Tag: Disney Plus

Full Creative Team Assignments Behind ‘Andor’ Revealed
With Obi-Wan Kenobi now behind them, Star Wars fans have begun to focus on the next project headed to Disney Plus: Andor. Set to serve as a prequel to the events of Rogue One, the series will follow Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor as he navigates the galaxy in the early days of the Rebellion.

The first trailer for the 12-episode season got fans stirring about the grungy look of the series and given the time period in which it is set, fans have also had a blast speculating about which characters may show up for a surprise appearance. All those decisions, of course, rest in the hands of the creative team behind the show, and while Tony Gilroy oversaw its development as showrunner and served as one of the writers, he wasn’t alone. Now, thanks to an official release from Disney (via Bespin Bulletin), the full team of writers and directors has been revealed, along with an official synopsis.

The “Andor” series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.

While the directors and writers of the series have been known for some time, the official release gives us a clear picture of how they split up the 12-part first season.

Episodes 1-3
- Written by Tony Gilroy
- Directed by Toby Haynes
Episodes 4-6
- Written by Dan Gilroy
- Directed by Susanna White
Episode 7
- Written by Stephen Schiff
- Directed by Benjamin Caron
Episodes 8-10
- Written by Beau Willimon
- Directed by Toby Haynes
Episodes 11 and 12
- Written by Tony Gilroy
- Directed by Benjamin Caron
Taken by groups of episodes, it presents an interesting window into how the series might shape up. While Lucasfilm has done a fine job of using multiple directors on projects so far, it does seem to fall into line that directors get to work through their own stories and, seemingly, work on episodes that play to their strengths. With that in mind, it’s interesting to see Caron listed on Episode 7, but then not return until the final two episodes while Toby Haynes is listed on 1-3 and then returns for 8-10. Something to keep an eye on when the series debuts on August 31st.

Source: Disney
July 5, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Director Teases More Reveals About the Clandestines

Since first meeting Najma and the Clandestines, the audience (and Kamala Khan) have learned an awful lot about the other-dimensional beings…and not all of it has been good. They’ve gone from a stranded family to a group of exiled refugees willing to destroy Earth in order to return home. The audience has heard their side of the story; the audience has heard Waleed’s side of the story. With Aisha’s side of the story still yet to be told, we asked director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy if we could close the book on the Clandestines as villains, or if there might be more to the story.

I think you have a lot left to uncover about who these people are and what their desire is and what they want to do. I will say this, that it was so important for us to sometimes look at villains as people of circumstances and that not all villains are black and white, that there are shades of grey in that. I think that with the Clandestines, there is a lot of grey.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

As with any good villain(s), allowing the audience to empathize with them can go a long way. By drawing parallels between the Clandestine and the millions of people displaced in the Partition, the team of directors behind Ms. Marvel is creating a fascinating bit of cognitive dissonance in the audience and forcing them into some uncomfortable places.

Episode 5 of Ms. Marvel, which will likely resolve some of the untold bits of the Clandestine’s story, will stream on Disney Plus tomorrow.

July 5, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Farhan Akhtar on Waleed’s Past

The good news was that Marvel Studios cast Bollywood star Farhan Akhtar in a key role in Episode 4 of Ms. Marvel, “Seeing Red.” The bad news is that, barring a miracle, Akhtar’s Waleed doesn’t seem to have much of a future.

However, Akhtar’s character made a big impression in a short time, giving Kamala Khan a bit of a history lesson on the Clandestine’s Noor Dimension and sacrificing himself to save her and Kareem. Akhtar inhabited Waleed with such gravitas and authority, however, that it was clear the actor knew much more about the character. In an exclusive interview, Akhtar credited the creative team behind Ms. Marvel with giving him everything he needed to know about the character’s past.

Honestly, a lot of the hard work on this was done by the writers and by the creative producer. I mean they really came and gave me a really good sense of Waleed, explained to me Waleed’s past, where he probably met Aisha for the first time-since he refers to her, he knows about her-what experience he has with the bangle, how does he know the Clandestines, when did he first meet them, when did he first battle them, how did he get that scar on his face.
Farhan Akhtar

As the authority figure of the order of the Red Dagger, Waleed certainly gave off the impression that he had been through some things that a young hero like Kamala might not understand. There’s also the currently unanswered question of how he knew Kamala’s great-grandmother, Aisha, and why he didn’t seem to lump her into the same category as the villainous Clandestines. According to Akhtar, he simply tapped into the history of the character as given to him by the team.

So we had all these conversations. So by the time we came into these scenes, I had all that history with me. I could tap into all that and I had that understanding of who this guy is. When he’s sharing stuff with Kamala, the kind of authority that he speaks with, that he’s had these experiences, that is something that the writers and producers shared with me and I’m very thankful for that.
Farhan Akhtar

Though Waleed certainly seems dead, there’s no reason we couldn’t see Akhtar in the role again, whether that be in the upcoming fifth episode or in another season of the show via flashbacks. Fans of the show would definitely welcome more of the character and given the way Akhtar has spoken about his time with the show, it seems he might too.

