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Tag: Streaming

  • The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘Agatha All Along’

    The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘Agatha All Along’

    After stealing scene after scene alongside MCU veterans Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany the 2021 Disney Plus Streaming Series, WandaVision, Kathryn Hahn‘s wonderfully wicked Agatha Harkness is set to make her return in Agatha All Along. Hahn takes the lead in the nine-episode series which picks up right where the final episode of WandaVision, The Series Finale, left off: with a depowered Agatha trapped in a spell cast by Wanda that left her believing she was the most neighbor Agnes from the sitcom portion of the show. Challenged by a figure from her past to regain her strength, Agatha collects a coven of witches and sets out to travel the legendary Witches’ Road in hopes of taking back what was hers.

    As has become the norm, Agatha All Along will debut with two episodes before moving into the familiar weekly format. With the series premiere set for September 18th, it’s time to start prepping for launch and so, as is our way, we bring you…THE ULTIMATE LIST OF WHAT TO WATCH BEFORE AGATHA ALL ALONG.

    Tier One

    Getting yourself prepared to enjoy Agatha All Along is not quite the same titanic task as it has been with other Marvel Studios properties. Hahn‘s witch has only appeared in WandaVision and only one MCU project would seem directly related to what is expected to go down in Agatha All Along. Since we consider Tier One projects to be the bare minimum, non-negotiable prep, we have only selected two properties for your required reading.

    WandaVision (2021)
    wandavision agathe

    Excluding credits and recaps and other assorted business that’s part of every project, a full rewatch or first viewing of WandaVision will only take right around four and a half hours. The early episodes certainly set the stage for the series’ twists and turns and the back half of the season has all sorts of juicy bits that you might need to take in before watching Agatha All Along. Trailers for the series have made it clear that in addition to the difficulty of traveling the Witches’ Road, Agatha will be dealing with the repercussions of her wicked past. And if that’s not enough, it’s widely accepted that Joe Locke’s character, Teen, is the re-embodiment of Wanda’s son, Billy. Though Billy, and his brother Tommy, were magically created within the Westview Anomaly, aka The Hex, and disappeared when Wanda lifted her spell, they have had plenty to do with Wanda’s story and are very likely to play a large role again down the road.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

    The post-credit scene following Episode 9 of WandaVision, “The Series Finale”, showed Wanda studying an ancient text known as the Darkhold. The consequences of her time with the tome became clear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness where it was revealed she had been corrupted by the book and been transformed into the Scarlet Witch.

    According to Wong, the “Scarlet Witch is a being of unfathomable magic” who “can rewrite reality as she chooses, and is prophesized to either rule or annihilate the cosmos.” In a Multiversal search for alternate-dimension Variants of her children, the Scarlet Witch used her power to Dreamwalk into other realities, threatening their existence. We know how it all ended but it is likely not to be the end of Wanda’s story and while it’s unclear exactly how much of this will be referenced in Agatha All Along, Wanda will absolutely have an impact on the series.

    Tier Two

    With so little connectivity to the rest of the MCU, Agatha All Along occupies rarified air. New fans often seem overwhelmed by the amount of work it would take to catch themselves up to speed on the MCU’s next big thing but, in the case of Agatha All Along, the two projects in Tier One are the only ones that are truly necessary. However, given that magic is the heart of the series, there are a couple of other projects that might add some context to the series or, at the very least, give viewers a more comprehensive view of how magic works within the confines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Thor (2011),Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
    thor 5

    Millenia before Agatha Harkness was doing her dirty work in Salem, the Asgardians began to study and understand how to harness the energies of the universe and use them to their advantage. Asgard itself was a blend of magic and technology and many Asgaridans, such as Frigga and Loki, were known to be powerful magic weilders. The Thor trilogy also includes multiple weapons, relics and other assorted artifacts that are enchanted via spells by Odin and, perhaps, others as well.

    Your ancestors called it magic and you call it science. Well, I come from a place where they are one and the same thing.

    -Thor

    Watching the original Thor trilogy is certainly not necessary for fans to enjoy Agatha All Along but it does provide some historical context for magic within the MCU and features one of its most powerful practitioners in Loki. An argument could be made that if one was going to watch these films they could watch Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and both seasons of Loki; however, there’s probably enough to be gleaned from the first three films to satisfy the need.

