Tag: Marvel Studios

  • Funko Pop! Reveals New Look at ‘Secret Invasion’ Character

    Funko Pop! Reveals New Look at ‘Secret Invasion’ Character

    Marvel Studios is adapting one of Marvel Comics craziest event series in Secret Invasion. Expected to stream early in 2023, Marvel Studios Secret Invasion has been billed as a paranoia-filled spy thriller. And in the MCU, if spy games are involved, THE spy will be there. Samuel L. Jackson has been attached to the project since its earliest days (in fact, the series was initially described as a Nick Fury project) and while there hasn’t been much in the way of promotion, the actor has been front and center for what has been shown. Now, as part of a series of reveals of Funko Pops! that will be available at NYCC, a new look at Jackson’s Fury has been unleashed!

    As of the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, Fury was known to be in space working with a group of friendly Skrulls while Talos was simming him on Earth. Secret Invasion will see Fury back on Earth, but becoming aware that not all Skrulls’ interests are aligned with those of Talos. Crew merch that surfaced earlier this year seemed to indicate that at least part of the comic event’s plot, which centered around a Skrull god and a prophecy that the Skrulls were destined to rule Earth, should make its way into the streaming series, perhaps hinting at the identity of some of the rivals Skrulls. It’s also recently been revealed that some of the events and characters look to be inspired by a recent comic miniseries titled Meet the Skrulls. So while the full plot hasn’t been revealed (fans are hopeful a trailer for Secret Invasion will come out of the upcoming D23 Expo), it seems that Nick Fury will have a a pretty full plate.

  • Chadwick Boseman Wins Posthumous Emmy for Marvel Studios ‘What If…?’

    Chadwick Boseman Wins Posthumous Emmy for Marvel Studios ‘What If…?’

    Chadwick Boseman has been gone for two years, but his legacy continues to shine. Best known for his iconic portrayal of King T’Challa – the Black Panther – in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the late actor picked up his first and only Emmy win at last night’s Creative Arts ceremony for his work voicing a multiversal Star-Lord in Marvel’s animated What If…?. One of many MCU stars who returned to do voice work for the series, Boseman was a noticeable stand-out when he appeared in the episode “What If…T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?” and quickly grew in popularity as he recurred throughout the rest of the season. His efforts, recorded before he died but released almost a full year after, earned him the award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance.

    Boseman beat out an extremely competitive group at this year’s event, rising above the likes of Bridgerton‘s Julie Andrews, Moon Knight‘s F. Murray Abraham, Big Mouth‘s Maya Rudolph, Central Park‘s Stanley Tucci, fellow What If…? alum Jeffrey Wright, and Archer‘s Jessica Walter, who passed away in 2021. The win puts an end to Rudolph‘s victory streak, after the comedian won the award for the past two years in a row. Boseman‘s wife, Taylor Simone Ledward, accepted the Emmy on his behalf, giving the following statement to Deadline:

    When I learned Chad was nominated, I started thinking of everything that was going on in the world and our world and being so in awe of his commitment and dedication and what a beautiful moment that one of the last things he would work on was something so important to him and to the world but also something new. You can’t understand your purpose unless you ask what if? What if the universe is conspiring in my favor? What if it’s me? Chad would be so honored and I am honored on his behalf.

    Taylor Simone Ledward

    What If…? will return for both a second and third season on Disney+, though the release dates are currently unknown.

    Source: Deadline

  • Breaking Down the New Scenes from ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Extended Cut

    Breaking Down the New Scenes from ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Extended Cut

    SPOILER WARNING: This article will discuss spoilers from Spider-Man: No Way Home alongside the additional footage released in the extended cut.

    With the official re-release of Spider-Man: No Way Home this Labor Day Weekend, Sony added extra incentive for audiences to get back into theaters by folding in previously unseen footage into an extended cut. Whether or not this was worth removing from the digital and Blu-ray release of the film remains to be seen, but nonetheless, there are some interesting new facets to discuss coming out of it. Before getting into the film itself, audiences are treated to an introduction via a video conference call from Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire. It’s a fairly straightforward exchange of pleasantries and gratitude about the experience of working on Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now a breakdown of the new footage.

