It looks like Laura Karpman has been quite busy, as Variety has just revealed that she composed the score for Ms. Marvel, which will make its debut in just a few weeks. The five-time Emmy winner has worked on a variety of projects such as HBO’s Lovecraft Country and also worked on the MCU projects What If…? and will be busy with next year’s The Marvels. Her working on both projects where Iman Vellani will take on the role of Kamala Khan is quite interesting and might add some nice connective tissue between them. She shares her enthusiasm for joining the project in the following statement:
I am thrilled to be a part of a wonderfully diverse team that is bringing Kamala Khan off the pages of her comic book and into your homes this June. She is an epic superhero hailing from a rich musical heritage that was a joy to be immersed in.
Laura Karpman
It definitely seems like they want to keep some connectivity between these projects, especially with Ms. Marvel potentially building into the upcoming MCU film. It’ll b interesting to see how they might also differentiate between each other, but given the fact, Captain Marvel plays a key role in the young Pakistani-American’s growing role into a superhero, it wouldn’t be surprising if we get the newest rendition of her theme song in the film. So, we’ll get a tase of what’s to come in June luckily.
At this point, it’s hard to say who hasn’t been rumored to appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While it has been pointed out in the past that some rumored cameos weren’t ever truly on the board outside of early talks, most notably Tom Cruise as Iron Man, a new rumor is adding some more fuel to the fire to what may have been left on the cutting room floor throughout the film#s production. The Weekly Planet podcast’s James Clement has reportedly shared a few more members of the Marvel multiverse that may have appeared.
So somebody sent me a list of five characters that were going to be in this movie that were cut… So apparently, yeah, the Wanda killing MCU Mordo, that was real. That was going to happen. Michael Fassbender was going to turn up as Magneto… I said [to my source], ‘Were any of these filmed?’ And this person said, ‘Filmed but ultimately cut from the theatrical version,’ which is what my source relates… Balder the Brave as mentioned, though not given a name… Ghost Rider, which is very interesting as a member of the Illuminati.
James Clement
He goes on to highlight that he was going to fight Wanda as well, but even he couldn’t truly survive the onslaught that is Wanda’s fury in Multiverse of Madness. There’s no word, however, if this would’ve been Nicolas Cage reprising his role as Ghost Rider. The mention of Balder the Great was hinted at being the role that Daniel Craig originally was going to tackle. He also goes on to highlight that Deadpool was going to be part of a post-credit sequence.
He was going to fight Wanda and probably die… and Deadpool was going to be in the post-credits scene.
James Clement
So, it’s a little hard to chew that they would film entire sequences but end up just leaving it on the cutting room floor, especially if they managed to get Michael Fassbender to film sequences as Magneto. It also seems unlikely that they would film these sequences and not include them, but the wording could hint at a bonus for the digital release, or perhaps even for an additional theatrical release to give the film the last push to reach a billion. For now, we’ll have to see if anything about this rumor is true.
Shortly after the announcement dropped that not only will David Tennant return to Doctor Who alongside Catherine Tate, we’ve already gotten our first look at his Doctor on the set for the new season. What stands out is that we see him alongside the 13th’s TARDIS, which may hint at it possibly being the 10th Doctor catching up with Jodie Whitaker’s version or he may actually be an in-between regeneration before Ncuti Gatwa takes on the role. The photos are shared by Twitter user @_PigginTeaBreak.
There’s also another shot featuring Tennant in a new coat, or it may just be a better close-up of the one he was wearing, which was obscured due to the distance the photos were taken, as shared by @BadWolfArchives.
There’s a lot we don’t know yet about what the new season of Doctor Who will have in store for us. It almost seems like it’ll be a crossover of multiple versions of the Doctor meeting each other, similar to the 50th anniversary. yet, they could also take it into a different direction and Tennant becomes an in-between version where he returns to an identity of an older version of himself. While it’s not something that has been done before, it would create a unique position for this new generation of Doctor to switch between older versoins of himself.
According to Video Game Chronicles, there are currently not one but three games in development. This adds to recent leaks by journalist Jeff Grubb and influencer NateTheHate adding to the possibility of these projects in development. It seems that Bloober is the one working actively on one of the new Silent Hill entries. This may be a remake of Silent Hill 2 is in some form of development, which will feature “reworked AI, animations, puzzles and several new endings” with a PlayStation exclusive release planned for a limited time.
In addition, we have a new mainline game and an episodic series of “short stories” in some form of development. It seems Until Dawn’s Supermassive might have been in talks before creating the concept for the Dark Pictures anthology. Annapurna Interactive may now be the one involved with the new episode project, but there have seemingly been many in some form of discussion. For now, there’s hope we could see something later this year.
