Tag: Marvel Studios

EXCLUSIVE: There May Be A ‘Secret Wars’ Connection in ‘Loki’, Says Head Writer Michael Waldron

It’s been a long break since the finale of Falcon and the Winter Soldier aired on Disney+. Now, we are just a few days away from the first episode of Marvel Studios’ next venture airs on the streaming platform with the return of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. The series will take place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Our favorite team of heroes accidentally let a version of Loki escape his fate when he got his hands on the Tessaract. To keep the timeline safe, he gets captured by the Time Variance Authority and will journey off into a brand new adventure.

Our very own Charles Murphy got a chance to sit down with head writer Michael Waldron to discuss the Disney+ show. Murphy asked if an animated sequence that details the TVA’s history, a previous “multiversal war” and the potential for altered timelines to create more multiversal conflicts might tease a connection to the famous Marvel storyline Secret Wars possibly being adapted for the MCU. Waldron had the following to say:

We’ll see. You’ll probably know, as well as I do, not everything is just in there. If the purpose of that whole thing was to just indoctrinate the audience and everything. Yeah, we’ll see how this plays out in the MCU moving forward.

Of course, he doesn’t outright confirm anything but the inclusion certainly seems intentional. Ever since Endgame was released, Secret Wars seemed like the perfect follow-up event. We’ve already witnessed Thanos snapping half the world out of existence and our heroes travel through time. So, the next major event would need to top even that and it seemed like a natural fit with all these multiversal stories that they would collide at one point. We cannot wait to see where the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading.

June 7, 2021
REPORT: Attuma and Namora Joining Namor in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

Around four months ago, it was revealed that Marvel Studios was actively casting two Mayan Warriors for the upcoming Black Panther sequel. It made many of us wonder how they might connect to the story surrounding the fictional African city of Wakanda. Well, Illuminerdi just broke the news that Tenoch Huerta might be playing Namor the Sub-Mariner in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In their article, they also revealed that these two warriors are actually well-known supporting characters for the Atlantean king. They believe that the warriors are actually Namora, his cousin, and the warlord Attuma.

Now, fans of the comics will instantly recognize these characters. Namora is similar to her cousin and is half Atlantean and half mutant. She is also known as Aquaria Neptunia in the comics before taking on the nickname. Attuma is part of an Atlantean tribe that is known to be barbaric nomads. He is the leader of his kind and believes that he is the true king of Atlantis. It is uncertain if we might see some infighting or he might even be the one to nudge Namor into getting in conflict with Wakanda.

Overall, it looks like the film will include a very impressive cast of characters. Of course, the Atlanteans will be at a disadvantage on land, but we’ve seen a river that goes through the fictional country. So, they might try to steal something from the capital that ends up putting a big red target on their back from the Wakandans. We might not get any news on its development for some time. So, we’ll see if we get an official casting announcement in the near future. There is also the tease in Avengers: Endgame when some underwater tremors hit Africa by Okoye. We’ll know more once the film premieres on July 8th, 2022.

Source: Illuminerdi

June 7, 2021
REPORT: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ to Feature Tenoch Huerta as Namor

We’ve all been keeping a close eye on what the sequel of Black Panther might have in store for us. The tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman made its direction uncertain as director Ryan Coogler continued to push forward. The subtitle Wakanda Forever showcases that his spirit will live on in the project and Marvel Studios confirmed they will not be recasting T’Challa in the upcoming film. We’ve been wondering how they might tackle the sequel and it looks like there will be some surprises in store. Illuminerdi has exclusively shared the news that the upcoming second entry will feature the Sub-Mariner himself, Namor. It seems that the Atlantean will be played by Tenoch Huerta. It is interesting to note that the actor has already been cast for the film almost seven months ago.

There have been some rumors that he would potentially appear in the Black Panther sequel and his inclusion may hint at a big war happening between the two cultures. Atlantis has actually teased quite a long time ago in a sequence of Iron Man 2, where Fury had a marking in the middle of the ocean. Now, the big reveal regarding the casting of Huerta may also hint at a very different origin for the Atlanteans, as we know that there was some casting going around regarding Mayans for the film. As such, we can suspect that they will try to make the MCU’s version their descends. It’ll be interesting to see if we get any official confirmation on his casting in the future.

Source: Illuminerdi

June 7, 2021
‘Loki’: First Funko Pops Revealed for Marvel Studios’ Next Disney+ Series

We are only two days away from Loki finally premiering and it seems that everyone is gearing up for it. Marvel Studios has been dropping quite a few featurettes and even the first few clips on their Twitter channel and now Entertainment Weekly unveiled the first Funko pops for the Disney+ series. They are only featuring our main two cast members Tom Hiddleston‘s Loki and Owen Wilson‘s Morbus. There aren’t any major reveals or hints in these images, but we do get a good look at Mobius’ weapon of choice that was briefly hinted at in the trailers.

