Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • Theory Thursday: Victor Timely’s Time Has Come

    Theory Thursday: Victor Timely’s Time Has Come

    New information from insider Daniel RPK seems to have indicated that a Variant of Kang known as Victor Timely is set to make his debut in the MCU in 2023. Via his Patreon, Daniel RPK shared that Loki Season 2 will feature another new Variant of Jonathan Majors‘ Kang who is “an inventor from the past wanting to buy stuff from people to affect the future.” Though RPK added he could not confirm that this Variant will be Victor Timely, speculation about the character has revolved around that identity. This isn’t the first time the character’s name has come up, either, given that the insider teased a mention or appearance of Timely in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. Who is Victor Timely and why are so many fans sure this is him? Fascinating questions to which there are probably multiple great answers, to be sure, and while we can’t provide the correct answer we can theorize!

    Who is Victor Timely?

    Interior art from Avengers Annual #21(1992)

    Kang is a complex villain and the convoluted and continuous retconning of the character in the pages of Marvel Comics over the years has made a true understanding of him daunting. In one respect, that’s actually worked in the favor of those penning whatever the latest adventures of the character are because they can be as mysterious and crazy as they want given pretty much nobody knows exactly what went on with Kang to begin with and when time travel is involved, anything is possible…and that is the essence of Victor Timely.

    Victor Timely’s origins come from a retcon to Kang’s story first published in 1992’s Avengers Annual #21. The issue tells the story of what happened following Kang’s first defeat at the hands of the Avengers. Kang retreated to the past, where under the alias of Victor Timely he founded a city and rose to fame as an inventor and industrialist. His work as Timely quietly shaped the century while he built a fantastical and quasi-temporal base of operations, Chronopolis, from where he could access timelines that other versions of himself had conquered. On Earth, Timely worked from a location–complete with a door that transported him to Chronopolis–and his advancements in technology ultimately put his products into every robot, cyborg and computer, allowing him full access to nearly every piece of technology on the Earth.

    Why Does Victor Timely Make Sense for the MCU at This Point in Time?

    The short answer is time. One of the reasons fans debated whether or not Kang would make for an appropriate villain in the MCU is the convoluted nature of the character’s comic book past. Marvel Studios seems to have addressed that fairly well in Season 1 of Loki by indicating that He Who Remains was the victor of a Multiversal War among Kangs who has since spent his time pruning timelines and making sure that the Multiverse doesn’t come back into existence and bring Kang Variants back with it. When Sylvie killed He Who Remains, it set loose a chain reaction of events (the repercussions of which will be explored in Season 2 of Loki) including the emergence of an infinite number of Kangs. It’s all pretty confusing, but by the time Loki Season 2 comes around, the Kang Variant that we are theorizing to be Victor Timely will have already lived a life full of experiences and opportunities we are unlikely to see in full on screen.

    By following the rules of time travel and the Multiverse as they are currently understood, should a Kang Variant travel back in time (as Timely did in the comics), it would create a Nexus Event and a new timeline. The new future for the Variant, which takes place in the past, can’t change what happened on his old timeline, but it certainly can be conquered in the new timeline. So the Avengers may have beaten that Kang, but can they beat this Kang? And what is this Kang up to? The comics–and an Easter egg from Season 1 of Loki–could give some hints.

      While the Variant of Kang set to appear in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Kang the Conqueror, is stuck in the Quantum Realm, he also seems to have lived quite a life already and is well aware of his multiple pasts. It’s possible that this Variant is an older version of Victor Timely. In the comics, Timely traveled time to get a head start on the Avengers by cornering the market on technology while also secretly constructing Chronopolis from where he could access all timelines. The fantastical city within the Quantum Realm that’s been seen in promotional material for Quantumania is almost certainly Chronopolis and Kang almost certainly used it for its intended purposes for a long, long time before being trapped there. It’s possible that the Victor Timely Variant of Kang set to appear in Loki Season 2 is there, in part, to explain to audiences how Chronopolis came to be and to fill in the gaps about who the Conqueror that fans meet in Quantumania is.

