Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Black Widow

  • BREAKING: Disney Sticking to ‘Black Widow’s Theatrical Release

    BREAKING: Disney Sticking to ‘Black Widow’s Theatrical Release

    The Walt Disney Company’s 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders was held today. Among the topics approached was, once again, the possibility of Marvel’s Black Widow being made available to its global audiences through Disney+ Premier Access in the coming weeks. Following the Mulan‘s and Raya and the Last Dragon’s simultaneous theatrical and Disney+ release, the idea of the first MCU movie since Spider-Man: Far From Home, which debuted over 20 months ago, being made available through Disney’s streaming service has been gathering fans ever since it’s first release date wasn’t met, back in May 2020. Now, Disney CEO Bob Chapek had the following to say on its upcoming release:

    Next up is Marvel’s highly anticipated spy thriller Black Widow featuring an All-Star cast that includes Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson currently set for release in theaters on May 7 I know Marvel fans have been looking forward to this film for a long time and I promise you it’s well worth the wait it’s absolutely fantastic.

     

     

    As such, Disney has made no changes to what is still expected to be a theatrical-only release, this coming May 7th. With theaters planning on reopening in several cities across the US, even if at a lower capacity rate than before, Disney seems confident that audiences, perhaps driven by the growing number of COVID-19 vaccines being administered, will show up. They hope that it will make the nationwide theatrical release a success. This news doesn’t mean that we will be returning to business as usual, as the movie’s run may probably be shortened, being made available at home earlier than movies of this magnitude usually are.

    We still have a couple of months until Black Widow is set for release, and as with almost everything these days a lot can change in eight weeks. We’ll see if this bold strategy pays off.

    Source: Walt Disney Company

  • Super Bowl to Feature Disney Trailers for ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’, ‘Falcon and the Winter Solider’ And Potentially More

    Super Bowl to Feature Disney Trailers for ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’, ‘Falcon and the Winter Solider’ And Potentially More

    The Football event of the year is just around the corner. Everyone has their eyes on the Super Bowl for different reasons. Some are there to cheer on their team, while others can’t wait for those exclusive trailers. Well, after a year-long pandemic, some are wondering if anyone will risk the investment. According to Deadline, we will see a smaller line-up than in the past few years. Many streaming services like HBO Max, Peacock, Apple TV, and Netflix will skip this year. Luckily, it seems that Disney is willing to take the risk. They plan to release at least two to four trailers that will be on par with previous years.

    Raya and the Last Dragon is a safe bet to be one of the trailers, as they want to test out their second Premier Access film that releases next month. Last year, Disney+ made a major splash with their first official teaser for their Disney+ slate. It was a short trailer that showcased Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, and even Loki. None of these series got a release date at the time, but it certainly left an impact when it initially aired. So, there is a good chance we will get another trailer that teases their 2021 Marvel slate. Deadline does not rule out a possible trailer for Black Widow, which is still set to release May 7th. They highlight that you shouldn’t expect a sudden announcement that the film will be made available on Disney+ during the event.

    It is crazy to think that Black Widow released a trailer last year and was only a few months away from release. If they do end up including the upcoming Marvel film, there is a good chance we might not see another delay. They could be waiting out to see how Raya performs before making any decisions. It is understandable after Mulan underperformed last year on the service. The release of Pixar’s Soul saw a massive increase in app downloads. However, it probably was nowhere near as profitable as a regular cinematic release. Well, no matter which direction they end up going. There is no competition this year, and Disney will be able to dominate the post-game buzz with anything they decide to release.

    Source: Deadline, Digital TV Europe, Deadline (Soul)

  • REPORT: Disney May Consider a Hybrid Release for ‘BLACK WIDOW’

    REPORT: Disney May Consider a Hybrid Release for ‘BLACK WIDOW’

    The Covid-19 pandemic has affected different industries worldwide. And Hollywood is one of those industries that took a heavy hit. Many of these studios are still holding their films back, with many of them having been delayed into 2021 and are now being pushed even further into 2021 or 2022.  As the global film industry loses billions of dollars as months push by and these films keep getting delayed, many have been looking at another approach to distributing such projects for the audience to see in a post-pandemic world. At the beginning of the pandemic, studios seemed to be reluctant to release the movie on a different online platform instead of a theatrical release, making it tough for them to choose the right platform to release their films. But, in times of desperation, more and more studios have started to opt for releasing their films on streaming platforms, some even going as far as making a hybrid option to release their films on theaters and streaming platforms on the same day, at no additional cost. And this has been a heavily debated topic during this past year, some calling the move bold and great for fans of these films, while others seem to think otherwise. Well now, it seems that Disney and Marvel may follow suit with the upcoming release of the Black Widow film.

