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  • Chris Evans’ ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Role Reportedly Revealed

    Chris Evans’ ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Role Reportedly Revealed

    After years of reports, rumors and speculation about his return to the Marvel, Chris Evans finally made his way back in Deadpool & Wolverine…just not in the way anyone was expecting. Evans‘ appearance as Johnny Storm, who he originally played in 2005’s Fantastic Four, was part of an homage to Marvel heroes who hit the big screen before the inception of the MCU. As memorable as his profanity-laced post-credit tirade was, it didn’t scratch the particular itch that most fans had.

    While Evans‘ casting as Steve Rogers was initially derided by fans, his nearly-decade long performance as Captain America certainly changed minds. By the time Steve  completed his MCU journey by finally danced with Peggy in the closing moments of Avengers: Endgame, fans began asking for more. Now, with a newly announced role in Avengers: Doomsday, Evans once again has the opportunity to return to the screen as Steve Rogers and it sounds as though that may well happen…sort of.

    According to YouTuber Jeff “The In” Sneider, Evans won’t be appearing in Avengers: Doomsday as Captain America but rather as Nomad, an alternate identity the character once adopted in the pages of Marvel Comics…and on that should sound familiar to this who have followed the MCU closely.

    As we first reported in 2020, a project  named “Marvel Studios Nomad” went into development. Nomad remained in development for nearly three years until, as we recently reported, it was abandoned earlier this year. While thecstudio has never acknowledged the development of  Nomad, it is possible that they have folded part of the story from that project into Avengers: Doomsday in order to reunite two of its most beloved and marketable stars in Evans and Robert Downey Jr.

    In Captain America #180, Steve Rogers changed up his look and took on the mantle of Nomad after learning the U.S. Government to which he has devoted his life is run by the Secret Empire. An adaptation of this version of Rogers appeared in Avengers: Infinity War. It is unclear if the Doomsday version of Nomad will be the Sacred Timeline’s Rogers picked up by the TVA, whether it be from Infinity War or, perhaps, when he returned the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Endgame.

    Over the years, several other characters went by the name of Nomad, including the character Jack Monroe who went on to appear in dozens of issues of Captain America, lead his own solo title and join the Thunderbolts. Even so, it seems far less likely that Evans would return to play one of those characters and far more likely it’s some version of Steve Rogers.

    Source: The Hot Mic

  • Disney Reveals Its Next Live-Action Reimagining

    Disney Reveals Its Next Live-Action Reimagining

    Though Disney’s efforts to reimagine its library of classic animated films into live-action have been a bit uneven, it seems the studio remains committed to the process. Despite mixed reviews for 2019’s The Lion King, the studio moved forward with an original prequel in Mufasa: The Lion King, which will close out what has been a huge year at the box office for Disney. The House of Mouse’s hopes for another successful year in 2025 will, in part, rest on the shoulders of a pair of reimaginings in Lilo & Stitch and Snow White; and 2026 will see the Rock bring Maui back to theaters in the live-action iteration of Moana on the 10 year anniversary of the animated original.

    Disney, of course, has plans to continue to add to the robust lineup with new versions of Hercules, Robin Hood, Bambi and The Aristocats all at different stages of development but it looks like another project has moved to the front of the queue.

    According to a trade report, Disney has entered into talks with director Michael Gracey to helm a live-action reimagining of 2010’s Tangled.

    Should Gracey–who directed Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Zac Efron in 2017’s The Greatest Showman–sign on, he’d be working from a script by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who worked with Disney-owned Marvel Studios on Thor: Love and Thunder.

    Casting has not gotten underway for Tangled but it is expected to film in the UK sometime in 2025.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Creature Commandos’ Episode 3 Teases the DCU’s First Superteam

    ‘Creature Commandos’ Episode 3 Teases the DCU’s First Superteam

    DC Studios’ Creature Commandos opened with two strong, action-packed episodes that introduced Task Force M and an all-new DCU rich with history and the sort of lived-in vibe that allows for other stories to exist in just about any corner. By setting stories in a universe where Eric Frankenstein has been stalking The Bride for a century, James Gunn has provided room for other character’s stories to have existed as well. And in Episode 3, “Cheers to the Tin Man”, Gunn took advantage of another long-lived character’s story to potentially set the stage for the DCU’s first super team.

    Used to convey the history of G.I. Robot, the third episode of Creature Commandos introduced Doctor Will Magnus into the DCU continuity. Twenty years after the end of World War II, G. I. Robot finds himself in the possession of Magnus, a self-described AI specialist who hopes to study the robot in an effort to build the next wave of automatons. As the flashback to this time period comes to a close, Magnus is shown looking at a chalkboard that includes a set of symbols familiar to fans of DC Comics: the Metal Men.