Sissy Spacek and J.K. Simmons are two remarkable acting powerhouses, and for most of its eight episodes, Amazon Prime’s latest science-fiction offering Night Sky feels designed specifically to point that out. The slow-burn series from creators Holden Miller and Daniel C. Connolly centers around elderly couple Irene and Franklin York, played by the aforementioned Academy Award winners, who live a seemingly normal life in a small Illinois town. Of course, normality isn’t what qualifies the show as science-fiction, so there is one major twist – the couple are hiding a mysterious portal to another planet in the ground under their shed. They manage to maintain a fairly dull life despite this shocking secret, until a strange young man emerges from the otherworldly doorway and turns everything they thought they knew upside down. From that point, it’s mostly just really good acting.
The show’s premise will draw people in, but Spacek and Simmons will be the reason they stay. Although the written synopsis may appear to promise moments of visual awe and pulse-pounding discovery, that type of storytelling is actually fairly sparse for most of the series’ runtime. Aside from a handful of truly beautiful cosmic scenes and a subplot involving cult-like bounty hunters, the majority of Night Sky is actually a long-form drama about the endless, overwhelming love shared by Franklin and Irene. In fact, it becomes apparent partway through the season that the whole “space door” plot point, and the ancient organization associated with it, are more so catalysts to challenge and examine the York’s marriage than they are real developments of their own.
This works almost exclusively because the show’s leads are so good at what they do. The series’ writing is very well done, but its pacing is far slower than expected. While the front and back of Night Sky are filled with exciting progress, the middle chunk of episodes suffer from a frustrating lack of life that could leave some viewers in a position of wanting to change the channel. Truthfully, Night Sky does not seem to be structured with the binging model in mind. Most episodes are dense enough that they could use that old-fashioned week of processing and analysis between installments. Attempting to take in more than a couple of episodes at a time could prove to be a bit much, so the recommendation here is to slow your roll and appreciate independent episodes for what they are.
Once the season gets cooking, however, it has a lot of really intriguing things to say. The main point of tension in the York family is the lingering death of their son, Michael, who passed away decades before the start of the show. His loss of life has caused Irene and Franklin to struggle finding meaning in theirs, with their care for each other as the only thing still keeping them around. The sudden arrival of Chai Hansen‘s curious Jude into their lives threatens to rupture the relative peace Franklin has procured for himself and Irene in recent years, but it means something else entirely for his wife, who sees the situation as an opportunity to experience something real again. Much of the personal conflict that follows revolves around the duo’s differing outlooks on how Jude will change their future and affect their views of the past, and makes for a rather compelling relationship drama from a demographic not seen as frequently on television.
The other main plotline in the series follows Julieta Zylberberg’s Stella and her teenage daughter, Rocío Hernández‘s Toni. Without getting too far into spoiler territory, the pair spend much of the show’s first season on a cross-country road trip that forces both to confront questions about themselves they’ve been avoiding for most of their lives. As expected, this drama comes to a head around the same time Franklin and Irene resolve their comeuppance. The common theme shared between the two plots is simple, yet effective. Both pairs of family members spend too much time running in circles, desperately trying to avoid the inevitable. They do so because they are scared, and because change, especially immense change, is a terrifying thing to face head-on. It isn’t until they accept fate and embrace change that they realize how glorious life can be.
The most impressive thing about Night Sky is that it consistently makes you forget there’s a big space portal in the protagonists’ backyard. Where most science-fiction shows tend to bury character drama beneath cool special effects, Amazon’s newest does the exact opposite. The beauty of the series does not come from the infinite universe in which it takes place, but instead from the hearts and souls of the characters that inhabit it.
We’ve all been speculating on what exactly awaits us in the upcoming TheGuardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. We know that the loveable space crew is going to make their return post-Avengers: Endgame in Thor: Love and Thunder but there was some uncertainty about how that might tie into the new special heading to Disney+ this Christmas. Luckily, James Gunn offered some insight into what to expect in a new post on Twitter, where he not only confirmed when it takes place within the MCU’s elusive timeline but also that not every Guardian member is included.
In the tweet, Gunn points out that it takes place between Love and Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. In a way, that confirms that whatever happens in the special may also potentially set up some pot threads in the threequel. Yet, when he mentions a fan-made image, he points out that not every one of the included Guardians will appear in the film. Given its place in the timeline, it’s pretty easy to guess that he likely is implying that Gamora won’t appear in the special. He does confirm it’s part of the MCU canon, which makes it a natural lead into their eventual reunion in Vol. 3.
