its estimated $130 million, pulling in $144 million during its opening weekend. It’s also the same drop that Black Widow faced in its second weekend, as well as Spider-Man: No Way Home.

    The follow-up to 2017’sThor: Ragnarok now stands at $233.2 million in its second weekend and is about to cross the half billion mark worldwide. Globally, the film stands at $498 million. However, despite opening higher than Ragnarok‘s $122.7 million, Love and Thunder was not able to out-gross the film’s second-weekend earnings of $57 million. The drop could be an indicator moving forward if this remains a trend. The 68% drop is similar to that of other summer superhero blockbusters, such as Man of Steel (67.9%) and Fantastic Four (68.2%). And with Top Gun: Maverick raking in $1.2 billion, it is clear that Marvel is getting beaten at the box office this summer.

    It seems that general audiences are not connecting with Thor: Love and Thunder as much as they did Thor: Ragnarok. CinemaScore has given the film a general audience consensus of B+, compared to Ragnarok‘s A. However, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness also received a B+, and ended up grossing $950 million worldwide. Only time will tell if Love and Thunder will have the same momentum.

  • REVIEW: ‘Love Accidentally’

    REVIEW: ‘Love Accidentally’

    Freevee’s Love Accidentally is everything fans expect from a Hallmark movie, but perhaps not in a good way. This cheesy romance is an easy watch, but it’s far from good. While the cast is decent – Brenda Song is the leading lady – the film is impractical and poorly acted.

    Love Accidentally follows Song’s Alexa Parker as she seeks to earn a promotion at her job. This being a cheesy rom-com, however, Parker finds herself facing competition in Aaron O’Connell‘s Jason, who will do absolutely anything to earn the promotion over Parker. They despise each other, so naturally, their story soon turns into a mysterious love story, right? (This is not a spoiler as it is evident in the trailer.) It’s a love story that sees plenty of issues as it unfolds, and ultimately ends with the truth being unveiled.

    After her boyfriend dumps her in a restaurant on her birthday, Parker accidentally drops her phone into liquid and ruins it. Even worse? She forgot to back it up in the cloud, so when IT gives her a new phone, she’s lost all of her contacts. Eager to talk to her friend about her broken heart, Parker texts a number she believes to be her friend, only to discover it is a wrong number. That wrong number? None other than Jason, who was also dumped earlier in the day. They spend the rest of the movie secretly texting – well, using voice to text – throughout the rest of the movie, failing to realize who they are talking to all along. At last, not for some time.

    It’s a very cliché storyline, which is fine. Romantic comedies are great when they embrace clichés and Love Accidentally would’ve easily been one of them if the story was stronger. While the whole voice to text thing was more than likely used to keep the audience engaged, it does come across as awkward, especially when they’re doing it in public and spelling their hearts out to one another. It’s an odd choice, and in it is those moments were the acting seems to suffer because of how awkward it is. Song and O’Connell make for an attractive couple, but there is absolutely no on-screen chemistry between the two of them. It’s all the more evident in the final moments they share together on screen. They work well with the banter part of the film, but when they’re brought together and supposed to share a connection, it fails to come across the screen.

    The film was written by Robert Dean Klein, whose biggest film is perhaps Little Fish, Strange Pond, and directed by Peter Sullivan, who has directed a slew of television movies. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with two men working on a romantic comedy, there are eyeroll worthy moments in the film that feel like this was written by men who had no business crafting a romantic comedy. There’s a comment made in the film regarding the leading man’s reading material, where a character dubs it chick-lit and gives him crap for reading it. It’s a scene that feels entirely unnecessary; it serves no real purpose other than to get a jab in.

    In the end, Love Accidentally has all of the ingredients for a cute romance, but the film doesn’t know what to do with them. Overall, the basis of the story just feels unrealistic and it is made all the worse by the poor acting. It might not be the worst rom-com out there, sure, and I did enjoy it to an extent… but it’s painful to watch at times. Still, Love Accidentally is not the worst way to spend a rainy afternoon.

  • Murphy’s Team-Up Volume 24: Teaming-Up with Ms. Marvel

    Murphy’s Team-Up Volume 24: Teaming-Up with Ms. Marvel

    Anthony Canton III on Layla El-Faouly

    I can imagine a world where Ms. Marvel has a longer Season 2 in episodes and a more expansive story. There feels like more to explore in Karachi. As Kamala continues to learn more about her family legacy she could run into another hero while she’s there. Enter the Scarlet Scarab.

    One of the more curious decisions in the Moon Knight finale was not seeing where Layla El-Faouly is going next. We get the line when the young girl is asking Layla if she’s an Egyptian superhero and she says yes. How about Kamala and Layla run a quick mission spanning two episodes?

    Layla could be in town searching for something or someone and happen to run into Kamala. Culturally it would be an excellent moment to continue telling these stories of representation. You can also simultaneously continue Ms. Marvel’s story and have a streamline into what could be next for Layla and Moon Knight. I also imagine the two would have fun conversations about growing up and what type of hero they want to be.

    Dalbin Osorio on Ironheart

    Dominique Thorne and Iman Vellani are both magic, and I cannot wait to see Ironheart and Ms. Marvel interact.  Seeing these two legacy heroes, with potential connections to Kang. trying to navigate the world they’ve grown up in with these heroes they’ve looked up to (assuming Ironheart respects Tony and doesn’t despise him) will be something special. Being the heroes that follow the past and future of the MCU is weighty enough, but when we factor in that they will arguably be the most powerful heroes in their generation, the possibilities are endless. What’s even cooler is that these are two girls of color that will give more girls of color more heroes to look up to, and the MCU deserves more representation.

