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  • ‘Batwoman’: First Official Look at Camrus Johnson as Batwing

    ‘Batwoman’: First Official Look at Camrus Johnson as Batwing

    Ever since the first season, Camrus Johnson‘s Luke Fox has been Batwoman’s Man in the Chair. He stepped into his father’s footsteps, who had a similar role for Bruce Wayne. The character has seen a dramatic shift this season and recent set photos confirmed that he’d be hopping out of his chair and straight into the action. We all theorized he’ll join his comic counterpart by donning the identity of Batwing. While it wasn’t officially confirmed, Writer Caroline Dries shared the first promo images of Johnson‘s Batwing suit that he’ll wear for the first time in the upcoming finale of Batwoman‘s second season, and finally, fight alongside Batwoman.

    https://twitter.com/carolinedries/status/1402325159185289217?s=20

    The look is heavily inspired by the character’s first appearance as the hero in Batwing #19 after picking up the mantle from David Zavimbe following the hero’s retirement. Fox was quickly recruited by Batman to take over the role. In a statement to TvLine, Johnson explained how excited he was to be wearing the suit and being a role model for kids to look up to.

    Honestly, it’s hard to explain how much it means to me to wear the Batwing suit and officially play my first superhero, The main reason I wanted to be in Batwoman was for this opportunity — to give kids like me another Black hero to look up to and relate to. It’s hard not to smile when I catch myself in the mirror with the bat symbol on my chest, and I’ll keep smiling through every fight scene, every awesome stunt, and every Gotham night where Batwing is finally in the field!

    It’s definitely exciting to watch the Batfamily grow more and more. While we don’t have them all in one universe it’s great to finally see some of comics’ famous and inspirational heroes from the DC Universe brought to life. The second season finale of Batwoman is currently set to air on June 13th and will see the debut of Johnson as Batwing.

    Source: TvLine, Twitter

  • ‘SWEET TOOTH’’s Jim Mickley set to direct upcoming ‘GOD COUNTRY’ adaptation

    ‘SWEET TOOTH’’s Jim Mickley set to direct upcoming ‘GOD COUNTRY’ adaptation

    Coming off the extremely well-received Netflix adaptation of Sweet Tooth, Jim Mickle has been tapped to direct yet another comic adaptation: Donny Cates’ breakthrough indie hit God Country for Legendary Entertainment. Mickle, who directed four of the eight Sweet Tooth episodes out now, is moving back to directing feature films, with his last one being 2019’s In the Shadow of the Moon. Donny Cates will be writing the script, adapting his original work, with Lee Kramer, Jon Kramer, and Mickle producing. 

    Cates has since gone on to write for Marvel (Thanos, Silver Surfer, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy, Venom, Thor) and has recently gone back to creator-owned comics to write a (sort of) sequel to some of his past independent hits, God Country included, in the Crossover series.

    God Country was initially published by Image Comics back in 2017 to rave reviews. It tells the story of Emmet Quinlan, and an old man dealing with dementia who, to his son and grandaughter’s disbelief, manages to fight off supernatural creatures when wielding Valofax, an enchanted sword that grants him otherworldly powers. Set in Texas, Cates’ home state, God Country comes off as a wonderful tale of just how much someone is willing to take in order to both keep and create the memories that can make life truly special. There is still no additional information regarding cast and release dates for the project but we will make sure to keep you posted.

     

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • Dwayne Johnson Reveals DC’s ‘League of Super-Pets’ Cast

    Dwayne Johnson Reveals DC’s ‘League of Super-Pets’ Cast

    All the way back in 1962, Action Comics #293 introduced the League of Super-Pets. The lineup included Krypto the Super dog, Streaky the Super Cat, Beppo the Super Monkey, and Come the Super Horse. They didn’t last long as they were erased from the mainstream continuity in 1986. The team would go dormant in comics for some time, with characters briefly appearing in Krypto The Superdog animated series. Yet, they did not return to comics until 2017’s DC Rebirth. Now with an animated feature film in the works, it seems the team is ready for a comeback with Dwayne Johnson revealing the cast for the upcoming project.

    Johnson took to Twitter to confirm a star-studded cast for the upcoming animated film in which he stars as Krypto the Superdog.  He confirmed that his long-time partner in crime, Kevin Hart, will voice Ace the Bathound. They will be joined by a star-studded cast, which includes Kate Mckinnon, John Krasinski, Diego Luna, Vannessa Byer, Natasha Lyonne, and Keanu Reeves. Their roles remain under wraps, but it would be pretty funny to see Krasinski voice Flexi the Plastic Bird for obvious reasons.

    https://twitter.com/therock/status/1402294591672360964?s=21

    DC’s Legion of Super-Pets is currently set to release on May 20th, 2022, and will be written and directed by Jared Sturn alongside Sam Levine. The film is set to be produced by Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions with Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia. We also don’t know if any of the other DC heroes will appear alongside the super pets, or the focus remains purely on them. Hopefully, we’ll get more teases in the coming months to build up to next year’s release.

    Source: Twitter

  • Latest ‘What If’ Merchandise Offers a Closer Look at Uatu the Watcher and the Guardians of the Multiverse

    Latest ‘What If’ Merchandise Offers a Closer Look at Uatu the Watcher and the Guardians of the Multiverse

    It always seems like Marvel Studios’ biggest enemy for leaking information is toys. What If was no exception to this rule, as our first look at various characters came through an early released poster featuring the now-titled Guardians of the Multiverse. Just recently, an image from LEGO found its way online revealing Tony Stark on Sakaar building what seems to be a Hulkbuster out of scrap metal. There even was another set, which names reveal the name of Steve Rogers’ mech that was teased throughout the first trailers.

    Now, Walmart released some merchandise that offers some closer looks at the design of Uatu the Watcher and the Guardians of the Multiverse. It is interesting to note that Uatu is simply called The Watcher with an Avengers-inspired logo. It makes sense as it might be more recognizable for non-comic readers buying these coin purses or wallet covers.

     

    The merchandise offers us our closest look at Uatu’s design which seems like the perfect combination of his comic design, which got featured briefly in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and his voice actor Jeffrey Wright. Interestingly, Peggy Carter’s character is named Captain Carter rather than Captain Britain. She held the title in the leaked LEGO set. It might also just make the marketing easier as Party Thor will not go by that title. A few known members are missing, such as Gamora, Black Widow, and Killmonger. Zombie Captain America is also missing though leaked merchandise has featured him prominently. We might see more merchandise get released soon featuring the rest of the cast with hints of their potential storylines.

    Source: Walmart (Watcher), Walmart (Captain Carter), Walmart (Party Thor), Walmart (T’Challa)

  • REVIEW: ‘Loki’ Breathes New Life Into The God of Mischief In The Best Ways

    REVIEW: ‘Loki’ Breathes New Life Into The God of Mischief In The Best Ways

    A year ago, I would’ve told you that Loki was in the bottom rung of all the stuff Marvel was slated to do. At the time of the show’s announcement in 2018, we already saw the character die thrice (!!!), only for him to show up in subsequent films beyond those deaths. “Just how many more times do we have to see Loki run the same game all over again?” said 2020 me who didn’t know better. But then the first trailer of the show came out during Disney’s Investors Day conference last December, which gave a convincing argument that this show was going to be weird and bonkers. Having now seen the first two episodes, I’ve never been happier to eat those words I uttered last year because the show absolutely destroys. 

    That’s because Kevin Feige, Michael Waldron, and Kate Herron have found new engaging ways to give more mileage to this decade-old MCU character. Mileage that will likely last the character more than many lifetimes in the MCU. This kind of longevity feels organic and untrodden for the God of Mischief himself. Not only that, the show introduces a concept that is so outrageous within the current confines of the MCU, that it almost breaks it in the best way possible. Everything you understand about the MCU will radically change after you watch these episodes. 