      If that half of Timely’s story could be adapted from the comics, the other half could be adapted just as easily. RPK’s information suggests that Timely is an inventor in the past and in a very Back to the Future twist (that’s Kevin Feige‘s favorite movie, by the way) is looking to impact the future. That future, a future in which Timely’s technology, not Tony Stark’s, is what drives the world may have already been glimpsed in the Void in Season 1 of Loki. The fifth episode of Season 1, entitled “Journey into Mystery”, revealed an alternate version of Stark Tower, Qeng Tower, had been cast into the Void following the reset of one timeline. That timeline would have been reset at the behest of He Who Remains, whose main purpose was to keep other Variants of himself from taking control. In the comics, Timely continued on by feigning death and “handing down” the company from Victor Timely to Jr. to III. It wouldn’t take much imagination to change it up in the MCU and have him “sell” the company to a new owner who might rename it Qeng.

      So why is Victor Timely right for the MCU right now? Telling his story in Season 2 of Loki after meeting him in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania not only tells the past of the Conqueror trapped in Chronopolis but also why he’ll be a threat to the Avengers in the future as the man behind Qeng Enterprises.

      What is Qenq Enterprises?

      Qeng Enterprises appeared in just a couple of comics during Mark Waid‘s 2015 Avengers: Ultron Forever but could be set to play a much larger role in the MCU. In the comics, Qeng Enterprises was the Earth-bound base from which Kang planned to launch his New Qeng Dynasty. In the MCU, it could be the equivalent of the point from which he accessed Chronopolis in the comics and the temporal location that the Avengers choose to target him as he wages his Multiversal War. In Loki, the tower has clearly taken heavy damage and given the crazy time-traveling shenanigans in play now, fans may already have seen the outcome of the Avengers’ war on the Kang Dynasty in a blink-and-you-miss-it Easter egg.

      Why is Kang Stuck in Chronopolis?

      How does a man like Kang, who has conquered so many timelines become trapped in a city of his own design? in the comics, the ability to move discretely between timelines was powered by an object of unfathomable chronal power: the Forever Crystal. More than one theory has discussed the possibility that the Forever Crystal has already been seen in the promotional footage for Quantumania and that it is the McGuffin of that film. If Scott Lang retrieves the Forever Crystal for Kang, he could put into motion the events of The Kang Dynasty.

      Summary

      The Kang Variant known as Victor Timely sets up shop on Earth, shapes a century or two through his own technology while building and then using Chronopolis to conquer other timelines. At some point in his journey, he becomes trapped in the Quantum Realm. Once he escapes, hehas enough power and/or weapons at his disposal to take on the Avengers, who had previously defeated him, he launces his attack from Qenq Tower. Looping in a previous theory, the Avengers have acquired powerful weapons (potentially created by other Kang Variants) and defeat Kang. What impact could an assault on Qeng Tower and or Chronopolis have on the Multiverse? That’s a theory for another day.

    • ‘Barbarian’ Director Zach Cregger Sets Next Project At New Line

      ‘Barbarian’ Director Zach Cregger Sets Next Project At New Line

      Barbarian was, apparently, only the beginning for newfound thriller maestro Zach Cregger. The filmmaker, whose aforementioned horror project became a surprise hit in late 2022, has officially set his next movie at New Line with a whopping, unprecedented eight-figure deal. Titled Weapons, the film is being described by The Hollywood Reporter as “an interrelated, multistory horror epic that tonally is in the vein of [Paul Thomas Anderson’s] Magnolia“. No other plot details are currently known, though Cregger is confirmed to be producing the project alongside Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment and J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules of Boulderlight Productions, his former creative partners on Barbarian.

      According to THR, the deal with New Line came less than 24 hours after Cregger pitched the Weapons script for the first time. Multiple major Hollywood studios were heavily interested in being part of the film, with some producers even calling the director’s representatives before his script was ready to be shared, and making offers sight unseen. On top of a staggering payday, Cregger‘s deal with New Line gives him a guaranteed greenlight, a guaranteed theatrical release, controlling interest in a backend pot, and total control over the film’s final cut. An agreement of this nature in today’s market is truly remarkable, considering Cregger has only made a single film prior.

