Tag: Disney Plus

New Artwork Reveals ‘Loki’ Almost Featured a Rocket Variant

The Time Variance Authority introduced the world to the concept tof Variants. To keep the multiverse from springing into existence, they would prune that version of the character from their original timeline. The entire series follows the story of various Loki Variants. If you look closely in the background, we even seem to get a brief cameo from someone who looks like Haley Atwell‘s Peggy Carter. Sadly, it never got confirmed if the actress returned for the role for that cameo.

It was strange we didn’t get too many Variants covering the halls of the TVA from familiar MCU characters. It seems that there might’ve been plans for a Rocket Variant to appear, as the latest episode of the Assembled documentary reveals artwork that features the iconic waiting line from the series’ first episode. In it, the waiting room was empty as the time organization kept a very good eye on the timeline. Well, in the concept art, they originally were going to have quite a line for Loki to sit through. If you look closely at the end of the row, Rocket is also waiting in line.

Interestingly, this version of the waiting room teases quite a variety of aliens going through the TVA. The show seemed to focus primarily on humans with one Skrull in the first episode. There’s a chance that they had to cut down on some ideas due to the pandemic postponing production and even influencing budgetary restraints. The empty room does make it a bit more sinister and they can introduce this busier version with the second season. Now that the multiverse was born, it seems like the perfect time to round up quite a few Variants that could cause trouble for the newly established leader.

Source: Disney+

July 21, 2021
‘Loki’s Jonathan Majors Teases Many Iterations of Kang in the MCU’s Future

It’s been ten months since Jonathan Major‘s casting as Kang the Conqueror got announced. He was going to make his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quntumania. Of course, we knew that film wasn’t going to release for some time. So, the early casting was quite a curious reveal. It almost felt like he was meant to appear in another property long before his first appearance as Kang.

The final episode of Loki confirmed our suspicions, as Majors appeared as a Kang Variant only known as He Who Remains. It is our first glimpse at the iconic Marvel character. Luckily, Marvel Studios’ new behind-the-scenes series Assembled also gave us a hint at what we can expect with the character and it seems

I think with He Who Remains, the objective for me was to give me the largest canvas possible. And then from that, as Kang begins to rear his head and do his deeds, in so many ways, he has no choice but to be in opposition or to be different from He Who Remains. That was the thing that grabbed me and pulled me into the role. The fact that Kang lives in so many iterations. As He Who Remains says: ‘Reincarnation, Baby’.

His appearance was even teased as the embodiment of the next Phase in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It sounds like Kang will definitely be a very different character from He Who Remains, who was inspired by characters like Willy Wonka. There’s also a very likely chance that Kang isn’t just one singular threat. We might meet various versions of the iconic character that’ll make the Avengers life a living hell. The ending of Loki‘s first season teased his dominance over the Time Variance Authority. So, he won’t be an easy villain to take down.

Source: Disney+

July 21, 2021
A Version Of ‘Loki’ Could Have Seen Him Wield the Infinity Gauntlet

It’s crazy to think that Loki ended last week. The series started with an emotional journey of self-discovery and ended with the birth of the multiverse. Luckily, Marvel Studios started a great new tradition with Disney+, as the end of one show means we’ll get a little extra. Marvel Studios’ Assembled started as a special documentary series after the release of WandaVision and continued to be the center of our first glimpse behind their Disney+ show productions.

The latest one focusing on Loki offered a little extra glimpse into what the series could’ve been. In a blink-and-you-miss-it sequence, head writer Michael Waldron is standing in front of a whiteboard full of ideas. If you look closely, there’s a listing of eight points that tease a very adventurous episode for the God of Mischief. The list to its left follows the structure of the episode we ended up watching.

It’s not easy to make out, but it involves Loki visiting different time periods. He gets into various mischievous situations, which a specific highlight on sex. He starts collecting the Infinity Stones and even gets his hands on the gauntlet. Yet, after all that, he questions if it is even real and returns to the TVA. There, Mmobisu shows him their true power.

It certainly sounds like a very different episode from what we got. It also seems this was set up before the Sacred Timeline was established. Loki gathering all the Infinity Stones would’ve caused a massive Nexus event. It shows how many ideas they must’ve gone through before the show even entered production. Interestingly enough, the travel through different eras was the original pitch of the series some time back. So, it’s always great to get some insight into seeing that original idea almost made it into the Disney+ series.

Source: Disney+

July 21, 2021
‘MS. MARVEL’ Merch Hits Online Stores Ahead of Upcoming Release

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

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

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

July 21, 2021
‘Loki’: Jack Veil Talks Kid Loki’s Time in the Void

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

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

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

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

Source: Comic Book Movie

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

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

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

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

Source: Cosmic Circus, IMDb

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Torrent Freak, Gadgets 360

July 20, 2021
‘Black Widow’ Nearly Doubled Its U.S. Disney+ Viewing Households In Its Second Week

There has been much debate surrounding Black Widow‘s release. Its second weekend saw a sharp drop at the Box Office, which was on par with other releases in the pandemic. What didn’t help was that Disney+ did not release the official numbers for the second week. So far, we only are aware that they made $60M from their Premier Access service. Once again, we have to rely on third-party analysts to figure out how exactly the film will perform on the streaming service. Luckily, Samba TV offered insight into how many US households watched Marvel Studios’ latest during its release. Keep in mind, these are estimates and not official numbers.

It seems that they almost doubled the viewership, as it rose from 1.1M households to 2M over the last week. So, an estimated 900K purchased the film from July 12th up until the 18th. It’s quite an impressive number that could hint at a steady growth on the streamer. Their analysis is based on 3M SmartTV terrestrial households that consume a show or film for at least five minutes. It doesn’t include mobile viewers.

Going by their analysis, the film managed a domestic total of $131.6M through Disney+ alone. Even with the 67% drop in its second weekend, the film still earned $263M so far. If you add in the Diseny+ Premier Access numbers, Black Widow might already be nearing $400M. It’s impressive growth, but piracy is still an issue with simultaneous releases. It’ll hurt the film’s Box Office legs which are already questionable due to the pandemic’s influence on the cinema market.

There’s a strong likelihood that Jungle Cruise will be the last Disney film to use this model moving forward, even if they only have to share around 15% with platform providers rather than the 40% cinema share. Whatever happens, we’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on its development and what it could mean for Marvel Studios’ next release, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Source: Deadline, The Numbers

July 19, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Loki’ Director Kate Herron Explains Marvel’s Interconnected Multiverse

The final episode of Loki introduced the world to the multiverse. A single decision unleashed a new Multiversal War and opened up new paths for the once Marvel Cinematic Universe. What If and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be our first visits int the multiverse, but we don’t know quite yet how it works. Luckily, our own Charles Murphy got a chance to sit down with director Kate Herron. She offered some insight into how the Sacred Timeline expanded.

So, there’s the branches, right, which is like the alternative reality. But then something, you’ll see it, it’s very subtle but in the very last shot where you see the multiverse, there’s like basically other bigger physical timeline branches. So, it’s almost like these different separate trees that are now connecting.

The visual of the Sacred timeline branching off was quite a memorable moment for those wanting to explore the infinite possibilities o the multiverse. The latest What If the trailer teased a crossover of these different Variants in the form of the Guardians of the Multiverse. Luckily, Herron elaborated that there will indeed be some points where these timelines interconnect.

It’s almost like a bridge. If you imagine the branch, it is like another reality. But if the branch extends beyond a certain point, it will then connect to other physical timelines. […] That last shot we did, there are other like thicker [branches] that are meant to be like our timeline. And there are other timelines like that and the branches are the connectors basically.

It’ll be interesting to see if Doctor Strange will be able to clean up the multiverse in the upcoming sequel, or simply witness the results of timelines colliding. We know that Kang is the cause of the Multiversal War. It might end up becoming the final connection point between them. It still seems very likely Secret Wars in our future and we cannot wait to see how the second season of Loki further explores the multiverse.

July 19, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Director Kate Herron Hopes ‘Loki’ Season 2 Explores Hunter B-15’s Backstory

The season finale of the Disney+ series Loki left quite the impression on fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As it answered many of the questions we had since the show premiered, the finale left us with quite a few cliffhangers. We are left wondering where Judge Renslayer was heading and why the Time Variance Authority can’t remember Loki. Sylvie was last seen in the citadel at the end of time, as Kang’s image replaces the Time-Keepers. In an interview with the show’s director Kate Herron, our very own Charles Murphy asked her about the various cliffhangers, and she even proposed an additional one: What is B-15’s secret past?

I have no idea. I don’t know the future plans but the other thing I will say to just kind of add on to your cliffhanger pile: “Who is B-15?” I loved that scene when her and Slyvie see her memories but we don’t know who she is and why was she happy? I don’t know, I feel like there’s a lot of unresolved questions in the first season, but as to when they’ll be answered, I don’t know.

The focus on Wunmi Mosaku‘s B-15 is quite interesting. It shows that her backstory could hide some interesting secrets than we previously anticipated. In the scene that Herron specifies from the fourth episode, we see Hunter B-15 going to the year 2050 with Sylvie. There she confronts her what exactly she did to her coworker and fellow TVA hunter, C-20. Sylvie then proceeded to unlock Hunter B-15’s memories from before she became a Variant. Now, we are left to wonder what exactly those memories were. There’s also the question of what her Nexus Event was that brought her to the TVA in the first place. Hopefully, by the time we enter Loki‘s second season, we’ll get an answer to all of these questions even though Kate Herron isn’t returning to direct.

July 19, 2021