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‘MS. MARVEL’ Merch Hits Online Stores Ahead of Upcoming Release

With Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Loki having completed its run, fans are wondering what the next live action Marvel Studios series will debut and when to expect it. Thanks to some t-shirts becoming available at Hot Topic, we probably have an answer to one of those questions and a pretty good idea for another. Ms. Marvel shirts have gone online for order indicating that we can probably expect Disney to follow their original plan and release Ms. Marvel next.

Ms. Marvel has always been next up for Disney Plus despite fans’ beliefs to the contrary. Last December during their Investor Day extravaganza, Marvel Studios released a fact sheet listing their properties in chronological order. That sheet showed Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye as late-2021 releases with Ms. Marvel coming first. While changes are always a part of the Hollywood machine and have already been made to the schedule (Loki moved by a month and Blade by a year), there has been nothing to indicate the order of these two series would be altered. In fact, it still makes a lot of sense for Hawkeye to come out in November and end it’s run before Christmas. If we were set to see Hawkeye next instead of Ms. Marvel, this article would include Hawkeye merch and it sure does not. While there’s no clear cut pattern for it yet, merch for the previous D+ series seems to have been popping up online an average of 2-3 months ahead of release, so we might be looking at a September or October release for Ms. Marvel, should that pattern hold.

Ms. Marvel is set to introduce audiences to a new version of Marvel Comics character Kamala Khan, played by Iman Vellani, to the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse and will stream exclusively on Disney Plus this year.

July 21, 2021
VIDEO: ‘LOKI’ Director Kate Herron Explains Marvel’s Cinematic Multiverse

In a recent chat with Charles Murphy, Loki director Kate Herron took the time to explain how Marvel’s Cinematic Multiverse, introduced by Jonathan Majors‘ He Who Remains in the finale of the series, works and details exactly what we’re seeing as the timeline branches. Check out the video below:

July 21, 2021
‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’s Malcolm D. Lee Reveals the Michael Jordan Cameo That Never Happened

There will be spoilers for Space Jam: A New Legacy in this article. Only continue at your own risk.

After a long wait, Space Jam finally got a sequel. Yet, there was a noticeable absence of 1996’s leading man. The first film’s leading man, Michael Jordan, did not return, but the Looney Tunes sure did. LeBron James took over as the central character, whose relationship with his son gets tested when a rogue algorithm tries to take over his status as king. Trapped in the Warner Bros. ServerVerse, he joins together with the classic Looney Tunes to take on Don Cheadle‘s Al-G Rythm and the Goon Squad in a basketball game of the century.

There are various references throughout the film to the original film, but no sign of the former NBA star. According to director Malcolm. D. Lee, there were plans for him to appear in a post-credit sequence, even if the chances were slim to none. It would’ve even referred to the 202 mini-series The Last Dance by ESPN Films and Netflix by echoing one of his iconic lines from the documentary.

We were holding out hope, but also knew that the likelihood was going to be very remote. Especially after The Last Dance came out, I was like, we’ve got to be able to do something, even like a tag at the very end after the credits with Bugs showing him the movie and saying, ‘What do you think, Doc?’ And just Jordan going, ‘I took that very personal.’ I wanted to do it! It would have been fantastic, but our movie is our movie and Space Jam is Space Jam

Luckily, the team did get visits by another Jordan, Michael B. Jordan. It seems he was shooting a project and dropped by the project to hang out with LeBron James. This coincidence led to one of the film’s best jokes when Sylvester gets him mixed up with the first film’s protagonist.

But it’s one of the greatest jokes that I’ve ever put in one of my movies — and it’s super unique to Space Jam. There’s no other movie where you could play this joke. Warner Bros. wanted really badly to use it in marketing, and I was like, you cannot do that, because this joke is too good to sacrifice.

It’s sad they couldn’t get Jordan to return, but it did make way for a very unique joke that, as the director points out, only Space Jam could make. Luckily, they talked the marketing team out of wasting it in the trailers. The film managed to beat out Blck Widow at the Box Office, but it’s uncertain if we might see this franchise return with more entries moving forward. Still, it was great seeing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the rest of the Looney Tunes back on the silver screen. Even if this franchise doesn’t continue, it’s about time they get more films.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

July 20, 2021
‘Loki’: Jack Veil Talks Kid Loki’s Time in the Void

There have been many standouts throughout Loki‘s six-episode run on Disney+. In the fifth episode, it embraced the zaniness of its Variant concept. We met one Loki after another. The episode gave. bigger focus on Richard E. Grant‘s Classic Loki, who helped our main duo in their confrontation with Alioth. There was also Alligator Loki, who has become a fan-favorite with many hooping to see his return.

Of course, many also hope to see the grand return of Kid Loki, played by Jack Veil, who was a prominent member of the Young Avengers in the comics. We only learn that he managed to kill his version of Thor and go pruned as a result of it. Sadly, we have no idea where his story led him afterward, but Veil offered some insight into his backstory in an interview with Comic Book Movie.

Many people don’t know this, but Kid Loki is the oldest one in The Void. He was pruned thousands of years before and just didn’t age because of The Void being the end of time as said by Judge Renslayer. It is also the sheer fact that he killed Thor. As I said, no other Loki would dare try or even do that successfully. That not only makes him the Oldest but the most intimidating as well.

It explains why he was the Loki in charge. Not only was he the only one able or willing to kill Thor, but he’s been trapped in the Void long enough. If he were able to escape, he would offer a unique dynamic to a group of young heroes. Here’s hoping that the show’s second season could build upon his story and further build the Young Avengers story that is being teased throughout the Disney+ series.

Source: Comic Book Movie

July 20, 2021
REPORT: Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova To Appear in Multiple ‘Hawkeye’ Episodes

Black Widow was more than just a farewell to Scarlett Johansson‘s Natasha. It also acted as a passing of the torch with Yelena Belova, played by Florence Pugh, to continue her sister’s legacy. The post-credit sequence confirmed her return in the upcoming Hawkeye Disney+ series. Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ mysterious Val made the claim Clint Barton is behind Natasha’s death. Outside of this detail, not much is known about the upcoming series and her involvement. It seems that Cosmic Circus might offer some details on what we can expect from her upcoming appearance.

While they cannot offer any insight into her exact storyline, it luckily won’t be a one-and-done. Pugh will appear in multiple episodes of the show. Sadly, no exact insight for how many episodes we can expect her, but it looks like her search for vengeance won’t be over in an instant. We know the Tracksuit Mafia will also make an appearance. So, Clint and his new protegé, played by Hailee Steinfeld, will have quite a bit of trouble at their hands.

The series will also introduce us to Alaqua Cox as Echo. Whatever Val’s end goal is, she may have some new recruits on her radar once the show premieres sometime later this year. Currently, it doesn’t look like she will appear in the series, but Belova may also find some new friends throughout the series’ run. It seems November might be a likely release date for the series, which will most likely be the last Disney+ entry for 2021. So, here’s hoping we get a first look after What If premieres this August.

Source: Cosmic Circus, IMDb

July 20, 2021
7 Characters/Teams Ready to Join The Marvel Cinematic Multiverse

The finale of Loki saw an infinite number of timelines break free from the Sacred Timeline. Infinite branches (we think) mean infinite possibilities for new characters and their stories to be told across the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. The Multiverse has existed in the comics for over 40 years and there are hundreds of characters and dozens of stories that have already been told. Here are seven that are ready to join the MCM.

The Beyonder

Perhaps no one character is more synonymous with the idea of the multiverse than The Beyonder. THE Beyonder is one of a race of incredibly powerful beings who can shape reality at will. THE Beyonder is essentially a child by their standards and, like a child, became sort of fascinated by toying with lesser beings…humans. The Beyonder is sort of a big deal in Secret Wars circles and since it seems like that’s where the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse is headed, it shouldn’t be long before we see him or his people (who happen to have a connection to another member of this list).

Captain Britain

Over the last 13 years, the inspiration for the MCU has seemed to lean heavily in certain creators’ directions at times. As Charles Villanueva detailed here, we’ve seen heavy doses of Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Millar, Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and more in the first 3 phases. We’ve gotten a pretty good dose of Mark Gruenwald this year. Now it may be Chris Claremont and Alan Davis‘ turn to see their creations move from the page to the screen. The multiverse means other Earths and other realities and in the comics it is the job of each reality’s Captain Britain to protect it. All realities converge in the pocket dimension known as Otherworld where, occasionally, the Captain Britains from each reality meet as the Captain Britain Corps. We’ve had a Braddock tease in the MCU already and now that the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse is here, it’s time for Claremont, whose seminal X-Men run should also find its way to the MCU eventually, and Davis to shine!

The Exiles

A team consisting of an ever evolving roster of heroes plucked from different realities, the Exiles seem about as sure a thing as any to make the jump from the comics to the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. While the initial team was comprised of mutants from different realities, other teams have included non-mutant heroes like Spidey and a Captain America and even Valeria Richards from a reality where she found her self with the powers of both her parents. The Exiles could be an awful lot of fun as a Disney Plus series and seems just like the kind of team Marvel Studios would be keen to get in the MCM sooner rather than later as they could have several seasons without ever using the same team, allowing them to introduce dozens of characters if they chose.

The Living Tribunal

We first heard the character’s name in Doctor Strange and, we think, saw his head in the Void in Loki, so maybe it’s time we finally meet The Living Tribunal. One of the most powerful Cosmic entities in the Marvel Universe, The Living Tribunal is tasked with keeping the mystical side of the multiverse in balance; in that way, he’s like a Master of the Mystic Arts for the multiverse. That’s great because it means the seeds for understanding what his job is have already kind of been sewn in the audiences heads, meaning we’d need less exposition and, hopefully, get more action. It makes a LOT of sense for this character to make his debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Miles Morales

No character on this list would make thousands if not millions of fans, including myself, happier. A Spider-Man from another Earth that took on the mantle after witnessing the death of Peter Parker, Miles Morales is already well-known thanks to Sony’s animated hit, Into the Spider-Verse. 3 Spider-Men in Spider-Man: No Way Home already seems like a lot, so 4 would seem like overkill, but you can’t argue that the road has been paved for Miles to make his way to the MCM; all Sony and Marvel Studios have to do is walk down it together.

Molecule Man

Jonathan Hickman loves nothing more than reinventing Marvel Comics characters (well maybe he likes drawing diagrams and writing appendices more, but it’s close) and his reinvention of Owen Reece, the Molecule Man, was nothing short of genius. During his Avengers run that lead to Secret Wars, it was revealed that a Reece existed on every alternate Earth and that their death would result in that Earth’s premature destruction: Reece was a multiversal constant linked to the existence of his world. Reece is also one of the most powerful beings in the entire multiverse, with the power to manipulate and reshape matter at the molecular level and the ability to reshape and project energy at will. The new Marvel Cinematic Multiverse gives the Molecule Man a chance to step into the spotlight.

The Squadron Supreme

A group of heroes that seem awfully familiar to DC’s Justice League, the Squadron Supreme hail from Earth-712 where they served as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Despite being JL analogues, the individuals on the team actually end up being pretty interesting in their own rights and if we’re doing alternate Earths, I can think of no better team to bring to the MCM. They were rumored to appear in the first season of Loki and while that didn’t happen, fans can hold out hope that with the multiverse opened up, we might see them in Season 2.

With new Earths come new story telling possibilities. Let’s hope the story tellers love some of these characters enough to get them into the MCM.

July 20, 2021
‘Gotham’s Victoria Cartagena Reprises Role as Renee Montoya in ‘Batwoman’

It looks like DC icon Renee Montoya has found her way into CW’s Batwoman series, as Victoria Cartagena is officially cast in the role. What makes this casting stand out is that she previously played the same role in Fox’s Gotham series. Deadline does point out that she is not playing the same character from that series, as they take place in separate universes. Batwoman‘s version is a former GCPD officer who left the force due to corruption. It seems she is running the “freaks division” and will get involved with the ongoing plot that follows Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder. She took over the mantle from Kate Kane after she went missing due to a plane crash.

It’s a curious decision to let the same actress reprise the same role in a different show without building up any connections. Gotham follows a young Bruce Wayne long before he becomes the iconic vigilante. So, even from a timeline perspective, Montoya would have to be quite a bit older if they build up a connection. It’s great they believe this much in the actress to replay the iconic character again, it’s a strange decision.

Hopefully, it lets Cartagena give the character a new twist or even further develop her beyond what the first show allowed her. She is an essential LGBT character in DC’s lore, whose an important step forward for representation. Given the series’ focus, she’s a perfect fit for the series. We’ll see how they’ll introduce the character and how they might try to disconnect her from the previous appearance. No matter what, more of Renee Montoya is always a win.

Source: Deadline

July 20, 2021
‘Black Widow’ Takes Top Spot as Most Pirated Film in the Pandemic

The digital release of any film is a considerable risk. As such, Black Widow‘s release on Disney+ Premier Access and theaters was going to be a gamble. Not only because it influenced its theatrical run but also due to piracy. This is why a delayed-release in China is a considerable risk for Marvel Studios’ Box Office return. As predicted, it became a reality, as Torrent Freak shared their overview of the most torrented movies of the year. Marvel Studios’ latest has been holding that spot ever since it was released.

To add a positive twist to the matter, it shows the strong demand for Marvel Studios films. There always was a risk involved in releasing it via their streaming service at a price. The fact they still sold $60M is impressive, and the film caught the top spot during the pandemic for its opening weekend. It also seems that the Disney+ U.S. household viewers have nearly doubled throughout the second week, which does show a generally good development for the game.

The problem that piracy creates is the film’s longevity. Throughout its Box Office run, films gain additional income through repeat viewings. Disney+ is not a one-time payment. So, you can rewatch it from the comfort of your home. Others might take to piracy to avoid the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic. These developments are a big challenge for streaming services.

They need to find ways to protect their offerings from torrent sites. It affects others such as Amazon’s The Tomorrow War and Netflix’s Gunpowder Milkshake joining the Top Three. Piracy is a general issue but took on a whole new level during the pandemic. The big question is if Jungle Cruise will face similar developments and if it might be the end of Disney Premier Access.

Source: Torrent Freak, Gadgets 360

July 20, 2021
Kevin Smith Talks Scrapped ‘Howard the Duck’ Plans and Hints at Werewolf By Night’s Marvel Studios Future

Way back in early 2019, Hulu announced it would be producing an animated Howard the Duck series from famously nerdy filmmaker Kevin Smith. The project was ultimately scrapped, with very little information revealed before its downfall. Luckily for us, Smith finally opened up about the unmade show on the latest episode of his podcast, Fatman Beyond. In a quick rant, he revealed what the basic plot of the series would have been:

The idea of our story was that Howard was trapped here and he was trying to get pages of the Darkhold, which would allow him to go back.

The Darkhold, for those that don’t remember, is the same evil book of magic that was featured in the fourth season of Agents of SHIELD and the end of WandaVision. It seems much of the planned adult comedy would have been rooted in mysticism, as Smith also specified he wanted to use an obscure horror character that Marvel Studios already had plans for:

I reached out to Walter Flanagan from Comic Book Men and told him I’m gonna take a stab at all the f–king 70s characters. Walt was giving suggestions and Werewolf By Night was absolutely on the list…then I go into Jeph [Loeb] and told him what I wanted to do, and that’s when they said ‘You can’t use Werewolf by Night,’ and I asked why. They said the movie division was using him.

Essentially Marvel’s version of the Wolfman, Werewolf By Night has been rumored to have a role in Moon Knight for some time. After all, the two characters possess a long history as both friends and enemies. Marvel Studios hasn’t confirmed a Werewolf appearance just yet, but Smith’s comments should give fans of the character hope.

Source: Fatman Beyond via Comic Book

July 20, 2021
Leaked ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ Featurette Includes New Footage

Sony seems to be facing quite a few leaking pipes. There have been countless rumors surrounding the upcoming release of Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film’s new costumes leaked three weeks ago and there is still no trailer in sight. It looks like even their other new Spider-Verse entry, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, could avoid something leaking. YouTube channel Movies Basket shared the featurette that includes new footage.

In it, Woody Harrelson discusses the surprise of how comedic the film would end up being. The film’s director Andy Serkis also highlights how important the “old couple” dynamic is between Eddie and the Venom symbiote. The inclusion of Carnage also promises a much darker film, which might not see the two get out of it scot-free. It’s great that Serkis built upon the highlight from the first film and the new footage promises quite a bit more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOkKci_V8Go

The first trailer already teased their returning dynamic, as Venom made quite a rich breakfast. It’ll be interesting to see if Carnage will act as a more serious counterpart to our main duo. Sony also has the Mobius film on the horizon with Jared Leto in the lead. The film was pushed back quite frequently throughout the pandemic and it is surprising that we got more leaks out of the other two properties. Still, Venom‘s sequel looks promising and they nailed Carnage’s design. f course, it would’ve been nice if they were more directly connected to Spider-Man but there is always a chance their paths will cross. Sony seems very focused on making that a reality.

Source: YouTube

July 20, 2021