      New Line, which reportedly beat out Universal in a heated battle over Weapons‘ rights, released the following statement from President and CCO Richard Brener regarding the deal:

      Zach proved with Barbarian that he can create a visceral theatrical experience for audiences and that he commands every tool in the filmmaker toolbelt. We couldn’t be happier that he, Roy [Lee] and Miri [Yoon], and J.D. [Lifshitz]and Rafi [Margules] chose New Line to be the home of his next film, and hope it is the first of many to come.

      Richard Brener

      As stated by Brener, the studio hopes Weapons will be the first of many collaborations between New Line and Cregger, who has the potential to become a major new player in the cinematic horror scene in years to come.

      Source: The Hollywood Reporter

    • John Cena and Awkwafina Lead New Paul Feig Film at Amazon (Exclusive)

      John Cena and Awkwafina Lead New Paul Feig Film at Amazon (Exclusive)

      Director Paul Feig‘s next film is ramping up for a March production and has landed a pair of stars to take the lead. John Cena and Awkwafina have signed on for Feig’s new film, which will be produced by Amazon.

      The untitled production is set to follow the adventures of Awkwafina’s character who after winning the lottery becomes the target of the desperate population of a near future where her winnings could be claimed by anyone who kills her before the end of the day. As she seeks to survive until sundown, Katie finds herself under the protection of Cena’s character, who works for a professional protection agency.

      Awkwafina pictured with John Cena during the premiere of Crazy Rich Asians.
      Getty Images

      Feig, the director of Bridesmaids and 2016’s Ghostbusters, will also serve as an executive producer on the film along with Laura Fischer, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Zack Roth, all of whom worked with Feig on Netflix’s The School for Good and Evil. No release date or platform has been announced for the film.

    • Madonna Biopic Not Moving Forward at Universal

      Madonna Biopic Not Moving Forward at Universal

      In the age of biopics based on pop music icons of the 20th century, one potential project is officially not moving forward. It’s been announced that the Madonna-based film is no longer in development at Universal Pictures. The film was to be directed by the pop icon herself, but the recent announcement of Madonna’s new world tour officially axed the project from happening. However, some Hollywood sources noted that the decision to cancel the biopic was already made at the end of 2022. Madonna also co-wrote the script for the project alongside Erin Cressida Wilson with Amy Pascal set to produce.

      Much was made about the grueling audition process for playing Madonna in the now-canceled film. It’s been said that the months-long experience was akin to a boot camp, including 11-hour days consisting of dancing, acting, and singing with Madonna and her choreographers. Numerous young stars in Hollywood and the music industry such as Florence Pugh, Odessa Young, Emma Laird, Bebe Rexha, and Sky Ferreira were in contention for the role. Ultimately, Julia Garner (of Ozark fame) was the front-runner to take on the part of the iconic singer, but it seemingly will not come to be.

      The biopic was first announced in 2020 and was set to cover the decades-long career of Madonna in the worlds of music and fashion. However, new reports have come out about the tumultuous process to get the script together. All versions of the script were well over 180 pages, with issues to parse down Madonna’s career into an individual film. Some discussions were had about adapting her life story into a two-part saga or even a limited series. Though as it stands now, the project is not moving forward in any way at Universal Pictures.

      Source: The Hollywood Reporter

    • RUMOR: ‘You’ Star Joins ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ as Vanessa

      RUMOR: ‘You’ Star Joins ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ as Vanessa

      It feels like Five Nights at Freddy’s has been in development hell for quite some time. Now, they’re finally moving forward with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop working on the live-action adaptation. The biggest news came when the first casting announcement also finally dropped with Matthew Lillard and Josh Hutcherson taking on leading roles for the project.

      Emma Tammi is in the directing chair and it looks like one more star has been found in a rather curious role for fans of the gaming franchise. You‘s Elizabeth Lail has seemingly joined the cast according to Daniel Richtman. For those that recently played the game Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach, the character had a major role in the game and its lore.

      GeeksVibesNation also highlighted that the role of “Vanessa” is currently being cast with the description stating that she’s a “police officer who shows up during one of Mike’s work shifts.” What sticks out is that she has a “keen understanding of the dark history and inner workings of the restaurant.”

