Category: Television News

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Samuel L. Jackson Reportedly Reprising Nick Fury Role For New Disney+ Series From Kyle Bradstreet – Is This The S.W.O.R.D. Show?

Samuel L. Jackson will return to the Nick Fury role for an unnamed Marvel Studios series for Disney+ according to a report from Variety. Kyle Bradstreet will write and executive produce. His television credits include Mr. Robot, Berlin Station, and Cooper.

The exact plot details of the show are being kept under wraps, but multiple sources say Jackson is attached to star with Kyle Bradstreet attached to write and executive produce. Like all the other Marvel shows at Disney Plus, Marvel Studios will produce.

Variety stops short from saying what the new series which most likely is the rumored S.W.O.R.D. series. The last time we saw Nick Fury was on a space station being built by Skrulls in outer space and we’ll see S.W.O.R.D. introduced later this year in WandaVision with what looks like Monica Rambeau is an Agent of S.W.O.R.D.

S.W.O.R.D. could become the Phase 4 replacement of S.H.I.E.L.D. given that future threats in the MCU are most likely going to be coming from beyond the stars and the Multiverse. With Skrulls on Earth and established there is also the possibility that a version of the Secret Invasion could also be explored.

I’m sure fans will be hopeful that if this turns out to be a S.W.O.R.D. series that characters such as Abigail Brand will be involved and with Cobie Smulder’s television series Stumptown being cancelled I wouldn’t be shocked if Maria Hill is eventually attached.

Captain Marvel 2 has director Nia DaCosta attached and there is an expectation that S.W.O.R.D. will have large presence for Earthbound scenes in that sequel allowing for Fury, Monica Rambeau, and even possibly Ms Marvel aka Kamala Khan to get involved.

SOURCE: VARIETY

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Noah Hawley Suggests His Unmade ‘Alien’ Series At FX Would Have Been Character-Driven and Further Explore The Universe

Last year it was revealed that Legion and Fargo showrunner/creator Noah Hawley had attempted to pitch FX and 20th Century Fox a miniseries that takes place within the Alien universe before the merger with Disney. Unfortunately the executives didn’t bite and it never came together.

We now have some idea of what it would have looked like thanks to some interesting new comments from Noah. While speaking with the Observer, Noah seemingly was interested in exploring the themes and characters within the universe rather than simply the action and xenomorphs. 

HAWLEY: “Alien is on some level the complete opposite of Stark Trek. It’s sort of about humanity at its worst. There’s this moment in the second film when Sigourney says, ‘I don’t know which species is worse. At least they don’t screw each other over for a percentage.’ If you look at what Aliens tends to be, it’s usually a trapped story – trapped in a ship, trapped in a prison, etc. And because the Alien has this life cycle to it, where it goes from egg, to chestburster, to xenomorph, there becomes a certain routine to it.”

“I thought it would be interesting if you could expand. If you’re going to make something for television, you’ve got 10 hours let’s say. Even if you have a lot of action, like two hours, then you’re still going to have eight hours left. So what is the show about? That’s what I tried to talk to them about. As I did with Legion, the exercise is: Let’s take the superhero stuff out of the show and see if it’s still a great show. What’s the show about? Let’s take the Alien out of the show. What’s the show about? What are the themes, who are the characters and what is the human drama? Then we drop the aliens back in and we go, ‘This is great. Not only is there great human drama, but there’s aliens!’”

As it stands there doesn’t seem to be any official movement on the Alien franchise. Ridley Scott keeps talking up a third Alien prequel that may distance itself from the last two installments and there has been a new Alien 5 aka Alien V script making the rounds from Walter Hill and David Giler. The pair of screenwriters previously worked on the first three Alien films.

I would have loved to have seen something new within the Alien universe and a series allows creative people a little more wiggle-room as you’re not completely focused on box office returns. Maybe down the line, Disney will revisit the idea of a series and push for it to land at Hulu/FX allowing to keep its mature tone.

SOURCE: OBSERVER 

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Amazon’s ‘The Boys’ Is Getting A Spinoff Series – Takes Place At A Superhero College

Variety reports that Amazon is moving forward with a spinoff of their popular mature comic book series The Boys with Craig Rosenberg set to write and showrun the pilot. This news comes on the heels that Amazon claims that the second season is their most popular original series, although this is coming from Amazon and this data can’t be verified.

Craig Rosenberg is writing the pilot and will serve as showrunner and executive producer under his overall deal with Sony Pictures Television, with Rosenberg currently serving as writer and executive producer on the original series.

The new series is said to focus on a college of superheroes run by Vought International.

The spinoff is set at America’s only college exclusively for young adult superheroes (or “supes”) that is run by Vought International. It is described as an irreverent, R-rated series that explores the lives of hormonal, competitive supes as they put their physical, sexual, and moral boundaries to the test, competing for the best contracts in the best cities. Part college show, part Hunger Games — with all the heart, satire and raunch of The Boys.

The Boys is heading for a third season with Supernatural actor Jensen Ackles playing the character Soldier Boy.

