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  • Top 5 Directors To Direct ‘SPIDER-MAN’s Next Trilogy

    Top 5 Directors To Direct ‘SPIDER-MAN’s Next Trilogy

    Jon Watts‘ time behind the Spider-Man camera is coming to an end. The director will close his run on the character with this year’s No Way Home before making a lateral move to take control of Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four franchise. This means that, should Tom Holland‘s Peter Parker be renewed for a second trilogy, the series will require a brand new supervisor. Luckily, there is no shortage of hungry talent in Hollywood that would be perfect to helm one of the world’s most profitable intellectual properties. I’ve taken the liberty of combing through the endless list of names to present you with five that I think have a shot at keeping things interesting.

     

    Rick Famuyiwa

     

    Let’s talk about Dope. The 2015 indie hit is a coming-of-age tale about an intelligent, nerdy kid thrust into a bigger, more dangerous world than he ever intended to join. Doesn’t it sound familiar? It was all pulled off with softhearted, fast-paced brilliance by the maestro Rick Famuyiwa, who is perhaps my top pick to direct the next entry in the Spider-Man mythos. If his name sounds familiar to all the geeks out there, it’s because he’s spent the past couple of years directing acclaimed episodes of The Mandalorian. His work shows his good relationship with Disney and his adeptness at mixing big-budget action with tender personal moments. Famuyiwa‘s early projects, like Brown Sugar, prove he can handle Peter’s romantic personal life, and the brief time he was hired to direct Warner Bros.’ The Flash gave the world a tease at how committed he could be to bringing a comic adaptation to life.

     

    Edgar Wright

     

    Maybe the fan-favorite pick to helm the next generation of Spider-Man. It makes so much sense that I barely feel the need to elaborate. Edgar Wright makes crowd-pleasing movies that are fast, fun, and colorful. His protagonists are typically quirky, with skill and a heart of gold. All in all, Wright‘s sensibilities feel tailor-made for the realm of Peter Parker, and comic purists would be pleased to know the guy who ripped Scott Pilgrim vs. The World straight off the page was in charge of bringing Spidey into adulthood. He has worked with Marvel Studios in the past, and while it didn’t end on the best of terms, it seems that hatchet got buried some time ago. 

     

    Zoe Lister-Jones

     

    You may best know Zoe Lister-Jones for her work in front of the television camera. She had a recurring role on New Girl and Life in Pieces. Yet, some of her best work in the industry might have happened in the director’s chair. Lister-Jones entered the scene with an underrated masterpiece, Band Aid, which focused on a married couple who use music as a form of couple’s therapy. More recently, she produced How It Ends, wherein a woman tries coming to terms with herself before the world ends.

    If you didn’t pick up on it, there’s a theme in her body of work. She’s obsessed with discussing the human condition, and it’s the kind of obsession any director needs to have if they’re going to get to the heart of Spider-Man correctly. She might not have a gigantic resume, but Marvel loves to hire up-and-coming indie filmmakers with a good pitch and a better passion.

     

    Justin Lin

     

    Justin Lin is the unsung hero of the modern blockbuster. This is the man who made the Fast & Furious franchise a global sensation and reminded audiences that a big-budget Star Trek film could be both beautiful and thought-provoking. As ridiculous as some of Lin‘s projects can be, there are few directors working today that manage to produce such outrageous action scenes while keeping the idea of love and family so central to their story. Many people forget that the Taiwanese filmmaker also has a background in acclaimed television. He directed the famous paintball episode of Community and episodes of the Emmy-winning True Detective. His range alone, with experience in both low-budget and big-budget comedy, action, and drama, is enough to justify a Spidey nod from Marvel Studios.

     

    Rob McElhenney

     

    At first, it may sound like a reach, but hear me out. Rob McElhenney has never directed a film before, but he has produced some of the last decade’s best episodes of television history. Everyone knows he co-created America’s finest comedy series, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, but fewer people seem to know about his work on the AppleTV+ show Mythic Quest. There, McElhenney has directed what could be equated to four nearly-perfect short films, handling topics like the downfall of marriage, the growth of man, and the brutal COVID-19 pandemic with grace and understanding. If Marvel Studios and Sony wanted to go outside the box with their pick to bring Peter Parker’s college years to life, they could do a lot worse than McElhenney.

