Tag: Exclusives

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Writer Teases More Rintrah in Future Installments

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was a big movie, but not everything Sam Raimi filmed could make the final cut. There were plenty of scenes that hit the cutting room floor with around 40 minutes of footage reportedly removed from the film during production. Among the casualties was apparently Adam Hugill’s Rintrah, a longtime ally of Stephen Strange from the comics who many fans had hoped would play a larger role in the movie’s story. The magical Minotaur does make an appearance in the movie, but he only shows up for a handful of quick scenes and speaks only a single featured line during the sequel’s runtime.

In a recent exclusive interview with our own Charles Murphy, screenwriter Michael Waldron confirmed that more of Rintrah had indeed been intended for Multiverse of Madness, but his scenes had to be sacrificed for the greater good of the project. Luckily, the creative only sees this as an opportunity to do more with the character later on:

There’s some Rintrah on the cutting room floor. But look, that’s just meat on the bone for the next go around.
Michael Waldron

In the comics, Rintrah is an inter-dimensional being from the planet R’Vaal with a gifted ability to use magic. He first encountered Doctor Strange in 1986, when the Sorcerer Supreme visited his master for a favor. He would go on to become Strange’s apprentice for a time and has grown to be a favorite cult character among longtime Marvel readers.

In the MCU, Rintrah appears to have found his own way to Kamar-Taj and is already practicing to become a Master of the Mystic Arts when Scarlet Witch attacks the sanctuary. Mercifully, he survives the assault and can be seen continuing his education alongside America Chavez at the end of the movie. Hopefully, this means we get more Rintrah in a potential Doctor Strange 3, which seems like a good bet if Waldron ends up returning to the Marvel Studios fold.

May 12, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan Hickman’s Run Inspired ‘Doctor Strange 2’s Take on Mr. Fantastic

Jonathan Hickman always had a way of reinvigorating stories with some of the most popular Marvel characters. While many will remember his amazing work on the crossover event Secret Wars, he also gave us quite the iconic run focused on the Fantastic Four. It brought a new life to Marvel’s first family and redefined their position within the Marvel universe for many. It seems that may have also been a big inspiration for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron.

In an exclusive interview with Charles Murphy, the writer talked about the many influences in the film and it turns out that Hickman‘s run with Reed Richards also played a key part in how he approached the Illuminati’s Mr. Fantastic, who was played by John Krasinski.

Yes and I still have to be deliberately cagey for one more weekend about the specifics about these actors and everything, but it was really trying to draw on that Hickman version of that, of the Illuminati and how they dealt with Incursions. That specific character I love, deeply and was excited to collaborate with that actor on and how to bring him to life.
Michael Waldron

He once again highlights that he worked on bringing the character to life with Krasinski, and it’s great to see that the actor was also able to add to the character even if it’s just a brief appearance.. Though taking a strong Hickman direction is a noticeable addition to the character. Given the character’s long history, there are many iterations to choose from but many might point to Hickman‘s run as a modern definite of the character.

It’s also interesting he made a point to highlight he can’t say much more at this time. So, we’ll see if there’s more information heading our way on Mr. Fantastic and the Fantastic Four in the future. Marvel Studios does have a film planned for the team and outside of Jon Watts dropping out as a director, we don’t know what exactly their plans are just yet.

May 11, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Doctor Strange 2’s Michael Waldron Teases the Growing Multiversal Threat of MCU’s Phase 4

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is quite the self-contained story about Strange overcoming his need for control and Wanda accepting to finally let go. Yet, we can’t deny that it also sets up quite a lot of important elements for the franchise moving forward, especially when it comes to the multiverse that is part of the madness.

The film introduces the concept of Incursions when two realities start colliding with each other and even teases how that ends up looking like when he faces off against a sinister version of himself. Yet, comic readers will quickly realize that the last time we’ve heard about Incursions we were building up to the Secret Wars crossover event. In an interview with our very own Charles Murphy, Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron teases many threats that have been piling on throughout Phase 4.

