Tag: Marvel Comics

Posted on in News, Television News

‘Echo’ Trailer: Marvel Studios’ First TV-MA Series Coming January 10 & Releases Under New Marvel Spotlight Banner

While “Loki” season two ends next week, Marvel Studios is looking toward the next series coming to Disney+ with “Echo.” A direct spinoff from “Hawkeye” focusing on the villain Maya Lopez and expanding/exploring her “Daredevil” adjacent solo series that has been now confirmed as Marvel Studios’ first TV-MA show since taking the reigns of Marvel TV Studios (formerly Marvel Television) and should lead to a string of other mature-focused projects. They’ve released a new trailer (See below) highlighting Maya’s complex relationship with The Kingpin and highlights the violence in the upcoming show that will debut in January.

“Echo” is also going to be the first entry in Marvel’s new banner called Marvel Spotlight.

Image

“Marvel Spotlight gives us a platform to bring more grounded, character-driven stories to the screen, and in the case of Echo, focusing on street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity. Just like comics fans didn’t need to read ‘Avengers’ or ‘Fantastic Four’ to enjoy a ‘Ghost Rider Spotlight’ comic, our audience doesn’t need to have seen other Marvel series to understand what’s happening in Maya’s story,” Head of Streaming Brad Winderbaum said in a statement announcing the new banner.

We previously hoped that Marvel would resurrect the Marvel Knights banner used for “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengence” and “Punisher: War Zone” for projects like these. However, using Marvel Spotlight instead feels like a decent compromise.

Here is the show’s official logline via Marvel/Disney:

Marvel Studios presents “Echo” in which Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) struggles to reconnect with her Native American roots while balancing aspirations tied to a life of crime as successor to the brutal legacy of Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) aka Kingpin. In the first episode, we are introduced to Maya Lopez and her struggles.

Other cast members include Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, aka, Daredevil (spotted in the teaser footage), Chaske Spencer as Henry, Tantoo Cardinal as Chula, Graham Greene as Skully, Cody Lightning as Cousin Biscuits, Devery Jacobs as Bonnie, and Zahn McClarnon as William Lopez.

All 10 episodes of “Echo” are set to debut on Disney+ and Hulu on January 10, 2024. You can watch that brand-new trailer below.

SOURCE: MARVEL STUDIOS/DISNEY+

Posted on in Film News, News

‘X-Men’ Reboot: Marvel Studios Reportedly To Hear Pitches From Writers Soon

With “Deadpool 3” (Hugh Jackman finally in the Wolverine suit) expected to resume production once the SAG-AFTRA strike is resolved, it looks like Marvel Studios is aiming to get their “X-Men” reboot going as well with the WGA strike ended we’re now expected to see various writers meet with the studio and figure out how exactly to tackle mutants in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the events of “Deadpool 3” (expected to deal with the Foxverse/Singerverse).

Without naming any screenwriting contenders or what the film could possibly be about, Deadline has given us the first real hint that development on the reboot is in the works. Stating that Marvel will be taking pitch meetings for writers this fall with the tease of a potential announcement by early 2024 of who they’ve selected.

Keep in mind, that nearly all Marvel films go through multiple drafts and rounds of writers. So, in theory, whoever ends up getting announced first might not be the person working on the shooting draft or final version of the script.

What the mutant lineup ends up looking like is unknown and if the upcoming animated series “X-Men ’97” (a continuation of the Fox Kids series from the 1990s) will have a direct connection to it. Previously, the “What-If…?” animated series gave us Captain Peggy Carter, who got her live-action debut in “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness.”

Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson, aka, Deadpool is expected to make the major leap into the main MCU as previously announced when Disney acquired the X-Men rights after gobbling up 21st Century Fox. However, it isn’t clear if anyone from the previous “Deadpool” movies or the upcoming one will be making the jump with him. Marvel Studios is now in a unique position to get comic-accurate versions of their characters on the big screen by erasing all the mistakes of the Singerverse as director Bryan Singer and producer Simon Kinberg took plenty of liberties with the characters to the point some of them didn’t match with their comic book counterparts in any real way other than their powers.

