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  • How ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Could Set Up a ‘Daredevil’ Soft-Reboot

    How ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Could Set Up a ‘Daredevil’ Soft-Reboot

    It’s looking more and more plausible that Daredevil is becoming a reality in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Charlie Cox will make his return in Spider-Man: No Way Home and there are already strong hints that a new project is in its earliest stages of development. With the next trailer for Sony’s multiversal adventure nearing, it seems like the perfect time to explore what an adaptation by Marvel Studios could do to make it build upon what came before while also adding its twist to the character. In a way, they could do that literally by taking inspiration from the comic line Shadowlands that could be perfectly set up through the events of No Way Home.

    Marvel's Daredevil | Netflix – offizielle Webseite

    We’ve already been introduced to the Hand in the Netflix series. While its canonicity remains a mystery, it might not be too difficult to introduce the organization as one pulling many strings throughout New York City. Yet, as they are likely to soft reboot some aspects of the original three seasons, they could make that very apparent by taking inspiration from the series’ first season. In 2015, one of the main plotlines revolves around Wilson Fisk buying up real estate throughout Hell’s Kitchen. He planned to destroy and rebuild it. How about in this reintroduction, he did exactly that.

    Hell’s Kitchen is being torn down and Matt Murdock can hardly recognize it anymore. He starts an investigation to find out what is going out, as the rework of his home has raised criminal activity. In his investigation, he uncovers that this is more than just Fisk. The Hand, an old foe, has been one of the main investors in this new development, as they’ve taken over quite a few of the buildings. The NYC landscape is changing with so-called Shadowland temples being erected. Daredevil feels somewhat hopeless as non of his actions are stopping it.

    Shadowland revealed! | The Other Murdock Papers

    In a way, the series becomes an allegory on taking the familiar from Netflix but adding a new paint job to make it feel fresh. We have a familiar foe with the Hand, but their objectives are a bit more specific. We once again dive deep into Murdock’s psyché throughout these events, as he slowly realizes that he might be more closely involved than he might expect at first. They start to toy with him, as they either cause more damage or even push him beyond his limits.

    This adaptation would also fit nicely in the current theme of MCU projects reshaping the MCU as we know it. Shang-Chi introduced us to a new dimension, WandaVision turned an unknowing town into a pocket dimension and Eternals added a new landmark to Earth. So, it’s safe to assume Spider-Man: No Way Home might also unleash some lasting changes upon an unsuspecting NYC. It’ll probably sustain enough damage from the battle aiding Kingpin and the Hand’s efforts. Hell’s Kitchen was already falling apart and might not quite recover from this one like they did the Incident so long ago.

    SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME | Sony Pictures Austria

    So, the aftermath of Spider-Man‘s third film, which also serves as our reintroduction to the character of Daredevil, sets up his story that reshapes a world we’ve come to love back in 2015. Yes, things will likely change but by embracing the first season’s core elements we’re putting the character on a similar yet different path. Some elements might repeat and could be twisted in new directions, but it would finally bring Daredevil back into the fold.

  • Netflix Shares Viewership Numbers for the First Time

    Netflix Shares Viewership Numbers for the First Time

    Streaming may be about to change forever, as Netflix has suddenly offered insight into how much their shows and films are being viewed. Not just that, they promise this to be a regular occurrence. Other streaming services have been coy on sharing any data, as the market hasn’t required it. Yet, as they continue to grow this is a massive jump for transparency and might also shift the market in a new direction, as streaming becomes more dominant.

    The goal for Netflix is to report how many hours were spent on the top 10 TV shows and movies, which includes original and licensed offerings. The first numbers offered some insight into their latest release Red Notice with Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds, and Dwayne Johnson spearheading. In its first week of release, it had garnered around 149M hours of viewing time. Narcos: Mexico was the most-watched English-speaking series with 50M hours. Squid Game did take the top spot, however, for a non-English series with around 43M after being available for some time.

