Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’: Post-Credits Scenes Explained

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’: Post-Credits Scenes Explained

    Marvel Studios has returned with another movie, which means another round of exciting post-credits scenes that fans can theorize on for years to come. Thor: Love and Thunder, like many of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films before it, features two extra tags at the end of it’s runtime. The first of these teases continues the tradition of introducing surprising new characters after the credits roll, while the second brings back a familiar face to put a nice little bow on the fourth Thor story. As always, there’s quite a bit to break down, so sit back and relax your brain while we do the work and explain what exactly is going on in those signature Marvel stingers.

    Enter: Hercules

    Well, if you’ve made it this far, you probably already know that Brett Goldstein is Marvel’s Hercules. About halfway through Love and Thunder‘s credits, the Ted Lasso star pops up as the Greek Prince of Power in a surprise reveal. The scene acts as a continuation of an earlier sequence in the movie where Chris Hemsworth‘s Thor confronts Russell Crowe‘s Zeus for refusing to act on the rise of Gorr the God Butcher, a conversation that would ultimately result in Zeus’ very public humiliation in Omnipotence City. After the chat between both Thunder Gods turns sour, a physical conflict begins, and Thor’s best buddy Korg is seemingly struck down by Zeus’ powerful lightning bolt. Korg turns out to be alive, but that doesn’t stop an enraged Thor from catching Zeus’ next bolt and chucking it right back to where it came from. The bolt goes through Zeus’ chest, and the renowned leader topples silently from his regal perch.

    The mid-credits scene lets the audience know that Zeus is not dead, but is instead plotting his revenge on Thor while recovering from his wound. To do this, he enlists the aid of his son, Hercules. Following a dramatic monologue in which Zeus laments the lack of fear modern mortals have for gods, he asks Hercules to find Thor and prove that the gods are still a force to be reckoned with. The camera then cuts to Goldstein standing up in full comic book Hercules attire, complete with flowing chest hair and his fun little club weapon.

    The character has long been rumored to be making his MCU debut in Phase Four, and Love and Thunder was such a perfect place for the entrance to happen it’s almost shocking it didn’t occur in the main story. In the comics, Hercules has encountered Thor many times, at first as an enemy but eventually as a longtime friend. When the two first meet, Thor is searching for Olympus alongside his brother Loki on a mission of peace, but Hercules’ natural desire to prove his strength leads to initial conflict. In fact, the concept of Herc and Thor duking it out to prove who is stronger would become a recurring thread in their relationship. Despite actually becoming quick pals, a friendly rivalry would remain for the rest of their days. As Herc himself would eventually say in Tony Isabella‘s Champions #1; “Whatever Thor canst do – Hercules can accomplish more mightily!“

    The MCU’s introduction of the character implies a potential Thor 5 plot might revolve around Hercules and the Greek gods clashing with Thor and his Asgardian comrades. However, as previously mentioned, these two entities are often more in line with each other than they are in opposition. Not long after Hercules meets Thor, the former is tricked by the Enchantress into visiting Earth and attacking the Avengers. He’s swiftly snapped out of it, but his actions anger Zeus and, like Thor before him, he’s banished from his home on Olympus and forced to live among the mortals. Hercules then becomes an on-and-off member of the Avengers, later co-founding his own team called the Champions, and creating a new life for himself on Earth and pulling away from the Hercules known in Greek mythology.

    Perhaps the post-movie setup is actually for a future team-up where Hercules attacks Earth’s Mightiest Heroes before having a change of heart, ultimately being banished by Zeus for not fulfilling his mission and becoming a regular mainstay of the MCU Avengers. Or, maybe, his assault on Thor will only last briefly, before the two partner up to take on a bigger threat. The duo have confronted massive villains like the Chaos King Amatsu-Mikaboshi and Herc’s Uncle Pluto together in the past. There’s a good chance one of those baddies lines up against the “God Squad” of Herc and Thor in another solo adventure down the line.

    Valkyrie: Jane Foster

    Once the credits have been completed, fans are treated to a short scene that could serve to either wrap up Dr. Jane Foster’s MCU story or open the door to an entirely new chapter. In Love and Thunder‘s final moments, Jane uses a crumbling Mjolnir to entrap the blade of Gorr’s God-slaying sword and destroy it for good. This effectively defeats the God Butcher and saves the lives of all gods, but it also robs Foster of the only thing keeping her alive. After her sacrifice, Jane dies contently in the arms of Thor, knowing the universe has been made a better place for everyone. The post-credits reveal that Jane, having died an Asgardian hero, has been granted access to an afterlife in Valhalla.