Starting fresh with a brand-new cast of actors seems like the best plan of attack here.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News

Keanu Reeves Still Laments Not Landing Wolverine Role In Original ‘X-Men’ Film

X-Men fans are excited that Aussie actor Hugh Jackman is returning to play Wolverine one more time with Deadpool 3 giving the actor a second chance to say goodbye after previously having a deeply emotion death scene in Logan. It also gives director Shawn Levy an excuse to give Fox’s Singerverse a proper send-off after the franchise previously ended with thud during the wake of Disney acquiring 21st Century Fox. Jackman landing the beloved mutant part in the late 1990s is of the more interesting Hollywood stories as the mostly unknown stage actor had some stiff competition but ultimately landed the part once Scottish Dougray Scott had to exit the superhero flick to focus on John Woo’s Mission: Impossible 2. One of those more notable contenders that was in the mix was Canadian actor Keanu Reeves after having starred in the wildly popular cyberpunk flick The Matrix.

Today, during a Reddit Ask Me Anything session to promote the upcoming release of John Wick 4, Reeves reaffirmed losing out to Jackman for the Wolverine role in the original X-Men films was something his still laments.

When directly asked by a fan were any roles he regrets turning down the actor said, “No…but I did always want to play Wolverine.”

It’s a little heartbreaking to hear that over 20 years later that Reeves still considers it the one that got away. Also, a bit ironic that Reeves didn’t get the part since X-Men shot in Toronto, a city where he grew up, and Fox decided to pick an Australian to play a Canadian character.

Reeves is now pushing 60 and just is too long in the tooth to be playing the main version of Wolverine in the MCU once the studio actually hard-reboots the X-Men franchise after Deadpool 3 releases. The actor has been keen to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe since and studio head Kevin Feige has reiterated they’ve been trying to find a role for him multiple times. It does feel like he’ll end up finding something other than Wolverine and we’ll just have to wait to see that is.

SOURCE: REDDIT AMA

Posted on in Film News

Ryan Gosling Wants A Crack At Playing Marvel’s Ghost Rider After Denying ‘Nova’ Rumor

Ryan Gosling stars in the massive Netflix film The Gray Man, which sees him work alongside Marvel Studios alumni such as the directing team The Russo Brothers, and Captain America actor Chris Evans. This had led many to consider that he might eventually join the MCU in a heroic role.

While there had been rumblings about Gosling being courted to play Nova in a yet-to-be-confirmed project at Marvel, during a tease for a new interview with MTV News the Canadian actor said that is “untrue.”

However, added he would be keen to play one superhero, Ghost Rider.

“Ryan and I chatted about the Nova rumors yesterday which he said aren’t true. But this morning Ryan reached out to me to say there is one superhero he wants to play…Ghost Rider.”

A horror-centric hero that was previously played by Nicolas Cage in two feature films before a television incarnation that appeared on Agents of SHIELD before a spinoff series at Hulu was snuffed out.

It’s unclear if Gosling has met with Marvel for anything recently but given the fan demand to see him join the MCU and the return of Ghost Rider, we shouldn’t be surprised if the studio at least speaks to him at some point. You might remember that before Mahershala Ali was announced as the new Blade, the Oscar-winning actor was the one who brought up playing the vampire hunter in a reboot to Marvel in a meeting and seemed to convince them.

Speaking of Blade, Marvel entering their era of exploring horror characters means that the return of Ghost Rider is only a matter of time.

SOURCE: MTV NEWS

Posted on in News

‘4vibes Productions’ Confirmed For Marvel Studios, May Tease UK Shoot For ‘Fantastic Four’ Reboot

The Ronin has been on hiatus but is back to share an interesting tidbit about another new Disney Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) and also can confirm it’s indeed for Marvel Studios.

Titled 4vibes Productions, this “might be” the long-gestating Fantastic Four reboot that Marvel has been developing given the “4” aspect. Not only that, it looks like whatever the MCU project is it will be shot in the United Kingdom, which would suggest it’s a live-action project and would need studio space likely at Pinewood UK Studios or Longcross Studios.

At one time, director Jon Watts (Spider-Man: No Way Home) was attached to the reboot before he bailed on the superhero project to focus on other film projects including a new Disney+ series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew that will star Jude Law (Peter Pan & Wendy, Captain Marvel).

*Minor spoiler*

John Krasinski played a Multiverse version of Reed Richards alongside Patrick Stewart’s Professor Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange 2 but there aren’t any indications either of those actors will reprise those Marvel characters for the MCU’s main 616 universe moving forward.

There have been some indications from trades that a new director might be hired by the time D23 Expo 2022 takes place in September where Kevin Feige is expected to make all sorts of announcements. Perhaps, giving fans new information on things like Echo, Ironheart, Armor Wars, Captain America 4, Harkness, Daredevil, Nova, Thunderbolts, Wonder Man (we likely first caught wind of the project last September), Secret Wars, and their highly-anticipated X-Men reboot.

Bassam Tariq’s Blade reboot (confirmed for a shoot in Atlanta) and Shawn Levy’s Deadpool 3 (the R-rated sequel is confirmed to be a co-production with 20th Century Studios and could be potentially released by them) are expected to be the next films going into production in the near future as well, so there is some hope we’ll get casting/characters details soon.

We previously reported that Seasons 2 of Loki (confirmed by cinematographer Isaac Bauman) and Ms. Marvel (this might be announced in the coming months) will also be shooting in the United Kingdom. Most recently, things like Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, The Marvels, Ant-Man 3, and Secret Invasion have been shooting in/around the area. However, things had slowed down a little seemingly due to the pandemic.

Fantastic Four, Blade, and Deadpool 3 are without release dates but that is assumed to change soon.

Posted on in News

‘Madame Web’: Dakota Johnson To Star In Sony’s Upcoming ‘Spider-Man’ Spinoff Film

Sony Pictures is behind a multitude of spinoff feature films set within their own Marvel Comics cinematic universe with Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, Kraven The Hunter, and a Spider-Woman project from director Olivia Wilde (Booksmart). Another spinoff has landed a star to lead it.

Deadline reports that actress Dakota Johnson has been selected to play the mysterious Madame Web in a solo spinoff that is directed by S.J. Clarkson (Jessica Jones, The Defenders) from a script penned by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless.

Plot details are being kept under lock and key for the moment.

Madame Web was a supernatural character, not unlike Doctor Strange, from the pages of the Spider-Man comics and had abilities to show Peter Parker different realities, she was also connected to a version of the Multiverse in the 1990s animated series. There is a good shot since she doesn’t have any standout villains that she could be navigating the Spider-Verse/Multiverse.

Johnson joins Tom Hardy (Venom), Jared Leto (Morbius), and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kraven) in Sony’s splinter universe that may or may not crossover directly with the main Marvel Cinematic Universe thanks to the box office success of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

There is still an expectation that Wilde’s Spider-Woman is moving forward, but it’s been a while since there has been a concrete update on that one. Kraven The Hunter is expected to be the next big Sony/Marvel project to go in front of cameras with J.C. Chandor (Triple Frontier) set to direct.

The superhero project has yet to get an official release date from the studio.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in News

‘X-Men ’97’ Will Be Disney+ Revival Of Popular 1990s ‘X-Men’ Cartoon

There has been talk of a revival of the beloved X-Men cartoon series from Fox Kids in the 1990s, it goes back to director and producer Larry Houston stating back in 2020 he was talking with Disney about the possibility.

Well, it looks like that animated revival is indeed moving forward.

