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  • ‘Naomi’ Not Returning for a Second Season on the CW

    ‘Naomi’ Not Returning for a Second Season on the CW

    The CW has canceled a slew of shows including the DC Comics adaptation Naomi.

    After finishing its first season just two days ago, the CW has confirmed Naomi will not be returning for a second season. The news, while unfortunate, shouldn’t be too surprising. Despite having Ava DuVernay behind the project and plenty of critical acclaim, the series failed to find an audience like most of the network’s shows.

    This marks the latest DC Comics television series to get the ax following the cancellations of Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman. Currently, renewal decisions have yet to be made for The Flash, which is rumored to end after Season 9, Stargirl, and Riverdale. Superman & Lois has already been renewed for a third season. A new DC Show, titled Gotham Knights, has filmed a pilot for the network; a decision regarding that title has not yet been made either although it is expected to be ordered to series.

    While the CW has been notorious for its low ratings, it was recently announced that the network might soon be going up for sale. In the past, The CW benefited greatly from its Netflix deal, which was thought to bring in a fair amount of revenue while in place. Unfortunately, after that deal was not renewed with Warner Bros. looking to use its own streaming service instead, the CW shows suffered. It is currently thought that Nexstar is the frontrunner to purchase the CW, although it is unlikely a deal will be made in time for the network’s upfronts presentation next week.

    Source: THR

  • CW Cancels ‘Charmed’ After 4 Seasons

    CW Cancels ‘Charmed’ After 4 Seasons

    For years, CW has been the network where shows seemingly managed to hold on for quite some time, especially if you think of shows like Arrow, The Flash, and Supernatural. Yet, they’ve been on a cancelation spree as of late. Just a few weeks ago, they’ve canceled Batwoman after it ran for three seasons even as the show managed to get more momentum in its second weekend. Still, as rumors are making the rounds that Warner Bros. Discovery is interested in selling the network, they are seemingly cleaning house.

    Next in line for the chopping block is Charmed, which has now been canceled after running for four seasons on the network. Its viewership wasn’t strong as it was ranked 17th among all 19 currently airing dramas on the CW. So, it’s no surprise that it may have been up for cancelation as it lost viewers over the years. The reboot saw Madeline Mantock, Melonie Diaz, and Sarah Jeffery take on the roles of witches Macy, Mel, and Maggie. Together with their British mentor, Rupert Evans as the Whitelighter Harry, they faced many dangers.

    the third season added one more member to the Charmed family, as Lucy Barrett joined Michaela. The series was an adaptation of the original Charmed that ran from 1998 until 2006 and included Alyssa Milano, Shannen Doherty, Rose McGowan, Holly Marie Combs, and Kaley Cuoco. It’s a shame the series was canceled and it seems that it’s not the only series on the chopping block as some newer additions are also facing a similar face.

    Source: TVLine

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Directors Reveal Surprising Influences on Disney+ Show

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Directors Reveal Surprising Influences on Disney+ Show

    Many modern-day projects have a wide variety of influences that help inspire their visuals, storytelling approach, and core concepts. Sometimes there are some surprising additions that help make the project still stand out amongst many others. It looks like Disney+’s upcoming Ms. Marvel series has some rather curious inspirations. Director duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah talk about the many inspirations that helped them bring the project to life.

    A big part of the adjustment for them was working outside of their “comfort zone” of R-ratings, as they “can’t go full Bad Boys” with a project that focuses on a younger audience. Still, they talked out the many influences that helped shape the film such as Spike Lee‘s iconic tracking shot, VFX influences taken from anime, and many teen classics, such as John Hughes films, Booksmart, Scott Pilgram vs. the World and Parker Lewis Can’t Lose.

    It’ll be interesting to see how Anime has influenced some of the VFX effects, especially with how varied the designs are from one animation to another. Scott Pilgram‘s influences are pretty obvious with the animated think bubbles and some of the reactions in the initial trailer. Here’s hoping they also dive deep into some fun transitions, which made that film a standout back when it was released. Spike Lee is also such a curious choice, but them using his famous tracking shots could lead to some iconic visual designs to make the series pop in comparison to the rest.

    Source: Empire Magazine via Twitter

  • ‘This is Spinal Tap’ Sequel in Development, Original Cast Set to Return

    ‘This is Spinal Tap’ Sequel in Development, Original Cast Set to Return

    It’s time to crank it all the way up to 11, as Spinal Tap is getting a sequel. Deadline has broken the news as Michael McKean, Rob Reiner, Harry Shearer, and Christopher Guest are back to revive the classic mockumentary. It’ll be the first project for the newly revived film division Castle Rock Entertainment. Reiner is once again returning in the director’s chair and will play Marty DiBergi once again, as he makes a new mockumentary on McKean‘s David St. Hubbins, Shearer‘s Derek Smalls, and Guest‘s Nigel Tufnel, who are known as England’s sauciest heavy metal band.

