Tag: Disney Plus

Marvel Studios Begins Casting for ‘ECHO’ Series Ahead of Early 2022 Start

We’re still anxiously awaiting the November release of Hawkeye. It’ll introduce us to Kate Bishop and the assassin known as Echo. Alaqua Cox will take on the role in the series. The best part, she must’ve left quite an impression, as Disney+ and Marvel Studios decided to give her a spin-off series ahead of its release.

We know very little about the series direction but we did hint that they are potentially eyeing an early 2022 production start. Well, it looks like the actress confirmed it herself, as she took to her stories and shared a casting list for the following two characters:

The casting offers a small glimpse into the story and given Echo’s background, the character of Jessica might be a younger version of our titular heroine. The giveaway is the inclusion that the character is described as deaf. So, Iris might possibly be her mother. In the comics, she is raised by Kingpin who killed her parents and it was uncertain if they’ll explore this part of her upbringing in the Hawkeye series. It’s definitely a curious direction to take a closer look at the character’s backstory in the spin-off, as she might try to put together her own history.

We are still waiting for a trailer for the Hawkeye series, which was given a definite release date and a first look image. It’s been oddly quiet on that front as they waited for the official release of What If that started this week. So, we might get our first glimpse at Cox as the character in the coming weeks once the trailer drops.

Source: Instagram

August 13, 2021
Connecting Imaginary Dots: Ethan Hawke is Playing The Profile in ‘MOON KNIGHT’

The Moon Knight Disney+ series that is currently filming in Budapest has, ever since its announcement, been at the top of the list for many fans. That is solely due to how the character might allow for some of the most eccentric pieces of storytelling Marvel Studios has ever put on the big or small screen. Those expectations surrounding the show were later increased when Oscar Isaac signed on to play Marc Spector as well as early this year when academy nominee Ethan Hawke joined the project in, at the time, an undisclosed villainous role.

But last night, while being interviews on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Hawke might have given us enough clues to finally figure out who he’s playing in the upcoming Marvel Studios show. While recalling how Isaac was the one who approached him personally to join him on the project, he said:

I was at a coffee shop and he came up to me and (…) he went “Hey want to be The… want to be in the Moon Knight [series] with me?” and I was like “Yeah!”
Ethan Hawke

It almost slipped out after he had just mentioned how he had to sign several non-disclosure agreements before joining the show. And here, he seemed to have stopped mid-sentence, backtracked a little, and then and rephrased the encounter in another way, but that “The” still sticks out. Going back to a rumor from last September, Moon Knight was looking for an actress to play “a manipulative operative in a secret organization”. Given how this hints at The Committee, “a secret organization of anonymous businessmen and financiers”. Connecting these dots, Ethan Hawke could potentially be playing a character with deep ties to The Committee, and who usually is referred to as The Profile.

Being a character that has the ability to read people, this is something that also goes along with another tidbit shared by Hawke in the interview. He claims to have based his character on David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians cult behind the Waco massacre in 1993. Koresh managed to manipulate his congregation leading to their demise, displaying a personality that allowed for people to open themselves to him, perhaps sharing what they didn’t intend. And this is yet another aspect that might connect to The Profile’s abilities. Another one being his slick look from the comics, similar to the look Hawke is sporting.

The Profile is known to have been both an ally and an enemy to Moon Knight. If we’re indeed having an actor of Hawke‘s caliber play a character with such duality to it can only mean good things regarding the upcoming series. Of course, Moon Knight has quite an extensive rogue’s gallery and there are many other candidates that he could play, but The Profile would make for an unconventional enemy for the Marvel hero to face. We’ll still have to wait for a confirmation on who he is playing, but if you are interested in checking out the interview, you can do so here:

Source: YouTube

August 13, 2021
Iman Vellani Talks ‘MS. MARVEL’s Relevance and What it Means to Play Her

Ms. Marvel will introduce the world to newcomer Iman Vellani as the titular hero. She’ll embody the character of Kamala Khan and her struggles as a Muslim-American teenager in a world filled with superheroes. We’ve gotten glimpses of the show that was originally set to release this year, but Marvel Studios has been oddly quiet on its development. Hawkeye is eyeing a November release, but there is no word if Ms. Marvel would fill the tight slot between it and the recently started What If…? series.

A recent leak gave us our first clear look at her rather faithful costume, but with one noticeable difference. She was wielding a purple power construct on her hand rather than showing off her classic Embiggen abilities. It’s unclear how much they will deviate from the source material, but Vellani spoke about tackling the role in an interview with Variety:

The fact that the show is being made & they’re including this character in the MCU is [what’s important]. I don’t really have to go out of my way & talk about being a Muslim and being Pakistani — it all comes out in the show. People seeing a person like me involved in a project as big as this is, I think, inspiring enough.

The MCU is expanding in many ways. Falcon and the Winter Soldier also tackled important perspectives that normally don’t get the limelight in media. Ms. Marvel has the potential to explore that same depth with how Kamala Khan adjusts to gaining abilities beyond her control and also being a Muslim-American. It’ll be interesting to see how they build upon her story and what the strange constructs have to do with her overall journey.

Source: Variety

August 11, 2021
Marvel Studios’ Brad Winderbaum Promoted to Head of Streaming, Television and Animation

There have been many rumblings surrounding Marvel Studios’ future expansions. We’ve heard the first inklings that they’ll explore new avenues with more animated series heading our way. Ever since WandaVision was released, we’ve seen the company exploring more possibilities to tell its stories in new and interesting ways. Well, it seems the company is all in with their streaming future, as Brad Winderbaum was officially nominated to the position of Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation at Marvel Studios.

The announcement comes at a perfect time as the first animated series by Marvel Studios, the multiverse exploring What If. Winderbaum has been with the company for quite some time, as he was in the trailer back in 2007 when Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, and Robert Downey Jr. worked on the Iron Man script. Little would they know at the time just how far the franchise would grow. He started as the assistant to Lois D’Esposito and has quite a history with the company.

Their media ventures were once quite splintered with the entire TV department working directly under Marvel, while Kevin Feige worked for Bob Iger directly. In 2019, he took over the department and replaced Jeph Loeb. While the brand has made animated series dating all the way back to the 1960s, it’s the first time Marvel Studios is taking this venture. They are also exploring an animated expansion of their core franchise, as What If is part of their ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, we can expect a lot more series in the companies’ future.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

August 11, 2021
‘AHSOKA’ Seeking to Cast Live-Action Sabine Wren

It was with little surprise that Lucasfilm announced to be developing a live-action Ahsoka series, following her live-action introduction in the second season of The Mandalorian. Ever since that announcement on December 10, 2020, that fans have eagerly awaited the confirmation that Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren would be appearing alongside Rosario Dawnson‘s Ahsoka Tano, as her search for their long-lost friend Ezra Bridger continues.

This news has now seemingly been confirmed in a trade interview by Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming, television, and animation over at Marvel Studios, where, when referring that animation characters have often made the jump to live-action, it reads:

Dawson is leading a live-action Ahsoka spinoff for Disney+, with sources saying Lucasfilm is looking for an actress to star opposite Dawson as Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren.

With Mena Massoud reportedly being the front runner to play live-action Ezra Bridger, and Lars Mikkelsen linked to the Admiral Thrawn role, all that’s missing is from Ahsoka‘s main cast is someone for the Sabine part. And we now have confirmation that Lucasfilm is indeed looking for someone to play the former Ghost crew member.

If rumors are true, they’ll also be joined by The Clone Wars character Barriss Offee. It seems worlds are colliding in the upcoming Ahsoka series, which will unite many open story points from Star Wars many animated series. It always opens up the potential to also expand into additional spin-offs that continue to expand upon the galaxy’s lore and visit the many unexplored corners along the way.

Source: THR

August 11, 2021
Review: ‘WHAT IF…?’ Episode 1, “What If…Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?”

With the opening of the MCU’s multiverse still very fresh in our memories, the first episode of What If…? promptly delivers content to give color to the infinite branching timelines seen at the end of Loki. The series ambitiously depicts these alternate realities in an animated light, which will undoubtedly change how the MCU as a whole is perceived for better or for worse. While, consequently, there are growing pains, the first episode of the series is intriguing enough for the average viewer to accept the invitation to dive further into the prism of time. Here we are introduced to Jeffrey Wright’s The Watcher, who promises to be the guide.

