Tag: Movie News

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Set Tour Reveals a Clever Infinity Gauntlet Easter Egg

We’re just a day away from Thor: Love and Thunder finally hitting theaters. There’s still a lot we don’t know about the upcoming film but with reviews at a strong 72% on Rotten Tomatoes, it does seem like we’re in for a fun ride once again from the crazy mind that is Taika Waititi. In a new fun set visit from Entertainment Tonight featuring Chris Hemsworth and Waititi showing off the set that is the backdrop of New Asgard. In it, he reveals a fun Thanos Easter egg

In the background, we can see an ice cream store in New Asgard titled “Infinity Conez” with the Infinity Gauntlet sticking out of the building. If you look closely in the video, we can even see that the Infinity Stones are stuck in the ice cream cone it is holding. While it’s surprising anyone would try to market their store based on the one thing that destroyed half of all life in the universe, but it’s a fun idea nonetheless.

There are also a lot of fun details included such as the logo for Infinity being designed after the Avengers movie logo. Who knows what else might be included in New Asgard, as the city became quite the tourist attraction. Who wouldn’t want to visit the location where the God of Thunder lived, one of the men that would save the planet from a threat unlike any other. Perhaps they have a place to chop off Thanos’s head with a fake Stormbreaker for kids to have something to do while visiting.

Source: Entertainment Tonight

July 6, 2022
‘The Walking Dead’ Cinematographer Joins Sony’s ‘Madame Web’, Hints at Marvel Studios’ Involvement

Sony has been busy preparing work on their upcoming Madame Web film, which will see an all-star cast consisting of Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Emma Roberts, and Isabela Merced. Jessica Jones‘ S.J. Clarkson will spearhead the project and direct the film based on a screenplay by Kerem Sanga, Matt Sazaa, and Burk Sharpless. Now, it seems that The Walking Dead cinematographer Duane Charles Manwiller has not only confirmed his involvement but added someone else’s as well.

Manwiller has seemingly added to his Instagram account that he is actively working on the latest Spider-Man spinoff film from Sony that will likely not feature the webhead. After Venom, Morbius and the still in-production Kraven the Hunter, Sony has been trying to get its own franchise running. Yet, which might surprise many, Manwiller may have hinted that Marvel Studios is also involved with the production.

There have been rumors that Olivia Wilde‘s unconfirmed Spider-Woman film would also be co-produced by Marvel Studios, as she hinted at Kevin Feige‘s involvement. Perhaps he’s started taking a more active role in these projects, but there’s no real confirmation on how the project will come together. If it is indeed under Marvel studios’ umbrella, we’ll likely get the logo included with the official reveal. Yet, there’s also a chance he simply added it in as it seemed to be part of the co-production that Tom Holland is leading.

Source: Instagram

July 6, 2022
Marvel Studios President Always Believed Natalie Portman Would Return “If It Was An Interesting Role”

When Natalie Portman moved away from the Marvel Cinematic Universe after her work on Thor: The Dark World had seemingly ended her working relationship with Marvel Studios. At least, that’s how the world viewed her exit from the franchise for many years. Many were surprised when she walked on stage to take on the mantle of Mighty Thor for Thor: Love and Thunder and it seems that Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige, never saw it as a split.

Kevin Feige highlighted in the interview with Empire that the external perspectives of Natalie Portman having exited the Marvel Cinematic Universe “didn’t feel that way to [him].” He goes on to highlight that “it was [his] impression that if it was an interesting role, she would be game.” There also wasn’t truly a story that seemed like the perfect time to bring her back, which wouldn’t be until

Director Taika Waititi pitched the idea directly to Natalie Portman and was a big part of bringing her back to the franchise. It also wasn’t something he set out to include initially, but just developed while writing the story. So, we’re lucky that he had the inspiration o bring back the iconic character and give Portman‘s Jane Foster another run to give her something to work with. Here’s hoping it may also et up many more stories to come in the future giving us a look at how Mighty Thor finds her place within the MCU.

