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  • Mark Ruffalo Teases a Very Different Hulk in ‘She-Hulk’

    Mark Ruffalo Teases a Very Different Hulk in ‘She-Hulk’

    During the promotion of Netflix’s The Adam Project, actor Mark Ruffalo was interviewed on what we can expect from his return as Bruce Banner in the Disney+ series She-Hulk. While he didn’t give away any details he certainly promised we’ll see Hulk in a way that we’ve never seen before in the series, especially in how he interacts with people.

    Tatiana Maslany is freaking legendary as the She-Hulk. I’m passing the ‘banner’ onto her. Yeah, there’s some really good, funny, cool, long, long scenes between the Professor and her. We’ve never really seen the Hulk interact with people the way he does in that show. It will be really interesting.

    Mark Ruffalo

    He does use the wording “Professor” which implies that we’ll see a lot more of the version of the Hulk we saw during Avengers: Endgame. Makes sense, as he has showcased in the first teaser trailer in Marvel Studios 2021 featurette during Disney+ Day. Yet, when he mentions the Hulk “interact with people” it does seem like we might get his original Savage version back in the Disney+ series. She-Hulk‘s comedic focus would also offer a lot of scenarios for the Green Goliath to land in.

    Source: Twitter via The Direct

  • Netflix’s ’Cliff Beasts 6’ Trailer is Likely a Misdirect to Promote Judd Apatow’s ’The Bubble’

    Netflix’s ’Cliff Beasts 6’ Trailer is Likely a Misdirect to Promote Judd Apatow’s ’The Bubble’

    Netflix shocked social media this morning with a surprise trailer for Cliff Beasts 6, a new action film with a star-studded cast. The only problem with this, however, is that the franchise “Cliff Beasts” has never existed, and therefore a secret sixth installment should be impossible. So, if this is the case, then what exactly is going on with this wacky bit of news? Some may believe that the streaming giant is trying a strange new tactic, launching a new franchise in the middle of its story. Rest assured, this is likely not what’s happening. A little detective work goes a long way, and may just reveal that the trailer for Cliff Beasts 6 is actually a cover for an entirely different movie.

    About a year ago, comedy legend Judd Apatow announced he was working on his next film project. The movie in question would be titled The Bubble, and feature a group of A-list actors as the stars of a fictitious action series forced to quarantine together as they finish their work in the pandemic. Names like Karen Gillan, Pedro Pascal, and Keegan Michael-Key were all attached to the comedy, and now conveniently appear in the trailer for Cliff Beasts 6. If this wasn’t evidenced enough, Apatow himself is promoting the next “Netflix Original” on his social media, alongside several other big Hollywood names with connections to the director and his body of work. The truth remains to be seen, but there is a fairly solid chance Cliff Beasts 6 is actually the fictional movie being made in The Bubble, and Apatow is just trying to pull a fast one in his marketing.

    Source: Twitter, Deadline, Instagram

  • REVIEW: ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Struggles To Stick The Landing

    REVIEW: ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Struggles To Stick The Landing

    Following The Dark Knight, which is arguably one of the greatest comic book films, was always going to be an unenviable task for Christopher Nolan and his team. That the conclusion of the trilogy had to be almost entirely repurposed after the tragedy of Heath Ledger‘s death meant that his original premise for Batman’s three-film arc was never going to be completed. In that respect, The Dark Knight Rises feels like a movie that didn’t really know what story it wanted to tell, and suffered as a result.

    We begin with the canonization of Harvey Dent as a hero by the Gotham City Police Department after his death trying to stop Batman, which we know is a lie given the events of the previous film. Harvey was the Joker’s ace in the hole, and he was meant to bring Gotham crumbling down. In Rises, we see Gary Oldman‘s Commissioner Gordon desperately to make things right. His role is perfectly summarized in the line “I have to save Dent” from the previous entry; manic depression and all. Sadly, The Dark Knight Rises really doesn’t do his arc justice. His role is seemingly reduced by quite a bit and is cast to the side for other characters.

    Speaking of, we meet Anne Hathaway‘s take on Selina Kyle doing what she does best, trying to rob Bruce Wayne. He easily tracks her down to start their dysfunctional relationship from the comics. However, putting aside the missed opportunity that this Selina Kyle is never presented as Carmine Falcone’s daughter, Anne plays her like a socialist who wants the wealthy class to get what’s coming to her. It’s a very weird turn if you compare it to her character in the comics. While I get that directors update and adapt characters as they see fit, Nolan still kept recognizable elements in his last two entries. This time around d, it just doesn’t work as well as it could’ve, and I can’t help but wonder if she wasn’t even meant to be part of this story.

