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  • Elizabeth Olsen Teases “Different Versions” of Scarlet Witch’s MCU Future

    Elizabeth Olsen Teases “Different Versions” of Scarlet Witch’s MCU Future

    While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness focused on Benedict Cumberbatch’s titular hero for the first time since his 2016 debut film, the sequel undoubtedly put some other characters in the spotlight as well. Xochitl Gomez had a triumphant introduction as America Chavez, and some major cameos got quite a bit of attention. Still, it was Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff that stole plenty of scenes in the film, and her adversarial role as the Scarlet Witch was fantastic.

    Wanda has been a fan favorite at least since her Disney+ series WandaVision, which saw the character (first introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron) finally take on the Scarlet Witch mantle. With her popularity so high, fans have been clamoring for more. While a Scarlet Witch solo project seems likely, Olsen herself recently teased where the antihero’s story may go. Speaking to Extra, the actress stated:

    There’s a couple different versions of what could happen at the end of this film. Mostly, I want to hear what the fans who know her best, what they would like to see from her next.

    Elizabeth Olsen

    While MCU actors are notoriously left in the dark about their character’s futures or pretend they are, Olsen seems to suggest that she has some substantial knowledge about her character’s potential future projects. It is also interesting that she seems to want fan input to influence the ultimate direction of the Scarlet Witch. One of the directions Olsen might be teasing could be an adaptation of the popular James Robinson’s 2015 Scarlet Witch solo series. But Wanda Maximoff is not short on major arcs and storylines in the comics.

    In any event, it looks like Olsen just provided a bit more evidence that fans should expect the Scarlet Witch’s return in the MCU after the events of Multiverse of Madness.

    Source: Extra

  • Farhan Akhtar Confirmed to Appear in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Farhan Akhtar Confirmed to Appear in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Moon Knight only recently finished up its six-episode season and the focus is already on the future, as Deadline just dropped a confirmation that Bollywood star Farhan Akhtar has joined the Ms. Marvel Disney+ series in a guest-starring role. They do not know which role exactly he will tackle, but that he’ll have a smaller role as part of the Disney+ series that follows Iman Vellani‘s Kamala Khan, who ends up receiving mysterious powers and may finally have an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of her favorite superheroes.

    It’s interesting to note that Akhtar was already announced to have joined the project back in April of 2021 by India Today, who stated that he was filming in Bangkok at the time. He may be playing a relative of Kamala’s, as they were filming in that location as a backdrop for a family visit from the Khans. Though, it’s also possible he’s playing someone they meet during their time there.

    Ms. Marvel is only a little over a month away and will be our second story within the MCU that explores a young superhero trying to find their place in the world. Unlike Spider-Man, she’ll have no one to truly guide her and will be shaped by the people around her. Here’s hoping the storyline focuses on the support system surrounding Kamala and how important they are to shaping her as a hero, even more than the ones she looks up to.

    Source: Deadline

  • Patrick Stewart Teases a Potential MCU Return for Professor X

    Patrick Stewart Teases a Potential MCU Return for Professor X

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness made big waves with some of its character inclusions. Perhaps most exciting for fans was the inclusion of Patrick Stewart’s return from the X-Men franchise as Charles Xavier. The inclusion of Professor X marks the first mutant we’ve seen in the MCU, as Disney only more recently acquired the film rights to the X-Men characters.

    As a fan favorite in the X-Men movies, as well as his portrayal of the character in Logan, fans were overjoyed at his re-introduction as an alternate universe variant in the Doctor Strange sequel. Stewart himself was a little unsure about returning to the iconic role, but he just teased that there could be more to come. Speaking to Variety, Stewart said:

    Charles Xavier? Yeah. There may be [more apperances]. You know, the whole X-Men comic series is so huge, so vast, there might be an opportunity in which he comes back. We’ll see.

    Patrick Stewart

    Marvel Studios is expected to eventually introduce previous 20th Century Fox-owned characters such as X-Men, Deadpool, and the Fantastic Four into its Marvel Cinematic Universe. As Stewart mentioned, the X-Men universe is incredibly rich and expansive in the comics, and Charles Xavier is one of the biggest characters in that realm. If the MCU does introduce an MCU live-action Xavier, it does not necessarily mean that he will be portrayed by Stewart. Only time will tell, but the acclaimed actor has put in decades of time with the character, and may not wish to return in a major way. Marvel Studios may also be interested in a younger character or simply starting from scratch.