The above is not an official image, it’s fan-made. Not all of those characters are even in the Holiday special. It takes place between Thor 4 & Vol 3. https://t.co/1cztR2R35g
It fits given the release window and it would’ve been strange if it takes place after Vol. 3, especially with many hints pointing to it being the final installment for this version of the team, especially as James Gunn plans to move on to other projects. It’s great that the team gets a sendoff with a third entry, which almost didn’t happen as initially planned, and even a Holiday Special on top of it all.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not only the biggest movie franchise of its time but the biggest movie franchise of all time. Even if it might have peaked for some when Avengers: Endgame hit theaters in 2019, there’s little reason to think that its cultural impact in 2022 hasn’t surpassed that. With Disney+ now available, the number of projects being released each year has more than doubled, and Marvel Studios doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon with more than two dozen projects set for release in the next few years alone. But all good things must come to an end and this means that the MCU as we know it should eventually do the same, although on its own terms so as to become something more.
New Avengers #1 (2013)
New Avengers #1 (2013)
It certainly does not come down to a lack of demand, but that should not be the only metric Marvel Studios should take into account when making franchise-wide decisions. Identifying issues that might be hurting a massive franchise that has passed its 14th anniversary is extremely important, especially if Marvel has its sights set not only on the next few years but, more significantly, on the next couple of decades.
Storyline Issues
The stories being told are the core of the MCU and issues that prevent them from being as good as can be should be addressed as a top priority. These can be due to several things, but most end up being a consequence of the same core issue: the shared universe.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Due to the intricacy of having so many stories being told through different IPs that either need to come together or stay apart in a way that feels justifiable, it’s perhaps fair to say that both movies and TV shows have had to compromise when it comes to the stories they set out to tell. A character that would have been perfect for a certain situation might not be available due to having a scheduled appearance somewhere else. Or maybe it is felt that its introduction deserves a bigger stage. While choices being made always aim at a better overall franchise, they end up not helping each individual project to be as good as it could be. This problem is only getting bigger and more noticeable as the years go by with the number of storylines, characters, and major events being introduced, especially since earlier storylines didn’t take into account the now real possibility of using a number of previously unavailable characters. While it still seems manageable at the moment, Marvel Studios should now be looking into how to stop while they’re ahead, in order not to hurt the entire brand in a way that might put their past achievements on the line.
Accessibility Issues
Going back to 2019, as Avengers: Endgame was set to premiere, both new and old fans were often gearing up for a complete MCU rewatch as the culmination of 11 years of storytelling was soon approaching. At the time, it only took watching 21 movies, something that while being no small feat, pales in comparison to what is needed to accomplish the same thing today.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
As of now, the post-pandemic MCU has not only added 5 new feature films (soon to be 6), but also 6 new TV shows (soon to be 7), something that likely isn’t helping with how new fans approach the franchise as a whole since it is becoming increasingly difficult to go back and experience it in its entirety. This will probably lead to casual fans choosing select projects to watch while feeling daunted by the magnitude of the rest of the franchise, meaning they’ll probably be missing out on the connective tissue between IPs that makes the MCU so special. So, in a way, and considering the previous point regarding storylines, they might be experiencing lackluster stories without the bonus of the shared universe experience. Die-hard fans will have another vision, as living through the interconnectivity between the projects might somewhat help to hide the imperfections needed to get there. But since Marvel Studios should be focused on bringing in new fans, while of course still appeasing old ones, the fact that the MCU has become too big for newcomers should be a cause for concern. A nice jumping-on point would do the trick, since new fans haven’t gotten that yet, not even after Avengers: Endgame.
How it Should All End
So, considering all this, should Marvel Studios just call it a day and shut down? Of course not. As stated above the MCU as we know it should perhaps end, but only for a neo-MCU to rise from its ashes. And as all signs point to the overall storyline being told at the moment leading to a Secret Wars-inspired event, Marvel Studios might just have an ace up its sleeve when it comes to approaching its future beyond the aforementioned event. If they choose to, obviously.
Secret Wars #0 (2015)
Marvel Studios has been pretty loose when adapting comic events. Age of Ultron, Civil War, and Infinity War are all examples of that. So even if Secret Wars is coming, there is still much room for how it will end up getting translated into live-action. But if the ending somehow stays similar, it may solve just about every issue pointed out above faced by the MCU. At the end of the 2015 comic series, following the collapse of the multiverse and the creation of Battleworld, Earth is restored as Marvel’s Earth-Prime. While not making everything that came before meaningless—in fact, it was everything leading up until then that made this new Earth both a possibility and a reality—this allowed for stories to be retold from a fresh perspective, while also allowing for better integration of all storylines into a single, unified universe. And this is what the MCU will need by the end of its Secret Wars.
Why It Will Be for the Best
For several years, there wasn’t either the budget or the character rights to put the perfect MCU on screen from the start. And nowadays, it has become an issue how to integrate certain characters that should have been a part of it earlier on. Certain storylines were simply avoided due to those constraints while others, even though they worked, had to be adapted in a way that perhaps diminished their appeal and overall impact. Allowing the MCU to scale itself down only to follow that up with a steady-paced growing, aware, and capable franchise that is willing to use all its moving parts/characters/storylines in the best possible way, could only mean good things for this new incarnation of the MCU in the long run.
