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  • Penguin-Focused ‘The Batman’ Spinoff Confirmed as HBO Max Limited Series

    Penguin-Focused ‘The Batman’ Spinoff Confirmed as HBO Max Limited Series

    We’ve heard the first rumblings of the many spinoffs from The Batman some time ago, and it looks like with the film’s box office success they used the opportunity to officially announce the first series. With the tagline “Every story has a beginning” DC has shared a tease for the HBO Max original series focusing on Colin Farrell‘s Penguin that may act as a prequel on how he rose to become the owner of the Iceberg Lounge.

    We first heard about the project back in September of last year, but there were no details outside of Agents of SHIELD veteran Lauren LeFranc taking on the role of executive producer and showrunner of the series. What is also interesting is that The Penguin is currently only a working title. So, we’ll see how it might change over time and once the project truly starts production.

    It’s still crazy to think that it’s Colin Farrell behind all that make-up, but he truly embraced the character throughout the film’s runtime. Him being back and excited for the project is a showcase of just how invested he is in this world and its characters. Hopefully, the seires may also set up whatever the future has in store for this verison of Cobblepot. With Gotham’s legacy no longer includes his family legacy, perhaps he uncovers a connection he has not yet considered.

    Source: Twitter

  • First ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Trailer Offers First Look at the Grand Inquisitor

    First ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Trailer Offers First Look at the Grand Inquisitor

    Just earlier today, we got the tease that the Grand Inquisitor would make his live-action debut in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Surprising many, the Annual Shareholder Meeting randomly dropped the first trailer for the Disney+ Star Wars series. Not only that, but it even included our first look at the live-action adaptation of the Grand Inquisitor, who looks ready to face Obi-Wan Kenobi at some point in the series.

    He certainly looks quite a bit different from the animated project, but it makes sense given that it’s difficult to translate some designs from one medium into the other. Cad Bane, Bo Katan, and Ahsoka worked quite well with some adaptations. The closest comparison would be Bane, whose face has also been widened in live-action yet he is mostly CG and prosthetics.

    The Grand Inquisitor still has an intimidating aura that’ll likely be at full force. He also seems to be visiting Tatooine, which might hint at him chasing down the former Jedi Master after he comes out of hiding Whatever drags him to town, it’s going to be quite interesting to see how they tackle the character in live-action.

    You can watch the full trailer right here:

    Source: YouTube

  • First Look at Live-Action Pinocchio and Tom Hanks as Geppetto

    First Look at Live-Action Pinocchio and Tom Hanks as Geppetto

    While most of the Walt Disney Annual Meeting for Shareholder was mostly focused on the inner workings of the company, Disney was surprised with a special look at some future projects. The biggest was our first look at Tom Hanks as Gepetto for the Disney+ original live-action remake of Pinocchio.

    It’s kind of crazy to see a live-action doll of Pinocchio that is just a one-to-one replica of the design from the cartoon. Yet, it makes sense given that dolls in this design are being sold worldwide and he is made of wood. Gepetto even looks amazingly faithful to the original with Tom Hanks truly embracing the character. He’s also a great choice for the role with his general optimistic attitude.

    The film will likely follow the original quite closely, but the question is how much they’ll tone down specific elements. I wouldn’t expect children to smoke and drink beer in this film, but they might still turn some naughty children into donkeys to teach them a lesson. So far though, it looks quite faithful and it’ll be interesting to see what they may change once it releases.

    Source: Walt Disney

  • Michael Giacchino Already Started Work on the Rumored ‘Werewolf by Night’ Disney+ Special

    Michael Giacchino Already Started Work on the Rumored ‘Werewolf by Night’ Disney+ Special

    Just last month, we’ve reported on a rumor that the long-rumored Werewolf by Night Halloween special for Disney+ was going to start production in March. While it originally stated that it wouldn’t start until mid-March, it looks like it may have already started work early. The reason is that a new article by Variety on The Batman‘s score, which was done by Marvel veteran Michael Giacchino, wasn’t able to get him to join in on discussing their approach to the project. The reasoning: he is currently busy directing a television project for Marvel.

    It’s been rumored for some time that the composer is going to direct the Werewolf by Night project, which hasn’t officially been given a name by Disney or Marvel Studios. They don’t mention the project by name but do confirm it’s a “television project for Marvel,” which further adds to the rumors that it’s the Halloween special. The project has cast Gael Garcia Bernal as its titular star with The Nevers‘ Laura Donnelly also joining the project in an unknown role that may be Nina Price, also known as Vampire by Night.