    According to Variety, following the slate shift Walt Disney Studios did last week and seeing how the MCU films were practically left untouched, there exists a strong possibility that Marvel Studios could be considering a hybrid release for the first film of Phase 4: Black Widow. What does this mean? Chances are they’re waiting for the release of Raya and the Last Dragon, due out on March 5th. Raya and the Last Dragon is opting for Disney’s first hybrid release, so to speak, by releasing the film in theaters and via Disney+’s Premier Access service on the same day. Depending on how the film does with that hybrid business model, there is now a real possibility that Black Widow could opt for that option as well. And with the weight that this is a Marvel Studios film, chances are that this film could make some real gains in a post-pandemic world.

     

    The film has already been delayed twice this past year, and in any other normal case, the film could be delayed again no problem. But there is a catch and it is ultimately Marvel’s Achilles heel. By having these “Phases” into check, and by pushing the films further and further back, not only would Black Widow be delayed, but that would cause a domino effect that could shift the entire current MCU Slate back. There have been murmurs that the reasoning behind Black Widow‘s delay is due to the contract clauses that some actors have regarding this film, asking for a theatrical release rather than a full Disney+ Premier Access. So now, with this hybrid release becoming a possibility, there may exist a loophole to these clauses and there is a real chance that we could be seeing this on our devices really soon.

  • Disney May Be Considering ‘Black Widow’ Disney+ Premium Access After All

    Disney May Be Considering ‘Black Widow’ Disney+ Premium Access After All

    The pandemic hasn’t been easy on Hollywood. Most of their 2020 releases got delayed as it was uncertain if worldwide quarantines would end anytime soon. Yet, there is the question if people would be willing to return to cinemas as long as that uncertainty remained. Marvel Studios had to push back its entire Phase 4 slate by a year. Most of the releases have been shifted around as a result as well. One of those releases was Black Widow. 

    It was supposed to kick off Phase 4 in May of last year only to get postponed into 2021. Now, WandaVision is officially taking over that duty in the next few days. Even after all this time, the pandemic still looms over our heads. Studios, as well as theaters, are still reeling from the heavy losses of 2020. So, there was still hope to hold the 2021 release dates. It seems that the latest strategy with Raya and the Last Dragon may be signaling a new direction after all.

     

     

    Raya will premiere in March simultaneously on Disney+ Premium Access and theaters. It isn’t too dissimilar from how Warner Bros. currently has mapped out their entire 2021 release plan. Still, Disney has denied that any such whispers but happened, but we’ve seen them deny such claims once before. Pixar’s Soul went through a similar development before getting released on Disney+. It’s not an easy decision for Disney, as constantly postponing their releases doesn’t help their current plans. It leaves many to wonder if Disney would be willing to pull the trigger and risk it all with a Hollywood blockbuster such as Black Widow come May 2021. Right now, there are too many factors to say if theaters will return to what they once were by May.

    Source: Variety (Raya), Variety (2021)

  • Deep Thoughts: One Hypothetical Marvel Studios 2021 Release Calendar

    Deep Thoughts: One Hypothetical Marvel Studios 2021 Release Calendar

    Marvel Studios sat out 2020 much to the despair of MCU fans; however, one possible timeline for the studio’s release pattern in 2021 could mean we’d only have just a few content-less Friday’s in the next year!

    Last night, Edward Rose noticed that the official Disney Latino page listed WandaVision, Marvel Studios’ first Disney Plus streaming series, as having an 8-week run. That news got the wheels spinning and resulted in a hypothetical release schedule that would leave fans hanging on only 2 weekends. The underlying idea of this hypothetical scenario is putting new Marvel Studios content on as many Fridays as possible.

    2021 will kick off with the first episode of Marvel Studios Legends on January 8th, catching fans up on the adventures of Wanda, Vision and maybe the rest of the returning cast members. The following week, WandaVision would begin its 8-week run (which does not necessarily mean 8 episodes and that really shouldn’t be that controversial of a statement) which would conclude on March 5th. Additionally, we’ll almost certainly get our first look at Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings during this time, with the February 7th Super Bowl being on likely opportunity.