Secret Wars #9 (2016)
Several actors could keep playing the same characters, new ones would enter the frame, and even legacy characters would be able to return without making audiences feel cheated in the way they were invested in their previous iterations. It would just be a case of letting go in order to both cherish and appreciate the past but also accept that a brighter future might be ahead. No sacrifice made up until then would have been in vain and it would all still have started in a cave with a box of scraps.
A new trailer has arrived teasing early June’s Geeked Week, which will be a special event hosted by Netflix to talk about all their upcoming projects. We’ve gotten teases that we’ll get some news on the live-action One Piece series by then, though a trailer seems very unlikely given they only recently wrapped work on two episodes, and more information on the new The Sandman adaptation. With a new trailer released to celebrate the occasion, Netflix also included quite a few sequences including our first look at Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer in action. Luckily, Fandom pulled the small set of footage showing off Christie’s charming take on Lucifer.
First footage of Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer in Netflix's 'The Sandman' 😈
It’s amazing to see how they’ve adapted Lucifer’s design to live-action and we’ll see what role she’ll have in the story, especially with not knowing how exactly they may tackle the adaptation. The graphic novel’s original creator Neil Gaiman is heavily involved and the footage shown seems like it’s staying true to his vision in many ways. It’s an exciting prospect to finally get a live-action adaptation after many pitches seemingly failed over the years. So, we’ll see what the future has in store for us once we get another full trailer during Geeked Week.
While Pixar is busy promoting its upcoming animated film Lightyear, which will take a closer look at the inspiration behind Toy Story’s Buzz Lightyear, the news has arrived on what we can expect from their upcoming release on June 16th, 2023. It turns out the next feature film will be titled Elemental and Disney has released a first look at the key concept art behind the Pixar film.
The feature film will be directed by The Good Dinosaur‘s Peter Sohn with producer Denise Ream attached. It’ll follow the story of an unlikely pair named Ember and Wade. While polar opposites due to their elemental backgrounds, they will swiftly learn they have something in common in their world where people made of fire, water, land, and air reside. Sohn goes on to highlight the inspiration for this project.
My parents emigrated from Korea in the early 1970s and built a bustling grocery store in the Bronx. We were among many families who ventured to a new land with hopes and dreams—all of us mixing into one big salad bowl of cultures, languages and beautiful little neighborhoods. That’s what led me to ‘Elemental’.
Peter Sohn
In a world where elements are alive, it’s an interesting concept to see how they interact with each other. The concept art already teases how water and fire may not quite mesh well and who knows what other types of characters might find their way into the story. It sounds like a concept that perfectly fits into Pixar’s creative take on storytelling and we’ll see how they bring life to elements in creative ways.
WandaVision introduced us to the iconic Kathryn Hahn’s witchy persona, Agatha Harkness. She was definitely a standout for the series, and it seems that Disney+, as well as Marvel Studios, saw the potential in further exploring her character. In a surprising move, they gave Agatha her own spinoff titled Agatha: House of Harkness. Given what happens to her at the end of WandaVision, it seemed like we might take a step into the past with her upcoming series, but the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may indirectly set up the spinoff series.
After Wanda is taken over by the Darkhold and fully embraces the Scarlet Witch persona, she continues down the path that Agatha warned her about. Yet, after facing the monster that she became, she took down the shrine built in her honor that also led to the end of the Darkhold across the multiverse. While her fate is still left open after a small puff of chaos magic is unleashed before the shrine collapses, it does seem like she’ll be out of commission as a result of the entire structure collapsing on her head.
It would be interesting if they explore her storyline from the Young Avengers: The Children’s Crusade, where she ends up with amnesia and lives with Victor von Doom. We have no idea if that may be the future storyline they are heading towards but one thing is clear: her actions in the film may also end up loosening her grip on Agatha. She was hexed into living a normal suburban life as the nosy neighbor she played while infiltrating Wanda’s initial Westview takeover.
We will likely start the Agatha: House of Harkness series the moment that red puff of chaos magic is unleashed. The Scarlet Witch being hit by the falling debris ends up breaking the curse put upon the witch, who finds herself in Westview again. Now that she’s freed, she starts retracing her steps and we may finally find out what was up with her bunny. Perhaps we even see the return of Evan Peters as Ralph Bohner, who just accepted that Agatha now lives with him.
The big change will be in the fact that she is also no longer controlled by the Darkhold, which seemingly also corrupted her in some way. We may see a redemption story, as Agatha tries to reconnect with the family she left behind for her pursuits in witchcraft. We’ve gotten a glimpse into how that world of the MCU’s magic works, but the series would give us a chance to truly dive deep into the history of witchcraft we’ve only gotten a glimpse at, as Agatha tries to find her place in the world without the Darkhold’s control and faces the consequences of her actions in the past.
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