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  • ‘What If…?’s Episode 8 Will Be Standalone But Lead Into the Finale

    ‘What If…?’s Episode 8 Will Be Standalone But Lead Into the Finale

    Ever since the first merchandise dropped for What If…?, we got the tease of a team-up. They were called the Guardians of the Multiverse and it let us know that the once anthology series might be more connected than we initially thought. The ending of the Party Thor episode introduced us to the threat that would bring the team together, a Variant of Ultron powered by the Infinity Stones. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Bryan Andrews also highlighted how they carefully mapped out the season to build up to this very point of the final episodes.

    It was designed to be a certain way, and some people have been vibing and savvy enough to notice that we’re slowly seeing more and more of the Watcher’s visual appearance as we move forward. And that was all orchestrated from the very beginning. It’s all now coming to an arrow’s tip point.

    Bryan Andrew
    What If...?

    Writer A.C. Bradley also confirms in the same interview that while the next episode is standalone, but will lead into the ninth and final for this season. She highlights that “you can watch 8 as a standalone, but 9 is – for once we answer the end tag.” They highlight the exploration of the Watcher’s role throughout the series and the imminent threat of Ultron, or the Supreme Leader, might push him to break his oath. With the recently released poster, we’ve come to learn that Ultron will take center stage in the next episode. So, we’ll probably recap his journey to gaining the stones and why he ventures out into the vast multiverse.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Connecting Imaginary Dots: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Filming in Iceland

    Connecting Imaginary Dots: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Filming in Iceland

    Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is currently busy filming since late July as it’ll close out the trilogy that started back in 2015. Director Peyton Reed has teased some of its production, such as its use of The Mandalorian’s famous Volume, where he also worked on the Disney+ series the second season. Back in February, we even heard that they are filming something in Turkey, as revealed by its Tourism minister at the time. After some digging, some crumbs also seem to be hinting that production is heading to Iceland.

    The company TrueNorth has a list of films and TV series they work with on their website. It offers production services to help overseas studios film in the Nordics, which includes Norway, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Finland, and Iceland. TrueNorth has quite the filmography, as they’ve worked with The Mandalorian, Avengers: Endgame, Black Widow, Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga, and many more in the past. In one of their latest updates, it seems that Ant-Man and the Wasp‘s third entry is also working with the company. They are listed after Mission: Impossible 7, which recently wrapped up production. Of course, it doesn’t pinpoint where exactly they were filming, but IMDb might have just the answer we need if we take a closer look at their Location Management.

    The listing does include a supervising location manager for Iceland by the name of Thor Kjartansson. Taking a look at his page, he’s no stranger to working with Marvel Studios, as he also had the same role in Iceland for the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Avengers: Endgame, and Captain America: Civil War. So, the updates may hint they are or already have filmed in Iceland. There’s a chance that production was done by the film’s second unit but either way the Icelandic landscape offers some beautiful backdrops for the upcoming threequel.

    Source: TrueNorth, Collider, IMDb, IMDb (Location Manager)

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Heading to Xbox Game Pass

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Heading to Xbox Game Pass

    Marvel’s Avengers had given its players various bonuses throughout the past month to celebrate its anniversary. We also had a free weekend for players from PlayStation, Stadia, and Steam to give the game a test run. Yet, there’s a surprising lack of announcement regarding Xbox. Even with the PS-exclusive Spider-Man on the horizon, the game is meant for all consoles. Well, it seems the reasoning for that silence has arrived as the game is heading to Xbox Game Pass as of September 30th. It’ll include all four story campaigns and players can jump directly into the War for Wakanda expansion. They also confirm future updates are also included for Xbox Game Pass members.

    The Xbox Series X or Series S players will also receive the optimized version of Marvel’s Avengers. So, it’s not restricted to a specific version of the game. The timing is also perfect as the One-Year Anniversary Celebration is coming to an end, as pointed out by the Crystal Dynamic’s Hunter Wolfe, as they’ll offer a Quad XP bonus from September 30th to October 4th. So, it’s a great opportunity for new and old players to catch up on leveling their heroes. This move also includes PC players, which may help push its numbers on the platform it seemed to struggle the most with a steady player base.

    It’s a big move by Crystal Dynamics, but the timing is fitting. They’ve just dropped their biggest DLC yet, and are currently reworking the base game. Once the raid starts, the Game Pass offering allows players on Xbox and PC to play with each other, which has been a challenge for players via Steam. As they are connected through the Xbox account, it’s a big step forward for the game and could boost it going into Year 2.

    Source: Xbox

  • Diego Luna Teases “Familiar Faces” in ‘Andor’

    Diego Luna Teases “Familiar Faces” in ‘Andor’

    Following the ending of the Skywalker Saga on the big screen and The Mandalorian‘s tremendous success on Disney+, Lucasfilm is getting ready for one of its biggest years yet. Boba Fett’s return in The Book of Boba Fett will premier later this year and it will go well into 2022. As for Din Djarin, he will also be back in season 3 of The Mandalorian. But it seems to be the return of fan-favorite characters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Cassian Andor, last seen on the big screen, that keeps getting the biggest amount of attention.

