Tag: Marvel Comics

Posted on in Film News

‘Blade, The Vampire Hunter’: Marvel Selects ‘Watchmen’ & ‘Hunters’ Writer Stacy Osei-Kuffour To Pen Their Reboot

Yesterday, it was revealed by The Hollywood Reporter that Marvel’s search for screenwriters to tackle their upcoming Blade reboot (seemingly now titled Blade, The Vampire Hunter) has ended as the studio has reportedly selected writer Stacy Osei-Kuffour to tackle the reboot’s script. The studio is said to have been looking for black writers for the last six months that could jump onto their new incarnation.

Stacy is no stranger to comic book or genre project as she previous worked on HBO’s Watchmen and Amazon’s Nazi-hunter exploitation homage Hunters. A perfect choice if you ask me given those her credits. This will make her the first black female writer to work on a Marvel Studios feature film.

Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali is taking over the role of Eric Brooks aka Blade made famous by Wesley Snipes starting in 1998. The success of that first film led to two sequels along with messy live-action televisions that aired on Spike TV. It also predates the release of Fox’s X-Men by two years and proved that feature film adaptations based on Marvel Comics characters could connect with audiences, and make money.

Blade is a half-vampire which allows him to be immune to sunlight leading to his nickname, The Daywalker. He has the strength and speed of a vampire along with their thirst for blood. In the films, he used a serum to keep his thirst at bay. It remains to be seen how much of the established film lore will survive the new MCU version.

We’ll have to wait and see what their angle for the reboot as the trilogy (Blade: Trinity was produced by Kevin Feige) is best known as an R-rated genre hybrid of martial arts action and horror. If Marvel Studios is keen to keep Deadpool 3 an R-rated film there is a likelihood that Blade, The Vampire Hunter could be targeted towards adult audiences given that kids really don’t identify the character or for certain age groups even know he exists.

The next big step will be hiring a director.

While no names have been circulated to be in the running, I’d love to see Rick Famuyiwa to be considered as his work on Lucasfilm’s Star Wars series The Mandalorian has proven he can play within a large established sandbox and also contribute to it at the same time.

As they’ve only just announced a screenwriter, I don’t think the Blade reboot is going to be shooting in 2021 as Marvel is currently busy with productions such as Spider-Man 3, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, and Thor: Love & Thunder filming in Atlanta, London, and Sydney respectively. They’re also expected to begin shooting Ant-Man 3, Captain Marvel 2, and Black Panther 2 later in the year.

A release date for Blade, The Vampire Hunter has yet to be announced.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Posted on in Television News

‘Shang-Chi’ Star Simu Liu Wants To Appear On A Jimmy Woo Spinoff Series – ‘Agents of Atlas’ Crossover In The Cards?

After someone on Twitter suggested that Marvel Studios consider giving Randall Park‘s Agent Jimmy Woo his own X-Files-type series as Woo returned in WandaVision, Shang-Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings star Simu Liu wants in on the hypothetical pitch for a spinoff series and says he’d like to cameo on it.

Jimmy Woo and The Agents of Atlas

Jimmy Woo isn’t the regular side-character as he predates a bulk of Marvel superheroes debuting back in 1956 from Atlas Comics (precursor to Marvel Comics) and eventually became the team leader of the Agents of Atlas, a team that feature a bunch of obscure heroes such as Gorilla-Man, Human Robot, Venus, The Uranian, and Namor’s cousin Namora.

The more recent incarnation of the team includes Simu’s Shang-Chi alongside other Asian superheroes. There has been speculation that we’ll see the upcoming solo film plant seeds for Agents of Atlas as Shang-Chi, The Mandarin, and Jimmy Woo are expected to have direct ties to Atlas Empire/Atlas Foundation which in the comics has it’s headquarters located underneath San Francisco, California. A location that ties Shang-Chi to Park’s Ant-Man franchise.

In theory, there is a place for Jimmy in the MCU to lead his own team as it has been established in the comics.

Simu Liu isn’t a stranger to television since once he finished work on his Marvel movie in Australia he returned to Toronto to shoot the CBC sitcom Kim’s Convenience. Liu’s co-star Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is already part of the Disney+ family as he played Captain Carson Teva in Season 2 of The Mandalorian and most likely will appear in the spinoff series Rangers of The New Republic. The Shang-Chi star has also been hinting he’d like to join the Star Wars universe as well.

While a Jimmy Woo series is possible, there is a better chance that he’ll join the ranks of S.W.O.R.D. to potentially have a supporting role in things like the Secret Invasion series and Captain Marvel 2 as both are expected to have a heavy S.W.O.R.D. presence. Woo having a larger role within the MCU as a crossover character feels like the right move and it could eventually lead to a project like Agents of Atlas, something that could be worthwhile as a feature film franchise given the multiple untapped superheroes on it’s roster and not just a Disney+ series.

Also, given the title Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been previously used, I wouldn’t be shocked if Marvel Studios just referred to the team as simply Atlas, if and when they bring them into the MCU.

Posted on in Television News

Ryan Coogler Alludes To Working With Marvel Studios On Multiple Shows For Disney+

Following-up to the Deadline report that Black Panther director Ryan Coolger is making a Wakanda series with Marvel Studios for Disney+ as part of his new development deal between Disney and his production company Proximity Media, we might be getting more Marvel shows from Coogler.

In an official press release from Marvel Studios that was also cited in the Deadline report, Ryan reveals he’ll be working on “select MCU Shows” giving us the impression we’ll see him involved with more than just one show. However, they stopped short from revealing what those projects could be.

COOGLER: “It’s an honor to be partnering with The Walt Disney Company. Working with them on Black Panther was a dream come true. As avid consumers of television, we couldn’t be happier to be launching our television business with Bob Iger, Dana Walden and all the amazing studios under the Disney umbrella. We look forward to learning, growing, and building a relationship with audiences all over the world through the Disney platforms. We are especially excited that we will be taking our first leap with Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and their partners at Marvel Studios where we will be working closely with them on select MCU shows for Disney+. We’re already in the mix on some projects that we can’t wait to share.”

There is a good chance that he could be exploring characters outside of the Black Panther/Wakanda franchise.

Ryan is said to be getting ready to shoot Black Panther 2 this summer in Atlanta.

SOURCE: MARVEL

Posted on in Television News

‘Black Panther 2’ Director Ryan Coogler Developing Wakanda Series For Disney+ As Part of An Overall TV Deal With Disney

Deadline has breaking news that Ryan Coogler has secured a five-year overall television deal with Disney and that he’s already going to develop Black Panther spinoff series for Disney+ that will take place within the Kingdom of Wakanda.

However, there are no current details about who that show will be focusing on.

Disney has made a five-year overall exclusive television deal with Coogler’s Proximity Media, which he runs with principals Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis and Peter Nicks. Coogler, who is working on the Black Panther feature sequel he will direct this year, will develop new television series for the studio. The first one will delight Black Panther fans: a drama based in the Kingdom of Wakanda for Disney+. The deal also enables Proximity to develop television for other divisions of the Company.

Coogler is currently prepping and writing Black Panther 2, which Marvel Studios is hoping to begin filming this summer in Atlanta, Georgia. Marvel has gone the record multiple times they will not be recasting the T’Challa role after the death of Chadwick Boseman and are not exploring a digital double either.

Will we see the adventures of The Dora Milaje or The Jabari Tribe?

This looks to be part of a push from Marvel Studios to cement their commitments to having a stronger presence of black characters in their growing cinematic universe which has been mostly seen on the television side of the MCU thanks to new Disney+ shows. The three big new series announcements revealed back in December included Samuel L. Jackson’s Secret Invasion, Don Cheadle’s Armor Wars, and newcomer Dominique Thorne playing engineering wiz-kid Riri Williams in Ironheart.

We’re also starting to see Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau in WandaVision becoming an integral part of the MCU before joining fellow cosmic heroines Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan in Captain Marvel 2.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Television News

‘The Falcon & The Winter Soldier’: Anthony Mackie Says A New Captain America Will Be Revealed By The End of Series

So, is Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson not the shoe-in to become the next Captain American we originally thought?

Some new comments made but the actor while speaking on The Rich Eisen Show seems to reinforce previous statements made by Anthony Mackie that The Falcon & The Winter Soldier will reveal who ultimately becomes the next Captain America, but stops short from giving the impression that Falcon aka Sam Wilson is going to be that “right person” for the job.

MACKIE: “At the end of [Avengers: Endgame], Sam didn’t accept the shield. If you remember he told Steve ‘it doesn’t feel right because this shield is your’s’. So, you know, the show is a long way of figuring around who is going to be Captain America and where the shield is going to end up. And if Captain America, if that moniker come back and somebody is going to hold that moniker again.”

You can listen to that exchange here.

Traditionally, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier took over that mantle but there had been hints that wouldn’t be case. As fans would know that in the recent comics Sam took that spot on a new Avengers lineup. We also clearly saw in footage and set photos that Wyatt Russell’s John Walker aka U.S. Agent will have his hands on the shield or version of it.

There is an expectation that whoever takes the mantle will continue to carry the shield into Captain America 4 as they wouldn’t spend all this time on Steve Rogers’ successor unless they planned on continuing the film franchise as well.

The Falcon & The Winter Soldier debuts on Disney+ on March 19th.

Following the events of “Avengers: Endgame,” Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) team up in a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience—in Marvel Studios’ “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.” The all-new series is directed by Kari Skogland; Malcolm Spellman is the head writer. Streaming exclusively on Disney+.

SOURCE: THE RICH EISEN SHOW

Posted on in Television News

‘She-Hulk’: Ginger Gonzaga Confirms Role In Marvel Series – Reportedly Playing Jennifer Walters’ Best Friend

It looks like we finally have our second new cast member on Marvel’s She-Hulk series!

Deadline reports that Space Force and Kidding actress Ginger Gonzaga as been tapped to play Jennifer Walter’s best friend in the show, calling it a co-starring role. Emmy-winner Tatiana Maslany is playing Jennifer Walters, the defense lawyer cousin of Bruce Banner, who in the comics is given an emergency blood transfusion from Banner leading to her becoming a Hulk herself empowered with similar strength and abilities.

UPDATE: The actress has confirmed her involvement on Twitter.

Filming is said to begin this March in Atlanta, Georgia under the working title Libra.

Rick & Morty‘s Jessica Gao is the lead writer on the MCU series with Kat Coiro and Anu Valia directing.

The series is described as a superhero workplace comedy and will also feature Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk and Tim Roth making his triumphant return as The Incredible Hulk‘s Abomination. There are also expectations that other actors from that film be returning, but have yet to be confirmed officially. William Hurt‘s Thunderbolt Ross has been popping-up in multiple projects since The Incredible Hulk and almost appeared as his second comic book persona, Red Hulk, in Captain America: Civil War.

Kevin Feige has also teased other superhero cameos which some fans have assumed could mean either Peter Parker or Matt Murdock.

We should be getting a couple more casting additions before production starts.

She-Hulk is expected to begin airing on Disney+ in late summer/fall of 2022 given the extensive special effects needed for the multiple Hulks on the show.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News

Former ‘Daredevil’ Actor Ben Affleck Praises Marvel’s Kevin Feige Calling Him “The Greatest Producer”

Before Ben Affleck wore the cowl in Batman v Superman and Justice League, he starred in a Marvel project with 20th Century Fox’s Daredevil feature film which predated the fan-beloved Netflix series starring Charlie Cox. That 2003 film saw Ben Affleck co-star with Jon Favreau, the director of Iron Man and Iron Man 2. Jon became one of the architects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and still plays the role of Happy Hogan in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy.

As a filmmaker and producer, Ben most certainly was watching the success of Marvel Studios, which has led to some praise to Kevin Feige in a new interview. While chatting on The Hollywood Reporter’s podcast Awards Chatter, Affleck gushed about how successful Feige has been.

AFFLECK: “Fucking Kevin Feige is absolutely, you have to say, the greatest producer, most successful producer who ever lived. He’s the only guy in the world who, if he told me, ‘I know what the audience wants! This is what we’re doing!’ I would believe him 100%.”

