Author: Christopher Marc

Posted on in Film News

Daisy Ridley “Open To Anything” Concerning A Future Role In The MCU

While many fans have been championing Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley for the role of Marvel Comics heroine Jessica Drew aka Spider-Woman, it sounds like she is open to pretty much anything related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

During an interview with Comic Book Movie, Ridley suggests she might be open to things other than Spider-Woman and even brings up the Disney+ series WandaVision. Potentially hinting to an openness to tackle something in television as well as on the big screen.

RIDLEY: “Well, it’s funny because someone asked me off the cuff about the Spider-Woman rumors recently, and I went, ‘Oh, that sounds great.’ Apparently, I’ve now declared myself a front-runner to be Spider-Woman which isn’t true!. It’s funny because I don’t really choose things… I [didn’t] set out to do another ‘big film.’ I just read the script, loved it, and loved the idea of it.”

“Basically, should something come along and be great, of course, I’d be open to anything. I just finished WandaVision. What they did with it is so amazing and different and interesting. To be particularly in that world, which is ever-shifting and reimagining itself would be very exciting.”

Just because fans would like to see her play Spider-Woman it doesn’t mean it will actually happen and it’s worth mentioning there are many female characters connected to the MCU that she could end up playing besides Jessica Drew.

Olivia Wilde is reportedly directing a Spider-Woman film for Sony Pictures but it hasn’t been announced if Marvel Studios would be officially participating in the project.

It’s worth mentioning that the X-Men franchise is on the horizon. I could see Daisy playing a grown-up version X-23 or Morlock leader Callisto as it would allow her to play slightly more gruff characters than she has recently. I don’t know if she’s capable of a Southern accent for a character like X-Men’s Rogue, but that would lead to some interactions with Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel as she drains her powers to gain the ability of flight and super-strength.

We have to assume that roles such as S.W.O.R.D.’s Abigail Brand, Namora, Crystal, and Power Princess might be coming in the future too.

Playing either Rogue and Brand would allow Ridley to share scenes with Brie Larson, combining the two into a single project would totally irk a segment of the childish online community that share equal hate for Rey and Captain Marvel.

SOURCE: COMIC BOOK MOVIE

Posted on in Film News

Russell Crowe Reportedly Joins Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’

After social media posts revealed that Russell Crowe, Chris Hemsworth, and director Taika Waititi hung out at a South Sydney Rabbitohs game in Sydney over the weekend. It looks like he’s secured himself a part in their upcoming MCU installment as Deadline is reporting that Crowe has landed an undisclosed role in Thor: Love & Thunder. However, it’s still unclear how much screen time Russell will actually get and even what the character is.

Production on the Thor sequel kicked-off back in January and has been mostly taking place at Fox Studios Australia located in Sydney, New South Wales Australia. The same facility used to film Riley Scott’s Alien: Covenant and Marvel’s Shang-Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings.

The Oscar-winner is no stranger to action flicks as he played Jor-El in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and earned an Oscar for his role in Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator. He also nabbed Oscar nominations for A Beautiful Mind and Michael Mann’s The Insider.

Crowe isn’t the only DC Comics alum in the cast as former Batman, Christian Bale, is playing the film’s main villain called Gorr The God Butcher. A pale skinned alien creature that likely will require motion-capture similar to Thanos and The Children of Thanos.

Taika is also said to have a role in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. His role is most likely voicing the cosmic villain Starro after it was revealed in the latest trailer that Sly Stallone would be voicing King Shark in the DC sequel. This would make Waititi DC Comics alum as well just like Crowe and Bale.

The Aussie actor joins a rather large cast that also includes Hemsworth as Thor, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster aka Lady Thor, Tessa Thompson as King Valkyrie of New Asgard, Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Dave Bautista as Drax The Destroyer, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Sean Gunn as Kraglin, Jaimie Alexander as Sif, Taika Waititi as Korg, Matt Damon, Luke Hemsworth, and Melissa McCarthy.

Disney has given Thor: Love & Thunder a release date of May 6, 2022.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Television News

Sebastian Stan Would Only Play Luke Skywalker If Mark Hamill Called Him Personally About Sharing The Iconic ‘Star Wars’ Role

In Season 2 of The Mandalorian, Mark Hamill reprises the Luke Skywalker in an action-focused cameo. That scene had a de-aged version of Mark Hamill and used good amount of CGI to accomplish. If there was ever a Luke Skywalker series or if the Jedi had a bigger role in the future for other shows that might become too expensive for Lucasfilm to do on a regular basis. A more cost effective move would be hiring another actor.

We’ve seen for ages that Marvel actor Sebastian Stan would make a good Luke Skywalker because he is the spitting image of Hamill. This led to Mark Hamill informally giving his approval on social medial.

Stan was recently on Good Morning America promoting his Disney+ series The Falcon & The Winter Soldier and was asked about the possibility of playing Skywalker in the future.

STAN: “If Mark Hamill called me, personally, to tell me he feels inclined to share this role with me, then I will believe it. Until then, I won’t believe it.”

UPDATE: Mark Hamill has responded on Twitter and downplays what his endorsement/blessing would do for Sebastian Stan landing the part.

We still don’t know if Lucasfilm has plans for Luke Skywalker beyond the cameo in The Mandalorian but since Stan is already in the Disney+ family there is a possibility they could at least ask him about it. While Kevin Feige confirmed there are ideas for a second season of The Falcon & The Winter Soldier, there doesn’t seem to be a commitment for multiple seasons at this point and that might have to do with Captain American 4 being on the table as a follow-up to the series.

The Obi-Wan Kenobi series is already opening the door for a new Luke Skywalker actor as the the project is expected to have a young version of him as we’ll see the return of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru with the setting taking place 10 years after Star Wars: Revenge of The Sith.

SOURCE: GOOD MORNING AMERICA

Posted on in Trailers

TRAILER: Jason Statham Plays Yet Another Badass In Guy Ritchie’s Heist Thriller ‘Wrath of Man’

MGM has released the first-look trailer for Wrath of Man, the English remake of the French film Le Convoyeur from director Guy Ritchie and led by action star Jason Statham. The pair haven’t worked together since 2005’s Revolver.

Wrath of Man’s cast also includes Holt McCallany, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Hartnett, Laz Alonzo, Raúl Castillo, Deobia Oparei, Eddie Marsan, and Scott Eastwood. From the trailer it seems to be more of a straight action film rather than a gangster comedy with action elements, something that has been Ritchie’s calling card since Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels.

Guy and Jason are already filming a second project with the spy film, Five Eyes, currently in production.

MGM has swooped-in to take the vacant spot on May 7, 2021 for Wrath of Man after Disney moved Black Widow to a hybrid release on July 9, 2021.

A mysterious and wild-eyed new cash truck security guard (Jason Statham) surprises his coworkers during a heist in which he unexpectedly unleashes precision skills. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman’s ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score.

SOURCE: MGM

Posted on in Film News

‘Black Adam’ Going Head-To-Head Against ‘Indiana Jones 5’ In July 2022

Yesterday, it was announced that Dwayne Johnson’s DC Comics film Black Adam finally got a new release date and will be coming out on July 29,2022. Johnson made the announcement via Instagram with the new date being revealed at Times Square in New York City.

This means Black Adam will be going up against Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones 5 starring Harrison Ford and directed by James Mangold (Logan, The Wolverine, Ford v. Ferrari), that’s unless Disney moves the fifth installment to later in 2022 or to a new summer spot in 2023.

Dwayne Johnson leads the superhero flick in the role of Black Adam. Other cast members assembled by New Line Cinema consists of Aldis Hodge as Carter Hall aka Hawkman, Noah Centineo as Al Rothstein aka Atom Smasher, Quintessa Swindell as Maxine Hunkell aka Cyclone, Sarah Shahi as Adrianna Tomaz aka Isis, Pierce Brosnan as Kent Nelson aka Dr. Fate, and Marwan Kenzari expected to play the film’s villain.

Production on Black Adam is set to begin next month in Atlanta, Georgia.

SOURCE: DWAYNE JOHNSON

Posted on in Television News

‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Officially Adds Kumail Nanjiani, Sung Kang, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Benny Safdie, Rupert Friend, Joel Edgerton & Others

Today, Lucasfilm has announced a batch of new additions to the cast of Obi-Wan Kenobi with Kumail Nanjiani, Sung Kang, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Benny Safdie, Rupert Friend, Joel Edgerton, Moses Ingram, Bonnie Piesse, and Simone Kessell. They’ll join the previously announced cast of Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, and Indira Varma.

The story begins 10 years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Kenobi faced his greatest defeat, the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.

Bonnie and Joel will be reprising their prequel roles of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, these casting announcements would confirm that the limited series will add a young Luke Skywalker. This makes perfect sense as the limited series is set 10 years after the events of Star Wars: Revenge of The Sith, also years before Star Wars: A New Hope and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Ewan McGregor has sort of hinted that we could see Ben Kenobi off-world and it’s been officially announced that Hayden will be returning to the role of Darth Vader, so the series will likely have an Imperial angle.

Ewan has confirmed the filming will take place in Los Angeles sometime in spring with Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian) directing. The press release includes an update of an April production start.

Posted on in Television News

‘Game of Thrones’ Author George R.R. Martin Signs Five-Year Deal With HBO – Are We Looking At Endless Spinoff Series?

Author George R.R. Martin has been involved with a heap of series lately and most of them are connected to his string of fantasy novels that were adapted by HBO into the international hit Game of Thrones. There are currently at least five live-action spinoffs in the works that includes House of The Dragon, a prequel series based on the novel Fire & Blood that will debut in 2022.

There have been previous reports that Martin’s Knight of The Seven Kingdoms will be turned a series, titled Tales of Dunk & Egg, along with three other projects in development such as Sea Snake aka The 9 Voyages, Flea Bottom (slum in King’s Landing), and 10,000 Ships.

George R.R. Martin isn’t stopping there as The Hollywood Reporter has learned the author has signed a huge five-year deal with HBO, that means he’ll be working with them to develop a multitude of new shows and potentially films as well.

Sources say Martin’s contract spans five years and is worth mid-eight figures.

Outside of the Game of Thrones stuff, George R.R. Martin is also developing HBO series based on other people’s work such as Nnedi Okorafor’s post-apocalyptic novel Who Fears Death and Roger Zelazy’s sci-fi fantasy novel Roadmarks.

I’ll be curious to see if they’ll attempt to create some original concept as well.

A handful of other Game of Thrones spinoff shows had been in development before this recent wave that will never see the light of day and it’s possible some stuff that has been announced won’t get past the pilot stage like their White Walker origin series. The Long Night aka Bloodmoon starred Australian actress Naomi Watts but the project from writer Jane Goldman (X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass) and the pilot was directed by S.J. Clarkson (Jessica Jones) didn’t earn a series order from HBO.

HBO isn’t the only place adapting George R.R. Martin’s work as Peacock is making a new series based on his Wild Cards franchise. Feature films are also on the table as well with Gore Verbinski directing a film version of Sandkings for Netflix and Paul W.S. Anderson directing a movie based on the fantasy short stories In The Lost Lands.

I’m not sure how he’s going to have the time to keep writing new books when he’s executive producing dozens of projects and potentially creating blueprints for them alongside showrunners.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Posted on in Film News

UPDATE: ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ Earns Estimated $70M In China & $122M Internationally

Despite multiple countries still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a handful staring down the barrel of a fourth wave because of the increased variants (alongside folks ignoring medical recommendations), the international box office seems to be returning in some markets.

Legendary’s Godzilla vs Kong made a big splash when it’s first trailer dropped and the marketing campaign has seemingly resonated with audiences that had been previously lukewarm about previous installments like Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of The Monsters.

Will this equate into a huge box office hit?

Well, internationally that seems to be the case and is becoming the biggest debut since the pandemic started. Deadline is reporting that after the film had a spectacular Friday opening of $21.1 million in China it seems to be lumbering towards an estimated haul of $70.4 million in the Middle Kingdom. This means the kaiju showdown is expected to cross $100+ million opening weekend internationally and has surpassed the Chinese opening of Godzilla: King of The Monsters. It’s worth mentioning that foreign movies don’t tend to stick around very long in the Chinese market compared to their local releases and the studio hopes to make hay as long as they can.

UPDATE: The Hollywood Reporter adds that the intentional estimate is now $121.8 million.

Godzilla vs Kong won’t be debuting domestically until March 31.

However, WarnerMedia is offering the film free for a month on HBO Max which will certainly have an impact on domestic box office earnings. While there has been positive estimates, we’ll have to wait and see if folks will be piling into indoor theaters as a fourth wave of COVID-19 looms or will opt for the free alternative available on HBO Max with a subscription.

Bob Odenkirk’s action flick Nobody took the top spot this weekend domestically with $6.7 million which is good for a movie budgeted at $16 million. This isn’t exactly the sign of box office strength you want to see with Godzilla vs Kong’s release on the horizon later in the week.

With a budget of $165 million, Godzilla vs Kong will need to continue to be successful overseas to turn a profit when movies like Wonder Woman 1984 were reportedly said to take $100 million loss. The hybrid release model from WarnerMedia has yet to be seen as box office benefit to the Warner Bros. division, but we’ll see if this changes with films such as Godzilla vs Kong.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Television News

Marvel’s ‘M.O.D.O.K.’ Series Adds Jon Hamm, Whoopi Goldberg, Nathan Fillion & Bill Hader To The Voice Cast

Today, it was revealed at WonderCon@Home’s Q&A for the upcoming animated Marvel series M.O.D.O.K. that they’ve added some big names to the voice cast. Those new names include Jon Hamm as Tony Stark aka Iron Man, Whoopi Goldberg as the villain Poundcakes, Nathan Fillion getting a second crack at Wonder Man, and lastly Bill Hader will be doing double duty voicing both The Leader and Angar The Screamer.

They’ll be joining a well-rounded main cast that consists of Patton Oswalt, Melissa Fumero, Aimee Garcia, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ben Schwartz, Beck Bennett, Jon Daly, and Sam Richardson.

The series will debut May 21, 2021 on Hulu.

In “Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K.,” the megalomaniacal supervillain M.O.D.O.K. has long pursued his dream of one day conquering the world. But after years of setbacks and failures fighting the Earth’s mightiest heroes, M.O.D.O.K. has run his evil organization A.I.M. into the ground. Ousted as A.I.M.’s leader, while also dealing with his crumbling marriage and family life, the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing is set to confront his greatest challenge yet!

You can check out the full panel below along with a special cameo and nifty clip.

SOURCE: WONDERCON@HOME

Posted on in Features

Netflix Should Offer Zack Snyder Their ‘Conan The Barbarian’ Reboot

It was recently suggested by WarnerMedia Studios CEO Ann Sarnoff in an interview with Variety that they don’t have plans to continue or restore the Snyderverse. Which means that Zack Snyder is finally free to make all the wacky film ideas he’s been cooking up over the last decade. He’s talked about making action film about George Washington and taking a crack at the Arthurian legend.

What’s interesting is that he’s now established a working relationship with streaming giant Netflix with his upcoming action-horror flick Army of The Dead, that is coming out on May 21, 2021.

This could mean that Snyder and Netflix will continue working on stuff in the future potentially leading to an over-all development deal at some point.

There is a newly acquired IP at the streamer that feels tailor-made for the filmmaker. As Netflix got their hands on the film and television rights to Robert E. Howard’s sword and sorcery hero Conan The Barbarian last year. The character has multiple stories written by Howard and other writers that continued Conan’s adventures over the decades including folks like Wheel of Time’s Robert Jordan.

In my opinion, there is really only one solid live-action adaptation and that is the fantastic John Milius movie from 1982 that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Earl Jones. The film got made thanks in part to the books popularity in the 1970’s and the string of comic books that were published by Marvel Comics.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982) – Orphaned boy Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is enslaved after his village is destroyed by the forces of vicious necromancer Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), and is compelled to push “The Wheel of Pain” for many years. Once he reaches adulthood, Conan sets off across the prehistoric landscape of the Hyborian Age in search of the man who killed his family and stole his father’s sword. With beautiful warrior Valeria (Sandahl Bergman) and archer Subotai (Gerry Lopez), he faces a supernatural evil.

I have to assume given Zack’s obsession with John Boorman’s Excalibur that something like Conan The Barbarian might also be a fantasy film that resonates with him and could be an established IP that Netflix could offer Snyder.

We’ve seen with 300 that Zack could bring something visually interesting to a mature fantasy adventure epic like Conan The Barbarian. At it’s core, the 300 comic from Frank Miller and the Zack Snyder film owes a lot to things like Conan.

The world of Conan can be a blank canvas for someone like Snyder to develop something into his own and Netflix isn’t likely going to micromanage because box office isn’t even a factor with their originals as streaming is a complete different. You can tell with his DC stuff that he’s itching to tackle something like this.

The less said about Jason Momoa’s 2011 Conan reboot the better. Since then, the actor has developed a more charismatic on-screen persona with stuff like Game of Thrones and taking on the Aquaman role. I wouldn’t be opposed to giving Jason another shot at playing Conan given that he’s grown as an actor and has an existing relationship with Snyder.

Anyways, I’m hopefully that Netflix’s interest with expanding Snyder’s Army of The Dead into their own franchise means that they’ll at least consider him for other stuff like Conan The Barbarian as it feels like it could be a good fit for him.