    Here’s hoping we get a few more details on the project, as there is no title or real announcement for its release. It does seem like it’s eyeing a release later this year, but the fact they haven’t really announced anything is still curious, but we’ll see. The fac they are trying out Holiday and Halloween specials does bode well that we could see these types of projects more often in the future to shed some light on minor characters that otherwise wouldn’t have been featured.

    Source: Variety

  • Christopher Abbott Joins ‘Kraven the Hunter’ as its Main Villain

    Christopher Abbott Joins ‘Kraven the Hunter’ as its Main Villain

    Sony has been on a roll with their casting for the upcoming Kraven the Hunter spinoff film, which will star Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the titular role. It looks like they have now found its main villain in Christopher Abbott, who will play The Foreigner, one of Spider-Man’s iconic villains. Alessandro Nivola has also recently joined the project in a villainous role but seems like it’ll be mainly a supporting antagonist role from the looks of it.

    We don’t know how the film will tackle Kraven’s early days and if it somehow builds up towards his eventual hunt for the Spider-Man. Abbott joined a cast consisting of Ariana DeBose, previously-mentioned Nivola, Fred Hechinger, and Russell Crowe. It’s quite the stacked cast for J.C. Chandor‘s next feature film based on a screenplay by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway.

    The addition of The Foreigner is quite interesting, as the character isn’t among the most well-known characters from Spider-man’s rogue gallery. He does actually have a history with Kraven in the comics, and his brother the Chameleon. Deadline seems to think this might be the set-up for the character moving forward, who might have a larger role moving forward. Abbott recently got a Golden Globe nomination for his work on Catch-22, and is a great addition to the cast.

    Source: Deadline

  • Netflix Renews ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ for 2 More Seasons

    Netflix Renews ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ for 2 More Seasons

    It’s been a busy day with the first look at Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, but Netflix isn’t going to give up the spotlight. They took to their Netflix Geeked account to announce that Vikings: Valhalla, their sequel to the original hit series exploring the history of its titular Norsemen, has not only been renewed for a second but even for a third season. They also have already finished production on the second season with a release planned in 2023. The third season will enter production this spring.

    Valhalla isn’t a direct continuation of the original saga, as it takes place a hundred years after the original Vikings series, as we explore the aftermath of British betrayal and the rise of King Canute. We get a trio of new main characters in Leif Erikson–the man who would eventually be the first to set foot in the future Americas, his sister Freydis Eiriskdottir and Harald Sigurdsson. The first season not only follows the siege of London, and the inner conflict between Pagan and Christian Vikings. There were many layers throughout the first season and quite a few set-ups for the future. So, we’ll see if the inner turmoil has just begun.

    Source: Twitter, Variety

  • RUMOR: ‘Moon Knight’ May Feature an Original Avengers

    RUMOR: ‘Moon Knight’ May Feature an Original Avengers

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand and it looks like Moon Knight might continue the trend. Even though the project is seemingly quite disconnected from the rest, especially with its darker themes, our friends over at DisInsider may have found out a curious detail on the upcoming Disney+ series. It seems that an original Avenger will be joining the project in an unknown role.

    The Avenger in question is Mark Ruffalo, the actor behind the Green Goliath who is also going to make an appearance in the upcoming series. Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time his appearance was hinted at, as we first connect some imaginary dots back in August on a potential appearance. DisInsider didn’t offer any details outside of him appearing as Bruce Banner.

    We know Moon Knight is coming out this month, but we have exclusively heard the Bruce Banner, Mark Ruffalo himself, will premiere in Moon Knight

    It certainly looks like his appearance is almost a definite, but there’s no way to say how he may appear. As we noticed he wasn’t far from where they were filming, he may be the one to approach Steven Grant (or maybe he turns back into Marc sector by the end) on potentially using his gift as the Fist of Khonshu for the greater good. Or, there’s a chance that he’s only on television discussing the after-effects of the events from Avengers: Endgame which may play into the story of Moon Knight. It’ll be fun to speculate.

    Source: The Disinsider Show via The Direct

  • ‘Gotham Knights’ Finally Gets an October Release Date

    ‘Gotham Knights’ Finally Gets an October Release Date

    Before there is any confusion, the Gotham Knights in question is the game by Warner Bros. Montréal and not the CW series in production with the same name. It’s been quite the wait for the next entry in the Batman gaming franchise that was started by Rocksteady with Arkham Asylum. While Gotham Knights will take a different direction, many core elements from the teams’ experience on Arkham Origins will carry over. Players will get a chance to try it out when it releases on the 25th of October 2022.

    The game, as far as we know, will let you play as Red Hood, Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl. We got our first gameplay during the first-ever DC FanDome, which teased a brawler-style game where you can freely explore a neon-take on Gotham. There are elements from the original Arkham series that are included, but still, try to take a different approach that fits the younger members of the Bat-family. The only confirmed threats are Mr. Freeze and the Court of Owl, who might have closer ties to the sudden death of Bruce Wayne. This is our first real update on the game in quite some time. So, hopefully, they can stick to this new release date.

