20th Century Fox’s era with the X-Men license has been quite unique, as the franchise kicked off the modern superhero craze and also went through its own soft-reboot phase when X-Men: First Class took over. Technically, the project was a prequel to the original, it still added unique elements that were not referenced in the original trilogy. It was a way to get a new group of actors to take on some iconic roles.
James McAvoy famously took on the role of Charles Xavier with Michael Fassbender offering his talent to the role of Magneto. In a recent interview with GQ, McAvoy opened up on the one aspect that he would criticized of the original run as the films moved away further and further from the main dynamic introduced in First Class.
My biggest criticism of what we did throughout the four movies was that after the first movie, we didn’t take advantage of the relationship between [Xavier and Michael Fassbender’s Magneto], which really formed the backbone of the first film. So it was like, why did we just eject that massive weapon.
James McAvoy
When Bryan Singer returned with X-Men: Days of Future Past, the franchise built a stronger focus back to Wolverine that acted as a connective tissue between the past and future. Apocalypse did continue the storyline surrounding Magneto but kept him and Xavier far apart from each other for most of the film before we returned to another attempt at the Dark Phoenix storyline. Perhaps a new generation could further explore this dynamic.
Hollywood is going through a massive change once again, as another surprise development has shown its hands. Long-time Warner bros. collaborator, Legendary Entertainment has seemingly moved on and has a new partner in Sony Pictures. As such, the production company will distribute and market their films globally with Legendary East still handling China. It also means all home entertainment and TV distributions will be handled by their new partner.
This deal also marks an interesting development for their streaming ventures. Sony, unlike Warner Bros. and Disney, has no internal streaming service and simply works with those that exist in the market. As such, Legendary will continue to partner with streaming services for various productions, such as Enola Holmes that has found its home on Netflix. Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group’s Josh Greenstein and Sanford Panitch had the following to say on the deal:
’s a rare opportunity to partner in this mutually beneficial way with true pros, who are completely aligned in our theatrical commitment and vision for this business. The creative brilliance and power of Legendary is huge and we look forward to bringing their work to theaters across the world.
If you’re wondering what this means for the upcoming releases of Dune and the Monsterverse franchise, they are still with Warner Bros. Dune: Part Two is still set to release in November next year with WBD. Though, it’s unclear what this might mean for future entries moving forward, especially when former WarnerMedia head Jason Kilar released their films on HBO Max alongside its theatrical release. While Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong still were some of Warner Bros. most successful releases since the pandemic started, it left a bitter taste. Either way, Warner Bros. Discovery’s current development also may have led to this decision and Legendary is moving on.
The moment the announcement dropped that Avengers: Secret Wars was on the horizon, many were excited on who may make an appearance. Anyone is possible in the wide multiverse that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has opened, especially after seeing former Spider-Men Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield once again reprise their iconic roles in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Naturally, it also opened up a recurring question for anyone that got a chance to interview a Marvel legacy actor, such as what GQ did when they got a chance to sit down with former Professor X, James McAvoy. The actor had already been asked many times if he might appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
I’m very quick to say, ‘No, I’m done.’ Or ‘I’m not that bothered about coming back.’ Because you move forward. I’ve definitely not got the call. And if I did I would definitely not be telling you.
James McAvoy
The last part of the statement is quite funny, especially with how McAvoy has always been rather direct in his response, especially when the Doctor Strange rumors were making the rounds. Of course, it does seem quite early for them to cast anyone for Secret Wars, as the script has yet to be finalized. So, they may not reach out until they know who exactly they want to include, especially with an Avengers film that’ll likely include a wide amount of characters. So, not trying to bind anyone too early, especially if production might get postponed (you never know). It might still be some time until we get a firm grasp of what their plans are for this film.
In the last few months, plenty of news has come out about Sam Raimi’s now-legendary unmade sequel, Spider-Man 4. Thanks to a new book, Sean O’Connell’s With Great Power, fans received a heap of fresh information on what could have been with actor John Malkovich and his intended role, the villainous Vulture. The antagonist, who would end up being portrayed by Michael Keaton in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, was set to engage the film’s titular hero in multiple aerial set pieces, which likely would have made for some spectacular moments on the big screen. Unfortunately, all that’s ever been made public from those scenes are the original pieces of concept art, which at least gave Spider-Man diehards a decent idea of what Malkvoich’s Vulture would have looked like.
Now, in a surprising reveal, comic creator Ken Penders has taken to his social media to share some previously withheld images of the first live-action Vulture wings in all their practicality. In his tweets, Penders explains that a friend of his had been working on the Vulture suit before production on Spider-Man 4 was shut down, and Penders was lucky enough to check it out:
Before Tobey & Sam were bid adieu by Sony, work actually had begun on SPIDER-MAN 4, and I visited friends who were working on the Vulture's costume intended for actor John Malkovich. Once production shut down, all materials were turned in. I've sat on this for almost 15 years. pic.twitter.com/iY3VmzUrHI
My bad. It seems I DID have a pic where the John Malkovich body mold can clearly be seen as well as a pic showing the controls to manipulate the wings.The things one finds lying around on hard drives I haven't looked at for awhile & did so while searching for something else. pic.twitter.com/woInZs2KRN
The design seen in the images matches the recent revelation that Malkovich’s Vulture would have weaponized his mechanical wings and used the feathers as blades. They also give fans a better idea as to how the movie’s version of Adrian Toomes would have worn the suit and used it in battle against Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker. This may be the best look ever given at the real wings, and could end up being the best look anyone ever gets.
While high school settings have been popular in films for as long as anyone can remember, it has always been interesting in comparing how things have changed over the years. Darby and the Dead is the latest addition to the genre and while the main focus will be on the story focusing on a girl that can talk with a deceased popular girl, it’s also about exploring what it’s like to be in modern high school.
In the official press conference, actress Nicole Maines shared how they tried to explore this “high school environment” of today while still “breathing new life” into how the usual popular kids are seen.
I feel like what brings this movie into the realm of being the Clueless or the Mean Girls or the next Heathers is it very, like Genneya said, accurately depicts what the high school environment is today. And I think that is breathing new life into what we think of as the popular girls or the popular kids.
Nicole Maines
She also goes on to talk about how this film focuses on having the top dogs of this high school come from “marginalized communities” which further reflects modern high schools and adds something refreshing.
And I think that what this film does spectacularly, and what is groundbreaking about it is that it showcases diverse and marginalized communities, particularly women, thriving and existing at the top of the food chain, which we never get to do. And now we’re seeing them as top dogs, and it’s really refreshing to see. And it was really refreshing and exciting to get to be a part of that. And to get to be the top dog for a second. It was a little fun.
Nicole Maines
There’s always the challenge of making something familiar feel fresh and new, especially as the world around us continues to change and diversify. So, it does seem like it was a core focus in this project especially while still exploring that anyone can be on any part of the food chain of high school.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is now the next Marvel Studios film up to continue the franchise. Accordingly, we are seeing plenty of news bits here and there about the upcoming film which will feature potential Multiverse Saga Big Bad Kang the Conquerer.
In case you haven’t had a chance to see Black Panther: Wakanda Forever yet, here’s a spoiler warning for one of the biggest moments in the film.
Watching Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been quite an emotional experience, as you can feel that this film acts as a way for the cast and crew to digest the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman. At the end of the film, not only does Shuri finally find a way to digest her grief but also uses it as a way to move on as Wakanda’s new Black Panther. Yet, that wasn’t the only big moment when the credit rolled and we were introduced to Nakia and T’Challa’s son, Prince T’Challa.
This moment felt like something that pays tribute to their late friend while also building up the feeling that T’Challa lives on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; perhaps just not in the direct recasting way that some usually expect. Still, it was a powerful moment that definitely will stick with many after the final credits have rolled. Surprisingly, it does seem like this wasn’t something added after Boseman‘s passing but has been part of the script but the way he was revealed has changed according to film’s co-writer, Joe RobertCole.
T’Challa had a child in a previous iteration of the script prior to Chad’s passing. Him having a child was always in the DNA of what we wanted to do. We just weren’t sure, after he passed, about the best way to incorporate him. So there were various iterations of his son being in our new story. And we finally landed on the reveal at the end. There was a point where I think when Ramonda [Angela Bassett] goes to Haiti, we had talked about potentially having him be revealed there. So we knew we wanted him to be a part of the movie in some way, and landed, I think, on the best possible version.
Joe Robert Cole
It’s really interesting to find out that he’s always been part of the film’s script but there never was a clear point when they wanted to introduce him. The fact that they kept him for th ened was the most fitting, especially with how emotional it makes the reveal once we see for the first time. It was especially fitting that he carries on his father’s name which may be something they added later on potentially. Still, T’Challa lives on in more ways than one.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever made a big deal out of who would take over the mantle moving forward, as director Ryan Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole decided to honor their friend Chadwick Boseman by having his character T’Challa face a similar fate. The film has become a way for many to cope with the events that happened and the film became a beautiful tribute to grief and having memories of loved ones live on in our minds.
Of course, there’s the challenge of finding who would carry on the mantle, and the film would eventually settle on Letitia Wright‘s Shuri. It makes sense given that she’s the next one in line for the throne, and is the only one that can recreate the herb that gives the mantle its powers. Still, it seems that according to Cole, they have played around with some others taking on the mantle, such s Winston Duke‘s M’Baku.
We would kick around the ideas, and try to extrapolate where the story goes and what’s the most impactful choice — what’s the best journey? And where do you go after the film in terms of those characters. M’Baku certainly was someone that got kicked around a little bit. I think you’re correct because in the comics, Shuri is Black Panther and there’s a natural organicness, I guess is the best way to say it, to her becoming Panther. But you kick the tires on all sorts of ideas. And you just want to make the best decision and do what’s best for the story.
Joe Robert Cole
He does highlight that they also have considered passing the mantle to Lupita N‘yongo‘s character Nakia but settled on the more fitting decision to have the Black Panther remain in the family. They went through quite a few ideas early on, but the film also keeps the door open for someone else that can take it on in the future. And who knows what the future has in store, as we’re still in the Multiverse Saga that might feature some others wearing the mantle.
This year’s Thanksgiving box office was less than stellar with the new titles struggling to pull in audiences. Strange World, Disney’s latest animated film, was originally projected to earn around $30 million over the holiday weekend. Instead, the film looks to have debuted with just $18.6 million, which would make for one of the worst openings for an animated Disney film in modern times. The film, of course, had a poor CinemaScore working against it – having earned a B CinemaScore – a first for Disney Animation – and poor word of mouth from audiences.
It also didn’t help that the movie had to compete with Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which came in at number one for the third weekend in a row. That film managed to secure $64 million in its third outing, bringing its worldwide haul to an impressive $675 million so far.
The only other new releases this weekend were Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which saw a limited theatrical release from Netflix, and Devotion. While insiders believe Glass Onion pulled in around $12-$13 million this weekend, that figure is not expected to be counted on any official box-office charts. As for Devotion, the film is expected to pull in $9 million for the weekend, while The Menu is expected to pull in $7.4 million in its second outing.
Darby and the Dead is a new high school comedy that adds a new spin. As the name implies, it’s not just about a young teenager surviving high school, but her former bully suddenly dies and she’s stuck trying to help her pass on to the next life. It’s a creative premise and looks to be a promising new take on the classic film type.
During the official press conference for the Hulu Original, actresses Kylie Lyia Page, Nicole Maines, and Auli’i Cravalho got a chance to tease the inspirations of how they brought their characters to life in the Hulu Original. Page highlighted the rather obvious Mean Girls, but also Bring It IOn as inspirations on trying to bring their “popular girl” personas to life in the film.
I think Mean Girls is definitely one. I mean, just that’s easy, you know, we’re a group of four girls. You know, we’re at the top of the food chain. We’re cheerleaders, so a little bit of Bring It On in there. And Clueless for sure.
Kylie Lyia Page
Maines also went on to highlight that it wasn’t only the way they approached the dynamic in their friend’s group, but also that it heavily inspired their wardrobe. So, they had quite a few references to keep an eye out for in what the characters wear throughout the film’s runtime.
Even our wardrobe tried to give nods to different films that we loved, and yeah, ‘cause we wanted to just make a, like, a fresh take on the classics that we grew up with.
Nicole Maines
There are many iconic films that explored this familiar setting too many, and they do hint that while it’s inspired by classics, the film is mainly a more modern take to represent how high school looks for students living it currently. Here’s just hoping that no poor soul can see the dead while trying to live through the
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