    Source: Variety

  • Patrick Stewart Was “a Little Unsure” About Returning as Charles Xavier in ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Patrick Stewart Was “a Little Unsure” About Returning as Charles Xavier in ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Marvel Studios’ latest film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is filled to the brim with surprises and horror goodness. Earlier trailers did give away one massive addition, which was that Patrick Stewart was joining the franchise as Professor X one more time. His voice alone had many excited and made him a great addition as they further explore the multiverse in this new entry.

    In an interview with Variety, he compares what it was like returning to the role to his hesitation with the Star Trek Picard series. He was “a little unsure” about returning especially after the powerful send-off we got with Logan for the character. But, it seems like he was quite happy with how his role turned out in the film.

    Well, it was a day-and-a-half’s work. I was in a very different environment from the one that I had ever been in, in any of the “X-Men” movies. And just like “Picard,” I was grateful for it, because I could think refreshingly about who he was and how he related to others. Just like “Star Trek: Picard,” I was a little unsure at first if it was a wise thing to do. Given that “Logan” had been such a powerful movie and we watched him die in Hugh Jackman’s arms. So having seen [“Doctor Strange 2”] on Monday night, I’m very happy and very proud that I’ve been part of that.

    Patrick Stewart

    It definitely left a memorable impact on viewers when he arrived, especially with him riding in on the iconic chair from the 90s animated series. They definitely set up some interesting aspects going in and it gave Stewart one more chance to play a role he made so iconic. Of course, his true send-off came in the form of Logan, which left quite a memorable lasting effect with his character and the tragedy of where his abilities lead him. It’ll be interesting if this also sets up a new generation to take on the role with MCU’s take on the X-Men.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Moon Knight’s Designer Shares What Her Biggest Concern Was Tackling Mr. Knight’s Design

    ‘Moon Knight’s Designer Shares What Her Biggest Concern Was Tackling Mr. Knight’s Design

    No matter what one takes away from the Disney+ series Moon Knight, the costumes are definitely a memorable addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Be it Marc Spector’s mummy-inspired costume that is closer to the 616’s design or Steven Grant’s Mr. Knight suit. Add in the fact that they can seamlessly switch between them for whatever the situation desires, it creates a rather unique situation where the different suit designs become an organic aspect of the character’s fighting style. In an interview with The Direct, designer Meghan Kasperlik offered some insight into how they approached the designs.

    First off, she talked about how the mummy inspiration was pushed by Mohamed Diab. The Egyptian director wanted to have aspects of his culture inspire the costumes, which added this unique aspect of texture, and even created a stronger binding to how Khonshu views a “strong suit.” It brings together many aspects from across the comic history with a new culturally-relevant update.

    Just like any type of superhero thing, there’s lots of iterations of the same suit. Mohamed Diab is one of the directors, and he’s Egyptian. He really wanted to focus on the mummy aspect of it, and being really Egyptian. So it was more about incorporating the strength of the armor and also the mummy aspect. But I think it was a beautiful bridge because it brings in Khonshu from thousands of years ago to what we would probably think of today as being a very strong suit. So I think it was an amazing blend because there is that [part of] both worlds. Like you have kind of that old world, but you also have the new…

    Meghan Kasperlik

    Yet, there was one big issue she was facing with the design of Mr. Knight’s costume. While the white three-piece suit is quite an iconic addition, there was a different issue at hand. In the comics it’s a pure white suit and as a drawing doesn’t require any details, especially given how it plays with shadows from an artist’s standpoint. Yet, if we’re talking live-action and the influence of lighting, it becomes a different problem altogether.

    When I came on, I was a little bit concerned about the three-piece suit because it can go so flat. So my team searched far and wide for a fabric that could give—that had a little texture to it. I love to put a lot of texture to any of the designs I do. So, there’s texture in it, and it’s actually an upholstery fabric because I knew that we would be outside with it, and the costume would be getting dirty and we would need to keep it clean and keep that freshness.

    Meghan Kasperlik

    To avoid this issue, it seems they found a way to weave silver lemay into the fabric to make it pop when light hits it. She highlights a certain “luminescence” which has the added bonus of making the suit not only pop but add to its otherworldliness.

    So between the texture in there, the upholstery fabric giving it a little extra help—there’s also a silver lemay that is woven into the fabric, so when the light hits it, it doesn’t just go flat. There’s a little luminescence that comes off of it, so that was really important. We kept that texture going in the waistcoat, and then there’s a texture on the tie and everything. So [along with] having a lot of texture on the mask it just really helps the character.

