Tag: TV

REVIEW: ‘Moon Knight’ Finale

Over the course of its six-episode run, Moon Knight certainly turned heads at least a few times during its tenure. Some of Marvel Studios’ best television came through in the series, and Oscar Isaac left more than a lasting impression on the MCU with his performance. In a story with a near-infinite room to explore Ancient Egyptian gods and their relationships with humans, the Disney+ show ultimately proved that it can tell a phenomenal Marc Spector story. Moon Knight? Not so much—there is no joy in admitting that the Moon Knight finale failed to stick the landing and generally was an injustice to the aspects that the series that, up until this episode, were leading it to potentially be the best Marvel Studios series. This final episode likely takes the series out of that conversation.

The simplest way of describing what ended up being disappointing about the finale is bland. On one hand, every step of every character in this episode was met with zero resistance. All of the forgettable Arthur Harrow- or Ammit-related moves were too easy and predictable. Even the few positive moments were simply given the green light with no questions asked.

Where the big psychological twist of the series came in so beautifully for the character-based aspect of Moon Knight, the hard plot really could have benefitted from something similar. Where the series had raised mystery and intrigue, it revealed that there was nothing special behind it. With Harrow, the mildly interesting villain had no other goal than to simply take over the world, and having that be the hook, line, and sinker for the big ending felt as generic as it gets. Forcing through Harrow’s and Ammit’s world domination plan felt like the equivalent of a B-movie plot, and it lacked any genuine impact or even threat of impact.

In a realm where so much is possible, and where so much rich creativity has been presented, the series ultimately hung its hat on perhaps the most generic incantation of new gods and those fighting for them. So much more could have been toyed with in a way that would have fit well with the intricacy of the character-based elements, but ultimately those get drowned out in a sea of uninspiring CGI and conflict with practically zero nuance. Even giant silhouettes of Egyptian gods fighting over Cairo could not make up for how the actual conflict did not rise to any occasion.

Similarly, Khonshu remained a relatively minor character by the end of the finale. While the post-credits scene hints at more, the god often—and ultimately—felt like an excuse for Marc and Steven’s involvement in the overarching plot rather than a meaningful or genuine inclusion. There are countless ways that Khonshu’s personality and deception could have played into the series’ story.

The psychological exploration of Marc and Steven was the highlight of Moon Knight by far. It was so incredibly well-done that it almost made it more difficult for the series to have a grand ending on a more physical plot. Still, the residue of that character development is what kept the finale afloat. The tender moment between Marc and Steven in the Duat was one of the most emotional, and Oscar Isaac’s fantastic final execution of playing both roles with rapid switching was sincerely the most exciting part of the finale. The best parts of the action-heavy episode came when Moon Knight and Mr. Knight teamed up. Even with a finale that did not cement the series as all-in-all outstanding, nothing can take away from Moon Knight’s character masterpiece.

Another positive element to come out of the finale was Layla’s development into being an avatar of her own. This was perhaps the most unpredictable moment, yet her possible relationship with Khonshu was teased from the beginning. Still, she ultimately—easily—became Tawaret’s avatar in order to fight against Harrow and his disciples. Her superhero moments were the best superhero moments of the entire series. While Layla requested that she be a “temporary avatar”, this character is very much MCU-unique, so her status could have substantial ramifications down the line.

Lastly, Moon Knight finally introduced Jake Lockley, Marc’s third personality. After being the subject of much speculation over the course of the series, the character ends up being almost exclusively a post-credits tease. That is not too surprising, and it did have some positive impact on the ending of the series. We meet Jake right after Marc and Steven seem to be free from Khonshu and are living their normal lives together with two goldfish. But of course, Khonshu is still using Marc’s body as his avatar. This time, Jake Lockley seems to be taking on the “Moon Knight” mantle on his own.

Where the episode fumbles on this tease is that the series hinted at Jake being hyperviolent alter but never actually showed it. He had such a moment, in the end, to show that side of himself, to live up to Moon Knight’s violent expectations, and leave a strong lasting impression on viewers going forward. Instead, he simply shot at Harrow from the front seat of the comics-inspired SPKTR limo. It may have been a bit more intriguing if the audience got some sort of grasp of his personality as it differs from Marc and Steven.

