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  • ‘Santa Clause’ Revival Series Heading to Disney+, Tim Allen to Return

    ‘Santa Clause’ Revival Series Heading to Disney+, Tim Allen to Return

    We know that Disney+ is obsessed with reviving classic IPs to attract new viewers to its streaming platform, but this is quite an interesting surprise. It looks like the Christmas classic Santa Clause starring Tim Allen is making a return. It’ll be the third time the actor takes on the role of Scott Calvin after his last appearance in the 2006 threequel. He originally took on the role back in 1994, where the unknowing Scott ended up leading to the death of Santa Clause and would take on the role. It seems the series will explore his time to pass on the role, as revealed in the following series description:

    Scott Calvin is on the brink of his 65th birthday and realizing that he can’t be Santa forever. He’s starting to lose a step in his Santa duties, and more importantly, he’s got a family who could benefit from a life in the normal world, especially his two kids who have grown up at the Pole. With a lot of elves, children, and family to please, Scott sets out to find a suitable replacement Santa while preparing his family for a new adventure in a life south of the pole.

    The mastermind behind Allen‘s last comedy series Last Man Standing, Jack Burditt, is on as showrunner and executive producer. Kevin Hench, Richard Baker, and Rick Messina will also join in the executive producer role alongside its star. With Hocus Pocus 2 on the horizon, it really seems like the House of Mouse is quite excited to revive cult classics for a new generation of viewers.

    Source: Variety

  • Letitia Wright Returns to Film ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    Letitia Wright Returns to Film ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    After almost five months, as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever took an extended break for the holidays, its leading star has returned. Letitia Wright returns to the set of the Marvel Studios sequel months after her serious injury. At first, it seemed like she only had a minor injury but later turned out to be a fractured shoulder and a concussion with severe side effects. So, it’s no wonder that production was forced to take an extended break, as they wait for her to recover.

    A spokesperson for the star has told the BBC that Wright has now returned to the production in order to complete the film, which is scheduled for release in November of this year. Her character Shuri is set to be a lead character for the film which will focus on Wakanda and its place in the world amidst pressure from the outside after the events of the first entry. With Spider-Man: No Way Home wrapping production at the end of March 2021 for a December release, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever should have plenty of time now that it has resumed production, as they are probably catching up with scenes that involve Wright.

    Source: BBC

  • ‘Peacemaker’ Episode 1-3 Easter Eggs and References

    ‘Peacemaker’ Episode 1-3 Easter Eggs and References

    Peacemaker is finally here and just like any other James Gunn project it’s packed full of Easter eggs and features quite a few deep-cut nods to the DC mythos.

    Evergreen

    Picture

    Peacemaker takes place in the fictional city of Evergreen, Washington, the hometown of the most famous Green Lantern: Hal Jordan. Jordan returned to his hometown upon leaving his post at Ferris Aircraft to work as an insurance salesman. At one point, Green Arrow even made his way to Evergreen where he crossed paths with the lantern. There doesn’t seem to be any hint of either character right now, but it’s still a pretty cool bit of world-building in the ever-expanding DC Extended Universe.

    Bat-Mite

    During a discussion between Peacemaker and John Economos, Economos exclaims that he’d rather be hanging out with Bat-Mite than be working alongside Smith. Peacemaker asks who Bat-Mite is and Economos describes him as a “Two-foot tall interdimensional imp who stans Batman” and that he is in fact very real, leaving Peacemaker wondering what the world is coming to. It’s a bit funny to picture Ben Affleck’s Batman standing next to the likes of Bat-Mite but it’s a fun nod to the Bat’s biggest fan.

    Doll Man

    As they prepare to set out on their first mission as a team, Peacemaker gets chatty as usual. This time around he name drops a rather obscure DC name: Doll Man. Peacemaker goes into detail about just how much he dislikes “homunculi”, and then name drops Doll Man as an example. Doll Man, also known as “The Worlds Mightiest Mite”, developed a chemical formula that gave him the ability to shrink himself and was one of the first superheroes with that ability.