    (L to R) Hannibal Buress, J.B. Smoove, and Martin Starr in Spider-Man: No Way Home

    FIRST ACT

    The very beginning of the film remains the same as the original, with the first additions coming in the form of extended investigations done by Arian Moyaed’s Cleary with Peter Parker and company. The most noticeable difference is with Cleary having extended conversations with Peter about his previous ventures and his penchant for being in action near popular monuments. In addition, the infamous Night Monkey is addressed in the interrogation process. 

    The first outright new scene brought into this cut of No Way Home is the notably cut scene involving Harry Holland’s drug-dealing character being stopped by Spider-Man. The main focus then switches towards the civilians in the surrounding area accosting Peter Parker despite stopping a criminal which is built around a debate about the morality and culpability of Spider-Man being erroneously claimed to be a 14-year-old child. This scene closes out with the green paint being thrown on the suit of Spider-Man (as opposed to it just being part of a Daily Bugle montage).

    The most distinct additions in this new cut are scenes at Midtown High School. Essentially every scene is expanded upon with new lines of dialogue from supporting and background characters expressing their excitement or disdain towards the webhead. One moment of note is Hannibal Buress’ Coach Wilson loudly goading Peter Parker to climb a wall during gym class with other classmates gawking onwards. This ultimately culminates in a new extended montage of interspersed sit-down interviews done by Betty Brant with supporting members of the Midtown ensemble. Of note here is the comically terrible green screen akin to the wonky production quality seen at the beginning of Spider-Man: Far From Home. The montage provides Buress, Martin Starr, and J.B. Smoove time to flex their comedic chops in the way of one-off cutaway lines. Additionally, audiences further dive into the vapid psyche of Flash Thompson in the midst of selling his new autobiography and receive some awkward closure between the Ned Leeds and Betty Brant relationship.

    Charlie Cox as Matthew Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home

    SECOND ACT

    After leaving Midtown High, this version of No Way Home has no real changes to the structure of the film for a considerable amount of time. There are only two tangible additions of note. Firstly, there is a brief segment from J. Jonah Jameson on the Daily Bugle interviewing a construction worker on-site during the fight between Spider-Man, Sandman, and Electro. However, the construction worker comedically refers to it being a conflict between Spider-Man with a sparkle web fighting Dirt Man and a Power Monster (to the bemusement and confusion of Jameson). This scene is essentially an extension that leads into J. Jonah Jameson receiving the tip about the location of Peter Parker at the F.E.A.S.T. facility.

    And then, this is followed up with the long-rumored second scene involving Charlie Cox’s Matthew Murdock. The lawyer is seen representing and defending Happy Hogan while under investigation from Cleary and his team at Damage Control. However, Hogan is distracted by watching the arrival of Peter Parker, May, and the villains into his condominium on the security camera via his phone (this scene is spliced with the original cut version of Peter and co. entering the condo). Murdock accosts Hogan for being distracted and closes by insisting on Jon Favreau’s character to stop sweating so much.

    (L to R) Tobey Maguire, Tom Holland, and Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker Variants in Spider-Man: No Way Home

    THIRD ACT

    Following the new Matt Murdock scene, there are no new full scenes added to the film in the new cut. However, audiences will come to find a few new brief exchanges between the Spider-Man variants while on the Statue of Liberty scaffolding. These are all extensions of conversations already seen in the original No Way Home. Of note, Andrew Garfield’s variant continues his motif of being uber-excited about being able to interact with two versions of himself and is already planning a future meet-up between the trio. In addition, there are further points made about Tobey Maguire’s ability to create organic web-fluid and the unconscious process in which he generates it. Audiences will likely find a brief, yet tender exchange between Maguire and Garfield’s versions discussing the thought of being able to have second chances on past mistakes to resonate most strongly out of all of the additions. Once the villains then arrive for the final battle, the film remains the same course with no changes or additions abound.

    Angourie Rice as Betty Brant

    POST CREDIT SCENE

    Though there still remains one last surprise for audiences who stick around to the end of the film. A new post-credit scene is introduced that adds an interesting perspective to the resolution of Spider-Man: No Way Home. It takes the point of view of a final school news broadcast from Betty Brant celebrating the graduating class of Midtown High. In it, she discusses all the various events that they’ve gone through during their years, including The Blip (with Betty and Jason Ionello dusting and returning during news broadcasts). Though what’s most notable is the presence (or lack thereof) of Peter Parker. To slightly dispute the leak description from Reddit, Tom Holland’s character is technically present but is conventionally barely cut out of frame in every photo he is in (or has birds flying in front of his face). And of course, there is no mention or memory of him during the scene. 

    This helps bring new insight and understanding towards the nature of Doctor Strange’s spell and how the memory of Peter Parker was wiped from the minds of everyone in the world. And of course, provides a discreetly somber reminder of the lonely place Spider-Man is in at the end of the film.

    THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS

    Ultimately, the extended edition of Spider-Man: No Way Home was a fun experience, but certainly not game-changing in any way. As one can infer from the breakdown, a vast majority of the new scenes come from the first act of the film and at Midtown High School. While all the scenes brought new perspectives and enjoyable moments, director Jon Watts and his team made the right call in making the opening of the film as succinct as it was. Confirmation that Angourie Rice’s Betty Brant is an unsung hero in this first Spider-Man trilogy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is almost certainly the main takeaway. The only scene that could be considered worthwhile to have been included in the original cut was the Matt Murdock-Happy Hogan scene and the new lines from the Spider-Man variants solely from how little was changed via their additions. It will come down to the individual viewers to determine if the extended cut of Spider-Man: No Way Home was worth a full-on new theatrical release. However, if a fan is interested in being able to see the film again on the big screen as it was designed, it’s certainly an enjoyable experience either way.

  • Tim Roth Reveals Feige Originally Planned for a Different Fate for Abomination

    Tim Roth Reveals Feige Originally Planned for a Different Fate for Abomination

    With She-Hulk: Attorney at Law being well under way with its first season on Disney+, one of the standout characters fans have connected with is Emil Blonsky, a.k.a. Abomination. The character, of course, is played by Tim Roth, who returns to the role and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a reformed villain serving a prison sentence. It’s certainly not the way many expected to see the character return, and it turns out, the character very nearly had a different fate planned for him. When sitting down with IGN, the actor revealed what the original fate of Blonsky would have been after The Incredible Hulk.

    I remember talking to Kevin [Feige] on set of [The Incredible Hulk] and Stan Lee as well. The idea was that they locked him up in a steel vault and sank it to the bottom of the ocean and left it there. So that when you found it at the beginning of whatever film that might have been… That’s where you found him. And he’d had time to think. About what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go.

    Tim Roth

    The idea of Abomination being locked in a confined space and submerged deep into an ocean could’ve led to a different adaptation of the character upon a return. However, Roth went on to further elaborate on how his position in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law still has some mirrors to this original fate.

    Well in a sense they kind of did it in She-Hulk. He’s in isolation, dealing with his inner monster… and he’s been in a bubble… in a maximum security [prison] in total isolation, for many years. So now what do we get? Who is he? And the journey he goes on will possibly dance around the knife edge of ‘is he or isn’t he [reformed]?’ And I know I had some fun with him.

    Tim Roth

    The concept of reforming oneself has been ever prevalent with the character of Emil Blonsky and it’s interesting to see how Tim Roth has run with that character direction. Ultimately, it could be considered a surprise that Abomination returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after over a decade of not being mentioned. This is especially the case for a subversion of the villainous role. Roth spent some time discussing his feelings about his return and the nature in which he was brought back.

    I laughed. I thought it was hilarious. When [Marvel] told me what they had in mind, I just laughed, I thought it was wonderful, and impossible, and mad… It also in a sense was nice because then I could revisit my kids’ childhood.

    Tim Roth

    It can be assuring to know that at least the performer behind the character has a positive experience for his time returning to this role. The first three episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law starring Tatiana Maslany as the titular character are now streaming on Disney+.

    Source: IGN

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Creative Team Discusses THEE Episode 3 Cameo

    ‘She-Hulk’ Creative Team Discusses THEE Episode 3 Cameo

    One of the biggest talking points coming out of the latest episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is the cameo appearance of Megan Thee Stallion. While the news was spoiled on social media just a few days prior to the episode release, it still has served as a pleasant surprise for a number of viewers. While sitting down with Entertainment Weekly, various members of the creative team discussed the process of how the star rapper’s cameo came to be. Head writer Jessica Gao talked about the challenge of deciding who would best fit this role and the relatively surprising name who pitched the idea of Megan Thee Stallion.

    We didn’t even know that we could dream that big. When we wrote the script, all we knew was we needed to have a female celebrity who was very famous, very successful, and very beautiful. But we didn’t know if it was going to be an actress, or a model, or a musician. And depending on who it was, we knew we’d probably have to tweak the story a little bit to fit whoever we ended up casting…Jameela (Jamil) one day floated the idea of Megan and the moment she said that, and the moment we realized that that could be a possibility, we were like, ‘Stop everything. That’s it. The conversation’s done. We only care about Megan now. And if Megan will do it, then that settles it.

    Jessica Gao

    From this, it’s clear how much of an influence Megan Thee Stallion has had on the cultural zeitgeist and her epitomizing what the show was looking for in that role. Director Kat Coiro further elaborated on what made Megan a massively exciting option for the show’s creative team.

    The character was scripted as a celebrity who never in a billion years would we believe would date Dennis Bukowski. When Jameela suggested Megan, we all lost our minds. She’s perfect on so many levels, just as a beautiful young celebrity who would never date Dennis Bukowski, but also as a powerful woman who embodies a lot of what She-Hulk embodies. And then it was a little cherry on top that Tatiana (Maslany) is the world’s biggest Megan fan. As soon as that name came up, there was nobody else.

    Kat Coiro

    The further notion of Tatiana Maslany being a massive fan of Megan Thee Stallion certainly helped elevate the scene in portraying Jennifer Walters’ undying adulation towards the rapper. And as learned in the interview, the feeling of love was mutual with Megan Thee Stallion towards Marvel Studios.

    We found out that Megan loves Marvel and superhero stuff, so it was incredible. It really came together very quickly, and we didn’t even have time to stop and just stand in awe at the fact that this was actually happening. It was everyone’s dream come true, especially Tatiana.

    Jessica Gao

    Ultimately, the appearance of Megan Thee Stallion in this past episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law provided a large source of levity for not just the characters on screen, but the creative time sitting behind it. The third episode of the Disney+ was officially released on Thursday, September 1st.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • REVIEW: ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 3

    REVIEW: ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 3

    She-Hulk: Attorney at Law finally gets into its full groove in its third episode, and the result is the series’ best episode by far. By being able to embrace the half-hour story format, the show capitalizes on its concept and various parts to create some memorable and enjoyable television. But at the end of the day, Episode 3 is simple: it is wholeheartedly hilarious and full of constant literal laugh-out-loud moments.

    With Wong’s introduction, the show once again proves it has strong connections to the MCU that it uses to enhance She-Hulk. The legal case-by-case structure essentially gives the show—apart from Jen’s overarching personal journey—the substance and story it needs on a weekly basis without the weight or pressure of actually needing a heavy overarching premise. There are clear breadcrumbs to a larger plot on the horizon, notably with the Asgardian construction worker-inspired Wrecking Crew that tried to take a sample of She-Hulk’s blood for “the boss.” But that tease is quite frankly the least interesting part of the episode by far.

    The focus on smaller-scale stories also gives She-Hulk the space it needs to be genuinely funny and a pure comedy. Without the mandate of a slowly unraveling “main story”, each episode can just simply be enjoyed for what it is. The series can take elements, like Wong, from the greater universe and frame them in its own comedic lens without having to take on any responsibility for the true development of those characters or elements outside of this specific series. The cast, particularly the supporting cast, proves itself to be a formidable comedic vehicle when the narrative gives them the screen time. Josh Segarra’s Pug and Drew Matthews’ Dennis Bukowski handle the B-story without a problem and put in some of the best performances of the episode.

    The pure absurdity contained in some of She-Hulk’s source material and comics generally is often not explored in live-action projects because it is—exactly—absurd. Phase 4 in general has been letting itself delve into that weirdness, but this series probably embraces the weird more than any other project. The simple joy of watching the “everyday life” of a Hulk and the Sorcerer Supreme along with the trivial and silly adventures they get into is virtually never part of the usual MCU experience. By not taking everything so seriously, She-Hulk gets to exist and breathe on its own, unique scale. But its resources make the small-scale stories feel much more exciting than if the revolving door of characters and clients was entirely new or bland. The show, through its connections to cameos and references, has an anchor in the MCU that keeps it from drifting into forgettable waters.

    She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’s third episode sees the series transform into what it is intended to be. Where the first two episodes jogged, Episode 3 sprints. The show is fully self-aware, and even directly calls out misogynistic patterns that surround female superheroes and woman-led projects, particularly on social media. She-Hulk has nothing to prove to those who cannot handle the concept of a “She”-Hulk getting attention. For the rest of the world, this episode proves that the series is a hell of a good time.

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Episode 3 Includes A Potential Captain America Connection

    ‘She-Hulk’ Episode 3 Includes A Potential Captain America Connection

    Through three episodes She-Hulk has already made a habit of sneaking in comic book characters and Easter eggs in addition to tying itself into all corners of the MCU. The A plot of Episode 3, “The People vs. Emil Blonsky”, focused on one of the MCU’s oldest villains in Tim Roth’s the Abomination and, in doing so, may have brought a Captain America connection to light.

    Episode 3 picks up right where Episode 2 left off with Jen confronting Blonsky about his breakout from prison, which was captured on camera and has become national news. Since Jen was working on Blonsky’s potential parole, the footage is kind of an issue. Jen’s status as a female superhero lawyer and the bad news footage of Blonsky fighting Wong quickly become talking points for all the talking heads of the world (the writers created a WONDERFUL satire of the real world in this episode), including one by the name of Jefferson Coop, played by Mahdi Cocci. As part of his show, The Conversation, Coop interviews the prosecutor who put Blonsky behind bars all those years ago after his rampage in Harlem. And, as it turns out, that prosecutor has some big-time connections!

    The prosecutor, played by Jason Turner, goes by the name of Gideon Wilson. In the comics, Gideon Wilson is the name of both Sam Wilson’s brother who has some pretty significant connections to gamma-related characters. While Sam’s sister, Sarah, was introduced in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, no mention was made of another sibling. Like in the comics, the Wilsons were born in Harlem, however, it has also been established that they moved to Louisiana where they were raised. While it’s not made clear in the episode if Gideon is indeed Sam’s brother, it’s possible he moved back to Harlem to pursue his law career where he was born. So for now it’s best to take it as a cool Easter egg and keep an eye on whether or not Gideon pops back up in the future. Either way, Jessica Gao and company certainly have displayed a knack for dropping in some wonderful comic book connections!

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Concept Art Reveals Chilling Scrapped Sequence

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Concept Art Reveals Chilling Scrapped Sequence

    Usually released soon after theatrical debuts and season finales, concept art for projects frequently reveals early editions’ subtle deviations. For Thor: Love and Thunder, it appears that they have let fans witness a few of the movie’s deleted scenes, including one involving abandoned plot elements that involved Asgardian children. More information on that potential story component has been revealed in recently published concept art.

    Concept artist George Hull posted concept paintings on Instagram from Thor: Love and Thunder that were “for the director & team as they considered different options for the final act in the film.” The first painting depicts an early version of the Gates of Eternity, as Thor, still holding Stormbreaker, witnesses hundreds of children being brought to Gorr. Hull also revealed that “the early script had the children’s souls as necessary to enter Eden,” but that director Taika Waititi decided to streamline the story instead, limiting Gorr to just needing Stormbreaker.

    However, the final piece depicts Stormbreaker being used in a manner similar to the film’s final cut, but this time a child is in the path of the beam, possibly to depict Gorr’s need for the children’s souls to enter Eternity’s realm. Gorr’s need for their souls was clearly not present or even alluded to in the final film.

    For some, this raises the question of why Gorr even needed the children at all in the final film. Given the possibility and likelihood that a lot of material was taken out of the final cut of Love and Thunder, there may or may not be a satisfying answer to that question. One thing is certain: avoiding sacrificing the souls of children undoubtedly limited how dark the film became.

    You can check out the concept art below:

    George Hull Instagram
    George Hull Instagram
    George Hull Instagram

    Thor: Love and Thunder begins streaming on Disney+ on September 8, 2022.

    Source: Instagram

  • Ratings for Second Seasons of ‘Loki’, ‘What If…?’ Confirmed

    Ratings for Second Seasons of ‘Loki’, ‘What If…?’ Confirmed

    Aside from outliers like Ms. Marvel’s TV-PG rating, the standard rating for Marvel Studios Disney+ shows has remained TV-14, essentially PG-13. Marvel Cinematic Universe films, of course, have also traditionally held the PG-13 rating since the MCU began in 2008’s Iron Man.

    Still, fans lately have been keen on tracking ratings for projects as the MCU expands past the Infinity Saga. For example, all hopes and expectations are on an R-rated Deadpool 3, Marvel Studios announced that the animated series Marvel Zombies would be its first TV-MA-rated show at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.

    Unsurprisingly, though, the traditional trend continues with newly revealed ratings for Loki’s next season and What If… ? Season 2. Ahead of Disney+ Day and D23, the ratings for both shows have been revealed to be TV-14. Again, given that this is the second season of an ongoing show, these ratings shouldn’t be shocking. But at least fans won’t have to worry about them being less or more mature.

    It will be interesting to watch whether and when Marvel Studios creates other shows outside of its TV-14 comfort zone, like Ms. Marvel and Marvel Zombies. Fans of traditionally more mature characters like Deadpool or Blade, and fans of the darker Netflix Marvel television series like The Punisher are eager to see how Marvel Studios expands its audience going forward.

    For the time being, fans will have to wait until Disney+ Day on Thursday, September 8 and Marvel Studios’ D23 presentation on September 10 to find out more.

    Source: The Direct

  • Ben Kingsley to Reprise Role of Trevor Slattery in ‘Wonder Man’

    Ben Kingsley to Reprise Role of Trevor Slattery in ‘Wonder Man’

    After serving as a surprise return in Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Ben Kingsley is officially slated to make another return to the character of Trevor Slattery in the future. The actor has been announced via Variety to be returning for the Disney+ series Wonder Man. Not much is currently known about what this series will entail, but his return is logical as Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of Shang-Chi, will serve as co-creator and executive producer on the series.

    The inclusion of Kingsley in this series plays into rumors that Wonder Man will serve as a satirical look into the Hollywood lifestyle. Being as Simon Williams is a character that has had comic experience as an actor and stuntman, it would make sense for him to interact with a character best known for his oblivious performance as the mysterious Mandarin in Iron Man 3. This plot thread was continued in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in being further established as a Shakespearean-esque actor caught in the high intensity of the plot. It is currently unknown how much of a role Kingsley will have in the series. Both Marvel Studios and Ben Kingsley‘s representation declined to comment on the story.

    The character of Simon Williams a.k.a. Wonder Man has a storied history within the lore of the Marvel Universe. Between being a nemesis for Tony Stark on the business and superheroics front, a member of the Masters of Evil, and ultimately a reformed member of the Avengers, there is a large swath of ground that Marvel Studios could choose to cover for a Wonder Man series. Though as mentioned above, the inclusion of Trevor Slattery lends credence that the Disney+ series will lean more towards his era as being based out of Hollywood.

    Wonder Man is set to have Andrew Guest of 30 Rock and Community fame serve as the head writer. Meanwhile, this series serves as part of Destin Daniel Cretton‘s overall deal with Marvel Studios that includes Wonder Man, the sequel to Shang-Chi, and his direction of 2025’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

    Source: Variety