Moon Knight will always be a memorable show. The character-based aspects and Isaac’s performance should go down as some of the greatest in the MCU. Nothing in the series finale takes away from those accomplishments, but the generally bland and generic ending does drown out some of it as the show came to an end. Ultimately, the wonderful twist and mind-bending energy that came with the psychological aspect of the show simply did not bleed into the main plot, and it was worse for it.

May 4, 2022
May Calamawy Talks About Introducing [SPOILER] into the MCU

If you haven’t seen the latest episode of Moon Knight, only continue reading at your own risk.

The final episode of Moon Knight has (sadly) arrived, and it included quite a lot to take in. Not only did we have an all-out Kaiju battle between the newly resurrected Ammit and Khonshu, but also received a brand new hero. Layla El-Faouly has become Taweret’s new Avatar and gained with it a new alter-ego. While it is never explicitly stated in the series, a new article by Marvel confirms that she is the MCU’s interpretation of the Scarlet Scarab.

The portrayal of May Calamawy‘s Egyptian heritage played an important role in her addition to the series, especially with how it tries to focus on representation throughout. Now, she’s also Marvel’s first Egyptian superhero, which the actress saw as quite the pressure going into the project.

I had to really sit with it and be like, I cannot represent every Arab woman or every Egyptian woman…I just hope that all Arab women can watch that and feel like a Super Hero, and that they have that space on that big scale.
May Calamawy

They have built up her scarab-inspired design with the way she was named by her father. While it was unexpected that she would fully embrace a superhero persona, there were some interesting seeds planted throughout. Consulting producer Sara Goher highlighted that she was always part of their initial pitch going in.

When we were putting [together our pitch], she was in the presentation,” Goher says. “We knew in our hearts that we wanted someone like her to take on this role. And then once we got her on board, she just gave like 1,000%, and I’m so happy with Layla.
Sara Goher

A new hero is born with Scarlet Scarab and it’ll be interesting to see if we’ll see more of her moving forward in the MCU. There is still no word if Moon Knight will get a second season, as it’s been often teased as a limited series but going by the ending, it would seem fitting that they continue Marc’s story within the MCU. Perhaps they have some plans for a spinoff Disney+ series, which has happened to other newly introduced characters as well.

Source: Marvel

May 4, 2022
REPORT: Apple TV+’s ‘Godzilla’ Spinoff Series Eyeing to Cast Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell

The Monsterverse is expanding with a new TV series. While we all expected the Warner Bros. distributed series to remain with the company, Apple TV+ was the lucky one to get their hands on the rights to produce a new Godzilla spinoff series, which is still untitled. There’s still a lot we don’t know about the series, but we were able to share some details earlier in January, as it’s currently titled Hourglass and was originally eyeing a production start sometime this month.

It’ll follow up after San Francisco was leveled by Godzilla, as a family’s connection to the secret organization Monarch is unraveled. It looks like part of the cast might be a character named Lee Shaw, who is “a military leading man type.” According to Illuminerdi’s latest piece, it seems they are currently eyeing Kurt Russell, which was first reported by Giant Freaking robot, and his son Wyatt Russell to play an older and younger version of that very character.

While they can’t offer more details, these are two big names to add to the series. It’s uncertain if the project may generally feature more Godzilla, or even lead into one of their upcoming projects. The Monsterverse reached a new high with Godzilla vs. Kong, but we generally haven’t heard much on what the future has in store for viewers as they start their expansion into its first TV venture.

Source: Illuminerdi, Giant Freaking Robot

May 3, 2022
‘Moon Knight’s Final Episode Should Continue Playing With Our Heads

Moon Knight has been a show that stands on its own two feet even among the ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe. Episode 4 started a new direction for the series, as what looks like a globe-trotting adventure may have actually been in the Marc Spector’s mind all along. The next episode did return to the usual adventure, as he and his alter Steven Grant took a path down memory lane and were faced with a new challenge, as Ammit unleashes her chaos upon the world. Intersected during those segments, we return to Marc being confronted by a psychiatrist version of Arthur Harrow. As we go into the finale, the trailers are teasing something familiar for Marvel fans, but I have a different hope going in.

I adored the direction set by the fourth episode, as it played with our minds and created the illusion that everything that has happened was just within Marc’s mind. The series has been mostly disconnected from the rest of the MCU and embraced the iconic run by Lemire and Smallwood. It sadly is still a more restrained version of that story, but that’s not uncommon within adaptation. As Marc has found some kind of “peace” at the end of the last episode, I have one quandary going into the finale. I want it to keep playing with our heads.

Even as he continues his journey to regain his powers as the Moon Knight and Khonshu to fight Harrow. We get a bombastic fight, as teased in the latest teasers with Harrow using the powers of Ammit. But, in reality, we continue to splice his discussion with the psychiatrist as we further unravel his mind. Suddenly, he has a revelation and just takes in the reality that he is, inf act, a superhero and has to take down the next great evil. We suddenly return to those moments of the power struggle as Moon Knight falls back into the territory set up earlier in the season.

He saves the day. Moon Knight is reunited with Layla and Khonshu. Everything is back to where it should be. Yet, something seems off about it all. The ending is almost too perfect, as every piece of the puzzle has fallen together as it should. Suddenly, the rug is pulled from under him and reality is changed once again. The series ends on a note that perhaps there’s still more to this story to be told, as it continues to keep its focus primarily on his mental issues and the challenges of living with DID.

Of course, the series may take a safe route, but the thought of even the final playing with our expectations would be the perfect way to leave us off with the character. Perhaps everything that happened in the finale is actually part of a movie set, similar to Grant’s role in the Lemire and Smallwood run. We switch between these realities, making it harder to put together what is and isn’t real.

If you’re wondering what that means for the character’s future in the MCU, it gives us the perfect opportunity for a character that keeps us on our toes. While we may see the return of Moon Knight, there’s enough vagueness to never truly give away what exactly happened. He can still be a character that is unhinged and hard to truly pinpoint given his DID. I personally would love a second season to build upon the insanity and leave us with any questions, but if this remains as a limited series, they could still keep us guessing.

Reality is a fragile thing, and who knows what the future has in store for the character, which technically is probably making the limited episode count a bit frustrating. Still, there’s so much potential here to expand upon and use that vagueness to play with our perception. A sequel season could even play around with the Marvel Cinematic Universe as such without having to directly connect to the rest. It would be a shame to fall into some familiar territory, but even so, it wouldn’t go against what the series set up. Given it may be a limited run, it sadly does also limit its potential in some ways.

May 3, 2022
Viola Davis in Talks to Star in a ‘Peacemaker’ Spin-Off

The DC Extended Universe saw its first venture into television with James Gunn‘s spin-off of The Suicide Squad with Peacemaker, featuring the return of John Cena as the titular character. Gunn revealed before the series had even wrapped on its first season that he was already developing another DC series although he would not go into details about what that series might be.

Deadline is reporting that the star of Suicide Squad and its sequel, Viola Davis, will reprise her role as Amanda Waller in an upcoming HBO Max series. She will also serve as an executive producer on the project alongside James Gunn, Peter Safran, and Christal Henry, who will write and serve as an executive producer on the series.

There are no plot details on the series just yet and all we know is that it will not be in the same vein as Peacemaker was, with Gunn previously stating his next spin-off “won’t be as much a comedy as Peacemaker“.

The series could follow the aftermath of Peacemaker, where Waller’s own daughter, Leota Adebayo, went on national television to expose ARGUS and bring Task Force X into the light. Effectively Adebayo put a target on her mother’s back and revealed everything from what happened in Midway City to the project Starfish in Corto Maltese.

There has been no other details plot or casting wise as the project still seems to be in early development but it could be cool to see them explore Checkmate or even the Secret Six with a project like this, with Waller acting as the mockingbird figure.

Source: Deadline

May 3, 2022
Oscar Isaac Sees ‘Moon Knight’s Steven Grant as “A Bit on the Spectrum”

Marvel Studios has quite the week and weekend planned for fans, with both the premiere of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the finale of Moon Knight dropping within days of each other. Despite naturally needing to compete for attention from the highly-anticipated Doctor Strange sequel, Moon Knight has made a name for itself and fans are eagerly awaiting what the finale of the series has in store.

The Disney+ series’ finale remains mysterious, but the show’s focus on the character dynamics between Marc Spector and Steven Grant is likely to continue to be showcased. Oscar Isaac so far has been praised for his performance of the two characters, connected by Marc Spector’s dissociative identity disorder. In a recent interview with Collider, Isaac opened up even more about how he tackled the role. Interestingly, he described his take on Steven as being on the autism spectrum, something not acknowledged with respect to any other character in the MCU:

You know, I saw him as a bit on the spectrum. I actually loved watching Love on the Spectrum. That was like one of my favorite things to look at, because I just found it so moving and touching because it’s people that… All the same feelings we have in those situations, but they just haven’t developed all the masks to hide it all. So there was cues that I took from that. I imagined him as quite tall but wanting to feel smaller when he walks through rooms and things, and just played with the physicality and then just a very open face, which reminded me of my clown days back at school, where you play with the red nose and the way that it opens up your face, and then doing the opposite of that with Marc, making him, although much more present, like a marble in the middle of a room, but also tighter in the face and closed off. Lots of defenses up.
Oscar Isaac

For one, the significance of representing autism–even if not explicitly recognized in the series–is another example of how Marvel Studios is starting to open the door to a wider range of underrepresented groups in the universe. While this may have been more of a creative choice on Isaac’s part, the showrunners undoubtedly gave him that creative freedom. Obviously, in general, this allowed for a stunning performance by Isaac, and it crafted rich and well-developed characters to explore. It seems like a reason to be optimistic about creative freedom given to talent going forward in the MCU, which is a topic in many fans’ minds. In an event, it is another look at fan-favorite Steven Grant’s personality and how detail-oriented Isaac was in his performances.

The first five episodes of Moon Knight are now streaming on Disney+.

Source: Collider

May 3, 2022
‘Moon Knight’ Finale Primer

Last week’s fifth episode, “Asylum”, didn’t do much to clear things up for me. The episode did quickly reveal that Marc and Steven were on a boat headed through the underworld on which they had to weigh their hearts to see if they were balanced enough to make it into The Field of Reeds. When the scale wouldn’t balance, they were forced to relive a series of rough memories that led Marc to create a second personality.

Steven was forced to relive some of Marc’s worst memories: the drowning of his brother, Randall. Marc’s mom went crazy, blaming Marc for it, and became hateful and abusive. Marc and Steven’s hopes that their trip through these memories would balance their scales were dashed, and the goddess Taweret’s ship kept taking them to their destination. The ship was boarded by a bunch of souls from the sands and a big fight followed that ended with Steven falling overboard and turning into stone. Losing Steven made Marc’s heart balance, allowing him to pass into the Field of Reeds. So he’s dead??!

Arlyn’s Assumptions

For the first time in a Marvel Studios series, I have no idea how it’s going to end. Marc will obviously have to make it back out of the Field of Reeds, free Khonshu, and reclaim his power as Moon Knight, but given where he left off and the fact that the other gods aren’t too fond of Khonshu, it’s hard to guess which one, if any, will help Marc return and stop Harrow. Marc has had some help along the way, if you remember though, so it’s possible that Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of many things, including fate, might return.

The season finale of Moon Knight streams tomorrow!

May 3, 2022
5 Open Questions Ahead of the Moon Knight Finale

Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight is heading into its finale after a powerful and emotional fifth episode last week. We saw Marc Spector and Steven Grant attempt to tip the scales, but not without some heartbreaking revelations. Now we have plenty to wrap up in one episode, but what are the most important plot threads? Let’s take a deeper look at what we might expect going into the final episode of this Disney+ series.

Will we see Jake Lockley?

There have been hints and nods to a third personality throughout every part of the series. In “Asylum,” there’s a 20-second stretch where it seems that during his conversation with Dr. Harrow, Marc seemingly seems off. His accent changes and he seems way more unhinged than usual. As fellow Murphy’s Multiverse scribe Mary Maerz detailed last week, we have enough pieces for the puzzle. It’s time to see Jake and how he fits into the larger narrative of the story.

Will there be a concrete MCU reference in the show?

One of the most common refrains in praise of Moon Knight is that there are no outward MCU references. It’s in its own part of the world telling a self-contained story. With all that being said, you have to wonder if Marvel decides to drop in something that pushes the story forward. With the Werewolf by Night-focused Halloween special coming later this year and Moon Knight’s comic book connection, it does open up a possible connection. Odds would say no but you can’t help but wonder if they find a way to fit it into the overall story.

When Khonshu gets freed and this is all over, what are his plans?

Earlier in the series, it felt that Marc was always trying to protect Layla from Khonshu’s plans to use her as an avatar. That didn’t feel like it was dropped in the show for giggles. It’s clear that Khonshu will be freed again and Marc will have to deal with that once the fight with Ammit and Harrow concludes. This show has always felt like control was one of its main themes since the outset. The expectation is we’ll come full circle in some type of way. Though, who knows if there’s more to Khonshu than we might expect at first.

How will Arthur Harrow’s story end?

Arthur Harrow has been one step ahead of everyone since the very beginning of the series. His plan looks like it’s reaching its apex of success. We have a decent idea that Moon Knight will overcome the adversity he’s facing and defeat Harrow and the one he serves, Ammit. It’s all about how we get there, and how Arthur closes out his run. Most MCU villains usually don’t survive, so the hope is there’ll be a creative and satisfying close to Harrow’s character.

Will we see Steven Grant again?

Seemingly lost to the Duat at the conclusion of “Asylum”, Steven Grant sacrificed his life to save Marc. It puts the remaining Alter in an unenviable position of having to fight without his companion. Steven has been very popular and it was a tough ending for the character. It does beg the thought of whether he’s actually gone through. Marc could use that intelligence and quick wit in the final fight. Here’s to hoping we get one more visit with Mr. Grant and maybe even his Mr. Knight.

The Moon Knight finale is sure to leave us with more questions than answers. The hope is those questions tantalize and fascinate us, and the answers feel gratifying as a viewer.

May 3, 2022
New Netflix Animation Trailer Includes First Look at ‘Sonic Prime’

Here’s a fun surprise, but it looks like a new trailer on Netflix’s current and upcoming animation projects includes our first look at Sonic Prime. It’s a fun surprise that arrives at the end of the trailer, which only includes the blue blur running through a few rings with the iconic sound effect before dropping a jokey line. Surprisingly, it sounds like they have once again recast the voice but it’s unclear who is voicing him. At one point, it was announced that Roger Craig Smith was retiring from voicing the character but would confirm he’s back to voice Sonic after all. So, it’s interesting that the animated series has a different voice actor altogether.

As with any new voice actor, it’s going to take some time to get used to. This new Sonic the Hedgehog sounds like he has the same attitude of what we’ve come to love from the character, but it’s an even bigger departure from the live-action voice provided by Ben Schwartz. There’s not much to the line and generally, we don’t get a lot of time with him in this short clip. So, it’s not much to really make an analysis based on, but the design looks quite promising and feels like a direct adaptation of the games.

Overall, it’s exciting that Sonic the Hedgehog is going through a renaissance with his latest film release, new games, and an animated series. We’re still waiting anxiously on what Sonic Frontier might have to offer, but luckily classic fans will get to return to their favorite games with some unique animations as well to tie all four initial games together. So, Sonic fans are eating well right now.

You can check out the full trailer and the brief clip here:

Source: YouTube, TWitter

May 3, 2022
Paramount+ Developing New ‘Jackass’ Series

It looks like Paramount has been quite happy with the success of Jackass Forever, as they are reviving the original TV series for their Paramount+ subscription service. During their Q1 earnings call, they not only highlighted their impressive subscriber growth but also went on to tease some of their additional plans, which included the announcement of a new Jackass TV series. It would be the first time they return to a TV format since the original three seasons aired on MTV back in 2000 to 2001. Bob Bakish, Paramount’s Global CEO, shared the following statement on the new series order.

Based off the success of ‘Jackass Forever,’ we’re working with the creators to continue the partnership with a new series, bringing even more ridiculous antics straight to Paramount+.
Bob Bakish

Not too long ago, they announced countless new projects and are continuing to push forward with their expansion of the service. Johnny Knoxville, who’s the de facto leader of the Jackass crew, has recently hinted that he’s done with the stunts after his work on Forever. One stunt was highlighted as exceptionally dangerous, which luckily didn’t lead to a dark end.

Of course, he could still have a role in the project and use it as an opportunity to pass the torch to a new generation, as he has a more creative role in creating the different stunts that are performed. For now, it seems they’ve mainly ordered a series with the producers, who’ll likely discuss it with the original team and we’ll see how many “veterans” will stick with the new series or potentially leave the franchise behind with their swan song that was Forever.

Source: Variety

May 3, 2022