    White Dragon

    When Peacemaker’s dad, Auggie Smith, finds himself in jailafter he’s framed for murder by John Economos, he’s worshipped and saluted by the other inmates. In that moment, Peacemaker’s awful father got so much worse as it was revealed that he is the White Dragon, a white supremacist supervillain who was created by John Ostrander. In the comics, Auggie wasn’t the White Dragon, but he was a Nazi who when he died, haunted Peacemaker with the horrible atrocities he committed. Gunn gets original here giving Auggie an alter-ego as a “Cape”.

    The DEO

    When Peacemaker and Harcourt are staking out the Groff mansion, Smith attempts to pry a bit into Harcourt’s past. As she recalls her career path, she mentions that after she joined the CIA, she ended up at the DEO, better known as The Department of Extranormal Operations. First introduced into the comics in 1998, the DEO is a government agency that deals with everything out of the ordinary in the DC Universe. The DEO was previously heavily featured in Supergirl where they dealt with alien threats.

    Peacemaker’s Jetpack

    Upon returning to his trailer after leaving the hospital, Peacemaker is quickly greeted by the members of his new team, led by Clemson Murn. Peacemaker has few conditions he wants met before he agrees to join the team, chief among them is that he wants a Jetpack, like really bad. Murn quickly shoots down the jetpack and moves on from his silly request. Peacemaker just really loves his jetpacks and has since his early days ini the comics. The character used to constantly be equipped with a Jetpack in many of his old comic book experiences, so if you thought he was a menace to begin with, imagine him being able to fly. Maybe down the line we’ll be able to see Peacemaker take flight, but for now it’s just a fun nod to his comic book history.

    With a Gunn production, there’s always plenty of Easter eggs to be found and with a whole new universe at his fingertips, he’s sure to be pulling anything and everything that he can. Some may never be found, just like the elusive Easter egg in Guardians of The Galaxy that to this day eludes fans.

  • NBC Orders Pilot for ‘Quantum Leap’ Sequel

    NBC Orders Pilot for ‘Quantum Leap’ Sequel

    NBC is looking to bring back the hit series, Quantum Leap.

    It was announced early Thursday that the network has given a pilot order to a Quantum Leap sequel. The potential series would be set 30 years after the original television show, which ran for a total of five seasons on NBC between 1989-1993. The new project will reportedly bring back Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, judging by the synopsis, although NBC has yet to confirm his involvement.

    The sequel takes place 30 years after the events of the original series, where Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Following his vanishing, a new team is brought in to restart the project to try and understand the mysteries behind the machine and the man who built it. As it stands, the order from NBC is only for a pilot episode. However, this is the first major movement on any Quantum Leap revival since Bakula teased the potential project last year. At the time, the actor cited the rights as the reason a revival hadn’t happened yet. Now, though, it would seem that problem has been sorted.

    Creator Don Bellisario will serve as executive producer for the sequel series, while Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt (Gotham) serve as the showrunners. Should the project move forward, it will be a part of NBC’s 2023 line-up.

    Source: THR.

  • Netflix’s ‘Shadow & Bone’ Casts Four Key Roles for Season 2

    Netflix’s ‘Shadow & Bone’ Casts Four Key Roles for Season 2

    Netflix has filled four key roles for the forthcoming second season of Shadow & Bone, which is now in production.

    To celebrate the start of production on the series, Shadow & Bone has added four new actors to its rooster. Joining the cast are Anna Leong Brophy (Back) as Tamar Kir-Bataar, Patrick Gibson (The OA) as Nikolai Lantsov, Lewis Tan (Mortal Kombat) as Tolya Yul-Bataar and Jack Wolfe (The Witcher) as Wylan Hendriks. Along with casting four key roles, the three others have been upped to series regulars for the upcoming season: Danielle Galligan who plays Nina Zenik, Daisy Head who plays Genya Safin and Calahan Skogman who plays Matthias Helvar.

    Along with adding new cast members, the series is also making some changes behind the camera. Netflix has announced that Season One writer, Daegan Fryklind, has been upped to co-showrunner for the series alongside Eric Heisserer, who is returning as showrunner. They’ll be working with directors Bola Ogun, Laura Belsey, Karen Gaviola and Mairzee Almas who will all helm episodes for Season Two of Shadow & Bone. The hit Netflix series, which also stars Ben Barnes, is based on the best-selling Grishaverse novels by author Leigh Bardugo, who is an executive producer on the Netflix adaptation.

    The Grishaverse novels follow orphan Alina Starkov, a young girl who who possess a sought-after power, across a war-torn world as she flees from the powerful General Kirigan, played by Barnes. The season, consisting of eight episodes, is expected to debut sometime this year.

    If you’re new to the Grishaverse, the first season of Shadow & Bone is streaming in full on Netflix now.

    Source: THR

  • David Ramsey Set to Lead Arrowverse Spinoff ‘Justice U’ Series

    David Ramsey Set to Lead Arrowverse Spinoff ‘Justice U’ Series

    There’s relative uncertainty around the CW right now, as WarnerMedia reportedly looks to sell the network. It supposedly hasn’t been profitable since 2006. Nevertheless, the Arrowverse is in a time of great change, as they move on from their flagship series like Arrow, Supergirl, and Black Lightning as they usher in a new era of justice. The CW’s latest additions include Superman and Lois, Naomi, and even a new series set to follow some young vigilantes in Gotham City. That’s not it, as it seems like they’re going all-in on some young Justice.

    The CW is reportedly in the development of yet another original series set within the Arrowverse with David Ramsey set to lead as John Diggler. The series will see Diggle set off to train the next generation of heroes, as he recruits five young metahumans, who will live at a prestigious university. There they’ll study and train to become the world’s next best heroes. If the series is picked up, David Ramsey will serve as the pilot’s director as part of his new deal with Berlanti Productions.

    The series was created by Michael Narducci, a co-executive producer on Superman & Lois alongside Zoanne Clack. Berlanti Productions will produce the series in association with Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. Geoff Johns will serve as an executive producer on the series. No further casting has been made as the series has yet to receive a series order nor a pilot order.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Real Steel’ Series Reportedly in Development for Disney+

    ‘Real Steel’ Series Reportedly in Development for Disney+

    Just when you thought the upcoming slate of streaming projects couldn’t get any more exciting, The Wrap goes ahead and reports an exciting new bombshell. According to an article from Umberto Gonzalez, a series based on the film Real Steel is in early development for release on Disney+. The show is set to have an impressive set of executive producers, with veteran filmmakers Shawn Levy and Robert Zemeckis joined by Jack Rapke, Jacqueline Levine, Susan Montford, and Don Murphy behind the scenes. Levy previously directed the original 2011 film on which the new project will be based, while Montford and Murphy return as producers.

    Real Steel tells the story of a struggling former boxer, who enters and navigates the world of robotic combat alongside his young son. The film featured Hugh Jackman in the lead role and was based on the 1956 short story Steel by science fiction writer Richard Matheson. The concept was also adapted into a 1963 episode of The Twilight Zone, under the same title. It’s unknown if the Disney+ series will continue the story established in the movie or serve as a total reboot of the franchise. There is currently no release estimate or cast attached to the project.

    Source: The Wrap

  • EXCLUSIVE: Live-Action ‘One Piece’s First Season No Longer Ten Episodes

    EXCLUSIVE: Live-Action ‘One Piece’s First Season No Longer Ten Episodes

    There’s been a lot of speculation surrounding the upcoming live-action adaptation of One Piece. When the project first picked up momentum in 2020, a message by series creator Eiichiro Oda was released finally offering an update. Sadly, COVID has postponed the project by quite some time, but we finally got a casting confirmation in November for the main members of the Straw Hats. In the initial announcement by Oda, it was announced that the series will run for ten episodes in its first season. However, we can exclusively share that the episode count has changed.