    Let’s turn our attention to the real villain in the story: how it wasted Marian Cotillard as Talia Al Ghul. The reveal is supposed to act as a gut punch but is telegraphed throughout the entire film. Furthermore, she’s never really built up as a threat. Even though she managed to steal Bruce’s company from him, cut Gotham off from the rest of the world in a half-assed take on No Man’s Land, and threatened to end the entire city, I never bought that she could pull this off.

    There are, however, some bright spots in the film. Tom Hardy taking on the role of Bane was an inspired choice, especially in him breaking the bat. This is a historic moment in the comics, and Hardy sells the threat that his character represents. Even with his weird accent, he is incredibly quotable to this day. He’s not angry with Bruce. This isn’t personal to him. He’s just disappointed in Bruce. Their fight in the sewers is brutal, as there’s no music playing, and all we hear are Bruce’s bones cracking. He does his best Frazier impression but Bane delivers the Ali-like beating.

    Of course, we can’t forget the titular Dark Knight. Christian Bale is one of the better actors of his generation, and he carries this film more than anyone else. Yet, Nolan seems to have trouble fitting Bruce into this story. He makes him disappear from Gotham to rehab his broken back in and tries to sell us on him healing up within a short span of time to return to Gotham. Keep in mind, he has no assets at this point in the film: it’s why he had to sell his company to Talia Al Ghul. Even with those restrictions, he still offers a cunning performance.

    This time around, he does get a sidekick in the form of Joseph Gordon-Levitt‘s character. Yes, he has a name but they make it a point to call him Robin later on and he was clearly being set up to be a version of Nightwing. However, the pain he feels when describing how the Wayne Foundation deserted the less fortunate and how betrayed he was when Gordon lied still hit hard. He, also, isn’t jaded by what he’s seen and still believes that Gotham can be saved. It would’ve been exciting to see Nolan try to crack a film starring a rookie Nightwing living in the shadow of Batman.

    If there is one thing the film nailed better than the previous entry is in its action choreography. The police taking on the League of Shadows is filmed beautifully, and the modified Batwing scenes fighting the repurposed Batmobiles are a blast. With most of the finale’s action shot in the daytime– quite a departure from the two previous entries–you really get to see every punch.

    When I watched this in theatres 10 years ago, I tweeted “Nolan did it.” At the time I meant killing Batman. I’m still of the belief that Alfred was imagining everything and nothing more in that Italian Cafe. I didn’t think Warner Bros. would let him kill one of the most iconic DC heroes, but Nolan had the cache to really do as he pleases with the character. While rewatching the film for this review, I find myself annoyed at some of the choices he made. He sadly didn’t end the trilogy on a high note all of us hoped for. It’s still the best Batman trilogy, but something tells me Matt Reeves might have something to say about that soon.

  • ‘The Batman’ Sequel Will Be Released In Less Than Five Years

    ‘The Batman’ Sequel Will Be Released In Less Than Five Years

    The highly anticipated The Batman arrives in theaters this week, and is already set to dominate the weekend box office. The film has generally been met with critical acclaim as well, which is great news to all of the fans who has eagerly awaited Robert Pattison’s turn as the caped crusader.

    Even though The Batman has yet to officially release, a sequel to director Matt Reeves’ is apparently already in the early stages of development. Now, we finally have some information as to when a sequel can be expected. Producer Dylan Clark told Comicbook:

    I will go on record and say it will be less than five years.

    Dylan Clark

    While five years is no short time to wait for The Batman 2, Clark gave a broad window that could mean anything up to a 2027 release. Only time will tell when exactly the sequel will hit theaters, but for now fans can look forward to The Batman‘s release on March 4.

    Source: Comicbook via The Direct

  • REVIEW: Netflix’s ‘The Andy Warhol Diaries’

    REVIEW: Netflix’s ‘The Andy Warhol Diaries’

    Fans of the legendary artist Andy Warhol quickly devoured The Andy Warhol Diaries when the book was first published in 1989. The 840-page paperback features the dictated memoirs of the American artist Andy Warhol that were posthumously published. The book took fans behind the scenes of Warhol’s life, with the last entry taking place just days ahead of his death in 1987. The diaries allow fans to see the world through Warhol’s eyes, from the famous people he spent time with to his life outside of the spotlight. There’s a reason he remains a consistent seller — the publication is a real treat for fans.