    The way the show treats the titular character is unlike that of what we’ve seen. While previous Loki appearances had the God of Mischief stopping at nothing in his pursuit of glory, the show exposes him for the jobber he truly is. In the world of wrestling, he’s the guy that has to lose to crown the new WWE champion. As the fates would have it, Loki isn’t destined to win; he’s born to lose. He’s only around to make people around look better and the show brilliantly forces him to come to terms with this harsh truth. For a character that’s been nothing but a sore loser and winner, there’s nothing more compelling than seeing him get humbled.

    This character turn, unsurprisingly, gives Tom Hiddleston more range for him to be the best version of Loki we’ve ever seen.  He gets to tap into that maliciousness we saw from the first Avengers film and the bumbling brattiness he gave the character in Thor: Ragnarok while bringing a new layer of weariness for the character. Hiddleston is absolutely on fire as this version of Loki. There are big emotional moments for the character in the first episode where he gets to really flex those acting chops. More than Chris Hemsworth and any other MCU star, Hiddleston might be the MCU’s greatest casting discovery to date. 

    What makes Hiddleston better this time around is that he has Owen Wilson to bounce off from. Wilson plays Mobius, an obscure character from the comics that works for the Time Variance Authority. Wilson is very much playing an Owen Wilson character here and I don’t mean that as a dig: Wilson’s quirks as an actor work so well against Hiddleston’s highbrow Shakespearean energy. You have Loki, whose thing is being grandiose and boisterous and then you have Mobius, who is just some dude trying to finish his 9-to-5 job. What’s also great about Mobius is that he’s one of the few in Loki’s orbit that is actually several steps ahead. This dynamic leads to some very fun interactions between the two; Loki is second fiddle next to Mobius and he can’t stand it. The two almost have a Jim-Dwight chemistry that almost seems unthinkable when you think about a character like Loki. Again, it goes back to the creators of this show finding engaging ways to keep you on board. People will adore the tandem these two have. 

    And then you have TVA, the most bizarre organization to make the MCU to date. Essentially, they are the timeline police. You stray from your predetermined path in the timeline and then they arrest you. The show does a fantastic job in explaining how they operate via an animated educational video akin to Jurassic Park. What intrigues me about the TVA is the larger implications the organization has for the MCU. There are some absolutely bonkers allusions to Secret Wars and Infinity Stones in the show. The TVA as the most powerful ruling order in the MCU’s plane of existence is going to lead to some crazy stuff moving forward. 

    Apart from being immensely powerful, what really makes the TVA such a bizarre organization is the way the whole thing is packaged. The set design is so striking; a mix between retro 70’s analog and old school sci-fi. Every nook and cranny of the TVA feels very lived-in. Every single thing about the set feels like the polar opposite from what we got in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, where they literally had to use the same set over and over again. The people that inhabit the TVA rival those that live in Sakaar; just a bunch of totally lovable weirdos that steal each scene they’re in. 

    Visually, it’s the first Marvel Disney+ show to actually look truly cinematic. That’s not to say the two Marvel shows that came before this were visually bad. The VFX shots of those shows were astounding and even surpass some of the biggest movies. But beyond those expensive sequences, there are a chunk of scenes in Wandavision and, especially, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier that fall short from looking like a movie. As great as Sam’s big monologue was in the finale, that whole moment looked like an episode of Jessica Jones. Loki is the first one of the bunch to feel like a movie. 

    If WandaVision was Marvel’s attempt at doing an experimental sitcom and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier a return to their blockbuster form, Loki is them taking a stab at a Fincher-esque investigative crime thriller. You’ve probably heard of the premise by now: someone is causing all these problems in the sacred timeline and the TVA needs Loki’s help to hunt them down. The show gets the spirit of investigative thrillers correct.  It’s eerie and atmospheric at times. The investigative aspect feels very engaging. It’s not quite a whodunnit as the show is quick to give away who they’re after but the hows and whats within the confines of the TVA’s crazy world is what makes it interesting.