And there’s the threat. And it’s out there and now it’s out there. There’s a multiversal threat. In the same way that when the MCU first went cosmic many years ago, there was the teed up threat of Thanos. Now it’s probably a matter of you’re setting up some multiversal threats on the board. Whether it’s Kang, Incursions, whatever. It’ll be interesting to see how all those things come together.

Phase 4 has been building up not one but multiple big threats that have the multiverse as a common trait. We technically got the Incursions teased in Loki, where we saw a cartoon hinting at an event where multiverses started fighting for dominance. At the core of all these events was Kang the Conqueror, whose Variant we first met in that very Disney+ series. Perhaps Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which will see Jonathan Majors tackle the role and could further set up where

May 11, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Brother Voodoo Was Never Planned for ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

Even by Marvel Studios standards, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was a film shrouded in secrecy up until its release. The promise of secrets and surprises mixed with the multiversal nature of the movie led to plenty of rumors and speculations ahead of the release. Now that audiences have had a chance to experience the Doctor Strange sequel, fans are getting plenty of information about the actual contents of the film as well as the process of bringing them to the screen.

Possibly above all else, fans are debating how the surprise appearances of certain characters, such as the Illuminati, compared to some of the widespread rumors of certain cameos being in Multiverse of Madness. In an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, the film’s writer Michael Waldron spoke on the secrecy involved in making the film and the Illuminati.

But Waldron also spoke on rumors that certain characters from the comics would play major roles or supporting leads in the Doctor Strange sequel that ultimately did not. In particular, the writer discussed the characters of Clea and Jericho Drumm, also known as Brother Voodoo. As we know from the mid-credits scene, Charlize Theron did make a brief and teasing appearance as Clea, but whether or not she was ever meant to be a significant character is unclear. Waldron simply noted that “I think Clea has always been on the table.”

When asked about the rumor that Jericho Drumm had a role in the film, Waldron revealed that Brother Voodoo was never a part of Multiverse of Madness:

I think there was definitely a discussion of Jericho Drumm, but never anything that I worked on.
Michael Waldron

The speculation that Drumm would make his way to the MCU made—and still makes—plenty of sense. First appearing in Strange Tales #169, the Haitian-born Jericho Drumm left for America to become a psychologist. Upon returning home, he found his brother, Daniel, dying from a spell cast on him. Daniel made Jericho promise to study to become a Houngan, starting his path towards eventually replacing Stephen Strange as the Sorcerer Supreme. We already saw Daniel be killed in the original Doctor Strange as the keeper of the New York Sanctum at the time.

Alas, Brother Voodoo did not make an appearance in Multiverse of Madness, though his connections to Doctor Strange still make him a strong choice for future stories, including Doctor Strange 3. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now playing in theaters worldwide.

May 11, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: ‘The Baby-Sitters Club’s Kimmy Gatewood to Direct an Episode of ‘The Muppets Mayhem’

Even though Disney owns The Muppets brand, they’ve been struggling to get a series going besides a small variety series. Luckily, it seems that they are finally moving forward with a series titled The Muppets Mayhem, which moves away from the usual Kermit and Ms. Piggy shenanigans to focus on The Electric Mayhem Band, who are on their way to recording their first studio album. The Goldbergs creator, Adam F. Goldberg, is working on the project alongside Jeff Yorkes and Muppets veteran Bill Barretta. Now, we can exclusively share that The Baby-Sitters Club director Kimmy Gatewood is attached to direct at least one episode of the series.

Gatewood is set to direct the fifth episode of the series, which is tentatively titled “Fortunate Son.” We currently can’t confirm if she’ll direct multiple episodes of the Disney+ series. While many might know the actress for her role as Stacey Beswick from GLOW, Gatewood also has quite a lot of experience as a director. She worked on series like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Baby-Sitters Club, Single, Drunk Female, and recently Ghosts.