    Doctor Strange (2016)

    Doctor Strange not only introduces the titular Doctor but also the Masters of the Mystic Arts. Hidden in Kamar-Taj and led by The Ancient One, the Masters of the Mystic Arts are an order of sorcerers, founded thousands of years ago by Agomottos, who have learned to harness the energies of the alternate universes to protect Earth from mystical threats.

    The language of the Mystic Arts is as old as civilization. The sorcerers of antiquity called the use of this language ‘spells,’ but if that word offends your modern sensibilities, you can call it a program; the source code that shapes reality. We harness energy drawn from other dimensions of the Multiverse to cast spells, to conjure shields and weapons, to make magic.

    -The Ancient One

    The film introduced different types of magic and warns against the use of many. There are some similarities between the way the Masters of the Mystic Arts harness and wield their magic and the way Agatha’s witchcraft is portrayed in WandaVision. If nothing else, Doctor Strange will open your third eye as to the great possibilities of magic used by humans.

    She-Hulk: Attorney At Law (2022)
    she hulk wong

    Any efforts to catch up on the use of magic in the Multiverse must include the latest adventures of the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth-616: Wong.

    I need to make an example of Donny Blaze. Set a precedent that no unlicensed persons ever attempt to practice the Mystic Arts again.

    -Wong

    Episodes 3, 4 and 9 of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law follow up on Wong’s friendship with Emil Blonsky–as first seen in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings–and see the Sorcerer Supreme target Donny Blaze, a former student of Kamar-Taj who was expelled and now works as a stage magician. Wong crossed Blaze’s path when the latter opened a portal and sent Madisynn King to another dimension where she met a demon named Jake…

    Tier Three

    Tier Three inclusions are never, ever necessary for anyone to enjoy an upcoming MCU project but they can sometimes increase viewing pleasure by adding context, providing thematic connections or allowing viewers to watch films or shows that have inspired the creators of their new favorite Marvel thing! We’ve broken this very different Tier Three into two parts.

    Part 1: More MCU Magic

    While the Tier Two projects can help new viewers understand more about how magic works in the MCU, they are far from the only projects in which magic was used. To that end, we present a list of MCU projects in which magic played a role. NOTE: This list is intended to be comprehensive, however, if any projects have been left off please let us know and we’ll be happy to add them!

    • Avengers (2012)
    • Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) mid-credit scene
    • Captain America: Civil War (2016)
    • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
    • Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
    • Avengers: Endgame (2019)
    • Loki, Season 1 (2021)
    • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
    • Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
    • Moon Knight (2022)
    • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
    • Loki, Season 2 (2023)

    Part 2: Other Inspiration

    As the press junkets and interviews used to promote Agatha All Along have started to emerge over the past few weeks, the cast and crew of the streaming series have named various projects that served as inspiration for the show.

    • The Wizard of Oz (1939)
    • Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
    • Poltergeist (1982)
    • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    • The Goonies (1985)
    • Hocus Pocus (1993)
    • The Craft (1996)
    • Practical Magic (1998)

    About Agatha All Along

    In addition to Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along stars Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, with Debra Jo Rupp, with PattiLuPone, and Aubrey Plaza.

    In Marvel Studios’ Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…

    The executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Mary Livanos and Jac Schaeffer. In addition to series creator Schaeffer, episodes of Agatha All Along will be directed by Rachel Goldberg (Mayans M.C. and Gen V) and Gandja Monteiro (Wednesday, The Witcher and The Walking Dead: Dead City).

  • Joe Locke Clarifies the Identity of His ‘Agatha All Along’ Character

    Joe Locke Clarifies the Identity of His ‘Agatha All Along’ Character

    To the dozens and dozens of Nicholas Scratch fans out there, Heartstopper star Joe Locke is about to become a heartbreaker. After nearly two years of speculation over who Locke is playing in the upcoming Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Agatha All Along, the identity of Locke’s character was recently revealed…sort of. According to Disney, Locke will be portraying a member of Agatha Harkness’ coven simply known as “Teen.” While nobody is buying that will be the only name he goes by–and a previous reveal indicates it will not be–it likely won’t be enough to prevent Agatha All Along from becoming mired in the same asinine speculation that haunted WandaVision from week to week during its 2021 run.