    The only thing I’m mixed on is how some of the mechanics of time travel are presented. Like Endgame, it’s simplified enough for you to buy it at face value until you actually start thinking of the nuances. Some of it will eat at audiences if they don’t ever clarify it. But the fact that the show is taking big swings in doing their own twist with time travel is pretty cool. The introduction of the Time Keepers results in the prevalent theme of predestination and fate; whether or not we’re actually in control of our decisions or if some cabal of time gods have it all planned out. It’s nothing we haven’t seen but when applied to a character like Loki, it becomes way more interesting to explore. The stuff they seed for his arc is gonna have some crazy payoffs by the time the finale hits. 

    Having seen only two episodes, it’s too early to definitively say where Loki stands among the Marvel shows. But if the rest of the season keeps up with what Episode 1 and 2 does, we might have the best one yet. Loki may not ever rule Midgard or Asgard but he may be poised to rule the Disney+ platform if all goes well. 

     

  • 5 Non-Time Travel Films to Watch Ahead of Disney+’s ‘Loki’ Premiere

    5 Non-Time Travel Films to Watch Ahead of Disney+’s ‘Loki’ Premiere

    Loki will premiere this week on Disney+. A large part of the conversation surrounding it has been about all the various (and sometimes out-of-left-field) other shows and movies that influenced it, which includes the likes of Blade Runner, Mad Men, Teletubbies, and many more. There are also all the beloved time travel TV series that people have been attempting to marathon before the series starts. Of course, that doesn’t include all the Marvel movies the God of Mischief has appeared in. As such, this list is for those looking to watch something that wouldn’t be the first thing they would consider being an inspiration, but are fun to take a look at and compare in different ways. So, I’m ruling out all movies based on comic book properties or anything that involves time travel. Without further ado, let’s jump into the potential inspirations behind Marvel Studios’ next Disney+ entry.

     

    Brazil (1985)

    13 Fascinating Facts About 'Brazil' | Mental Floss

     

    The science-fiction black comedy film, which was directed by Terry Gilliam of the comedy troupe Monty Python, is about a man who has dreams at night of being a warrior. He also imagines being with a certain woman who he soon spots in real life. Unfortunately, they both live in a totalitarian, bureaucratic society, which soon becomes an obstacle for them to escape. The society in question is not unlike the Time Variance Authority central to Loki, and the film has actually already been confirmed to have been an influence on the series. It’s easy to tell just from the trailers alone, as it appears to be a labyrinth of whimsical order, much like the dystopian future depicted in Brazil.

     

    Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

    How 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' Became One of the Best High School Films Ever - ABC News

     

    This is the only movie on the list not to have any elements of magic or science fiction, but it may be the one with the spirit closest to that of Loki. Ferris Bueller is a high school senior who tricks his parents into believing he is sick. All this so he can ditch school for a day, bringing his best friend and girlfriend along for the ride. This John Hughes coming-of-age movie is all about the excitement and motivation behind getting up to mischief simply for the thrill of it, and that’s certainly a major side of Loki’s character.

     

    Defending Your Life (1991)

    Defending Your Life (1991) - YouTube

     

    Defending Your Life is another movie that has been confirmed as an inspiration for Loki. Director and actor Albert Brooks, who is co-starring alongside Meryl Streep, explores the story about another organization similar to the TVA, Judgement City. It is where people go after they die and are put on trial to receive a judgment on whether they were brave enough during their life on Earth to be deemed fit to move on to the next phase of existence or if they will be sent back to Earth to begin a whole new one.

    Much like Judgement City, the TVA is inaccessible from the “regular” world as it can only be found on its own plane of existence. However, the element of this film’s world that Loki’s creative team seemed to take direct inspiration from is the courtroom in which the main character’s trial is held. The room contains a large screen on which scenes from the defendant’s life are played, and the time theater seen in Loki’s trailers is essentially the same thing. 

     

    Jurassic Park (1993)

    Jurassic Park Filme in der Reihenfolge: Die vollständige Zeitle

     

    Jurassic Park is sort of like a reverse time travel film. Instead of the characters visiting a different era, the different era is brought to them. It’s a cautionary tale about science as just because something can be done, doesn’t necessarily mean it should be done. Yet, this isn’t the reason why the movie is on this list, though. That honor goes to a scene early in the film in which the characters watch how soon-to-be-opened dinosaur park came to be. The intro features an animated anthropomorphic DNA sequence, which is appropriately named Mr. DNA.

    The TVA has its own Mr. DNA in the form of Miss Minutes, an animated and anthropomorphic clock. She prepares time criminals for their trials at the organization. Both are upbeat as they deliver messages (technically exposition for the audience) with sinister undertones. They even have some level of an American southern accent. Universal Studios may be trying to give Mr. DNA a comeback in the queue of their new Jurassic Park ride, but Miss Minutes may very well end up giving him a run for his money in terms of modern-day popularity.

     

    Midnight in Paris (2011)

    Midnight in Paris | Film-Rezensionen.de

     

    Okay, so this one is a rule breaker because time travel is at play here. But if you’ve seen this movie you know exactly why it’s on the list. And no, it’s not because of the changing of different eras. Midnight in Paris is about a screenwriter who gets wrapped up in nostalgia while in conflict with his fiancée and her family. He ends up in various time periods of the past reliving the days of the great writers. The screenwriter is played by Owen Wilson, and he runs into various historical figures like F. Scott Fitzgerald, played by Tom Hiddleston. Again, I’m breaking my own rule here by including this film, but this is the only other project the two leads of Loki worked on together. So, I couldn’t help myself. And besides, would this truly be a Loki watchlist if it completely stuck by the books?

  • Tom Hiddleston Teases That ‘Loki’ Will Explore the Meaning of His Iconic Horns

    Tom Hiddleston Teases That ‘Loki’ Will Explore the Meaning of His Iconic Horns

    Having portrayed Loki Laufeyson since 2011’s Thor, there are few individuals with better knowledge of the cinematic version of the character than Tom Hiddleston. Whereas production teams, writers, and directors have often come and gone throughout the history of the Thor franchise, Hiddleston has been there since the start. Because of this, it’s only natural that when developing a Loki-centered series, he would be a great source of information for the current production team. It was even the focus of the latest featurette where they revealed that they were called the Loki Lectures.

     

     

    Besides the obvious issues like his character’s dramatic arc, Hiddleston told us that even Loki’s fight choreography and costumes have been the subject of a few conversations while developing the show. The production wanted to understand how Loki has evolved thus far to take the proper steps forward with the character. An interesting subject of discussion, one that by being mentioned in such specifics might hint at it being focused on in the show, was Loki’s headpiece. Hiddleston had this to say:

    People wanted to know about the horns. I do remember that. There was a question of when does Loki wear the horns? Why does he wear them? Is it a ceremonial thing or are they somehow an extension of some emotional intention? Is he particularly malevolent at those times? It was kind of interesting to be asked these questions from outside, I guess, from outside this experience. All will become clear in time.

     

     

    Throughout Loki’s history, the mentioned headpiece is an Asgardian symbol for the sorcery he wields. So, it would be fair to think that it does indeed serve a sort of ceremonial element, conferring to his figure some extra authority and power. With images released by Marvel Studios of Loki wearing a smaller headpiece on the show, we might probably see him work to regain the status he once held, making his way into a bigger headpiece as he reacquires his title of God of Mischief by the end of the series.

  • Michael Waldron Talks About the Jump From Writing ‘Rick and Morty’ To ‘Loki’

    Michael Waldron Talks About the Jump From Writing ‘Rick and Morty’ To ‘Loki’

    For the past few years, Rick and Morty has become popular through its outlandish nature. The series is most known for its unique approach to comedy and going against the grain. Michael Waldron, the head writer of Loki, is best known for his work on Rick and Morty. As such, he had the perfect background to work on a show that explores the effects of time travel and the multiverse. In the show’s press junket, he explained the difficulties of adjusting from the comedy to a more drama-focused live-action series.

    I was coming off of Rick and Morty. I think, out of the gate I was trying to step on the gas of the comedy perhaps too much and I had to recalibrate and shift this thing to a more dramatic place.

    Following that, Waldron explained what he loved about the character and how he found his groove while writing Loki.

    And thats the great thing about this character, you dont have to write jokes. Loki is going to make regular exchanges funny, fun and engaging just with the way he interacts. So, that was how we approache it. We just trusted Tom to do all the work.

    Waldron‘s work on Rick and Morty must’ve definitely helped. Rick and Loki are two characters who are different yet similar in the way they act and their attitudes toward those closest to them. The characters both exude dry wit and a god complex, holding themselves above everyone else and constantly getting themselves into trouble. Loki is surely going to bring back that classic nature we see in the character’s early days and will surely please many fans of the character.

  • Marvel Studios’ ‘Loki’ Was Almost a Marvel One-Shot Short Film at One Point

    Marvel Studios’ ‘Loki’ Was Almost a Marvel One-Shot Short Film at One Point

    Marvel Studios has entered a brand new territory with their Disney+ shows. The Marvel Cinematic Universe was already constantly changing but this service opened up new doors and allowed them to explore beloved characters in new ways. So far, we’ve seen Wandavison and Falcon and The Winter Soldier show us a new side to heroes we watched on screen for years. Now, with the premiere of Loki approaching, fans might be interested to know that the trickster had a spin-off planned early on in his time in the MCU. With the recent strides in storytelling, it seems Marvel Studios always played around with the idea of exploring the trickster in a different timeline.

    In a press junket for Loki, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that the studio danced around the idea of developing a short film for the character. He even references the former disco nightclub Studio 54 that went on to become a Broadway theatre.

    There were ideas, as Tom will remember, for a short film going back almost a decade for Loki in the 70s. Like running a Studio 54 in the 70s. I think we had some concept art of him on a horse.

    The project didn’t get much further than that. It wasn’t until director Kate Heron and head writer Michael Waldron joined the project that it had become “Infinitely more interesting” according to Feige through their ideas on how to spin the project. Marvel did explore the concept of short films with their Marvel One-Shots. These were included in their blu-ray releases that offered smaller stories in the MCU. It included the Agent Coulson-focused stories The Consultant and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer. Of course, the big standout was Ben Kingsley‘s return as Trevor Slattery in All Hail the King. It’s crazy to think how far the franchise has come now that we have high-budget series doing what these One-Shots originally were meant to do.

  • First Look at Harrison Ford in Latest ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Set Photos

    First Look at Harrison Ford in Latest ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Set Photos

    Just recently, we got our first look at Indiana Jones 5‘s set photos that teased a flashback sequence. A stunt driver was wearing what seemed to be a mask resembling a younger Harrison Ford. There was no sighting of the main man himself, but it seems that changed quickly as the first image of Ford has found its way online. The actor is in full Indiana Jones gear and it looks like he hasn’t dropped his fashion sense in all these years. In the image released by @IndianaJones_ch, he is standing alongside Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm.

    James Mangold is taking over directing duties for the Lucasfilm project and the plot still remains tightly under wraps. There was a recent report by Illuminerdi that hinted at the latest addition of Mads Mikkelsen potentially playing a former Nazi scientist that is enlisted by NASA. It is uncertain how true this story will turn out to be, but it’ll be interesting to see how they continue the story that was last explored in 2008 with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. If NASA is involved, it doesn’t seem too crazy for Indiana to explore space after uncovering the existence of aliens in the last film. As more set photos find their way online, perhaps we’ll get a better look at the rest of the cast and how much of these reports turn out to be true after all. No matter what, it just feels right to see Ford back in action with his iconic outfit.

    Source: Twitter