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  • ‘Loki’s Head Writer Michael Waldron Reveals the Inspiration for Classic Loki’s Backstory

    ‘Loki’s Head Writer Michael Waldron Reveals the Inspiration for Classic Loki’s Backstory

    The latest episode of Loki explored the many sides of the character. It quite literally gave us multiple versions of the God of Mischief that each managed to survive the bizarre Void. We already meet three individuals last week which included Kid Loki, Boisterous Loki, and a comic look-a-like in the form of Robert E. Grant‘s Classic Loki. Luckily, Marvel offered some insight into the inspiration for their characters. What stood out was a comment by head writer Michael Waldron on the backstory of Grant’s character.

    What if Loki did in fact survive the events of Avengers: Infinity War? And I thought, ‘Well, what if that did happen? And if it did, in fact, how could he have aged up? How could he have lived out his years in a way that the TVA would never come find him?

    It’s a simple idea that offered some insight into the character, as we learn that the TVA only found him because he missed his brother and family. There’s a theme that many Lokis get pruned due to their will to change. Even Kid Loki remarks this during the episode after proclaiming earlier he killed his brother. Perhaps it was a prank gone wrong, and he’s been living with that regret all this life.

    This change of heart is at the core of this show and even using a post-Infinity War fan theory as the basis for one Variant is a genius move. It seemed in his nature to dodge the deadly bullet, and luckily, we meet a version that does exactly that. It would’ve been nice to explore the history of Boisterous Loki a bit more, as he gets sidelined in the episode. The man running around with a makeshift hammer has a lot to tell. Perhaps we’ll get a special episode of What If in the future or a different spin-off exploring the multiverse.

    Source: Marvel

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Adds New ‘Black Widow’ Inspired MCU Skin

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Adds New ‘Black Widow’ Inspired MCU Skin

    Marvel’s Avengers has been busy preparing for its big August update that will see Black Panther finally join the game. Until then, we have this month’s release of the first Multiplayer-focused endgame content in the form of Omega-Level Threats and the return of their Black Widow tie-in event, the Red Room Takeover. It originally came out back in May when the film was originally set to release but will make a return alongside the film’s premiere. Luckily, it seems that wasn’t the only tie-in they planned as their official Twitter channel just shared the first look at a brand new MCU-inspired skin from the upcoming film.

     

     

    The film eased quite a few different suits but it makes sense they went with the iconic white suit that’s been heavily advertised. It’s a great touch to use the Red Room visuals in the background, which added a unique flair to the HARM room challenges we’ve been playing since the game launched last year. It’s great that the game is doing film tie-ins and makes you wonder if we’ll see some more stuff in the future.

    Sadly, Shang-Chi isn’t playable but with rumors pointing to a late 2021 release for Spider-Man, we could potentially get some of his iconic suits from Spider-Man: No Way Home in the game. Either Way, July is going to be an exciting month for the game as we get closer and closer to Black Panther’s release. Here’s hoping he gets his Captain America: Civil War suit.

    Source: Twitter

  • EXCLUSIVE: Composer Natalie Holt on ‘Loki’s Unique Sound, Ride of the Valkyries, and the Simon Cowell Incident

    EXCLUSIVE: Composer Natalie Holt on ‘Loki’s Unique Sound, Ride of the Valkyries, and the Simon Cowell Incident

    Loki is made up of a lot of incredible things – the writing, acting, world-building, production design, costume, cinematography – but not the least of which is Natalie Holt‘s distinct music. Holt’s kooky take on Marvel’s usually grandiose sonic palette has been the talking point among fans for many weeks now. The score is easily the best of three Marvel Disney+ shows; an alchemic concoction of Norwegian tradition, analog synthesizers, and operatic Wagnerian motifs. I had the privilege of interviewing Holt this week and we got to talk about her process behind the show and her mischievous TV appearance on Britain’s Got Talent.

    Despite the music being so tightly weaved, the production process was anything but as COVID forced Holt to just work remotely on the project alongside everyone else. Even crazier is the fact that she still hasn’t met any of her collaborators to this day. When asked about what the process was like, she had this to say:

    It was sad. I wish I could have been in the room with everyone, especially with the orchestra. I would have loved to sit there, watch, and feel the vibe of the room. We had music meetings every Wednesday for six months. I feel like I got to know the entire Marvel music team yet I’ve never met them until now. It’s weird how Zoom could still facilitate those creative collaborations. 

    Tom Hiddleston‘s unique take on the God of Mischief is so built into the character’s DNA that it’s no surprise Holt looked to the actor to get an understanding of how to approach creating a brand new musical theme for him. Despite having a short window to get it done, the process for Holt seemed fortuitous as she quickly had a grasp on what to do and given how Marvel quickly jumped on board with her ideas.

    I read the script and I had seen all those films anyway so I had an idea of how Tom played the character. I’m very much inspired by his over-the-top grand theatrical performances. I literally came up with that theme for him in the pitch to get the job. So that was there right from the beginning and then all the other themes like the TVA and Mobius theme came later on. 

    I got the job and had a month when Kate Herron got back from filming the show but I hadn’t started working on the show. I had just spent all this time coming up with this suite of themes. But everyone approved that suite fairly quickly. Everyone was on board with the direction I wanted to take.

    As far as external influences go, Holt cites A Clockwork Orange and some classical pieces as being crucial in figuring out which approach to take with the God of Mischief.

    And like I said, the way Tom Hiddleston performs and the theme I made for him is somewhat rooted in the classical tradition like Ride of the Valkyries. I wanted to put something in there that made you think of those big classical works. I was playing around with Mozart-inspired licks.

    The Loki score is rife with an array of sounds, ranging from traditional Norwegian instruments to analog synthesizers. Holt also talked about she came about choosing certain instruments.

    It was instinctive, I guess. I had this sound in my head and it was a matter of finding my way there. I heard those Norwegian folk instruments in a concert a few years ago but I had that sound always in the back of my mind. They’re sort of like a string instrument but they’ve got this magical, mystical sound that seemed to go really well with Loki’s past with his mother and yearning. I also never wanted to play it straight like, “Oh here’s a piece of basic orchestral music.” It had always had to have a twist for me. 

    Like all MCU properties, there’s a hefty amount of callbacks and references to previous films in Loki. Holt shed some light as to how they revisited some of the more familiar musical motifs and how supportive Marvel was with her unique vision.

    There are a couple of scenes like when Loki wakes up in the Ep. 4 credits. That was Alan Silvestri piece that was in the temp. We all liked it very much that we used it as the basis. And then you have the beginning in New York, that’s also Alan Silvestri. It was in the temp and it worked so well. It was so cool to segue from Alan into our world. I had Alan Silvestri stems and I got to blend that into my piece. He’s a legend. 

    But there wasn’t any, “You need to continue the Marvel legacy.” It was just like, “Do whatever you want and make it as unique as you can.” That was really freeing and amazing.

    And lastly, I got to ask her about the incident she was involved in several years ago where she pelted Simon Cowell with eggs on-air during a taping of Britain’s Got Talent. She was gracious enough to humor my question and said this about her initial worry that she would no longer have a career after the incident.

    I don’t what I expected [laughs]. Like Loki, we all do mischievous things while we’re younger. I’m glad it didn’t affect my career and that I’m able to work. I think my career hasn’t been derailed that much.

    Apart from Loki, Holt has an upcoming Netflix film she scored titled Fever Dream, which comes out later this year.

  • ‘LOKI’ Episode 5: The Man in the Castle

    ‘LOKI’ Episode 5: The Man in the Castle

    Episode 5 of Loki, Journey Into Mystery, made its case for being not only the strongest episode of this series so far, but also potentially the best episode of any Marvel Studios Disney Plus series to date. A collection of “moments” came together to make something that felt strange and uncomfortable but still left you feeling hopeful that our Variants can follow the lead of Richard E. Grant’s Loki (what an absolute blast he seemed to be having in this role!) and the advice of Mobius and find a way to change. And in the episode’s final minutes, it sure seems like that’s what they’ve done. Loki gives a long-overdue embrace to his best bro, Mobius, and willingly takes Sylvie’s hand and lets her lead the way in an effort to reveal who the big bad behind the TVA truly is by enchanting Alioth. It seems like there are 2 prevailing hypotheses among fans as to who the man in the castle is going turn out to be: a version of Kang the Conqueror or a sort of old man version of Loki. Let’s lay out the evidence to support those claims and see how it goes.

    King Loki

    Who Is Richard E. Grant's Variant? Classic Loki Explained

    It’s a show named Loki telling a story about Variants of Loki, so it’s no surprise that fans have come to expect to find another version of the character behind the curtain of the TVA. Today’s episode probably brought us to a total of maybe 15-20 different Variants that we’ve seen on screen but fans are holding tight to the idea that we might just see one more in next week’s final episode. But does it make sense for another Loki to be pulling the strings and protecting the Sacred Timeline? Streamlining things to avoid chaos seems like most un-Loki thing I can imagine but we did just see a few Lokis undergo some pretty cathartic moments in Episode 5 (albeit as a result of a bunch of Lokis doing very Loki things), so maybe what we’re dealing with here is another Loki (a superior version) who has done it all and seen it all and made his way through the wasteland, built himself a fancy castle, wrangled up Alioth and created the TVA to keep other Lokis from becoming successful by pruning them from the timeline. If that were the case, would that superior Loki really want to risk bringing all those Variants that close to his castle? Would that be in his best interests? As Grant’s Loki said, Lokis are survivors so, as a Loki, superior Loki would know this about Lokis and might not want to risk it.

    If we’re being objective, there really isn’t any other evidence to support the idea that we’ll see another version of Loki inside the castle. None of the bread crumbs, save the fact that the series is titled Loki give us reason to believe that another Variant is behind this. Additionally, the God of Mischief becoming the shepherd of the Sacred Timeline really doesn’t jibe with the what Loki is all about. It seems like letting all the other Lokis do their thing and cause more chaos would leave him more secure in hanging out in his castle and the end of time.

    Kang, or some version of him

    Kang the Conqueror is Officially Marvel's Most Over the Top Villain

    Before the show even debuted, rumors indicated Loki might feature a potential appearance from Kang. Jonathan Majors was cast as the Master of Men and set to appear in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, but the fact that he was cast 10 months before the start of production on that film but while production on Loki (which filmed under an LLC titled Limbo Productions) really backed up those rumors. Prior to the show’s release, Disney revealed that Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s character to be Ravonna Renslyaer, a Marvel Comics character with DEEP ties to Kang that have extended into other mediums such as Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 video game. And while today’s episode certainly seemed to indicate that Ravonna has not been in on the con and not in league with whomever is running it, that actually helps make a stronger case for it to be Kang because their relationship started off on very rocky ground after Kang conquered her father’s empire. It’s unclear what’s truly up with Ravonna (is she a Variant that many Kangs have fallen in love with?) but that’s not the point of this exercise. Her presence here, running the TVA in a place outside of time and space, helps steer things towards Kang being the man in the castle.

    Journey Into Mystery introduced fans to Alioth, described as the guard dog to the man in the castle. Alioth doesn’t have anywhere near as long and twisted of a history in the comics as Kang does, but what history does have is closely tied to Kang. We saw Alioth can basically destroy any and everything it touches, which fits with its comic book counterpart, which originated in Temporal Limbo (there’s that word again), a location RULED by Kang. So we have a little bit of an original take on the character here, but it is another character which leads us down a road that ends with Kang standing there, hands on his hips, waving hello like Forrest Gump.

    Alioth’s job is to go around and clean up the Void, a wasteland where Variants who have been pruned and the realities they’ve altered go. The principles of the Void are cool because they follow science (neither energy nor matter can be created or destroyed) and so these beings and objects are transported to a new place where the Variants become food for Alioth. But what about the objects? Alioth doesn’t seem to like concrete and thankfully he didn’t eat one of the episode’s biggest Easter eggs and another neon arrow pointing in the direction of Kang: the Qeng Enterprises Tower. Qeng Tower is honestly a pretty obscure reference and the tower itself made only the briefest of appearances in the episode; however, it’s another BIG hint at Kang. In the comics, Qeng Tower came into play 500 years in the future during the 3 issue Avengers: Ultron Forever series. The tower was overseen by the CEO of Qeng Enterprises, Mr. Gryphon, who was just another one of Kang’s alters. As mentioned above, it’s such an obscure reference and passes so quickly but it’s another great reason to thing the O.K. (Original Kangster) is the man in the castle.

    A final piece of evidence for the man in the castle being Kang is the castle itself. Kang is nothing if not a modest man and ruled Temporal Limbo from a quaint tri-level named Tenebrae, or Castle Limbo. The version of Kang who lived here went by the name Immortus and spent his days shepherding the timeline by pruning Variants (mostly of himself) to make sure it all ended in peace and tranquility. If that sounds vaguely familiar to you, it means you’ve been paying attention to the previous episodes of Loki where they described that as the job of the TVA.

    Once again, if we’re being objective in our analysis of the evidence, we can find all kinds of support for the hypothesis that Kang, or one version of him, is going to be revealed as the man in the castle when Episode 6 streams next week. Strongly sourced rumors, Limbo Productions, Ravonna, Alioth, Qeng Tower and Castle Limbo make a much, much stronger case than “didn’t you learn anything from WandaVision.”

     

  • Sarah Shahi Confirms Intergang for ‘Black Adam’

    Sarah Shahi Confirms Intergang for ‘Black Adam’

    Black Adam could be considered one of comic’s greatest anti-heroes. while more often than not portrayed as a villain he has his conflictions. Black Adam comes from the Middle Eastern country of Kahndaq, a nation that was once a “melting pot of cultures, wealth, and magic” yet the nation was built on the backs of slaves. Adam was given the powers of the wizard Shazam and used them to break the chains of those beaten down by those who stood above them. When Adam returned to the modern-day he would find people oppressed and enslaved and would do whatever it took to free people from the chains of those who abuse their power.

    In a new interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Actress Sarah Shahi, who signed on to play Adrianna Tomaz in the film, confirmed that Intergang would be playing a big role in the film as a primary antagonist.

    “I play a character named Adrianna, and she’s a freedom fighter that’s leading this big resistance against an evil, malicious group called Intergang,”

    Shahi went onto explain just how important she took this role and how she looked to break a stereotype amongst middle eastern actors with this movie

     “I’m Middle Eastern; I’m Persian. And there’s not a lot of Middle Eastern representation out there… There are other Middle Eastern actors that I know who are either getting cast in terrorist roles or they’re really being stereotyped by how they look. So I’m hoping that, on some level, Black Adam will help break open that stereotype.”

    Intergang makes themselves a target of Adam in the New 52 when they offer him, Adrianna, alongside $2,000,000 in African gold to try and entice him into allowing them to use Kahndaq to run weapons through. Adam in return frees Adrianna and violently kills a member of Intergang named Noose. With Adrianna at his side, Adam learned to become a better leader and more passionate with her help.

    SOURCE: THR

  • New ‘What If’ Funko Pop Teases King Killmonger vs. Ultron

    New ‘What If’ Funko Pop Teases King Killmonger vs. Ultron

    Marvel Studios is set to begin its first foray into animation with What if. It’ll be an animated anthology series that follows multiple alternate outcomes of important events within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’ve heard about just a few episodes that will feature the return of Ultron, a Gamora who never joined the Guardians of the Galaxy, and even an interesting alliance between Tony Stark and Erik Killmonger. Now, a new Funko Pop from the upcoming series featuring Michael B. Jordan‘s character may offer a closer look at the events of one of two episodes.

    The Funko gives him the title King Killmonger, as he is wearing the golden jaguar suit once again. What’s most interesting is him holding what looks to be a decapitated Ultron head. It’s unclear just what is happening here but it looks like it could have something to do with an episode in which Ultron won or the episode in which Killmonger and Stark will work together. The former will feature a post-apocalyptic wasteland in which the Avengers lost to Ultron. He succeeds and drops Sokovia to turn Earth to dust. That episode is set to be led by Black Widow, and no other characters have been confirmed to join her in the aftermath.

     

     

    What If? currently has no set release date but will exclusively release on Disney+. The series will feature the return of many notable actors and actresses from the MCU like Mark Ruffalo, Josh Brolin, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L Jackson, Natalie Portman, and of course Michael B. Jordan. The series will also feature the debut of Jeffrey Wright as Uatu the Watcher in the MCU.

    Source: Instagram

     

  • Zack Snyder’s Turning His ‘Star Wars’ Pitch Into the Netflix Original Sci-Fi ‘Rebel Moon’

    Zack Snyder’s Turning His ‘Star Wars’ Pitch Into the Netflix Original Sci-Fi ‘Rebel Moon’

    Some time ago, Zack Snyder revealed that he was working on a script for his next project during an episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast. In it, he revealed that it was originally based on a pitch he made to Lucasfilm that would take place in the iconic Star Wars franchise. He never gave away any details but did state it was heavily inspired by Akira Kurosawa‘s Seven Samurai. The director has always been diverse in how he tackles genres. So, it seemed likely he would follow up on the project now that his Army of the Dead franchise is expanding. Well, luckily it seems the wait won’t be too long. The Hollywood Reporter has just revealed that Netflix has gained the rights to his next project, which is now titled, Rebel Moon.

    The story will follow a colony at the edge of the galaxy, who are about to face the wrath of a tyrannical regent. Their only hope is a mysterious young woman who will seek out warriors from other planets to take on this mysterious threat. Snyder gave the following statement to share his enthusiasm for taking his next story into space:

    This is me growing up as an Akira Kurosawa fan, a Star Wars fan. It’s my love of sci-fi and a giant adventure. My hope is that this also becomes a massive IP and a universe that can be built out.

    He will direct and produce the film. Shay Hatten and Kurt Johnstad, who helped write Army of the Dead and 300, are on board to bring the space adventure to life. His wife Deborah Snyder will produce the film via Stone Quarry with Eric Newman‘s Grand Electric. It seems likely that similar to Army, this franchise might expand beyond just the singular film, as the director also reveals he spent around two to three years mapping out this distinctive galaxy. It’s an exciting venture, and the streaming service is offering him the creative flexibility to bring his stories to life.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘LOKI’ Episode 5 Primer

    ‘LOKI’ Episode 5 Primer

    After a little bit of lull in episode 3, episode 4- Nexus Event- brought more to the table. It’s a little cringy that Loki fell in love with a version of himself, but it’s also the most Loki-like thing in the show. Seeing he is so self-centered it’s not really a surprise. While the TVA splits up Sylvie and Loki, Mobius gets time to reconnect with his bestie, Loki, and express his disappointment; Loki, on the other hand, tried to convince Mobius that he and everyone else in the TVA are variants and that they have been lied to. Sylvie and Hunter B-15 were having a similar conversation that led to B-15 breaking free of her program. During his conversation with Ravonna, Mobius steals her Tempad, confirms Loki’s story, and hatches a plan to break Loki out and destroy the TVA. Unfortunately, Ravonna catches him and deletes him. Ravonna then takes the two variants to the Time-Keepers, B-15 has another plan and helps them break free which eventually leads to Sylvie decapitating one of the Time-Keepers revealing that they are not the all-powerful time gods they are cracked up to be, they are cheap robots. Sylvie and Loki’s big revolution ends with Ravonna deleting Loki, but a post-credit scene shows Loki waking up to be surrounded by other variant Lokis.

    Marvel Had Concerns About Loki Episode 4 Time-Keepers Twist

    The TVA is just a great big lie, I’ve thought all along that there must be someone running the show other than the Time-Keepers the reveals in this episode seem to prove my theory. In episode 1, Loki believed that the TVA was the greatest power he has ever seen, maybe they still are but we know it’s not the Time-Keepers who wield the power. Kang was the first person who came to mind that might truly be in charge, especially when I saw Ravonna. The other big reveal from the episode is when variants get deleted they don’t die. This gives Loki hope in finding his way back to Sylvie. We know from the trailer the wasteland is filled with other Lokis and it will be exciting to see if they are a help or make it more difficult.

     

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    We know that Loki is getting out of this wasteland because we see Loki and Sylvie fighting in a location we haven’t seen yet, most likely Kang’s castle. Mobius isn’t dead so there is a chance Loki can get him out of his wasteland. I’m looking forward to this next episode being crazy fun with all of the different Lokis.

    The next episode of Loki streams tomorrow!

  • RUMOR: ‘She Hulk’ Will Break the Fourth Wall in Upcoming Series

    RUMOR: ‘She Hulk’ Will Break the Fourth Wall in Upcoming Series

    Jennifer Walters is set to make her MCU debut in her very own solo series coming exclusively to Disney+. The series will follow Walters in her day-to-day life as both a monster in the courtroom and in a fight. The series is set to star Tatiana Maslany, best known for her work in Orphan Black, as Jennifer Walters alongside Ginger Gonzaga, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and Jameela Jamil, who will reportedly play Titania. Mark Ruffalo is returning as Professor Hulk and Tim Roth will reprise his role as The Abomination.

    A new rumor from the Direct, indicates that She-Hulk will feature Walters breaking the fourth wall throughout the series and talking to the audience. With that Walters will also reportedly be aware that she is in fact a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The character is no stranger to these types of antics, frequently breaking the fourth wall in past runs and talking directly to the audience as the story went on.

    It’s unknown if the series will serve up some sort of explanation for Walter’s comments to the audience or it will just not be acknowledged like Deadpools sudden outburst towards the audience in both Deadpool and Deadpool 2. The series has been described as a ten-episode half-hour legal comedy that looks to adapt some inspiration from John Byrnes’s run on the character where she first broke the first wall. No release date has been set for She-Hulk as production continues.

    SOURCE: The Direct

  • Rumor: First ‘Batgirl’ Casting Details Tease Commissioner Gordon Recast

    Rumor: First ‘Batgirl’ Casting Details Tease Commissioner Gordon Recast

    One of the films that has been in development the longest for WB and DC is Batgirl. The film has been yet another one stuck in development hell, at one point having Joss Whedon aboard the project to write and direct. Following Whedon’s exit, the studio tapped writer Christina Hodson, known for writing Bumblebee and Birds of Prey, as well as the upcoming Flash film, to rewrite Batgirl. Development on the film was quite silent until it was announced that Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah would be directing. With directors secured and a finished script, the only other next step is to fill out your cast, and it seems that could be coming soon.

    In a new report from the Illuminerdi, new casting descriptions for multiple characters have been revealed. The first description is obviously Barbra Gordon, with the studio looking for an actress in their early 20s to play Batgirl. The second description is looking for an actor in his 50s and described as a strong supporting character. The final casting description is looking for an actor in their 50s-60s to play a “disgruntled former firefighter.” This last casting call is almost identical to that of Garfield Lynns, aka Firefly, a notorious arsonist within Gotham City and one of Batman’s many rogues.

    The biggest takeaway from these casting calls could be the incoming recast of JK Simmons as Commissioner Gordon. Simmons previously played Gordon in both Justice League and Zack Snyder’s Justice League in which he played a very minor role. It’s unknown just where this film will be taking place in DC continuity, but will most likely take place in a post-Flash DCEU, with whatever changes that film makes.

    SOURCE: Illuminerdi