    Created in 1962 by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru, DC’s Metal Men first appeared in 1962’s Showcase #37 and have evolved and survived throughout all the publishing houses new initiatives. Named after the metals from which they were built, Gold, Iron, Lead, Mercury, Platinum, and Tin also embodied the properties of the elements from which they were created. The team has served as heroes since the Silver Age of DC Comics and now can exist as such in the all-new DC Universe.

    Though there’s been no indication from DC Studios’ co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran that a Metal Men project is in the works, one doesn’t necessarily have to be in order for the team to play a role in the DCU. While there’s no need for Magnus to have survived into the present day, his automatons could have and could show up in any number of upcoming projects.

    As set photos from Superman have established, the DCU is already full of heroes who h whom the public is familiar. In a world where Hawkgirl, Metamorpho and a Guy Gardner are already active, it wouldn’t be shocking to learn that in-universe inhabitants are already familiar with the Metal Men. Of course, given their own rich comic book history, should someone present Gunn and Safran with a solid pitch, a Metal Men project could easily be used to flesh out the history of any number of years between the 1960s and 2020s. And therin lies the power of Gunn’s decree to tell stories for the sake of stories rather than for an overarching shared narrative. Given the success of Creature Commandos, an animated Metal Men streaming series would most likely be greeted warmly by fans.

    The first three episodes of Creature Commandos are now streaming on Max.

  • DC Studios Set to Move Forward with First Horror Movie

    DC Studios Set to Move Forward with First Horror Movie

    In recent weeks, James Gunn made it clear that one fundamental difference between the all-new DCU and the MCU, in which he worked for nearly a decade, will be be an emphasis on world building over story building. Whereas Marvel Studios builds Phases and Sagas around “big bads” such as Thanos, Kang and Doctor Doom, and weaves those characters and their stories into multiple projects, one goal of his at DC Studios is to make sure that each new DCU project can be enjoyed on its own merits.

    “These are interconnected stories but people are always going to be [saying], ‘Who’s the big bad?’,” Gunn explained to Josh Horowitz. “Are there big bads for connected films? Yes. But is this all about, ‘Hey, I’m telling this one story about this big bad’? No.”

    This is about a connected universe. We’re world building. We’re not story building. We’re not writing one story that has a beginning, middle, and end. We’re creating a universe in which people can go and join into this universe and experience it. It is much more like Star Wars than Marvel in that respect.

    -James Gunn on the narrative structure of the DCU

    What Gunn‘s goal helps DC Studios accomplish is to open additional avenues for talented creators who have ideas for original stories that wouldn’t necessarily mesh with larger, universe-defining narratives. Mike Flanagan, the creator behind Netflix’s horror series The Haunting of Hill House and its subsequent follow-ups, reportedly pitched one such project to Gunn in 2023: a Clayface solo film. Recent reports indicated that the project was among those the studio was preparing to move forward with soon. Now, a trade report has confirmed the project was given the green light.

    According to Deadline and Variety, production on Flanagan’s Clayface film will get underway in early 2025. Though Flanagan wrote the script for the project, he will not direct it.

    Though Clayface will be produced by Matt Reeves‘ 6th & Idaho Productions, it is expected to be part of the main DCU continuity rather than Reeves’ more grounded and practical Batman Epic Crime Saga. The character is set to make his DCU debut soon in Creature Commandos.

    Flanagan‘s history with horror projects could mean Clayface will mix and match elements from various iterations of the character that have appeared in DC Comics over last 80+ years. With an official announcement reportedly imminent, perhaps Gunn will shed some light on the direction of the project.

    Sources: Deadline, Variety, YouTube

  • Sony’s Last Hunt: ‘Kraven’ Set to Be the Last Chapter in Failed Spidey-Less Spider-Man Universe

    Sony’s Last Hunt: ‘Kraven’ Set to Be the Last Chapter in Failed Spidey-Less Spider-Man Universe

    All good things come to an end…as do all poorly planned out and largely terrible things. After a producing six films–all of which were poorly reviewed by critics and two of which stand among the worst examples of the superhero genre–Sony’s abominable Spider-Man Universe has mercifully been put down…and it never even got a Spider-Man.

    Ahead of the December 13th release of Kraven the Hunter, The Wrap’s Umberto Gonzales reported that the studio has decided to cease development on further projects set within the “universe” that kicked off in 2018 with Venom.

    “They’ve developed what they want to develop for now,” explained one of Gonzales’ sources, adding that the studio has instead chosen to focus on their collaborative efforts with Marvel Studios on Spider-Man 4. “It’s really about the next ‘Spider-Man’ film,” said the source.

    According to The Wrap’s report, Sony slowly came to the realization that audiences were not showing up at theaters because they didn’t want to see terrible movies. “The biggest issue with the Sony Spider-Man spinoffs seems to be the lack of quality control,” shared a Sony insider. “The movies just aren’t good.”

    Unfortunately, nobody at Sony saw fit to evaluate projects such as Morbius and Madame Web before subjecting relatively innocent audiences to the horrors contained within them. “Sometimes that lack of quality meets a movie no one asked for, which was the case with ‘Madame Web,’ and that is a no-win scenario,” explained the insider while describing a movie that was actually given a green light by someone at Sony despite no one asking for it and then released in theaters despite being historically awful.

    It’s unclear what Sony’s decision means for Knull, a character they just propped up as a potential big bad in future projects…but that was honestly probably the case already.

    RIP dogshit.

    Source: The Wrap

  • Marvel Studios Adds Another Key Character to the Cast of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    Marvel Studios Adds Another Key Character to the Cast of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    With Avengers: Doomsday slated to begin production in the UK in the first half of next year, the studio has begun locking up the talent that will make up what’s expected to be one of its most impressive casts. In a surprise move, Robert Downey Jr. was announced as the film’s lead, Victor Von Doom during Marvel’s Hall H presentation at SDCC ’24. A recent trade report revealed that Downey was set to be joined in the film by his four-time Avengers co-star Chris Evans though it wasn’t clear if a return as Captain America was in the cards. And now, another Avenger…and Captain America…has been added to the mix.

    According to Deadline, Anthony Mackie has joined the cast of Avengers: Doomsday.

    Mackie has been an MCU mainstay since debuting as Sam Wilson in Captain America: The Winter Soldier over a decade ago. After taking over as Captain America in the D+ streaming series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Mackie‘s Wilson is set to be front and center in next February’s Captain America: Brave New World.

    According to Deadline, the idea of both Mackie and Evans suiting up as Captains America seems unlikely; however, the characters recently shared the mantle in the pages of Marvel Comics with Sam Wilson working as the Symbol of Truth and Steve Rogers as the Sentinel of Liberty. Whether or not Marvel Studios would follow suit is debatable, especially when there are so many other options for Evans.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Confirmed to Reunite the MCU’s Two Biggest Stars

    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Confirmed to Reunite the MCU’s Two Biggest Stars

    Over the past year, Marvel Studios’ Multiverse Saga has undergone major overhauls behind the scenes. While the planned endpoint remains fixed, the path to it has been greatly altered. Films and series have been reworked and reshot while others have been postponed and potentially abandoned to course correct in midflight. Avengers: Doomsday, the highest-profile project to undergo major changes, has become the center of controversy following the revelation that Robert Downey Jr. will star as Doctor Doom and that Anthony and Joe Russo will once again team up to direct the film.

    Originally developed as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, Marvel Studios changed gears on the project following the firing of Jonathan Majors. Moving on from Kang meant not only replacing him with Doom but also scrapping the original plans entirely. With Doomsday expected to begin production next Spring ahead of its planned May 1, 2026 release, it seems as though the studio has begun locking in talent, including bringing back another of its biggest stars to share the screen with Downey.

    According to Deadline, Chris Evans has struck a deal with Marvel Studios to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Evans nor Marvel Studios has confirmed the news and the trade report indicated that the nature of Evans‘ role is currently unknown.

    Before appearing as Johnny Storm in Deadpool & Wolverine, Evans‘ return to the MCU had always been expected despite the satisfying conclusion provided to Steve Rogers in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. In early 2021, Deadline reported that the star had struck a deal to return for a project or two, though it was never clear what those projects might be. One popular theory was that Evans would reprise the role of Captain America in a Nomad project but after years of being developed, we’ve heard that the studio has finally moved on from that particular piece. Though Evans admitted he was open to returning to the MCU, it wasn’t something he was in hurry to do.

    I’ll never say never, just because it was such a wonderful experience. But I’m also very precious with it. It’s something that I am very proud of. And like I said, sometimes I can’t believe it even happened. And I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn’t live up to expectations or if it just felt like it wasn’t connected to that original thing. So, no time soon. And ultimately I really hope to just maybe act a little bit less in my life. I have a lot of other interests.

