‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.3’: Will Poulter Reportedly Lands Adam Warlock Role

Over the weekend, The Cosmic Circus posted the rumor that British actor Will Poulter was in the mix to play Adam Warlock in James Gunn’s Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.3 and it seems that was on point.

Today, Deadline is supporting the rumor by reporting that Poulter has signed-on to play Adam Warlock.

There is a shot that he could also be playing the villainous incarnation, Magus too.

Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.2 ended with a tease that Ayesha, Golden High Priestess of The Sovereign, is going to bring Adam Warlock into the sequel as his cocoon was shown. Gunn has since denied that Adam Warlock will be in the film among other rumors connected to the film including the casting of Star Wars actor Mark Hamill.

Back in 2017, Gunn told IGN that Adam Warlock would be part of the cosmic universe post-Infinity War/Endgame, while also dodging a confirmation of Warlock’s involvement in the third installment. We do know that Ayesha is coming back though.

Will Poulter’s credits include the fantastic Ari Aster horror pic Midsommar (led by Black Widow actress Florence Pugh), Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, The Revenant, and Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit. He had been originally attached as a key cast member on the Lord of The Rings series at Amazon, only to bail months before production started in Auckland, New Zealand and was replaced with Game of Thrones’ Robert Aramayo.

James Gunn confirmed the news on Twitter.

The Hollywood Reporter briefly adds that British actors Rege-Jean Page (Bridgerton, The Gray Man, Dungeons & Dragons, The Saint), and George MacKay (1917) were part of a shortlist of actors considered for Adam Warlock.

Filming will begin this November in Atlanta and the United Kingdom.

The returning cast will be Chris Pratt as Peter Quill aka Star-Lord, Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Dave Bautista as Drax, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Sean Gunn as Kraglin, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket Raccoon, and Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot. 

It’s crew is expected to include production designer Beth Mickle (The Suicide Squad, Drive), cinematographer Tico Poulakakis (Foundation), the visual effects supervisor will be Stephane Ceretti (Eternals, Guardians of The Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man & The Wasp), and will have Hawkeye stunt coordinator Heidi Moneymaker crafting the film’s action sequences.

Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.3 has a release date of May 5, 2023

SOURCE: THE COSMIC CIRCUS & DEADLINE

Kathryn Hahn Returning As Agatha Harkness For Untitled ‘WandaVision’ Spinoff Series From Jac Schaeffer

Another spinoff series is reportedly in the works at Marvel Studios and Disney+, this new one will apparently include actress Kathryn Hahn reprising the Agatha Harkness role that was introduced in WandaVision.

Variety reports that untitled Marvel series is said to be a WandaVision spinoff coming from head writer Jac Schaeffer, who signed an overall deal with Marvel Studios and 20th Television earlier in the year.

Hahn would reprise the role of Agatha Harkness in the series, which is described by sources as a dark comedy, though exact plot details remain under wraps. WandaVision head writer Jac Schaeffer would serve as the writer and executive producer on the project. Should the spinoff go forward, it would be the first project Schaeffer has set up with Marvel since she signed an overall deal with them and 20th Television in May.

In WandaVision, Hahn started out playing the role of Agnes, Wanda and Vision’s nosy neighbor, before it was revealed she was in fact Agatha, a powerful witch. In the Marvel comics and the series, Agatha is shown to have survived the Salem Witch Trials and is more than a match for Wanda, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch. When viewers last saw her in the finale of WandaVision, Wanda traps Agatha in Westview by using her powers to force her revert to her Agnes persona.

However, it’s not clear what the “dark comedy” Marvel show actually is and they don’t mention a title or concrete plot details.

When the S.W.O.R.D./Nick Fury series was first announced in separate trade reports they weren’t aware it was going to be an adapation of Secret Invasion. It’s possible the show could another project with multiple key MCU characters coming together. We also aren’t aware if this series leaves room for other established magic users like Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange or Benedict Wong’s Wong will be involved.

We should be getting a lineup update on new and upcoming Marvel Studios projects at Disney+ Day on November 12.

SOURCE: VARIETY

‘Eternals’ Director Chloe Zhao Coyly Muses On Prospect Of Making A ‘Star Wars’ Movie

After winning the Oscar for Best Director, Chloe Zhao will be releasing her big MCU film Eternals next month and during the promotion for the new superhero flick seemingly revealed a desire to explore Star Wars.

While chatting with Empire Magazine’s Al Horner, the filmmaker was aspect about potentially making a Star Wars film after mentioning Star Wars multiple times in the interview.

“Hmmm. I have to tread very carefully with what I say here. [laughs],” the filmmaker said carefully. “Yes. Let’s just say, it’s a world I have so much reverence for because it was such an important part of my life. [laughs].”

Interestingly enough, her wording at the top of the response would suggest previous interactions with Lucasfilm. Could she have already shot something Disney+-related or taken meetings with the studio?

It wouldn’t but like she would be the first Marvel Studios alumni to tackle the Star Wars universe after folks like Jon Favreau, Peyton Reed, and Taika Waititi working on the Disney+ shows. Waititi is attached to make his own movie after Patty Jenkins’ Star Wars: Rogue Squadron and Kevin Feige is producing another pic with screenwriter Michael Waldron (Loki, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness).

I’d personally love to see Zhao jump into the world of Star Wars, but when and where seems to be a question. There could easily be sequels to Eternals and she’s attached to make a sci-fi western Dracula film for Universal Pictures.

Zhao’s Eternals will be released next month on November 5.

ETERNALS – The immortal heroes, the Eternals, came here 7,000 years ago, since the dawn of man, to “protect humans from the Deviants.” Sersi reveals that she hasn’t seen some of the other Eternal teammates for centuries. With the monstrous creatures, the Deviants, long thought lost to history, mysteriously return, Ikaris decides that it’s time for them to “find the others” and defend humanity once again. As the epic story unfolds, Sersi and Ikaris reunite with Kingo (played by Kumail Nanjiani), Sprite (played by Lia McHugh), Gilgamesh (played by Don Lee), Thena (played by Angelina Jolie), Makkari (played by Lauren Ridloff), Phastos (played by Brian Tyree Henry), and Druig (played by Barry Keoghan).

SOURCE: EMPIRE & AL HORNER

Letitia Wright Reportedly Still Spreading Anti-Vaccine Conspiracies On ‘Black Panther 2’ Set

Back in December, Black Panther actress Letitia Wright posted a video on her Twitter account that questioned vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine and when fans questioned her on spreading conspiracy theories she spouted some weird religious statements in replies. After all that got media attention she apologized and then deleted the account.

Fellow MCU actor Don Cheadle briefly tried to defend the actress on Twitter before realizing what she was spreading around and quickly backtracked that support.

Well, it’s now October and there is a report from The Hollywood Reporter that Wright is still pushing those conspiracies on the set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in Atlanta and that fallout from December led her American reps to part ways.

A number of performers, from Rob Schneider (now shooting Netflix’s Home Team) to Letitia Wright (filming Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) have shared anti-vaccine positions on social media. In Wright’s case, a set source says she has espoused similar views about the COVID-19 vaccines on the Atlanta production. The British actress quietly parted ways with her entire U.S. team of representatives in the wake of a backlash over posting a controversial anti-vaccine video in December.

The interesting part mentioned is that Disney are not requiring vaccines and that won’t be instituted until mid-October, meaning that Black Panther 2 and other productions that have started are exempt from the new sticker system (potentially putting cast and crew at risk).

Disney, the studio behind Black Panther, will begin rolling out a sticker system on all of its new productions in mid-October that requires visible proof of COVID-19 vaccination status, as stipulated in a return-to-work agreement between AMPTP and Hollywood’s unions. Those in Zone A who are fully vaccinated will have a wristband. Those who are not, will not. (Anything already shooting is not covered.)

While it’s unknown what Wright’s vaccine status actually is, the actress was sent to a hospital after an on-set accident and could have put people that were in contact with her during that treatment at risk, including hospital staff and other patients.

This is extremely odd in retrospect, since someone that might have been immune-compromised (like the late Chadwick Boseman) could have been at greater risk for seriously illness or death by interacting with unvaccinated co-stars/crew members.

Not to mention the irony that Wright’s character Shuri is supposed be the brightest scientists in the MCU and the woman playing her seems to be anti-science.

Black Panther: Wakanda releases on July 8, 2022.

SOURCE: THR

UPDATE: Ionic Productions Confirmed To Be A Marvel Studios Project

A while back, The Ronin listed off a heap of new Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) established by the Walt Disney Company for a bunch of untitled Marvel Studios projects (film and television). We’ve been now able to confirm that one of the companies we listed off in the past, Ionic Productions LLC, is indeed at Marvel Studios.

We could theorize that Ionic Productions is alluding to characters like X-Men’s Rogue (less likely) or Avengers member Wonder Man, given the two superheroes have ionic-based powers.

At one time, Canadian actor Nathan Fillion (Slither, The Suicide Squad, Guardians of The Galaxy) was in the role of Simon Williams aka Wonder Man in James Gunn’s Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.2 (was cut from the final film) and he recently played the Avengers character in Hulu’s M.O.D.O.K. series, however, it remains to be seen if he’ll return to the part in any live-action capacity.

In August, Fillion took to Twitter during The Suicide Squad watch party to campaign to play Walter Langowski aka Sasquatch in a hypothetical Alpha Flight (Canadian mutant team) project at Marvel Studios. It’s an interesting character pick since Nathan’s longtime pal Ryan Reynolds is playing Canadian mutant Wade Wilson in Deadpool 3 and could lead to those characters interacting.

Wonder Man has connections to established MCU characters such as Baron Zemo, Captain Marvel, Vision, and Scarlet Witch.

There is still a good chance this might be simply another Disney+ spinoff either focusing on Paul Bettany’s Vision (Wonder Man teaser art was spotted in a WandaVision promo) or even Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau, but we’ll have to wait to get real confirmation on what the project actually is.

Wonder Man concept art appeared in WandaVision promo

In May, WandaVision head writer Jac Schaeffer signed an overall deal with Marvel Studios/20th Century Television, but future projects haven’t been announced. If this turns out to be Wonder Man, given the concept art in the WandaVision production office, I wouldn’t be shocked if Schaeffer is involved given her extended deal with Marvel.

It’s noteworthy to mention WandaVision’s LLC was Static Productions, so a connection to characters from the show wouldn’t be a surprise to us.

Old Guard Productions LLC is another LLC we first uncovered that is expected to be for Marvel Studios, but we’ll still trying to get that one confirmed. It’ll be interesting to see if Old Guard might be liked to X-Men, Fantastic Four, Winter Guard/Red Guardian, or the original Guardians of The Galaxy lineup (who appeared in Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.2).

Here is a rundown of the other LLCs.

  • 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 (UNCONFIRMED)

There is certainly an expectation while this stuff is for new projects (sequels don’t get new LLC names), some of the LLCs are likely for known/announced things like Bassam Tariq’s Blade reboot, Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool 3, Jon Watts’ Fantastic Four or stuff that hasn’t been made official like X-Men/Secret Wars/Avengers 5/Silver Surfer.

New animation projects for the Disney+ lineup are also coming from Marvel.

Other live-action projects on the horizon include Eternals, 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, and an untitled Wakanda series from Ryan Coogler.

Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige could easily announce the new film titles at D23 Expo and then television projects at the Disney+ Day event on November 12, as an info dump by the end of the year on their upcoming slate is expected.

‘Shang-Chi’ Surpasses ‘Black Widow’ At Domestic Box Office Nabbing Pandemic Record

The pandemic hasn’t led to many wins at the box office, however, there is some good news concerning Destin Daniel Cretton’s Shang-Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings. A new superhero film that gives Marvel Studios their first leading Asian-American superhero character and the latest addition to the growing ranks of The Avengers.

Shang-Chi has now slid past Cate Shortland’s Black Widow to nab the pandemic record at the box office earning an impressive $196 million, the estimated weekend numbers coming from Deadline. This comes alongside solid global numbers as well $342+ million, as the comic book flick is zeroing in on crossing $400 million.

It’s only a matter of time before Marvel announces a Shang-Chi sequel, as Cretton and co-writer Dave Callaham have previously teased ideas for Shang-Chi 2 having a connection to the origin of the ten rings themselves.

We’re curious to see where Shang-Chi where appear next as cameos/crossovers continue to be an important element of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the television division expanding as well with multiple unannounced Disney+ shows on horizon.

November will see the next big feature film with Chloe Zhao’s Eternals and the Hawkeye series that focuses on holiday adventure in NYC as Clint Barton mentors Kate Bishop.

SHANG-CHI & THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS – Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization.

Joining Simu Liu in the Marvel cast includes Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang-Chi’s friend Katy, and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, as well as Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu, and Ronny Chieng. Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and produced by Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz, with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, and Charles Newirth serving as executive producers. David Callaham & Destin Daniel Cretton & Andrew Lanham wrote the screenplay for the film.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

‘Eternals’: Dan Stevens All But Confirms He’s Playing Deviants Leader Kro

With Shang-Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings released, the next big Marvel Studios project will be Eternals from Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao (Nomandland). While we have some idea about the film there is slightly less known about The Deviants and how exactly they’ll be factoring into the film.

It’s been rumored that Legion actor Dan Stevens (The Guest, Beauty & The Beast) could be playing Kro in the film, the leader of the Deviants as the character appears in the trailer.

While speaking with Collider, Stevens seemingly confirmed the role with a cheeky response when asked if he was in Eternals.

“Kro comment…I said ‘Kro comment’ but I don’t know if that is cryptic enough.”

Dan Stevens isn’t a stranger to Marvel Comics projects as he led the X-Men series Legion that saw him play David Haller (son of Professor Charles Xavier in the comics) and would join Chris Evans as an actor previously playing a Fox era Marvel character only to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Evans you might remember played Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four movies.

In the comics, Kro started out as a villain only to switch sides and join the Eternals team thanks to his romance with Angelina Jolie’s Thena. Their relationship is somewhat teased in the trailer with their brief, yet, not hostile interactions.

It wouldn’t terribly shocking if Kro and Dan Stevens took on a heroic part by the end of the film allowing him to return for multiple installments, I guess we’ll have to wait and see what Marvel plans to do with him.

ETERNALS – The immortal heroes, the Eternals, came here 7,000 years ago, since the dawn of man, to “protect humans from the Deviants.” Sersi reveals that she hasn’t seen some of the other Eternal teammates for centuries. With the monstrous creatures, the Deviants, long thought lost to history, mysteriously return, Ikaris decides that it’s time for them to “find the others” and defend humanity once again. As the epic story unfolds, Sersi and Ikaris reunite with Kingo (played by Kumail Nanjiani), Sprite (played by Lia McHugh), Gilgamesh (played by Don Lee), Thena (played by Angelina Jolie), Makkari (played by Lauren Ridloff), Phastos (played by Brian Tyree Henry), and Druig (played by Barry Keoghan).

SOURCE: COLLDIER

Oscar-Winning Composer Ludwig Göransson To Score ‘The Book Of Boba Fett’ Alongside ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

After winning on Oscar for Black Panther and an Emmy for The Mandalorian, Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson is cementing a working relationship with Disney. He’s set to score Pixar’s upcoming Toronto-set animated film Turning Red and there is even more.

It was announced earlier in the month by Göransson to Variety, that he would be reuniting with director Ryan Coogler for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and he’s even doing a second Star Wars show on top of that.

Film Music Reporter has revealed that the composer is also working on The Book of Boba Fett, the spinoff series of The Mandalorian focusing on the clone bounty hunter. The series wrapped months back with Lucasfilm previously announcing it will debut on Disney+ this December.

In the show, we’ll see further adventures of Boba Fett (played by Temuera Morrison) and his newly acquired partner Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen), the stinger teased he’ll attempt to either get revenge or take over the underworld returning to his gangster life.

We wouldn’t be shocked if Ludwig Göransson is also going to work on the third season of The Mandalorian or the Rosario Dawson spinoff Ahsoka, it’s only a matter of time before that is made official.

While it’s likely, a second season for The Book of Boba Fett hasn’t been hinted to or announced by Disney/Lucasfilm.

The Black Panther sequel will be released on July 8, 2022, with a returning cast that consists of Danai Gurira as Okoye, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Florence Kasumba as Ayo, Angela Bassett as Romonda, and Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross.

New additions to the cast for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are expected to include Dominique Thorne (Judas & The Black Messiah) making her MCU debut as Riri Williams (getting her own Disney+ series Ironheart) alongside Emmy-winner Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You, Black Mirror) and Tenoch Huerta (Narcos: Mexico).

SOURCE: FILM MUSIC REPORTER

‘Ms. Marvel’ Series Being Delayed To Sometime In 2022

It looks like the Hawkeye series is going to get some breathing room this fall/winter, as the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel from Marvel Studios seemingly is no longer on deck for a release in 2021.

The Marvel Studios original series centers on fan-favorite Kamala Khan — a 16-year-old Pakistani-American growing up in Jersey City. A great student, avid gamer, and voracious fan-fic scribe, Kamala has a special affinity for superheroes, particularly Captain Marvel. However, Kamala struggles to fit in at home and at school — that is, until she gets superpowers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Life is easier with superpowers, right?

Variety is echoing what we’ve all now assumed as Disney+ has announced November 12 for their Disney+ Day presentation, that the Ms. Marvel series (formerly coming late 2021 alongside Hawkeye) will be pushed to sometime in 2022.

However, Variety didn’t name a month (we assume it’ll drop in Q1 of 2022) or specific date for the series and likely are going off deduction given a December spot is unlikely at this point with The Book of Boba Fett on the horizon that month.

Ms. Marvel had been shooting in Atlanta and Thailand.

Iman Vellani, who plays Kamala/Ms. Marvel is currently in England shooting Nia DaCosta’s Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels, at Longcross Studios and might end up appearing in the Secret Invasion series. The Disney+ series that also features S.W.O.R.D. is also shooting in the same area (possibly on the same stages). There has been an expectation for months the two casts will cross-pollinate for the two MCU projects.

It’ll be interesting to see if the MCU incarnation of Kamala will embrace the connection to Inhumans (it’s been rumored they won’t) or take a different path given they’re unlikely going to jump into that group anytime given the proximity to the failed Marvel Television series along with Eternals and their X-Men reboot on the horizon.

Over the summer, The Ronin caught wind that Ms. Marvel is aiming to shoot something in the United Kingdom, likely in 2022. We haven’t been able to confirm if this is a button/end-credit sequence or a signal that Ms. Marvel is getting a second season like Loki (the latter is extremely likely).

Other Marvel shows releasing in 2022 include She-Hulk, Moon Knight, and the aforementioned Secret Invasion.

SOURCE: VARIETY

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Ant-Man 3’ Filmed At The White Pocket Trail In Arizona

Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, aka, Ant-Man 3 is currently shooting in the London area with a cast that includes Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, Evangeline Lilly as Hope, Kathryn Newton as the newest incarnation of Cassie Lang, Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym, Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet, and Jonathan Majors playing the villain big bad, Kang The Conqueror.

We can now share another filming location for the Marvel Studios pic.

The Ronin has exclusively learned that the sequel spent time filming in Arizona at the White Pocket Trail, however, unlikely involved any cast members as it look place months before filming had officially started at Pinewood Studios UK in July.

What exactly the footage is going to be used for is unclear, but you could easily imagine it being used for the Quantum Realm or even an alien planet. The area is gorgeous and might have been shot for plates, perhaps, for Pinewood’s version of The Volume.

Director Peyton Reed confirmed they would be using The Volume on the next Ant-Man installment and he previously worked with the fantastic technology from Industrial Light & Magic during the shoot on Season 2 of The Mandalorian for Lucasfilm.

Back in April, we first reported that a portion of filming would be returning to San Francisco, which was later confirmed by local postings.

The superhero film’s impressive crew is expected to consist of production designer Will Htay (No Time To Die, Rogue One, Solo, Andor), cinematographer Bill Pope (The Matrix Trilogy, Shang-Chi Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man Trilogy, Alita: Battle Angel), second unit director Dan DeLeeuw (Eternals, Avengers: Endgame), and costume designer Sammy Sheldon Differ (Eternals, Jurassic World: Dominion, Ant-Man, X-Men: First Class, Hellboy II: The Golden Army).

There have been signs the next installment will be much bigger in scope than the previous two movies and having Kang’s true introduction will likely be part of that. It’ll be interesting to see if the Quantum Realm and the Multiverse will intersect.

Nia DaCosta’s Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels, is currently shooting at Longcross Studios (recently used for Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness) in Surrey, England and the Secret Invasion series also began shooting in the area with an expectation to spend time in Scotland.

Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania will debut in theaters on February 17, 2023.