The animation style adopted by the series requires some getting used to throughout the episode. Not only is it a stark change from the MCU’s exclusively live-action history, but it certainly comes with its own flaws. It doesn’t start off strong—it’s clunky, stiff, and less than stellar with dialogue. Ultimately, though, it settles itself in and the story is laid out relatively unhindered by it. Part of its success there is likely its heavy use of familiar voices. While Chris Evans does not return to voice Steve Rogers, virtually every other major character in the episode features returning cast. This makes everything easier to swallow and accept as related to original timeline, but it can come at the cost of stellar voice acting. Dialogue overall came across awkward and forced. Even Hayley Atwell’s Captain Carter seemed off, but it’s arguably a reasonable and maybe preferable trade-off for the series to make.

The use of animation in general is an incredibly valuable operation for What If…? It allows the series to tell a variety of stories easily and with versatility, creating space for prolific storytelling that is unencumbered by the constraints of live-action. The fact that these stories are animated also brilliantly underscores the series’ premise that they exist in alternate realities. Still, given the rumors that characters from the series will make transitions into live-action down the line, the switch between styles likely won’t be able to escape being a jarring and tricky experience.

As to the actual story of the episode, What If…Captain Carter Were the First Avenger? indeed follows the simple premise of exploring what the events of Captain America: The First Avenger would have looked likely had Peggy Carter taken the Super Soldier Serum instead of Steve Rogers. Overall, most of the elements of the film lingered. The notable differences were that Steve took on the role of the HYDRA Stomper, Bucky Barnes did not fall off the train and ultimately become the Winter Soldier, and the Red Skull uses the tesseract to create an interdimensional portal. Peggy, now branded as “Captain Carter”, charges into the latter at the end of the episode only to emerge in a lab identical that the one seen at the start of Avengers. This is the most radical departure and significant development in the story, as it already opens up the multiverse to Captain Carter. The Union Jack shield-bearing Captain at the end of the episode is definitively set on a path very much unique from that of our known Captain America’s.

Obviously, though, the second major implication of this alternate reality is that the world’s first and only super soldier was a woman. The show rightfully takes pains to emphasize the significance of this in Carter’s 1940’s scenery. While this focus could be altogether dropped once she distances herself from the classic old-fashioned ways of her time period, it probably won’t be in the long run. Either way, Captain Carter is unfortunately otherwise fairly one-note and uninteresting. Her entire personality is displayed through the lens of a perfect soldier, and Carter simply and unfailingly punches her way through the bulk of the episode. She shows virtually no vulnerabilities or weaknesses other than her romance with Steve. It’s great that she is being planted as an unwavering and strong character, but it just isn’t compelling yet.

Given that the entire point of the series and this episode is to briefly explore a hypothetical situation, the lack of depth to a character is not surprising or even unwarranted. However, because Captain Carter is confirmed to be returning for every season of What If…? and rumored to be making a live-action debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it’s entirely fair to ask for a leading character to be more engaging and—honestly—fun. Captain Carter still has time and space to further develop and bring more to the table, but hopefully she will become someone easier and more entertaining to tag along with on this wild journey through the multiverse.

At the end of the day, the first episode of What If…? is a taste of what a wider sampling of the Marvel universe can offer to the MCU. While it may not be completely satisfying, it does do its job of persuading viewers to give the whole meal a chance. As the threads of the series start to intertwine, the novel overall style of What If…? will be put to the test. For now, though, we can just sit back, relax, and keep an open mind about what the MCU is throwing our way

August 11, 2021
Marvel Studios’ Phase 4: A Study in Loss and Tragedy

With the conclusion of Loki‘s first season, a theme is emerging in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. Our heroes might not win as much as we’d like them to. Even victories could turn out costly at this point. Between episodes 4 and 5, I began to think about how Ant-Man and the Wasp would fare against Kang the Conqueror in his earliest introduction. By the time the Disney+ series had concluded, I was beginning to feel like maybe our heroes might experience a lot of loss in the coming projects.

With no major crossovers confirmed, and Kevin Feige saying “Phase Four was always about continuing in new ways,” it seems Marvel Studios could be allowing room for our heroes to lose more than they win for the foreseeable future. Let’s look through the Phase Four projects and estimate what chances our heroes have, may it be a costly victory, an outright loss, or even an outright win. It could give us a glimpse of what shape Phase Four might take. In counting costly wins in opposition to clear wins, I am weighing that the toll from a conflict undoes a sense of achievement and damages long-term progress.

What If

With the official trailer showing hints of an interconnected story that might not be solved in this season and the rumors that we’ll see a live-action Captain Carter in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it can be suggested the Guardians of the Multiverse might not win clearly in their first team-up. Will they mistakenly unleash something that will tangle with Doctor Strange? Will the whole team make it to the film? We’ll have to tune in from August 11th to find out.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

As Shang-Chi is drawn into a confrontation with his father Wenwu and the Ten Rings organization, in an attempt to escape from his past, it’s clear as all superhero daddy issues are, that there will be some loss even in victory. However, with this particular tale, it seems there could be a reasonably high chance of a respectful conclusion to this father-son conflict.

Estimated Verdict: Clear win.

Ms. Marvel

Kamala Khan will gain polymorphous abilities and uncover a new side of what it means to be a hero. She’ll also probably be tracked and chased by people fearful of those powers. That is not all, as she will also be dealing with being a teenage Pakistani-American growing up in Jersey City. While she’ll be heading onto a cosmic adventure in The Marvels, it’s hard to imagine Kamala losing or winning at a cost.

Estimated Verdict: Clear win.

Eternals

As a race of immortal beings who have shaped Earth’s history, it’s difficult to see how the Eternals could truly lose. However, in the comics, there is often a traitor in their midst. Plus, despite their cosmic power levels, some members decide to be amongst humans while others prefer to take their places amongst the stars. It’s easy to imagine the team splitting and the stories continuing in different Earthbound and cosmic locations.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win.

Hawkeye

It could be a bad time for Clint, as the series will take inspiration from Matt Fraction and David Aja’s My Life as a Weapon comic run. Luckily, it seems as though his protégé Kate Bishop and Pizza Dog will be there to support him. He’ll face attacks from Kazi and the Tracksuit Mafia. Even Yelena Belova joins the fray, who will be out to avenge her sister and Clint’s friend, Natasha, due to a misunderstanding. They’ll also come across Echo, whose comic connection as Kingpin’s adoptive daughter could suggest an upcoming overarching story at the street level of the MCU. While Kate Bishop will undoubtedly continue as Hawkeye, maybe Clint will finally retire at the third time of trying.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win

Spider-Man: No Way Home

With Peter Parker’s identity being released publicly at the end of Far From Home, it stands to reason that the villains will target Peter personally, which could result in a heavy cost even in the event of a win. With the rumors of classic villains from other Spider-Man franchises joining the film, it looks like Peter has a tough battle ahead.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win.

She-Hulk

Besides having to deal with superhero-oriented legal cases, Jennifer Walters will have to take on the Abomination, Titania, and reportedly even The Wrecking Crew. All that while watching out for an Infinity Gauntlet-injured Professor Hulk. Don#t forget, she also has to balance her professional life with what will likely be at least one career-defining case. I would not be surprised if She-Hulk smashing the money trail of one of her cases leads to a much wider street-level conspiracy, leading to a bigger and more dangerous confrontation.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

With Loki unleashing the multiverse and the Scarlet Witch prophesied to have “power [that] exceeds that of the Sorcerer Supreme,” it’s clear to me Doctor Strange will have a tough time on his hands. I don’t expect any major deaths, but I think it’s unlikely Wanda won’t get what she wants. The bigger question is, who will face the biggest loss throughout the multiversal adventure.

Estimated Verdict: Clear loss.

Moon Knight

Moon Knight’s complexity as a vigilante suffering from dissociative identity disorder with multiple distinct personalities is only matched by the problem of possibly being the chosen avatar of Egyptian God, Khonshu. Or is it all in Marc Spector’s head? If he is real, would his goals come at the price of his sanity? In all likelihood, the situation will get worse for Marc before it gets better.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win

Thor: Love & Thunder

Gorr The God Butcher is coming for the pantheons of aliens that claim to be gods. While Thor will have lots of support, his track record in clean wins is not high, and it’s easy to see how Gorr will cause some damage that could be hard to recover from. As Thor: Ragnarok taught us, Thor’s victories always come at a price. Hopefully, this time it isn’t something the Asgardians have to pay as well.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

By opening up to the world Wakanda has risked quite a lot, and alongside having to manage a new throne succession process, they will reportedly have to deal with Prince Namor and his oceanic kingdom. If this conflict goes anything like how it goes down in the comic, the Wakandans tribes will need to band together to withstand the waters coming at them.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win

Secret Invasion

This will clearly differ from the comic arc of the same name. For now, little is known about how it might turn out and what new twists they’ll add to the iconic storyline. However, Nick Fury and Talos discovering that a secret sect of Skrull has every level of life on Earth seems like a scenario that can’t be won cleanly. It also feels like it could lead to a galactic clash in The Marvels.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win

The Marvels

Although Carol defeated the Kree Supreme Intelligence, which is seemingly no longer in charge of the Kree Empire in modern times, there are almost certainly still extremists roaming the galaxy. Ronan The Accuser was most likely not the only one believing in their old traditions. It seems like Carol, Monica, and Kamala could be caught in the start of a reignition of the massive galactic war between the Kree and Skrull, where there are few winners.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win

Echo

Amidst Maya Lopez debuting as Echo in Hawkeye, there is a reasonable chance her comic father issues could extend into an overarching story in her own show. Having such closely tied connections pointing in a direction she will likely be turning away from suggests any about-turn could be painful for her.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win

Ironheart

Little is known about what genius inventor Riri Williams’ first adventure as Ironheart will entail. Although, there are some theories we might see her sooner than her own show. It’s fair to assume that Riri will be able to solve any problems thrown at her initially. She might get a slow introduction into the dangers of being a hero.

Estimated Verdict: Clear win

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

While Ant-Man and the Wasp will likely be joined by Cassie Lang’s Stature, it’s hard to envisage that they’ll truly defeat Kang the Conqueror. Even if they do manage to strike a blow upon him, surely another Kang Variant will appear from a Timedoor to continue the previous Variant’s mission. It may only be our first introduction to how fearsome the Conqueror truly is throughout the multiverse.

Estimated Verdict: Clear loss.

Armor Wars

Rhodey has already suffered quite a bit in his tenure as War Machine, but his best friend’s legacy doesn’t feel like something that could be easy to put to bed, especially when Star’s technology falls into the wrong hands. Although Rhodey will likely solve the imminent danger, some of the nastier technologies Tony created are bound to persist and make his life a living hell.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

This outing is likely to be the last of this iteration of the team, so it is easy to envision that they might be heading for a split. Even if they do defeat whatever threat they are up against, there might also be some major deaths from the Guardians’ ranks, making this adventure a high-priced victory. We’ve seen in the past that James Gunn doesn’t shy away from exploring a story of loss.

Estimated Verdict: Costly win

So having looked at how our heroes might fare in their next adventures, I think it’s fair to say that the majority of confirmed Phase Four projects are not clear wins for our heroes. While this being the start of a new saga, many heroes are continuing from previous arcs. There is a decent amount of room for them to suffer major setbacks. Perhaps in some ways, this part of the second saga is in tribute to The Empire Strikes Back. At least in the way, it might dish out painful truths and physical humblings. It could also set the stage for even more powerful emotional moments and team-ups than the Infinity Saga before multiple teams have to find a way to band together against an even worse threat eventually.

Source: YouTube

August 10, 2021
Multiverse Discourse: Exploring 5 Potential ‘What If…?’ Stories

The upcoming Disney+ series, What If…? is set to explore vast new realities in the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. It’ll flip the scripts on the many films and stories we’ve witnessed over the years. The show can truly pan out in several unexpected ways, and it’ll leave the imagination to wander in how many ways events could have gone differently. We already know a couple of the scenarios that are meant to take place, like Agent Carter receiving the Super Soldier serum, and Yondu picking up T’Challa instead of Peter Quill. But with an infinite number of realities, there are so many potential concepts and events that this show could explore. This is why we turned to the wonderful people in our Knowhere Discord server and asked them to come up with possible new What If scenarios they would like to see play out in future seasons of the show.

What if Wanda Maximoff Became the Sorcerer Supreme?

In this alternate reality, Wanda Maximoff would have gone through the same journey as Doctor Strange. She sets out to search for Kamar-Taj in hopes of looking for an understanding of her power. Upon finding it and meeting the Ancient One, rather than meeting Tilda Swinton‘s version of the character, it is Agatha Harkness holding the mantle. This is would set up quite the twist on what the audience would normally come to expect. The idea of Harkness defeating the Ancient One and taking her place as the Sorcerer Supreme has many implications. She transformed Kamar-Taj into a new coven to train the next generation of witches. Wanda taking on her mantle and follow in the witch’s footsteps would be quite a fascinating storyline.

What if Mysterio’s Original Plan Worked?

In this particular scenario, we explore a universe in which Quentin Beck’s identity was never figured out by Peter in Far From Home. In this reality, the audience would get the opportunity to see what a world with Mysterio in a position of power, similar to the likes of Iron Man or Captain America, would look like. If his plan had worked, the governments of the world would grant him access to power and weaponry. He would continue his fantasy of being a hero and fight fake enemies all around with illusions and such. As time would go on, however, and given how unstable he was, he could have potentially fallen prey to his own illusions and end up escalating the situation. It could even lead to governments potentially taking nuclear action and plunging the world into potential chaos.

What if Quicksilver Survived?

This was an idea that had always been played around with since the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron. Given how the MCU played out following the events of the film, it would have been interesting to see what role Pietro could’ve had in Captain America: Civil War. Imagine a scenario in which Pietro joins Tony’s side after understanding his guilt. The idea of Pietro and Wanda being on opposite sides of the confrontation would add a curious twist to the original storyline. And if Pietro continued to survive even into Avengers: Infinity War, it opens up the question of how he would move on with his life after losing his sister to the Snap. What could he have done in those past 5 years?

What if the Villains Fought Thanos?

Fan-Art piece by Saif Z.K and Leroy Fernandes.

Our Discord very much supported this idea and had many concepts as to how this particular scenario could have played out. In a world where every single hero failed to defeat their proper villain, it introduces a scenario in which each respective villain dominated an aspect of the MCU. Yet, if Thanos threatened the villains’ way of life by continuing with his plan to wipe out half of the universe, it would be an interesting play on the events of Infinity War with all the villains joining forces to ultimately do an act of good, not to save the universe, but save themselves.

What if Coulson Died in Captain Marvel?

One of the pitches from our Discord members centers around an important character when it comes to the formation of the Avengers. If Coulson had died in Captain Marvel, then the ripple effects of this would have led to Fury remaining a lower-ranked SHIELD agent, leaving Earth defenseless against the Chitauri Invasion. As such, Loki becomes the King of Midgard. He would take control of Black Widow, Iron Man, and Captain America, much like he did to Hawkeye in the first Avengers film. Following the battle, Fury would have to take the lead and form an unlikely team consisting of Thor, Hulk, the Ancient One, Ant-Man (Hank Pym), Black Panther (King T’Chaka), and Captain Marvel. It ends up with a battle against Loki and his own team of superpowered villains.

August 10, 2021
Leaked ‘Black Widow’ Deleted Scene Reveals Alternate Ending

It looks like one of the deleted scenes from Black Widow have found their way online. Not just any scene, but what seems like an alternative ending where Natasha witnesses a group of kids playing Avengers in her old Ohio neighborhood where she grew up. It’s quite a different take on the ending, as the current version pretty much sets up her storyline in Avengers: Infinity War. We still get her iconic blonde hair in this sequence with Yelena’s green vest. So, it would’ve served the same function but also give her a stronger emotional ending realizing she has done well for the world. The leaked footage comes courtesy of @CosmicMedia_.

New deleted scene from #BlackWidow pic.twitter.com/JeiMrH2hq2

— Cosmic Media (@cosmicmmedia) August 10, 2021

In a way, this ending matches the post-credit sequence even better. As the original set her up for her next appearance, which was in theaters years before the film was released, only to cut to her grave after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Her outfit gives away the connective tissue, and there wasn’t much of a need to explain where they got their Helicarrier from. This emotional ending matches her story throughout the franchise much better.

Plus, seeing a girl free to pretend she is Black Widow also adds some relevance to the actions she undertook in the film. There’s a reason they went with the ending that was released in theaters and on Disney+, but it’s always great to get a look at what almost made its way into the film. It’s neve ran easy decision to figure out what leaves the cutting room floor, but luckily physical releases still offer glimpses into what could’ve been.

Source: Twitter

August 10, 2021
REVIEW: ‘What If…?’ Is a Fun Exploration of the Multiverse

The idea of live-action stories living in harmony with animated stories in one cohesive canon is a dream I’ve had for the MCU for a decade. When Star Wars started doing it back in the day, there was an excitement to it. Invigorating energy that made George Lucas’ world feel truly alive in a way that his live-action films couldn’t come close to. The Clone Wars was an incredible dissection and reconstruction of all the things Lucas wanted to make cool with his Prequel trilogy but failed to do. The medium of animation allowed for all that. The palette artists have is essentially limitless. They can conjure whatever they want and how they want it. Whatever concept they couldn’t execute smoothly in live-action could now be done in an unbridled fashion. The animation was at one point the future of Star Wars and those shows proudly waved that distinction.

What If…? makes that dream come true for me, an experiment in its own right to expand the MCU in ways unexpected. It dissects all the things that make the MCU so good and reconstructs them in ways that feel alive. Through the ethereal voice of Jeffrey Wright, Kevin Feige dares pose the question, “What if the MCU as we know it turned out differently?” The result feels ambitious in a lot of aspects. The show attempts to be visually distinct from most superhero animated shows out there. It boasts an ensemble of actors that would make any animated show jealous. And it’s filled with premises that deepen the tapestry of the MCU.

Not every bit of it works but the ones that do make the show worth watching. If anything, What If…?’s biggest strength lies in its titular premise. What if Steve Rogers didn’t become Captain America? What if Ultron won? What if Fury’s Big Week didn’t go as planned? And like most Marvel films nowadays, these quirky premises are underpinned by genre trappings. One episode has a hard-boiled mystery tone to it while another has a heist tone akin to Ant-Man. These tonal flourishes accent the entire package, imbuing them with excitement that goes beyond an interesting logline.

What If…? also hones in on the best parts of the movies which are the character interactions. When making Infinity War and Endgame, one of the things the Russo Brothers as well as Markus and McFeeley made sure to thoroughly explore was the unlikely character pairings i.e. who would have the most interesting moment with who. It’s why you end up with a moment where Groot and Steve Rogers introduce themselves to one another. It’s how moments like Nebula and Stark bonding while marooned in space are created. The guys making What If…? understand that part of the assignment.

Perhaps what they didn’t understand was that getting marquee movie stars won’t always equate to good voice acting. What If…?’s vocal performances are its biggest drawback. It ranges from being decent in the films to sounding eerily unrecognizable. The whole thing is this weird uncanny valley situation where it should sound familiar since it’s the actual actors voicing them but ends up feeling so disjointed to what we’re familiar with. Some of the performances feel like they were done in a bubble as if they just sat in a booth with their pages and no reference of what’s happening on screen. Some voices are over-the-top and stiff while some are true to the performances in the films. It’s frustratingly inconsistent.

To point out the bad voice performances of the actual MCU actors in light of the mixed reactions everyone had hearing some other guy voice Tony Stark in the trailers feels ironic now. Having heard non-MCU, real voice actors inhabit these characters feels surprisingly okay. It’s a placebic feeling in that it’s easier to accept someone who’s not Sebastian Stan fumble at sounding perfectly like Bucky than it is to accept Sebastian Stan himself failing to replicate the Bucky he does in live-action. On one hand, it’s a testament to how infused these characters and actors have become. The slight difference in performance and even voice quality feels unnatural. On the other hand, the bad performances make the experience less special and sometimes unsettling.

Visually, it looks fine. They get points for trying something different despite it not always working The show’s cel-shaded 3D animation feels rigid at certain moments but when it gets good, it looks really graceful. The style comes to life whenever a big fight scene takes place and really, in a show like this, that’s what matters. Though in an interview we did with director Bryan Andrews, he admitted that they wanted to go full big-budget 2D with the show which would have been incredible. A lot of 2D animated shows nowadays feel cheap. Even Invincible, for all the acclaim and love that show got, looked really rusty at times. Knowing that this show could have brought back good 2D animation makes me feel wistful.

Among the three episodes screened for press, my least favorite has to be the Captain Carter one which is unfortunate because the character is the show’s most important one. It’s not that it was bad but it’s the episode that plays the story the straightest. It riffs on the first Captain America movie real hard up until the end with no monumental deviation other than Peggy Carter is Captain America. What If…? is all about exploring multiple big ideas in one episode and Episode 1 seems to just focus on one. Episodes 2 and 3, however, go big with their subversions. Episode 3 finally tells the story of Fury’s Big Week, a story only explored in a tie-in comic prior to the show but then throws a big curveball, causing a series of escalating twists.

But the T’Challa Star-Lord episode is something else. At a glance, it’s a fun twist on the Guardians of the Galaxy ensemble but the deeper subtext of the episode’s themes about home and family hit harder now that Chadwick Boseman is gone. The episode marks the actor’s final performance and it just plays so powerfully. People are sure to feel something when they watch it. Overall, What If…? is sure to scratch the itch for fans awaiting the next big live-action release. The premises are fun. The easter eggs are abundant. The cameos will send fans into lengthy discourses in the forums. It’s a great addition to the MCU.

August 10, 2021