    It’s a great development, but it opens the question of whether others will be willing to share their data as openly. Newer streaming services are facing enough hardship. So, transparency might streamline the market and showcase what investments are proven successful. This move does also feels like a follow-up to 2021’s long-winded discussion regarding simultaneous releases and how effective they truly are. We’ll keep an eye on future developments.

    Source: Financial Times

  • New ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Spider-Man Trailer Includes Wonder Man Nod

    New ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Spider-Man Trailer Includes Wonder Man Nod

    Sometime before Marvel’s Avengers was released, there were many theories about the line-up of characters that may have an important role in the game. It seemed like at some point in time, they’ve had quite a few new characters mapped out and there are quite a few teases throughout the latest DLC. Black Panther’s “War for Wakanda” even referenced Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, and Loki. The latest teaser may have done something similar.

    As pointed out to me by @MonarchWrites, there’s a brief sequence where Spider-Man is sitting alongside the Avengers enjoying some peace and quiet. On the TV, you can clearly see Simon Williams basking in the limelight. In the comics, he eventually becomes the hero, Wonder Man. It’s close to his original design even including the red glasses with some updated designs. His inclusion in this trailer doesn’t mean he’s a playable character, but it does potentially mean he might appear in the franchise at some point. Perhaps we’ll get a small cameo on the TV screens that are on in the Helicarrier.

    You can check out the latest teaser introducing Spider-Man’s upcoming Hero Event DLC titled “With Great Power” here:

    [UPDATING]

    Source: Twitter

  • REPORT: Greta Gerwig Pens Latest Draft of Disney’s Live-Action ‘Snow White’

    REPORT: Greta Gerwig Pens Latest Draft of Disney’s Live-Action ‘Snow White’

    Disney’s live-action Snow White has reportedly brought in Little Women writer Greta Gerwig to pen the latest draft.

    The news comes courtesy of The DisInsider with the outlet reporting musical rehearsals beginning in January. Production on the film kicks off in March. It was recently announced that Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot will portray the Evil Queen in the film. Gadot joins actress Rachel Zegler who will play Snow White.

    Along with news of Gerwig’s involvement, the outlet was able to unveil two-character breakdowns for the film. One is for a young Snow White, while the other is for her love interest. The character isn’t described as Prince Charming, the breakdown refers to him as Jonathan and describes him as having “plenty of swagger and a twinkle in his eye.” The breakdown reportedly also states he resorts “to Robin Hood-like thievery to provide for him and his friends.”

    Gerwig is a two-time Academy Award-nominee and was nominated for her work on Little Women, which she wrote and directed. She is currently set to helm the live-action Barbie, with Margot Robbie in the titular role, for Warner Bros.

    Snow White will be directed by Marc Webb.

    Source: DisInsider

  • ‘Mortal Kombat 11’s Sean Chiplock Voicing Spider-Man in ‘Marvel’s Avengers’

    ‘Mortal Kombat 11’s Sean Chiplock Voicing Spider-Man in ‘Marvel’s Avengers’

    Just recently, we got our first look at Marvel’s Avengers upcoming Spider-Man DLC. Our first teases of the character have been quite promising but we won’t see his full kit until November 29th’s War Table video. Luckily, developer Crystal Dynamics has been offering some insight into the character and what he has to offer while building up to his release on November 30th. Today, they’ve finally announced that Sean Chiplock is voicing the character in the game.

    Chiplock might not be as well-known as some of the other members of the voice cast, which includes Christopher Judge, Nolan North, Troy Baker, and many more. Yet, he has built up quite the repertoire in the industry. He’s famously voiced Mortal Kombat 11‘s Noob Saibot, Revali in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Seraphite in The Last of Us: Part II, Yuuki Mishima in Persona 5 Royal, and many more. He’s also played quite a few roles in Marvel’s TL;DR YouTube series. So, he’s certainly no stranger to working with the comic giant.

    He’s also worked on quite a few anime adaptations, which include Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, One Punch Man, and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure to name a few. The first teasers were offering some insight into his performance, which is quite promising and he offers that youthful yet veteran superhero. Here’s hoping we get some more teases of the character in action soon, as the month seems to never end.

    Source: Twitter

  • Denis Villeneuve Teases Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen for ‘Dune: Part Two’

    Denis Villeneuve Teases Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen for ‘Dune: Part Two’

    It didn’t take long after the release of Dune that we got the confirmation for a sequel. As the film only covered around half of the original novel, the lack of an announcement had some on edge if director Denis Villeneuve will truly be able to bring his vision to life. Luckily, now that we have the confirmation, it opens up new questions, such as who we might expect in the sequel if he might make some changes to the source material. In a recent interview with Empire, the director confirmed that Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen – the heir to the throne of House Harkonnen will appear in Dune: Part Two:

    Definitely. That’s a choice that I personally brought on. There was enough characters that were introduced in this first part, and it will be more elegant to keep Feyd for Part Two. It will be definitely a very, very important character in the second part.

    Denis Villeneuve

    Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen is a brother of Beast Rabann and the nephew of Baron Harkonnen. He is a young man, who is just a year older than Paul and is preparing to become the Baron’s successor. Not just that, he’s also part of the genetic plan mentioned by Gaius Helen Mohiam in the film.

    They’ll now have a chance to explore the parallels between Feyd and Paul, who grew up in very different circumstances and have quite a few things in common. It’ll be interesting to see how Villeneuve brings this character to life and how close he’ll stick to the books.

    Source: Empire

  • Netflix Shares ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Set Photo as Production Starts

    Netflix Shares ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Set Photo as Production Starts

    It looks like the turbulent developmnet hell surrounding Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender has come to an end. Hot off the heels of casting Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai and Paul Sun-Hyung as Uncle Iroh, the streaming service announced on their Twitter profile that they’ve officially entered production with a cute picture of the cast on the set. Sadly, they aren’t showing anything quite yet but it’s great to know that after its turbulent history, such as the creators existing the showing last year over creative differences, they are finally at a point for the series to kick-off filming.

    Showrunner Albert Kim also shared his excitement on finally entering production on this project on Twitter:

    The cast certailny looks excited and overall casting has been quite promising. It’s uncertain how long they might be in productiona nd when we can expect thes eries to release. Considering it’ll be effects heavy, we might have to wait for some time before we get too see their take on these iconic animated characters. Still, it’s good to finally get a confirmation that the project is moving forward and here’s hoping they’ll tease the cast in their costumes in the near future.

    Source: Twitter

  • Paul Sun-Hyung Lee Cast as Uncle Iroh in Netflix’s ‘Avatar’

    Paul Sun-Hyung Lee Cast as Uncle Iroh in Netflix’s ‘Avatar’

    Avatar is one of the most beloved animated series of all time. It tells the story of Aang, the very last Airbender, as he travels the four nations with his companions and masters all four elemental bending techniques. The show returned to Netflix last year and brought back a wave of nostalgia for many, who soon remembered Netflix was in development on a live-action adaption, piquing the interest of many.

    In the past couple of weeks, the adaption has begun adding to its cast, some known and some new to the scene. An addition that all have been waiting for is the role of Uncle Iroh, the uncle of Prince Zuko, and one of the series most important and loved characters. The Mandalorian and Kims Convenience Star Paul Sun-Hyung Lee has been officially cast in the role of Uncle Iroh. Along with that casting, Ken Leung has joined as Admiral Zhao with Lim Kay Siu cast as Monk Gyatso.

    It’ll be interesting to see how the series adapts the first book and if it changes any backstories to better fit within the shorter episode run. The series has been pretty on the spot with its recent castings, and Lee as Iroh is quite a great addition.

    Lee, Leung, and Siu join Gordon Cormier as Aang, Dallas Liu as Zuko, Ian Ousley as Sokka, Kiawentiio Tarbell as Katara, and Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai. Albert Kim will serve as showrunner on the series following the departure of original series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante Dimartino.

    Source: The Wrap

  • HBO Max to Reunite ‘Harry Potter’s Original Trio for ‘Return to Hogwarts’ Special

    HBO Max to Reunite ‘Harry Potter’s Original Trio for ‘Return to Hogwarts’ Special

    It looks like a new era has begun for Harry Potter. While Warner Bros. has been busy working on the third entry of Fantastic Beasts, it seems HBO Max has some additional plans. The streaming service will release a special for New Years Day titled Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts that’ll welcome back the original Harry Potter cast of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson.

