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  • ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Showrunner Only Planned on Four Seasons

    ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Showrunner Only Planned on Four Seasons

    The Umbrella Academy has always felt like the little show that could. The cult Netflix series debuted in 2019 to mixed reviews, but has since found it’s footing and, after three zany seasons, has left fans begging for more. In a sea of comic book adaptations and uber-popular superheroes, the wonky cast of characters that inhabit the world created by Gerard Way somehow manage to be uniquely likable.

    Season 3 saw the titular characters, once again, trying to prevent the end of the world. Their antics saw them existing in a timeline they shouldn’t and, after 10 episodes, the Umbrellas have inexplicably put themselves in a place to start over for a fourth time – in a brand new reality with no superpowers. With so much room to run creatively, showrunner Steve Blackman spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about his plans for the future of the series:

    We haven’t been picked up — I have my fingers crossed. But I know what season four is in my head. I’ve already sort of worked out the beginning, middle and end of it. When I started this thing, I sort of knew four seasons of the show. I have nothing passed that in my brain, but I’ve sort of kept to a trajectory. So, I have a really good sense of what season four would be, and it should be just as bonkers as the other seasons — what a challenge these superheroes, this family has being powerless.

    Steve Blackman

    If renewed, it sounds like season 4 of the super-family dramedy could be it’s last. As sad as that may sound, all good things must eventually come to an end. It’s also still possible Blackman and his team strike storytelling gold and spawn ideas for a fifth season along the way. After all, the show has now outlived its source material, meaning anything beyond this point must be wholly original.

    Source: THR

  • Russo Brothers Open to Return to the MCU as ‘Avengers 5’ Return Speculations Make the Rounds

    Russo Brothers Open to Return to the MCU as ‘Avengers 5’ Return Speculations Make the Rounds

    Many have been wondering about the lack of an Avengers title in the current Marvel Cinematic Universe line-up. Many believed that they may be busy mapping out how to tackle the next entry after the Russo Brothers left their mark with Infinity War and Endgame.

    As rumors of a potential return make the rounds for a fifth Avengers film, the directing duo have reveled in a recent interview that they are definitely open to return to the MCU at one point.

    We’re always open to it. We love those guys, we love everyone over there.

    Russo Brothers

    They do, however, highlight that their “plate is pretty full.” So, it doesn’t seem like we should expect a return anytime soon. Who knows if the film might not arrive for quite a few more years, leaving the door open for their return.

    One thing will be for sure, it’ll be a big task to follow up on the films they’ve created. It set the bar pretty high and we’re still seeing many in a post-Endgame blues. Yet, once the future becomes more clear, we might see a very different MCU moving forward.

    Source: Twitter via The Direct

  • RUMOR: Finn Jones Unlikely to Return as the MCU’s Iron Fist

    RUMOR: Finn Jones Unlikely to Return as the MCU’s Iron Fist

    There have been many theories on the canonical connection between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Netflix’s The Defenders series. The return of Charlie Cox in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Vincent D’Onofrio in Hawkeye opened the floodgates for more returning faces. Sadly, it seems one is very unlikely to return.

    According to DisInsider’s Derek Cornell, Marvel Studios isn’t bringing back Finn Jones, who played Danny Rand in the Netflix series that premiered on the streamer back in 2017 to critical backlash.

    The series was riddled with controversy due to the casting of the original comics’ “white savior” trope. The series still managed to draw in a better received second season but was swiftly canceled when Netflix noticed the competition of Disney entering the streaming market.

    Jones was a fun addition, especially in his dynamic with Mike Colter’s Luke Cage. While the series lacked in the martial arts department, there were still some people that wondered if he’ll also return. There’s no word if they might recast the role entirely or focus on a different person holding the mantle. For now, we’ll have to see if the character has a future win the MCU at all.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Thor 4’s Gorr Design Was Changed to Avoid ‘Harry Potter’ Comparison

    ‘Thor 4’s Gorr Design Was Changed to Avoid ‘Harry Potter’ Comparison

    There isn’t a day that Twitter and Social Media are ablaze with discussions on just how accurate the adaptations of Marvel Studios’ latest venture are. As the studio has always taken liberties with designs, it has hit a new fever pitch with Thor: Love and Thunder‘s Gorr the God Butcher. There have been many theories on why they changed him to a more humanoid design and it turns out the reasoning is quite simple.

    In an interview with IGN, director Taika Waititi revealed that Love and Thunder‘s design for Gorr was changed due to the similarities with Harry Potter‘s Voldemort. So, they wanted to avoid people making the connection and kept the focus on what made the character iconic, the sword and his story.