    Both characters will lead their own Disney+ show, with Andor, a 12-episode series, set to debut earlier in the year. Lead actor Diego Luna, making his return to the Star Wars universe following 2016’s Rogue One, when addressing the show doesn’t shy away from just how excited he is to bring the character back, and the possibilities that might come with it. The interconnectivity we often witness in Star Wars, as previsouly reported, will most likely allow for several familiar faces to show up either in brief cameos or slighty bigger roles. Luna, while speaking to Deadline, seems to confirm just that saying, “you’ll definitely see familiar faces.”

    There have also been several reports dating back to January 2021 regarding who might and who might not be showing up on Andor, the first being that Alan Tudyk will unfortunatelly not be reprising his role as K-2SO. There are also some more positive rumours regarding special appearances. Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Kennic, Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera (apparently leaked by Stellan Skarsgård), Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano and even Ewan McGregor as the aforementioned Obi-Wan Kenobi. With Andor having 12 episodes, we wouldn’t put it past Lucasfilm to be able to incorporate into the show’s storyline a number of these names in order o bring in fans from all quadrants of the Star Wars fandom, something Luna is clearly hinting at.

    Andor doesn’t yet have an official realease date for its Disney+ premiere, but with filming done we should expect it to debut in the first half of 2022, after The Book of Boba Fett airs.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Shang-Chi’s Tony Leung May Have a Future in the MCU

    ‘Shang-Chi’s Tony Leung May Have a Future in the MCU

    Shang-Chi was one of Marvel Studios’ first attempts at a martial arts-inspired film. We got a lot of action and heart with the conflict between Shang-Chi and his father, Wenwu. As the leader of the Ten Rings, he had quite a reputation, but the story focused on the humanity behind his actions. He won’t win a medal for father of the year, but Tony Leung‘s performance made him one of the most memorable antagonists within the franchise. Sadly, it seemed like his time as part of the MCU was limited. Yet, a recent recording of the podcast They Call Us Bruce might’ve changed that.

    Journalist Jeff Yang, who acted as a cultural consultant on Shang-Chi, used the opportunity to discuss the recent Marvel release. In the podcast, he discussed the film and added some nitpicks he had about the film. One rather curious statement might’ve raised some eyebrows regarding Leung‘s future with the franchise. In the podcast, he states that:

    Given what they had in Tony Leung, I would have hoped that they would have made it a little more clear that he has other places to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I’ll just leave it at that

    Jeff Yang

    It’s not definite confirmation, but the way he highlights that “he has other places to be” makes you wonder if we’ll see Leung‘s return at some point. His character did meet a tragic end during the final clash of the film, but the way he moved on could still leave the door open for his eventual return. Plus, there’s a lot we still don’t know about the Ten Rings that could get explored in future sequels or even spinoffs.

    Of course, there’s the question if the actor is even interested in returning. There’s a chance that they may have changed their plans due to limited availability for a Western Hollywood franchise. Though in an interview with GQ, he did highlight his interest in Hollywood and the lack of a fitting role that kept him from joining any productions. As he now has the chance, he might have a larger role in the West moving forward. It would be a fun idea to give the secret organization its Disney+ series to explore its history and potential future within the MCU. Here’s hoping we might get a clearer picture once Disney+ Day arrives of what Marvel Studios has planned for the future.

    Source: Podbean, GQ

  • Diego Luna Confirms Production Has Wrapped on ‘Andor’

    Diego Luna Confirms Production Has Wrapped on ‘Andor’

    Production has wrapped on the Disney+ Star Wars series, Andor.

    The news was confirmed by actor Diego Luna in a recent interview with Deadline. “I had the chance to work with a team that I couldn’t be more proud of and admire more,” Luna said. “It’s a hard-core moment to be out there shooting, and we were really lucky. We’re done with the shooting now and getting it ready for audiences to see it.”

    Like many Hollywood productions, the coronavirus impacted production on the Star Wars series. Andor was initially set to kick off filming in 2019, then it was delayed to June 2020, right in the midst of the pandemic. Filming finally kicked off in November 2020 and wrapped in August 2021.

    “I can tell you about this project like no other because I can’t spoil the ending if you’ve seen Stars Wars: Rogue One already”, he teased. “No matter what I say, I can’t ruin the ending.”

    The 12-episode series, which Luna also executive produced, is expected to hit Disney+ in 2022.

    Source: Deadline

  • The CW is Rebooting ‘BABYLON 5’ With the Original Showrunner

    The CW is Rebooting ‘BABYLON 5’ With the Original Showrunner

    The CW is rebooting Babylon 5 with original showrunner J. Michael Straczynski and Warner Bros. Television.