    Unfortunately, Netflix’s take on The Andy Warhol Diaries is a bit of a mess. It seems unsure of what it wants to tell and how exactly it wants to tell it. While it is based on the book of the same name, The Andy Warhol Diaries often feels like a story about everyone around him rather than Warhol himself. It seems to forget about Warhol and his legendary artwork, instead choosing to focus on his confidence issues and his unwillingness to comment on his sexuality publicly. With so much to Warhol and the legacy he left behind, it seems an odd thing to focus essentially the entire series on. And sadly, that’s not the strangest decision this documentary makes over the course of six episodes.

    The series uses a computer-generated take on Warhol’s voice to narrate the series. It’s rather off-putting, although it’s safe to presume it’s something Warhol would’ve been entirely fine with. (After all, he had dreams of being a robot.) As it’s an AI voice, it lacks any sense of emotion, coming off as monotone and dull. While I understand this is something the artist would have been behind, judging by what is said in the documentary series, it’s still an odd choice to make in a series that is so reliant on bringing in others to comment on Warhol. Had the series used footage of Warhol while he was alive and then added in the interviews, it would have flowed a lot better. And perhaps, it would have been a lot easier to endure.

    The Andy Warhol Diaries is produced by Ryan Murphy, and it clearly has a Murphy feel to it. When Murphy is at the top of his game, he can deliver some quality television. Sadly, The Andy Warhol Diaries is not among his strongest work. It’s frustrating, really. There are so many reasons as to why this series should’ve been more enjoyable than it was. It seems half-baked. The ideas are good, they’re just poorly executed.

    There is one minor bright spot in the series and that is the fourth episode, where we get to meet some of the other artists Warhol came into contact within New York in the 1980s. This part of the series allows fans to see Warhol appreciating artwork from those who would’ve been ignored otherwise because they didn’t belong to the typical white artist clique. While he might not have understood the artwork, he allows a light to shine on these young artists and their work. It’s a pretty important moment. If only the series was this strong and interesting for its entire run.

    Overall, The Andy Warhol Diaries is frustrating. It wastes its potential by focusing on the least interesting bits of this massive art icon. Warhol did some amazing things in his lifetime, it just seems odd to focus on his love life in a limited series on his life.

  • ‘The Batman’ Eyes $225 Million Global Launch

    ‘The Batman’ Eyes $225 Million Global Launch

    The Caped Crusader is looking to tackle the box office.

    Following the massive success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Warner Bros. and DC’s The Batman seems likely to continue the upward trajectory of the box office. Current projections for the film have The Batman looking to bring in $115 million to $125 million domestically, and another $110 million to $120 million internationally. Should these numbers hold, The Batman could see an international haul of $225 million to $245 million worldwide.

    The Batman carries a $200 million production budget and marks a return to theaters for both Warner Bros. and DC. Its last superhero flicks, Wonder Woman 1984 and The Suicide Squad, were released day-and-date on HBO Max. The film is also off to an impressive start in Korea, where The Batman opened to $1.7 million with previews. That’s enough to make for the best launch day during the pandemic, while also marking the second-best debut for a Batman movie since The Dark Knight Rises. Interestingly enough, it’s also an industry best in the country so far this year.

    The Batman, which is directed by Matt Reeves, stars Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Colin Farrell and Paul Dano. The film was co-written by Reeves & Peter Craig and is in theaters now.

    Source: Deadline.

  • John DiMaggio Finally Joins Hulu’s ‘Futurama’ Reboot

    John DiMaggio Finally Joins Hulu’s ‘Futurama’ Reboot

    Just a few weeks ago, it was announced that Futurama would be returning yet again as it found a new home on the streaming service Hulu. The entire cast was set to return besides John DiMaggio, who was still in negotiations. At the time, he vocally campaigned for better pay than what was being offered. Yet, he still remained in talks with the studio. Variety has reported that DiMaggio has officially signed onto the reboot, issuing a statement celebrating his return.

    “I’M BACK, BABY! So damn grateful for the love and support of fans and colleagues alike during this whole time (especially my wife, Kate), and I cannot wait to get back to work with my ‘Futurama’ family,” DiMaggio said in a statement. “#Bendergate is officially over, so put it on the back of a shelf behind Xmas decorations, or maybe in that kitchen drawer with all of the other crap you put in there like old unusable crazy glue, or maybe even put it in a jar you save farts in. Whatever floats your boat, I don’t care, you get the picture. I’M BACK, BABY! BITE MY SHINY METAL ASS!”