    Rather than run from the ridiculousness of it, it seems Marvel Studios is rather content to encourage it, keeping up the facade as long as possible. In an interview with Total Film, Locke explained that while “Teen” is not a code name being used by Disney to hide who he is truly playing but rather an inside joke crafted by members of Agatha’s coven of chaos.

    It’s not a fake code name; it’s what everyone calls him, which is a joke that develops during the show, but just becomes what everyone calls him, and he answers to it.

    -Joe Lock on playing Teen in Agatha: All Along
    (L-R): Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), Ali Ahn (Alice Wu-Gulliver), Teen (Joe Locke), and Mrs. Hart/Sharon Davis (Debra Jo Rupp) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Television. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Once described as a “familiar” by co-star Patti LuPone, Locke’s character was also revealed by a casting call to be “witty” and “astute” as well as a “bit of a fanboy.” Fans of the comics have rightly connected those attributes to Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan, who was so much of a fanboy that he originally called himself Asgardian and styled his look after the Odinson’s. According to Locke, Teen also shares another character trade with Wiccan: he is impulsive. “He’s very thoughtful and kind, but he can act without thinking sometimes,” said Locke of his Agatha All Along character, explaining how he might find himself in league with Harkness and her crew. Of course, there’s one other very good reason Teen joins Agatha’s coven: the power offered by the journey down the Witches’ Road.

    In Marvel Studios’ Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…

    -Official Synopsis for Agatha All Along

    It’s become widely speculated that Locke’s character is taking the trip down the legendary road to reclaim what he misses most. And while some further speculate that he’ll be looking for his mother, Wanda Maximoff, others believe he’ll be out to find his twin brother, Tommy. Interestingly enough, a recent report indicated that the studio is looking to cast Javon Walton as Tommy Shepherd, aka Speed, the reborn brother of Billy in the pages of Marvel Comics. While Locke doesn’t confirm his character’s intentions for walking the road, he doesn’t shy away from teasing that his motives are not entirely altruistic. “The Witches’ Road offers untold spoils and power…,” said Locke, adding “and then we’ll find out.“

    And find out we will–although certainly not soon enough and not before we all relive the devastating stupidity that surrounded WandaVision–as Agatha All Along debuts on Disney Plus on September 18th.

    Source: Games Radar

  • Marvel Studios Reportedly Reanimating a Project Long Thought to Be Dead

    Marvel Studios Reportedly Reanimating a Project Long Thought to Be Dead

    Despite the not-insignificant drama now surrounding its creator, Marvel Animation’s What If…? Season 2 and X-Men ’97 provided the impulse to change the direction of Marvel Studios’ momentum in 2024. With more seasons of those two series in the works in addition to exciting new projects such as Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Eyes of Wakanda and Marvel Zombies, the future of animated projects at Marvel is already bright…and may be getting brighter, yet.

    According to insider Daniel RPK, Power Pack is back in development at Marvel Studios, this time as an animated streaming series. Gifted with powerful cosmic abilities obtained from a space horse named Whitey, Power Pack is a superhero team of pre-teen sibs who find themselves taking part in crazy cosmic adventures together. The superhero team was introduced into Marvel Comics in 1984 and while they’ve mostly stuck to their own corner of the universe, have shared the stage with the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man and the Avengers.

    Marvel has been trying to find a way to bring Power Pack to audiences for over two decades but has continued to put the superhero team on the back burner for various reasons. In 2000–long before the birth of the MCU–Marvel struck a deal with Artisan Entertainment to develop 15 properties for film or television series. Lead by Captain America and Thor, the deal also called for projects featuring Iron Fist, Black Panther, Deadpool, Longshot and Power Pack to be curated under Avi Arad.

    In 2017, Marvel Studios took back up the Power Pack torch and began development on the project under the watchful eye of Jonathan Schwartz, now the VP of Production & Development. By 2021, the project had been shelved as the MCU continued to grow and evolve. In an interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, Schwartz said of Power Pack, “It’s one of those things we look at and talk about every once in a while. We’ll probably get there eventually but it’s not something super active at the moment.” Should this new report prove true, it seems as though eventually is now.