    While we have no confirmation of a Marvel Studios Legends episode for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, it seems like a safe bet and if we bet on it happening, March 12th, pinned between the end of WandaVision and the beginning of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, seems like a pretty safe date. So March 12th recaps the zany adventures of Sam, Bucky, Zemo, Sharon and crew and then The Falcon and The Winter Solider would follow, beginning on March 19th and running for six weeks (this was CONFIRMED in the Disney Investor Day Fact Sheet), concluding its run on April 23rd.

    Apri 30th would be a great time to tell the story of Natasha Romanoff with a Marvel Studios Legends episode dedicated to the Black Widow. While this is a Disney Plus series, there’s been no indication that the series will only tell the tales of the characters appearing in the Disney Plus series and in Nat’s case, there’s plenty to tell. This would give old fans and new viewers alike the opportunity to be prepped and ready for Black Widow when it FINALLY hits theaters on May 7th. Black Widow also provides Marvel Studios the opportunity to push out the first look at Eternals. Expect a trailer for the project a week or two before Black Widow’s May 7th release.   ***NOTE*** Should Marvel Studios films open overseas earlier than in the U.S. date, this part of the hypothetical schedule hits a bit of a speed bump.

    The Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series, Loki, is next up. Loki is set to release in May, meaning Marvel Studios will have two projects out at the same time and as long as Black Widow remains a theatrical release, they’ll want as many butts in seats as possible. To that end, they’ll definitely give Black Widow a little room to breathe. Theatrical releases often make 50% or more of their total box office on the first weekend and rarely do “big money” after the second weekend. With this in mind, they might look to release a Loki-centric episode of Marvel Studios Legends on May 14th (there’s certainly a LOT to tell) and debut the first episode of Loki Season One the following Friday, May 21st. All indications at this point are that the Hiddleston-led streamer will run for 6 episodes, meaning it’ll wrap up on June 25th.

    At this point, it looks like Marvel Studios could realistically release new content EVERY Friday for the first six months of the year save New Year’s Day…and then comes July 2nd, which will launch the 4th of July holiday weekend in the United States. It’s possible that the studio takes the weekend off, has something special in the works for the Fourth (it is Steve Rogers birthday, after all) or, I suppose they could release an episode of Marvel Studios Legends dedicated to the MCU’s brief and confusing history of the Mandarin and the Ten Rings. The last one makes a bit of sense because, on July 9th, Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is going to rewrite that history when it debuts in theaters.

    The further down the road and into 2021 this hypothetical schedule goes, the harder it is to predict, but why stop now? Next up for Marvel Studios is What If…?, their first animated project. The only available info on the project is that it’s set to be released next Summer and, according to several reports, is expected to consist of 10 episodes. Placing it on the schedule under the assumptions that they’ll give a theatrical film at least one weekend all to itself and that they’ll release What If…? one episode at a time as well, the animated series could debut on July 16th and conclude on September 17th.

    In thinking ahead, that long gap serves a fairly important purpose if the goal is to provide new content every Friday: it allows Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye to “catch up.” The starts of both of those series were severely delayed by the pandemic and are currently scheduled for “late Fall.” If production continues without delays and the calendar fills out as predicted above, the two series could stream on either side of Eternals. 

    According to the Disney Investor Day Fact Sheet, Ms. Marvel comes first and could start its six-episode run on September 24th. It’s possible that the studio could push out a Marvel Studios Legends episode about Captain Marvel given the connection between Kamala Khan and her, but it’s also possible they just start right up. If they do, the Season One finale of Ms. Marvel would stream on October 29th.

    One week later, on November 5th, Eternals would make its LONG awaited degut in theaters. By introducing an entirely new group of characters, Eternals seems unlikely to be preceded by an episode of Marvel Studios Legends, though anything and anyone could show up in the film.

    ***NOTE*** after finding some new evidence, this paragraph was changed to reflect Hawkeye as a 6-episode series, so it would end on Christmas Eve.