    In an interview with Deadline, Reiner talked about how their goal is to have the sequel release on the 40th anniversary of the original.

    The plan is to do a sequel that comes out on the 40th anniversary of the original film and I can tell you hardly a day goes by without someone saying, why don’t you do another one? For so many years, we said, ‘nah.’ It wasn’t until we came up with the right idea how to do this. You don’t want to just do it, to do it. You want to honor the first one and push it a little further with the story.

    Rob Reiner

    This announcement is hot off the heels of the original returning to the Cannes Film Festival, as part of the Cinema de la Plage sidebar. The original was a critical darling when it was released in 1984 and would eventually be deemed “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” according to the Library of Congress before it was preserved by the National Film Registry. So, we’ll see if the sequel manages to keep that spirit alive.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Unused Concept Art Reveals Lemire-Smallwood’s Inspired Khonshu

    ‘Moon Knight’ Unused Concept Art Reveals Lemire-Smallwood’s Inspired Khonshu

    Moon Knight may have some of Marvel Studios’ most creative designs as it pays tribute to the original comics while also adding some interesting details that make them pop in live-action. We just recently got a good look at some unused Mr. Knight designs that highlighted what may have been, but now Marvel studios’ Visual Development Supervisor, Jackson Sze, shared some amazing concept art that offers a look at a comic-accurate Khonshu.

    https://twitter.com/jacksonsze/status/1524815527834595335?s=21

    The design looks fantastic, as it’s heavily inspired by Lemire and Smallwood’s run with the character. We would often see him sitting in a chair with webs adding to the overall atmosphere. We did get to see Khonshu wear the iconic suit in Moon Knight‘s post-credit sequence but not in this haunting visual style.

    Here’s hoping that the project gets a second season or even a film that further explores his psyche, especially if that means we get to see this design brought to life. Seeing how Khonshu has a grip over his life and Jake Lockley, it would add an interesting conflict to fully delve into his DID to create one of Marvel Studios’ most experimental projects.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’s Head Writer on the Khan Family’s Importance

    ‘Ms. Marvel’s Head Writer on the Khan Family’s Importance

    Family is everything, especially when it comes to teenage superheroes. They are their moral support and help them ease into any challenge that they might face. In the Ms. Marvel comics, Kamala Khan’s family played that role as they also help center her as she navigated the challenging life of being a Pakistani-American. Keeping that alive and also bringing in personal experiences to make them feel like our own family. Head Writer Bisha K. Ali had set out to ensure that remains the same in Ms. Marvel‘s Disney+ series, especially as she wanted to ensure that the Khans are a “realistic, non-stereotypical, Muslim family“.

    We know [what] we don’ want to see because we live it. So the intention is always to come from a place of like, ‘Oh, what’s aspirational and beautiful? What don’t people get to see about us?”

    Bisha K. Ali

    If there’s one place that truly represents us as people, it’s our family and how we interact with them. Being able to show the beauty and aspects that others don’t get to witness, or those with similar backgrounds get to relive is important to convey in a series like this. The Khans were an important aspect of Kamala’s story in the comics and it’s great that the Disney+ Ms. Marvel series will also stick to that. The last trailer highlighted her relationship with her mother and we’ll see how the rest of her family may influence her evolution as a hero throughout the six-episode series.

    Source: Empire Magazine via Twitter

  • RUMOR: ‘Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’ Sequel’s Title Potentially Revealed

    RUMOR: ‘Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’ Sequel’s Title Potentially Revealed

    Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was quite a unique experience, as the developers took some inspiration from Dark Souls and used similar mechanics in a Star Wars game. We follow the story of Cal Kestis, who is on the run after having lived through Order 66 when he was a young Padawan and is now faced with the Inquisitors. We’ve still waited for some kind of update on the sequel, but a new rumor may have given us at least the title for the sequel.

    Gaming insider Jeff Grub asked some of his Twitch users what they believe the title might end up being, and it turns out colonelsanders21 was the right one to guess it, as Grubb went on to reveal that the title will be Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. He was the first to hint that a reveal for the sequel would follow at some point this month. So, we’ll see if more follows soon.