The GWW was first to mention that a new X-Men cartoon was in the works for Disney+ and there has been confirmation from The Wrap that it is indeed happening, adding more concrete details that it will be a revival titled X-Men ’97 continue the previous series and is debuting in 2023.

They also mention that Moon Knight writer Beau DeMayo is the head writer along with the voice cast.

Head writer and executive producer on the series is Beau DeMayo. Supervising director is Jake Castorena and supervising producer is Charley Feldman. Consulting on the new series are X-Men: The Animated Series writers Eric and Julia Lewald, and director Larry Houston.

Returning cast members include: Cal Dodd, Lenore Zann, George Buza, Adrian Hough, Christopher Britton, Catherine Disher, Chris Potter, Alison Sealy-Smith, Alyson Court.

X-Men ‘97 is also welcoming a number of new voices to the cast, including Jennifer Hale, Anniwaa Buachie, Ray Chase, Matthew Waterson, JP Karliak, Holly Chou, Jeff Bennett, AJ LoCascio.

It was more a matter of time when the revival was announced.

Posted on in News

Henry Cavill Open To Playing Captain Britain For Marvel Studios

There is a huge uncertainly with actor Henry Cavill’s future in the DCEU as Superman, as while he’s still keen on the idea of returning for a Man of Steel sequel, the studio seems to be more concerned with multiple other Kryptonian cohorts.

During an extensive chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Cavill was asked about who he might want to hypothetically play within the world of Marvel if he had the chance to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Brian Braddock aka Captain Britain seems to be of interest for him given he’s not often playing British characters.

“I’m never going to say a Marvel character that is already being played by someone else because everyone’s doing such an amazing job. However, I have the internet, and I have seen the various rumors about Captain Britain, and that would be loads of fun to do a cool, modernized version of that — like the way they modernized Captain America. There’s something fun about that, and I do love being British.”

As far as we know, there aren’t any official plans to use the Brit superhero anytime soon, however, he was briefly referenced as being part of SHIELD in the 1970s in Avengers: Endgame by Peggy Carter. It wouldn’t be terribly shocking if Braddock appeared in the upcoming Captain America 4 led by Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson as the new Captain America.

It wouldn’t be like Marvel hasn’t teased English superheroes before.

Kit Harington is playing Dane Whitman/Black Knight in the Eternals and there could be some linkage given the Arthurian connections. Joey Chapman aka Union Jack had an Easter Egg in Iron Man 2 as one of the racers competing against Tony Stark.

With the X-Men rights firmly at Marvel Studios, they could easily bring Braddock’s team Excalibur into the mix as well and allow for his MI6 Agent sister Betsy Braddock (becomes Psylcoke when her mind inhabits a Japanese woman, Kwannon) to join the MCU too.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Posted on in News

UPDATE: Old Guard Productions Confirmed As Unannounced Marvel Studios Project

Back in August, The Ronin first revealed two new LLC companies potentially being put together for upcoming Marvel Studios projects with Ionic Productions and Old Guard Productions, a month later we were able to confirm the former was indeed a Marvel project.

Well, today we can also confirm that Old Guard Productions is part of a wave of announced films/television shows coming to Marvel at some point. It’s unknown what the property will be and if it’ll be for the big or small screen.

If I had to guess, perhaps, it’s related to Jon Watt’s Fantastic Four reboot, X-Men, or maybe even something more obscure like the Marvel Comics version of Illuminati. I’m sure Winter Guard or Red Guardian projects could also make sense given David Harbour’s openness to reprising his Black Widow character.

Live-action projects on the horizon include Hawkeye, Spider-Man: No Way Home (collaboration with Sony Pictures), Ms. Marvel, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love & Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, She-Hulk, Moon Knight, The Marvels, Secret Invasion, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, Ironheart, Echo, Armor Wars, Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.3, Blade, Captain America 4, Deadpool 3, Fantastic Four, X-Men, untitled series featuring Agatha Harkness, untitled Halloween Special, and an untitled Wakanda series from Ryan Coogler.