Source: Empire via The Direct

July 5, 2022
James Cameron Reveals Runtime for ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’

Audiences should prepare for another long-form entry in the return to the Avatar franchise at the end of this year. Avatar: The Way of Water is currently slated to have a run-time of around three hours according to director James Cameron. This comes after the original 2009 film held a run-time of approximately two hours and forty minutes. And with this gargantuan length to the project, Cameron has been very opinionated in being firmly antagonistic towards those who feel negative about this.

I don’t want anybody whining about length when they sit and binge-watch [television] for eight hours. I can almost write this part of the review. ‘The agonizingly long three-hour movie…’ It’s like, give me a fucking break. I’ve watched my kids sit and do five one-hour episodes in a row. Here’s the big social paradigm shift that has to happen: it’s okay to get up and go pee.
James Cameron

And despite the original film being the highest-grossing of all time (unadjusted for inflation) having earned $2.84 billion at the box office, James Cameron also has gone out of his way to be vocal in his ardent disdain towards those who generally have a negative perception of the original Avatar film.

The trolls will have it that nobody gives a shit and they can’t remember the characters’ names or one damn thing that happened in the movie. Then they see the movie again and go, ‘Oh, okay, excuse me, let me just shut the fuck up right now.’ So I’m not worried about that.
James Cameron

Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether or not Avatar: The Way of Water will successfully shut down the “trolls” or if Cameron is simply just providing more ammunition for those that disagree with his perspective.

Avatar: The Way of Water opens in theaters on December 16, 2022, and stars the likes of Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Kate Winslet.

Source: Variety

July 5, 2022
‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Tessa Thompson on How Stan Lee Inspired Her Valkyrie

All eyes have been on Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth as the leading Thors of Love and Thunder. Yet, we also have the returning Tessa Thompson as the wonderful Valkyrie. After taking over kingship following thor’s travel into space, she’s been quite busy and we’ll see a new version of the character. Thompson offered some insight during the official press conference into how she approached the character going in and what it means to be a hero.

It’s been really fun. I mean, the thing that I’ve really enjoyed about these films, and certainly I think something that Stan Lee talked a lot about, whether it’s a villain or a hero. The thing sometimes that connects them to their power, whether it’s used for good or bad, is actually their trauma.
Tessa Thompson

She also relates this approach when we first met Valkyrie in Thor Ragnarok, where she was down on her luck.

And so, when we first met Valkyrie, she had a tremendous amount of it, and she was dealing with that by drinking a lot. And for Taika and I, we talked a lot about, like, upending what it looks like…what a female superhero looks like. That you sort of have this moment where she comes out, and you think it’s gonna be sort of that badass thing. And then, she immediately falls over.
Tessa Thompson

She also highlights how the biggest challenge was bringing this character to life and letting a former soldier become a hero; even comparing herself to how Chris Hemsworth tackles it with Thor.

And that was really fun to both try to inhabit the spirit and the kind of physicality that it takes to be a hero, which is its own skill. It’s like, Chris is so tremendous at it. And you’re right. It’s not an easy thing to do. And that also, to allow her to be fun and sort of goofy. And it’s just been really nice.
Tessa Thompson

“Fun and sort of goofy” sounds exactly like what one can expect from a film directed by Taika Waititi. It’s definitely going to be interesting to see where her journey leads her and the trailers have offered a promising tease of what the future might have in store for Valkyrie as the King of Asgard.

July 5, 2022
Chris Pratt Praises James Gunn’s Work on ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

One of the most surprising successes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been the studio’s ability to draw from the far reaches of their intellectual property and turn those characters into household names. Perhaps the best example of this is the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, which has spawned into one of the most well-known groups in pop culture.

James Gunn‘s 2014 film has become a staple in the MCU and characters like Star-Lord and Gamora have played huge roles in the building of the universe. To say anticipation is high for the third installment, set to be released on May 5, 2023, is an understatement.

The ending of the trilogy has been teased by the cast and director as being quite emotional for some time now. Chris Pratt, who plays Star-Lord, was asked by Digital Spy in an interview about his thoughts on the third film while promoting his new Amazon series, The Terminal List.

Pratt had high praise for Gunn:

It’s fantastic. [Director] James Gunn just watched a rough assembly the other day. I called him yesterday. We Facetimed, and he’s very, very proud of the work that everyone’s done. He said it’s the best work all of us have ever done. He feels very, very confident. The script was amazing.
Chris Pratt

But Pratt didn’t stop there. He went on to make a bold claim about the upcoming film as well:

And I can say with utter confidence that he’s made a true masterpiece, and I just cannot wait for people to see it. It’s James Gunn. He did all three movies, which is really rare and really special in the world of big box-office trilogies.
Chris Pratt

What do you think? Will Vol. 3 be able to outrank the previous films? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Digital Spy

July 5, 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
‘Avatar’ 4 and 5 Might Not be Directed by James Cameron

The Avatar franchise is preparing to go full force in terms of expanding its presence on the cinematic landscape. Following more than a decade since the 2009 release of the original film, director James Cameron is bringing his vision back to the big screen with Avatar: The Way of Water releasing in December of this year. The sequel will be followed by another, untitled sequel scheduled for 2024. This is all part of Cameron’s lofty vision of creating a multi-film saga set in the same universe.

Though the team behind the franchise is hopeful for being able to produce the conclusion of this saga in the near future with fourth and fifth films being produced together, it may not be James Cameron helming these two installments. When speaking with Empire about the imminent release of Avatar: The Way of Water, the renowned director discussed the possibility that he might pass the reigns to another filmmaker for the next two-film chapter.

The Avatar films themselves are kind of all-consuming. I’ve got some other things I’m developing as well that are exciting. I think eventually over time – I don’t know if that’s after three or after four – I’ll want to pass the baton to a director that I trust to take over, so I can go do some other stuff that I’m also interested in. Or maybe not. I don’t know.
James Cameron

This feels like a surprising revelation based on how passionately James Cameron has spoken about and worked in the world of Avatar. Especially with it being the hypothetical end of the franchise, it’s hard to not see Cameron be the one to direct this conclusion. Even if he does step away from the director’s chair, Cameron would remain greatly passionate for what these films mean to him and would very likely still have large amounts of control over this world.

Everything I need to say about family, about sustainability, about climate, about the natural world, the themes that are important to me in real life and in my cinematic life, I can say on this canvas. I got more excited as I went along. Movie four is a corker. It’s a motherfucker. I actually hope I get to make it. But it depends on market forces. Three is in the can so it’s coming out regardless. I really hope that we get to make four and five because it’s one big story, ultimately.
James Cameron

Avatar: The Way of Water stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Kate Winslet, and Sigourney Weaver. The film is slated to open exclusively in theaters on December 16, 2022.

Source: Empire Online

July 4, 2022
‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ to Include Songs from Guns N’ Roses, ABBA, Dio, and More
As much as we love the soundtracks for the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, there’s also something great about hearing iconic songs as needle drop moments. Director Taika Waititi famously added Led Zeppelin‘s Immigrant Song into Thor: Ragnarok which added one of the film’s most iconic moments. Now, a new list has been revealed of twelve songs we can expect in his sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder, which includes ABBA, Guns N’ Roses, and so many more.
- Guns N’ Roses – Welcome to the Jungle
- Guns N’ Roses – Paradise City
- Ginger Johnson – Old Spice Sea Chanty
- ABBA – Our Last Summer
- Michael Raphael – Fighting
- Enya – Only Time
- Mary J. Blige – Family Affair
- Ciara – Goodies
- Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Guns N’ Roses – November Rain
- Dio – Rainbow in the Dark
It’s definitely quite the line-up that’ll surely be promising for those hoping to see the Thor fourquel offer the perfect atmosphere like the trailer. Guns N’ Roses seemed like a sure addition, as it’s been hinted at that it’s been an influence on the film’s general style and direction. It’s definitely looking to be one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s more stylized fares and if it hits the right notes, these needle drops may be stuck in our minds long after we leave the theaters.

Source: The Direct
July 3, 2022