  • Jake Johnson Confirms Return For ‘INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE 2’

    Jake Johnson Confirms Return For ‘INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE 2’

    It seems the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse will be getting one of it’s biggest stars back. During a recent video interview with The Movie Dweeb, actor Jake Johnson confirmed that he is currently working on a deal to return for the highly anticipated sequel. After spending much of the interview discussing his newest release, Ride the Eagle, the New Girl breakout revealed his immense excitement to continue voicing Peter B. Parker. Johnson noted the open-ended nature of his character’s ending in the first film, and stated he couldn’t wait to see where the writers take his version of Spider-Man from there.

    The Spider-Verse sequel is set to be directed by the trio of Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson. They will create the film from a script by David Callaham, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller. While the news of Johnson’s return feels obvious, it wasn’t previously confirmed he would be back alongside fellow leads Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld, as well as franchise newcomer Issa Rae, who will bring the character of Jessica Drew to life. Despite the comedian’s claims of an “open-ended” finale for Peter B. Parker, it did feel like the character’s story had gone full circle by the time the credits rolled. It’s good to know this particular Peter Parker variant, known for his big tummy and bigger personality, will be back to help save the day again next year. The tentatively-titled Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2 will drop in theaters on October 7, 2022.

    Source: The Movie Dweeb

  • Michael B. Jordan Developing Val-Zod Superman Project For HBO Max

    Michael B. Jordan Developing Val-Zod Superman Project For HBO Max

  • Dylan McDermott Returning for American Horror Stories

    Dylan McDermott Returning for American Horror Stories

    As the third episode of American Horror Stories releases, production on the finale for the first season has begun and it looks like it’ll return to the Murder House once again. The first two episodes saw a new family move into the haunted home with a past that was the setting for the very first season of American Horror Story. The Harmon family set off to start anew in what they thought would be their dream home, but as time moved on the spirits within the home made themselves known and tore the family apart.

    In a new set video from the Murder House, Dylan McDermott, known for his role as Ben Harmon in the first season can be seen on set with the cast from the first two episodes of the spin-off. Many fans will be delighted to see the return of the ghost of Murder House past, noticeably absent from the two-part premiere. It’s unclear if we’ll see the return of Vivien or Violet Harmon or any of the other ghosts that resides within the home, but it couldn’t be entirely out of the question with Ben’s return.

    American Horror Stories is currently streaming on Hulu, with episodes releasing weekly. The mothership show, American Horror Story, is set to premiere on August 25th, with Double Feature, a season that will see two smaller storylines in just one season, one set by the sea, and one set by the sand.

    SOURCE: Instagram

  • RUMOR: Disney+ May Have Found Its Live-Action Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn Actors

    RUMOR: Disney+ May Have Found Its Live-Action Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn Actors

    Some rumors seem to keep coming and going. Star Wars is quite popular and has been surrounded by quite a few over the last year. Ever since The Mandalorian expanded into new Disney+ series, many have wondered what iconic characters from history’s past might make a grand return. Especially now that Ahsoka is getting a live-action series and can tie up loose ends for Star Wars Rebels. The latest rumor is one of those, as it seems Lucasfilm may have found their live-action versions of Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra Bridger.

    Aladdin‘s Mena Massoud is eyed for the role of Ezra, which we first heard rumors around five months ago from Kessel Run Transmission. It didn’t help when he posted an iconic line of Ezra’s some time ago on Instagram, which added more fuel to the rumor. He’ll be joined by Lars Mikkelsen, who will join Katee Sackhoff as one of the few actors to voiced a character and play them in live-action. His performance was quite memorable and added a new depth to the vicious admiral. They are set to potentially appear in an upcoming Disney+ series.

    If this casting turns out to be true, they may make their live-action premieres in the upcoming Ahsoka series. It’s uncertain if they might connect to an overarching plot that was built up with The Mandalorian series, but there’s a lot of potentials. Thrawn in competition with Giancarlo Esposito‘s Moff Gideon would be an amazing dynamic to see in the franchise’s future. Here’s hoping we get a confirmation by the time The Book of Boba Fett releases.

    Source: LRM

  • New ‘What If’ Funko Pop Leak Offers Closer Look at Black Widow and Collector

    New ‘What If’ Funko Pop Leak Offers Closer Look at Black Widow and Collector

    It looks like the next wave of What If Funko pops have found their way online. It’s been only three weeks since the first wave found its way online featuring Captain Carter, Star-Lord T’Chall, Hydra Stomper, Gamora, and Doctor Strange Supreme. Now, the next two Funko’s have found their way online from the upcoming animated series that will be available with the Marvel Collector Corps. They feature the version of Black Widow from the post-apocalypse and The Collector. Instagram user dis.trackers provided the first look at the new Funko Pops that are a must-buy for many collectors.

     

    It’s been around two months since we first heard about the post-apocalyptic episode featuring Black Widow. The episode would explore the aftermath of Ultron dropping Sokovia and decimating the planet. It could be the first time we see the comic location known as the Wasteland in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We don’t have any details on the episode, but the official poster does tease Vision in Ultron armor wielding all Infinity Stones. So, he might’ve finally obtained his perfec body and ruled the galaxy while he was at it.

    The Collector isn’t too much of a departure from what we know of the character. There was a tease of T’Challa facing off against him, which seems to be the most likely episode to feature him. In it, Yondu picks up the Wakandan instead of Peter Quill and he becomes an integral part of the Ravagers. The trailer teases a very unique dynamic between the two and could see the world unravel in a unique way. Wht If premieres August on Disney+ and we can’t wait to see what other scenarios we might witness.

    Source: Instagram

  • REPORT: ‘John Wick’ Spin-Off ‘The Continental’ To Feature Familiar Faces and Family Drama

    REPORT: ‘John Wick’ Spin-Off ‘The Continental’ To Feature Familiar Faces and Family Drama

    The Continental will finally enter production with director Albert Hughes on board. Instead of an ongoing series, it’ll be a three-episode event that explores the history of a young Winston at the iconic hotel of the John Wick series. There has been no casting yet, but the Illuminerdi may have gotten their hands on some details regarding the show’s cast. It confirms that young Winston won’t be alone, as Charon, the famous concierge of the Continental, also has a role in the series. Still, some other characters may hint at the overarching story.

    In a world full of hitmen, it isn’t too surprising that some new faces from the underworld will join the show. There’s mention of a Vietnam War veteran and his sister who run their father’s dojo and are gun runners. There’s also the mob boss Cormack. He will work closely with Winston’s brother, Frankie, and his Vietnamese wife, Yen. We’ll also meet Winston’s investor’s Mr. and Mrs. Davonport. There’s also the mention of the cleaner Charlie. He will act as a mentor for Winston and his brother.

    The big highlight is that the show will reveal a mysteriously dark past of Winston throughout the series run. As we never meet his family, their future might be part of it. There’s a hint that Frankie’s actions will put his brother and wife’s life at risk. So, it won’t be easy for him to leave the mob life. It’ll be curious to see if we get a brief glimpse or hint at John Wick’s past in the show. Outside of this Baba Yaga name, we know very little about his past. Perhaps Winston is keeping some secrets very close to the chest.

    Source: Illuminerdi, SlashFilm

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’: First Details for July’s OLT Update Teases Super-Adaptoid’s Return

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’: First Details for July’s OLT Update Teases Super-Adaptoid’s Return

    It’s been a long wait but the first Omega-Level Threat is getting released next week. Marvel’s Avengers has been teasing the endgame content since it was released. Sadly, the pandemic and a rough release had other plans and it continued to get pushed back. While the original Cloning Labs are still in limbo, Kate Bishop’s long-promised OLT got a release date. Now titled “Family Reunion,” we’ll return to the iconic mission with a brand new level of challenge. Crystal Dynamics shared a new blog post with more insight into what we can expect alongside the new trailer.

     

     

    Alongside a new Omega Exotic gear, the mission will provide players with weekly rewards when finished. It is multiplayer only and also includes the Multiplayer Mega Hives that include new Hivemind gear. The big takeaway from the OLT is that this is simply a template to introduce more challenging versions of content. It’s the same mission as Family Reunion that is more challenging. The big changes lie in the fight against the Super-Adaptoid who will feature new abilities. Some modifiers add to the challenge and you’ll face a Tachyon Rift timing.

    CD teases that this is merely a glimpse into what is coming with the future. Wakanda will get an OLT that features unique challenges and even enemies that push the story further. So, we should just see this as the beginning of that new direction. The update will go live on July 27th and there is still time to get a group of friends together to prepare for what is promised as the game’s biggest challenge. The game will also be free-to-ply from July 29th until August 1st on PlayStation 4, PS5, Stadia, and Steam. Xbox players will get it at a later date.

    Source: Play Avengers, YouTube, Twitter

  • Anna Torv Joins HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ as Tess

    Anna Torv Joins HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ as Tess

    It looks like HBO isn’t quite done yet with their The Last of Us series. Just recently, the voice of Tommy, Jeffrey Pierce, joined the series as an original character. His original role was given to Gabriel Luna who will play Pedro Pascal‘s brother in the upcoming series. The series has now found its Tess, as Anna Torv has joined the video game adaptation in the iconic role. Her character was the catalyst that would get Pascal‘s Joel on the journey across America in the hope to find a cure for the plague infecting the world. That cure comes in the form of Bella Ramsey‘s Ellie, with who he build a deep bond throughout their journey.

    We still know very little about the series. It seems to be following the plot of the game quite closely, but they’re also adding new characters. The casting announcement for Trish is a good sign that they will focus on the game’s main story beats. We might get some new side quests throughout the run that offer more insight into our main duo.

    Torv is well-known for her role in the series Mindhunter. Yet, her breakout series was Fox’s Fringe series and her appearance in Secret City. She was involved with an HBO polygamy drama alongside Ryan Murphy which didn’t happen. So, she is no stranger to working with the studio. She’s a great addition to the all-star cast and we can’t wait to see the adaptation by Chernobyl‘s Craig Mazin.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

     

  • Debra Wilson, Steve Blum, And More Join ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Black Panther Expansion

    Debra Wilson, Steve Blum, And More Join ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Black Panther Expansion

    Next month, Marvel’s Avengers will release its first expansion War for Wakanda. We’ll get introduced to a new Wakanda and Christopher Judge as T’Challa. We got a brief voice line from Klaue, who’s the main antagonist of the expansion in the first trailer. It hinted that the iconic Steve Blum joined the project, but there was no confirmation. Luckily, they took to Twitter and revealed the voice cast for the upcoming expansion, which includes Debra Wilson, Erica Luttrell, Dave Fennoy, and, as theorized, Steve Blum.

    The game has been piling on a memorable voice cast since the game first got revealed in 2019. The above-mentioned will join Christopher Judge in bringing this game’s version of Wakanda to life. It got confirmed some time ago that everything in this expansion will fit the new environment. So, they didn’t re-use any assets to ensure it’s a whole new world that the Avengers are about to enter.

    We got some teases by Evan Narcisse and Hannah MacLeod that we’ll see a unique dynamic between the characters. T’Challa and Shuri aren’t as close as they are in the movies. His time on the throne has given him a very different view of Wakanda’s future, which will lead to many conflicts. Okoye remains loyal to Wakanda but will still voice her opinion quite openly. Dave Fennoy‘s Zawavari is still a mystery and might have a minor role in the story.

    Source: Twitter