      She was a nightguard in the Security Brach game and it’s curious they changed her role, but there’s a chance the name is just a coincidence to get fans of the franchise theorizing. Still, there’s a good chance that creator Scott Cawthon is reusing elements from his various games to pick together a unique story that plays on similar themes. The only question we’re stuck with now: is Vanny also going to appear?

      Source: GeeksVibesNation, Patreon via Twitter

    • ‘Wakanda Forever’ Among 22 Disney Projects Nominated for the 95th Academy Awards

      ‘Wakanda Forever’ Among 22 Disney Projects Nominated for the 95th Academy Awards

      Nominees for the 95th Oscars have been announced at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater located in Beverly Hills, California. The nomination ceremony was hosted by Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams, and consisted of 23 different categories, including best picture, best actor and actress in lead and supporting roles, best original and adapted screenplay, and much more.

      The announcement was streamed live on the Academy’s official webpages (Oscars.com) and social media handles, as well as aired on ABC’s Good Morning America. You can take a look at every single nomination at the 2023 Oscars, in over 23 different categories below.

      Best Costume Design

      • “Babylon”  
      • “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
      • “Elvis”
      • “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
      • “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”

      Best Actress in a Supporting Role

      • Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) 
      • Hong Chau (“The Whale”) 
      • Kerry Condon (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
      • Jamie Lee Curtis (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 
      • Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 

      Best Actor in a Supporting Role

      • Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
      • Brian Tyree Henry (“Causeway”) 
      • Judd Hirsch (“The Fabelmans”)
      • Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
      • Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 

      Best Animated Feature Film 

      • “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”
      • “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” 
      • “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”
      • “The Sea Beast”
      • “Turning Red”

      Best Makeup and Hairstyling 

      • “All Quiet on the Western Front” 
      • “The Batman”
      • “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
      • “Elvis” 
      • “The Whale” 

      Best Original Score 

      • “All Quiet on the Western Front”  
      • “Babylon”  
      • “The Banshees of Inisherin”
      • “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
      • “The Fabelmans”  

      Best Live Action Short

      • “An Irish Goodbye”
      • “Ivalu”
      • “Le Pupille”
      • “Night Ride”
      • “The Red Suitcase”

      Best Animated Short Film

      • “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse”
      • “The Flying Sailor” 
      • “Ice Merchants” 
      • “My Year of Dicks” 
      • “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It” 

      Best Sound

      • “All Quiet on the Western Front”
      • “Avatar: The Way of Water”
      • “The Batman”
      • “Elvis”
      • “Top Gun: Maverick”

      Best Adapted Screenplay

      • “All Quiet on the Western Front”
      • “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”
      • “Living”
      • “Top Gun: Maverick”
      • “Women Talking”

      Best Original Screenplay

      • “The Banshees of Inisherin”
      • “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
      • “The Fabelmans”
      • “Tár”
      • “Triangle of Sadness”
      • “An Irish Goodbye”

      Best Cinematography 

      • “All Quiet on the Western Front”
      • “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths”
      • “Elvis”
      • “Empire of Light”
      • “Tár”

      Best Documentary Feature Film 

      • “All That Breathes”  
      • “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed”
      • “Fire of Love”
      • “A House Made of Splinters”
      • “Navalny”

      Best Film Editing

      • “The Banshees of Inisherin”
      • “Elvis”
      • “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
      • “Tár”
      • “Top Gun: Maverick”

      Best Documentary Short Film 

      • “The Elephant Whisperers”
      • “Haulout”
      • “How Do You Measure a Year?”
      • “The Martha Mitchell Effect”
      • “Stranger at the Gate”

      Best International Feature Film 

      • “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany) 
      • “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina) 
      • “Close” (Belgium)
      • “EO” (Poland) 
      • “The Quiet Girl” (Ireland) 

      Best Visual Effects

      • “All Quiet on the Western Front”
      • “Avatar: The Way of Water”
      • “The Batman”
      • “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”  
      • “Top Gun: Maverick”

      Best Original Song 

      • “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman”
      • “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick”   
      • “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”   
      • “Naatu Naatu” from “RRR”   
      • “This Is a Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once” 