Filming takes place in Toronto and is expected to return there for Season 3.

SOURCE: VARIETY

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Marvel’s ‘Loki’ Series Resumes Filming In Atlanta According To Gugu Mbatha-Raw

While speaking with Forbes, Loki actress Gugu Mbatha Raw revealed that the cast of the Marvel Studios series have returned to work in Atlanta, Georgia to resume production and talked about what she’s been up to since the pandemic paused production earlier in the year. 

MBATHA-RAW: “I was in the middle of filming when the pandemic happened, so I had a real break, I’ve been painting and reading. Like so many others, I was at home for a long time. Not to make light of the suffering going on, but in some ways, it has been an opportunity for me to get a fresh perspective on things. It is downtime that perhaps I might not have had, and now I’m thankful to be back to work. It’s been a journey for everyone, but it’s all for a greater reason and the greater good.”

“I’m obviously sworn to secrecy about everything to do with Loki, but it feels great to be back. Everyone is trying to do it as safely as possible under the circumstances, and it feels good. I’m excited. It’s a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to see it.”

The series will explore the Multiverse and is expected to help establish characters/plot points for upcoming films like Thor: The Dark World and Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness. 

The Falcon & The Winter Soldier has officially returned to Atlanta for filming as there are a bunch of set photos to prove it.

Loki is still expected to begin airing sometime in 2021. 

SOURCE: FORBES

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HBO Max Announces 8-Episode ‘Peacemaker’ Series Starring John Cena With James Gunn Directing Multiple Episodes In 2021

Wow, HBO Max is already working on a spinoff series focusing on James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad!

WarnerMedia and HBO Max have announced today that they’ll be making a Peacekeeper series on the streaming service starring John Cena. The series will focus on Cena’s character from the upcoming DC Comics film that was written and directed by James Gunn.

Gunn is said to be directing multiple episodes before heading off to make Guardians of The Galaxy 3 and writing all 8-episodes.

Below is the official press release.

Oh f*ck, it’s Peacemaker! HBO Max is set to explore the origins of the Peacemaker character, the master of weapons from the highly anticipated upcoming The Suicide Squad film, in the new Max Original action-adventure-comedy series Peacemaker. HBO Max has given a straight-to-series order of eight episodes for the first season of the show. John Cena will reprise his role from The Suicide Squad movie to star in the series, and the film’s acclaimed writer/director James Gunn will write all eight episodes of Peacemaker and will direct multiple episodes, including the first. Gunn and The Suicide Squad producer Peter Safran will serve as executive producers of the series, with Cena as co-executive producer. Based on characters from DC, Peacemaker will be produced by Gunn’s Troll Court Entertainment and The Safran Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. Peacemaker is scheduled to begin production in early 2021, prior to Gunn beginning work on the next Guardians of the Galaxy film.

SOURCE: WARNERMEDIA

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Toby Haynes Replaces Tony Gilroy As Director On First Three Episodes of Lucasfilm’s ‘Cassian Andor’ Series

Yet another production hiccup on a Star Wars project.

Deadline reports that Tony Gilroy has stepped down as director on the upcoming Cassian Andor series with Black Mirror’s Toby Haynes said to replace him, who will direct the first three episodes.

They are using COVID-19 travel restrictions as the reason for Tony deciding against directing the episodes as he is in New York City. Haynes is said to have been wanted to direct future episodes so it was seemingly an organic choice to hire him. Gilroy is said to be still involved creatively as executive producer and showrunner.

UPDATE: The Playlist adds that Tony hopes to still direct some episodes if the COVID-19 travel restrictions allow him towards the end of the shoot.

Sources close to the project told us a few months back that Gilroy was still hoping to direct episodes, maybe the finale and a few episodes toward the end, but all of that is contingent on safety and how well the COVID situation is in the U.K. and the U.S. Given that the U.K. is going through a second-wave of COVID and implementing new precautions as we speak, it would not surprise me if those plans do not come to fruition as hoped, but we shall see.

Toby is likely best known for directing the Black Mirror episode U.S.S. Callister, which was expected to get a spinoff series of it’s own.

The Disney+ series is a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as it will follow the exploits of Rebellion spy Cassian Andor played by Diego Luna with Alan Tudyk reprising the role of quippy droid K2S0.

Cassian Andor’s cast also includes Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgard, and Kyle Soller.

This hiccup would suggest that filming would indeed take place at Pinewood Studios UK as with other Star Wars productions.

The series has yet to be given an official title by Lucasfilm/Disney.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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Regina King and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Win Emmys For Their Performance In HBO’s ‘Watchmen’ – Series Nabbed A Total of 11 Primetime Emmys

HBO’s Watchmen did extremely well at the Primetime Emmy Awards this year which saw it win an impressive 11 Emmys including for Best Limited Series. 

The key prizes were that Regina King won Best Actress In A Limited Series or Movie and her co-star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II landing Supporting Actor In A Limited Series or Movie. Along with Damon Lindelof and Cord Jefferson winning for Best Writing In A Limited Series or Movie. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross also won for Best Score which has them now inching the pair closer to earn an EGOT. 