    UPDATING

    Source: Twitch via The Direct

  • Peacock Developing a ‘Reality Bites’ Series With Original Screenwriter

    Peacock Developing a ‘Reality Bites’ Series With Original Screenwriter

    Reality Bites is getting an update from Peacock. The NBCUniversal-backed streamer is looking to develop what is being called a “reframing” of the 1994 film of the same name. Helen Childress, who wrote the original film, is on board to write the remake which will follow the driven and idealistic Lelaina Pierce and her three best friends as they leave college and learn to be adults in the 90s all while trying to hold onto who they are, as well as each other.

    This is the second attempt at trying to adapt Reality Bites for television by NBCUniversal. Back in 2013, NBC partnered with Ben Stiller, who directed the original film, to develop a scripted comedy adaptation. That project was also penned by Childress with Stacey Sher and Michael Shamberg also on board as producers. Unfortunately, that project ultimately fell apart and Stiller is not currently attached to this latest attempt.

    Reality Bites, which was released by Universal in ’94, earned approximately $33.3 million at the worldwide box office on a $11.5 million budget. It starred Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Steve Zahn, Janeane Garofalo and Stiller.

    Childress will serve as an executive producer alongside Jenna Bans as well as Shamberg, Sher, and Danny DeVito all of whom helped to produce the movie. They’ll also be joined by Casey Kyber (What She Said). This marks the latest Universal film to get the small-screen treatment following the likes of Pitch Perfect and Ted. As of this writing, no cast is attached to this project.

    Source: THR

  • Matt Lintz Gives Some Insight into Bruno Carrelli’s Role in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Matt Lintz Gives Some Insight into Bruno Carrelli’s Role in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Matt Lintz was one of the first actors to join the cast of Ms. Marvel, following Iman Vellani’s casting in the Fall of 2020. Lintz, who will portray Kamala Khan’s best friend, Bruno Carrelli, has made a name for himself with key roles in The Alienist and The Walking Dead, where played Kingdom resident Henry over 4 seasons. Now he’ll be stepping into an even larger role as one of the most important characters in Kamala Khan’s circle and one of the first of her friends to become aware of her secret identity as the costumed hero Ms. Marvel. In an interview with Empire, Lentz gave fans a little insight into the character.

    He really cares for Kamala. If you look at the comics, he has that sidekick feel. He’s the Q, the Alfred.

    In the comics, Bruno and Kamala shared a very complicated friendship. While both of them certainly had romantic feelings for one another, they awkwardly danced around those feelings for quite some time. Instead, their relationship became a bit more focused on her superheroing, where Bruno, who has a genius-level IQ, helped not only to protect her secret identity-especially from her parents-but used his expertise in chemical engineering to develop a polymer he called “super snot” that helped Kamala’s Ms. Marvel costume stretch and grow with her embiggening powers.

    With Rish Shah’s Kamran set to capture Kamala’s eye in the upcoming series, it’s likely that Lentz’s Bruno will find himself going through some of those same awkward moments his character experienced in the comics. What’ll be more interesting to see, however, is how his character applies his genius to Kamala’s new power set, which has been greatly adapted for the MCU.

    Ms. Marvel begins streaming on Disney Plus on June 8th.

    Source: Empire via Twitter

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Musical Battle Was Created in Reshoots

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Musical Battle Was Created in Reshoots

    Reshoots is a dirty word among fans in this business. The general consensus is that when reshoots occur during a big-budget production, it’s a sign that everything is a total mess behind-the-scenes and fires need to be put out. While that is the case in certain situations, most of the time it’s a standard byproduct of the production pipeline. Oftentimes, it’s when a lot of unexpected magic happens as filmmakers have a better perspective of their movie now that they’ve seen it on the cutting room floor.

    Case in point, the reshoots of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness birthed the astounding musical fight scene between two Stranges fighting for the Darkhold. Fandom.com spoke with Danny Elfman who revealed that the scene was conceptualized during reshoots:

    Whereas the musical battle was very late in the game, and Sam was returning to England to shoot a second time. He says, ‘I’ve got this idea,’ and he’s describing it to me. And I said, ‘Sam, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.’ And he’s like, ‘Don’t worry, don’t worry, you’ll see it, you’ll see.’

    Danny Elfman

    That particular showdown is undeniably one of the most exciting fight sequences the MCU has ever had. It’s a fight scene that harkens back to the fantastical days of Disney in Fantasia as well as the audacious mindbending journeys of Doctor Strange in the Silver Age. It’s also surprising to learn that the idea wasn’t necessarily from Elfman but from director Sam Raimi himself. Regardless, the scene is a great encapsulation of Raimi’s creative relationship with Elfman, which goes back decades.

    Source: Fandom