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  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Disney+ Release Includes IMAX Extended Format

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Disney+ Release Includes IMAX Extended Format

    According to the Disney+ app, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, one of the biggest films of the year, will be streaming in the IMAX format when it releases on the streaming service. This latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has led theater audiences on an exciting journey across the multiverse and grossed over $800 million at the box office. Now, the Doctor Strange sequel will bring all of that signature Marvel action, and spectacle to your home in a larger format.

    Recently, Disney confirmed in an official press release that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will debut on Disney Plus on June 22nd. The film joins 14 other Marvel Cinematic Universe films now streaming in IMAX ratio on Disney Plus, which gives viewers more to enjoy from their favorite entry. What stands out is that this was added to the service on their very first Disney+ Day last year. It was a new selling point for select films getting the addition, as it also was made available with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ release on the platform.

    The IMAX format makes for a nice extra on the platform, even if it’s not exactly the same experience without the giant screen to enjoy it on. Different formats add to the streaming experience to ensure that we have options and even new ways to enjoy the projects that we’ve seen years ago. Multiverse of Madness also gaining the IMAX format seems like a good hint we can expect the same from future additions.

    Source: ComicBook

  • X Characters That Must Be Part of the MCU’s X-Projects

    X Characters That Must Be Part of the MCU’s X-Projects

    When Disney acquired the live-action right to the X-Men in the merger with Fox, they handed Marvel Studios a gold mine of characters that could support their own cinematic universe for decades. As Kevin Feige and the Marvel Studios Parliament patiently plan their strategy for introducing The Mutants into the MCU, here are 10 characters whose stories could prove incredibly interesting and valuable over the long run.

    Apocalypse

    Most of the characters on this list haven’t appeared on the big screen yet (and to be honest, you could really make an argument that this character never did either), but among the very long list of characters done wrong by Fox, Apocalypse stands out as a giant. One of the world’s first known mutants, Apocalypse personified both the struggle faced by mutants and the idea that survival was only for those most fit. His character received a thrilling retcon recently, courtesy of Jonathan Hickman, and while not everything Hickman writes is easily adaptable to the screen, his retcon of En Sabah Nur provided, maybe for the first time, a glimpse of how to allow audiences to really empathize with the character. If the MCU reboot can pick adapt the history of Hickman’s Okkara, it would provide an entirely different look at the character from what we’ve seen. Apocalypse deserves a major role in any X-franchise reboot rather than the poorly done one-off that Fox gave him. Marvel’s access to Disney Plus can really help Apocalypse out in this way, allowing the character to grow and weave in and out of multiple projects.

    Christopher Summers

    A luxury Marvel Studios will have at its disposal that Fox did not is a self-owned streaming service. The X-world is MASSIVE and Fox chose to only focus on a very, very small portion of it. Marvel Studios is certain to have a team of X-Men, but it’s almost equally as certain that they will explore some of the many other corners left unexplored by Fox. Being able to use Disney Plus to introduce some characters who might not draw huge audiences to the theater will serve the studio well in that regard. Should Marvel Studios choose to make the decision to put the Summers family at the center of their reboot (a choice that can really pay off over the course of several years), one such character whose wild adventures would be worth following is Christopher Summers, aka Corsair, the leader of the Starjammers. Starting off the main X-Men franchise with an introduction to the father of Scott, Alex and Gabriel Summers and immediately introducing the Shi’ar Empire (one of Marvel Comics’ greatest alien races) gives the studios a footprint on which to expand on in two different worlds. Thankfully, Fox stayed away from Corsair and the Shi’ar, allowing for Marvel to cash in on some characters that are as sure of a thing as they have in their stable. Put Corsair at the center of the early days of the MCU reboot and you won’t be sorry.

    Cypher

    Doug Ramsey, mutant name Cypher, was first introduced fairly early on during Chris Claremont’s run on New Mutants. Cypher’s mutant gifts allow him to subconsciously understand any and all languages. As is the case with many characters over the years, as different writers have taken on projects, they imagine new ways for the characters’ powers to manifest. In this way, Cypher has become increasingly more interesting and powerful. Jonathan Hickman placed Cypher front and center in his Dawn of X era as he was able to communicate with Krakoa, the sentient island inhabited by the mutants. Cypher also has a fantastic relationship with the techno-organic alien Warlock, a character who COULD make as big of a splash win fans as Groot first did. Unlike the Fox films, the MCU is very likely to feature some of the X-Men’s cosmic adventures, making a spot for Cypher all but mandatory.

