Jon Benthal of The Wolf of Wall Street, Fury, and The Walking Dead fame has been cast for Marvel’s Daredevil season 2, coming 2016!
He will be playing none other than Frank Castle, yeah, The fricking Punisher! He is a vigilante who aims to clean up New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen by any means necessary, no matter how lethal the results!
“Jon Bernthal brings an unmatched intensity to every role he takes on, with a potent blend of power, motivation and vulnerability that will connect with audiences,” said Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s Head of Television. “Castle’s appearance will bring dramatic changes to the world of Matt Murdock and nothing will be the same.”
Bernthal will also appear in the upcoming action thriller “The Accountant.”
“Marvel’s Daredevil” is Executive Produced by Doug Petrie (“American Horror Story,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”), Marco Ramirez (“Marvel’s Daredevil,” “DaVinci’s Demons”) and Drew Goddard (“Cabin in the Woods,” “Lost”), along with Marvel TV’s Jeph Loeb (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Marvel’s Jessica Jones.”)
“Marvel’s Daredevil” is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios. Season one of “Marvel’s Daredevil” is now streaming on Netflix.
Extra Tidbit: The scary part is this look at the date!
Another tidbit is Netflix has revealed a new logo for Marvel’s Daredevil season 2.
The new Daredevil logo is riddled with bullet holes, and came attached to the twitter message, “Frank Castle is coming to Hell’s Kitchen. Those who stand in his way shall be punished.”
Blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) fights against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the Super Hero “Daredevil” in modern day Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. “Marvel’s Daredevil” stars Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson and Rosario Dawson. Source: Marvel
Though Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie (Henry Simmons) almost quit the organization at the end of last season, Coulson eventually got him to change his mind—and it looks like now he’s sticking around for good!
Simmons is now the latest star to join the regular cast of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” for Season 3 when it returns to Tuesdays on ABC this fall, following quickly after the word that Luke Mitchell will also become a regular part of the series.
“Mack’s story from Season 2 left him at a great place for us to continue, opening up new possibilities for the character as he takes charge of overseeing
S.H.I.E.L.D.’s storehouse of unexplainable or alien objects,” said Executive Producer/Marvel’s Head of Television, Jeph Loeb. “We couldn’t be more excited to add Mack to our regular cast of heroes.”
This will mark Simmons’ third stint as a regular on a TV series, having previously played Detective Baldwin Jones on “NYPD Blue” and Isaac Wright on “Shark.”
“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is Executive Produced by Joss Whedon (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”); Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen, (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” pilot co-writers, “Dollhouse,” “Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”); Jeffrey Bell (“Angel,” “Alias”); and Jeph Loeb (“Marvel’s Agent Carter,” “Marvel’s Daredevil,” “Lost”).
“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is produced by Marvel Television and ABC Studios.
“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” returns for an exciting third season, Tuesdays this fall on ABC.
Inspired by the Marvel one-shot short film of the same name, the eight-episode Agent Carter TV show aired on American TV screens in January, but British fans of Hayley Atwell’s secret agent – as originally seen in both standalone Captain America films, as well as more recently in Avengers: Age Of Ultron – were left in limbo as to when they’d get to see the first series. Now, news arrives that Fox UK has picked it up, and July 1 will be the release date.
For those not aware of how to access the Fox channel in Britain, here’s a link with all the details, and for those not aware of the set-up of the eagerly anticipated show, here it is:
Marvel’s Agent Carter tracks secret agent Peggy Carter as she deals with post-war America and a life without Cap in 1946. Peacetime has not been the best time for Carter, marginalised by her colleagues and forced to balance administrative work with much more important, stealthy duties at the Strategic Scientific Reserve, helping to build what will eventually become S.H.I.E.L.D..
Shea Whigham plays Roger Dooley, chief at the SSR and boss of agents Carter, Thompson (Chad Michael Murray) and Sousa (Enver Gjokaj). The cast also includes James D’Arcy as the original human butler Jarvis and Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark, AKA Tony’s dad and a key part of the SSR.
This Marvel Madness we have a lot in store this week. From Spider-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Civil War, and Ant-Man to TV news updates and rumours galore. Here is all things Marvel this week!
SPIDER-MAN NEWS
Sony Pictures and Marvel have reportedly trimmed down their lists for the director and lead actor of the next Spider-Man movie.