  • D23: ‘What If…?’ to End with Season 3

    D23: ‘What If…?’ to End with Season 3

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    With the series ending, director and showrunner Bryan Andrews explained that he was comfortable going big. “We can take big swings,” said Andrews of the creative teams efforts for Season 3. To that end, the series is set to feature some wild new genres, including a Western, and expand its roster beyond the major characters who populated most of the show’s first two seasons.

    In addition to a Western, another of those “big swings” will see a new team of Avengers–featuring Sam Wilson, Moon Knight and Monica Rambeau, take on gamma monsters.

    Updating…

  • D23: Marvel Animation’s ‘What If…?’ Season 3 to Feature a New Roster of Heroes

    D23: Marvel Animation’s ‘What If…?’ Season 3 to Feature a New Roster of Heroes

    While the first two seasons of What If…? bopped all over the multiverse, the episodes by and large featured Marvel Studio’s core Avengers. It’s been explained that there were good reasons for the limited roster of characters and the promise was made that Season 3 would expand on said roster. If a look at the series during Marvel Animation’s D23 presentation is anything to go on, the promise has been kept.

    According to various outlets in attendance at the presentation, What If…? Season 3 will feature Shang-Chi, Moon Knight, Ironheart and the White Vision among its cast of characters.

    https://twitter.com/Seantaj/status/1822360907411849524

    Updating…

  • Marvel Studios Confirms Episode Count for ‘Agatha All Along’

    Marvel Studios Confirms Episode Count for ‘Agatha All Along’

    Marvel Studios’ first streaming series, WandaVision, may ultimately be remembered more for what it was not than what it was. Each week, the MCU fanbase squabbled about short runtimes, concocted ridiculous theories and nitpicked its way right through a very good series carried by three incredible performances. Even in the weeks and months leading up to the series, social media was full of debates over how many episodes it would be despite evidence that it was set to be a 9-episode season. As the first of at least two WandaVision spinoffs creeps closer to its debut, Marvel has put out one of those potential fires before it spreads.

    According to an official release sent out by Disney following Marvel Studios’ presentation at D23, Agatha All Along will consist of nine episodes.
    (L-R): Teen (Joe Locke), The Green Witch/Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza), Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    In Marvel Studios’ Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…

    -Official Synopsis, Agatha All Along

    As ridiculous as it seems that the same confusion over episode count that occurred with WandaVision could resurface over Agatha All Along, there has been a lack of clarity on the matter. It is nearly impossible and definitely futile to attempt to dig back to the source of the confusion; however, most of it seems to stem from claims of a Witches’ Road special presentation spinning out of the spinoff. Further claims about the special–which was never discussed publicly by Marvel Studios–postulated that plans for it had changed and it had been rolled into the body of the streaming series. Whether any of the claims were ever true or not, message boards and Discord servers were certainly not certain about how many episodes of the Kathryn Hahn-led series they should prepare for this Fall.

    According to the press release, the nine-episode series was directed by a trio of talent with each responsible for three episodes. In addition to series creator Jac Schaeffer, episodes of Agatha All Along will be directed by Rachel Goldberg (Mayans M.C. and Gen V) and Gandja Monteiro (Wednesday, The Witcher and The Walking Dead: Dead City).

    Agatha All Along will debut with a 2-episode premiere on September 18th and stream on Disney Plus right through Spooky Season!

  • D23: Marvel Studios Debuts an Enchanting New Look at ‘Agatha All Along’

    D23: Marvel Studios Debuts an Enchanting New Look at ‘Agatha All Along’

    Kathryn Hahn‘s Agatha Harkness bewitched MCU fans in 2021’s WandaVision. Hahn’s scene-stealing performance alongside MCU vets Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany led to a quick green light on the development of her own spinoff series. Created by WandaVision‘s head writer, Jac Schaeffer, the series underwent a string of title changes before settling on Agatha All Along. A first look at the series debuted in early July but with just over a month until its streaming debut, Marvel Studios rolled out a new look at the series during their portion of D23’s Disney Entertainment Showcase.