Entertainment Weekly also unveiled a variety of other new merchandise that includes some of the Miss Minutes merchandise that leaked some months ago. She is the TVA mascot and will have a prominent role throughout Loki’s journey with the inter-dimensional bureaucracy. The new show will also continue the tradition that a variety of Funko Pops will get released as the show goes through its six-episode run. We still know very little of what to expect from the series. So, it’ll be interesting to see what other Funkos are heading our way in the upcoming weeks.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

June 7, 2021
Kevin Feige Teases the Importance of Disney+’s ‘Loki’ for the MCU’s Future

Finally, the long wait is about to end as Marvel Studios’ next Disney+ series is about to premiere this Wednesday. Loki will introduce the world to the Time Variance Authority and the return of the beloved God of Mischief. We’ve all been wondering how the exploration of time travel may affect the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward and it looks like their next series will do exactly that. In an interview with Empire. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that Loki might be the most important of the series so far.

It’s tremendously important. It perhaps will have more impact on the MCU than any of the shows thus far. What everybody thought about WandaVision, and was sort of true, and The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, which was sort of true, is even more sort of true for Loki.

The introduction of the TVA is a considerable indicator that the multiverse is only truly opening up. There have been concerns about how these shows would affect the bigger picture and it seems that the upcoming series will do exactly that. Feige also hints at how Tom Hiddleston’s character will change throughout the six-episode run, as they want to use these series to let their characters grow in new and unexpected ways. So, here’s hoping we might see more of the trickster god in the future, especially with the uncertainty if he might return in a film as well. Of course, the introduction of Variants and the upcoming What If series could also be a good indicator that the MCU might tackle a lot of new perspectives from across the multiverse.

Source: Empire

June 7, 2021
New ‘WHAT IF…?’ Lego Leak Reveals the Name of Steve Rogers’ Iron Man Armor

With 2 months to go until Marvel Studios first MCU-based animated series, What If…?, hits Disney Plus, the leaks are coming fast and furious. A recent lego leak gave us some info about a new, Sakarrian Iron Man armor that we’re likely to see in an episode and, now, another leak connects to one of the earliest pieces of concept art we saw for the series. According to 1414falcon fan, Lego will be releasing a “Captain Britain and The Hydra Stomper” set.

We can confirm that Rogers’ suit, which will be built by Howard Stark, is called the Hydra Stomper and is necessary for Steve to head into combat. Rumors have swirled that the Captain Britain episode will be the first to air though that has yet to be confirmed. We’re also still waiting for an official announcement from Disney as to when the series will hit their streaming service. It was reported earlier this week that the series would debut on August 6th, but Disney quickly retracted the information saying only that it was still on schedule to stream in August.

What If…? will take fans through key events from the Marvel Cinematic Universe while reimagining them in major ways. The series will be told from the perspective of Uatu, the Watcher, voiced by Jeffrey Wright, and will see most of the cast of the MCU returning to voice their characters.

June 4, 2021
REPORT: First Details on Black Widow’s ‘What If’ Post-Apocalyptic Episode

It looks like we are getting some more information on the upcoming What If series heading to Disney+ this summer. After recently offering the first details on the Thor-centric episode Illuminerdi is back revealing that Black Widow will be the focus of a post-apocalyptic storyline. It will explore a scenario where Ultron won the battle against the Avengers and his meteor ended up changing Earth forever. Natasha Romanoff will be one of the few survivors. This report matches up with leaks from April that offered a glimpse at Ultron, who seemed to be donning a cape. It is still unclear if James Spader is returning to voice the iconic robot in the episode. Still, this may be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of the Wasteland, which was the focus for various iconic Marvel Comic storylines such as Future Imperfect and Old Man Logan.

It’s a really creative concept for an episode that highlights how unique each episode might end up being. We know that one will have T’Challa become Star-Lord and another that introduces the Marvel Cinematic Universe to zombies. We still don’t know how this franchise might tie together throughout the season and may even have a relevant role as the multiverse expands. We could get some cameos from these characters in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Marvel Studios’ first animated series still has no official release date but seems to be eyeing a release in August. Here’s hoping we get a trailer once Loki premieres next week

Source: Illuminerdi

June 3, 2021
‘She-Hulk’ Offers First Look at Mark Ruffalo in Latest Set Photos

Marvel Studios has been busy working on their various Disney+ shows and it seems that their latest entry has just entered production. Actress Anais Almonte took to Facebook to share a few images from the She-Hulk set that offer us a small glimpse of what they are working on. The picture includes a look at Mark Ruffalo, who is in full mo-cap gear. He most likely will return to play Professor Hulk, who was introduced in Avengers: Endgame but there is no look yet at the titular heroine, who is played by Tatiana Maslany. We did get a brief glimpse of her around a month ago when the series slowly started production.

The set photos don’t reveal too much, but it does showcase the film’s production title Clover, which was revealed in Production Weekly a few months ago. It is uncertain which role Almonte has in the series, but she could play a minor role or even act as a double for another character. We still know very little about the series’ plot and which direction they might be heading with the character. Here’s hoping we get some of her fourth wall breaking that mixes up the way we see the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Anyone involved with Marvel is under are under strict NDAs until the series’ releases. So, it’s quite surprising she released these images online as they are still working on the Disney+ series. We’ll see how long she’ll be able to keep those on her Facebook page. Either way, it is great to get a glimpse at the series production.

Source: Facebook, Production Weekly

June 3, 2021
Theory Thursday: Exploring ‘Eternals’ Anime and Manga Inspirations

Following her historic win at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and Oscars for her directorial work on Nomadland, all eyes are on the Academy-Award-winning director Chloé Zhao. She will deliver what could very well be a heavy Award Season contender for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Regardless, fans are definitely in for what could very well be one of the most original cinematic experiences the MCU has ever produced. In an interview with Variety, she discussed some of the inspirations for her work on Eternals.

Jack Kirby and his imagination, his incredible work, is really the foundation of it. On top of that, there is what Marvel Studios has built, this incredible journey they have going on. And then on top of that is me as a fan of the MCU. And then, me as a fan of the genre, but also growing up with sci-fi and manga and fantasy films. And how can we have this big melting pot and cook up something that may just taste a little bit different? It was just an exciting thing; all of us went in wanting to do that. We’ll see.

That particular quote teases a visual feast that will arrive in theaters this November. The combination of Jack Kirby‘s original designs with modern manga and sci-fi adaptations through the lens of Zhao sounds like an incredible visual experience. The one element that stands out amongst these components is the reference to the Japanese comic. Manga and its animated counterpart, Anime, aren’t always mentioned by directors as an inspiration. So, why don’t we take a look at what may be the potential inspiration that lends Eternals a unique visual style?

Neon Genesis Evangelion

The concept art for the god-like Celestials instantly reminded me of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The Celestial seems to have an uncanny resemblance to the EVA mechs from the anime and could’ve been how they will bring these larger-than-life beings to live-action. Pacific Rim did something similar by grounding its camera work and immerse viewers into the scenery of giant mechs fighting giant Kaiju. Zhao may have taken a similar approach to make the Celestials stand out even more. The iconic anime may also inspire the Marvel Studio film’s story. Evangelion‘s protagonists, who pilot the titular mechs, take on an onslaught of Kaiju-based creatures known as Angels. These creatures are creations by the first race of beings of the universe. They are simply known as the Seeds of Life. In Eternals, the alien race faces off against an evil race only known as “Deviants.” These inhuman-looking creatures were also created by the Celestials in the comics. Notice the similarities between the two?

Berserk

Now, there is one Berserk. The series’ protagonist, Guts, could very well be the character template for Kit Harrington‘s Dane Whitman. He is also better known by comic fans as the Black Knight. Apart from them being expert swordsmen, these characters exist in a moral grey area. Overall, they are portrayed as heroic characters but have committed acts that would be considered ethically wrong, especially by modern sensibilities. It can’t be easy for a normal man to live among god-like entities and their ongoing war with strange inhuman monsters. A character like this would introduce an interesting dynamic to the MCU that questions what it means to be a hero. It could make Eternals stand out even more once it drops in theaters this coming November.

Source: Variety

June 3, 2021
Michael Waldron Praises Sam Raimi’s Work on ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand, as Loki explores the effects of time travel and Doctor Strange ventures out into the multiverse. Vanity Fair sat down with writer Michael Waldron, who worked on both projects, to gain some insight into how he worked on the project. Luckily, he offered some insight into the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel, which had quite the bumpy ride up until now.

Originally, Scott Derrickson was going to direct and write the film alongside his writing partner C. Robert Cargill. He left due to creative differences but remained on board as a producer for the film. Then Marvel Studios announced that Evil Dead and Spider-Man director Sam Raimi joined the project. Waldron revealed that he had to rewrite the script from scratch and worked closely with the director on its script. In the before-mentioned interview, the writer teased Raimi‘s influence on the film:

I can tell you that it’s a ride…very Sam Raimi. The film is incredibly visually thrilling. John Mathieson our DP, who shot Gladiator and Logan — I think the look of it is going to be unlike anything you’ve seen in the MCU before.

It truly feels like Marvel Studios is exploring new ways to expand their cinematic offerings. Taika Waitti added his own visual flourishes to the Thor franchise and it seems Raimi will do the same. Doctor Strange is a franchise that has no visual restrictions and may offer a lot of opportunities to create a distinct visual style, especially as it expands into the multiverse. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long for the trailer in the coming months to get a glimpse of the multiverse.

Source: CinemaBlend, Vanity Fair

June 3, 2021