    Following the pattern previously laid out around theatrical releases, November 12th could be a nice Friday for the Clint Barton episode of Marvel Studios Legends. Set photos have indicated that Hawkeye, the studio’s final 2021 project, takes place during the holidays so kicking it off on November 19th would give fans episodes on the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Ever. All signs point to this one being a 6-episode season, meaning we’d wrap up before the calendar turns over to 2022. Assuming no production delays, Marvel Studios would have the opportunity to jump right into She-Hulk and continue taking over the world of entertainment.

    Currently set to release on December 17th, 2021, Spider-Man 3 (which is scheduled by Sony and NOT Marvel Studios) throws a monkey wrench into the thought process of not having a film premier compete with an episode of a streaming series, but there are so many workarounds for that issue (Hawkeye taking a week off, the release date for the film being moved since production got off to a late start, Hawkeye not even starting until after Spider-Man 3) that it really becomes a non-issue.

    While the chances of this hypothetical release calendar coming to fruition are approximately 3,720 to 1, the point of this wasn’t to plant a flag so we can do some chest-pounding later, but to extrapolate one possible release schedule based on the idea of having new Marvel Studios content on as many 2021 Fridays as possible. Right or wrong (and let’s be honest, this is almost certainly wrong), an exercise like this makes visible the scale of the studio’s plans and the role that Disney Plus plays in them: Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios will own at least a portion of the news cycle nearly every weekend for the foreseeable future.

  • ‘Black Widow’ Still Eyeing a Theater Exclusive Release

    ‘Black Widow’ Still Eyeing a Theater Exclusive Release

    Ever since Warner Bros. dropped the bombshell that all their 2021 releases will be available via HBO Max, all eyes were on Disney if they would follow suit. Black Widow was among the many films that got delayed. Many were hoping it would take a Premier Access route just like Mulan did. Sadly, it seems it didn’t pan out with the additional paywall, so they postponed the film further into 2021. We were only a few weeks away from its initial release, and now we still have five months ahead of us. Tomorrow’s Investor’s Day had us think we will get a confirmation on how they’ll move forward with the film, and it looks like the New York Times might’ve gotten their hands on some curious details.

    They confirm that Disney might be splitting their projects into different categories. Big-budget films, such as Black Widow, will remain as theater exclusive releases while minor projects are heading online. Their primary focus remains to strengthen Disney+, which might be their most lucrative venture in these trying times. Of course, a streaming service is a long-term investment, so analysts don’t expect it to become profitable until 2024. Just this year, they had a loss of $2.8 billion in their direct-to-consumer division, which will only peak in 2022 until the rollout costs decline. It isn’t an easy venture, so growing the subscriber numbers at a rapid rate can help that cause.

    So, why not add Black Widow to streaming? Well, if, and that is a big if, the pandemic slows down by that point, they can make more money through a theatrical release. Plus, they can use it to support their streaming service as eight Marvel shows are planned to expand the Marvel Cinematic Universe. WandaVision releases in January, so its success could also change the direction potentially. NYT also points out that Premier Access isn’t lost but might return in some form or another. It makes sense, as they did invest money for the branding and programming to utilize this service. We will get an official word tomorrow, but it looks like we’ll still have to wait until we get to revisit Natasha’s story in May.

    Source: NY Times

  • ‘HAWKEYE’ THEORY: The Bartons and Others Attend Memorial Event for Natasha

    ‘HAWKEYE’ THEORY: The Bartons and Others Attend Memorial Event for Natasha

    The first week of filming for Hawkeye has passed, and we were treated to a massive bounty of set photos and casting news along with it. While a great deal of attention has gone to a confirmation of Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop, and the introduction of Lucky the Pizza dog, it was some pictures of Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton and his kids that caught my attention and got my “theory” juices flowing. Could Clint and his family be attending a memorial or benefit to honor Natasha in New York? And who else is likely to attend?

    So I’m clear, the following is based on theory, based on me scouring some set images. I haven’t asked any sources about this, and so, no, I don’t know if this happens for sure. Please read with that in mind.

    While looking through the multitude of set photos from this past week, I was struck by images of Jeremy Renner filming with Clint’s kids Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel, seemingly at some kind of event or fancy party at a hotel. There were also several images of Renner crouched down and looking very serious and sad. It’s sometimes hard to tell between acting and in between filming in some of the set images, however, some did look to me like they were probably acting moments and not just his usual between shots behavior. Additionally, Clint and the kids are dressed nicely in dark clothes, including a black bowtie on the youngest Nathaniel. I was reminded by someone in our Patreon’s discord that there is a fancy event that Clint attends with Kate in the second issue of Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye run.

    At this event which takes place at a hotel in lower Manhattan, Kate and Clint are investigating some shady goings on and run into a bunch of baddies in the process. Among those baddies, is a fellow former student of Jaques Duquesne with whom Clint is familar. Now if you’ve been following recent casting announcements, you will know that Tony Dalton was announced as being cast as Duquesne in the Hawkeye series this past week.

    It is possible that a similar event might happen in the show with Duquesne showing up as Clint’s mentor or as a familiar contemporary with a grudge instead. We know that the screen versions of the Marvel universe almost never follow the comics story exactly. In any case, an event where Clint runs into certain people from his past like this certainly makes sense for the series, and the fact that the Swordsman is cast in the show could mean the blast from the past will come directly from him at an event like this.

    Strongly going against the idea that this is a similar event to the one in issue #2 is the fact that it is Clint’s kids that are there with him, not Kate. Clint is certainly not purposely bringing them along somewhere he’s investigating dangerous bad guys. In addition, there is no evidence that he’s fought anyone during the course of the event, unlike the comics version.

    Although a great deal of the Matt Fraction run is expected to influence the Hawkeye series, something still bothered me about this idea about the event. Why so much black on the kids and Clint for some kind of hotel party or show? And a BLACK bowtie on the little one? Why wouldn’t they have a bit more color? Why not a more colorful purple bowtie for little Nathaniel? And why does Clint look so sad and contemplative in some shots which seem to me to be after the event? There are additional apparent acting shots with the kids that also look a bit melancholy. So again, this behavior doesn’t really make sense for an exclusively happy event or occasion.

    But then I realized that, of course, they would wear darker clothes, and would be looking sad in some shots, if they were going to a memorial or benefit in memory of a loved one they lost. That memorial or benefit more than likely being held for someone very close to Clint Barton and his family: Natasha Romanoff. 

    To tie it all in with the Fraction run, and that previously mentioned hotel event, certainly it would make a great deal of sense for certain old friends and some less savory types that Clint and Natasha may have known or had run-ins with, to show up at such a memorial. The Swordsman Duquesne himself has substantial links to both Clint and Natasha in the comics.

    Other potential attendees could include Kazimierz Kazimierczak aka The Clown (Fra Fee) and maybe, very, very possibly Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). She will, after all, show up in the Hawkeye series at some point. For Yelena to appear at an event in honor of her “sister” Natasha seems only right. It also makes sense that the series would show Clint and his family continue to honor Natasha and her very personal sacrifice in this way.

    I will just point out that it would not at all be necessary for Pugh to be in NYC now to film those scenes if her appearance takes place inside filmed on a stage in Atlanta instead. This could also explain why Laura Barton (Linda Cardellini) is not seen in any of the set pics, if she’s already inside handling some part of the memorial for Natasha.

    That’s it, that’s my theory. In the Hawkeye series, Clint and his family will attend a benefit event or memorial for Natasha Romanoff in NYC and there they will meet up with some significant figures from Clint and/or Nat’s past. 

    Check out the Hawkeye set images at Getty Images.

  • RUMOR: Florence Pugh to Return as Yelena Belova in ‘Hawkeye’ Series

    RUMOR: Florence Pugh to Return as Yelena Belova in ‘Hawkeye’ Series

    So, here is an interesting surprise. We are only a few days away before Hawkeye finally starts filming. We are still waiting for an official word on who might be playing Kate Bishop with Hailee Steinfeld still the biggest contender for the role. The story would be strongly inspired by Matt Fraction‘s run on the character. It was still uncertain what other characters we could see make a return from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Well, it looks like one important character that has yet been introduced will appear in the series after making her film debut. According to The Direct, Florence Pugh will return as Yelena Belova at one point in the series.

    That is not all, as they also state that she will don a Ronin-inspired costume. Now, this is interesting for multiple reasons. We saw Clint Barton wear the iconic suit during Avengers: Endgame, as he killed various Yakuza, which was teased to haunt him in this series. We also had the rumors of Echo making an appearance, who had also donned the suit at one point in the comics. The mantle was worn by various characters but this is the first time that it is connected to Yelena. We believed that she would carry on the mantle of Black Widow once she makes her debut in the upcoming film, but it looks like her journey won’t be an easy one.