    Destiny

    One of the most powerful precogs in all of Marvel Comics, Destiny has played a major role in X-books over the last few years and seems…destined…to continue to do so. Following a classic archetype, Destiny lost her vision in her early teens as her ability to see the future grew. Fox’s X-films chose to focus heavily on Destiny’s long-time lover, Mystique, but strangely never included Destiny, who, with Mystique, reorganized the terrorist organization the Brotherhood of Mutants. In the comics, mutants have seen more than their fair share of major events, from the rise of Apocalypse to M-Day and even the Dawn of X…and Destiny foresaw them all. A powerful precog with an ever-changing agenda seems like a character who could serve as a wonderful wild card as Marvel Studios brings the mutants to their shared universe.

    Forge

    Forge’s mutant abilities made him a powerful technopath, but it’s his genius as an inventor that makes him truly fascinating…that and the fact that he’s also a pretty skilled sorcerer to boot. Raised in a Cheyenne tribe, the man known only as Forge has one the absolute wildest histories of any mutant. He’s served in the military, developed weapons for the Department of Defense (including one of the most devastating anti-mutant weapons ever created) and, over time, turned himself into a cyborg. Everything about Forge converges to make him exactly the type of character fans have come to expect to see in MCU properties. He should be front and center of the first wave of mutant projects developed by Marvel Studios.

    Kitty Pryde

    Kitty Pryde, played by Elliot Page in a pair of Fox’s X-films, is among the most tragically misused characters under Fox’s watch. Although the character got a bit of redemption in
    X-Men: Days of Future Past, the studio never came near to exploring the full potential of Shadowcat. A member of the main X-Men team, Excalibur and, more recently the leader of the Marauders and part of the Quiet Council that serves as the governing body of Krakoa, Pryde deserves to be at the forefront of Marvel Studios’ efforts. Given the complexity of her character and the multiple audiences to whom she would appeal, Pryde should be one of the building blocks of this iteration of the mutants’ story (and I’m told Kevin Feige is a big fan).

    Lilandra Neramani

    If the MCU is going to space with these mutants, they must include the Shi’ar Empire. And that means they must include Lilandra Neramani. In this regard, Kevin Feige and the Marvel Studios Parliament would do well to learn from X-Men: The Animated Series which saw Lilandra and the Shi’ar figure prominently into one of the show’s best arcs. The dynamics of the Neramani family are absolutely fascinating in the comics and could make for a wonderful Game of Thrones-style project on their own and their story could be sprinkled into a few X-projects before taking center stage. Of course, Lilandra’s love affair with Professor X is one of the great landmark events of Charles’ life and could provide ready-made drama to the MCU’s mutants fairly early on. Her presence in Charles’ life would also allow for an entirely different side of his character to be explored than was ever done in Fox’s films.

    Madrox(es)

    Like Kitty Pryde, Madrox has already been done in live-action; however, also like Kitty Pryde, Madrox has never REALLY been done in live-action. Unlike most other mutants, Multiple Man’s mutant powers began to work immediately after his birth, with his first dupe popping out when the doctor smacked his ass to get that first cry. Marvel Studios will almost certainly take advantage of the multiple X-teams that have appeared in the books over the years and as far as telling a great Madrox story goes, that should mean adapting Peter David’s X-Factor. One of the greatest works of one of Marvel Comics’ all-time great writers, X-Factor totally reimagined the original purpose of the X-Factor team and follows Madrox and a team of mutants as they open up X-Factor Investigations. Though it may take a while to get to a point in their story where this arc fits well, this story, with Madrox at the center (and left…and right) is one that MUST be adapted to the screen, whether big or small.

    Selene

    One of the first mutants to make her way into recorded history, Selene Gallio’s personal history alone makes her a must for Marvel Studios’ mutant tales. However, her connection to the Externals, a group of supremely powerful immortal mutants that includes Apocalypse, could allow Marvel Studios to put a mutie-spin on a classic fantasy franchise: Highlander. Marvel Studios could adapt a mini-arc that kicked off in Jeph Loeb’s X-Force run and see Selene and the other Externals hunt, kill and absorb the life force of one another. If they land the right actress for the role, a Selene solo-series could serve as the de facto History of the MCU project, something ETERNALS should have done better, and introduce the Externals.

    Vulcan

    Should Marvel Studios decide to put the Summers’ family at the center of their MCU mutant franchise, they’ll have the opportunity to introduce the most powerful and craziest of the Summers’ brothers: Gabriel. Gabriel’s origins are horrifying and, as he grew in power, he did some horrifying things. Introducing his father early on allows for Gabriel (and his brothers) to take some time to develop and while Gabe can be a part of some pretty cool stuff early on, he could be the gateway character to Marvel Studios adapting one of its greatest Cosmic crossover events: War of Kings. Marvel Studios has shown it’s willingness to be patient and play the long game. Introducing Vulcan early on allows them to do that with a huge payoff looming at the end.

  • Marvel Studios Kevin Feige Almost Went to DC After Ike Perlmutter Dispute

    Marvel Studios Kevin Feige Almost Went to DC After Ike Perlmutter Dispute

    Here’s an interesting surprise it looks like the conflict between Kevin Feige, the CEO of Marvel Studios, and Ike Perlmutter, the CEO and Chairman of Marvel, almost led to the MCU producer joining Warner Bros.’ DC department. In a new piece by Puck, they reveal he entered discussions around the mid-2010 as he was facing some issues with Perlmutter, which were quite famously documented. This may have also led to a promotion in 2015 to work with Alan Horn. He would eventually become Marvel Entertainment’s Chief Creative Officer as well while supervising Marvel Studios.

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe definitely wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for Feige’s leading hand, and he’s quite a passionate person about telling these stories. Disney may have faced quite the challenge if he decided to leave, as there aren’t many in the industry that could’ve taken over the vision that was set out. He’s famous for planning in advance where their franchise is heading, and his imprint is definitely on these projects.

    Of course, it’s always strange to think about what could’ve been, and DC may have been very different if he did indeed take over the project. There have been many reports on Ike Perlmutter‘s infamous frugality that has led to many issues. He also established the creative council that led the original projects and strongly restricted what Feige could do, especially when it came to embracing more diverse characters. If you’ve ever wondered why it took so long for a Black Widow film to get going, he’s the one that wouldn’t even let them release toys based on the character.

    Source: Puck via The Direct

  • HBO Max’s ‘Raised by Wolves’ Canceled After 2 Seasons

    HBO Max’s ‘Raised by Wolves’ Canceled After 2 Seasons

    After airing for two seasons on the HBO Max streaming platform, Raised by Wolves has been canceled. The Ridley Scott-produced series was originally ordered to series on TNT back in 2018 before being transferred to the WarnerMedia streaming service before its premiere in 2020. In a statement made to Variety by HBO Max, they officially announced they weren’t moving forward with a third season, but remained complementary to the entire team behind the show.

    While we are not proceeding with a third season of Raised by Wolves, we are beyond grateful to the stellar cast and crew, our creators Aaron Guzikowski, Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, and the entire team at Scott Free Productions, for their beautiful artistry and unique ability to immerse fans into the world of Kepler-22b.

    HBO Max

    The series starred the likes of Amanda Collin, Abubakar Salim, Travis Fimmel, Niamh Algar, and Kim Engelbrecht. This series served as the directorial debut for Ridley Scott on an American television program.

    The news of this cancellation comes at a time of large amounts of turnover across the entire WarnerMedia company under the new leadership of David Zaslav. The new CEO has spearheaded a mentality of conserving financial assets which has caused a massive shakeup thus far in consolidating a large number of projects (as seen with the large amounts of cancellations seen across the board and shutting down production for any new scripted programs on the TNT and TBS networks).

    It remains to be seen what further changes will occur under the WarnerMedia umbrella. As well, the question can certainly be asked if the critically successful Raised by Wolves series may be able to find new life on another network or platform.


    Source: Variety

  • RUMOR: Amber Heard’s Scenes in ‘Aquaman 2’ May Have been Cut

    RUMOR: Amber Heard’s Scenes in ‘Aquaman 2’ May Have been Cut

    Amber Heard and Johnny Depp‘s trial has been in the news for quite some time. During, there were many reveals regarding her role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, as well as Depp talking about what would’ve been his last Pirates of the Caribbean film. Yet, as Heard didn’t want out of her contract as hoped by Warner Bros., it seems that they may have decided to delete all her scenes in the upcoming Aquaman sequel after all.

    The news comes from Geeks Worldwide’s KC Walsh who shared the tidbit on his Twitter. Of course, there are no details but it does seem like they may have decided to move away from her entirely after already minimizing her role to some extent. It’s unclear how they may write around her absence, but we could see some reshoots in the future if this turns out to be true.

    If they had a meeting, it is very likely in response to the trial and worries from the corporation to draw in any more negative attention. Amber Heard has been the focus of coverage for this trial, especially on Social Media. For now, there’s no official word by Warner Bros. Discovery, which is going through quite a bit of change. So, we’ll see if they will even make an official announcement if this decision has truly been made.

    Source: Twitter

  • Tahar Rahim Joins Dakota Johnson-Led ‘Madame Web’ Cast

    Tahar Rahim Joins Dakota Johnson-Led ‘Madame Web’ Cast

    Sony is moving fast with their upcoming adaptation of the Spider-Man character of Madame Web. After casting Dakota Johnson in the titular role, they swiftly added Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor. Now, the film directed by S.J. Clarkson has added The Serpent‘s Tahar Rahim.

    There’s no word on who exactly he may playing, as we know very little about the way they’ll adapt this character’s comic history. Madame Web is normally an elderly woman that was kept alive through a device that looked like a spider’s web. She had power over the Spider-Verse and became a constant mentor figure for Spidey’s more out-there adventures.

    It seems Sony wants to make her their version of Doctor Strange, but it’ll be interesting to see how they manage to adapt it. There’s a lot of potentials to create an interesting original story around the character, and it seems we shouldn’t expect your typical hero vs. villain structure.

    Sony has been obsessed with building its own Spider-Man universe even as it starts tacking elements from MCU’s playbook due to their Home-themed Spider-Man franchise. No Way Home confirmed that Sony won’t be playing in the same toolbox as them, but it’s also unsure who exactly would carry this franchise potentially.

    Tom Holland remains in his own universe, which is very likely to have a fourth entry on the horizon. So, we can only speculate for now what the future has in store and which Spider-Man this group of anti-heroes may potentially join or fight. As of now, we have no clue how exactly it may fit together just yet.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’s Directors Reveal the Inner Thought Animations Weren’t Part of the Initial Scripts

    ‘Ms. Marvel’s Directors Reveal the Inner Thought Animations Weren’t Part of the Initial Scripts

    There was a lot of excitement when the first trailer dropped for Ms. Marvel, as it seemingly promised what may be Disney+’s most inventive series by Marvel Studios yet. With a fun atmosphere of a young heroine trying to find her place in the world and as a superhero, we also got some creative visualizations that bring her inner thoughts to life. It turns out, this wasn’t part of the initial script.

    Directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah revealed how they had the idea during the Disney+ show’s red carpet premiere. They added the animation as they had the idea to use it as a way to highlight the character’s inner thoughts and further emphasize that she’s a daydreamer.

    We needed to set her up right. That’s why we wanted to add animation to it. It was not in the script, we wanted to get into her head, into her fantasy. We wanted to have an endearing and charming character. And have someone that Muslim girls all over the world can relate to, but also tell that universal story everybondy can feel a connection with.

    Adil El Arbi

    They definitely stood out in the initial trailer and highlight the influences it takes from films like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It would be interesting if they also make their way into future appearances for the character, something that someone like Deadpool might notice and reference. We know she’ll also appear in next year’s The Marvels, which could further build upon her inner thoughts as she’s among the Avengers she’s been idolizing for so long.

    Source: Twitter

  • The Ultimate List of What To Watch Before ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    The Ultimate List of What To Watch Before ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Chris Hemsworth is returning as the titular superhero, Natalie Portman will reprise her role as Jane Foster after almost ten years, Tessa Thompson is King Valkyrie this time around, and Christian Bale will make his MCU debut as the villainous Gorr the God Butcher. Members of the Guardians of the Galaxy will also have a role in Love and Thunder. It has been described as both a romance and a “midlife crisis”, so it will definitely be an interesting addition to the MCU.

    There are 17 total recommendations, and they are listed by likely importance. First, there are projects that are essential to watch before the fourth Thor solo film. Second, there are projects that we would strongly encourage you to watch but likely are not strictly necessary. Third, there are extra stories that could heighten your Love and Thunder experience but may ultimately have very little impact on the film itself. You have until the film releases on July 8, 2022, to get prepared. Let the god butchering begin.

    Essential

    There are seven films that will undoubtedly be directly important to Love and Thunder: Thor; Thor: The Dark World; Thor: Ragnarok; Avengers: Infinity War; Avengers: Endgame; Guardians of the Galaxy; and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. But some are likely much more important than others—below is the list of these in essential films in order of how important they will be to understanding and enjoying Love and Thunder.

    1. Thor: Ragnarok
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Ragnarok’

    The third installment of the Thor solo franchise tops the list of what you should watch before Love and Thunder for several reasons. Probably most influential is the fact that Thor: Ragnarok is the first and only other MCU film to be directed by Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi. His eclectic, colorful, visually stunning, and humorous style is unmatched in the God of Thunder’s franchise in the MCU as a whole. There is very little question about which MCU film will be most related to Love and Thunder for that reason. Many important Thor 4 characters were also introduced in Ragnarok: Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie, Waititi’s Korg, and Korg’s best bud Miek. This film also explains why New Asgard exists on Earth, Thor’s loss of his father and homeworld, and the destruction of Mjolnir.

    2. Thor
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor’

    Considering Love and Thunder is the latest installment in the character’s solo franchise, taking it back to the beginning is always important. Thor, of course, introduces the superhero to the MCU and explains his origins, Mjolnir, and generally lays the foundation for all things Thor-related—Asgard, Loki, Odin, Frigga, Heimdall, you name it. To be fair, all of those are dead now. But it also introduces Natalie Portman’s future Mighty Thor, Jane Foster. Most of what we know about Jane in the MCU comes from this movie, as the sequel does not expand on her personal story or background all that much. Of course, their romantic relationship begins in Thor as well.

    3. Avengers: Infinity War
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

    Avengers: Endgame is arguably more important than Avengers: Infinity War, but in terms of watching order, it makes the most sense to watch the third Avengers before the fourth. Infinity War shows the immediate aftermath of Ragnarok and Thor’s grief stemming from those events. As was made obvious in Endgame, this emotional journey was pivotal for the character. Stormbreaker was forged here, and this is where he first met the Guardians of the Galaxy. Lastly, absolutely vital to any enjoyment of Love and Thunder is Infinity War’s explanation as to why Thor no longer has an eyepatch after Ragnarok.

    4. Avengers: Endgame
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Avengers: Endgame’

    We last saw Thor in Avengers: Endgame, and Thor’s whereabouts, physical state, and mental state in Love and Thunder are coming directly from the end of Endgame. The Love and Thunder trailer showcased the notorious “Fat Thor” working out before we see a return of Thor’s more traditional physique. The character’s interest in settling down we see in the trailer is also likely a result of his processing of the events beginning in Ragnarok and continuing through Endgame. The fourth Avengers film also introduces New Asgard, Valkyrie as the new King of New Asgard, and ends with Thor going off with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Essentially, Endgame is the immediate predecessor for Love and Thunder, even if Thor is not the main character.

    5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’

    While it is unclear how much of a role the Guardians of the Galaxy will play in Love and Thunder, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is the last outing of the team other than Infinity War and Endgame. It also introduces Pom Klementieff’s Mantis who we see in the Thor 4 trailer. In general, it highlights the most recent roster of the Guardians, including some work with developing Karen Gillan’s Nebula. The Guardians’ journey will undoubtedly be explored more in next year’s Vol. 3, but it is safe to assume Vol. 2’s team is the best foundation for what to expect of them in Love and Thunder.

    6. Thor: The Dark World
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: The Dark World’

    If you have ever existed, you probably already know that Thor: The Dark World, the follow-up to Thor, is one of the least-loved films in the MCU. Nevertheless, it is a Thor film, and watching it will round out your Thor franchise viewing ahead of Love and Thunder. It is also the last time we see Jane Foster, so The Dark World is pretty significant to her character considering she was only in two movies about a decade ago. It shows the death of his mother, which is significant to his character and I suppose could be referenced in the upcoming movie. But needless to say, if you skip any Thor movie, this one is a good choice.

    7. Guardians of the Galaxy
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy

    Since the Guardians likely may not have a huge role in Love and Thunder, getting acquainted with their first outing is not as vital as the other films. Still, they will be there and Guardians of the Galaxy introduces most of the main players and is fundamental to who they are in the MCU. It also is a great survey of some cosmic MCU elements that have otherwise not been explored extensively, even by the Thor franchise. Judging by the Love and Thunder trailer, the cosmos will get some more attention soon.

    Encouraged

    These next five projects have a strong chance of being directly relevant to Love and Thunder. But even if you are not familiar with them, their potential influence on the Thor outing should not be so important that you would be missing something. Still, if you have the time and you want to be totally prepared, these encouraging films and series are great additions to your watchlist.

    8. Black Panther
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Panther’

    While the bulk of Black Panther might not be all that helpful to the Love and Thunder experience, the film lands at the top of this section because there seems to be one specific connection. The Goddess Bast had been rumored to be part of the movie and looks to have been spotted in an official still from the film. According to Wakandan legend in the MCU, Bast led Bashenga to the Heart-Shaped Herb, granting him the power to become the king and the first Black Panther. Outside of the MCU’s current lore, Bast or Bastet is a member of the ancient Egyptian pantheon, which is explored a bit further in Moon Knight.

    9. Moon Knight
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight’

    Much of the rest of this watchlist centers around Love and Thunder‘s villain, Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher. As his title would suggest, he probably likes to kill gods. Thor 4 is set to introduce more MCU gods than we currently know, but we did recently meet a whole gaggle of new ones. The Disney+ series Moon Knight introduced ancient Egyptian gods to the MCU, including Khonshu, Ammit, Osiris, and Taweret. There is plenty of room for Gorr to butcher some of these or related gods without it having a major effect on the MCU or even any potential Moon Knight follow-up, but it would allow Love and Thunder to give Gorr some credits to his God Butcher name.

    10. Eternals
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Eternals’

    This one is a little trickier, but the Celestials introduced in Eternals could be relevant to Gorr’s journey. Celestials are sometimes known as “space gods”, but they are not the traditional types of gods as we are used to—Asgardian, Egyptian, Greek, etc. One major fan theory floating around believes that Gorr may have killed the Celestial whose head is now known as Knowhere (as seen in Guardians of the Galaxy). So if Celestials (or even the Eternals) could be “gods” to Gorr, there’s no reason why he could not target them at some point in Love and Thunder.

    11. Avengers: Age of Ultron
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’

    If you want to get the full scope of live-action Thor, you will need to watch or rewatch the first two Avengers films as well. While neither seems like they will be overly relevant, Avengers: Age of Ultron is a bit more important because Mjolnir gets a little time to shine. When the Avengers try to lift the hammer and when Vision actually does, there is some focus on what makes someone “worthy”. This is a concept that will presumably play into Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor and her use of the repaired Mjolnir.

    12. Avengers
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Avengers’

    There is not much for Avengers to add to the rest of the list other than that is part of Thor’s story and journey in the MCU. If you’ve watched everything else so far, watching Avengers will finish up your viewing of all things (live-action) Thor. Although, if you do plan to watch these all, doing it in chronological release order is probably the way to go.

    13. Loki
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Loki’

    Loki is somewhat like Eternals in the sense that it could be relevant. Unlike Eternals, though, the Tom Hiddleston-led series does not have any obvious gods for Gorr to butcher. But the reason it is on the list is that the introduction of Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror Variant likely sets up one of the MCU’s next big bads. While Love and Thunder does not have any known major multiverse connections, it cannot be completely ruled out in the Phase Four project. Also, if Gorr the God Butcher is roaming the universe killing gods, it is not too wild to think that he could come across another villain that is acting as a universal conqueror. If Marvel is going to build Kang up more ahead of his lead role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, he could have a brief appearance in Love and Thunder or even in a post-credits scene. In any event, Loki obviously showcases Loki, Brother of Thor, even if he is no longer on the same timeline as Thor.

    Extra

    These last few recommendations really speak for themselves. With the exception of What If.. ? they are not even related to the MCU, but they’re a love letter to the Love and Thunder experience and are perfect to get into if you still can’t get enough prep for the fourth Thor.

    14. What If… ?
    Marvel Studios’ ‘What If… ?’

    If you want to make sure you have seen every single appearance of Thor in the MCU in its entirety, you’ll need to check out What If… ? “Party Thor” makes an appearance in Episodes 7-9, which includes his own episode (with Jane Foster) and the final two episodes of the season.

    15. Hercules (1997)
    Disney’s ‘Hercules’ (1997)

    Hear me out. We know Love and Thunder will feature the Olympians, and we got a hint of Russell Crowe’s Zeus in the teaser trailer. There is no MCU foundation for this group of gods yet, so if you’re already watching all your Thor content on Disney+, you only have to scroll a bit to find the ’90s animated classic, Hercules. You will get some sort of survey of Greek gods including Zeus and Hercules, and Love and Thunder might hit harder if you feel like it’s some sweet singing cartoons that Gorr is butchering.

    16. The Dark Knight Trilogy
    Warner Bros.’ ‘The Dark Knight Rises’

    Speaking of making Love and Thunder hit harder based on unrelated films, get your Christian Bale fix and get the ability to picture Batman the God Butcher if you’re so inclined by revisiting Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

    17. Titanic
    Paramount’s ‘Titanic’

    Director Taika Waititi has described Love and Thunder as a full-blown romance film. It is hard to picture an MCU movie featuring a “God Butcher” as a true love story, but maybe that’s the point. Waititi has the skill the bring a completely unexpected film to the table, and he has several times teased the “love” in Love in Thunder. If you think you might have trouble getting into the mindset for a romance, watching the most financially-successful romance movie of all time could help you out.

    Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters on July 8, 2022.

  • New ‘Black Adam’ Promo Art Teases a Showdown With Hawkman

    New ‘Black Adam’ Promo Art Teases a Showdown With Hawkman

    It looks like some more promo art for Black Adam has found its way online highlighting the members of the Justice Society of America. Not only that, but it also highlights Black Adam as part of the team. While he seems like an unlikely candidate to join any kind of team, the new promotional images offer a good look at the members of the team, which we previously saw through Funko Pops that don’t highlight every detail these characters will bring to the table. The images were shared by @DCversio1.

    https://twitter.com/dcverso1/status/1532739808031801346?s=21&t=ujGwSqgSnbxre1_IQlFv6Q

    Overall, the costumes look great, and it’ll be interesting to see if we get a full showdown between the heroes with the newfound ally that has his own understanding of what it means to represent justice. ‘One of the promotional material seems to imply that there will be a battle with Hawkman at least.

    https://twitter.com/DCverso1/status/1532740366037835777

    The visual of having the members be highlighted with diamonds while Black Adam is a lightning bolt highlights that he may be among other heroes, he definitely stands out on his own terms. We see a continued highlight of Doctor Fate’s unique mask that seems split down the middle with one side reflecting order and possibly chaos, something our very own John Sabato has noted in the past. Or, he just took a punch from the almighty wielder of the power of Shazam that left quite a sizeable dent in his helmet.

    The introduction of the JSA is also a big moment for DC movies and may highlight there’s more than just the Justice League. We’re still anticipating a trailer that offers us a better look at these heroes in action. Maybe the first trailer teases that very battle for supremacy included in the promo art.

    Source: Twitter

  • Arian Moayed Describes ‘Ms. Marvel’ Co-Star Iman Vellani as “a Phenom” 

    Arian Moayed Describes ‘Ms. Marvel’ Co-Star Iman Vellani as “a Phenom” 

    Arian Moayed only just joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in December’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, and he’s already gearing up to return. The Iranian-born actor is set to make his second appearance as Department of Damage Control Agent Cleary in the upcoming series Ms. Marvel, which debuts on Disney+ next week. Moayed will co-star with an immensely talented cast, which includes newcomer Iman Vellani in the title role as teen hero Kamala Khan.

    Speaking with Variety on the red carpet premiere of the show, the Succession star was asked what he thought of Vellani’s performance, which has received praise from critics in early reviews. Moayed seemed to agree, calling the young actress a “phenom”:

    She’s a phenom, and I’m not joking. She’s an immigrant, from Pakistan, grew up in Canada. There’s an immigrant quality there so she’s working hard, you can already know that…She really just has all of the natural skills. I think we’re going to be very excited to see her in a lot of things moving forward.

    Arian Moayed

    The actor also commented on what it means to him, as an immigrant himself, to see Vellani get the spotlight as a role model for young children. Moayed hopes that the series will help change how the world perceives the Muslim community:

    I’m an Iranian immigrant. I grew up, the best that we had was ‘Aladdin’, which was also amazing. But now to imagine, so many years later, there is a Muslim show with a superhero. It’s just going to change how people perceive us.

    Arian Moayed

    Ms. Marvel hits the small screen on June 8th.