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  • ‘Dune’ and ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’s Legendary Entertainment Open to Sale or Merger

    ‘Dune’ and ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’s Legendary Entertainment Open to Sale or Merger

    It looks like another production company is seeking a potential merger, as Legendary Entertainment is exploring sales options. This news drops right after they unveiled the new trailer for Dune, which has quite a bit of hype behind it. It’s also surprising if you consider its release of Godzilla vs. Kong as one of the few blockbusters during the pandemic era. It even revived the franchise, which was seeing a drop in Box Office since the launch of its first Monsterverse film in 2014.

    It seems that there have been discussions since April. Discussions have picked up in pace in the last few weeks. The timing is quite curious as A24, Imagine Entertainment, and Hello Sunshine are also actively seeking a potential sale. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is still getting their purchase by Amazon signed off. There’s also the WarnerMedia and Discovery merger that needs a governmental sign-off. Iit seems very likely that Warner Bros. might be the most interested in purchasing the production company. They’ve worked on most projects in the past, but it’s a free-for-all moving forward.

    Of course, there’s also the chance they would merge with smaller production companies, or a competition purchases them. Variety states that the company has seen a steady cash flow but still would be under the $3.5B it was acquired for in 2016. The pandemic played a key part in many smaller production companies’ development. It would be quite a twist if Disney acquires the company. Godzilla used to appear in Marvel comics. So, it would be quite the twist if they acquire the rights to the characters and he gets to face off against Marvel heroes

    Source: Variety

  • Diane Ademu-John Boards HBO Max’s ‘DUNE’ Spin-Off Series As Showrunner

    Diane Ademu-John Boards HBO Max’s ‘DUNE’ Spin-Off Series As Showrunner

    Denis Villeneuve’s Dune just got its second trailer, and the franchise is already expanding. Diane Ademu-John has officially boarded the film’s spin-off series, Dune: The Sisterhood, as its new showrunner. The HBO Max series will explore the universe established in Dune through the eyes of the mysterious Bene Gesserit. The Jedi-like organization of women has achieved a mastery over mind and body, which allows them to meddle in the political landscape of their universe.

    The series will serve as a prequel to Villeneuve’s project, with its story ultimately leading to the famous events on the desert planet Arrakis. Dune: The Sisterhood originally got announced in 2019, but not much has been said about the show since original showrunner Jon Spaihts stepped down in November of that year. The announcement of Ademu-John’s involvement is good news for those who were worried about the series’ future. The project’s newest helmer has a long history working in television, having written for shows like The Haunting of Bly Manor, Empire, The Originals, and The Vampire Diaries.

    The show’s pilot will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, and will most likely be made sometime between Dune and its intended sequel. The sprawling franchise has a lot of content to work with, as series creator Frank Herbert wrote a total of six Dune novels in his lifetime. The Star-studded initial film was going to drop last year. Due to COVID-related delays, it will now release on October 22 in theaters and on HBO Max.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘What If’: Agatha Christie Inspired Episode Will Explore ‘Fury’s Big Week’ Prelude Comic

    ‘What If’: Agatha Christie Inspired Episode Will Explore ‘Fury’s Big Week’ Prelude Comic

    Total Film got a chance to talk with the team behind Marvel Studios’ first foray into animation, What If. They offered some insight into what we can expect from the new Disney+ series, which will explore different outcomes of iconic storylines. The latest trailer focused on T’Challa as Star-Lord, Killmmonger saving Tony Stark, and Peggy Carter taking the Super Soldier serum. It’s only a glimpse of what the series has to offer. Head writer A.C. Bradley teased the flexibility the animated show gave them a chance to tackle each episode creatively.

    Our episodes are either darker or lighter than a traditional Marvel movie, and we also have a couple of straight-up tragedies. We have an episode that’s like a political thriller. We’ve got a dark Doctor Strange episode that’s like a tragic love story. One of them is just me wanting to goof off and relive my favourite movies as a kid. Can’t Hardly Wait was a touchstone… I can’t imagine any other point in my career when I’m going to get to write one of those National Lampoon crazy party movies

    We’ve first heard rumblings of the Doctor Strange episode some time ago. Bradley confirms that the tragedy will be the point of no return when Strange goes down a much darker path. It opens up the question of his story might even connect to the teased zombie episode. If he tries to bring back Christine Palmer to life, he may cause something even darker.

    It seems they won’t just retell the films, but even adapt an MCU tie-in comic, as executive producer Brad Winderbaum also teased an Agatha Christie episode that takes place in the Fury’s Big Week storyline, which was only part of a comic run that acted as a prelude for Marvel’s Avengers.

    Then we have a great Agatha Christie episode. It takes place in this obscure point of detail that only hardcore fans know called ‘Fury’s Big Week’.

    There were quite a few hints in the first trailers that they may tackle this story, where Fury has to clean up the mess left behind by the Avengers. It even featured a cameo by Samuel Sterns, who last appeared in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. There’s a lot of potential with this series, and it may even indirectly fill some holes between films that never got explored before. As it takes place in the Multiverse, it would be fun to get a brief cameo by Edward Norton as Bruce Banner or Terrence Howard as Rhodey.