      Best Production Design 

      • “All Quiet on the Western Front”
      • “Avatar: The Way of Water”
      • “Babylon”
      • “Elvis”
      • “The Fabelmans”

      Best Lead Actor

      • Austin Butler (“Elvis”) 
      • Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
      • Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) 
      • Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”) 
      • Bill Nighy (“Living”) 

      Best Lead Actress

      • Cate Blanchett (“Tár”) 
      • Ana de Armas (“Blonde”) 
      • Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”)
      • Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans”) 
      • Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 

      Best Director 

      • Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
      • Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 
      • Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”) 
      • Todd Field (“Tár”) 
      • Ruben Östlund (“Triangle of Sadness”) 

      Best Picture

      • “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Netflix) 
      • “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios) 
      • “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures) 
      • “Elvis” (Warner Bros.) 
      • “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) 
      • “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures) 
      • “Tár” (Focus Features) 
      • “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures) 
      • “Triangle of Sadness” (Neon) 
      • “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) 

       Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s Everything Everywhere All At Once leads the awards with a total of 11 nominations. In second place, Edward Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front and Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin are tied with 9 nominations each.
      Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis stands at a close third place, with 8 nominations.

      The final winners for the 2023 Oscars will be announced on Sunday, March 12, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. Television host/comedian Jimmy Kimmel is set to return as the host, after previously hosting the ceremony back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.

    • New Rumor Exposes the True Big Bad of Marvel Studios ‘Thunderbolts’

      New Rumor Exposes the True Big Bad of Marvel Studios ‘Thunderbolts’

      Since her first appearance in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has been recruiting some folks who are comfortable living in a moral grey area. Following a big reveal at D23 Expo 2022, audiences learned that Val’s full team will come together in the 2024 film Thunderbolts. Since the concept art of the team was unveiled, speculation about potential missing members of the squad began and recent rumors seemed to confirm that at least one member was withheld: Robert Reynolds, aka, Sentry. While the super-powered Sentry seems like he might be a bit too wack to fit into the MCU, there are some changes that could be made to make him fit the rumored “evil Superman” bill. However, despite having a plethora of problems, Sentry has never truly been a bad guy–at least not on his own merit–and a new rumor suggests that might not be the case in Thunderbolts either.

      According to Twitter user CanWeGetSomeToast, while it’ll be Sentry going into battle against the Thunderbolts, Val’s the one pulling his strings.

      https://twitter.com/CanWeGetToast/status/1617666429280751616?s=20&t=z6_4rmUxVwdstRv-YmCjwg

      The user suggests that Val will be behind whatever new Super Solider project is responsible for (presumably) turning Reynolds into Sentry and somehow making him her puppet. Additional rumors suggest that Sentry begins Thunderbolts as a member of the team before turning on his allies. From the sounds of it, whatever manner or method of control Val will have over Sentry won’t last and the Thunderbolts will have to come together to either take him down or get cooked.

      Sentry being under the thumb of a manipulative and duplicitous leader isn’t a new concept. During the Siege era from the pages of Marvel Comics, Sentry finds himself a member of Norman Osborn’s team of Avengers (Dark Avengers) and is used by Osborn as a one-man hit squad before being taken out by Thor. With Thor not currently expected to appear in Thunderbolts, one must wonder who will stop Sentry.

    • A Few Oscar Predictions in A Beautifully Crowded Year

      With the start of the new year comes growing anticipation for the Oscars. Most critics groups have sent their votes in and the Oscar shortlist has been widely scrutinized. 2022 was one of the better years for feature films, especially amid the pandemic, as small-budget features and half-million-dollar projects finally made it to the screen. Everything from The Whale to Top Gun: Maverick found an audience, nationally and internationally. Below are a few films to have your eye on, specifically for a nomination and hopefully for a win. Keep in mind, these are just a few favorites among a year of great films. 

      *Denotes a shortlist nomination

      Nope 

      Categories:

      • Best Actor-Daniel Kaluyya
      • Best Actress-Keke Palmer
      • Best Sound
      • Best Original Screenplay

      After a solid debut over the summer, Nope isn’t getting as much attention as it deserves, potentially because of the horror bend and the timing of its release. The film turns the mirror and camera back on society in a fresh way and is a great follow-up to wide releases Us and Get Out. Peele and Carmen Cuba assembled a great cast for a great script. The focus of the film is sharp and nods to monster movies of the past and present. Themes of family and heritage get their focus, as does the idea of story in general and how we define it. Any nomination is deserved, but bringing home a trophy would be splendid as well.

      The Batman 

      Categories:

      • Best Sound* 
      • Best Visual Effects*
      • Best Adapted Screenplay

      The Batman, another solid debut early in the year, takes place in a new DC Universe that’s not connected to iterations before it. Matt Reeves and his team chose to craft the world of Bruce Wayne after he’s been on the job for a few years. The assembled cast doesn’t get as much screen time as one might like, but they’re great nonetheless. And though the film has an amazing score, it didn’t get shortlisted, but it’s still fun to appreciate the development of Batman as a monster, hero, and even his Bruce Wayne “mask.”

      Glass Onion: A Knives Out  Mystery

      Categories:

      • Best Supporting Actress-Janelle Monae
      • Best Adapted Screenplay
      • Best Costume Design

      Glass Onion is another great cast full of characters that work well together. When focused on the core group, the film doesn’t feel overloaded with cameos for the sake of it. More fleshed-out characters would have made the film even stronger, but their shared history, even as it’s slowly revealed, is earned. The film doesn’t blow the audience away with mystery, though the woven narrative is just mysterious enough to stay a bit ahead and entertain.

      The Fabelmans

      Categories:

      • Best Picture
      • Best Director-Stephen Spielberg
      • Best Cinematography-Janusz Kaminski

      Every nomination for Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical film could easily be a win because The Fabelmans hits all the markers: great story, great cast, great cinematography. The only expected snub will be Gabriel LaBelle, who plays Sammy Fabelman. Every actor pulls their weight in the film, even Seth Rogan, as they push the audience to reflect on their own story. The Fabelmans is a great comment on family, comparison, and perspective. 

      Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

      Categories:

      • Best Supporting Actress-Angela Bassett
      • Best Sound
      • Best Makeup and Hairstyling*

      Wakanda Forever works in an entirely different space than every other Oscar contender this year but certainly will receive at least one official nomination. Hopefully, it earns a statue, much like its predecessor. The film balances Chadwick Boseman’s passing, sequel pressure, and everything in between to craft a strong narrative about two societies that find themselves at war even though a larger threat looms in the background. Ryan Coogler, the faithful director and screenwriter, and the team crafted a tangible support system as the film both debuts Namor (Tenoch Huerta) and tastefully continues the Black Panther series.

      Everything Everywhere All At Once

      Categories:

      Best Actress-Michelle Yeoh

      Best Actor-Key Huy Quan 

      Best Supporting Actress-Stephanie Hsu

      EEAAO is the movie that could sweep the Oscars or find itself repeatedly snubbed or welcome multiple first-time award winners. The film, directed by The Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) and starring Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu, focuses on a mother’s relationship with her estranged daughter. It’s an amazing reflection on familial relationships and internal motivation, as well as life choices. The film brilliantly allows Evelyn Wang (Yeoh) to experience multiple lives at the same time instead of living one particular life over again, and of course, lessons ensue.

    • Jeff Lovesness Explains Why Kang Poses a Greater Threat than Thanos

      Jeff Lovesness Explains Why Kang Poses a Greater Threat than Thanos

      Following in the footsteps of the last Avengers film, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, can’t be an easy task; however, it’s one that Rick and Morty and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania scribe Jeff Loveness seems to have embraced. Loveness’ task on Avengers: The Kang Dynasty was simple: find a way to have Kang out-Thanos Thanos. Kang, who will be introduced in his full glory in Quantumania, poses a very different kind of threat than Thanos and one that Loveness believes audiences might find a bit more terrifying because as he explained in SFX Magazine, Kang is just one of us.

      To me, it’s all about the humanity. Obviously, Thanos is a great, iconic villain, but he’s also a big purple CGI guy. He’s an alien from outer space. The thing I really wanted to lean into is that Kang is a human being. Kang’s also a very lonely character. We’re going to be seeing a lot of him in a lot of different ways going forward, but I really wanted to introduce the humanity and even the vulnerability of this character before he gets to such apocalyptic, Avengers-scale heights.