According to Deadline, Ender’s Game star Asa Butterfield and The Impossible’s Tom Holland are the frontrunners to portray Peter Parker. That said, Matt Lintz of the upcoming Pixels and Red Band Society actor Charlie Rowe are still in the running, after Judah Lewis (seen in this fall’s Demolition); Charlie Plummer (Boardwalk Empire) whom purportedly screen-tested for the highly sought-after role over the weekend.
As for who is helming the Spider-Man reboot, Sony and Marvel have apparently focused in on St. Vincent director Ted Melfi and Warm Bodies director Jonathan Levine. John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein, who are behind the upcoming reboot of Vacation, are also still being tossed around as contenders with Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect), and Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre).
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and Sony producer Amy Pascal will reportedly make the final call, with Sony Pictures chief Tom Rothman also having say over Spider-Man’s director and star.
The new Spider-Man is expected to show up in Captain America: Civil War, with a standalone movie following in 2017.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY NEWS
James Gunn, director of Guardians of the Galaxy 2, has taken to his Facebook page to announce that the first draft for the GotG sequel has been completed in full but does not want to spoil anything just yet. The announcement prompted a question from a fan about the subtitle confirming an appearance by the Hulk.
Phew. After 48 days straight without a day off, the the first draft of #GotG2 is done. I’m sorry to all my friends and family who I have ignored. Posted by James Gunn on Tuesday, 2 June 2015
Here are some bullet points from his Facebook Q&A:
He spent the last 48 days turning his 70-page scriptment (“the majority of a script, with every beat and even a lot of dialogue”) into a screenplay. The higher ups at Marvel and Disney have read the scriptment, but only Gunn and his assistant have read the full screenplay.
Like he did with the first movie, Gunn has chosen all of the music for Awesome Mix Vol. 2.
Additionally, “every song is in the script, just as I did on the first movie.” Keep in mind that these songs might not make it to the final film. Last December, Gunn provided the uncut tracklist for the Awesome Mix Vol. 1, and I assume there will be an uncut soundtrack for Guardians 2 as well.
Hulk is not appearing in this movie.
Gunn did a lot of research by reading the comics, but “but it’s all to fill out and make better the essential story that I came up with while making the first movie.” Translation: don’t expect a straight adaptation of a Guardians of the Galaxy storyline from the comics.
Unsurprisingly, the main cast will return along with a few others from the first movie (presumably Yondu and Nebula).
Chris Pratt hasn’t been briefed on future plans to unite the Guardians of the Galaxy with the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
When asked about the upcoming sequel, and the impending threat of Thanos, IGN asked Pratt about when the Guardians will team-up with the Avengers and other earth-based heroes.
“That’s speculation. I haven’t heard that. No, no one’s ever discussed it with me,” he said. Pratt went on to express interest in what the Guardians should do next:
“I think like the universe itself it’s best to expand outward. I don’t personally – and it’s not up to me, I’ll do whatever they want me to do – I don’t want to see the Guardians defend Cleveland, Ohio. We’re cosmic man. I want to be in space.”
Jurassic World’s Chris Pratt will soon be stepping back into his most famous role to date, that of Guardians of the Galaxy’s Star-Lord. Speaking to Digital Spy, Pratt talked about his initial reaction to learning details about the sequel and what he hopes to contribute to the film’s second outing.
http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1 On the potential of contributing to the sequel’s soundtrack, Chris Pratt revealed that’s something he’s spoken to James Gunn about. “We’ve talked a little. I know some of the songs that are going to be on Awesome Mix Vol 2. All I can tell you because – obviously, I’m not allowed to say anything, nor would I want to beacuse it would be like telling a kid what’s under the tree before Christmas morning; I would encourage people not to poke holes in the paper and peek, allow yourself the ‘Christmas morning’. What I will say is that [Gunn’s] pitch and his ideas legitmately put tears in my eyes. It is so good, it’s so good. I can not wait to get started on it and I can not wait for people to see what he’s going to pull off with this second movie. It’s so big and so good. From what I understand, Marvel [heard Gunn’s pitch] and they said nothing. [It] was that perfect. There was no micromanaging of the idea. They just love it so much they didn’t have any notes for it. It’s going to be remarkable. “
TV NEWS
Fans will see even more of Luke Mitchell as Lincoln Campbell in “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Season 3 as the star joins the regular series cast!
First introduced last season as a member of the Inhuman tribe led by Agent Skye’s mother, Jiaying, Lincoln possesses the ability to generate and wield electricity.