    Source: Total Film

  • RUMOR: ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Madness’ to Feature ‘What If’s Captain Carter

    RUMOR: ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Madness’ to Feature ‘What If’s Captain Carter

    The upcoming What If Disney+ series will open up the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the multiverse. While the latest trailer teased this development, it was Loki‘s finale that cemented it. The only question remained if Marvel Studios’ first foray into animation may crossover into live-action. It has worked for Star Wars. So, it didn’t seem far-fetched of an idea. Luckily, a new rumor may hint at a connection as the latest episode of the DisInsider Show hinted at a rumor that Hayley Atwell‘s Captain Carter will appear in next year’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    It was part of their Rumor of the Week segment. So, we can only take it with a grain of salt for now. They also could only state that she’ll have a small part in the film. It would make sense for someone to crossover into the film from the series, as the first trailer even hinted at the presence of Benedict Cumberbatch‘s Doctor Strange in the animated series.

    We even had a glimpse of what could’ve been her facing off against Shuma-Gorath. The stories seem to intersect at some point. So, she might end up facing the god-like creature before getting sucked up into whatever multiverse she meets up with Strange. Either way, it would be exciting to see Atwell‘s return to live-action in a brand new style. If the rumor pans out, it’ll be curious if she will have a future with the newly formed Marvel Cinematic Multiverse.

    Source: DisInsider Show

  • ‘I May Destroy You’s Michaela Coel Joins ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    ‘I May Destroy You’s Michaela Coel Joins ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    After a long wait, we finally get some casting news for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Variety has revealed that Michaela Coel has joined the ensemble cast. It‘s already been a few weeks since the sequel entered production. So, this may be the first of many casting announcements to follow. The actress is well-known for her work n Black Mirror, and Chewing Gum. She has worked with Disney before, as she appeared in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

    HBO Max’s I May Destroy You became her breakout role with four Emmy nominations. Once again her role isn’t specified as the plot remains tightly under wraps. There was the report that Namor would have a role in the sequel’s story. It’s pointing to Tenoch Huerta taking on the iconic role, which gives the MCU’s version of the Atlanteans a Mayan twist. The actor was cast almost eight months ago. So, he was the first addition to the film long before it even entered production.

    Either way, Coel is a great addition to the film. Her performance in the BBC One and HBO series was quite memorable. The casting news following her Emmy success also adds to the excitement of which role she could have. Theories are already ranging from Storm to even Madam Slay. The film has a heavy burden to carry, as it continues the torch of Chadwick Boseman after his tragic passing.

    Source: Variety

  • New Artwork Reveals ‘Loki’ Almost Featured a Rocket Variant

    New Artwork Reveals ‘Loki’ Almost Featured a Rocket Variant

    The Time Variance Authority introduced the world to the concept tof Variants. To keep the multiverse from springing into existence, they would prune that version of the character from their original timeline. The entire series follows the story of various Loki Variants. If you look closely in the background, we even seem to get a brief cameo from someone who looks like Haley Atwell‘s Peggy Carter. Sadly, it never got confirmed if the actress returned for the role for that cameo.

    It was strange we didn’t get too many Variants covering the halls of the TVA from familiar MCU characters. It seems that there might’ve been plans for a Rocket Variant to appear, as the latest episode of the Assembled documentary reveals artwork that features the iconic waiting line from the series’ first episode. In it, the waiting room was empty as the time organization kept a very good eye on the timeline. Well, in the concept art, they originally were going to have quite a line for Loki to sit through. If you look closely at the end of the row, Rocket is also waiting in line.

     

     

    Interestingly, this version of the waiting room teases quite a variety of aliens going through the TVA. The show seemed to focus primarily on humans with one Skrull in the first episode. There’s a chance that they had to cut down on some ideas due to the pandemic postponing production and even influencing budgetary restraints. The empty room does make it a bit more sinister and they can introduce this busier version with the second season. Now that the multiverse was born, it seems like the perfect time to round up quite a few Variants that could cause trouble for the newly established leader.

    Source: Disney+

  • ‘Batgirl’: DC Casts Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon in HBO Max Film

    ‘Batgirl’: DC Casts Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon in HBO Max Film

    It looks like DC and Warner Bros. have finally found their Batgirl. Leslie Grace has topped the role of Barbara Gordon in the upcoming film, which will premier on HBO Max. A few days, we found out that DC had quite the shortlist which also included Zoey Deutch, Isabella Merced, and Haley Lu Richardson. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah took over directing duties after Joss Whedon left the project. Plot details remain under wraps on how they’ll explore this version of the iconic character.

    Gordon has gone through a lot in the comics. After her time as the Batgirl, she gets shot by the Joker and ends up paralyzed. She took on the mantle of Oracle to support the rest of the Batfamily. Years later, she regained the ability to walk and even returned to Gotham as the iconic hero. It’s an iconic role with almost 50 years of history.

    Grace’s casing is a great move after her breakout role in Jon M. Chu‘s In the Heights. The film put her on the market and helped up her chances on getting the role. The Dominican also won three Latin Grammy Award nomminations. It’s unsure which direction she will take the character, but The Flash writer Christina Hodson will write the script. It’ll be the frist of many DC films to premier on HBO Max. It’s uncertin if she will connect to any specific version of Batman, which will soon expand with the return of Michael Keaton in The Flash and Robert Pattinson‘s The Batman.

    Source: Deadline, The Wrap

  • ‘Loki’s Jonathan Majors Teases Many Iterations of Kang in the MCU’s Future

    ‘Loki’s Jonathan Majors Teases Many Iterations of Kang in the MCU’s Future

    It’s been ten months since Jonathan Major‘s casting as Kang the Conqueror got announced. He was going to make his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quntumania. Of course, we knew that film wasn’t going to release for some time. So, the early casting was quite a curious reveal. It almost felt like he was meant to appear in another property long before his first appearance as Kang.

    The final episode of Loki confirmed our suspicions, as Majors appeared as a Kang Variant only known as He Who Remains. It is our first glimpse at the iconic Marvel character. Luckily, Marvel Studios’ new behind-the-scenes series Assembled also gave us a hint at what we can expect with the character and it seems

    I think with He Who Remains, the objective for me was to give me the largest canvas possible. And then from that, as Kang begins to rear his head and do his deeds, in so many ways, he has no choice but to be in opposition or to be different from He Who Remains. That was the thing that grabbed me and pulled me into the role. The fact that Kang lives in so many iterations. As He Who Remains says: ‘Reincarnation, Baby’.

    His appearance was even teased as the embodiment of the next Phase in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It sounds like Kang will definitely be a very different character from He Who Remains, who was inspired by characters like Willy Wonka. There’s also a very likely chance that Kang isn’t just one singular threat. We might meet various versions of the iconic character that’ll make the Avengers life a living hell. The ending of Loki‘s first season teased his dominance over the Time Variance Authority. So, he won’t be an easy villain to take down.

    Source: Disney+

  • A Version Of ‘Loki’ Could Have Seen Him Wield the Infinity Gauntlet

    A Version Of ‘Loki’ Could Have Seen Him Wield the Infinity Gauntlet

    It’s crazy to think that Loki ended last week. The series started with an emotional journey of self-discovery and ended with the birth of the multiverse. Luckily, Marvel Studios started a great new tradition with Disney+, as the end of one show means we’ll get a little extra. Marvel Studios’ Assembled started as a special documentary series after the release of WandaVision and continued to be the center of our first glimpse behind their Disney+ show productions.

    The latest one focusing on Loki offered a little extra glimpse into what the series could’ve been. In a blink-and-you-miss-it sequence, head writer Michael Waldron is standing in front of a whiteboard full of ideas. If you look closely, there’s a listing of eight points that tease a very adventurous episode for the God of Mischief. The list to its left follows the structure of the episode we ended up watching.

     

     

    It’s not easy to make out, but it involves Loki visiting different time periods. He gets into various mischievous situations, which a specific highlight on sex. He starts collecting the Infinity Stones and even gets his hands on the gauntlet. Yet, after all that, he questions if it is even real and returns to the TVA. There, Mmobisu shows him their true power.

    It certainly sounds like a very different episode from what we got. It also seems this was set up before the Sacred Timeline was established. Loki gathering all the Infinity Stones would’ve caused a massive Nexus event. It shows how many ideas they must’ve gone through before the show even entered production. Interestingly enough, the travel through different eras was the original pitch of the series some time back. So, it’s always great to get some insight into seeing that original idea almost made it into the Disney+ series.

    Source: Disney+

  • ‘She-Hulk’: ‘Arrow’s Josh Segarra Joins Disney+ Series

    ‘She-Hulk’: ‘Arrow’s Josh Segarra Joins Disney+ Series

    It looks like She-Hulk still had some secrets up their sleeve, as Deadline just revealed that Arrow alum Josh Segarra joined the Disney+ series. There was no confirmation which character he is playing alongside Tatiana Maslany‘s Jennifer Walters. The last casting news we got was when Jameela Jamil joined as the titular villain Titania. He joins the legal comedy that will follow the story of Bruce Banner’s cousin, who ends up getting similar abilities. Jessica Gao is the show’s head writer with Kat Coiro and Anu Valia directing.

    Segarra will appear in the second season of HBO Max’s The Other Two. He played RuPaul’s boyfriend in Netflix’s AJ and the Queen. Comic book fans might recognize him as Prometheus from Arrow. So, the actor has some comedic and action experiences. There are rumblings she’ll face the Wrecking Crew, but he might not have that kind of role in the series. He might be playing Augustus Pugliese, who has been rumored for quite some time now.

    Around eight months ago, we got some character description that teased She-Hulk was looking for a John Krasinksy-type person. We theorized he might play Jennifer’s roommate, who had a secret crush on her. There’s a good chance they are changing the role but keeping Pugliese. He even had a story that involved Spider-Man suing J. Jonah Jameson, which would be a perfect episode for the series after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Whatever role he got, we’ll hopefully find out by the next Disney Investors Day.

    Source: Deadline