    -Chris Evans on his potential return to the MCU

    While it may be a bit sooner than he imagined, Evans‘ return in Avengers: Doomsday is sure to generate another round of significant interest in the project, especially given the uncertainty around the size and nature of his role. While it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that he would simply suit up as 616 Steve Rogers again, there are plenty of other options. Given the film’s importance in the overall narrative of the Multiverse Saga, Evans could just as well play an alternate dimension Steve Rogers. Should Marvel Studios be truly willing to push the envelope, Evans could join Downey as a villain of the piece by portraying a version of the HYDRA-influenced Captain introduced in Marvel Comics Secret Empire. Alternatively, he could be playing any number of non-Cap characters set in opposition to Doom, pitting his character against Downey’s again as was done to great success in Captain America: Civil War. For now, all options are on the table until further developments provide additional information.

    Source: Deadline

  • The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘What If…?’ Season 3

    The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘What If…?’ Season 3

    What If…?, Marvel Animation’s first MCU-set adventure, is set to return for its third and final season just in time for folks to be home a bit more for the holidays. As was the case with Season 2, one new episode of What If…? will arrive daily from December 22nd through December 29th.

    Season 2 was a marked improvement over Season 1 in part because it expanded beyond the slightly altered retelling of familiar origin stories to take advantage of the true nature of the What If…? premise. Season 3 looks to be headed in that direction as well and will also greatly increase the size of the roster of characters. That said, you’ll likely want to refeesh your memory about some of the stories and characters set to make a splash in the new season. So if you’re looking for something to watch while you wrap your presents and guzzle your egg nog, we present The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before Season 3 of What If…?.

    How It Started…

    It’s been quite some time since Season 1 of Loki and most of Marvel Studios’ Multiverse Saga plans have been altered since then; however, without Sylvie knifing He Who Remains, there’s no Multiverse at all. That action went down in Season 1, Episode 6, “For All Time Always”, which is one of the best episodes of TV Marvel Studios has put together.

    How It Went…

    Even though Marvel Animation is adding characters such as Agatha Harkness, Shang-Chi and Moon Knight to the mix in Season 3 you’ll likely want to refresh yourself on some of the series’ central characters. While What If…? is ostensibly Uatu’s show, Captain Carter takes the lead in many episodes across both seasons and will be back for more. Additionally, the MCU original character Kahhori, who debuted in Season 2, is confirmed to return in the new season.

    What If…?, Season 1:

    Episode 1, What If… Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?

    Episode 9, What If…The Watcher Broke His Oath?

    What If…?, Season 2:

    Episode 5, What If…Captain Carter Fought the HYDRA Stomper?

    Episode 6, What If…Kahhori Reshaped the World?

    Episode 8, What If…The Avengers Assembled in 1602?

    Episode 9, What If…Strange Supreme Intervened?

    Where It’s Going Next

    Not to beat a dead horse here but…the voice cast for Season 3 is MASSIVE. An unbelievable amount of stars are back to lend their voices to the characters they’ve played in Marvel Studios live-action projects. The list of first timers includes Kathryn Hahn, Oscar Isaac, Hailee Steinfeld, Simu Liu, Dominique Thorne, Kumail Nanjiani and more.

    The trick here is that the appearances of each of these characters does not necessarily indicate an alteration of any individual story one of the may have had. For example, Kate Bishop’s appearance in a Western-set episode may not be a result of some small changes to her origin story which means watching Hawkeye may not provide any additional context for her actions in What If…? That’s certainly a change from Seasons 1 and 2 which included quite a few episodes that were just alt takes on familiar stories. All that said, here’s a list of projects that include characters that will appear in Season 3.

    Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

    Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)

    Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

    WandaVision (2021)

    The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (2021)

    Black Widow (2021)

    Eternals (2021)

    Hawkeye (2021)

    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

    Moon Knight (2022)

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

    Secret Invasion (2023)

    The Marvels (2023)

    X-Men ’97 (2024)

    Agatha All Along (2024)

    The third and final season of Marvel Animation’s What If…? will debut new episodes daily for eight days beginning on December 22nd.

    About What If…?, Season 3

    Marvel’s animated series What If…? returns in Season 3 for its culminating adventure through the multiverse. Watch as classic characters make unexpected choices that will mutate their worlds into spectacular alternate versions of the MCU. The Watcher (voice of Jeffrey Wright) will guide viewers as the series traverses new genres, bigger spectacles, and incredible new characters.

    The series features an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles. Season 3 features fan-favorite characters like Captain America/Sam Wilson, The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Hulk/Bruce Banner, The Red Guardian, Captain Peggy Carter, Agatha Harkness, Shang-Chi, Storm the Goddess of Thunder, and numerous others.

    Episodes are directed by Bryan Andrews and Stephan Franck and are written by Matthew Chauncey, Ryan Little, and A.C. Bradley. Executive producers are Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, and Bryan Andrews, with co-executive producer Matthew Chauncey, and producers Danielle Costa, Carrie Wassenaar, and Alex Scharf.