    His face in the comics, unfortunately, does kind of resemble Voldemort. So I was like ‘people are just automatically going to make that connection.’ So we decided to depart from that design and sort of keep elements of the tone, and the fact that he had the sword. Really, it was his story that was the most important thing for us

    Taika Waititi

    They definitely took a different direction with the design, especially with how he kept his nose. Yet, it does seem strange they wouldn’t want him to be more alien considering his origins in the comics. There’s a chance they took a more humanoid direction due to how he connects to the Gods. With his clothes, he may even be part of the Greek pantheon’s new home world that led to this very connection being made. Whatever it may be, we may know more in just a few more days.

    Source: IGN via The Direct

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Producer Hopes to Further Explore the Order of the Red Daggers in the Future

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Producer Hopes to Further Explore the Order of the Red Daggers in the Future

    In the latest episode of Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan makes her travel home to not only face the visions she’s had of the Partition but also look beyond her home to see how the rest of the world faces its own heroes. In the case of Pakistan, they have the Order of the Red Daggers, which help our young heroine to understand the dangers she is facing.

    In an interview with EW, Sana Amanat shared some thoughts on the idea of the Red Daggers, highlighting Sabir Pirzada’s excitement of bringing them to life and how exploring Pakistan “feels like a season 2 thing and we did it in one season.” Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and the writing team were quite excited to tackle their story. Of course, the same goes for Amanat.

    I’m a huge fan of the Red Daggers. I love making them an order. The only thing is, if you asked me what I wish that we had more time for, it would be delving into the backstory of The Order of the Red Daggers, because there’s a lot more that we were percolating on that we just didn’t have time to shoot, frankly. But I love their team-up. I know everyone’s talking about there being a romantic interest, but there isn’t right now. Okay? Everyone’s like, “really, three boys?” But we intentionally pulled back on that.

    Sana Amanat

    She also highlights how they approached their introduction to offer some more insight into Kamala embracing her roots, as well as what it means to be part of something much greater.

    The larger intention was showcasing that Kamala has been idolizing these heroes in the Western world that look nothing like her. Then she goes back to her roots and she meets these individuals who’ve just worked really hard to be good at what they are. There’s a line that Waleed [Farhan Akhtar] says, about how the red scarf is for anyone who’s willing to put it on, it’s just a representation of what they’re trying to do. I think that’s what Waleed is trying to say: “First of all, it doesn’t really matter what you look like. It doesn’t really matter about code names or armor or what kinds of clothes that you’re wearing as long as you’re linked to something much greater.” That’s really what I think the whole point was bringing in Waleed and Kareem into this show.

    Sana Amanat

    Waleed and Kareem definitely added something special to the series, and it would be great to get a chance to explore their place in the world even more moving forward. Who knows if Kareem might even find his way to the West, as he becomes the fish out of water to join Kamala in a future adventure which may tie into the Red Daggers’ legacy.

    Source: EW

  • James Gunn Further Hints ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’ Will Be Drax’s Last MCU Movie

    James Gunn Further Hints ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’ Will Be Drax’s Last MCU Movie

    There have been many theories on how Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3 might wrap up the trilogy that director James Gunn started back in 2014. After a brief delay, the film is only a few more months away before hitting theaters and it’s been hinted at as the final entry of the current version of the Guardians. Dave Bautista, who plays Drax, has also been quite vocal on potentially leaving the franchise behind.

    Now taking to his Twitter page, Gunn may have further added weight to the idea that Bautista may be leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe for good after this new entry. While he still keeps the door slightly open he states that “it’s probably Drax’s last movie” and further confirms that the current version of the Guardians will be no more after the events of the film.

    It definitely won’t be the same without Drax in this franchise but here’s hoping that he gets a great sendoff in the story. He sadly never truly got to get his revenge on Thanos due to what happened to his family, but who knows what the future might hold for the legacy he leaves behind. Moondragon could still be out there for all we know.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Producer Teases How the Villains Tie into the Partition

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Producer Teases How the Villains Tie into the Partition

    If there’s one thing that the Marvel Studios series are good at it’s exploring strong themes. Moon Knight explored what it meant to explore what it means to be oneself while WandaVision focused on grief. Ms. Marvel takes a more historic look at one’s heritage and what it means to carry that torch. And it seems those themes were also considered throughout the series’ many elements.

    In an interview from Entertainment Weekly, Ms. Marvel’s co-creator and producer of the Disney+ series, Sana Amanat, offered some insight into how they wanted to tie the overall themes to its main antagonists, the Clandestine. As she highlights how it takes a unique exploration of identity throughout.

    I was like, “are people going to get that or no?” Ultimately, this is a story about identity. How do you understand your identity without understanding what home is and what home means to you? The Clandestines are an interesting foil in that regard, because you are talking about people being displaced, and then there are these people and here’s how they interpret their displacement. There’s a much larger metaphor there and I want to see what people think of it.

    Sana Amanat

    She also highlights that there may be more heading our way as we jump into the final two episodes that’ll fully explore the Partition, as well as what the future has in store for the Clandestine. Especially in how it parallels the modern-day with how Kamala Khan’s parents found their place in a new place.

    I’m really interested in the post wrap-up conversations about this entire show. Because it’s very layered, you’re talking about South Asian character, but you’re also talking about a Muslim character. So, I think we intentionally tried to tell a story of what it means when you lose your home and how you try to create a new one. I mean, it’s what Kamala’s parents did. They came to a new country, they created a home for themselves here. And yet, Kamala feels like she doesn’t understand what that means. So, there’s certainly a lot of parallels and very intentionally so.

    Sana Amanat

    It’s always great to see how they explore these themes and have many elements tie together to add just that little something extra. It’s unclear just how they’ll wrap it all together but if the series manages to pull in its finale, we may have one of Marvel Studios’ best.

    Source: EW

  • BREAKING: Latest ‘Black Panther 2’ Merch Offers First Look at Tenoch Huerta’s Namor

    BREAKING: Latest ‘Black Panther 2’ Merch Offers First Look at Tenoch Huerta’s Namor

    Earlier today we got our first look at Attuma from merchandise that was making the rounds for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Now, it seems that @MCU_Facility has shared the first look at Tenoch Huerta‘s Namor. The design was hinted at earlier and continues to highlight how the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s take on the character is inspired by Mayan culture.

    The design is definitely a great addition to the MCU with a lot of added detail hinting at the technology being used by the race living underwater. It’ll be interesting to see if he’ll appear in the first trailer or this might be something that is kept a secret moving forward. Yes, we have gotten our first look at the character through this merchandise reveal but most people don’t learn about it until the actual trailers drop.

    So, we don’t know how they’ll promote this new character. A lot of weight is likely on the release of this trailer considering the weight it carries after the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman. We still don’t know how they’ll approach it and if they will even focus on it in the initial trailer, as it is what everyone has been wondering about since the film started production.

    Source: Twitter

  • Ms. Marvel Co-Creator Sana Amanat: Don’t Change Kamala in the Comics

    Ms. Marvel Co-Creator Sana Amanat: Don’t Change Kamala in the Comics

    One of the most controversial decisions that was made by the creative team behind the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel was the decision to alter Kamala Khan’s power set. In the Marvel comics, Kamala had her latent Inhuman abilities activated after a Terrigen Bomb was dropped on Jersey City. Kamala developed polymorphic powers, allowing her to grow her limbs in any shape or size.

    Considering the Inhumans do not exist in the 616-Marvel Cinematic Universe at the moment, the show decided to change the origins of Kamala’s powers to match up with Carol Danvers. That mystery is still being unraveled with two episodes left, but a cosmic connection to Captain Marvel is being established in Ms. Marvel.

    The MCU Kamala still displays polymorphic powers, but she draws energy from the Noor Dimension and is able to create purple constructs that resemble crystals. While the decision was hotly debated when it was first announced, it seems to be paying off with fans and critics. But Kamala Khan co-creator Sana Amanat doesn’t think that the success of the show on Disney+ should lead to a change to the character in the comics. When asked about the idea in an interview with EW, Amanat had a strong response.

    I hope not! I hope they stick to what they got. I think inherently, there’s a lot of similarities as it is just in terms of the ancestry in the comics. She comes from an alien, you know what I mean?

    Sana Amanat

    While more often than not the comics aren’t too heavily influenced by the event of the MCU, that hasn’t always been the case, with the Guardians of the Galaxy being one noteworthy (and sad) example. It’s good to see someone like Amanat, who has been in both worlds, be able to understand the balance-and the differences-between the two.

    Source: EW

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Star Teases Valkyrie’s Arc as New Asgard’s King

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Star Teases Valkyrie’s Arc as New Asgard’s King

    Tessa Thompson is just as much a star as Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth. As such, all eyes are on her journey in the upcoming fourth entry, Thor: Love and Thunder, that’ll continue where we left off with her character during Avengers: Endgame. Now, she serves as the king of Asgard and it’s not all as rosy as she hoped for it to be, as Thompson reveals during the official press conference for Love and Thunder.

    With this one, we also talked about the idea of someone that has a job that they really love, but they’re also kind of disgruntled.  She, you know, was a professional soldier for thousands of years and now finds herself kind of stuck in bureaucracy. So, she’s really missing being on the battlefield and missing her sisters. And so, it’s been great fun to get to have that again, with Natalie in particular as Mighty Thor.

    Tessa Thompson

    From the sounds of it, Thompson had a blast exploring this character, especially how her role was set up in Avengers: Endgame. It makes sense that the noble warrior may have underestimated the new role given to her, especially when Earth is mostly about bureaucracy. We got a glimpse of it in the trailers and it’ll be interesting to see if this might also shift Asgard’s place on Earth in one way or another.

    We’ve got a hint that they’ve seen quite the tourism boom, which may also have led to Valkyrie being busy with more business dealings rather than bad guy takedowns. Perhaps the battle with Gorr also opens up her views on enjoying the quiet moments before they vanish.