Other awards the show earned included Sci-Fi/Fantasy Costumes, Cinematographer (Limited Series), Casting (Limited Series), Single-Camera Picture Editing (Limited Series), Sound Mixing (Limited Series), and Sound Editing (Limited Series). 

Damon Lindelof has been adamant about not returning for a second season which may end up not end up moving forward at all without him, but only time will tell. 

I loved the series and it was extremely prescient despite the unwarranted backlash for the infusion of race and politics, I mean, Alan Moore did the exact thing with his original graphic novel. 

WATCHMEN – From Damon Lindelof and set in an alternate history where “superheroes” are treated as outlaws, this drama series embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name while attempting to break new ground of its own. The cast includes Regina King, Jeremy Irons, Don Johnson, Jean Smart, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Hong Chau, Andrew Howard, Tom Mison, Frances Fisher, Jacob Ming-Trent, Sara Vickers, Dylan Schombing, and James Wolk. 

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Fred Melamed and Debra Jo Rupp Appear In New ‘WandaVision’ Trailer

A Serious Man actor Fred Melamed and That 70’s Show’s Debra Jo Rupp have been officially confirmed for supporting roles in the upcoming Marvel Studios show WandaVision.

The the two seasoned character actors can be seen in the black and white segment in the brand new trailer. Comedic actress Kathyrn Hahn is also sprinkled throughout the footage.

Welcome to WandaVision. Coming soon to Disney+. Marvel Studios’ captivating new series “WandaVision” stars Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, and marks the first series from Marvel Studios streaming exclusively on Disney+. The series is a blend of classic television and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which Wanda Maximoff and Vision—two super-powered beings living idealized suburban lives—begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.

WandaVision is expected to begin airing in December on Disney+.

SOURCE: DISNEY

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Temuera Morrison’s Agency Confirms He Is Playing Boba Fett In ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2

It looks like Boba Fett’s return is now confirmed for The Mandalorian!

The credit and listing comes from a portal from Temuera Morrison’s New Zealand agency Robert Bruce Agency that links to a CV on Showcast (the latter spotted by Making Star Wars) where it clearly states his role is Boba Fett on the series. This is more official than a random website since his own agency is putting this CV together on his behalf.

This would confirm The Hollywood Reporter‘s original report from May that Morrison was playing Boba Fett.

Given Morrison’s age there is an expectation this could be a voice over role given that Boba Fett wouldn’t be pushing 60 as the timeline of the series takes place five years after the events of Star Wars: Return of The Jedi. That is unless they attempt to de-age the actor digitally.

People have suggested he would be playing Rex from Clone Wars and Rebels because he would be the right age, but this listing says the role is specifically Fett.

In May, it was reported by The Hollywood Reporter that Justified actor Timothy Olyphant joined the series and Slash Film mentioned that he filmed scenes in the Boba Fett armor suggesting the role could be playing Cobb Vanth. Some people believed this was the character approaching Fennec Shand on Tatooine at the end of The Gunslinger.

Our sources have confirmed to us that Olyphant filmed scenes wearing Boba Fett’s Mandalorian armor for the upcoming second season of The Mandalorian. 

Vanth is the self-appointed sheriff of the Tatooine-based settlement Freetown. He wears a mysterious set of Mandalorian armor that was acquired from Jawas who scavenged the wreckage of Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge shortly after the events of Return of the Jedi. 

The second season will begin airing on Disney+ starting October 30th.

Eagle-eyed fans also spotted the Boba Fett armor on the back of Mando’s speeder in the trailer.

The Mandalorian and the Child continue their journey, facing enemies and rallying allies as they make their way through a dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire.

SOURCE: ROBERT BRUCE AGENCY/SHOWCAST

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Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, and Meera Menon To Direct ‘Ms. Marvel’ Series

Ms. Marvel has finally landed a group of directors!

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah, Oscar-winning short director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Saving Face, A Girl In The River: The Price of Forgiveness), and Meera Menon (The Walking Dead, The Punisher, Titans) will helm episodes of Marvel Studios’ new superhero series Ms. Marvel.

The Direct first reported that Bad Boys For Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were in the mix for the Marvel Studios show.

The series will follow Pakistani-American teenager Kamala Khan living in New Jersey as she navigates newly acquired superpowers. She happens to be part of The Inhumans in the comic books and there have been plenty of speculation this could lead to a reboot of that wave of characters after a disastrous series run on ABC.

Kamala recently got a boost in the realm of pop-culture thanks to the new video game Marvel’s Avengers, which has her as a playable character and part of the game’s story.

This is excellent news as it seems like Ms. Marvel, Hawkeye, and She-Hulk are all getting ready to go soon in Atlanta.

Hopefully, they’ll be able to announce who has been cast as Kamala very soon.

There is a good chance that we could see Kamala Khan join the ranks of Avengers/Young Avengers along with possibly making her big screen debut in stuff like Captain Marvel 2, given how attached the character is to Carol Danvers in the comics.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER