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  • Deadpool Should Be the MCU’s LGBTQ+ Icon

    Deadpool Should Be the MCU’s LGBTQ+ Icon

    Pride Month is in full swing, meaning people, organizations, and even companies are celebrating or showing support for LGBTQ+ persons across the globe. Marvel is certainly one of those companies, and the brand is eager to highlight its queer representation in its properties. Previously, we have taken a look back at one of Marvel Comics’ milestones. And while the comics certainly have more history to draw from, the Marvel Cinematic Universe notably lags in LGBTQ+ representation across its franchise.

    The MCU is absolutely gaining momentum here, with recent additions such as Phastos in Eternals and America Chavez in Doctor: Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The franchise even promises more inclusion in the near future with characters like Valkyrie in Thor: Love and Thunder. As with any underrepresented group, there is always pushback from an unfortunate corner of the supposed fandom when any major (or minor) character is explicitly queer.

    While we can celebrate the progress the MCU has made and is continuing to make, there is room for the Disney-owned company to make a significant and bold statement in support of LGBTQ+ representation on screen. The MCU needs a strong queer icon, and there is no better choice than the Merc with a Mouth himself. Below are four major reasons why Deadpool should be MCU’s LGBTQ+ icon.

    Deadpool Has Long Been Established as LGBTQ+

    Important to any conversation about queer representation is an understanding of the character themselves. In Deadpool’s case, there is no question that Wade Wilson is an out member of the LGBTQ+ community. The comics antihero was first confirmed as pansexual by writer Gerry Duggan, though the terminology to describe Deadpool’s sexuality has fittingly been in flux—the character’s co-creator Fabian Nicieza emphasized this back in 2015.

    Deadpool has become well-known as a pansexual symbol for many, including Fox-universe Deadpool director Tim Miller, who previously expressed his support for showcasing Deadpool’s sexuality in the movie franchise. While the character clearly has a female love interest in the live-action franchise, any viewer simply has to pay attention to Deadpool and Deadpool 2’s dialogue to know that the character’s interests go beyond the opposite sex.

    In any event, the fact that Deadpool is already a well-known queer character in the comics and has the support of many of the films’ creators, including actor Ryan Reynolds (see below), to bring that aspect of the hero into live-action is a perfect starting point for the character to further embrace that when he makes his MCU debut.

    Deadpool Is High-Profile

    When any franchise begins to embrace and increase diversity among its characters, those characters tend to often get assigned more minor roles. It does not take rocket science to understand why, but it is another reason why the MCU should wholeheartedly embrace Deadpool as LGBTQ+. Of course, the more prominent a queer character is, the more backlash they will receive. But frankly, Deadpool is already beloved across wide demographics. While he has not made his MCU debut yet, the character is established in the greater Marvel film universe, so opinions of the super-powered mercenary have already been formed. If Deadpool were to act as one of the leading LGBTQ+ characters of the MCU, it would give the character a huge platform for representation that other characters simply do not have yet.

    Deadpool’s Fan Base Spans a Wide Demographic

    It goes without saying that LGBTQ+ people—and fictional characters by extension—are subject to a wide range of stereotypes and discrimination based solely on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Certain segments of the population, including MCU fans, support queer inclusion less than others. When new LGBTQ+ characters are introduced, it is quite easy for those people to immediately be hostile toward the idea that a single character in a movie may make them uncomfortable. For example, both Phastos and America Chavez were queer characters of color, which led to hatred and accusations of “wokeness” long before their respective films were ever released.

    Make no mistake, all LGBTQ+ characters—including women, trans, and those of color—should be fully supported by the MCU, Disney, and the vast majority of fans who have no issue with characters reflecting the real world. But in an age where the ignorant backlash is so common, Deadpool is a character that, for several reasons, has the advantage to cut through much of that in the MCU. That can be a win for the character, but it should be recognized that it could help pave the way for other queer characters.

    Deadpool is well known for being vulgar and hyperviolent among plenty of other traits. He is loved for his mature themes as well as his basic charisma and humor. The character is a hit across nearly all adult and teen demographics, and that includes demographics that may otherwise not be so supportive of LGBTQ+ representation. If the MCU’s Deadpool 3, for example, made the hero’s sexuality explicit and left no room for audiences to argue whether or not he is queer, Deadpool then becomes a symbol or icon for LGBTQ+ people across the board. In addition, it may force certain groups of people to question their assumptions and biases if one of their favorite characters also happens to not be straight.

    Deadpool’s LGBTQ+ Identity Has Ryan Reynolds’ Support

    There is no dancing around the fact that actor Ryan Reynolds, the epitome of Deadpool, is well-loved and respected in the entertainment community generally as well as for his embodiment of Wade Wilson. Reynolds has several times made it clear that he would love for the Deadpool franchise to explore Deadpool’s pansexuality, and very much wants Marvel to let the character be explicitly queer in the future. Deadpool 3 will actually be Marvel Studios’ first non-Spider-Man co-production, with Reynolds’ Maximum Effort Productions also in the producer’s role. While Reynolds will not have unilateral control over the character’s future, he undoubtedly has a lot. With the support of someone as powerful as the actor/producer/businessman is, though, the amount to which MCU could push the envelope with Deadpool’s LGBTQ+ identity could be significantly increased.

    In conclusion, no one character is the perfect icon for an entire group, including the LGBTQ+ community, nor should they be. Queer MCU fans, and queer people in general, deserve to have major franchises better represent them and better represent reality. If the MCU were to fully embrace Deadpool’s LGBTQ+ identity, whether it is explicitly pansexual or described/defined in some other way, it could be one of the strongest moves Marvel Studios could make in terms of supporting the diversity of their characters and audiences.

    The character is already well-known to be queer; the Deadpool franchise creators, producers, and actors strongly support the move; and the character’s more formal cinematic coming out would have a ripple effect through numerous groups and demographics that would almost certainly strengthen the general MCU fanbase’s support, acceptance, and love for LGBTQ+ characters.

  • Title for ‘Knives Out’ Sequel Officially Announced

    Title for ‘Knives Out’ Sequel Officially Announced

    Official news has begun to arrive for the upcoming Knives Out sequel, which will be releasing exclusively on Netflix. In a thread of tweets from director Rian Johnson, the full title for the film has been revealed as Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The tweet also confirms a “holiday season” release for the highly anticipated sequel. Netflix officially made the purchase for the sequel film rights in 2021 for $469 million dollars. This includes Glass Onion and an additional film in the Knives Out franchise down the road.

    Daniel Craig is set to reprise his role of detective Benoit Blanc and will be joined by all new all-star cast likely full of prospective suspects. Edward Norton, Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr, Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista fill out the ensemble for the sequel. Not much is currently known about the plot, nor the nature of its mystery; however, in his Twitter thread, Johnson discussed how Agatha Christie mysteries served as an inspiration, specifically her ability to provide great variance in the types of mystery stories she told. This is certainly interesting as it means the original film might not provide much of a sense of what to expect from Glass Onion. Set photos showed the film will be at least partially set in the Mediterranean so that at least will greatly differ from the chilled New England autumn aesthetic of Knives Out filled with the sweaters of Chris Evans. It will certainly be interesting to learn more information on what is in store for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in the coming months heading towards its release later this year.

  • REVIEW: Bonus Features for ‘The Northman’ Blu-Ray

    REVIEW: Bonus Features for ‘The Northman’ Blu-Ray

    The Northman is a film that seemingly came and went with little to no fanfare. The R-rated feature only pulled in $68 million at the worldwide box office, which isn’t all that impressive when the film was estimated to cost $90 million. While The Northman is technically ‘fresh,’ according to Rotten Tomatoes, with 89%, the general audience didn’t seem as enthusiastic with an audience score of 64%. With the release of the Blu-Ray last week, however, The Northman has a new lease on life with plenty of bonus features that’ll (hopefully) intrigue audiences enough to give the film a second chance.

    Included on the Blu-Ray for The Northman are a total of nine deleted and extended scenes. That’s a pretty impressive amount, unfortunately, though, the only one that is seemingly worth checking out is “Yule Murmur Dance and Aurvandil’s Speech,” which is admittedly ridiculous and yet features a strong performance by Ethan Hawke, who is severely underused in the film. Most of the other scenes seem pretty useless, although the extension of the “Bosa Saga” could have benefited the film, with “Hel’s Gate Open” being an exception. Would it have strengthened the movie? No, but it is a beautifully crafted scene and Nicole Kidman commands every second of it.