Ms. Marvel is now streaming on Disney Plus.

July 4, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Farhan Akhtar Explains What Drew Him to ‘Ms. Marvel’

Episode 4 of Ms. Marvel, “Seeing Red”, put a new spin on Kamala Khan’s ally, Kareem, making him one of an order of Red Daggers who serve to protect the people of Pakistan from unseen threats. In establishing the Red Daggers as an organization, Marvel Studios was able to give Kareem a mentor in the form of Waleed, played by Indian multi-hyphenate legend Farhan Akhtar.

Akhtar stays unbelievably busy writing and producing, but seems fairly selective when it comes to acting. In an exclusive interview, Akhtar recalled how he came into the role of Waleed and why it was so important for him to be a part of Ms. Marvel.

When my agent reached out and said that Marvel is looking to cast people from India for this new show that they are doing, I was immediately interested. Firstly, it’s Marvel which is a big deal, you know we are all fans of what they make. Their films are entertaining and are always made on this amazing scale that has something for everyone. So I was immediately interested.
Farhan Akhtar

Akhtar’s interest in the role grew when he found out that Marvel Studios was hoping to find a role for him in Ms. Marvel, a show Akhtar saw as groundbreaking. According to the actor, he had a feeling early on that he was joining a very special production.

And then when we found out more, we realized it’s Ms. Marvel, it’s a show about the first Pakistani-Muslim girl superhero, it speaks about the Asian community in the U.S., it travels all the way to this part of the world, it taps into the culture of this place, the folklore of this place, the history of this place. So it immediately felt like Marvel was treading new ground here, you know, in doing something that hadn’t been done before. And then they had people like Sharmeen on board-like Sana as a creative producer, so it really seem like this was going to be special. That’s what it felt like. And I wanted it. So I just said, “Listen, please whatever it is just call me and I’m gonna do it.” And after that, of course, we discussed Waleed and we discussed that character and all that more.
Farhan Akhtar

Fans fell immediately in love with Akhtar’s Waleed who, unfortunately, seems to have met his end saving young heroes Kareem and Kamala. Whether we see Waleed again in the future or not, it’s safe to say Akhtar made his mark in his limited role and that his feeling he was going to be part of something special was spot on.

The first four episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney Plus.

July 4, 2022
‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’ Almost Featured a Wakandan Shield Upgrade for the New Captain America

It looks like the development team behind Falcon and the Winter Soldier have gone through quite a few ideas on how to support Sam Wilson’s new role as Captain America. Unlike his predecessor, he doesn’t have the same Super Soldier serum to give him an edge in battle, which hints at him being more dependent on his wits and weaponry. To counteract that, it seems they have considered giving his shield a new Wakandan upgrade that would’ve created a dome energy shield, as shared by development concept illustrator Wesley Burt.

He goes on to highlight how he approached the idea, as their team was tasked with thinking up new ways that Sam could use the shield in creative ways, which ended up leading to the results you can see above.

Ryan [Meinerding] asked some of the [Visual Development] department to take a little bit of time and think up some new ways that Sam could use the shield, more specific to him and his own physicality with it… when I was thinking about the tech rim piece, I was looking for a way to minimally add an element to the shield so as not to distract too much from the shield itself but still make it feel like it could have a believable tech addition and hint at the Wakandan upgrades before you see them used
Wesley Burt

While the concept hasn’t made its way into the Disney+ series, it doesn’t mean they may revisit the idea at a later point. We still don’t know what Sam may owe Wakanda given they help create his design and him carrying it is fitting with the shield being made from Wakandan Vibranium. Perhaps they may further explore its ties to the country and how it connects to Sam Wilson’s new role given his own background, especially the way his country views him.

Source: The Art of Falcon and Winter Soldier via The Direct

July 4, 2022
Disney+ Japan Adjusts ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ MCU Timeline Placement

In 2019, Spider-Man found himself far from home, and according to Disney+, he was also a little further down the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline than fans initially believed. A new update to the streaming service in Japan has revealed that Spider-Man: Far From Home, the second installment in Jon Watts‘ trilogy, actually takes place after the events of 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. This means that, although the plot plays out only a handful of months after Avengers: Endgame, it’s actually now chronologically the fifth project to occur after the infamous Snap. WandaVision, the first season of Loki, and the animated What If…? are also all set before Far From Home.