    Source: Twitter

  • REVIEW: ‘Upload’ Season 2 Avoids the Sophomore Slump

    REVIEW: ‘Upload’ Season 2 Avoids the Sophomore Slump

    It has been nearly two years since Upload first premiered on Amazon, and now, the second season is finally upon us. Even better? It was worth the excruciating wait.

    Living in the pandemic era, it’s hard to imagine a series about death and the afterlife could be exactly what audiences need, and yet, Upload continues to be exactly that. Season 2 of the Amazon Prime series wastes no time picking up where Nathan and Ingrid’s story leaves off. After Nathan opts to go to the 2 Gigs as a means to break free of Ingrid, he soon finds himself approached by her as she comes to tell him she’s uploaded. Unfortunately, though, he’s out of data following his decision to try and help Nora. This brings us to Season 2, which brings Nathan back to Lakeview and back to Ingrid.

    It is very normal for most shows to suffer a sophomore slump. It’s even more natural for a show that takes such massive breaks between seasons to lose momentum. Upload manages to avoid both of these issues. In fact, Season 2 of Upload manages to be an improvement upon an already stellar first season. Still, the season isn’t without its issues. As thrilling and captivating as Upload Season 2 is, the series does encounter hiccups occasionally. They’re incredibly minor, though, and are often resolved by episode’s end. One of the biggest hiccups this season is the character arc Nora undergoes. The Nora we met during Season 1 of Upload is long gone; she’s been replaced by someone on a mission, even if she’s not entirely certain her actions are in the right. There’s still a compassionate part of her who is desperate to do the right thing, but she’s also more confident and developed. The issue, however, is that the reintroduction of Nora nearly sees her abandon everything that was so important to her in Season 1 within a single episode.

    This, thankfully, is addressed fairly quickly and it becomes clear what her true motives are. It’s just a frustrating bump along this tale that goes well beyond a simple satirical love story. Upload Season 2 still puts love at the forefront, of course, but it becomes a story about self-discovery more so than anything, for all of the main characters. The amount of character growth over these seven half-hour episodes is impressive. Even our Angels get the chance to shine outside of Horizen and their avatars. It’s a nice change of pace that takes viewers outside of the virtual reality of Horizen for a bit.

    As for answers, though, it’s best to go into Upload Season 2 knowing there will be more questions than answers. One big question will be slightly resolved, however, it’ll only lead to a handful more, making the ending all the more frustrating. It’s a valid ending, one that properly serves the story being told, but it’ll leave fans eagerly awaiting a third season that’ll, hopefully, come sooner than another two years.

    All in all, Upload Season 2 is everything fans have been waiting for and more. It’s thrilling, it’s fun and it’s full of surprises. More importantly, though, every character undergoes a transformation of sorts this season and it opens up potential seasons to even bigger storylines. It’s must-see television.

    Upload Season 2 hits Amazon Prime on March 11th.

  • First Look at Ewan McGregor and Joel Edgerton’s Return in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi

    First Look at Ewan McGregor and Joel Edgerton’s Return in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi

    While we’re still anxiously awaiting a trailer, it looks like we finally got our first look at the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series. Entertainment Weekly offered a first look at the series, which not only included the confirmation of an INquiistor but also our first look at Ewan McGregor back in the titular role. The actor does tease however that we’re about to meet a very different man from the prequels.

    We find Obi-Wan at the beginning of our story rather broken, and faithless, and beaten, somewhat given up.

    Ewan McGregor
    Obi-Wan Kenobi

    So, it sounds like we’ll get a more intimate story with the Disney+ series that promises to fully explore what the Jedi Master had to go through after the Empire took over, while still keeping a close eye on a young Luke Skywalker.

    Obi-Wan Kenobi

    He’s not the only returning face, as Joel Edgerton is also going to reprise his role as Uncle Owen, which he briefly played in the prequel trilogy. Deborah Chow, the series’ showrunner had some high praise to give for the actor, who is seen below facing off with the Inquisitor.

    Obi-Wan Kenobi

    The article also hints that the Grand Inquisitor will appear in the series alongside a young Luke Skywalker. To be fair, the latter was to be expected with the return of Uncle Owen. It’s unclear if we’ll actually see him interact with Obi-Wan Kenobi but given how much he changed between this series and A New Hope, who knows if he forgot what the Jedi master looked like. We know he won’t be showing off his lightsaber in front of a young Luke, but the arrival of the Inquisitor might be what forces him to leave Tatooine behind for some time.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly