Amazon Studios is negotiating to bring Ed Brubaker‘s creator-owned comic book series, Criminal, to the small screen. The series debuted in 2006 and has been awarded three Eisner Awards and has always been among the most in-demand books on shelves. Brubaker has been one of comics’ most prolific creators of the 2000s, writing for both DC and Marvel, where he and artist Sean Phillips first launched Criminal under their Icon imprint.
According to the trade report, Brubaker will serve as the showrunner and executive producer for the Amazon adaptation and is currently putting together a writers room. Criminal is set in the fictional Center City where mini-arcs follow rotating protagonists and their connection to generational crime.
There’s been an online debate for years if Marvel Studios catering too much to a younger audience. With the rise of more adult fare like The Boys, some people feel like there’s no place for that franchise anymore. The series creator Seth Rogen, however, does acknowledge that the films are “just not for” him as he believes it’s not made for an “adult with no children.” Though he also aknowledges that is his own personal taste and praises Marvel Studios president KevinFeige.
Yet, he also goes on to highlight that The Boys “wouldn’t exist” if it weren’t for the existence of Marvel Studios. It’s classic counterprogramming that we’ve seen many times throughout the years and a simple evolution that was set by the produciton company in the superhero genre. It’s common that alternatives pop up that cater to different types of audiences that may want to embellish in mocking the other. He also highlights how the “Western” never truly went away but many of its elements still live on in modern projects.
Truthfully, without Marvel, ‘The Boys’ wouldn’t exist or be interesting. I’m aware of that,” Rogen said. “I think if it was only Marvel [in the marketplace], it would be bad. But I think it isn’t – clearly. An example I’m always quoting is, there’s a point in history where a bunch of filmmakers would have been sitting around, being like, ‘Do you think we’ll ever make a movie that’s not a Western again? Everything’s a Western! Westerns dominate the fucking movies. If it doesn’t have a hat and a gun and a carriage, people aren’t going to go see it anymore.
Seth Rogen
ONe could argue that the understanding of what is and isn’t “adult” does leave a lot of wiggle room. The Boys offers some powerful story telling but also enjoys its over-the-top violence and earning its hard-R rating. Yet, that isn’t the case for everyone. Marvel Studios isn’t making films specifically for children but something anyone can enjoy at all ages, as not every adult without a child might agree with Rogen‘s view on the matter.
He makes a good point that a certain type of filmmaking has been very dominant finanically speaking in comparison to traditional cinematic experiences, though he also tries to drive a wedge between these two by describing one as “audiovisual entertainment” and “cinema,” creating a distinction of these experiences.
The debate that sparked from Martin Scorsese has flip-flopped from creative to creative. Blockbusters are still a big part of the cinematic experience but what one describes as “cinema” can change from person to person. There should not be a reason to create a distinction but consider the ramifications of one type dominating the other. Though this is a matter we’ll likely never see a consensus on the matter given how discourse has changed over time.
One of Disney +’s best Star Wars projects to date was 2021’s nine-episode anime anthology, Star Wars: Visions. The series consisted of shorts inspired by and set in the Star Wars galaxy that were not mandated to exist within the canonical timeline. The shorts were well received and a second season was ordered up fairly quickly and set for 2023. With Season 2 of The Bad Batch, Season 3 of The Mandalorian and Ahsoka all on the slate, 2023 is a busy year for Star Wars and fans wondered where Volume 2 of Visions might fit. Now we know.
In an official release from Disney, Senior Vice President Franchise Content & Strategy at Lucasfilm James Waugh revealed that Volume 2 of Star Wars: Visions will stream on Disney Plus on Star Wars Day/May 4th! Like the first season, Volume 2 will consist of nine episodes from different animation studios, which were revealed in a Tweet.
Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 starts streaming May 4 on #DisneyPlus, featuring nine new animated shorts from nine studios from across the globe. pic.twitter.com/icY7MfB2rM
Waugh, who serves as an executive producer on Visions, talked about the studios and the “incredible” shorts they have put together for Volume 2.
With Volume 2, we expanded our canvas to take audiences on a global tour of some of the most talented creators from around the world. Every short is incredible, full of heart, scope, imagination, and the values that make stories distinctly Star Wars — all while opening up bold new ways of seeing what a Star Wars story can be.
James Waugh
The release was accompanied by the episode titles, which are listed below with their animation studios and directors. The studios and directors are all newcomers to the series.
“Sith” (El Guiri, Rodrigo Blaas)
“Screecher’s Reach” (Cartoon Saloon, Paul Young)
“In the Stars” (Punkrobot, Gabriel Osorio)
“I Am Your Mother” (Aardman, Magdalena Osinska)
“Journey to the Dark Head” (Studio Mir, Hyeong Geun Park)
“The Spy Dancer” (Studio La Cachette, Julien Chheng)
“The Bandits of Golak” (88 Pictures, Ishan Shukla)
“The Pit” (D’art Shtajio and Lucasfilm Ltd., LeAndre Thomas and Justin Ridge)
“Aau’s Song” (Triggerfish, Nadia Darries and Daniel Clarke)
It’s crazy to think that we first heard about the live-action One Piece series in 2017. For many years, we’ve waited for some sign of life until it suddenly picked up steam in January 2020 with creator Eiichiro Oda announcing the partnership with Netflix. We got an official logo, and a tease of the script, and finally, the project was slowly moving forward. While it wouldn’t start filming until January 2022, it still felt like we were closer than ever before. To kick off 2023, we got our first look at the series with not just one teaser poster but a second one hinting at the entire Straw Hat crew.
It’s been a wild ride following the many steps of this production and seeing as it evolved. Showrunners Steven Maeda and Matt Owens have reassured their love for the franchise throughout the years and with Eiichiro Oda heavily involved, it almost seems like there’s a chance the anime live-action adaptation curse could finally be lifted. Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop may have been recently scolded by its creator, this project feels like there’s a chance things might go a little differently.
Even the small details in these posters give the feeling that a lot of love and care has already been put into the project. We know the first episode will be titled Romance Dawn like the manga’s first chapter. So, it’s fitting that we get our first look at Inaki Godoy‘s Luffy staring off into the beautiful orange of dawn. We get a good look at the iconic Straw Hat and his sleeveless red shirt from the East Blue Saga. If you zoom in, the bird in the sky is a News Coo, as he even has the iconic hat and bag around his neck.
The main cast image doesn’t give us a full look at their designs, but they are very close to what they were in the manga and anime. We have some minor details added (and people freaking out over Luffy not wearing sandals) but even seeing Usopp’s slingshot brought to life just adds that little something. We even got some iconic poses to just add that little tribute to the original. Their ship is in full display with her new figurehead, which truly brings the merry to the Going Merry.
Many fans online noticed that this may also be a tribute to the first ending of the One Piece anime with the characters from behind staring into the ocean reflecting the orange sun of dawn. It’s a recurring element in the early days of the anime, as it was also a visual utilized in the eyecatchers that were used in between commercial breaks. Twitter user @Monkey_D_2shar even used the poster designs to bring that iconic visual to life for the live-action variation.
We still don’t have a release date and the fact that Netflix is willing to promote a series early on without a fixed release date. It seems strange to say so but Netflix isn’t famous for truly promoting its shows and projects over a long period of time. Not only did we get cast announcements throughout last year but even a first look behind-the-scenes in a video during Netflix Geeked, their biggest live-streaming event.
Some have some concerns but that isn’t uncommon when seeing a manga being brought to life; though did not expect issues with sandals to overshadow the complete redesign of the Going Merry. Even though some pointed out a similarity to the Cowboy Bebop premiere poster but that is mostly due to the shot from behind with an orange hue, a poster does not reflect an entire production.
Plus, this poster isn’t with a set release date with only a few months to go like with the last Tomorrow Studios production. So, they are set to promote this over a longer period of time, and the last series to get a teaser poster was Wednesday and went on to actually get a rare Season 2 renewal from Netflix. There’s no direct correlation but if they are willing to promote it as much as possible, there’s a chance they believe in this project.
The most shocking news of all time has arrived, as HBO Max has axed another series, especially a DC-related one. As Titans and Doom Patrol are coming to an end, it seems that the third season of Pennyworth will also be it’s last. The series originally premiered on Epix back in 2019 only to find its third season as an HBO Max original last year.
Though it received a new title, as it was now titled Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler to ensure we knew its DC ties. Yet, outside of the absurdity in its name, there wasn’t much buzz surrounding a Batman prequel about Alfred Pennyworth. Still, it did manage to go on for multiple seasons, a rarity in the streaming age. HBO Max has shared the following statement on its cancelation:
While HBO Max is not moving forward with another season of ‘Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler,’ we are very thankful to creator Bruno Heller and executive producers Matthew Patnick, Danny Cannon and John Stephens, along with Warner Bros. Television, for their brilliant, unique, gripping depiction of the origin of Alfred Pennyworth, one of the most iconic characters in the Batman world. An incredible blend of action, drama and humor, for three seasons, ‘Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler’ has taken fans on a mind-bending ride into Alfred’s eccentric world and the beginnings of cutting-edge super heroes and super villains
It’s definitely interesting to see what projects end up scrapped and others will continue. Superman and Lois is still set to have at least one more season as James Gunn and Peter Safran prepare their plans for their take on a connected DC Cinematic Universe. Pennyworth b being scrapped was probably the one project most expected wouldn’t survive after it moved to HBO Max, but it still left its own impact with three seasons.
James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed the first half of the first chapter of the new DCU. In total, 10 projects are expected to be rolled out by the end of 2027, with 5 films and 5 streaming series adding to the interconnected Gods and Monsters story of the DCU. With so much to take in, it can be a bit overwhelming. To make it easier, here’s the skinny on Booster Gold.
Described by Safran as “a loser from the future who uses his basic future technology to come back to today to pretend to be a superhero“, Michael Jon Carter will make his DCU debut in the HBO Max streaming series Booster Gold. The series was described as an “outright comedy” by Variety and Gunn described the story of the time-displaced 25th Century hero as “imposter syndrome as a superhero.”
“How do you deal with that?”, asked Gunn, who added that the series will focus on how Carter “tries to use this future technology to be loved by the people of today and what is really at the base of that.” Gunn also mentioned that DC Studios is already in talks with an actor for the role and given his stated desire to continue to work with the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy films, it wouldn’t be surprising if Chris Pratt were that actor.
Everything was on the chopping block until a few hours ago when the official line-up for DC Studios’ new take on the DC Cinematic Universe was unveiled. No longer where the TV shows and movies compete with each other but rather establish a more coherent experience moving forward. Yet, it seems that they aren’t completely dropping every project after all.
In an interview with Variety, they have seemingly hinted that Superman and Lois will still go on for “one to two more seasons.” It would also match that they wrap up production on the series just as Superman: Legacy would be making its way to theaters. As such, they can keep the series running until they finish work on their new take that’ll truly kick off the DCU.
Funny enough, it seems they have no comment in regards to Gotham Knights, the latest CW series whose first season is set to premiere on March 14th. Given that this series seemingly has little to do with its titular inspiration, the series has been dead on arrival. Still, who knows if it’ll find an audience after all as it is the most removed from the usual superhero fare.
In an era where Doom Patrol and Titans got canceled, it is great to see some series survive to carry on the legacy. The long-running Arrowverse series The Flash is also coming to an end and likely the entire TV spinoff series with it. What that might mean for the future still remains to be seen as some series will remain canon while others aren’t. So, we’ll have to see if the DC Studios logo will be that signifier moving forward.
Most shows follow a rather similar formula when it comes to how their viewership grows. After a strong debut, most series tend to see a drop in viewership or a strong push once strong word-of-mouth makes the rounds. Though it’s quite common that it starts dropping with the third episode, which we also saw with the monolith release of House of the Dragon last year.
Yet, The Last of Us is beating those very odds and has seemingly gained more viewers once again going into its third episode. 6.4M viewers have joined according to Nielsen and Warner Bros. Discovery’s first-party data measurement of HBO Max streams. As such, the series has seen an increase of 12% going into Bill and Frank’s captivating story.
As of now, the series has climbed from 4.7M viewers in its premiere episode and could potentially see another rise after the buzz the latest entry created. It would be great to know if this increase per episode also sees a boost for previous entries. Those that missed the premiere are likely catching up quickly and that rise in retention might play into HBO and HBO Max’s favor.
It’s not surprising that HBO renewed the series for a second season early on, as there’s definitely an audience captivated by what this post-apocalypse has to offer. The show is surprisingly true to the game while adding or even expanding upon elements in interesting ways. The Last of Us’ third episode had the biggest departure from its source material but also gave us one of the most emotional entries yet. Who knows what future episodes might have to offer?
James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed the first half of the first chapter of the new DCU. In total, 10 projects are expected to be rolled out by the end of 2027, with 5 films and 5 streaming series adding to the interconnected Gods and Monsters story of the DCU. With so much to take in, it can be a bit overwhelming. To make it easier, here’s the skinny on Paradise Lost.
Set on the island nation of Themyscira before the birth of Wonder Woman, Paradise Lost is a “Game of Thrones’-ish story” that will explore “the political intrigue behind a society of all women,” according to Safran. Gunn expanded on Safran’s comments about the series, which he said will examine the “beautiful” and “ugly truths” behind Paradise Island.
It’s an origin story of how this society of women came about. What does it mean? What are their politics like? What are their rules? Who’s in charge? What are the games that they play with each other to get to the top? I think it’s really exciting.
James Gunn
The series is being developed for HBO Max and will serve as an origin story for the Amazons, though it’s not clear what role they will have in the larger DCU narrative.
James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed the first half of the first chapter of the new DCU. In total, 10 projects are expected to be rolled out by the end of 2027, with 5 films and 5 streaming series adding to the interconnected Gods and Monsters story of the DCU. With so much to take in, it can be a bit overwhelming. To make it easier, here’s the skinny on Lanterns.
A Green Lantern Corps streaming series had been in development at HBO for years but with the announcement of Lanterns, it is clear that series is dead and has been replaced by one that will feature iconic Corps members Hal Jordan and John Stewart. The previous series which was being developed by Greg Berlanti was described by Safran as a “space opera” while the new series will have a very different tone. “Our vision is much more True Detective,” explained Safran, who went on to describe it as a “terrestrial-based investigation story.“
The mystery at the center of the HBO Max series will be part ofa story that“is going to weave back and forth between the films and the television shows,” according to Safran, who adds that Lanterns “plays a really big role leading us into the main story” of Chapter One of the DCU. Gunn added that the series will see the Lanterns “find this ancient horror on Earth, and these guys are basically supercops on “Precinct Earth.”
No information was provided on the creative team behind the project or when it’s expected to stream on HBO Max.
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