    The new project is said to be a “from-the-ground-up reboot” of the critically acclaimed series which launched in the 90s. Per the announcement, the new series will focus on John Sheridan (played by Bruce Boxleitner in the original series). The character is an Earthforce officer with a mysterious background. He soon finds himself assigned to Babylon 5: a five-mile-long space station in “neutral space.”

    Sheridan’s arrival at Babylon 5 will ultimately result in a conflict with another civilization that’s million of years ahead of Earth. It’s this conflict that’ll put the Babylon 5 crew in the line of fire while making them humanity’s best hope for survival.

    Straczynski will executive produce through his JMS banner for Warner Bros. Television. This is a return to the small screen for Straczynski, who also previously worked on Netflix’s Sense 8 with the Wachowski sisters.

    A release date for the Babylon 5 reboot has not yet been unveiled.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘The Boys’ Spinoff Moving Forward With New Showrunners

    ‘The Boys’ Spinoff Moving Forward With New Showrunners

    About a year ago, around the time the second season of The Boys premiered, it was announced that a spinoff series was in development. The series would follow America’s only university exclusively for supes, run by Vought International, everyone’s favorite superhero conglomerate. Developments on the series have been silent since the project began adding names to its cast, but that was pretty much it.

    The series, which has yet to be given a proper title, has received a full series order at Amazon with some new talent jumping aboard. The series has replaced its previous showrunner, Craig Rosenberg, who left the project due to creative differences with Sony and Amazon. Taking over will be the writing duo of Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas. They are best known for their work on the ABC Marvel series, Agent Carter.

    The series will follow a contemptuous group of students at the university who are full of raging hormones and constantly at each other’s throats as they compete to be the best. Their end goal is to get the prime contract deal with Vought. Current cast members include Jaz Sinclair, Aimee Carrero, Reina Hardesty, Shane Paul McGhie, Maddie Phillips, and Lizzie Broadway. The series has yet to round out its cast as more news will follow at a later date. Serving alongside Butters and Fazekas as executive producers will be Eric Kripke, Seth Rogen, and Garth Ennis. As the series now is moving forward, we might hopefully get an official title in the near future.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Harley Quinn’s Liza Singer Joins Marvel Studios as an Animation Director

    ‘Harley Quinn’s Liza Singer Joins Marvel Studios as an Animation Director

    Marvel Studios is just like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It continues to expand at an exponential rate and it seems they’ve added one more talent to their repertoire. Liza Singer, who has worked as a storyboard revisionist and artist for projects like Harley Quinn, Disenchantment, and DC Super Hero Girls, took to Twitter to announce she joined Marvel Studios in the role of director. She previously directed Paramount+’s The Harper House. So, she’s no stranger to the brand and is currently working on a feature High in the Clouds for Netflix and Gaumont Animation.

    https://twitter.com/LaserSinger/status/1442539635322671105

    Marvel Studios is truly all in with their upcoming animation projects, and her inclusion might hint that they’ve already had a few stories mapped out. We’re still waiting for any official announcements, which might happen during the upcoming Disney+ Day, but the timings are very different when it comes to animation. If they are starting work on it now, it might not see the light of day until 2024.

    What If..? is still currently airing on Disney+ with only two more episodes left to go. It’s uncertain if they’ll stick to this very distinct animation style or try out different ones as they expand. Hopefully, it is the latter, as it’s the one advantage the medium has and could help diversify Marvel Studio’s portfolio. There’s also the question if every project will be considered canon, or they’ll also create franchises that exist in the multiverse separate from the MCU.

    Source: Twitter, IMDb, Liza Singer

  • First Look At John Wesley Ship in ‘Stargirl’ Season 2

    First Look At John Wesley Ship in ‘Stargirl’ Season 2

    Right off the bat, Stargirl threw us into a fight between the Justice Society of America and the Injustice Society of America. It left us with the question if we’d seen the last of the golden age heroes. The series would continue to explore a new generation of heroes, led by Courtney Whitmore. She picked up the cosmic staff in order and assembled a new JSA to defeat the ISA.

    While brief flashbacks would give us glimpses at the heroes of the JSA in action, we’d never really see them in their prime. The second season of Stargirl seems to be giving fans a glimpse into the past with episode nine set to feature the return of not just the JSA, but Jay Garrick. It was announced a while back the John Wesley Ship would be reprising his role as Jay Garrick for the series sophomore season.

    Ship is best known for portraying Barry Allen back in the 90s during the original Flash series. He would later play Henry Allen on CW’s The Flash, picking up the role of Jay Garrick of Earth-3 shortly after. This time around Garrick will be from Earth-2 following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths in which the multiverse got a reboot. It lead to Earth-2 getting reshaped into the home of Stargirl and the JSA. The upcoming episode may tie into the overarching threat that is Eclipso and how he ended up imprisoned in the black diamond.

    Source: EW via Twitter