This implies that the year immediately following Endgame in the MCU was quite the busy one for superhero activity. The Scarlet Witch’s takeover of Westview, the fall of the Time Variance Authority, Ultron’s attack on the multiverse, and the fight to wield Captain America’s shield all ensued before Peter Parker even had a chance to go on his school field trip. Interestingly, the curious new timeline placement may help to solve one problem fans had with Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Spider-Man not reacting to the mayhem happening in New York City during the Disney+ series’ finale was a debated topic at the time it aired. However, that was at a time when fans were under the impression the hero had already fought Mysterio and returned to the United States. Now it’s possible Parker was still in the process of adjusting to existence again, or committing more fully than previously thought to the idea of sometimes letting other Avengers deal with catastrophe so he can focus on being a kid. After all, that was one of the major themes the character dealt with in Far From Home. There’s also the slight possibility the two projects overlap, and Spidey was just getting started across the pond when the Flag Smashers were doing damage to his home turf.

Source: The Direct

July 4, 2022
Disney+ Changes ‘Jessica Jones’ Title

In a move only Krysten Ritter‘s private investigator could get to the bottom of, Disney has seemingly changed the title of Jessica Jones on Disney+. The series, which was created by Netflix and initially ran for three seasons from 2015 to 2019, was only recently added to the Disney+ library. All of the “Defenders Saga,” as it’s now being called, was brought home to join the rest of Marvel’s live-action lineup after the streaming rights were lost by the series’ original owner. Now, several weeks later, Disney is making a few alterations.

As of today, Jessica Jones is being shown on Disney+ as A.K.A. Jessica Jones. The title is only present within the actual episodes themselves, and the show is still referred to by its original name on the service’s home screen. Interestingly, A.K.A. Jessica Jones was the name being used for the project when it was still in development at ABC, a nod to the source material’s Alias naming convention without copying the Jennifer Garner series of the same title.

The curious move comes just after Disney used its social media to promote the show and its brother projects, using the caption “it’s all connected” and causing a stir that Marvel Studios may have plans to bring the Netflix characters back sooner than later. Charlie Cox‘s Matt Murdock has already made his grand reentrance to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and this suspicious platform activity could be an indicator Ritter‘s Jones is soon to follow. This is pure speculation, but perhaps the name change is to align the show with an incoming reboot rebranding to further disconnect the series from its time on Netflix. It could also mean nothing. Only time will truly tell.

Source: The Direct

July 4, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Aramis Knight on the Future of Red Dagger

Aramis Knight’s Kareem stepped immediately into action in Episode 4 of Ms. Marvel and, for much of the episode, didn’t get a chance to slow down. The formidable Pakistani hero played a large role in Kamala’s trip to Pakistan, both in the books and in the series, but with the nearly non-stop action in the episode, the audience didn’t really come to know much about Kareem. In an exclusive interview, Knight talks about what he’d like explore about the character in the future and his budding relationship with Ms. Marvel.

I would love to see Kareem’s training regimen. I just think that’d be super interesting. He comes in as a hero who is powerless so to be able to keep up with these people who do have powers he has to train every single day of his life and I think seeing parts of that-seeing things that he does to become the superhero that he is-I think that would be super interesting. I would also love for people to meet Kareem’s family.
Aramis Knight

Marvel Studios has certainly shown a willingness to go beyond the source material in developing the characters in their shared cinematic universe. They’ve already taken a step in that direction with Kareem by making him part of an order of Red Daggers, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they continued to do so if the character returns for another season. Though Kareem played a pretty major role in his time in the comics, he’s only had a few appearances so there’s room for the Ms. Marvel creative team to work. And according to Knight, he hopes that part of that work is taking on a mentor role with Kamala.

Even more than that, I become a great ally for Kamala and, in a way, I become somewhat of a mentor in that she’s a newfound superhero to someone who’s kind of worked his whole life with this organization so there’s a lot for her to learn from him. And I think I do take on that mentor role a bit, although there’s also the banter, you know, the bit of flirtation, it kind of all plays into it, I think.
Aramis Knight

Fans are certainly hoping for a second season of the hit streaming series and given the path Kareem’s character follows in the comics, there is certainly room for him to return to help Kamala and complicate things a little for her as well.

The first four episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney Plus with Episode 5 debuting Wednesday, July 6th.

July 4, 2022
‘Andor’ Creator Explains Series’ Unique Timeline Structure

The next big live-action series from Lucasfilm’s Star Wars universe is Andor, the Rogue One prequel starring Diego Luna as Rebel spy Cassian Andor. An origin story of sorts, the show will span five years of the titular character’s life, finally giving viewers a look into Andor’s adventures with the growing Rebellion and leading directly into his final days stealing the Death Star plans. However, with Andor already confirmed to last just two seasons, many fans have found themselves wondering how those five years will be broken up and explored in so few episodes.