Here is a rundown of the recent wave of Marvel Studios LLC companies so far.

  • GRASS-FED PRODUCTIONS (SECRET INVASION)
  • BAD EGG PRODUCTIONS (IRONHEART)
  • FREQUENT PRODUCTIONS (EHCO)
  • MAGLEV TRAIN PRODUCTIONS (WAKANDA DISNEY+ SERIES)
  • NATURAL HISTORY PRODUCTIONS (DISNEY+ PROJECT)
  • BLUEBERRY WAFFLES PRODUCTIONS
  • STANDOFFISH PRODUCTIONS
  • CHANGEUP PRODUCTIONS
  • SOLVE EVERYTHING PRODUCTIONS
  • ON YOUR MARK PRODUCTIONS
  • CANTINA PRODUCTIONS
  • BATTLE ANYONE PRODUCTIONS
  • ACID POP PRODUCTIONS 
  • SPEYSIDE PRODUCTIONS 
  • RICHMOND STREET PRODUCTIONS
  • IONIC PRODUCTIONS
  • OLD GUARD PRODUCTIONS 

Between Disney+ Day and D23 this month, there are some expectations of a new wave of announcements from Marvel’s Kevin Feige, which could mean we’ll have a better idea of what these mystery projects are. People I’m sure are hoping to hear announcements for things like Nova, Namor, Young Avengers, Shang-Chi 2, and much much more. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens this month.

Posted on in Film News, News

‘Blade’ Director Bassam Tariq To Contribute As A Writer On The Marvel Reboot

We’ve been somewhat kept in the dark about Marvel Studios’ Blade reboot as the project is currently in development stages with two-time Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali (Luke Cage, Moonlight, Green Book) attached to play a new MCU incarnation of vampire hunter, Eric Brooks. Trade reports suggested that filming could begin as early as next year.

The Ronin has learned that director Bassam Tariq is expected to be involved with the writing process alongside previously announced screenwriter Stacy Osei-Kuffour (Watchmen, Hunters), however, how much he’ll be contributing isn’t terribly clear at the moment.

Tariq wrote both the story and screenplay for his buzzed-about drama Mogul Mowgli starring Oscar-nominee Riz Ahmed (Rogue One, Venom, Sound of Metal).

It isn’t uncommon for Marvel directors to get involved with a script after a screenwriter has been hired, there are some recent examples with Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings), Sam Raimi (Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness), and Chloe Zhao (Eternals).

The filmmaker has already hinted to collaborative working environment with Ali and Osei-Kuffour, praising the two in interviews, including while speaking with IndieWire.

“What’s exciting about the film that we’re making is [there] hasn’t been a canon for Blade, as we’re reading through the comics and everything. Him being a daywalker is the one thing that’s been established, and you know we can’t deny what Wesley Snipes did, which was he basically got this whole ball rolling. A Black man created the superhero world that we’re in, that’s just the truth. For me to now be working with somebody as talented and a juggernaut as Mahershala Ali, and the writer Stacy Osei-Kuffour, I’m just so — I’m so honored to be working with real Black juggernauts and Black talent. For me to just be with them in this room and listen and learn as I build this out, it’s really an honor.”

Blade fans like myself are extremely curious what this new incarnation is going to look like and if they’ll ultimately bring in The Vampire Nation to the MCU with a mature franchise or water it down for a family-friendly audience. At the very least, continuing this idea they are this global entity while also have their own ancient texts and language.

Despite having most of the key players hired, Marvel Studios has yet to give Blade an official release date. Hopefully, they’ll announce one before the end of the year.

BLADE – A half-mortal, half-immortal is out to avenge his mother’s death and rid the world of vampires. The modern-day technologically advanced vampires he is going after are in search of his special blood type needed to summon an evil god who plays a key role in their plan to execute the human race.