“That fucker knows his audience like no producer (ever), he’s a genius. Kevin is like a ringmaster at the circus; he knows exactly how much to wink at the audience, exactly when to pull at the heartstrings, exactly when to do the effects, how many jokes, what the sensibility, what the tone is. Because people didn’t know to run away from the pajamas or embrace it or make it serious.”

Affleck is reportedly set to direct a film Disney with an adaptation Keeper of The Lost Cities and his pal Matt Damon has seemingly joined the cast of Marvel’s Thor: Love & Thunder.

I’m sure fans would enjoy to see Ben Affleck join the MCU in some capacity.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Posted on in Television News

‘WandaVision’ Featurette Seems To Confirm Wonder Man Appearance – Will Nathan Fillion Reprise The Avenger?

A full room of concept art in a new WandaVision featurette might have revealed a special cameo. A piece of artwork featuring fellow Avenger Wonder Man has been spotted which could mean the character may end up in the Marvel Studios series that has already started airing on Disney+. You can see the Marvel superhero with the “W” on his chest in the top left corner in the image below.

You might not remember but Simon Williams aka Wonder Man had once been set to appear in Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.2 and played by Nathan Fillion, there were multiple faux movie posters made up with him as Williams. The cameo was ultimately cut from the film and it remains to be seen if the actor would be asked to reprise the role again if he’s truly in WandaVision.

SOURCE: DISNEY+

Posted on in Film News

Kevin Feige Suggests Marvel Still Interested In Making A ‘Nova’ Project At Some Point

There have been online rumors circulating for over a year that Marvel Studios is interested in making a Nova project, however, Kevin Feige and Disney has yet to make this official.

This growing fan desire led Comic Book to ask Kevin Feige about a Nova project while appearing on their new podcast Phase Zero (spotted by The Disinsider). The Marvel Studios president didn’t confirm the development rumors but certainly gives the impression they’ll eventually tackle the cosmic superhero.

FEIGE: “Timing is relative, right? I think I’d been talking about Doctor Strange eight years before that movie came out. So, ‘immediate potential’ is relative. But clearly, we are not shying away from the cosmic end of storytelling right in the sweet spot of the Nova Corps and Nova himself.”

He also doesn’t clarify if they would attempt to make a series or full feature film. The studio certainly has it’s hands full these days and Feige hasn’t been ready to announce when Phase 4 will even end.

The Nova Corps were first introduced in James Gunn’s Guardians of The Galaxy and seemingly had been destroyed by Thanos in the events leading up to Avengers: Infinity War as they had been protecting an infinity stone on Xandar.

Marvel has a handful of cosmic projects on the horizon including Eternals, Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel 2, Thor: Love & Thunder, Fantastic Four, Secret Invasion, and Guardians of The Galaxy 3.

SOURCE: COMIC BOOK/PHASE ZERO

Posted on in Television News

‘Moon Knight’: Ethan Hawke Reportedly Nabs Villain Role Opposite Oscar Isaac

Another cast member has reportedly joined Marvel’s new Disney+ series Moon Knight.

The Hollywood Reporter has learned that veteran actor Ethan Hawke has landed a villain role in the superhero streaming show. They failed to mention what that role is but the two big contenders sound like Randall Spector aka Shadow Knight, brother of titular hero Moon Knight aka Marc Spector, and fellow mercenary Raoul Bushman.

Moon Knight, aka Marc Spector, a mercenary who has numerous alter egos — cabbie Jake Lockley and millionaire playboy Steven Grant — in order to better fight the criminal underworld. But later he was established as being a conduit for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Most recently, the character was a consultant who dresses in all-white and goes by the name Mr. Knight. 

Ethan Hawke might be most recognizable for his roles in action films Training Day and The Magnificent Seven remake from 2016. He joins a slowly growing cast that consists of Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector and May Calamawy playing the female lead.

Marvel Studios has assembled a directing team that includes Mohamed Diab, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Filming is said to kick-off this March in Budapest, Hungary and we’ve heard that Disney+ is hoping it can be ready to begin airing on the streaming service in spring/summer 2022. Kevin Feige seemingly confirmed to Collider that the series is going to have six episodes similar to Loki and The Falcon & The Winter Soldier.

We’ll have to wait and see if other superheroes will be crossing over in the show from the horror/supernatural corner of Marvel Comics.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER