While we still know very little of the second Marvel Studios animated project, I Am Groot, we may have gotten a rough release date thanks to Marvel Collectors Corps, a subscription box containing collectibles from Funko.
Marvel Collector Corps has been ongoing for a while now, with each box being themed around a different Marvel release. For example, the next Collector Corps box will be themed around Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, while another in November was themed after Eternals. Typically, each release is scheduled around the same month that the project is based on comes out in theaters or to Disney+. Thanks to a new release schedule, we know that the I Am Groot themed box will be out in September, seemingly confirming the show’s late summer release date.
This lines up with the show dropping after Ms. Marvel and likely either shortly after, or shortly before the second season of What If…?. With two animated shows coming from Marvel Studios close together this year, it seems like the expansion into animation is definitely going to be a big extension of the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward. Also to look forward to on the animation front are Spider-Man: Freshman Year, which will follow Peter Parker before we met him in Captain America: Civil War, and X-Men ’97, a reboot of the original X-Men: The Animated Series. It is great to see a possible release date for I Am Groot in order to get a clearer picture of the release schedule for the year. While this doesn’t mean the September release is confirmed, it is hard to picture the show coming long before or after based on previous Collector Corps boxes.
You’d think the news would stop coming for One Piece today, but that’s seemingly not going to end anytime soon. It was in the beginning of February when production finally started, especially as Emily Rudd, IñakiGodoy, and Mackenyu joined the production to bring their iconic characters to life. Still, there were some important members of the cast missing, but luckily Taz Skylar and Jacob Romero Gibson have joined in the tradition of showcasing their chair with their respective characters’ name on it.
Skylar was the first to share his, even jokingly pointing out that he’ll surely take it home after they wrap up production. To be honest, no one can blame him as it would make for a great keepsake looking back at taking on the iconic role of the Straw Hat’s chef.
Gibson took a few more photos by sharing a close-up of his chair and himself. What stands out is that not only does he call himself “Captain” Usopp which is perfect for the character, but he also included a photo of a rather curious forest. It does hint that they may have started work on Syrup village’s arc and that’s the forest they escape from Jacko in the manga.
With this, the Straw Hats are finally united on the set even if it’s curious how Sanji fits into the story if they are currently working on Syrup village. Of course, they may also shoot a few scenes with Sanji teasing his upcoming appearance or simply only recently uploaded the images and have already been on set for some time. Still, it’s great to have the confirmation that the Straw Hats are finally together on set now.
It looks like it’s a One Piece kind of day. We kicked off the day with a special streaming event to tease the future of the franchise and even included the casting announcement of Peter Gadiot as Shanks. It seems that secretly some actors have also shared some casting announcements on their personal Instagram accounts that some eagle-eyed fans have noticed pop up online.
South African actor Jean Henry has shared that he’ll take on the role of Marine lieutenant “Double Ironfist” Fullbody, who we first meet in the floating restaurant Baratie. Sadly, he doesn’t include a first look at his costume, but it’s nice to see the character making his live-action debut. Hopefully, it also means he might have his ongoing story alongside Jacko in a future season.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbol9ahqCZq/
That’s not all, as it seems that some time ago actor Len-Barry Simons also shared that he’ll take on the role of Arlong Pirate member Chew in the live-action series. Besides McKinley Belcher‘s Arlong, he’s the only other member of that Fishmen crew confirmed for the upcoming series. Here’s hoping he gets to keep the iconic lips.
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The characters had minor roles in the original story, but it’s unclear if they might have expanded upon them. Arlong’s early casting announcement may tease that he could have an appearance earlier in the story, especially if they potentially want to set up events for the latter half of the season. Fullbody doesn’t appear until Baratie and he could potentially be teased as a prominent member of the Marines earlier on. All we can really do for now is speculate.
It seems that there was a new event held on Marvel Studios’ upcoming projects in Thailand, as a fan account titled @marvel_thai shared some photos from the event. Long time Marvel fan and Thai actor Nanon Korapat was promoting the event where they teased some of their upcoming new live-action projects. Among them was a short panel teasing their Disney+ seires with a closer look at Ms. Marvel’s design alongside Moon Knight. It offers a better look at Iman Vellani‘s take on the character.
Most of her costume was hidden away in the initial trailer, but the high quality image taken does offer a chance to zoom in on the details. What is noticeable right away are the shoulder pads and the addition of some texture on her arms. Commonly characters get more details added to their characters once they enter live-action, as it makes them stand out more than a simpler color scheme outfit.
Sadly, they did not include a new look of Tatiana Maslany for She-Hulk’s upcoming series, but there was also a showcase for the upcoming film releases and only Doctor Strange was showcased. It’s unclear if they announced or teased anything, but it seems mostly like a general Marvel event for fans to talk about current projects. I will say, I do quite love the way they displayed the characters and wished they would use that over here as well.
The Oscars have been overshadowed by the many events that transpired throughout the night, but it looks like the upcoming live-action One Piece series heading to Netflix got a bit of a promotion during the event. In an interview with actress Jamie Lee Curtis, she openly talked about the current production and hopes to see people watch it. Especially as she hopes to take on the role of Dr. Kureha in the second season, as she might be a little to old to tackle Nico Robin. Though as her favorite character is Tony Tony Chopper, it’s a perfect choice for her to play the character’s mother figure in the live-action series. The video comes courtesy of @loidyors
Her daughter Ruby Guest has mentioned in the past that her mother is interested in tackling the role, especially with her friendship with the voice actress of Chopper’s English dub, Brina Palencia. As they’re still busy with the series’ production on adapting the East Blue Saga, these characters wouldn’t become relevant until the second season that jumps into the Alabasta Saga where we meet them on Drum Island.
It’s a bit cut off, but she does say that people should make sure they watch it so that they will definitely get a second season and give her a chance to make that dream come true. There’s a lot of potential with the series introducing new fans to the franchise, and they are using the 25th anniversary of the franchise to promote it quite a bit. We just got the casting announcement of Peter Gadiot in the role of Shanks, and there might be more on the horizon.
One Piece fans have been anxiously awaiting any news on the next One Piece-based game and it has finally been unveiled. The title One Piece: Odyssey has finally been unveiled with a full-fledged trailer. Not just that, but we also got the confirmation that it won’t be an action game but rather a JRPG featuring the Straw Hats at the center. The story will be written by the manga’s creator Eiichiro Oda, who also designed the supporting characters and creatures.
That is not all, as we also got a short producer interview teasing what the upcoming project has in store for players that have been long waiting for their change to dive into the next adventure:
The game looks promising and feels like many other modern JRPGs, especially the latest Dragon Quest game. It does seem like you can have three Straw Hats in your party at the same time, but it’s unclear if it’s more moving towards a turn-base style or something more aligned with Final Fantasy 7 or even its Remake. The world certainly looks promising, especially as you’ll have an entire island to explore.
The most interesting aspect is Jinbe’s noticeable absence in the story. We do hear his voice at the end and I wonder if you’ll also be able to recruit other characters from the One Piece world besides the Straw Hats to build your unlikely team of characters. Kid and Law could become additional characters and there were rumors this game would expand beyond it’s initial release. Plus, this is the longest development they’ve ever had on a game of the franchise, which hopefully hints at quite a bit of polish.
Not too long ago, we got the first supporting cast for the upcoming One Piece live-action series in development for Netflix. Yet, we’ve still being wondering what exactly the future has in store for the series and in a new live-stream event called News Coo Online, we got the official announcement that Yellowjacket‘s Peter Gadiot will take on the role of Shanks of the Red Hair Pirates. He’s the iconic mentor that passes on his signature Straw Hat to a young Luffy after he ate the Gumo Gumo no Mi and inspired him to chase his goals.
The actor might be a suprising choice for some, but he does radiate the kind of grounded energy that fits Shanks. Plus, he’ll have to carry a certain intensity later on when his role opens up and is highlighted as one of the strongest men in the Grand Line. We don’t know how they’ll tackle the character in the series and how big his role might end up being, but they could tease that there’s a lot more to him than one might expect at first. You really have to hand it to the actor though that he’s definitely excited and the fact he is currently filming makes sense after we spotted Shank’s ship being worked on not too long ago.
When it comes to musicals, most film adaptations can be hit or miss. The same, of course, could be said regarding adaptations of beloved books. For those familiar with the book, Better Nate Than Ever is sure to be enjoyable, however, for those unfamiliar? It’s quite the family film that’ll leave viewers with a tune in their head by the time the credits finish.
Better Nate Than Ever tells the story of middle-schooler Nate Foster, played by newcomer Rueby Wood, who has vivid fantasies of wanting to become a Broadway star. Of course, as an outcast at school who can’t seem to catch a break in his local drama club, it seems unlikely he’ll get the chance to command the stage anytime soon. His best friend, Libby (Aria Brooks), however, has an idea when his parents take a weekend trip, leaving him and his older brother behind at their Pennsylvania home. What soon follows is a wholly unrealistic story of two 13-year-old kids running off to New York and somehow securing an audition for an upcoming play. It’s absurd, and utterly dangerous for two minors going out of state on their own without their parents knowing. And yet, everything that comes after is somehow enjoyable.
The musical numbers are delightful, even if some may go on for a few minutes longer than necessary. More importantly, though, the two young stars — Wood and Brooks — are a wonderful duo. Both are stars in the making, with Brooks easily stealing the show every minute she’s on the screen. Their on-screen relationship feels natural, as those these two truly are the best of friends, eager to see both of their dreams come to fruition. Even better are their interactions with the always wonderful Lisa Kudrow, who proves to be a great surprise addition to this family film.
It feels like a classic Disney Channel Original Movie, and that’s a good thing. Those were something the younger audience used to look forward to because they were exciting — full of fun moments, an impressive young cast and an outrageous plot that families could enjoy together. It’s hard not to smile while watching it. That isn’t to say the film isn’t without its flaws. The way Nate’s sexuality is addressed is strange. It’s constantly hinted at, never addressed head on, and yet, most of the characters seem a bit uncomfortable when they hint that he’s a member of the LGBTIQA+ community. It would’ve been nice to see it addressed a bit more, especially given young kids could benefit from that kind of representation from the media they consume. Still, even with the minor hiccups regarding that, the film does a good job at reminding its young audience to accept themselves and follow their dreams.
Better Nate Than Ever is a surprisingly cute film that is all about remembering to follow your dreams, despite what others think.
Better Nate Than Ever will stream exclusively on Disney+ upon release.
Oscar Isaac will portray Moon Knight in the upcoming Disney+ series, but comic fans will quickly tell you there is more to him than meets the eye. The character suffers from DID and we were teased throughout its marketing of two personalities, Steven Grant and Mark Spector. Of course, it’s not an easy task to realize two very distinct personalities in one character while also giving the other actors a way to adapt to the personalities effectively. May Calamawy, who plays Layla El-Faouly, offered some insight during the press tour on how she could easily adapt depending on the character he was playing.
I could feel the energy. I wouldn’t even have to ask who he was. With Marc, I would find myself more guarded [….]. With Steven, I’d feel more nurturing. And there was no intellect or thought process involved in it. It was just visceral, and it was so fun to work with you and experience that.
May Calamawy
It’s a testament to Isaac’s performance that she can simply switch between her approaches simply by the energy that he conveys. Plus, Calamawy also proves how well she can adapt to the changes when it comes to her character’s relationship with either Steven r Marc. We still don’t know the full story or how they will interact, but it does seem like the concept of exploring the character’s mental health was a draw for many involved. The trailers do hint that we’ll experience the switch alongside Steven at some point in the story, which will likely also ease viewers into the concept. It’s definitely going to be exciting to see them tackle this very different kind of hero.
Sony’s latest entry in its Universe of Marvel Characters, Morbius, is finally set to hit theaters on April 1st. The film, which follows in the weirdly popular footsteps of Venom, will feature the origin story of its leading character, a pseudo-vampiric antihero by the name of Dr. Michael Morbius. With the casting of Jared Leto in the title role, and constant studio hints at some sort of coming crossover event, it’s likely the movie will set Morbius up as a major recurring player in the future of superhero cinema (or at least, Sony’s future of superhero cinema). Yet, despite the many years it spent in development hell, a solo Morbius flick was not always the plan for the character’s first live-action appearance. In fact, his cinematic roots date back over two decades to a franchise that helped start it all.
Blade, a 1998 Wesley Snipes vehicle based on the iconic Marvel character, is still a cult favorite with fans. Not only did it permanently redefine its titular vampire hunter, but it also ushered in a new generation of comic book adaptations that would eventually transform into the cultural powerhouse that it is today. It told the story of Blade, a vampire-human hybrid known as the “Daywalker,” who funneled his supernatural abilities and born hatred for the bloodsuckers into a lifelong war aimed at their extinction. Its success would lead to two sequels, Blade II and Blade: Trinity, before the franchise petered out and entered an extended hiatus. The trilogy’s chief creative, David S. Goyer, would eventually go on record to say that it was always his intention to craft a three-film saga, and a little-known deleted scene from the end of the first film might just prove it.
After defeating the villainous vampire lord Deacon Frost and getting his love interest, Dr. Karen Jenson, to safety, Blade is offered the chance to cure his vampirism and live a normal life. As the finished product goes, Blade rejects the offer and travels to Russia to continue his eternal war against the damned. However, an alternate version of the ending was filmed in which, after hearing Blade’s rejection, Karen looks across the rooftops to see a shadowy figure watching them from afar. Though the mystery man is not wearing any identifying clothing, he was meant to be none other than Dr. Michael Morbius – in the flesh.
The scene was available on YouTube for quite some time in low-quality, though it seems to have been recently removed. Obviously, the stinger would have laid the foundations for a sequel with Morbius as the big bad, long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe popularized this method of promoting films that haven’t been made yet. Unfortunately, the ending was cut in favor of the Moscow action bit, which Norrington later revealed to be the studio’s choice. While no real reason has ever been given for this, it’s likely that New Line simply wanted a safer epilogue in case the project flopped and the story was never continued.
Speaking on the cut scene after Blade‘s release, Goyer confirmed that Morbius was always his plan for the second installment. Though some have speculated that the change in directors between films resulted in a creative overhaul of Blade II that kicked Morbius to the curb, that doesn’t seem to be the case. When filmmaker Stephen Norrington, who actually played Morbius in his brief cameo, backed out of his involvement with the sequel, the idea was still for maestro Guillermo del Toro to use a version of the character in his movie. Plans only changed when Marvel told del Toro and New Line outright that they would not allow the use of Morbius in a Blade film, as they wanted to reserve the villain for another franchise. Ultimately, del Toro and Goyer would rewrite their script to replace Michael Morbius with an original villain named Jared Nomak, a genetically enhanced vampire who gives Blade quite a lot of trouble.
Though not revealed specifically, it would make the most sense if the “other franchise” Marvel referred to was its then-upcoming Spider-Man series with Sony. As the new films will probably spell out, Morbius is truly more web-head adjacent than he is connected to Blade, despite the evident vampire relation. Known as “The Living Vampire,” Michael Morbius made his debut in a Spider-Man comic as a scientist with a rare blood disease. A series of unfortunate events would lead to Morbius becoming less of a true mystical vampire and more of a failed biology experiment, but dangerous nonetheless. He’s spent the majority of his history both fighting and partnering with the wall-crawler on numerous occasions but has had a few notable encounters with Blade as a member of the Midnight Sons. In the comics, he’s even the one responsible for biting Blade and turning him into a “Daywalker,” an ability the character was shown to birth within the movies.
Whatever the case, the Spider-Man franchise would go through two reboots and multiple versions of the same villains without ever once using Morbius like they claimed might happen in 1998. Now, all these years later, Sony has retained the rights to the character and is giving him his own picture, with a big screen meeting between Living Vampire and Human Spider a fairly certain deal down the line. Meanwhile, Marvel Studios has given an official Blade reboot the go-ahead with Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali now wearing the famous leather ensemble. With the way the Marvel multiverse is going, it seems any character interaction is on the table, so perhaps fans may one day get to see Blade and Morbius duke it out in cinemas after all. Funny how that works out.
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