“Luke proved a valuable addition to our cast in Season 2, and after seeing him light up the screen with his charisma we knew we had to have him back for more,” said Executive Producer/Head of Marvel Television Jeph Loeb. “Our writers have come up with big plans for the character of Lincoln in our next season, and we can’t wait for fans to see everything we have in store.”
Before joining “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” Mitchell played the character of John Young in “The Tomorrow People” in addition to roles on “Home and Away,” “H2O: Just Add Water,” and “Neighbours” in his native Australia. He will also appear in the upcoming independent film “7 Minutes,” which will be released in June 2015.
“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” returns for an exciting third season, Tuesdays this fall on ABC.
Disney XD has ordered two new action-packed seasons of the popular animated series on the Marvel programming block – continuing the adventures of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes with “Marvel’s Avengers: Ultron Revolution” and introducing a new band of villains in “Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6.” Produced by Marvel Television, both series deliver the biggest, most explosive seasons yet with some of Marvel’s most aspirational super heroes facing off against some of the greatest threats in the Marvel Universe. Both of the new seasons are currently in production and slated to premiere in 2016 on Marvel on Disney XD.
In season three of “Marvel’s Avengers: Ultron Revolution,” the Avengers are not only shocked by the return of a vengeful Ultron, but they also encounter new threats like Baron Zemo, the Masters of Evil, the Inhumans, and the futuristic Kang the Conqueror. It’s only with the help of heroes like Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Ant-Man and Ms. Marvel that they have a chance of surviving an all-out Marvel super hero Civil War.
In season four of “Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6,” a confident Spider-Man feels like the ultimate hero after fighting alongside The Avengers and leading a team of heroes at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. However, when the wall-crawler discovers that his greatest enemies – Doctor Octopus, Hydra and the all-new Sinister 6 – are working together to destroy him and S.H.I.E.L.D., he teams up with a special new team of Spiders including Miles Morales, Agent Venom, Iron Spider and the mysterious new Scarlet Spider. Spider-Man and his new friends will need to use all of their power to overcome their greatest challenge yet.
“We’re delighted that Disney XD is partnering with the world-class Marvel team to bring our viewers new installments featuring the Avengers and Spider-Man, some of the world’s most iconic and engaging comic book characters,” said Marc Buhaj, Senior Vice President, Programming and General Manager, Disney XD. “In these new animated seasons we are looking forward to even higher stakes, bigger threats and the trademark quality storytelling that Marvel is famous for.”
“These series have been the heart and soul of Marvel Animation for several seasons and, thanks to Marc and his top-notch crew at Disney XD, we’re thrilled to bring our fans more episodes of what they’ve been clamoring for,” said Stephen Wacker, Vice President, Current Series, Marvel Animation Studios. “It’s a testament to the hard work and creative effort of our production and writing teams that Marvel’s animation slate continues to roll onwards and upwards.”
The “Marvel’s Avengers: Ultron Revolution” voice cast includes Adrian Pasdar (“Heroes”) as Iron Man, Fred Tatasciore (“Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness”) as Hulk, Roger Craig Smith (“Wreck-It Ralph”) as Captain America, Travis Willingham (“Shelf Life”) as Thor, Troy Baker (“Ultimate Spider-Man”) as Hawkeye, Laura Bailey (“The Super Hero Squad Show”) as Black Widow and Bumper Robinson (“The Game”) as Falcon. Jeff Allen serves as Supervising Director and Eugene Son and Dani Wolff serve as Co-Story Editors on the series.
“Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6” stars Drake Bell (“Drake & Josh”) as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Chi McBride (“Hawaii Five-0”) as Nick Fury, Steven Weber (“Wings”) as Norman Osborn, Greg Cipes (“Teen Titans,” “Ben 10”) as Danny Rand, Ogie Banks (“Fatherhood”) as Luke Cage, Misty Lee (“Batman: Arkham City”) as Aunt May, and recurring guest star Stan Lee (“Spider-Man”) as Stan the Janitor. Alex Soto serves as Supervising Director while Kevin Burke and Doc Wyatt serve as Co-Story Editors.
Alan Fine (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Iron Man,” “Thor”), Dan Buckley (“Marvel’s Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.”), Joe Quesada (“Marvel’s Daredevil”), and Jeph Loeb (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) will serve as executive producers on “Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6” and “Marvel’s Avengers: Ultron Revolution,” while Stan Lee (“Spider-Man”), Eric Radomski (“Spawn”), Cort Lane (“The Super Hero Squad Show”) and Stephen Wacker (“Marvel’s Avengers Assemble”) will serve as co-executive producers for both series.
CIVIL WAR NEWS
Even though filming just recently kicked off for Captain America: Civil War, it appears that directors Anthony & Joe Russo have already filmed the most important scene in the movie. Yes, earlier this week at the Dallas Comic Con, Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee confirmed that he has already filmed his cameo for Captain America: Civil War.
While Lee isn’t able to reveal details of his cameos until after the movie gets released in theaters, Lee said, “I just finished my cameo in the new Captain America movie the day before yesterday in Atlanta.” Lee also quipped, “They should stop calling them cameos and start calling them supporting roles.”
Although Marvel Studios has yet to officially announce that Hayley Atwell will be making her fifth cinematic appearance as Peggy Carter in Captain America: Civil War, the English actress recently took to Twitter to reveal a series of photos with the cast and crew on the set in Atlanta, Georgia. There is already a pretty big spoiler online regarding how the S.H.I.E.L.D. co-founder might be portrayed in the highly-anticipated Marvel threequel, but could we be seeing much more of her?
Meanwhile, Just Jared has provided some recent candid photos of actor Sebastian Stan while he was in New York City today, evidently taking a break from filming Captain America: Civil War. Obviously, he’s not in costume, but the actor does appear to be retaining Bucky Barnes’ long hair and grungy appearance that we saw him with at the end of The Winter Soldier.
Robert Downey Jr. shared a new photo with his followers on Instagram, indicating that he was arriving in Georgia for Captain America: Civil War filming. While Downey Jr. was spotted on the Civil War set earlier this month, he was in his civilian clothes and wasn’t photographed participating in the filming.
However, with his Instagram photo, Downey Jr. wrote, “We work weekends ..for your viewing pleasure… #marvel #civilwar #pickyourside.” When the Civil War comic book was released in 2006, Marvel promoted it with the “Whose Side Are You On?” marketing campaign as they encouraged fans to pick between Captain America and Iron Man. It certainly sounds like he’s indicating that he’s going to be filming some scenes this weekend.
A photo posted by Robert Downey, Jr. (@robertdowneyjr) on
May 30, 2015 at 1:23pm PDT
Speaking of Iron Man! Tony Stark is going to have to suit up to fight Captain America in Civil War next year, and it looks like he’ll be doing so in style! In the latest piece of leaked promo art for the movie, we get to see what some fans believe is the “Bleeding Edge” armour, and it definitely looks quite a bit different to the version seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
A photo posted by Heroic Hollywood (@heroichollywood) on
May 28, 2015 at 6:24am PDT
A couple of weeks ago, word got out that Marvel was “courting” Ava DuVernay to direct “Black Panther”. We Are Wakanda reports that this is true. According to them she was actually in Atlanta during the filming of the Nigeria scenes for “Captain America: Civil War” and met with Marvel during that time. WAW have been told they’ve been discussing how to make Wakanda look and feel “authentic” and that all she has to do at this point is accept the job!
The plan appears to be to have a director for “Black Panther” involved as they shoot Wakanda scenes for “Civil War”, which is supposed to start within the next few weeks! So it may not be announced immediately but expect the job to be filled very soon!
Fun fact: Many of the extras in the Nigeria scenes were extras in “Selma”!
WAW also report that Damion Poiter is one of Crossbone’s henchman and is most definitely not Black Panther’s stunt double. Poiter previously played Thanos in The Avengers’ mid-credits scene.
Directed by Anthony & Joe Russo from a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, Captain America: Civil War picks up where Avengers: Age of Ultron left off, as Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain. Starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Chadwick Boseman, Emily VanCamp, Daniel Brühl, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, and Martin Freeman, Captain America: Civil War is set for release on May 6, 2016.
ANT-MAN NEWSAnt-Man embraces his insectoid allies in brand-new photos from Marvel’s “Ant-Man”! Check out the new photos below and see “Ant-Man” when it comes to theaters July 17.
Suit designers Sammy Sheldon and Ivo Coveney have been on board Ant-Man since Edgar Wright was attached to direct, and it’s revealed in the latest issue of Empire Magazine that they were still working on the suit during shooting. Why exactly does Scott Lang need to wear that helmet though? “When you shrink, the molecules in the air are too big for your lungs,” Sheldon explains. “He has to be fully contained or he’d die.” That means we can probably count out seeing a tiny Paul Rudd running around the place then as the shrinking action will clearly be restricted to when he’s in the suit. As a result, it’s probably best to forget this scene being recreated in the MCU! There’s still no word on whether or not Pym Particles are going to make it into Ant-Man, but the magazine notes that “mysterious chemicals” are sent around Scott’s body via tubing. “We had a long discussion about the two cables going into his helmet,” Coveney reveals. “They’re a massive weakness – Yellowjacket could just rip them off and he’s dead. But, in the end, it just looks cooler with them on.” On this subject, Sheldon adds: “The fact that he’s shrinking is enough to get away with anything else, really!” We’ve heard a lot about why Edgar Wright decided not to direct Ant-Man, but the latest issue of Empire Magazine sheds some more light on why he decided to part ways with Marvel Studios. For example, they point out that Wright’s version of the script would have seen Scott Lang take on the villainous “Nano Warrior”, but the basic premise – Lang being guided by Hank Pym in a mentor like role – was still there. There have also been reports that Wright’s script didn’t take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that apparently wasn’t the case as as it featured appearances from established cameos and he had even written an after-credits scene for Avengers: Age of Ultron. Some of the changes made along the way included Nano Warrior being renamed Yellowjacket, a car chase being scrapped, and a number of characters being cut (some of which we heard about during pre-production). However, it was definitely Dave Callaham (The Expendables) and Eric Pearson’s (Agent Carter) changes which led to Wright’s departure as we’ve heard a number of times already.“Was it a strange situation? Absolutely,” says new Ant-Man director Peyton Reed. “One of my concerns upfront was, ‘Someone else has developed this movie for a really long time. Can I come in and make it my own?’ And that has absolutely been the case. For one thing Marvel have let me explore the dark side of Hank Pym, this tortured, guilt-ridden guy. I love that this is a mentor/pupil story, but with a [frick]ed up pupil and a really [frick]ed up mentor.” Reed even reveals that he spoke to Wright via email after accepting the job, so it definitely sounds like there’s no bad blood between the two filmmakers. “We both acknowledged the general werdness of the situation. It’s all very odd, but it’s been really nice to communiate with him.” It’s star Evangeline Lilly (who describes Hope Van Dyne as “kind of a bitch…a very had woman on a journey towards becoming a decent person”) who reveals perhaps the most interesting details about the changes made to the screenplay by Paul Rudd and Adam McKay though. “I met with Paul in a little restaurant in New York City, and he talked me through how the movie was changing. I think the most defining difference between the two scripts was that Edgar’s didn’t take itself as seriously. It was fun and silly and brilliant irreverent – a romp from beginning to end, in classic English fashion. Whereas where we’ve gotten to is so much more American. There’s tons of levity, but just as much emotion.” Whether that’s a good or bad thing remains to be seen!Finally, the magazine mentions that Anthony Mackie’s Falcon might make an appearance alongside other Avengers, to which Reed would only say: “That’s classified information. That’s buried. It’s possible.”
As part of an initiative to get girls nationwide to take part in the “Ant-Man Micro-Tech Challenge” to win tickets to the premiere of Ant-Man, Marvel has released a Hope Van Dyne centric featurette which sees Evangeline Lilly talk more about her role in the movie.
Disney, Marvel Studios, Dolby Laboratories, Visa Signature and Raspberry Pi® are proud to unite to sponsor a nationwide MARVEL’S ANT-MAN MICRO-TECH CHALLENGE in conjunction with the July 17 release of Marvel’s “Ant-Man”! Learn more by watching the video above. Building on the success of the Ultimate Mentor Adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy: Guardians of Good, Marvel is launching, ANT-MAN MICRO-TECH CHALLENGE with Raspberry Pi. The challenge invites girls nationwide, ages 14 – 18, in grades 9-12, to design and build a DIY project using at least one readily available micro-technology component, which can enable tinkerers, makers, builders and future Imagineers to execute big ideas with a board that fits in their pocket and costs less than a video game. The projects can be utilitarian, artistic or just plain fun. After completing a project, applicants will be asked to submit a short video demonstrating the project and explaining how it will inspire other girls to pursue interests in science, technology, engineering, or math. The five winners will each receive: Two round-trip tickets to Southern California, including hotel accommodations, from June 28 through June 30, 2015, to be on the red carpet at the World Premiere of Marvel’s “Ant-Man” at the Dolby Theatre® in Dolby Atmos® on June 29, 2015; attend a special “The Evolution of Technology” workshop on June 30 at The Disneyland® Resort where they will meet Walt Disney Imagineers who will introduce them to the broader scope of technology and how innovation is inspired during a behind-the-scenes tour of The Disneyland® Resort; and receive a tour of the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. Upon completion of the challenge, a STEM-based girls program in each winner’s hometown will be selected to receive “re-create” instructions for each project. Each winner will have the opportunity to lead a workshop in building her project with the girls in the selected program in her community. By sharing their work, the winners will accomplish big things from small beginnings by inspiring other young girls to follow their interests in computing, technology, and engineering. Entries will be accepted from May 21, 2015 through June 11, 2015. For application forms, eligibility requirements, official contest rules and more information about MARVEL’S ANT-MAN MICRO-TECH CHALLENGE, please visit www.Ant-ManChallenge.comTo cap off the Ant-Man news here is our first tv spot with a “little” more footage!
The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world. Marvel’s “Ant-Man” stars Paul Rudd as Scott Lang aka Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne, Corey Stoll as Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket, Bobby Cannavale as Paxton, Michael Peña as Luis, Judy Greer as Maggie, Tip “Ti” Harris as Dave, David Dastmalchian as Kurt, Wood Harris as Gale, Jordi Mollà as Castillo and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym.Peyton Reed directs Marvel’s “Ant-Man” with Kevin Feige producing and Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Edgar Wright and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. The story is by Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish and the screenplay is by Adam McKay & Paul Rudd. Marvel’s “Ant-Man” delivers a high-stakes, tension-filled adventure on July 17, 2015.
RUMOURS
Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man screenplay was subject to a number of rewrites both before and after his departure from the movie, and Latino-Review is reporting that various tweaks were still being made as shooting continued (which is perfectly normal, especially with Marvel Studios based on what we’ve heard in the past). Here’s where things get really exciting/interesting though. Those changes apparently included the first Spider-Man mentions in the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
Spider-Man already exists by the time Ant-Man takes place, and the site says that, “We’ve heard an unconfirmed rumor there is “lots of” talk of/references to Spider-Man and OsCorp in the current version of Ant-Man.” They go on to mention that Darren Cross is attempting to sell the Yellowjacket technology to various corporations, so it’s likely there that OsCorp will come into play.
Charlize Theron(Mad Max: Fury Road) and Angelina Jolie (Unbroken) have reportedly bonded since they were introduced to each other via their significant others: Sean Penn and Brad Pitt. Their friendship is going so well that there is talk of them teaming up on a Marvel film together.
“Marvel has been courting Angie to direct the project and Charlize is a clear fan favourite for the starring role,” a source told US OK! magazine (via Washington Post). “If Charlize were to get the part, Angie would almost certainly sign on to work with her.”
Theron has earned plenty of praise for her kick-butt performance as ‘Furiousa’ in George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road. Many have suggested her for the role of Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, an ex-Air Force pilot that acquires cosmic super powers.
Captain Marvel is scheduled to open in theaters November 2, 2018. The script is being written by Nicole Perlman and Megan LeFauve.
Ever since Martin Freeman (The Hobbit) was cast in Captain America: Civil War, a number of rumors have circulated about what his mysterious role may be, with Everett Ross, an American regent of Wakanda, being one of the more popular fan choices.
Well, it’s time to throw another possible option into the ring as Latino-Review is reporting that Freeman might actually be playing a character by the name of Edward Chase, the yet-to-be introduced Prime Minister of England in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He is expected to make his debut following the massive destruction caused by Captain America’s brutal battle with Crossbones, a fight which is expected to leave heavy casualties, including several British soldiers. Freeman’s character will be one of the figureheads on the pro-registration side in the movie and will be upping the pressure on Cap’s New Avengers in order to keep them in check.
Latino-Review also adds that the Prime Minister may have had a brief mention in Marvel’s Avengers: Age Of Ultron. During the scene right before Ultron and the twins pay Andy Serkis’ Ulysses Klaw a visit, Klaw is seen on the phone with someone. This someone, whom Klaw does call the “Minister,” is hypothetically Freeman’s character Edward Chase. Why is he calling Klaw? Well, why else would you call Klaw? To illegally acquire vibranium and subsequently use it to make weapons that the U.K. can use to combat the rising number of superheroes in the world.
Their phone discussion, or the fact that Chase is familiar with Klaw, will come into play during a conversation between Chase and Daniel Brühl’s Baron Zemo, who is unsurprisingly the true villain of the picture. And in case it wasn’t obvious, yes, Freeman’s character is more villain than good samaritan. LR also speculates that with Chase and the Black Panther making appearances, Serkis could potentially make a cameo in the Marvel epic as well.
