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  • ‘Moon Knight’ Showrunner Wants to Write Marvel’s Mutants Next

    ‘Moon Knight’ Showrunner Wants to Write Marvel’s Mutants Next

    Jeremy Slater has a history of adapting comic books. He already has a few other well-known works like Fantastic Four and The Umbrella Academy under his belt, and his latest project, Moon Knight, is set to drop one episode at a time on Disney+ over the next six weeks. Over the next few years, the writer will be busy working on Warner Bros.’ untitled Mortal Kombat sequel and a few other projects, but he’s already got a dream comic he’d like to tackle should the opportunity arise. When asked by a fan on Twitter which Marvel character he’d like to write for after Moon Knight, the creative responded with a few famous mutants who recently arrived in the Disney stable.

    The X-Men will join the MCU someday soon, with big boss Kevin Feige confirming a new project tentatively titled The Mutants is on the horizon. It’s unknown which mutants will actually appear in the film, or even which team the movie would actually focus on, but it now seems safe to say Slater could throw his hat in the ring to be involved with the behind-the-scenes process. Excalibur is an offshoot of the X-Men in the comics, acting as a superhero mutant team based out of the United Kingdom instead of the United States. The group was originally founded by Captain Britain and his lover Meggan, accompanied by the aforementioned Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde, and Pheonix. As referenced by Slater, the team often encountered slightly more experimental threats than their mainstream counterpart. A film from the guy who wrote Moon Knight and Umbrella Academy could potentially be something very unique.

    The first episode of Moon Knight hits Disney+ on March 30th. You can check out our review by heading here.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer Explains Why The Series Avoided Classic Antagonist

    ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer Explains Why The Series Avoided Classic Antagonist

    When Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight lands on Disney+ tomorrow, viewers will meet quite a few characters they’ve never seen before. This is because, in large part thanks to the protagonist’s obscure origins, some of them are original creations for the show. Among these new faces is Ethan Hawke‘s villain Arthur Harrow, who takes his name from a very minor comic character but is otherwise a brand new character exclusive to the live-action series. The inclusion of Harrow in Moon Knight’s origin story, as opposed to better-known antagonist Bushman, confused some diehard fans of the character’s lore. Luckily, the series’ head writer Jeremy Slater has taken to Twitter to explain the reason behind the decision.

    In the comics, Raoul Bushman is originally Marc Spector’s primary mercenary partner. This lasts until Bushman and Spector have a disagreement over the former’s alarmingly violent tactics, which results in Bushman beating Spector to a pulp and leaving him for dead in the desert. The event is how Spector becomes Moon Knight in the first place, and the vigilante eventually uses his newfound abilities to take revenge on Bushman. Some supernatural events have allowed the two rivals to clash on a couple more occasions (including one extremely graphic incident in which Spector carved off Bushman’s face), causing Bushman to become Moon Knight’s arch-nemesis.

    In Moon Knight, Arthur Harrow is described as a sort of cult leader who comes to blows with Marc Spector and Steven Grant. The name Harrow is lifted from an evil scientist who appeared in a single issue of the Moon Knight comics in 1985. It remains to be seen just what role he plays in the protagonist’s MCU adventures.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer Is Interested In a Movie

    ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer Is Interested In a Movie

    With the premiere of the Disney+ series Moon Knight just around the corner, the amount of questions about what might be next for the character in the MCU has reached an all-time high. While multiple people involved have suggested that the series is just the beginning for the character, what form Marc Spector’s next outing could take is anyone’s guess.

    Moon Knight head writer Jeremy Slater recently stated that he would love to tackle a Moon Knight film. In responding to a fan’s question about whether he would “want to write the Moon Knight movie,” Slater said:

    “Hell yes. I’d write a Moon Knight movie in a heartbeat.”

    Jeremy Slater

    Even head writers like Slater are generally kept in the dark about an MCU character’s future, so it certainly is no confirmation of a future Moon Knight movie. Still, it shows there is plenty of interest on the creative side to continue developing the character beyond the series. Slater previously stated that while he does not know Moon Knight’s future, he does think Marvel’s goal is to have the character eventually be a member of the Avengers. During the same Twitter Q&A, he reiterated his belief that the character will have a bright future in the MCU.

    Whether on D+ or the big screen it’s clear the Fist of Khonshu isn’t done in the MCU. Moon Knight premieres on Disney+ on March 30.

    Source: Twitter

  • Head Writer Says Moon Knight’s Jewish Faith Is “Explored in Later Episodes”

    Head Writer Says Moon Knight’s Jewish Faith Is “Explored in Later Episodes”

    With Moon Knight arriving in a matter of hours, the Disney+ series’ head writer and executive producer Jeremy Slater has been answering some fan’s questions on Twitter ahead of the release. With plenty of conversation focused on the Jewish heritage of Moon Knight’s protagonist Marc Spector, Slater told fans that the MCU series does explore its significance:

    Preserving the character’s Jewish faith was important to our entire writing team. It’s something that definitely gets explored in later episodes.

    Jeremy Slater

    In Moon Knight comics, Marc Spector is the son of a rabbi who later becomes the human “fist” of Egyptian moon god Khonshu. While the character’s heritage and connection to Judaism is absent from much of the comic book history, it nonetheless plays a significant role in the character’s identity and story at times. Some fans have been concerned that Moon Knight would not honor that history. Slater seems to put those concerns to rest, although he suggests it might take a few episodes (definitely more than 4) before the character’s Jewish faith is explored.

    The first episode of Moon Knight premieres on March 30 on Disney+.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Writer Says 6 Episodes of the Series “Felt Right” for the Story

    ‘Moon Knight’ Writer Says 6 Episodes of the Series “Felt Right” for the Story

    Marvel Studios’ next big project, Moon Knight, is only one day away on Disney+. Unfortunately, fans will be treated to just a single episode when the series hits their small screens. The premiere will be the first of six episodes, set to drop weekly on the streaming service, in the same vein as previous Marvel shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki. With so many of the studio’s productions clocking in at around six hours, it seems some viewers are beginning to believe it’s the Marvel standard. However, quasi-showrunner Jeremy Slater has taken to social media to confirm this is not the case. When asked by a follower whether or not the writing team was required to hit six episodes, Slater responded by saying that was simply the organic outcome of the creative process.

    Slater went on to explain that each episode was written as a stand-alone piece, instead of crafting a singular story and splitting it into six parts. Many big-budget comic book adaptations have lately been described as “six hour movies” by fans, with the assumption they were designed as such and distributed in separate pieces. Zack Snyder’s Justice League was quite literally a four hour film, treated as a four-episode limited series by home service HBO Max. Luckily, it seems Moon Knight won’t have to worry about it’s release schedule not fitting with it’s creative process, and early social media reactions have indicated this strategy paid off. Marvel contributors have a history of praising the company’s collaborative nature, so hopefully this continues to be the case.

    Source: Twitter

  • HBO Max Developing ‘It’ Prequel by ‘Wonder Woman’ Scribe

    HBO Max Developing ‘It’ Prequel by ‘Wonder Woman’ Scribe

    Wonder Woman writer and It Chapter Two producer Jason Fuchs has begun work on an It prequel project for HBO Max. According to a trade report, the prequel series which is currently titled Welcome to Derry, will see Fuchs serve as the head writer and Andy Muschetti, who directed both It films, back the project as executive producer.

    According to the confusingly worded trade report, the series will serve as a prequel to 2017’s It. While it’s unclear exactly what ground the series might cover, it’s possible that it could explore the origins of Pennywise. If that were to be the case, they could further develop an idea that was cut from the 2017 film which introduced Pennywise in the 1600s:

    There was a scene we shot that was a flashback from the 1600s, before Pennywise [was Pennywise]. The scene turned out really, really disturbing. And I’m not the clown. I look more like myself. It’s very disturbing, and sort of a backstory for what It is, or where Pennywise came from. That might be something worth exploring in the second one. The idea is the ‘It’ entity was dormant for thousands and thousands of years. The [flashback] scene hints on that.

    Bill Skarsgard

    There’s no work on whether or not Bill Skarsgard, whose portrayal of Pennywise was so terrifying that the children on set were often afraid during filming, would return in the role.

    Source: Deadline, JoBlo

  • Sharon Stone Joins ’Blue Beetle’ in Villainous Role

    Sharon Stone Joins ’Blue Beetle’ in Villainous Role

    Sharon Stone is joining the cast of DC’s Blue Beetle.

    The news comes courtesy of The Wrap, with the outlet revealing Stone will play the villainous role of Victoria Kord. Per The Wrap, Victoria Kord is a character that has been created for the film. While the character may be an original, the surname of Kord should ring a bell to fans of DC Comics as Ted Kord, a genius billionaire, was the second character to take the name Blue Beetle. The film, which is due in theaters August 18, 2023, will follow Jaimie Reyes, the third Blue Beetle, played by Xolo Mariduena.

    Also joining the cast is Raoul Max Trujillo (Mayan M.C.), who plays Carapax the Indestructible Man. Carapax is an archeologist who has ties to Daniel Garrett, the first Blue Beetle, which means we have now mentioned all three Blue Beetles in this article.

    Originally intended to debut on HBO Max, Blue Beetle, directed by Angel Miguel Soto, was surprisingly pulled from the service in favor of a theatrical debut.


