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  • Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler Returns in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’…Along with Some Secret Characters

    Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler Returns in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’…Along with Some Secret Characters

    Alan Cumming is back in Avengers: Doomsday as Nightcrawler and he’s been quite forthcoming about his past and present experiences as the mutant teleporter. While fans are ecstatic to see the blue teleporter return, Cumming’s comments have pulled back the curtain on the “trauma” of the early 2000s X-Men era and the massive, secretive scale of the new Avengers epic.

    In his latest chat with Deadline, Cumming revealed that the Doomsday script is a maze of misdirection. To prevent leaks, several returning characters were given “secret names” in the script. “It was so confusing,” Cumming admitted. “Sometimes there were secret names because they didn’t want to reveal a certain character was returning.“

    Cumming described the film’s ensemble as “superhero soup,” noting that there are so many characters he “just can’t keep up” with the roster.

    In a classic “oops” moment, Cumming recently spoiled that his stunt training involved a fight sequence where he’s “hitting Pedro Pascal against the head.” This confirms a direct confrontation between the OG Fox X-Men and the Fantastic Four.

    Despite the massive cast, Cumming revealed he filmed much of his part in “isolation” against green screens, acting in a “featureless void” to accommodate his schedule for The Traitors. However, Leaks and teaser art suggest Nightcrawler will finally sport his classic red-and-black circus-style suit from the comics, a major departure from the tactical leather of the 2003 film.

    Source: Deadline

  • Jon Bernthal on the Tonal Clash Between ‘One Last Kill’ and ‘Brand New Day’

    Jon Bernthal on the Tonal Clash Between ‘One Last Kill’ and ‘Brand New Day’

    The year is 20206…and Frank Castle is officially the connective tissue of the MCU’s street-level slate…but don’t expect him to play nice in both sandboxes. While talking with Kelly Clarkson, Jon Bernthal broke down the stark tonal differences between his standalone Special Presentation, The Punisher: One Last Kill, and his highly anticipated role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

    Bernthal called the Special Presentation, which debuts on March 12th, “the most psychologically complex, darkest version of the Punisher that you’re going to see. I believe it’s what the fans want.”

    “I wrote it alongside the help of Nick Koumalatsos, who’s a Marine Raider and an unbelievable guy who wrote a book his own pain and his own bout with hopelessness and his story back,” Bernthal revealed. “It was such an honor. He’s a producer on [it]. Cody Alford, a Marine Raider, and Colton Hill, Green Beret, were on set. They’re badass.”

    Bernthal continued, “They’re more than badass. They’re just beautiful human beings, and they’re great, and they really wanted to do something, you know, for the veterans community and especially for these guys, the tip of the spear guys who are really suffering with entering back into the world. And I think that’s very much at the core of a Frank story.”

    Even though Castle first appeared in the pages of a Spider-Man comic, the character that most fans are familiar with–and the one they’ll see in One Last Kill–doesn’t fit the far more family-friendly tone of Sony and Marvel’s Spidey franchise. And so having a large role in the new installment meant that Bernthal would have to bring a kinder, gentler tone to Castle.

    “With Spider-Man, I think what was most important, because, obviously, tonally it’s different and such an honour to be a part of it, especially with my dear friend Tom Holland,” Bernthal said. “It was important to us that one Punisher could walk off one set and walk onto the other. Tonally, they couldn’t be more different, but I hope we were able to achieve that. It’s very important.”

    With The Punisher and Daredevil: Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane having confirmed that Marvel Television is going full Netflix, it seems likely fans will get more of the gritty, bloody, badass Punisher sooner rather than later.

    Source: The Kelly Clarkson Show

  • Marvel TV Boss Reveals ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Time Skip, Intriguing Location on MCU Timeline

    Marvel TV Boss Reveals ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Time Skip, Intriguing Location on MCU Timeline

    The Season 2 finale of Daredevil: Born Again truly served as a definitive resolution to the conversation held between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk over coffee in a diner in the series opening episode, “Heaven’s Half Hour.” Though both men believed they were destined to become the savior of New York City, they both realized they had nearly destroyed it and they both accepted the consequences of their actions.

    The series key players all have agency to make choices without the constraints of external forces, though it’s the choices made by Murdock and Fisk that will reverberate the loudest.