    John DiMaggio

    Original cast members such as Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, David Herman, and Phill LaMarr are all set to reprise their roles. If DiMaggio wasn’t to complete negotiations the series would’ve moved forward with a replacement, which would’ve come at the cost of Bender’s iconic voice. Luckily, we do not live in that timeline.

    The next season of Futurama has already been picked up for 20 episodes over at Hulu with production on the series already underway. The revival is currently eyeing a 2023 return although no specific date has been announced just yet.

    Source: Variety

  • New ‘Batgirl’ Set Photo Offers First Look at Brendan Fraser’s Firefly Costume

    New ‘Batgirl’ Set Photo Offers First Look at Brendan Fraser’s Firefly Costume

    We’ve got our first look at Brendan Fraser on the set of Batgirl some time ago, but he was seemingly wearing civilian clothing while setting a building on fire. He certainly was staying true to the arsonist nature of his character during that shoot, but we’re all excited to see what his costume may look like. Luckily, a new set photo has found its way online which may have given us our first look at his Firefly costume for the HBO Max original film. It doesn’t reveal too much, especially as he is missing the iconic helmet, but it does seem like it’s taking inspiration from the comics with the giant fuel tank on his back and arm-mounted flamethrowers.

    The biggest missing aspect is the wings, but they may be something they add in through post-production. He may have also lost them during a fight with Batgirl, which left him with just a few more elements of his costume. Of course, there is probably a simpler solution in the form of that they are currently taking a break in this set photo and that is why he isn’t wearing everything. Though, a new video does hint that him standing on the firetruck is on purpose and we can see Batgirl chasing him down.

    Still, it’s great to finally get confirmation that he will wear the armor of some kind during his tenure as Firefly in the series. So far, he’s still the only confirmed villain to appear in the Batgirl film, but with a large rogue’s gallery-like Batman’s, you never know who else might show up. Given the story’s inspiration, it would be fun to see a live-action adaptation of Killer Moth, especially if they just have fun with the concept. When else would we get the chance to see him on screen?

    Source: Twitter

  • First Look at ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Defender Strange Funko

    First Look at ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Defender Strange Funko

    Earlier today, it seemed like the Funkos for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may have accidentally leaked early. It included most of the faces we’ve already seen in the first two trailers, but also included some new surprises like a Variant of Doctor Strange that was quite a bit different from the ones we saw in the trailers. Now, it seems that we finally got a first look at the Funko for the Defender Variant of Strange, as it was shared by @DrStrangeUpdate, which you can check out here:

    This design is still amazing in how accurate it adapts the iconic version of Doctor Strange from the comics. Even the name is in reference to his time as part of the Defenders, which many might connect to the Netflix version. His roe in the story still remains quite unclear but it does seem to imply something dark happening to the character given the strange Zombie version at the end looking quite similar to that Defender wears throughout the trailers.

    He also is noticeably absent during the meeting with the Illuminati that is teased in the trailer. Plus, we got a third – maybe even a fourth given the recent Funko reveals – Variant that has an unknown role. Here’s hoping we get to see all three in the same room. Benedict Cumberbatch probably had a lot of fun acting off of himself and give different perspectives on the same character.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Mr. Robot’ Creator Remaking Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’ as a Series

    ‘Mr. Robot’ Creator Remaking Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’ as a Series

    It looks like Sam Esmail, the creator behind the Mr. Robot series, has found his next project in remaking the iconic Fritz Lang film, Metropolis. The announcement comes via Apple TV+, which will become the new home for the remake of the 1927 look at a futuristic dystopia. The original script was written by Lang‘ wife Thea von Harbou and the film would go down in history as one of the first cult classics, even as it was originally met with mixed reviews.

    Universal Studio Group’s UCP will produce the project with Esmail set to serve as showrunner and director. Currently, there is no information on a potential cast with the project being in the early steps of development. It’s unclear how much of the original story will be carried over, but the social-political commentary is definitely something worth exploring in the modern age.

    This project comes fresh off of Esmail‘s work on the limited series Gaslit starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn. Most remember the director and writer for his work on Mr. Robot which he worked on from 2015 to 2019. While he mainly worked in TV, he has also directed a 2014 film titled Comet. It’ll be interesting to see how he brings this cinematic classic to life and what he may add to make it stand out from the modern take on futuristic dystopias.

    Source: Collider