    There is also the question of how her story will lead to the Disney+ series. We got a short teaser of her on a desk during the Black Widow trailer, so maybe she gets mind controlled and ends up in a similar situation to the Winter Soldier. Yet, there is a time difference between the film and the Disney+ series that opens up so many questions. There is a chance that she has met with Clint during his time as Ronin, who may have passed not he mantle to her rather than Echo. It’ll be interesting to see how it all connects once the show finally airs. Now, we just need to find out who is playing Kate Bishop.

    Source: The Direct

  • MCU Phase 4 Schedule Still Revolves Around Story Continuity

    MCU Phase 4 Schedule Still Revolves Around Story Continuity

    Finally, after a long wait, we got some more information on WandaVision. Entertainment Weekly released an issue that featured some brand new images from the upcoming Disney+ show, as well as some insights from a set visit. Sadly, it still did not include a specific release date for the series. In the article full of teases, one particular mention about the pandemic has caught her eye.

    With the pandemic shuffling release dates, Marvel is also taking extra care to ensure the new schedule won’t spoil story continuity.

    We have wondered about the importance of continuity with all these delays. The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s largest selling point is that everything is connected. Yet, it also meant that every upcoming series or film was affected by any delay. Black Widow was initially going to kickstart the franchise’s fourth phase last May. Now, the film won’t release until next year. WandaVision has taken over that position. Yet, it was going to be the second MCU Disney+ series after Falcon and the Winter Soldier that was postponed into the next year. It was going to release in August and is a contender to have some stronger ties to Black Widow. There could still be a chance that it will not release until the first Phase 4 film finally hits theaters next May.

    Yet, if we look back at the overall release dates, Eternals was going to premiere this month. It is now going to release after Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which once held the May 2021 release date. So, it would mean that these two films might be the most independent from the overarching storyline of Phase 4 but still feed into later releases. We do not know what the plan is for the other Disney+ shows that seem to be independent for now, such as Ms. Marvel or She-Hulk. This news is important to keep in mind for future releases, as it means that as long as the pandemic delays cinema reopenings, we might be seeing more from the MCU getting pushed back. It also means that Marvel Studios will have to reshuffle all the Disney+ shows to stay within continuity.

    Source: EW

  • Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Widow’: Who is Rick Mason?

    Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Widow’: Who is Rick Mason?

    As Marvel Studios has once again postponed Black Widow‘s release, it gives us some time to brush up on our comic history. The film will focus on Natasha Romanoff’s history with the Red Room. It is a top-secret Soviet institute that turned young women into elite assassins. Of course, Natasha was once a member before joining S.H.I.E.L.D. at an unknown point. The upcoming film will dive deep into the various characters from her past who all may have deep ties with the secret organization. So, let’s use this opportunity to dive deep into the various characters in 400 words or less.

    Rick Mason is a mercenary who specialized in non-lethal combat against superhumans. His father was the criminal inventor Phineas Mason, who is better known as the Tinkerer. He was briefly part of S.H.I.E.L.D., MI-6, and even the Russian intelligence. Mason’s freelance work is under the codename The Agent, where he works for the highest bidder. We first got introduced to the character in Marvel Graphic Novel #57 back in 1990. Since, he was hired to kill a CIA mole, take on renegade China agents, and even took out a quintet of powered mercenaries. Mason even took on The Corporation as his father was forced to work for them. This job led to him fighting alongside Luke Cage and another agent, Dakota North, who was sent by his own father to take down the organization. In reality, he sent them to save his son.

    The character will have a role in the upcoming Black Widow film, who seems to have a romantic interest in her. He will be played by O-T Fagbenle and is currently the frontrunner to be Taskmaster’s secret identity. Mason might be the furthest departure from the comics. We saw the Tinkerer in Spider-Man: Homecoming, so he won’t be his son in this incarnation. He was mentioned as an agent, who has some history as part of S.H.I.E.L.D., which would fit the depiction of Taskmaster in various media. He was a member of the spy organization in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series and the recently released Marvel’s Avengers. There is also a good chance that these loose connections are a red herring to keep us guessing on who the iconic villain may turn out to be. He hasn’t been featured in trailers so far, so anything is possible.