  • Further Evidence Suggests a Second Season of One of Marvel Studios Best Streaming Shows Is On the Way

    Further Evidence Suggests a Second Season of One of Marvel Studios Best Streaming Shows Is On the Way

    Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye provided the first deep dive into the MCU’s corner of street-level crime, introducing fans to Wilson Fisk and his Tracksuit Mafia. Despite his best efforts to not get involved, Clint Barton, the Avenging Archer, ultimately teamed up with Kate Bishop to take down the Tracksuits while Maya Lopez tried to put down the Kingpin. While Maya’s and Fisk’s stories continued in Echo which will lead to Fisk’s next appearance in Daredevil: Born Again, neither of the Hawkeyes have had any further adventures. However, evidence that may soon change is  starting to accumulate.

    Earlier this year, buzz surrounded a rumor that the studio was moving ahead with a second season of Hawkeye that would see the heroes up against the odds while pinned down in a single location. That buzz died down until a recent report by Marvel Studios insider Daniel Richtman indicated that production on Season 2 of the series was set to start in Fall 2025 with an eye on having it ready for streaming as early as 2026. While neither the studio nor trades have addressed the possibility of another season, the recent home media release of Season 1 may have tipped Marvel’s hand.

    While marketing the first season’s physical media release, Marvel Studios is referring to Season 1 as the “complete first season.” While that may seem relatively minor, Disney has marketed other series such as WandaVision and Lucasfilm’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, neither of which are expected to have sophomore seasons, as “The Complete Series “

    While it’s certainly not definitive proof that a Season 2 of Hawkeye will head into production, it does mean the studio hasn’t closed the door on the further adventures of Clint and Kate.

  • James Gunn Reveals What Will Set His ‘Superman’ Apart from Prior Efforts

    James Gunn Reveals What Will Set His ‘Superman’ Apart from Prior Efforts

    With Creature Commandos having made its debut on Max, the all-new DCU is officially underway. As DC Studios’ co-CEO James Gunn has said, however, the animated series is designed to be an appetizer, a way “for people to just take a little nibble [of the all-new DCU] and see what it tastes like.” In that metaphor, the main course becomes Superman, written and directed by Gunn, which is set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.

    To date, fans haven’t truly been able to get a good idea for the feel of the upcoming film but that’s all about to change with the debut of the film’s first teaser trailer expected before Christmas. Trailers for superhero films alwyas find themselves under intense scrutiny but it’s reasonable to assume that for a multitude of reasons, the first look at DC Studios’ Superman is facing a challenge worthy of the Man of Steel himself. With so many live-action iterations of the character already having made their way to screens big and small, everyone has a favorite Superman which means David Corenswet‘s version of Kal-El will be compared to all of them.

    To that end, Gunn, who has loved Superman since seeing Richard Donner‘s 1978 film in theaters, has smartly taken measures to set Corenswet’s Kal-El apart from those that came before him. In an interview with Josh Horowitz, Gunn has explained that the biggest difference is that his inspiration for the character came from DC Comics’ Silver Age, in which Superman was a nigh invulnerable powerhouse.

    “I don’t think we’ve ever seen the big science fiction Silver Age Superman aspects that we have in our movie,” said Gunn. “We’ve never seen…you’ll see when the movie comes out, but we’ve never seen this specific part of Superman’s life.” It’s not entirely clear to what Gunn is referring in the second quote, however, the Silver Age Superman came to Earth as an older child complete with memories of Krypton and began a superhero career as Superboy during his time in Smallville making him a known quantity much earlier than Henry Cavill’s Snyderverse version.

    Whatever it is Gunn has planned for Superman, it’s clear that it will involve his comic book archenemy antagonizing him in a much different way than has been shown onscreen so far.

    “I don’t think we’ve ever seen the Lex that [Nicolas Hoult] is,” explained Gunn.”Nic is imposing. You go, ‘Oh, fuck, poor Superman.’ That’s the thing we never see, not in film,” Gunn added. And, of course, he is not wrong. While Gene Hackman‘s Luthor may well be iconic, he was nowhere near as fully developed as many iterations of Lex have been in the comics, which seem to be serving as a waypoint for Hoult’s Luthor.

    “Sometimes in the comics you go, ‘Oh, Superman is fucked because Lex is so smart and so good at what he’s doing’,” said Gunn, ” but in the movies, you’re going, ‘Lex is about to get fucked.’” From what we’ve seen from set photos, it does indeed seem that Luthor will gain a significant advantage over Kal-El in Superman.

    Source: YouTube