Tag: Disney Plus

  • ‘Loki’s Threshold: A Scarlet Nexus Event Into the Multiverse

    ‘Loki’s Threshold: A Scarlet Nexus Event Into the Multiverse

    There’s still a lot to digest from Loki‘s grand finale. Time is no longer what it used to be, and we face a multiverse of problems. He Who Remains warned our loving duo that the other villains to follow are far more dangerous than his control over the Sacred Timeline. Yet, throughout all the explanations on the future coming of Kang, we break past a threshold. The point of no return where a single choice will change the outcome of the entire multiverse. All eyes were on Jonathan Majors‘ performance. So, we never thought to question what that very threshold ended up being. So, let’s take a closer look and see what may cause such an event where even the master of time has no more control.

    Once the threshold got broken, we see the multiverse slowly grow. It’s not at one point but multiple nexus events simultaneously. The show implied that it would be Sylvie and Loki’s love that ends everything. Yet, the threshold takes hold long before the kiss. It does lead to the eventual breaking point, as it is the last act in deviance before the multiverse completely breaks free. In the end, it wasn’t the literal breaking point but rather the event that would push it. He Who Remains knew their journey. So, the events beyond that point were merely a prediction. In a way, the way he acts before his death. It seemed like it was his hope of freedom. Somehow it was He Who Remains’ last act of free will. Even if he knew nothing beyond that point, he did know of the threshold’s existence and potential.

     

    Who Is He Who Remains in 'Loki'? Could He Be Phase 4's New Villain?

     

    Yet, if he knows what will happen throughout time, what kind of chaos would keep him from knowing beyond this point. The Time Variance Authority’s existence is to keep order across the Sacred Timeline. In a way, their natural enemy would be chaos. It’s an important element we’ve gotten introduced to in the first Disney+ series by Marvel Studios. In WandaVision, we learn that the Darkhold predicted the coming of the Scarlet Witch. A being forged out of chaos magic that may break reality as we know it. Her chapter states she will destroy the world. Yet, it never specifies which one. It doesn’t even specify but we know it connects to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of the Madness.

    All we know is the Darkhold in her possession may break reality as we know it. With the rumored appearance of Shuma-Gorath, perhaps the book was created by this being rather than Cthon to lure the being to break him free from the restraints of time. Perhaps the Scarlet Witch is a nexus being within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but not in the way we know it from the comics. Loki introduces us to Nexus events that create Variants within the Sacred Timeline. Perhaps, her fully coming into control of that power created the ultimate Variant. Her existence of pure chaos energy is not just a Nexus event but an entire being. The word exists within her dreams for a reason.

     

    WandaVision: Finale erklärt Ursprung und Schicksal der Scarlet Witch

     

    Even from an outsider’s perspective of time, it is an “event” that happens randomly to onlookers. In a way, it happens at a transfixed point of time outside of the literal timeline. The man knew when Loki and Sylvie’s Variants would come into existence. So, he must know when the Scarlet Witch would be born. He exists beyond time, but the only variable to how time breaks is through a Variant. From an outside perspective, time is flat. They aren’t living at a specific point in time. Yet, the threshold echoed throughout the room as a certain event passed. So, the only way a breaking point erupts is when a specific Variant breaks away from the timeline. We learn that Loki’s are the most frequent visitors of the TVA. They are agents of chaos. As such, they can easily break free from their timely restraints. In a way, a being that forged in pure chaos could even break beyond those limitations that even He Who Remains loses sight of what is to come.

  • ‘Black Widow’ Drops 67% in its Second Weekend as ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ Takes Top Spot

    ‘Black Widow’ Drops 67% in its Second Weekend as ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ Takes Top Spot

    Black Widow was a very frontloaded release, which got boosted by their Disney+ Premier Access release. There was some uncertainty if it’ll have a strong second weekend or face a steep fall. Sadly, it seems the latter has come to pass as its new release Space Jam: A New Legacy took the top spot with $32M. While nowhere near the Marvel Studios’ release, it is still the year’s fourth-best release ahead of Godzilla Vs. Kong‘s 31M. The film is also the biggest family-focused film launch since Pixar’s Onward in March of 2020. Still, early predictions did believe the Scarlett Johnasson-run film would keep the top spot.