    It’s not surprising that they’re adding an anniversary special, as the streaming service saw quite the success with their FRIENDS reunion special. The feature is described to “tell an enchanting making-of story through all-new in-depth interviews and cast conversations.” Director Chris Columbus will also make a return alongside cast members from across all eight entries of the popular Harry Potter films.

    It’s crazy to think that it’s already been 20 years since the first film in the franchise, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone released in theaters. For those that don’t have access to HBO Max, it’ll also be made available on TBS and Cartoon Network in the spring of 2022. So, there will be an opportunity to check it out next year.

    Source: Variety, Twitter

  • REVIEW: Amazon’s Wheel of Time is a Well-Done Adaptation

    REVIEW: Amazon’s Wheel of Time is a Well-Done Adaptation

    Note: This review contains no spoilers for the first three episodes of Wheel of Time.

    After two decades of being in development, Robert Jordan‘s Wheel of Time series is finally hitting the small screen. For fans of the book, it has been a long wait. However, it’s safe to say it has been worthwhile as Amazon’s Wheel of Time adaption is a well-done take on the beloved fantasy series.

    Amazon’s decision to release the first three episodes upfront may seem a bit strange initially. After all, these are hour-long episodes and the first season only contains eight episodes total. Once given the chance to dive in, though, it is clear the first three episodes are best viewed back-to-back. While the pilot episode falters at times as it struggles to set up this massive fantasy world, the second episode seems to regain its footing.

    Jordan’s books are known for being full of flowery text. They are overly descriptive to the point readers are able to envision the world while reading. It’s great for reading, however, it can make it harder to translate to another medium – especially a live-action take. This is something the first episode, “Leavetaking,” struggles with as it tries to find a balance between telling its own story and merely adapting its source material.

    The pilot does a great job at paying homage to the books, as it focuses on the woman and them earning the right to bore a braid, as well as the village located near the Two Rivers. The scenery is often breathtaking and the casting choices, although aged-up, are smart and well-done. Some minor decisions make no sense, though, including scenes from the first book that would better impact the story moving forward. It almost feels as though the writers want to hold off on more fantastical aspects of the story until the end of the episode, unleashing a new world of magic upon viewers in the last minutes.

    Thankfully, the second episode “Shadow’s Waiting,” realizes there’s no need to shy away from the magic and lore of this massive world. From the start, the second episode puts our characters through the wringer. It’s an expansive episode that captures Jordan’s work and Rosamund Pike delivers a heck of a performance. If there is one casting choice the series nails, it is Pike as Moiraine. She commands every moment on screen, and in “Shadows Waiting” she puts everything on the table. From the way she delivers some of the lore on screen, to her chemistry with Daniel Henney‘s Lan, this is her episode to shine and she does. This episode belongs to them.

    Going into the third episode, things are rocky for our gang. “A Place of Safety” has one of the best openings of the series yet. No longer does Wheel of Time try holding its audience’s hand. Viewers are thrown deep into this world where death is something to constantly outrun. Our group of characters is left feeling defeated and desperate, with emotions overtaking rational thought. Pike’s Moiraine takes a backseat in this episode, allowing the younger cast to shine. Each of them is driven by something – anger, desperation, love, regret – and despite their desire to escape the terrors that await them, they ultimately all decide to do what is needed. Lorne Balfe’s score is noticeably effective in this episode, it is both haunting and cinematic serving as the perfect backdrop.

    Overall, Wheel of Time is not a perfect adaption. It is, however, a very good adaption that is worthy of your time. The first three episodes are a strong effort and do an impressive job at recreating the magic of Jordan’s novels.

    The first three episodes of The Wheel of Time debut on Amazon on Friday, Nov. 19.

    For spoiler-filled reviews, check back on the 20th when we run the individual reviews for the first three episodes. Then we’ll be reviewing the series on a weekly basis!