    Source: The Wrap.

  • Jeff Fowler Teases a Mystery Character for ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’

    Jeff Fowler Teases a Mystery Character for ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’

    It looks like there might be some surprises in store for us in the upcoming second entry of the newly established Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. While the first film had a more grounded story, director Jeff Fowler is excited to explore “some of the iconic imagery” that they missed out on. The best part, he also teased that there might be a surprise appearance we can expect in the upcoming second entry.

    I think it’s teased in this film, and I can’t say more than that. The character is teased. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but that definitely is something I’d be very excited about telling a story with.

    Jeff Fowler

    It’s an interesting tease, but you shouldn’t expect the film’s to closely follow the structure from the original games. We’ve already seen them switch things up with the fact that Idris Elba‘s Knuckles is joining Sonic and Tails even though he doesn’t appear until the third entry. Plus, we also got the tease of the Labyrinth Zone in trailers which was part of the first game.

    It’s not always going to be a linear progression of like ‘Oh, this was in Sonic 2 so it’s going to be in the Sonic 2 film’. It’s going to be a little bit of a cherry picking, a little bit of a melting pot. There’s so much great, inspiring imagery to pull from the 30 years of games. So if we didn’t get it in one film, there’s always the chance that we’ll revisit it somewhere else.

    Jeff Fowler

    Some set photos teased the involvement of GUN, who were introduced in Sonic Adventure 2. We’ve seen it with Marvel that mixing up storylines and adapting however this new universe requires is becoming the norm in adaptation. Plus, it allows projects to surprise even veteran fans of the franchise. So, while some might expect Sonic CD‘s Metal Sonic, but the logo for the already confirmed third entry could tease more exploration of the Adventure franchise. We’ll see what the future has in store, especially with it potentially setting up a Knuckles-focused spinoff heading to Paramount+.

    Source: IGN

  • New ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Set Photos Tease Their Return to Earth

    New ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Set Photos Tease Their Return to Earth

    Just recently, we discussed some reports from the set of Hot Christmas, which is one of the Guardians of the Galaxy projects was filming on Earth. Not only that, but there was also a rumor making the rounds that Kevin Bacon may have joined the project in some capacity. Well, it seems that The Direct got their hands on set photos from that very location, which confirms that Star-Lord and the gang are returning to Earth one more time after the events of Avengers: Endgame.

    Most of the photos simply show us local police cars flipped on their side hinting at some kind of action sequence taking place. Sadly, there is no sighting of any of the actosr, and it seems they are very likely only setting up for the sequence that was described by the Reddit user some time ago.

    Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Set Photo The Direct
    Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Set Photo The Direct

    What does stand out is that one photo includes some Christmas decoration in the garden of the house where they are shooting. So, it would seem logical to assume this might be part of the The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special that’ll release this Christmas on Disney+.

    Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Set Photo The Direct

    If Kevin Bacon is involved with the project, it would be a funny story to have the Guardians get him a present and they end up kidnapping the actor. They’ve always been a bit unhinged and Quill’s reaction would be hilarious. Perhaps the story is them traveling back to return him home, only to be met with quite the warm welcome given they just abducted a celebrity and tried to act as if nothing happened. It’s only speculation, but their return to Earth might also be an emotional moment for Peter to meet his family again.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3’s Production Has Wrapped

    ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3’s Production Has Wrapped

    Well, it seems that even with all the hurdles it faced throughout, The Mandalorian‘s third season has wrapped production. Currently, the series is potentially eyeing a release by this Holiday, which matches the series and its spinoffs usual release schedule. And, it seems they’ll have enough time to prepare for their release, as Amanda Ramirez has shared a new logo from the Disney+ series’ costume department confirming that they have finished work on the upcoming Season 3. The logo she shared may be something she created for the team, as she’s a cross stitch artist as revealed in an interview with Shoutout LA.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbp_V6XrG_o/

    The timing is also perfect as we just got a big reveal, as Hollywood icon Christopher Lloyd has joined the series in an unknown role. Star Wars expansion into the medium has certainly managed to draw in some major talent, especially veteran actors that have made a name for themselves in the industry with genre pictures. The franchise always had a strong pull but it keeps growing as they are now investing more time in expanding it beyond animation and a trilogy.

    The Mandalorian‘s upcoming third season will pick up where The Book of Boba Fett left us off. For those htat missed out on that spinoff series, it might be quite a bit jarring jumping back into the story, but we’ll likely get a recap early on. Their reunion was still rushed a bit, as we’re already entering the next season with the same status quo that we left the other one with, but we’ll see where it leads us.

    Source: Instagram, Shoutout LA