    The bigger shock is that the film’s international presence also took quite a hit. It barely scratched the $30M, which is on par with F9‘s current running after a two-month release. However, if you take a closer look at its international presence, Black Widow has yet to release in China. The latest Fast and Furious entry has been very dominant in that market throughout its run. The theatric-only release has been playing well into its hand and gave the film some considerable legs, especially as it rolls out into other markets.

    The second weekend was a 67% drop for the Marvel Studios film, which some expected. The Friday 79% drop was the worst the franchise has ever seen and is on par with Batman v Superman or Man of Steel. To offer a pandemic comparison, F9 dropped 67% and Wonder Woman 1984 around 67.1%. The last two Marvel films to see that kind of drop were quite leggy experiences and managed to hold over quite a bit over their total runtime. So, theories are that the film could still manage a $200M+ domestic launch. If you include their Disney+ numbers, they add another $60M on top, which also doesn’t have to get shared with theaters. Sadly and expectedly, Disney has not released the numbers for their second weekend.

    Without a China release, it’s unclear if Black Widow will manage to pass F9‘s total Box Office, which seems likely at around $700M. China’s Hi, Mom is currently the top grosser with $825M. Many factors have been influencing its growth, such as international markets fearing the rise in COVID’s delta variant and the return of harsher restrictions. The film has shown some commendable Monday to Thursday performances, which could be the film’s saving grace, as it topped $100M in record time domestically.

     

    Black Widow": Superheldin auf Schmerzmitteln und ein heimlicher Star | STERN.de

     

    Disney+’s Premier Access also hurts the film’s legs if you consider that a one-time payment includes multiple viewings at your leisure. Why should one risk going to the theaters again if I can watch it from the comfort of my home? Plus, piracy is a growing issue with this approach to film releases. If Disney simply accepted the risk, they might be looking at a much stronger second weekend. Still, the lack of transparency after boasting the numbers may leave a sour taste and it’ll be interesting to see if Jungle Cruise follows the same drop once it releases later this month to have a direct comparison.

    Source: Forbes (Space Jam), The Numbers (F9), Forbes (BW), Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, The Numbers (BW)

  • ‘Loki’: Open Questions for Season 2

    ‘Loki’: Open Questions for Season 2

    After a long six-week wait, Loki has come to an end. Luckily, it is just the beginning as a second season is already in the books. Even if it closed many questions, there are still quite a few questions left remaining. As we enter the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse, it’s time to ask how the events of this first season will shape the second.

    • Loki and Sylvie learn that free will is an illusion after meeting Jonathan Majors’ He Who Remains. A season of running through time and introspection led them to a dissertation of horror. This leads to Sylvie’s dead-set thirst for vengeance being quenched, and Loki being left alone. The additional gut punch comes when even Mobius and B-15 don’t recognize him. We are left questioning what happened and if Loki will be able to trust again or fall back to his old ways.
    • We know that Jonathan Majors will return as Kang the Conquerer in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. He Who Remains made sure to warn Loki, Sylvie, and the audience with his chilling words in the finale. It does open the question if we will see any of those Variants before then, or will we just have to wait for the second season. The terror is foreboding, whether it’s Kang, Scarlet Centurion, or Rama Tut, all as we know is in grave danger.

     

    Loki season finale recap: Post-credits scene, ending of episode 6 explained - CNET

     

    • Ravonna still has faith in the TVA. She wants to know the truth and heads out on the search for free will. We know the comic book implications of Ravonna and Kang throughout history. Miss Minutes changed the notes Ravonna downloaded and she’s on her way to somewhere else in time. Whatever her goal is, it may redefine her own path moving forward.
    • One has to wonder if He Who Remains knew that the kiss between Loki and Sylvie would be the Nexus event that breaks the timeline. As Sylvie chooses to breaks time as we know it, where does she go from here? She has spent her life believing that she deserved retribution. Consumed by it, now nothing will ever be the same. It’s quite the weight to carry. Will she find Loki and try to repair things? Maybe not immediately. It feels like there’s a new road for her to travel in light of the cataclysmic events.

    There’s a lot to accomplish in the second season, as it continues to build upon the rules set in the first season. We don’t know what the Multiverse truly has in store with only inclinations for the Doctor Strange and Spider-Man sequels. We have no idea when the second season releases and how it ties into the overarching storyline set with future installments. Of course, the only question that truly matters at the end of the day is if Mobius finally gets to ride a jet ski next season. 