Take this one with a huge grain of salt, as a new rumor from the MCU Exchange states that not only will we get another hulkster in the MCU but it may very be the Red Hulk, as William Hurt will be reprising his role as General Thunderbolt Ross from 2008’s Incredible Hulk and he’ll also be transforming into Red Hulk. Additionally, the rumor states that Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk is indeed involved in Civil War and that there will be an epic throwdown between Hulk and Red Hulk that will rival the Avengers: Age of Ultron battle between Hulk and Iron Man’s Hulkbuster armor.
Again, we’re cautioning a heavy dose of skepticism on this report until there’s more information from additional sources.
Ant-Man will be in theaters July 17, 2015; Captain America: Civil War – May 6, 2016; Doctor Strange – November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man reboot – July 28, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; The Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 – May 4, 2018; Black Panther – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel – November 2, 2018; The Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 – May 3, 2019; Inhumans – July 12, 2019.
So there you go that wraps up another edition of Marvel Madness. As always be sure to check back next week for another Marvel Madness!
So prepare yourself for a mountain worth of Marvel news coming to you! We have a vast amount of all things Marvel related this week. We’re talking Deadpool, X-Men: Apocalypse, Captain America: Civil War, Agent Carter, Agents of SHIELD, and a hell of a lot more!
So enjoy!!
DEADPOOL NEWS
Ryan Reynolds took a break from getting hit in the face as Wade Wilson to make a young fan’s day. 15-year-old Calista King paid a visit to the Deadpool set last week, and not only scored a sweet looking sword but was also given a walk-on part in the movie. Reynolds also posted a second image of the Merc With a Mouth relaxing in front of that cheesy electronic fire. By the sounds of things, the bearskin rug must have picked up a couple of stains.
Back in March, Hugh Jackman (The Wolverine) told MTV that he would be interested in appearing in the new Deadpool movie, and now the film’s star Ryan Reynolds (Green Lantern) has been asked if Wolverine will “pop up.”
“God I hope so, that would be really nice,” Reynolds told the Australian website news.com.au while promoting Woman In Gold. “I dunno, we’ll see. It seems like he’s open to it, but it’s gonna be more of a scheduling issue than anything else.”
In the comics, Wolverine and Deadpool have intertwining backstories and beyond that they have done plenty of verbal and physical sparring. Plus, the two actors are close friends. That friendship began on the set of X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), which is the first time Ryan Reynolds played Wade Wilson/Deadpool.
The image below (which we’ve had to split into two unfortunately) is featured in this month’s edition of Empire Magazine, and as you can see, it gives us yet another great look at Ryan Reynolds in costume as Deadpool. This hopefully means Empire will have a cover story on the movie in an upcoming issue as we still don’t know a huge amount about the movie despite a ton of set photos finding their way online recently.
While taking a short break from leaping dramatically over moving cars and murdering Mario Lopez, Deadpool’s Ryan Reynolds had the chance to make one young fan’s dream come true. Tony Acevedo is currently fighting against Hodgkin’s Disease, and recently got the chance to visit the Vancouver set to meet Reynolds and the crew – courtesy of the Make A Wish Foundation.
Based upon Marvel Comics’ most unconventional anti-hero, DEADPOOL tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.
Deadpool is directed by Tim Miller, and stars Ryan Reynolds (Wade Wilson), Morena Baccarin (Vanessa Carlysle), T.J. Miller (Weasel), with Ed Skrein, and Brianna Hildebrand (Ellie Phimister). The movie is scheduled to hit theaters on February 12, 2016.
MOVING ON TO CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
According to Lainey Gossip, who has been nonchalantly dropping some interesting tidbits about the Marvel Cinematic Universe for some time now, the aforementioned African Market sequence is actually the “first big action set piece of the movie […] that kicks off the Civil War.” Apparently, there will be a lot of innocent civilians killed amid the battle between Cap’s new Avengers team and Crossbones, which seems to be the “international incident” mentioned in the official synopsis that will ultimately cause the world governments to enforce some control over superhero activity.
About the Winter Soldier, Lainey Gossip reveals that he will be “the touchstone of the conflict” in Captain America: Civil War especially considering secret identities are not as big of an issue in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as they are in the “Civil War” comic book storyline. Many have been wondering just how Bucky will factor into the superhero-packed adaptation, but we know from Avengers: Age of Ultron that he’s still being sought out by Captain America. And it’s been said that Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) “may be using the government registration” to also help track down the brainwashed super soldier who assassinated his parents, as revealed in The Winter Soldier.