    She’s welcomed to life-after-death by Idris Elba’s Heimdall, who previously perished in battle against Thanos and the Black Order. He’s happy to see Jane, who saved the life of his son after he was kidnapped by Gorr, and welcomes her to a post-mortem existence as both a warrior and a friend. The pair walk off together, gladly embracing whatever Valhalla may have in store for them. If Marvel so chooses, this could be the perfect ending to the tale of Jane Foster, especially if actress Natalie Portman decides she’s done with the superhero gig forever. However, it could also be teeing up an adaptation of a very recent comic run from legendary Thor scribe Jason Aaron.

    Still ongoing at the time of this publication, Valkyrie: Jane Foster tells the story of Foster after she loses the power of The Mighty Thor. Forced to sacrifice a crumbling Mjolnir in a last-ditch effort to save the universe, Jane is blessed with the powers of a Valkyrie and becomes the first in a new generation of Asgard’s most elite group. She then accepts help from a recently deceased Heimdall, ultimately using her newfound abilities to aid a grieving Thor and take Heimdall’s spirit on one last adventure through the multiversal afterlife. Sound familiar? Love and Thunder establishes a close friendship, and possible romance, between Foster and Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie. It’s not far-fetched to think Val might find a way to bless Jane with Valkrior power in a future MCU project, and the post-credits scene perfectly sets up the new friendship between Foster and Heimdall. If Portman and Elba are both down for another outing, this story could be adapted as a sub-plot in Thor 5 or as a Valkyrie spin-off series on Disney+. After all, Kevin Feige and company really do love their series spin-offs these days.

    Source: Marvel

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Producer Teases a New Illuminati in the Main MCU

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Producer Teases a New Illuminati in the Main MCU

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has introduced the world to universe 838’s version of the Avengers, the Illuminati. While this universe hinted that they were the ones to take down Thanos, they were originally a secret organization in the comics. Most of its members were the smartest and most powerful members of each respective corner of the Marvel comics. Their introduction made some question if the main timeline would also feature the group.

    Luckily, Doctor Strange producer Richie Palmer has teased that their inclusion in the multiverse does not exclude a chance that the Illuminati will make a return at some point in the future. No, not the version that was killed at the hands of Wanda, as he hints that the main MCU could see their introduction one day.

    The Illuminati’s been a group we’ve wanted to introduce in our movies for years. They’re a secret organization that works off the grid. They do the things that the other groups like the Avengers wouldn’t be too happy about… To do it in an alternate universe in the Multiverse, was a really exciting thing because we get to meet a version of this group in this other universe, and then we still might get to see an Illuminati of our main MCU one day, which is also very exciting.

    Richie Palmer

    It would seem unlikely that Doctor Strange would join that group, or perhaps he felt a little inspired to do what they couldn’t do. Perhaps they go into a direction that sees the group already existing with members that are slowly recruiting throughout the next phase. It’ll be interesting to see where and how they might show up.

    Source: Disney+ via The Direct

  • ‘Madame Web’ Adds ‘The Upshaw’s Mike Epps

    ‘Madame Web’ Adds ‘The Upshaw’s Mike Epps

    It looks like the Madame Weeb film has added one more to its cast in the form of The Upshaws‘ Mike Epps. The upcoming project from Jessica Jones‘ S.J. Clarkson already added Dakota Johnson in the titular role joined by Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Emma Roberts, Tahar Rahim, and Celeste O’Connor. Little is known about the Spider-Man spinoff but there have been hints it might be Sony’s answer to Doctor Strange and actively a unique project under a different mask.

    There’s still a lot of uncertainty surrounding what exactly Sony’s endgame is with their various projects. We got a rather awkward post-credits sequence with Morbius meeting Vulture from the mainline MCU timeline. It’s never explained why he’s brought into a different dimension and perhaps they’ll use Madame Web’s connection to the Spider-Verse as a way to explain that very connection.