  • ‘Loki’: The Mystery Behind the Unused King Loki Scenes

    ‘Loki’: The Mystery Behind the Unused King Loki Scenes

    There have been many mysteries surrounding Loki. The show built up the big question of who is the man behind the curtain. We all wanted to know who was the puppet master of the Time Variance Authority. Trailer after trailer teased whoever it could be. There were countless teases, and even the trailers put many on the path of the mastermind being a king version of Loki.

    Well, it turns out that brief tease had nothing to do with the actual finale. It was a big question mark for many viewers, and it turns out it originally was part of the first episode all along. Chris Hemsworth even recorded the grunts of that brief cameo. Composer Natalie Holt offered some insight into why the scene didn’t make it into the first season in an interview with The Direct.

    That was a moment in Episode 1. When Mobius is showing [Loki] his life, there were more moments in there. I think they just kind of cut it down to kind of give it a bit more focus. But there were a few extra moments in there, and that Frog of Thunder moment was one of them. I had actually written, I had done something with choir for it like it was this big, grand moment where Loki takes over the crown in Asgard, and then you see Thor as a frog

    Interestingly enough, a week ago, we already heard that the first episode planned a fight sequence between Loki and Throg. It’s our first confirmation that this ties together with the King Loki sequences we’ve seen scattered throughout the trailers. It’s a great move to avoid this sequence, as it would’ve taken away from his cameo in the fifth episode. We also got a lot of comedic moments in the opening and adding more could’ve taken away from the dramatic core of Loki’s acceptance.

    There’s always a chance they might revisit this concept in the future, especially now that Loki will have a second season. Still, it was clever to use this unused footage in the trailers to keep people guessing until the end. Even if it didn’t serve the series directly, it was a clever idea by Marvel Studios’ marketing team.

    Source: The Direct

  • RUMOR: Sung Kang Will Play ‘STAR WARS: REBELS’ Character in ‘OBI-WAN KENOBI’

    RUMOR: Sung Kang Will Play ‘STAR WARS: REBELS’ Character in ‘OBI-WAN KENOBI’

    It’s possible we have our first information on Sung Kang’s mysterious Obi-Wan Kenobi role. A new report from Jordan Maison and the folks at Cinelinx are claiming that Kang will portray one of the Empire’s Inquisitors in the Disney+ series. More specifically, he is said to be the Fifth Brother, an antagonist we saw frequently in the second season of Dave Filoni’s animated Star Wars Rebels.

    In that show, the Fifth Brother was voiced by Philip Anthony-Rodriguez, and worked closely with Sarah Michelle Geller’s Seventh Sister to track down the Force-sensitive Ezra Bridger and his master Kanan Jarrus. The Fifth Brother ultimately met his end at the hands of the former Sith Lord, Maul.

    In the Star Wars universe, the Inquisitors are a group of Dark Side Force users who work for Darth Vader and the Empire. They spend much of the time between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope hunting down Force-sensitive individuals in an effort to kill or turn them. Maison claims that they won’t be the only Rebels characters who appear in Kenobi, but the scooper did not clarify who else might make an appearance.

    Sung Kang is best known for his role as the fan favorite character Han Lue in the Fast and the Furious franchise. In recent years, he has also appeared in films like Raya and the Last Dragon and We Can Be Heroes. On television, he had a starring role in three seasons of the popular Starz series Power.

    Source: Cinelinx

  • RUMOR: Vivian Lyra Blair Cast As Princess Leia in ‘OBI-WAN KENOBI’

    RUMOR: Vivian Lyra Blair Cast As Princess Leia in ‘OBI-WAN KENOBI’

    She may only be a child, but to us, she’s royalty. Rumor has it Princess Leia Organa will be making a return to live-action in next year’s Kenobi series. The news comes from Jordan Maison at Cinelinx, who claims actress Vivian Lyra Blair has been cast as a younger version of the iconic character for the upcoming Disney+ project.

    The same report reveals that Leia will be a major part of Kenobi’s story, with Maison describing her role as the “impetus” of the whole show. If the rumor is true, it seems the young Princess will be the reason Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi dives into a new adventure.

    Blair is perhaps best known for her work in 2018’s surprise hit Bird Box, and also had a role in Robert Rodriguez’s Sharkboy & Lavagirl spin-off We Can Be Heroes. Princess Leia is one of the founding characters of the Star Wars franchise. She was originally brought to life by Carrie Fisher, who famously portrayed the character in six films over the course of forty years. The rebellious dignitary also had a cameo appearance in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, with Norwegian actress Ingvild Deila standing in as a body double for Fisher.

    Other than this cameo, not much of the character’s life before A New Hope has been explored. Leia appeared briefly in Dave Filoni’s Star Wars Rebels, working against the Empire on her adoptive father’s orders. She may be a little too young to be participating in missions in Kenobi, so it will be interesting to see what shenanigans could end up getting Obi-Wan out of exile on Tatooine.

    Source: Cinelinx

  • How Disney+ Could Adapt ‘Young Avengers: Children’s Crusade’

    How Disney+ Could Adapt ‘Young Avengers: Children’s Crusade’

    Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is well underway with the premiere of its Disney+ shows. There have been several motifs that have been recurring across the last three Marvel Studios entries. One of these elements is the subtle nods to the next generation of heroes. With the introductions of several characters like Billy and Tommy Maximoff, Elijah Bradley, Kid Loki, Cassie Lang, Riri Williams, Kate Bishop, and America Chavez, all of this leads towards the very likely possibility that the MCU is setting up the introduction of the Young Avengers for Phase 4 or beyond. So, it’s time for a live-action adaptation of The Children’s Crusade storyline.

     

     

    In the comics, it is a coming-of-age story following House of M. Wanda Maximoff goes missing. So, the Young Avengers set out to find her in an adventure filled with unexpected twists and turns. With the MCU loosely adapting their version of House of M for WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it seems fitting that the follow-up to follow in this saga would be The Children’s Crusade. Especially because it mainly focuses on Billy Kaplan and Thomas Shepherd, the reincarnations of Billy and Tommy Maximoff in the comics. After our brief introduction o them in WandaVision and a potential return in the upcoming Strange sequel, it’s time to follow their story.

     

    How the series would play out

     

    The Disney+ series would be a loose adaptation of the comics. The Young Avengers will be at the forefront of this story. At this point, they’ve already got introduced to another project. However, it will primarily focus on Wiccan and Speed as they search for a deeper understanding of their powers and who they are. Neither one realizes that they’re the other’s twin, but they find it curious that they look similarI’d start the series with Billy and Tommy experiencing what they believe are very vivid nightmares that viewers might recognize. It later turns out that they are memories from their previous lives as the Maximoff twins.

    They could have very weird, cryptic dreams similar to how WandaVision used fake commercials to showcase Wanda’s inner turmoil. As such, they would conclude that their dreams are a message to come and find Wanda Maximoff, who I believe will disappear following the events of the Doctor Strange sequel. Fearful of leaving their new friends behind, they ask for their help in this mission, and the team joins them without hesitation in their crusade.

     

     

    The series will progress with a globe-trotting adventure, as they search for any clue that’ll lead them to Wanda. We’ll get to explore iconic locations linked to Wanda, such as Sokovia, Westview, New York, and many more. The team will eventually find her in a remote location. She has no memories or recollection of her past life as the Scarlet Witch. This, of course, confuses the team, but Billy and Tommy most of all. How could one of the most powerful individuals in the multiverse be reduced to a simple nobody? This is how we introduce the viewers to the antagonist of the series. Someone is pulling the strings all along. It turns out to be Agatha Harkness.

     

    Agatha All Along Again

     

    At one point, Agatha found a way to free herself from the Scarlet Witch’s binds and eventually reunite with the amnesiac Wanda. Taking pity on her, she treats her in a friendly, almost neighborly manner as she tries to search for ways to recuperate her magic from Wanda. This would draw a parallel to their first interaction in WandaVision. Agatha could potentially serve as the plot device to reveal to the team the true nature of Tommy and Billy, the fact they are indeed reincarnations of the Maximoff twins.

    The dreams that the twins experienced at the beginning of the series are more than just memories. They’re a manipulation tactic by Agatha to lure the twins. She believed they were the key to regaining her powers but the plan failed. Agatha would be left with no choice but to try and kill the Young Avengers since they know of her plan. The twins face off against the individual responsible for their nightmares and trauma as kids. In the climax of the final battle, Wanda Maximoff regains her memory and aids the team in their battle against Harkness, thus defeating the witch once more and reuniting a family.

  • ‘Loki’: Jonathan Majors Voiced The Time-Keepers in the Disney+ Series

    ‘Loki’: Jonathan Majors Voiced The Time-Keepers in the Disney+ Series

    The Loki finale finally revealed the mysterious man behind the Time Variance Authority, Jonathan Majors. While he was only referred to as He Who Remains, we’ve known for a while that he is playing Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. His early casting opened the floodgates to theorize his appearance and, luckily, it panned out. However, it seems we were wrong when he made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We only get to meet him in person in the finale, he did appear in the fourth episode of the season, as director Kate Herron revealed he voiced all three of the Time-Keepers.

    Something that was really fun for me was we hadn’t, for example, cast the voice of the Time Keepers yet, because you know Wizard of Oz was an obvious reference of ours. I was like, ‘Oh, let’s get Jonathan to do it, because he’s an amazing character actor,’” she said. “We sent him the art of all the characters and it was really fun [because] he was sending us all of these different voices he could do for each character, which was great.

    It makes a lot of sense that he would voice them. He was the mastermind behind it all and pulled the strings on the puppets. We’ve wondered why there was no mention of the voices, which was a better-kept secret than the identity of the Loki Variants. The breaking of the multiverse will determine the future of the franchise and we might see a lot of different versions of Majors in the near future.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Peggy Carter’s ‘Legends’ Episode May Confirm ‘Agent Carter’s Canonicity

    Peggy Carter’s ‘Legends’ Episode May Confirm ‘Agent Carter’s Canonicity

    There have been many debates about canonicity surrounding the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Agent Carter, Agents of SHIELD, and Marvel Netflix series have direct tie-ins to the film’s events but not the other way around. SHIELD has been a popular point of discussion. Agent Carter‘s Jarvis, played by James D’Arcy, appeared in Avengers: Endgame and added to the debate that they are, in fact, canon. We may get a more definite answer as of August 4th, as Disney+ will release brand new episodes of Marvel Studios’ Legends. Alongside the Avengers Initiative and The Ravagers episodes, Peggy Carter will get her own episode ahead of her What If return.

    Why is that relevant? Well, the Legends series acts as a supercut of their adventure through the MCU. Haley Atwell‘s return as the character was one of the main focus points for the animated series. Before her grand return in Endgame, she had a cameo in SHIELD and later headlined her own series for two seasons titled Agent Carter. If her appearances in both are utilized in the supercut, it would confirm that the series are indeed canon.

    Of courses, the Disney+ series takes place within the multiverse, which we witness grow in Loki‘s final episode. We’ve played around with the idea that these storylines can always be part of the more fittingly titled Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. At the end of the day, it’s less about canonicity but rather if Marvel Studios will acknowledge Marvel TV’s work. They have included many references to the films and even followed their storylines to connect to them. It may be the first time we get a more definite acknowledgment outside of an actor’s cameo.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • ‘Loki’ Director Kate Herron Not Returning for the Disney+ Series’ Season 2

    ‘Loki’ Director Kate Herron Not Returning for the Disney+ Series’ Season 2

    In a shocking twist, besides the one in the Loki finale, Kate Herron won’t be returning for the second season. She acted as director and executive producer on the first season and is moving on two other projects. She revealed in an interview with Deadline that she never planned on a second season. It just developed as the series came together. There is no replacement announced and it’s uncertain if head writer Michael Waldron will also return for the series. She had the following to say on her departure:

    I always planned to be just on for this and to be honest, season 2 wasn’t in the — that’s something that just came out and I’m so excited. I’m really happy to watch it as a fan next season, but I just think I’m proud of what we did here and I’ve given it my all. I’m working on some other stuff yet to be announced.

    She confirmed that she is moving forward with her own projects but doesn’t deny a potential return to a Marvel project in the future. It’s a shocking reveals, as the series blending of Blade Runner and Minority Report was part of her original pitch. The open-ended nature of the series would make you think it was planned out, but they may also be taking a very different direction with the second season.

    Marvel Studios likes to reinvent their projects and could be making a similar approach with their series. The first season acted as a mystery thriller but as there are no more questions on who is controlling the TVA, it might take a completely new direction. It’ll be exciting to see what the future holds for Loki and especially Kate Herron‘s next project.

    Source: Deadline