The series will include YouTube star Lilly Singh as the human companion of the Electric Mayhem Band, who will act as their junior A&R executive, who has to manage the Muppet band. Earlier this month, we also got the casting announcement of Baby Daddy‘s Tahj Mowry as Gary “Moog” Moogowski, who is a die-hard fan that follows them from one gig to another. The concept will allow for a fun road trip with some Muppet mayhem (pun totally intended) and it’ll be exciting to see what the series has to offer once it premieres on Disney+.

April 28, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Dick Grayson, Harper Row and Spoiler Headline the Roster of CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’

A decade after the premier of Arrow, the CW continues to expand its slate of live-action DC content. In the last decade, more than half a dozen series have made their way to the network and now production is close to beginning on the newest addition, Gotham Knights. The series just recently got a pilot order, meaning it’ll shoot its first episode before possibly being handed a series order. Since the initial report, fans have been in the dark on just who the series will follow with no details on its characters…until now.

Thanks to a friendly source, we’ve been able to put together a pretty good picture of the show’s core characters, the Bat Family. The series is currently looking to cast several series regulars ahead of an April start of production in Toronto.

Most notably, Gotham Knights is looking for an actor, 18 or older, to fill the role of a series regular that fits the bill of Dick Grayson, the first Robin and adopted son of Bruce Wayne.
Described as “athletic” and “sensitive”, the character remains resilient despite being vulnerable following the murder of his parents and subsequent adoption by Wayne.

Interestingly enough, it looks like Grayson won’t be the only former Robin on the show. It seems as though Grayson will be joined by Stephanie Brown, aka Spoiler, a genius-level hacker whose father, a DC villain called Cluemaster, raised her on a “steady diet of brain teasers and puzzles.” Gothman Knight is searching for an 18-year old actress to portray the “sarcastic and smart” character.

We can also deduce that Harper Row, aka Bluebird, is set to join Grayson on the team. The studio is searching for a female to play a “blue-haired bisexual” character who has taken to the streets to escape her abusive home life. Her brother, Cullen, also looks to be joining the series with the studio searching for a transgender actor who identifies as male for the role.

Gotham Knights will also feature “a quick-witted British attache” who sounds like she could be Julia Pennyworth, daughter of Alfred Pennyworth. In the comics, Julia came into the picture after her father was disabled following an attack from Hush. Following in her father’s footsteps, she helped the Bat Family coordinate their efforts.

Probably the most startling character headed for Gotham Knights is one described as the daughter of “the most dangerous man in Gotham.” First thoughts are that the series is going to introduce “Joker’s daugher”, Duela Dent, who claimed to be the daughter of the Joker and also claimed to be the daughter of about every villain in Gotham.

The CW is also searching for a handful of other series regulars, including one that could be Lucius Fox’s daughter, Tiffany, to join the team in addition to the already exciting number of characters listed here, many of whom will be making their live-action debut. There’s also room for plenty of guest stars and supporting members of the cast. Hopefully, with the scheduled start of production right around the corner, casting will start to trickle out soon.

February 11, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Robert Downey Jr.-Led Series ‘The Sympathizer’ Eyeing June Production Start

We were all surprised when it was announced that Robert Downey Jr.’s next major project was an HBO series adapting The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Park Chan-wook was attached to direct the series, which explores the tale of a Vietnamese communist spy during the end of the Vietnam War, as he is exiled to the United States. While not much has been reported since the announcement, we can exclusively reveal that the series is being developed with multiple seasons in mind.

The production is still actively casting its co-lead to tar opposite Downey Jr. and is currently scheduled to begin a nearly year-long production this June. The project is actively casting actresses and actors with a Vietnamese background to ensure the authenticity of the project. As such, they will also film parts of the project in Vietnam and Los Angeles once they get the cameras rolling.

It’s great to see the production focus on the book’s cultural background and shoot on location in Vietnam, which generally also helps boost the local economy. The production will also have a predominant Vietnamese cast with Oldboy director Chan-wook also acting as a co-showrunner alongside Don McKellar. HBO, A24, and rhombus Media are producing in association with Cinetic Medi and Moho Film.

January 19, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Tony Todd to Star in ‘Werewolf Game’

Horror icon Tony Todd has stayed very busy over the past several years. The actor reprised his role as Candyman in Nia DaCosta’s 2021 thriller, voiced Scare Glow in Netflix’s Masters of the Universe: Revelations and has nearly half a dozen projects in post-production. And now we can add one more project to the mix as Todd has signed on in a lead role in the upcoming horror film Werewolf Game.

Written by Jack Payne II, and directed by Payne and Cara Brennan, Werewolf Game is based on the game Mafia, also known as Werewolf, created as a social experiment by Dimitry Davidoff, in which a group of people portray villagers and try to deduce who among them is a “werewolf” while the werewolves choose who to kill. Todd will play the film’s antagonist, The Judge, and is also serving as an executive producer on the film, which is set to debut in 2023. Casting is currently underway for nearly a dozen lead roles and production is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in late-March. The film’s storyline, according to IMDB, is included below:

Adapted from the adult party game of social deduction, created by Dimitry Davidoff in 1986, Werewolf Game is a death-game, horror mystery film. Twelve kidnapped strangers must play a game where they vote on who amongst them to murder. At night, the “werewolves” hidden among them come out to brutally kill one of the 12 “villagers” in return. The days repeat until one winning group remains.

January 19, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Live-Action ‘One Piece’s First Season No Longer Ten Episodes

There’s been a lot of speculation surrounding the upcoming live-action adaptation of One Piece. When the project first picked up momentum in 2020, a message by series creator Eiichiro Oda was released finally offering an update. Sadly, COVID has postponed the project by quite some time, but we finally got a casting confirmation in November for the main members of the Straw Hats. In the initial announcement by Oda, it was announced that the series will run for ten episodes in its first season. However, we can exclusively share that the episode count has changed.

It seems that at some point in its pre-production the episode count has been reduced from 10 to 8 episodes for its premiere season. That is a similar length to Netflix’s recent release, The Witcher. Currently, it seems the show is eyeing a potential start in spring or in the summer of this year. Of course, that has been constantly changing and Omicron concerns may also influence it with rumors of other productions closing down. The recent cancelation of Cowboy Bebop – another production by Tomorrow Studios – by Netflix after only one season might seem like a potential factor, as these are high-budget projects with high expectations of return for Netflix, but highly doubt it as it could’ve already been something that was decided before that show even aired.

The first season will cover the East Blue saga from the original manga series, which ran for 100 chapters. What is noteworthy about this saga is that it mainly focused on smaller arcs where Luffy gathered his initial crew before heading out into the Grand Line, meaning there are quite a few separate storylines that’ll be intertwined into this season. In that case, two fewer episodes could be a sign of tighter pacing and a stronger overlap between these arcs. Eight episodes have worked well for some series like The Witcher, Stranger Things, and more, so a slightly shorter season could work in One Piece‘s favor.

January 13, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 5 Eyeing to Start Production Next Month

There has been quite a lot of anticipation for any news surrounding Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Its creator Bruce Miller has teased a lot more twists for the coming season, but even after its quick renewal, there was some uncertainty about when it could be expected. This is especially noticeable with rumors hinting at it potentially being the culmination of the entire series that started in 2017, as it may be it’s last. We can exclusively share that the upcoming fifth season is already readying up to start production in early February.

The first episode of Season 5 is currently set to film in Toronto, Canada with Elisabeth Moss, the show’s main star who brought the character of June Osborne to life, will take over directing duties. Series creator Bruce Miller wrote the script for the episode. She has previously directed the third episode of the last season titled “The Crossing”. Not just that, she also directed the eighth and ninth episodes “Testimony” and “Progress” before Liz Garbus took over for the finale.

The story is an adaptation of Margaret Atwood‘s famous novel that explored a dystopian future where a second Civil War led to women becoming child-bearing slaves. The fifth season will follow the aftermath of the actions Moss‘ June takes during the finale of the fourth season, and it’s not going to be an easy road ahead.

January 7, 2022