    The series stars Joe Locke as “Teen”/Billy Kaplan, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, with Debra Jo Rupp,
    Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza as Rio Vidal, aka the Green Witch.

    (L-R): Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.
    Detective Agnes O’Connor (Kathryn Hahn) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    In Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…

    -Official Synopsis, Agatha All Along

    Agatha All Along debuts with two episodes on September 18th on Disney Plus.

  • D23: First Look at Lucasfilm’s ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’

    D23: First Look at Lucasfilm’s ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’

    Created by Marvel Studio’s Spider-Man trilogy director Jon Watts, Lucasfilm’s upcoming live-action Star Wars streaming series Skeleton Crew represents a new direction for the studio. Set during the same New Republic era as The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka, the big-budget adventure will feature four young characters who find themselves on a wild adventure in the galaxy far, far away. Skeleton Crew will introduce youngsters Ravi Cabot-Conyers (Wim), Kyriana Kratter (KB), Robert Timothy Smith (Neel) and Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Fern), who will star alongside Jude Law, who plays Jod Na Nawood. A first look at the streamer was expected as part of D23’s Disney Entertainment Showcase and Lucasfilm did not disappoint.

    When four kids make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, they get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home, meeting unlikely allies and enemies will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.

    -Official Synopsis, Skeleton Crew

    Lucasfilm assembled an all-star team of directors for Skeleton Crew. In addition to Watts, Star Wars vet Bryce Dallas Howard, The Daniels, David Lowery, Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier and Lee Isaac Chung were all revealed to be helming episodes during Star Wars Celebration 2023.

    Skeleton Crew will debut on Disney Plus on December 3rd.

  • D23: Familiar Faces Set to Return for ‘Andor’ Season 2

    Arguably the crown jewel in Disney’s Star Wars streaming efforts, Andor was always destined for a short run. The prequel to Rogue One–which itself is a prequel to A New Hope—Andor was designed by Tony Gilroy to cover the five years immediately leading up to the 2016 film.

    Forest Whitaker, Ben Mendelsohn and Alan Tudyk will all return to reprise their respective characters in Season 2 of Andor.

    Updating…

  • D23: First Look at the Villainous Pirate Gang from Lucasfilm’s ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’

    D23: First Look at the Villainous Pirate Gang from Lucasfilm’s ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’

    The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, D23, is underway in Anaheim, California and while Disney’s major studios won’t be showcasing their upcoming projects until Friday evening, there’s still plenty to see for fans touring the convention center. Each year, studios set up impressive displays and this year is no different. Lucasfilm is expected to showcase at least a couple of Star Wars streaming series (Skeleton Crew and Season 2 of Andor) as part of their portion of the panel and ahead of that, they showed off an impressive first look at the villains of one of the series.

    Footage shown during Star Wars Celebration 2023 revealed that the Nikto pirate Vane, who was a thorn in Din Djarin’s side during Season 3 of The Mandalorian, was set to return in Skeleton Crew. Following August 8th’s media preview night, amusement and theme park enthusiast Drew Smith (@DrewDisneyDude) shared a first look at Vane and the rest of his motley crew of pirates from the floor of the Anaheim Convention center.

    Last seen fleeing following the death of his boss, Gorian Shard, the floor display reveals that Vane now has his own diverse gang of pirates. In addition to a peg-legged droid, Vane’s crew features a Shistavanen armed to his wolf teeth with pistols and a Gran with a patch covering one of his three eyes.

    When four kids make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, they get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home, meeting unlikely allies and enemies will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.

    -Official Synopsis, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

    The droid, named SM-33 (like Smee, get it), will be voiced by Nick Frost and was described by series creator Jon Watts as “a rusty old, cranky droid” who serves as “the first mate of a mysterious ship.” While it seems SM-33 starts the series as part of Vane’s crew, Watts has indicated that the droid “sort of reluctantly helps the kids along the way.” A teaser trailer for the series, which will debut with two episodes on December 3rd, is expected to roll out during Lucasfilm’s portion of the panel and will likely be officially released online as well.

    Source: Twitter