    -Murphy’s Multiverse Review of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2

    Both Fisk and Murdock willingly accepted their punishments, with Fisk exiled to (apparently) Puerto Rico and Murdock–now revealed as Daredevil–imprisoned in Cell Block D. Though the next season will clearly take the co-leads in a different direction, there’s no doubt they’ll meet again. However, according to Brad Winderbaum, Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation at Marvel Studios, the characters will have had some time to sit with their decisions when they reappear in Season 3.

    “There will be a small time jump, but it’s not too significant. It’s not like we’re jumping ahead five years or anything,” said Marvel’s streaming skipper. “We’re probably jumping ahead a year or so, kind of like the real-life distance between seasons. And yeah, Fisk’s exile is its own story. So it’s fun watching these two characters be in their own places in season three.“

    Should that all hold, Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 will be set sometime in mid-to-late 2028. That should provide the opportunity for the new season to wrap up before the post-credit scene to Thunderbolts* which, of course, takes place during Avengers: Doomsday. Intriguingly, the placement on the time line should allow for an expected fourth season to take place in a post-Secret Wars universe and whatever world of possibilities come with that.

    Source: Screen Rant

  • Greg Mottola Tops Short List for DC Studios’ Secret (Six) Deathstroke and Bane Film

    The “Gods and Monsters” slate just got a lot more lethal. In a blockbuster exclusive, Deadline reports that Greg Mottola (Superbad, Adventureland) is among the favorites to direct the Deathstroke & Bane team-up film for DC Studios.

    While Mottola is best known for his sharp, character-driven comedies and indie dramas, James Gunn and Peter Safran are deeply familiar with his work thanks to his time on Peacemaker.

    Though a script is still being written, it’s believed that the film will be a standalone villain-centric entry, similar in tone to the Suicide Squad. Indeed it’s been speculated that the project may be a Secret Six film with Deathstroke and Bane at its center.

    The screenplay is being penned by Matthew Orton (Moon Knight, Captain America: Brave New World), suggesting the tactical, military elements will be grounded and gritty.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Showrunner Confirms the Complete Netflixification of Marvel Television

    ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Showrunner Confirms the Complete Netflixification of Marvel Television

    Toward the end of Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again, it seemed clear that Marvel Television was looking to revive more than just Netflix iteration of the Man Without Fear. Further assumptions about the direction of the studio’s streaming slate could be made with the returns of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage in Season 2 and Danny Rand now on board for Season 3. And now, there’s no need to assume anything at all.

    In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Daredevil: Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane has confirmed plans for a renaissance of the entire Netflix Defenders-verse.

    “Along the way, particularly in [Daredevil: Born Again] season 2, we’re touching on the larger New York — the New York that is not quite near Avengers Tower but in the same city. And there are characters, storylines; we have the Punisher special coming out, which is part of that same world,” Scardapane explained. “So as it’s progressed, it just feels like you’re opening doors or going down streets to a neighborhood that existed 10 years ago.“

    “The establishment of the street-level characters in Netflix’s Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Defenders, Punisher, that’s the world that this is all heading towards, in my opinion. That’s just the way I’m looking at it creatively,” revealed Scardapane.

    It’s certainly not surprising, as even Matt Murdock could see the direction in which things we’re headed and it will likely continue to please the same bloodthirsty fans who hold the Defenders-verse in such high regards. Let’s just hope there’s some better characterization for some of the characters this time around.

    Source: EW

  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Showrunner Confirms Muse Will Return as “Supernatural” Season 3 Threat

    ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Showrunner Confirms Muse Will Return as “Supernatural” Season 3 Threat

    If you felt like Muse was taken off the board too quickly in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, you aren’t alone—the showrunner agrees with you. In an interview with EW following the Daredevil: Born Again finale, showrunner Dario Scardapane admitted that while Muse served his purpose for the Mayor Fisk arc, the character’s true potential hasn’t been tapped yet.

    As such, Muse is officially returning for Season 3, and this time, the “art” is going to get a lot more personal with Heather Glenn behind the mask. The move was foreshadowed in the Season 2 finale and recent photos from the Season 3 set–and a photo shared online by Margarita Levieva–have already confirmed the villainous turn but Scardapane had quite a bit to say about how it came to be.

    Scardapane was surprisingly open about the fan backlash regarding Muse’s apparent “exit” mid-way through Season 1.

    This was a weird one because it had to do with a plot line that we inherited, that I felt we didn’t do justice to: the original Muse storyline in season 1. Because of what was filmed and what wasn’t filmed and what we could use and not use, it didn’t have the heft that I thought Muse deserved. But, again, we were limited by what we could shoot and what we had time and money for.

    -Dario Scardapane

    The showrunner also addressed the bombshell finale reveal involving Heather Glenn. Scardapane teased that the version we see in Season 3 will be evolved, potentially leaning into the supernatural or hyper-resilient elements of the comics.

    Then I was really, really interested in the psychologist who’s dealing with trauma and is in this realm of Matt and Fisk. She has all these kinds of characters that are wearing masks. She’s been brutalized by a vigilante. In her mind, she started to confuse serial killers with vigilantes and became a press mouthpiece for Fisk. What happens if she literally puts on that trauma, and that trauma solves a lot of her conflict? We talked to Margarita about that. It seems supernatural if you watch the way it’s progressing, and now we have a Muse that isn’t just dropped in. Now you have the [character] development of, why would she become this thing? Why would she go to such a dark place? And I think you understand it. I don’t think anybody’s prepared exactly for where this is going, and that’s still fun.

    -Dario Scardapane

    Muse is arguably the most terrifying villain in Daredevil’s modern comic history. By admitting they “missed the mark” with the original character, the creative team is showing a rare level of accountability to the source material. Bringing Muse back as an antagonist for Season 3—especially with Matt Murdock’s identity now public—creates a terrifying dynamic where the hero is vulnerable and the villain is invisible.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Jonathan Hickman to Architect ‘Midnight’, Marvel’s “Absolute Horror” Line

    Jonathan Hickman to Architect ‘Midnight’, Marvel’s “Absolute Horror” Line

    The light has had its turn. In a follow up scoop to Marvel’s cryptic reveal, Bleeding Cool’s Rich Johnston shared word that Marvel is preparing to launch Midnight, a standalone “Absolute Horror” universe.

    Coming this fall, the line is being positioned as Marvel’s direct answer to both DC’s “Absolute” universe and the prestige maturity of the classic Vertigo imprint. Leading the charge? None other than Jonathan Hickman, the architect behind the current Ultimate Universe and House of X.

    According to the report, Marvel is pivoting away from Hickman’s 2024 Ultimate Universe (which was designed with a two-year lifespan in mind) to this new dark frontier. Hickman is joined by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Benjamin Percy, both of whom have recently signed exclusive deals with Marvel to build this horror landscape.

    Much like DC’s Absolute line, Midnight will feature radical reimaginings of classic characters. Don’t expect the 616 versions of these heroes; expect “sons and daughters of Midnight Sons” reimagined for modern fears.

    While specific titles haven’t been officially announced, the report points to a lineup of Marvel’s heavy hitters in the supernatural and occult space. Blade, Ghost Rider, and Werewolf By Night are potential flagship titles. Given the space being explored, The Darkhold, Dracula, and Morbius are also possibilities for the initial rollout, suggesting a universe that leans heavily into the monstrous.

    Jonathan Hickman doesn’t just write books; he builds worlds. By giving him the keys to a horror-centric universe, Marvel is betting that the occult side of their IP—which has been largely secondary to superheroes for decades—can sustain its own massive, interconnected mythology. If Midnight has the bite of an Absolute book and the strangeness of a Vertigo title, it could redefine Marvel’s publishing strategy for the next five years.

    Source: Bleeding Cool

  • “I Am Daredevil” — Matt Murdock’s Secret Identity is History

    “I Am Daredevil” — Matt Murdock’s Secret Identity is History

    In a move that mirrors Tony Stark’s iconic 2008 reveal, Matt Murdock has officially outed himself as Daredevil in the Season 2 finale of Daredevil: Born Again. During a climactic courtroom battle to take down Wilson Fisk once and for all, Matt realized that his secret was Fisk’s only remaining leverage. By admitting his vigilante activities on the record, he stripped the Kingpin of his power—but at a heavy cost. The season ends with Matt being led away in handcuffs.

    According to Marvel’s streaming skipper, Brad Winderbaum, the decision to have Murdock out himself didn’t come from the Daredevil: Born Again writers room.

    “Kevin [Feige] and Louis [D’Esposito] are amazing storytellers. You don’t build the MCU if you’re not some of the greatest of all time,” Winderbaum said.

    “Very quickly, they saw that it was where the story needed to go. And of course, like, we could point to the comics,” explained. “So, as soon as you can point to the source material and show how it plays out and all the stories that we’re able to tell after the reveal of the identity, it becomes an easier argument to make.”

    Unlike the comics’ Purple Children wipe, showrunner Dario Scardapane has confirmed this genie isn’t going back in the bottleanytime soon.

    We’re probably not going to do Purple Man doing mass brainwashing of an entire city to buy it back. We’re not doing buybacks. Like, if you’re taking that step, it’s like, “All right, now everybody knows Matt’s Daredevil.”

    -Dario Scardapane

    Matt is now a convicted vigilante, ending the season in handcuffs as he’s led away to prison. This sets up a “Devil in Cell Block D” arc for Season 3, where Matt will be locked up with the very criminals he put away, including Cole North and Connor Powell.

    Cameras are already rolling on Season 3 in New York and while Fisk is out, the showrunner has teased the arrival of multiple new villains, including Lady Muse.

  • Mystery in Metropolis — Matthew Lillard Reunites with James Gunn for ‘Man of Tomorrow’

    Mystery in Metropolis — Matthew Lillard Reunites with James Gunn for ‘Man of Tomorrow’

    The Matthew Lillard Renaissance is officially hitting the DCU. According to Deadline, horror icon and fan-favorite Matthew Lillard has joined the cast of Man of Tomorrow.

    While his role is being kept under a fortress-level” secrecy by DC Studios, the casting marks a major 20-year reunion for Lillard and James Gunn, who famously collaborated on the live-action Scooby-Doo films written by Gunn in the early 2000s.

    Lillard is currently on one of the most impressive runs of his career, and joining the DCU is the cherry on top. Fans just finished seeing Lillard as the enigmatic Mr. Charles in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, where he played a manipulative political fixer working against Kingpin.

    Mr. Charles (Matthew Lillard) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN SEASON 2, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Jojo Whilden. © 2026 MARVEL.

    Gunn is known for alumni casting, and Lillard—the definitive live-action Shaggy—is a perfect fit for Gunn’s quirky but high-stakes world-building. Between returning for Scream 7, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, and the upcoming Carrie series, Lillard is officially the hardest-working man in genre film right now.

    As usual, the internet is already rife with theories for the undisclosed role. Some believe he could be playing a character like Snapper Carr or a high-ranking government official (perhaps a DC version of his Born Again role) who serves as a liaison between Superman and the U.N. With Brainiac (Lars Eidinger) as the main threat, some theorists are looking at Lillard to play a more eccentric, tech-based villain like Winslow Schott, aka Toyman.

    Filming is already well underway in Atlanta under the working title “Exodus.” Lillard joining the cast now suggests he may have a significant role in the film’s second act. Man of Tomorrow is locked in for a July 9, 2027 theatrical release, serving as the first true sequel in Gunn’s new DC Universe.

  • A Glorious Twilight — Kenneth Branagh Pitches ‘Logan’-Style Finale for ‘Thor 5’

    A Glorious Twilight — Kenneth Branagh Pitches ‘Logan’-Style Finale for ‘Thor 5’

    The God of Thunder might finally be heading for his sunset. In a series of recent interviews, Kenneth Branagh, the man who originally brought Asgard to the big screen in 2011, officially threw his name into the ring for a return to the Thor franchise.

    Speaking with Business Insider and Variety, the Oscar-winning filmmaker revealed that while he turned down The Dark World to “smell the roses,” he has never stopped thinking about where Thor’s journey should end. Branagh’s vision for a potential Thor 5 is a drastic tonal pivot, describing his pitch as being “more in the territory” of James Mangold’s Logan.

    …part of me would love to finish my relationship with that character. I’d always wanted to do more and indeed had a couple of ideas, more in the territory of James Mangold‘s brilliant Logan. I would love to see Chris Hemsworth and the others have their own individual final story that takes Thor into a glorious twilight.

    -Kenneth Branagh

    With Chris Hemsworth recently teasing life beyond the Multiverse Saga for the Odinson, perhaps the time has come for him to reunite with Branagh and send the God of Thunder out with a bang.