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  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Producer Teases a New Illuminati in the Main MCU

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Producer Teases a New Illuminati in the Main MCU

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has introduced the world to universe 838’s version of the Avengers, the Illuminati. While this universe hinted that they were the ones to take down Thanos, they were originally a secret organization in the comics. Most of its members were the smartest and most powerful members of each respective corner of the Marvel comics. Their introduction made some question if the main timeline would also feature the group.

    Luckily, Doctor Strange producer Richie Palmer has teased that their inclusion in the multiverse does not exclude a chance that the Illuminati will make a return at some point in the future. No, not the version that was killed at the hands of Wanda, as he hints that the main MCU could see their introduction one day.

    The Illuminati’s been a group we’ve wanted to introduce in our movies for years. They’re a secret organization that works off the grid. They do the things that the other groups like the Avengers wouldn’t be too happy about… To do it in an alternate universe in the Multiverse, was a really exciting thing because we get to meet a version of this group in this other universe, and then we still might get to see an Illuminati of our main MCU one day, which is also very exciting.

    Richie Palmer

    It would seem unlikely that Doctor Strange would join that group, or perhaps he felt a little inspired to do what they couldn’t do. Perhaps they go into a direction that sees the group already existing with members that are slowly recruiting throughout the next phase. It’ll be interesting to see where and how they might show up.

    Source: Disney+ via The Direct

  • ‘Moon Knight’ and ‘Loki’ Nab HCA TV Awards Nominations

    ‘Moon Knight’ and ‘Loki’ Nab HCA TV Awards Nominations

    It looks like Moon Knight and Loki are currently joining the big ranks, s both series have nabbed a few nominations from this year’s Hollywood Critical Association Awards. This year is led by This is Us and Succession but with various other projects nabbing quite a few nominations. The HCA is planning a ceremony on August 13th for TV with a streaming special following the next day. So, we’ll have to wait a while until we get the official winners, but it’s great to see these Marvel Studios projects find their spot among some of TV’s best.

    Moon Knight is currently nominated for Best Writing in a Streaming Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Movie with Jeremy Slater‘s “The Goldfish Problem” episode. Ethan Hawke has also been nominated for Best Supporting Actor with Oscar Isaac getting the Best Actor nomination. There’s some tough competition this year, but both did give their A-game for this project and it would be great to see at least Isaac potentially pull in a win.

    Loki‘s Michael Waldron is nominated for Best Writing in a Streaming Series, Drama for “Glorious Purpose.” Kate Herron also pulled in a Best Directing nomination for “Journey Into Mystery” where she’s going against Shawn Levy for Stranger Things “Dear Billy.” Sophia DiMartino, Owen Wilson, and Tom Hiddleston also are nominated in their respective category. Loki is also in the Best Streaming Series, Drama nomination category going against Ozark, Squid Game, Severance, Stranger Things, The Morning Show, Pachinko, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. So, it’s going to be interesting to see if Marvel Studios wins anything this year.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • Funko Pop for ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Zeus Revealed

    Funko Pop for ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Zeus Revealed

    There’s a lot to love about Thor: Love and Thunder. Director Taika Waititi is let loose on his usual comedic take on the Norse space god. We not only got to meet the infamous God Butcher but are also introduced to the pantheon of gods that rule over the many parts of the galaxy. One of them was the memorable performance of Russell Crowe as the Greek god Zeus. If you’ve wanted to add him to your Funko Pop collection, you’re in luck as a new look at the bearded Greek god has been shared online.

    He was a great addition to the film and certainly left us with a memorable performance. The Funko Pop highlights his overall design, as he’s much closer to what the father of the gods is known for, especially with the way he is played. He’ll make for a great addition, and it would be a shame not to get some additional Funkos based on the various Gods that were showcased throughout the film.

    Thor: Love and Thunder has just hit theaters and is already on its way to making quite an impression at the box office. It’ll be interesting to see how far the film goes and if they might release a few Funko Pops for other characters that were showcased throughout the film’s runtime. It’s a shame that it always takes a while for some of them to see the day of light but collector’s are definitely there once they do.

    Source: Twitter

  • First Look at ‘X-Men ’97’, ‘Marvel Zombies’ and ‘What If…?’ Season 2 Confirmed for SDCC

    First Look at ‘X-Men ’97’, ‘Marvel Zombies’ and ‘What If…?’ Season 2 Confirmed for SDCC

    We were all quite surprised when Marvel Studios announced its return to San Diego Comic-Con this year. Not only were D23 and Disney+ Day on the horizon, but the last time they visited the event is when they showcased their Phase 4 plans. Now, it seems that they won’t just have their iconic Hall H showcase, but also confirmed that there will be an additional showcase for their future animation projects.

    On the official SDCC website, the schedule has arrived for Friday, July 22nd. From 11.45 to 1.15 PM, they will seemingly have a panel hosted by Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation alongside Visual Development Head Ryan Meinerding. They also tease that there will be special guests. Yet, the big thing is the confirmed exclusive first looks at What If…? Season 2, X-Men ’97, and Marvel Zombies. They also tease that more is coming as well.

    It’s surprising they aren’t highlighting the only other confirmed MCU tie-in show, Spider-Man: Freshman Year. They’ve been working on it for quite a bit but it seems like the series might not release for some time. Of course, they might be keeping that project close to their chest as it’ll act as a prequel to Tom Holland#s run as the character, but it’s uncertain if he’ll return to voice himself given he’s technically signed under Sony and not Marvel Studios. With special guests teased, it would be quite a great surprise if they managed to make it work.

    Source: Comic-Con

  • ‘Madame Web’ Adds ‘The Upshaw’s Mike Epps

    ‘Madame Web’ Adds ‘The Upshaw’s Mike Epps

    It looks like the Madame Weeb film has added one more to its cast in the form of The Upshaws‘ Mike Epps. The upcoming project from Jessica Jones‘ S.J. Clarkson already added Dakota Johnson in the titular role joined by Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Emma Roberts, Tahar Rahim, and Celeste O’Connor. Little is known about the Spider-Man spinoff but there have been hints it might be Sony’s answer to Doctor Strange and actively a unique project under a different mask.

    There’s still a lot of uncertainty surrounding what exactly Sony’s endgame is with their various projects. We got a rather awkward post-credits sequence with Morbius meeting Vulture from the mainline MCU timeline. It’s never explained why he’s brought into a different dimension and perhaps they’ll use Madame Web’s connection to the Spider-Verse as a way to explain that very connection.

    The big question is also who is the Spider-Man of Sony’s universe. They seemingly hint that it’s not going to be Tom Holland, who still remains as part of the mainline MCU. So, perhaps they are bringing back a familiar face. Yet, they could also be adding someone new to take on the role, especially with the possibility of having Miles Morales take on the mantle. It’s only speculation but we’ll see if Madame Web might finally answer these questions.

    Source: Deadline

  • First Set Photos Seemingly Surface for Apple TV+’s ‘Godzilla’ Spinoff Series

    First Set Photos Seemingly Surface for Apple TV+’s ‘Godzilla’ Spinoff Series

    Here’s a surprise, as while we know that WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman has joined the production team to direct the untitled Godzilla spinoff series for Apple TV+, we know very little about the rest. Only recently did we get the actual casting announcements for five additions while rumors are still circling the web on father-son duo Kurt and Wyatt Russell joining the production. Now, it seems that they are already setting up camp (literally) in Vancouver to film the Monsterverse entry.

    Twitter user @JaniceRafael has shared that a production company EP Hydronaut Canada is building what seems like a refuge camp. The site Vancouver is Awesome highlights it is part of the Godzilla series and will feature 180 background actors, teasing the scale of the production.

    We don’t see a lot but it does give us a window into the production timing. It might be safe to say that they’ll start working on the Apple TV+ series rather soon if they are already preparing sets. The series announcement came after the success of Godzilla vs. Kong, which in some ways kicked off the current revival of the theatrical box office. With a sequel also already confirmed for 2024, it doesn’t look like the Monsterverse is slowing down anytime soon.

    We still don’t know who will be the focus of the next film given how the previous one ended, but it does seem like the Toho monster is going to leave his presence known in the TV series while rumors are pointing to a Song of Kong-inspired sequel heading to theaters. Perhaps we’ll find out more as the series gets an official title.

    Source: Twitter, Vancouver is Awesome

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Off to a Godly Start at the Domestic Box Office

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Off to a Godly Start at the Domestic Box Office

    Thor: Love and Thunder kicked off its opening weekend with a tdlyhunderous night of previews. The fourquel reportedly earned $29 million from Thursday previews, making it the second-best preview figure of the year behind another Marvel Studios flick, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That film, of course, pulled in $36 million from Thursday previews when it opened back in May.

    While Love and Thunder’s preview haul didn’t quite reach the heights of the Multiverse of Madness, $29 million was enough to serve as the fifth biggest preview night for a Marvel Cinematic Universe title. Other movies to earn more during preview nights were Avengers: Endgame with $60 million, Spider-Man: No Way Home with $50 million, Avengers: Infinity War with $39 million, and Multiverse of Madness. Recent projections had the film set to open between $140-$160 million stateside with an overall $300 million worldwide opening projected. 

    It remains to be seen whether critics impact the film’s overall box office performance, or if word of mouth helps to boost the film. After all, while critics have don’t seem to care for the film, audiences are responding to the latest Thor film much better with a current 85% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

    It is of note, though, that Love and Thunder’s preview haul was double that of Thor: Ragnarok’s back in 2017. That film brought in $14.5 million during its Thursday previews with the movie reaching $46.4 million on its opening day.

    Thor: Love and Thunder is now playing in theaters.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Almost Featured a Deadpool Dimension

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Almost Featured a Deadpool Dimension

    In the multiverse, anything is possible. When Doctor Strange was first teased to venture beyond his own dimension, we were excited to see how it comes together and what dimension he might visit. Surprisingly, the film showed restraint and focused on its main character’s development. Still, there were some unused ideas for dimensions, as revealed in the latest Assembled entry from Marvel Studios that offers a glimpse behind the scenes.

    In the latest episode, it offered a look behind the scenes at Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness alongside some concept art for a scrapped dimension that almost was. While most are simple and visually stunning, there is one that stands out quite a bit among them as it seems just features a variety of posters featuring Deadpool.

    via The Direct

    If you zoom in, you can see that it includes some comic covers and even the Deadpool 2 poster that featured Josh Brolin‘s Cable. So, we may have almost had a Deadpool inclusion inclusion after all even if it would’ve just been brief.

    via The Direct

    The concept art doesn’t really offer a glimpse of what the Deadpool dimension would’ve offered, but one could imagine a lot of people running around with Deadpool masks. Though it seems mostly like one side is filled to the brim with posters and nothing else, which could potentially just be used as a reference and is all they would’ve shown. The fun idea would’ve been for Deadpool to just throw on the posters as they fly by as he winks. We might never know what it was going to be, but it’s fun to speculate.

    Source: Disney Plus via The Direct

  • ‘Highfire’ Series Moving From Amazon to Paramount

    ‘Highfire’ Series Moving From Amazon to Paramount

    Nicolas Cage‘s oddity renaissance will continue on Paramount+. Highfire, a new series based on Eoin Colfer‘s novel of the same name, has officially moved from it’s originally announced home on Amazon Prime. The live-action adaptation is being described as “True Detective-meets-Pete’s Dragon“, and is set to star Cage as Lord Highfire, a once-mighty dragon who now lives in a shack in the swamps of Louisiana. Going by “Vern”, the beast spends it’s days as an alcohlic, drinking massive amounts of vodka and watching Flashdance on cable television. It’s not until Highfire meets Squib, a human teenager smuggling booze for the local mob, that he’s forced into another life-altering adventure.

    Highfire, a “gritty crime drama with doses of magical realism“, is only the latest in a recent string of high concept projects from Cage. The actor, whose image has become synonymous with over-the-top performances, has spent the past few years pumping out well-received indie flicks like Pig and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Next on his list are Renfield, in which he will appear as Count Dracula, and two separate Westerns, Butcher’s Crossing and The Old Way. The upcoming job with Paramount+ will be his first leading television role, after a previous attempt at bringing Joe Exotic to life at Amazon failed to materialize. Highfire will be adapted by Davey Holmes, the creator of Get Shorty on Epix, and will be produced by MGM. The project has been in development since 2020, when it was initially revealed by Deadline.

    Source: Deadline

  • The Morning After Huddle: July 8, 2022

    The Morning After Huddle: July 8, 2022

    Welcome to your Football Friday edition of The Morning After Huddle, bringing you all things NFL. In the words of Beyoncé, girls run the world! (Or, in this case, overall business operations.)

    Here’s what you need to know:

    • Sandra Douglass Morgan wil be the Team President of the Las Vegas Raiders, making her the first black woman to ever serve in this role in NFL history! Prior to her time with the Raiders, Morgan was the chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. She also has history with the Nevada Gaming Commission, AT&T, and multiple roles as an attorney. Morgan is the third woman to serve as an NFL Team President, joining the Bill’s Kim Pegula and the Panther’s Kristi Coleman.
    • Unfortunately, it was not a good week for all. Bears WR David Moore is facing drug and weapon charges. He was officially charged with possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of weapons. Officers fielded calls of a possible intoxicated person in a vehicle and located Moore, finding edibles and 3 firearms. The Bears WR was eventually released on bond.
    • Without further ado, your Key Signings Roundup:
      • Justin Houston is signing a one-year deal to remain with the Ravens. This will be Houston’s 12th year in the NFL.

    Thanks for breaking down the huddle with us today! You know the drill: we’ll see you Saturday for your Weekend Huddle, where just like coffee, we’re coming in hot!

    ICYMI: Thursday, July 7, 2022 Edition