    Meghan Kasperlik

    They are definitely some of the best-designed suits in the MCU, and with Lockley’s arrival, we may even have a chance for a third addition moving forward. It’s unclear what the future has in store for these characters, but there’s a lot of excitement moving forward on what they might do next, especially as it’s common for these costumes to get some updates throughout their appearances moving forward and a potential third additional suit.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Designer Teases What Could Be Jake Lockley’s Suit

    ‘Moon Knight’ Designer Teases What Could Be Jake Lockley’s Suit

    Moon Knight may have given us the most unique designs of any superhero costume. The main costume worn by Marc Spector has strong ties to its Egyptian roots with mummy-inspired wrappings. Even Mr. Knight has a different take as while it’s a suit, it has additional detailing that adds some additional flair. While we did meet the third personality of Jake Lockley in the post-credit sequence, we never got to see what suit he might wear. According to designer Meghan Kasperlik in an interview with The Direct, they never got around to designing one.

    Luckily, she does highlight that she’d probably explore the black variant of the costume. The character has a surprising amount of designs, and as we saw in the finale, the different personalities can instantly switch between their costume. So, it wouldn’t be surprising that he has his own version and with the darker direction for this character, it would make sense that he’d have a black variant to showcase what he stands for.

    I think that I would make it darker. I would make it probably the black one, the black costume that’s in the comics. I would definitely start there. This is nothing that they’ve ever done, this is just me. Those suits are so amazing, and you just never know. But there was nothing that was ever, ever done.

    Meghan Kasperlik

    Sadly, we’ll have to wait until we get a look at whatever costume he might end up getting, especially as this is just what Kaserplik would do if she got a chance to design his costume. He might even be the one to wild a scythe, as each costume came with a unique weapon. There are also multiple variants with a black color as they tended to be a bit more modern in design. Here’s hoping that Marvel studios announce their future plans for the character soon and we won’t have to wait too long to finally get a good look at what his design might be.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Pulls in Strong $36M in Thursday Previews Domestically, Just Behind ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Pulls in Strong $36M in Thursday Previews Domestically, Just Behind ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

    The first numbers are in for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and it has definitely left an imprint already. The latest Marvel Studios film pulled in a great $36M in its Thursday previews in the US, which is the eighth-best preview intake right behind Avengers: Infinity War‘s $39M. It’s also the fifth biggest preview for IMAX previews with $4.3M. It was released across 4,545 theaters across the country and is further showcasing that business is healing for theater chains.

    Depending on how frontloaded the film is, it could potentially make beyond $180M, but as Hollywood Reporter points it’s very likely to move between $160M to $180M. This would be closer in line with what we heard from Deadline a few days ahead of its release. It should also be noted that this is higher than other successful entries that include Captain Marvel ($153.4M), Thor: Ragnarok ($122.7M), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($146.5M).

    Box Office Pro had it heading towards $215M, which strongly depends on how it goes into Friday and Saturday. but if it keeps up a strong momentum it may even reach their expectations, but it strongly depends on word-of-mouth. The horror and gory elements could either pull in more curious viewers over the weekend, but also has the chance of having great legs like other horror franchises.

    We can’t forget that the film has pulled in a really impressive $27.2M in its Wednesday previews internationally, which is only 4% behind Spider-Man: No Way Home without releases in specific countries. It seems that it potentially would make $300M globally at its current path. The Avatar: Way of Water trailer promotion has also been giving the film quite the boost with IMAX screenings. The growth from the previous entry is quite impressive considering it made $85M back in 2016.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline

  • EXCLUSIVE: Mohamed Diab Breaks Down Oscar Isaac’s Emotional Scene in ‘Moon Knight’ Finale

    EXCLUSIVE: Mohamed Diab Breaks Down Oscar Isaac’s Emotional Scene in ‘Moon Knight’ Finale

    The Moon Knight finale managed to land all its emotional and character beats in spite of the massive spectacle it displayed. Through the 6 episodes, the story reckoned heavily with Marc and Steven’s relationship which ultimately led to the finale’s touching moment. It’s a moment that had Marc accepting Steven’s presence in his life as a positive. Series director Mohamed Diab spoke to us and broke down the genesis of that scene during the writing process

    It’s the moment where the two of them really heal. This journey at the core of it is about someone who has to learn with themselves. With all sides of themselves. You and me have more than one side. We have the persona and the shadow self. You try all your life to learn to live with those sides of you. That’s what inspired that scene between the two of them. That journey had to come to a moment where Marc realizes that Steven is not just a stress ball. He’s more. He’s half of him.