    The big question is also who is the Spider-Man of Sony’s universe. They seemingly hint that it’s not going to be Tom Holland, who still remains as part of the mainline MCU. So, perhaps they are bringing back a familiar face. Yet, they could also be adding someone new to take on the role, especially with the possibility of having Miles Morales take on the mantle. It’s only speculation but we’ll see if Madame Web might finally answer these questions.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Off to a Godly Start at the Domestic Box Office

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Off to a Godly Start at the Domestic Box Office

    Thor: Love and Thunder kicked off its opening weekend with a tdlyhunderous night of previews. The fourquel reportedly earned $29 million from Thursday previews, making it the second-best preview figure of the year behind another Marvel Studios flick, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That film, of course, pulled in $36 million from Thursday previews when it opened back in May.

    While Love and Thunder’s preview haul didn’t quite reach the heights of the Multiverse of Madness, $29 million was enough to serve as the fifth biggest preview night for a Marvel Cinematic Universe title. Other movies to earn more during preview nights were Avengers: Endgame with $60 million, Spider-Man: No Way Home with $50 million, Avengers: Infinity War with $39 million, and Multiverse of Madness. Recent projections had the film set to open between $140-$160 million stateside with an overall $300 million worldwide opening projected. 

    It remains to be seen whether critics impact the film’s overall box office performance, or if word of mouth helps to boost the film. After all, while critics have don’t seem to care for the film, audiences are responding to the latest Thor film much better with a current 85% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

    It is of note, though, that Love and Thunder’s preview haul was double that of Thor: Ragnarok’s back in 2017. That film brought in $14.5 million during its Thursday previews with the movie reaching $46.4 million on its opening day.

    Thor: Love and Thunder is now playing in theaters.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Almost Featured a Deadpool Dimension

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Almost Featured a Deadpool Dimension

    In the multiverse, anything is possible. When Doctor Strange was first teased to venture beyond his own dimension, we were excited to see how it comes together and what dimension he might visit. Surprisingly, the film showed restraint and focused on its main character’s development. Still, there were some unused ideas for dimensions, as revealed in the latest Assembled entry from Marvel Studios that offers a glimpse behind the scenes.

    In the latest episode, it offered a look behind the scenes at Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness alongside some concept art for a scrapped dimension that almost was. While most are simple and visually stunning, there is one that stands out quite a bit among them as it seems just features a variety of posters featuring Deadpool.

    via The Direct

    If you zoom in, you can see that it includes some comic covers and even the Deadpool 2 poster that featured Josh Brolin‘s Cable. So, we may have almost had a Deadpool inclusion inclusion after all even if it would’ve just been brief.

    via The Direct

    The concept art doesn’t really offer a glimpse of what the Deadpool dimension would’ve offered, but one could imagine a lot of people running around with Deadpool masks. Though it seems mostly like one side is filled to the brim with posters and nothing else, which could potentially just be used as a reference and is all they would’ve shown. The fun idea would’ve been for Deadpool to just throw on the posters as they fly by as he winks. We might never know what it was going to be, but it’s fun to speculate.

    Source: Disney Plus via The Direct

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Rumbles to Big International Opening

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Rumbles to Big International Opening

    Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder is off to a thunderous start overseas. According to Deadline, the fourth Thor film opened to an estimated $15.7 million across 17 international box office markets including Korea, Australia, Italy and Germany. While that is approximately 39% ahead of Thor: Ragnarok, that is actually slightly under (24%) Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ opening. 

    In Korea, Thor: Love and Thunder managed to open with $3.1 million. That gives it the 5th highest opening day during the pandemic era. While in Australia, the fourquel opened to an estimated $3 million. That would give it the 2nd highest opening day during the pandemic, as well as the highest opening day of 2022 to date and the 5th biggest all-time opening day for a Marvel Cinematic Universe film in Australia.

    As for Indonesia, the film managed to score the best opening day during the pandemic era with a reported $1.6 million. In Italy, Love and Thunder took in an estimated $1.4 million giving it the 3rd highest opening day of the pandemic era, as well as the 2nd biggest opening of 2022. While Germany saw the film open to $1.2 million for the 4th highest opening during the pandemic era.

    Thor: Love and Thunder officially opens stateside tomorrow, while there are preview screenings underway as of today. Preview numbers should be unveiled tomorrow, helping to provide a better estimate for the marvelous film’s box office projections. As it stands, though, Love and Thunder is expected to open around $300 million at the worldwide box office this weekend.

    Source: Deadline

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

    ‘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

  • Murphy’s Team-Up Volume 21: Dream Director for Marvel Studios ‘Fantastic Four’

    Murphy’s Team-Up Volume 21: Dream Director for Marvel Studios ‘Fantastic Four’

    Nicole Sobon on Deborah Chow

    My pick to helm Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four film would be Deborah Chow. While someone like Peyton Reed, who has expressed his interest in helming a Fantastic Four film, would seem like a more ideal choice, Chow’s star has rightfully been on the rise in recent years. The director earned her first credit thanks to a short titled Daypass in 2002. She then followed it up with a short titled The Hill in 2004, followed by her first feature with 2010’s The High Cost of Living. It wasn’t until she stepped in to direct an episode of Copper that Chow truly launched her career in television. Like most, she built her resume by directing episodes of multiple CW shows, but once she stepped into the Marvel universe – courtesy of Netflix – Chow really proved that she had the ability to deliver something impressive. One has to imagine it was her work on shows like Jessica Jones and Iron Fist that ultimately led to her being hired to helm episodes on The Mandalorian before landing Obi-Wan Kenobi. Giving Chow the chance to shine on a big feature film such as Fantastic Four would be a pretty fantastic move. Obi-Wan proved Chow has the chops to play in a larger playground, it’s just a matter of giving her the chance to shine on a big-budget feature.  

    Jared Kirschenbaum on Justin Lin

    The Fantastic Four can be defined by a single word: family. And if anyone is qualified for the task of ushering Marvel’s first family into the MCU, it’s Justin Lin – the director who made The Fast and the Furious into the massive franchise it is today. Lin helmed 5 Fast and Furious films (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast and Furious, Fast Five, Fast and Furious 6, and F9: The Fast Saga), so he knows his way around a big-studio blockbuster. However, it was Lin’s vision for the Fast and Furious films that transformed them from a streetcar racing movie series to a high-stakes global adventure series centered on a multicultural found family. Additionally, if a director’s time on the show Community is any indication of how well they’d do in the MCU, then Justin Lin should have no trouble directing Fantastic Four. Like the Russo Brothers, who are responsible for some of the all time greatest MCU films, Lin found great success on Community. Lin directed 3 episodes of the show, including the first paintball-centric episode “Modern Warfare”, one of the show’s best. With all of that, combined with his work on Star Trek Beyond, which had a vast ensemble acting as a surrogate family and reintroduced the series to its 60’s sci-fi roots of exploration and adventure, Justin Lin almost seems tailor-made to direct Fantastic Four.

    Hunter Radesi on The Daniels

    The Fantastic Four aren’t your average superheroes, and they deserve a pair of directors who aren’t so average either. The Daniels shocked the world this year with the release of their hit film Everything, Everywhere All at Once, crafting an incredibly entertaining tale about a family surviving their way through the unpredictable unknown. This is more or less exactly what a good Fantastic Four adaptation needs to be. Previous attempts at bringing Marvel’s First Family to life have failed in understanding the group thrives more on adventure than they do super heroics. The best tales typically involve Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny exploring the far reaches of space and time on some sort of wacky mission, not fighting thugs on the streets of New York. Kevin Feige and company would be smart to hedge their bets on an indie duo with a mastery in mixing outright weird with downright emotional.

    João Pinto on Alex Garland

    The upcoming Fantastic Four feature film will undoubtedly shape the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for years to come. Marvel Studios seems to be taking its time when it comes to the introduction of Marvel’s First Family and that alone shows us just how pivotal the project is set to become. Another aspect differentiating this project from most other recent MCU offerings is that the director’s chair is likely to be given to a more established director within the industry.

    With the sheer volume of MCU projects that Marvel Studios is putting out each year, it comes with little surprise how Kevin Feige doesn’t want to have to oversee a shoot of this magnitude himself, thus allowing him to pay more attention to several other, smaller scale, projects.

    This shortens the list of possible directors, as many big names might not want to focus their energies on a sci-fi franchise, and those who would might not be the most accomplished of the bunch. One name that does come to mind, with an impeccable track record both in terms of writing and directing as well as being immensely versed in high-concept sci-fi, is that of British writer and filmmaker Alex Garland.

    Garland, known for his work in Ex-Machina, Annihilation, and the fantastic miniseries Devs (as well as his contributions to 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, Sunshine and Dredd) would surely bring the inventiveness of his approach to science fiction into the MCU, something a Fantastic Four feature film feels like the perfect vehicle for. He has the track record within the industry to be able to lead such a project and the creative freedom Feige is willing to give whoever ends up with the job could perhaps sit well with Garland, that is known to enjoy being in almost complete creative control of his directorial endeavors as he has written all five of them.

    Charles Murphy on Steven Spielberg

    As they’ve expanded from 3 movies per year to 4 movies and 3-4 streaming projects per year, Marvel Studios has had to learn on the fly. As it should be, learning is continuous and one lesson learned by Kevin Feige over the last year is that unlike Evelyn Quan Wang (now you see why this one falls in line after Hunter’s!), he cannot be EVERYWHERE all at once. Feige learned that lesson by finding someone he felt comfortable relinquishing some day-to-day control to on set in Sam Raimi. And that discovery has emboldened Feige to shoot for the stars as he looks to replace Jon Watts on Fantastic Four. If Feige is looking for a seasoned, successful person to usher the First Family into the MCU, he need look no further than Steven Spielberg. Spielberg can wear all the hats required to keep a production up and running, has proven his mastery of the sci-fi, action and humanistic genres and is comfortable working with any mix of practical effects and CGI.

    Spielberg is a big fan of superhero films, with Marvel Studios Guardians of the Galaxy apparently at the top of of list (at least at one time). He was keen on working with DC on an adaptation of Blackhawk, but while the project is reportedly still alive, Spielberg’s attachment to it is now unclear. Imagine a high-concept sci-fi film (Minority Report) that captures a sense of adventure (Raiders of the Lost Ark) and explores the unknown (Close Encoutners of the Third Kind) while keeping the focus on family (The Goonies) and you have what a true Fantastic Four film should be. And if you don’t think big name actors won’t be lining up to work with Spielberg on a Marvel Studios project, you aren’t paying attention.

    MTF III on Rian Johnson

    In Rian Johnson, Marvel wouldn’t just be getting a director with an art house sensibility who has experience within a mega-franchise, were they to choose him for Fantastic Four. The Star Wars: The Last Jedi director has demonstrated both the sci-fi bona fides (see Looper) and the ability to juggle a large ensemble with a wide range of character types (see Knives Out and its forthcoming sequel). And while we don’t know yet who will be cast to play Reed Richards, Johnson’s previous work with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (one of my top choices) shows that he can offer audiences a more cerebral protagonist than the standard wise-cracking square-jawed lead.

    His Fantastic Four would have a smart, brisk script, visual flourishes (who could forget the Holdo Maneuver shot or the salt planet battle in The Last Jedi), and emotional depth, while still slipping in physical and situational humor. Admittedly, it wouldn’t be saccharine and sweet, as Johnson is always aware of and in dialogue with the genres he employs. He wouldn’t replicate the 1960’s-style exploratory science fiction of a Lost in Space or Doctor Who without also infusing it with self-awareness and recognition of how their familiar tropes have been employed, so that he can subvert them. And in my opinion, the key to a truly great Fantastic Four project in the 2020s will be a willingness to interrogate and subvert well-worn and traditional archetypes, so that modern audiences can engage with them on a deeper level. Johnson has shown the ability to do that, all while still making crowd-pleasing blockbusters.

    Torbjorn Frazier on Peyton Reed

    Something to consider for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Fantastic Four is that Kevin Feige and co. may want to play it safe with what could become the MCU’s flagship franchise and go with a more conventional take on the team for the first film. And with that in mind, Peyton Reed would be a logical choice to direct. First and foremost, it is known that Reed was involved with the creation of a Fantastic Four film in the early 2000s that never made it past development hell, so he at minimum has some sort of vision for these characters. Before discussing his involvement with Marvel Studios already, Reed’s direction of the season two finale of The Mandalorian showed that he has the ability to showcase characters and moments with great pathos that resonates greatly with audiences. And when it comes to the Ant-Man films, Reed has shown the ability to create relatable family dynamics that rank among the best in the MCU. Above everything else, Fantastic Four needs to establish the team as Marvel’s First Family, and I fully trust Peyton Reed to do that. And with Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania releasing in less than a year, we will finally get to see what Reed can do in a high-scope and high-concept project that could be critical for the future of the MCU. While not the most appealing to fans at first blush, I truly believe that Peyton Reed would be a serviceable pick for the first Marvel Studios-produced Fantastic Four film.

  • James Cameron Reveals Runtime for ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’

    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 

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Tessa Thompson on How Stan Lee Inspired Her Valkyrie

    ‘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.