    It seems that at some point in its pre-production the episode count has been reduced from 10 to 8 episodes for its premiere season. That is a similar length to Netflix’s recent release, The Witcher. Currently, it seems the show is eyeing a potential start in spring or in the summer of this year. Of course, that has been constantly changing and Omicron concerns may also influence it with rumors of other productions closing down. The recent cancelation of Cowboy Bebop – another production by Tomorrow Studios – by Netflix after only one season might seem like a potential factor, as these are high-budget projects with high expectations of return for Netflix, but highly doubt it as it could’ve already been something that was decided before that show even aired.

    The first season will cover the East Blue saga from the original manga series, which ran for 100 chapters. What is noteworthy about this saga is that it mainly focused on smaller arcs where Luffy gathered his initial crew before heading out into the Grand Line, meaning there are quite a few separate storylines that’ll be intertwined into this season. In that case, two fewer episodes could be a sign of tighter pacing and a stronger overlap between these arcs. Eight episodes have worked well for some series like The Witcher, Stranger Things, and more, so a slightly shorter season could work in One Piece‘s favor.

  • Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Tease the Court of Owls and Vicky Vale

    Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Tease the Court of Owls and Vicky Vale

    The Batgirl set photos have been a smorgasbord filled with Easter eggs or hints of what we can expect from the upcoming HBO Max film. A mural gave us our first look at a potential appearance of Robin, as it even sparked rumors about a potential Nightwing spinoff. Yet, the latest set photos have added some more interesting references to the original 1989 Batman and one of Batman’s most iconic foes. Let’s start with the latter, as @BatgirlFilm has noticed a magazine that very openly discusses the usually secretive society known as the Court of Owls.

    It’s weird seeing them so openly discussed on the cover of the fictional Gotham Tattler. So, either Michael Keaton‘s Batman faced off against them in the past and they’ve been exposed as a result, or they took a very different approach with their mythology as part of his rogue’s gallery. Speaking of Keaton, a different set photo including another magazine cover includes the name of Vicki Vale, who was played by Kim Basinger back in 1989.

    There’s no word that we might actually see Vicky Vale in the film, but it’s great that they are also including references to the original 1989 project. We saw that the film#s take on Robin is quite different from how the original films introduced the character, but Keaton also wasn’t invovled once that character was included. So, they have enough wiggle room to recreate specific elements while still paying tribute to others from the original Tim Burton films.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter (Vale)

  • RUMOR: Ethan Kai May Be Playing Jason Bard in ‘Batgirl’

    RUMOR: Ethan Kai May Be Playing Jason Bard in ‘Batgirl’

    Batgirl recently started production over in Glasgow. In the past few days, we’ve gotten quite a few set photos that offered us a glimpse into the HBO Max film’s take on Gotham City. They, however, aren’t the only news we’ve gotten recently, as just today the film added Corey Johnson, Ethan Kai, and Rebecca Front to its cast. No details on their roles were revealed as plot details for the film are still under wraps, but it seems we may have a clue who Kai could be playing in the film.

    Many were hoping that we may finally have our Dick Grayson, as recent rumors have pointed to the first Robin making an appearance. Yet it turns out Kai may be playing a very different character. Some new set photos have surfaced that may hint at the actor playing Jason Bard, a GCPD cop and love interest to Barbara Gordon. Leslie Grace and Ethan Kai are seen on set holding hands during filming, which hints at a romantic relationship between their characters.

    The proof that may seal the deal on this is another set photo of a trailer belonging to a character only listed as “Jason.” As it seems quite unlikely Jason Todd would be popping up in this film, it seems like the most likely scenario is that this trailer belongs to the actor who could be playing Jason Bard, which looks to be Ethan Kai.

    For those unfamiliar with Jason Bard, he isn’t a huge character but he is an ally of Batgirl and Batman. He was a man fueled by the death of his mother, who was murdered at the hands of his abusive father. Eventually, he would become a cop and join the GCPD to avenger his mother’s death, where he would meet Barbara Gordon and would often team up with her alter ego without a clue who she was. While this remains unconfirmed, it seems to be a possible outcome for Kai’s character. It seems fans may just have to wait a bit longer to see if Dick Grayson pops up in Batgirl.

    Source: Twitter, Alamy,