    Despite its shortcomings, the series, in many ways, encapsulates the Marvel Studios DNA perfectly; it delivers on spectacle while imbuing it with human vulnerability while confronting the weirdness of the source material. Oscar Isaac has had many moments of incredible acting throughout the show and his moment in the finale is easily one of them.

  • Sam Raimi Reveals ’Darkman’ Sequel In Consideration at Universal 

    Sam Raimi Reveals ’Darkman’ Sequel In Consideration at Universal 

    Sam Raimi’s original superhero might be making a comeback. Long before the acclaimed director cast a spell with Doctor Strange or spun a web with Spider-Man, he was lurking in the shadows with Universal’s Darkman. Released in 1990, the movie follows Liam Neeson’s Dr. Peyton Westlake, who becomes the vigilante Darkman after being brutally attacked, disfigured, and left for dead by a mysterious criminal organization. He uses breakthroughs in his work to develop synthetic disguises, which he combines with his newly psychotic nature to exact revenge on those who wronged him. The film was intended to be the start of a franchise, but poor box office reception put a halt to any theatrically released sequels. Now, over 30 years later, audiences may finally get one.

    Darkman, which also starred Academy Award winner Frances McDormand, spawned two direct-to-video sequels, made without Raimi behind the camera or the original cast. However, speaking with The Wrap, the former Evil Dead filmmaker revealed Universal has recently expressed interest in reviving the series:

    Universal is talking about a Darkman sequel. There’s a producer attached. I haven’t heard the story yet or gone into it, I’ve been so busy with this movie [Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness]. But I think it’s cool.

    Sam Raimi

    As for whether or not Neeson would return to the role, after being replaced by Arnold Vosloo in both of the low budget follow-ups, Raimi wasn’t sure:

    I don’t know if he’d do it, but he’d be incredible.

    Sam Raimi

    The possibility of a proper Darkman 2 is likely due to Raimi’s recent comeback in popularity. His latest superhero venture, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, just released to rave reviews, and the director’s dedicated cult of fans is hungry for more. It will probably be a long time before any more information on this topic is made public, but the fact it’s even being talked about is something pretty special, and a good sign for the future of Raimi on the big screen.

    Source: The Wrap

  • REVIEW: ‘Marmaduke’ is a Giant Misstep

    REVIEW: ‘Marmaduke’ is a Giant Misstep

    Marmaduke first debuted in June 1954 from creator Brad Anderson. Since then, the character has managed to endure and has received a live-action take starring Own Wilson. That film proved to be semi-successful, pulling in over $80 million worldwide on a $50 million budget. Which is why it isn’t surprising that Netflix decided to make a new, animated Marmaduke film for all-ages. Unfortunately, though, it often stumbles over itself as it struggles to decide if it wants to go for heart or entertainment.

    The story itself is pretty typical for Marmaduke. Wherever he goes, chaos ensues. Which is why in the beginning of the movie, he’s left inside of the house as the family celebrates the youngest child’s birthday. In typical Marmaduke fashion, however, he soon finds himself at the center of the party and not necessarily for the best reason. Sure, it’s amusing, but it loses its appeal quickly. It feels as though the movie tries to sell a joke every other second, and it forgets to remember to have heart.

    After causing a massive scene at the son’s party, Marmaduke somehow makes it onto the local news due to a “pool flop fail.” As the news anchor dubs the dog impossible to train, we see the world’s best dog trainer, Guy Hilton, decide to take on the ‘impossible’ task as a means to win a dog competition. It’s ridiculous, and the training montage that follows shortly after is even less entertaining. Perhaps it is Pete Davidson‘s voice work, or maybe it is the script, but the movie falls apart at this point. The entire casting for the film is a choice, but Davidson is an odd choice to voice Marmaduke. While he undoubtedly is comfortable with comedy thanks to his work on Saturday Night Live, he just feels miscast as Marmaduke.

    The one thing the film did right was cast J.K. Simmons as Zeus, the movie’s big bad. Sure, the character is annoying, but Simmons does such a great job in his vocal delivery. It’s one of the better performances in an otherwise stilted film. But even with Zeus, it feels like the film took the easy way out in handling the bad guy.

    Overall, Marmaduke makes a lot of odd choices throughout its one hour and sixteen minute runtime. There are moments that are heartfelt, and those moments are great. It’s just a shame that the film never truly knows what it wants to be, because had there been a tighter hold on the story? Marmaduke could’ve been a homerun for Netflix. That isn’t to say Marmaduke is completely terrible – it’s likely children will enjoy it, which is perhaps the most important thing. Unfortunately, though, Marmaduke is easily forgettable and feels as though it was rushed into production.