      Jeff Lovenss

      If Quantumania is then about introducing the very human and vulnerable Kang, The Kang Dynasty would seem to be the place to unleash Kang. Loveness indicated that’s exactly what will happen and it might be more than Earth’s Mightiest Heroes can handle.

      Kang is a top-tier, A-list Avengers villain. What do you do when you feel you’re not enough against that? How do you step up to face the challenge of this generation, who is Thanos on an exponential level? He’s almost this infinite Thanos. I think we’re setting things up for a pretty dynamic story.

      Jeff Loveness

      Phase 4, which consisted of 14 live-action projects, recently concluded with the emotional Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Many of those projects introduced new heroes who are likely to be among those assembled to take on Kang. According to Loveness, when that tie comes, Marvel Studios will be ready to “put the pedal to the gas again.”

      As I’m building to Avengers I want it to feel like a generational struggle. Phase 4 felt like the birth of new characters. You’re giving everyone a little bit of a breath, you’re broadening out the universe, you have fun Disney Plus shows that are elevating characters. And now I think it’s time to put the pedal to the gas again, and really take all these new characters that we like and throw them into the fire.

      Jeff Loveness

      You had us at infinite Thanos. Fans will catch their first glimpse of just how dangerous Kang is when Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters on February 17th before watching him take over time in 2025’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

      Source: SFX Magazine via Games Radar

    • ‘Quantumania’ Writer Jeff Lovenes Shares Unusual Source of Inspiration for MODOK

      ‘Quantumania’ Writer Jeff Lovenes Shares Unusual Source of Inspiration for MODOK

      Having worked as a writer on Rick and Morty for two seasons, Jeff Loveness is no stranger to alien landscapes, strange creatures and pulling from off-the-wall references. In that regard, Loveness must have felt right at home while scribing Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, which takes the heroes to the Quantum Realm and introduces them to an array of peculiar creatures. Though the Ant-Family finds themselves in another dimension, it’s a creature with ties to their own that has caught the eye of audiences in the latest trailer and who will pose problems for the protagonists for MODOK’s time has come.

      As seen in the new trailer, MODOK is played by Corey Stoll, whose Darren Cross was gruesomely dispatched into the Quantum Realm in the final act of 2015’s Ant-Man. The character, who has a fairly comic-accurate design, plays a major role in Quantumania and according to Loveness, is also responsible for his “favorite moments” in the film.

      MODOK is maybe my single favorite thing that I got in the movie. Obviously, we are very faithful to the comics with the design and the look, but then there is a little bit of extra we put into him. Maybe I’ll get fired off The Kang Dynasty when people see it, but some of my favorite moments come from MODOK and the dynamics there.

      Jeff Loveness

      While MODOK’s look is comic-inspired, Loveness had to come up with a brand new take on the character given his new origins. In doing so, he took inspiration from a late 80s off-beat, cult classic comedy, A Fish Called Wanda.

      I’ll just say he was inspired by Kevin Kline in A Fish Called Wanda and Frank Grimes in an old Simpsons episode – this really put-upon, selfish, entitled but then also deeply sad, insecure man who knows that he got a shit deal in life and is trying to make the best of it. His ego will crumble the second he’s challenged but then also like Kevin Kline in A Fish Called Wanda, he’s pretty good at killing people.

      Jeff Loveness

      A Fish Called Wanda is a wacky heist film with a number of betrayals and double-crosses, many of which include Kline’s Otto, a role for which he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Like its successors, Quantumania appears to be a heist film, so should the script of Quantumania have taken a bit of inspiration from A Fish Called Wanda, fans will have their share of twists and turns to track, which is part of the fun of heist films.

      Loveness explains that MODOK is “a real loose cannon character and I had a great amount of fun with him,” while adding that he played a key role in finding the tone for the threequel. “We cracked MODOK as a character“, said Loveness, “and the movie just became so fun.” Fans don’t have long to find out just how much fun Quantumania is as it is set to hit theaters on February 17th.

      Source: SFX Magazine via Games Radar