    Mary Maerz on Captain America

    I would love to see Kamala Khan and Sam Wilson meet and work together. Kamala would without a doubt have some sweet and humorous fangirl reactions to meeting Captain America. In the comics, Kamala often had a very wholesome relationship with Tony Stark/Iron Man while she was an Avenger. We no longer have Tony or Iron Man, but Sam Wilson as Cap seems like he could take on that mentor role phenomenally. A lot of Kamala’s struggles with who she looked up to involved comic events like Civil War II, which so far do not look like they will play much if any role in the near future. So, with no current sides being drawn between the above-the-line Avengers, there is no reason Sam could not, to some extent, take Kamala under his literal wing. Sam is a phenomenal character whose future I am also very excited for, and I think their relationship could easily bring out some of the best and most inspiring aspects of each of them.

    MTF III on America Chavez

    No matter what you think of MCU Phase 4 as a whole, there’s no denying that Iman Vellani and Xochitl Gomez have been delightful, both in and out of character. But while Ms. Marvel was able to firmly ensconce Kamala in a Jersey City that feels vibrant and culturally rich, where we last left America Chavez at the end of Multiverse of Madness wasn’t nearly as character-enriching. And while it’s certainly possible that our star-punching firecracker can establish found family among grown adult sorcerers in Kamer Taj, placing America alongside characters her age in a diverse city filled with people she can potentially converse with in Spanish will be far more beneficial for her in the long run. And the commonalities and contrasts between South Asian and Latinx cultures can lend more depth and meaning to their interactions, both for the characters themselves, and for the viewers. 

    On the superpower side, we were able to see Kamala level up considerably across a handful of episodes of her show. Those of us who are fans of America in the comics know what she is capable of, so seeing her level up alongside a fellow potential Young Avenger while they trade quips would only serve to endear us to America more as she actualizes, and to Kamala more as she gets to nerd out with tandem attacks and training in the way that only a hardcore comics/superhero fan can. Just imagine the wacky fun she could cook up, which America would be more than inclined to try. And imagine the universes they could jump into and trouble they could find, all between 3:00 and curfew. Sign me up for #AmeriKhan — there’s a portmanteau, so you know it works.

    Torbjorn Frazier on Loki

    Kamala Khan and Loki Laufeyson are the odd couple partnership the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) deserves. Maybe besides Steve Rogers, there isn’t a character in the MCU that personifies pure good morality as a superhero more than Ms. Marvel. And pairing her with the literal God of Mischief would provide each other the perfect foil for one another and could become an instant fan-favorite partnership. The themes of family are critical to both characters in extremely different ways, and gaining understanding about each other’s experience would provide interesting perspective and growth for both Kamala and Loki. In addition, Bisha K. Ali has experience writing for both of these characters on their respective Disney+ shows which could help ensure a strong tonal fit for a hypothetical team-up. While it would take a relatively major shuffling of the deck in the MCU to allow Ms. Marvel and Loki to team-up, it’d certainly be a worthwhile viewing experience (and potentially set the stage for a Kid Loki to fit into a Young Avengers line-up down the road).

    Charles Murphy on Shang-Chi

    Kamala Khan and Shang-Chi don’t have an awful lot in common. One was trained to be an assassin and grew up in a household shattered by the murder of his mother. The other grew up in a household full of love while fangirling over Carol Danvers and other superheroes. But both of them now possess ancient alien artifacts of enormous power that have pushed them into a world they weren’t quite ready for. Ms. Marvel seemed to set the table a little for this team-up when the Ten Rings logo was seen on the cave floor where the bangle was found, but right now it’s not entirely clear where that will go. Whatever the case, seeing these get these two heroes together on screen seems to be nothing more than a matter of time.

  • ‘Skeleton Crew’ Disney+ Series Budget Among ‘Star Wars’ Highest, Eyeing 2023 Release

    ‘Skeleton Crew’ Disney+ Series Budget Among ‘Star Wars’ Highest, Eyeing 2023 Release

    Star Wars has mostly become a Disney+ exclusive franchise for now, as we’re still waiting for any news on the mysterious films that were promised back during Disney’s Investors Day by CEO Kathleen Kennedy. Until now, it seems those productions are continuing to face various delays but nothing is standing in the way of their Disney+ series. Among them is Jon Watts‘ upcoming Skeleton Crew. In a new piece by Hollywood Reporter, we may have gotten our first tease of just how big this project may end up being.

    A new piece on the California tax credits gained by big projects also includes a brief statement on some Skeleton Crew details. It seems the project’s production budget is around $136M, which would put it among the highest costing series for the streaming service. The production also is receiving $20.9M in credit from California. The project by the Spider-Man: No Way Home director is currently eyeing a 2023 release but no further details on when that might be.

    There were reports that Obi-Wan Kenobi had a lower production budget than even The Mandalorian, but as we have little official confirmation, we can only theorize. So, it’s surprising we get a more exact number with Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. It’ll be exciting to see just how Watts will tackle this project and how the story of a group of kids getting lost in space might be explored. With Jude Law attached, we are still waiting for some casting announcements but if it’s eyeing a 2023 release, production ill likely start rather soon.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter, Epic Stream