Speaking with Empire Magazine, series creator Tony Gilroy explained that the first season, due in August, will focus solely on the first of those five years, while the second batch of episodes will cover the next four in blocks:

The scale of the show is so huge. Directors work in blocks of three episodes, so we did four blocks [in Season 1] of three episodes each. We looked and said, ‘Wow, it’d be really interesting if we come back, and we use each block to represent a year. We’ll move a year closer with each block.’ From a narrative point of view, it’s really exciting to be able to work on something where you do a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and then jump a year.
Tony Gilroy

So, to translate, that means Andor Season 2 will consist of 12 episodes, with each set of three taking place in a different year. It’s a unique storytelling tactic that should help to keep audiences on their toes and diversify the content of the season in really exciting ways. Early rumors for the project had indicated it would last a full five seasons, with each telling the tale of a year in Andor’s life. This may not have turned out to be true, but the reality of the situation will hopefully make for a more streamlined experience all around.

Andor debuts on Disney+ on August 31st.

Source: Empire

July 4, 2022
‘Ms. Marvel’ From Page to Screen: Episode 4

With Ms. Marvel’s Episode 4, entitled “Seeing Red,” the series’ connection to Ms. Marvel comics is on full display. In Episode 1, we looked at how the series adapted from the comics the moment Kamala’s powers were activated; for Episode 2 we delved into the comics’ and series’ introduction and handling so far of the character Kamran; and in Episode 3 we looked at the interesting source material for the series’ villains, the Clandestines. This week, we look at the Red Dagger(s) introduced and how they compare to Red Dagger in the comics.

Ms. Marvel #23 (2017)

In the show, Kamala meets the Red Dagger while in Karachi. When she is investigating the train station looking for answers about the train in her vision, she is attacked by the Red Dagger. He then reveals that he knew she was Djinn because he could sense the Noor energy she was using. When he found out she was related to Aisha, he took her to the base of the Red Daggers where she met fellow Red Dagger Waleed. He explained to her that Clandestines come from another dimension that exists all around ours, but with a veil of energy that separates the two.

Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel Episode 4

Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel Episode 4

Red Dagger and Kamala bond in civilian mode as he introduces her to his friends at a bonfire. Ultimately, by the end of Episode 4, the Clandestines had tracked down Kamala and attacked the group, seemingly killing Waleed before Kamala is transported to what appears to be a 1947 Karachi train station.

What They Kept From the Comics

Ms. Marvel #12 (2016)

Ms. Marvel #12 (2016)

Ms. Marvel #12 (2016)

In Ms. Marvel, Kamala also meets Red Dagger while visiting Karachi. She does not know his true identity for quite some time, but his name is Kareem and he is a family friend. He acts as a vigilante in Karachi similar to how Ms. Marvel patrols Jersey City.

His look and skillset are incredibly comic accurate, and his role in Kamala’s life may track that seen in the comics. The two were introduced in both iterations when Kamala visited Karachi in an attempt to figure out who she was. In the comics, Kareem gave her a new and optimistic perspective on her role as a superhero in Jersey City. Here, he may ultimately be a significant spark in Kamala fully embracing her hero identity.

Ms. Marvel #23 (2017)

Kareem is also a romantic interest for Kamala in the comics, and subtle hints of that can be picked up in Episode 4. Kareem is an instrumental figure in advancing Kamala and Bruno’s romantic storyline—Kareem ends up living in Jersey City for some time, creating a love triangle—which is certainly a dynamic Ms. Marvel seems like it could lean into.

Ms. Marvel #23 (2017)

Ms. Marvel #29 (2018)

Ms. Marvel #29 (2018)

What They Changed

The most obvious difference between the live-action and the comics is that Ms. Marvel introduced the Red Daggers as a society with advanced technology working to protect people from things that cannot be seen. In Ms. Marvel comics, Red Dagger is simply Kareem, who is a solo vigilante-type hero. The dramatic expansion of Red Dagger in the live-action likely speaks to the need to aid and support Kamala’s mysterious and complex background/origin mystery. Introducing the Red Daggers certainly seems to have added to and advanced that aspect of the story, while still paying homage to the source material.

Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel Episode 4

Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel Episode 4

As to other differences, in Ms. Marvel, Kamala meets Kareem/Red Dagger extremely early on in her hero journey. She does not even have the Ms. Marvel mantle yet or donned a full costume. In the comics, she meets him as a well-established hero and Avenger struggling to come to terms with her self-identity and confidence as a hero.

In her meetings with Red Dagger, she learns humility when she botches a hero job in Karachi because she did not understand the workings of the area. In Jersey City, she struggled with feeling replaceable as Red Dagger immediately got the media’s attention after they stopped a runaway train.

Ms. Marvel #12 (2016)

Ms. Marvel #24 (2017)

The character’s story will continue throughout the rest of Ms. Marvel at least, but there is every reason to believe Red Dagger can serve as a sort of reflection point for Kamala like he does in the comics, but with more emphasis on her beginnings and growth into a superhero in the first place.

Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel Episode 4

The first four episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney+.

July 4, 2022