    As for the featurettes, they’re… okay. Honestly, unless you’re a fan of the film? It’s hard to get excited over the content of the featurettes. “The Faces of Vikings” and “An Ageless Epic” are both semi-interesting, but that’s mainly due to hearing what the stars involved with the project have to say — especially leading man Alexander Skarsgård, who speaks about the movie with such passion. It’s evident all involved wanted to stories of the old Icelandic sagas and the history of the Vikings. One of the most fascinating things of “An Ageless Epic” is that it delves into all of the hard work director Robert Eggers put into the film. It’s evident this was a passion project for him, and the cast clearly felt the same way during production.

    The Northman‘s Blu-Ray release might not contain a plethora of bonuses, but for fans of the Eggers film, it’s a great addition to the collection. Some of the deleted scenes are honestly impressive, as are some of the extended scenes. As for the featurettes, well, while they are nothing to write home about? They are enjoyable and do offer a good look behind-the-scenes of this epic. For those eager to look more into the story Eggers crafted, then the limited bonus features offer just that.

    In the end: The Northman wasn’t this writer’s cup of tea, but the extra features are worth a look for those that loved the Eggers film.

  • ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ Footage Description Reveals New Cast, Plot Details

    ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ Footage Description Reveals New Cast, Plot Details

    After what feels like a lifetime of waiting, fans are finally getting more news on Sony Animation’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The animated sequel to 2018’s surprise hit held a presentation at the annual Annecy Festival, where a series of new clips revealed a few more famous faces will be joining the film’s cast. Jason Schwartzman was formally announced as the main villain of the project, voicing lesser-known baddie The Spot in another inter-dimensional conflict for Miles Morales. On top of this, a few other classic Spider-Man characters were confirmed to be making appearances in his latest cinematic outing.

    The first clip played by Sony took place in the world of Hailee Steinfeld‘s Spider-Gwen. Her universe is described as being beautiful, designed with watercolors, paper textures, and layered brush strokes. There, we finally see Gwen’s father, the revered police Captain George Stacy, responding to a disturbance at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. The elder Stacy will be voiced by veteran actor Shea Whigham. However, Gwen beats her pops to the scene, where she bumps into a couple surprise guests.

    Two other Spider-People are already there, in the form of previously announced cast members Oscar Isaac and Issa Rae. The former’s Spider-Man 2099 is described as not having spider-sense or natural powers, and instead relies on a heavily technological suit. He has claws for climbing, super strength, a flying wing suit, and “a giant laser web.” Rae‘s Spider-Woman, on the other hand, is called “a certified badass.” Jessica Drew is also shown to be pregnant, confirming the movie will lift an element from Dennis Hopeless‘ recent comic book run on the character.

    Also there is an “anachronistic” version of The Vulture, voiced by Jorma Taccone. It’s implied this Vulture is from a separate timeline, though not specified which. This will be the third character played by Taccone in the franchise, after giving life to the Green Goblin and Spider-Man ’67 in the first entry. Another brief clip played after this features Miles running late for a meeting with his parents and his school counselor, set to be played by the incomparable Rachel Dratch. Unfortunately, his day is ruined when the aforementioned Spot shows up to throw a wrench in all of reality.

    More will be revealed when Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse hits theaters on June 2nd, 2023.

    Source: Twitter

  • How ‘Thunderbolts’ Could Setup MCU’s ‘Dark Reign’

    How ‘Thunderbolts’ Could Setup MCU’s ‘Dark Reign’

    With the official announcement of a Thunderbolts film in the upcoming film slate of Marvel Studios, many have begun to theorize how both the film and the team will fit into the developing landscape of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though after some time reflecting on the news, it seems possible that Thunderbolts will not simply just “fit into” the landscape of the MCU, but rather become a critical lynchpin for the narrative direction of many franchises within the shared universe.

    From my perspective, Thunderbolts will be the coup de grace in ushering in an interpretation of the comic-inspired Dark Reign storyline to the film version of Earth-616. In this piece, I will be mapping out the road that hypothetically leads to the formation of this massive status quo change, how the team can function in the midst, and the catalyst of their downfall.

    Origins

    This part of the MCU storyline is the easiest to trace as it has already begun. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has very much been positioned to become the figurehead of this new arc. This is especially the case with the passing of Thaddeus Ross’ actor William Hurt and the impossibility to have Norman Osborn exist outside the Spider-Man bubble of the MCU. As seen in Black Widow and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Val is in the midst of forming partnerships with characters that have morally gray allegiances in Yelena Belova, John Walker, and (potentially) Helmut Zemo. Logic greatly dictates that these are the first steps towards the formation of the Thunderbolts team, and is seemingly all but confirmed with the film announcement earlier this week. 

    Audiences should absolutely expect to see Louis-Dreyfus back in the numerous Marvel Studios projects throughout 2022. Ms. Marvel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and especially She-Hulk (a superhero legal-based series that is bound to have ample amounts of morally gray characters) feel like natural points for where Val could show up next. One specific concept in my mind is Julia Louis-Dreyfus making a surprise appearance in a Thor: Love and Thunder post-credit scene to recruit a scorned Ares after the decimation of Olympus at the hands of Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher. While Val can certainly be involved in recruiting more characters beyond 2022, there needs to be a turning point for this storyline at some point and there is a natural point at which this can occur.

    The Catalyst

    The MCU has often made major alterations to their interpretations of comic storylines but ultimately kept similar ramifications to the future of their stories. With that in mind, Marvel Studios has the perfect opportunity to use the upcoming Secret Invasion as a means to launch their version of a Dark Reign like the comics. No matter what direction Marvel takes with this series, it would be a logical decision for it to end with Val and her fully actualized team of “approved” heroes taking the place of Norman Osborn in the comics and being the ones who very publicly eradicate the threat of Skrulls.

    This event can serve a two-fold purpose for the immediate future of the MCU. Firstly, Secret Invasion could very well be seen as the last straw for the world as its citizens have had to deal with growing dangerous threats to their lives since “The Blip” and have officially turned on the superheroes that have saved them many times before on a large-scale level. Secondly, people within positions of power would only trust and allow the government-sanctioned Thunderbolts team to regulate the issues that arise on Earth.

    The Dark Reign

    And from there, the MCU version of the Dark Reign can commence and could play a major role in a large swath of future projects. The Thunderbolts team can and should be present in different forms in essentially any project-based predominantly on Earth. For instance, the Thunderbolts should be the main opposition for the Hulk(s) on Earth within the World War Hulk film rumored to be in development (assuming it takes those cues from the comic event).

    As well, they should serve as a foil for whatever political espionage mission Anthony Mackie’s upcoming Captain America film. Essentially, the new status quo for pure heroes post-Secret Invasion should be dealing with their ostracization from societal acceptance and working towards proving the trust they should deserve from the general public. 

    Another angle I would further develop in this Dark Reign is the bureaucratic mission to prevent young heroes from becoming active in the world as has been developed in the likes Spider-Man: No Way Home and Ms. Marvel. This would set the stage for the Young Avengers to form as a counter-response towards the world generally losing faith in the Avengers team that has been instrumental in saving the world numerous times.

    Meanwhile, the Thunderbolts film can serve as an exploration of the core team of reformed villains as they deal with the very public spotlight attached to them and how they react to it. Some fully buy into the Kool-Aid of their role as heroes, while others grow skeptical that what they’re doing is actually the “right thing”. There is certainly lots of room to play with this type of social commentary through the lens of bombastic superhero action within the MCU, both in the film itself and in the duration of this phase of the MCU.

    Endtimes

    However, this storyline won’t last forever as the status quo and much like the comics, a new Heroic Age can rise in its aftermath. In terms of how Marvel Studios should sunset Dark Reign, I would use the formation of a new official Avengers team and film (not to be confused with the Young Avengers) as the means to end this phase. Specifically, the Siege comic storyline should be adapted with Val completely breaking bad and using her influence and team to begin an attempted conquest of places that serve as “threats” to the safety of the rest of the world (i.e. New Asgard, Wakanda, and Ta Lo).

    At this point, the world needs the Avengers and their reuniting with a fresh line-up could serve as a massive event that would be satisfying both emotionally and commercially. From there, the stage can be set with an Avengers team leading the charge in whatever the endgame of the multiverse saga will be within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As well, the Thunderbolts team could still exist within the framework of the MCU as a place for villains and anti-heroes looking to reform their image, but this time without the baggage of being a front for Valentina’s nefarious scheme.

    In addition, the idea of a prejudiced world against super-powered individuals can still ruminate beyond the end of Dark Reign and into the introduction of mutants in the not-too-distant future. Ultimately though, no matter what specific direction they take when it comes to Thunderbolts and its surrounding future projects, the stage is set for Marvel Studios to transition its universe into a new long-term dynamic that can be as defining as the Infinity Saga.

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Lightyear’ Director Reveals Sox Wasn’t Always in the Entire Movie

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Lightyear’ Director Reveals Sox Wasn’t Always in the Entire Movie

    One of the best new characters introduced in Lightyear is the robotic emotional support cat named Sox, voiced to perfection by Peter Sohn. The little furry sidekick accompanies Buzz and his companions throughout the entirety of their mission, constantly offering helpful information and hilarious sound bites. However, in an exclusive recent interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, director Angus MacLane revealed that Sox wasn’t always planned to be part of the entire film.

    When asked if he could share one of his favorite abandoned concepts from the movie, MacLane began to explain that Sox was at one point replaced by a speaking survival kit after the film’s first act. The kit would have a personality similar to that of IVAN, the autopilot on Lightyear’s ship in the finished product, and would have met it’s tragic end as a means of keeping Buzz alive:

    It used to be Buzz didn’t bring Sox with him, and he landed in the future, and the first interaction he had was with a robotic dog. It was a Zurg Hound, and then the only weapon he had was a survival kit from his ejection seat and the survival kit had an IVAN-like personality. She would comment on whatever he selected from the survival kit. So he’d grab the flare gun, which is still in the movie, but originally the flare gun was like, “oh, flare gun, excellent choice!”. Like that kind of thing. So it was constant, but ultimately he’d have to shove the whole suitcase into the robot’s mouth and I think that’s what killed it.

    Angus MacLane

    While all of this sounds fun, especially the idea of a Zurg Hound, it’s likely most fans are pleased that Sox was kept around instead. The character is sure to become one of Pixar’s most popular new additions and brings a certain heartfelt factor to Lightyear that helps put it above a lot of the competition. If you haven’t seen Sox in action, check him out in action when Lightyear hits theaters on June 17th.

  • The Spot Confirmed as ‘Into the Spider-Verse 2’ Villain, First Look at New Design

    It was all the way back in February of 2021 that we first heard rumblings that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse may feature the obscure Spider-Man villain The Spot. And now, the official Twitter page has not only confirmed he’s the antagonist bur also offered a first look at his Spider-Verse design.

    That is not all, as they have also confirmed that Jason Schwartzman will voice the new antagonist.

    UPDATING

    Source: Twitter

  • SGF: Hideo Kojima Confirms Rumored Work on Xbox Exclusive Title

    SGF: Hideo Kojima Confirms Rumored Work on Xbox Exclusive Title

    There’s been a rumor that Hideo Kojima was actively working on a new game for Xbox. While there was a hint that Kojima Productions was already actively working on Death Stranding 2 but a new rumor hinted at a horror game titled Overdose. While the rumors have not been fully confirmed, Kojima did have a brief video confirming they are actively working on a project together.

  • SGF: ‘Persona 3 Portable’, ‘Persona 4 Golden’ and ‘Persona 5 Royal’ Heading to Xbox Game Pass

    SGF: ‘Persona 3 Portable’, ‘Persona 4 Golden’ and ‘Persona 5 Royal’ Heading to Xbox Game Pass

    It looks like the Persona series is heading to Xbox Game Pass, as they have just announced during the Xbox Bethesda showcase of Summer Game Fest. While it won’t include the first two entries, Xbox players will get their hands on Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal heading to Xbox Game Pass.

  • SGF: ‘Forza Horizon 5’ Adds Hot Wheels DLC in July

    SGF: ‘Forza Horizon 5’ Adds Hot Wheels DLC in July

    A new DLC has been announced for Forza Horizon 5, as they will add some fun Hot Wheels-inspired tracks to the game. So, if you’ve been hoping to ride on some fun new tracks in the game, they have shared the first look during the event and teased that the DLC will release on July 19th. So, the wait won’t be too long.