Furthermore, it was recently reported that the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) will also be hunting down the Winter Soldier for reasons currently unknown, but Lainey Gossip adds that Crossbones also wants the Winter Soldier, or rather his “HYDRA pet,” back under his control. The source then dropped this very intriguing nugget: “Civil War is a critical moment for Sebastian Stan and Bucky Barnes—he has to get everyone on his side by the end of this movie, because his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to get a lot bigger.”
After visiting the set of Captain America: Civil War over the past few days, star Jeremy Renner, who played the awesome & badass Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, officially suited up this week to shoot his first scenes in the Marvel epic. To celebrate the occasion, Renner shared two behind-the-scenes snaps of him on set, one of which may have revealed an updated logo for the movie. Check out his tweets below:
Perhaps the most exciting thing to come out of last week’s batch of photos from the Civil War set was our first look at Frank Grillo in costume as the villanous ‘Crossbones’. Evidently filming some sort of stand-off against Chris Evans’ Captain America and more than a few of his Avengers pals, this appeared to be one of the movie’s earlier action sequences (although there’s really no way of telling for sure at the moment). Fans excited to see more of Brock Rumlow may be about to be a little disappointed though, thanks to a recent post from the actor’s official Instagram account:
The supremely talented Oscar Isaac was recently a guest on the Monkeys Fighting Robots podcast recently and briefly touched on his work on Star Wars: The Force Awakens and X-Men: Apocalypse. On the latter, Isaac confirmed that he’s already begun filming for Apocalypse and that he’s still digesting the script and developing his take on the character. “I’ve been reading the script a lot and trying to come at for me, a interesting angle. Definitely focusing on the fact he is the embodiment of the second coming of the judgments of god and that energy going in. We’re playing with that. What we are trying to do is make his philosophy and what his mission is, one that is both simple but also holds water, that really makes sense throughout the whole movie. I think Simon Kinberg and Bryan Singer, we’ve been able to come up with something very cool.”
2016 is a crowded and incredibly exciting year for superhero movies, but one release which is flying somewhat under the radar is Gambit, an X-Men spinoff starring Channing Tatum. The actor landed the role after making it clear in interviews how interested in the Cajun character he is, and Fox are currently in the process of hunting for a director. So, just how excited is the actor about the movie?
“I love Gambit,” Tatum says in the latest issue of Empire Magazine. “I grew up in the South; my father’s from Loiuisiana. We’d go to New Orleans and I heard all the dialects. It felt so different from the rest of America; it has its own ancient culture. So I identified with that. And he always felt the most real of the X-Men to me. He’s kind of a tortured soul and he’s not a good guy. But he’s not a bad guy, either. He walks his own path. And of course he plays cards and drinks and is a martial-arts badass!” It sounds like the movie is going to be pretty faithful to the comic books then, but that’s not a huge surprise what with X-Men scribe Chris Claremont writing its treatment.
As for the current status of Gambit, the actor added: “Josh Zetumer just turned in the first draft of the script, and it’s killer. None of us were sure how he was going to deal with the X-Men world. But we’re going to be changing some of the tropes of these movies. It’s always about saving the world (Laughs), but maybe we’re going to shift things a liittle but. There’s so many ways you can take [an origin story]. You could do it like Batman Begins, or a different take and go the Guardians of the Galaxy route. All I can say is, I’m super excited.”
Who is Caliban? He’s a mutant with the ability to sense other mutants within a 25 mile radius, and as well as being a Morlock, Caliban has been a member of X-Factor and X-Force. However, it’s his relationship with Apocalypse which will no doubt come into play in X-Men: Apocalypse. As a Morlock, the character looked pretty emaciated and unimpressive, but he later transformed into a far more impressive figure when he decided to align himself with Apocalypse.
According to ComicVine, “For a while Caliban was known as Hellhound, but was later officially announced as Death, Archangel’s replacement in Apocalypse’s Horsemen. He would use his enhanced senses and strength to locate more mutants for Apocalypse, and his personal anger and rage to punish his enemies.” How much of this will factor into X-Men: Apocalypse remains to be seen.
Well, this is very interesting. The Pepsi sign definitely appears to indicate that the scene below(thanks to Empire) from X-Men: Apocalypse is taking place in the 1980s rather than a desolate future of some sort, and it looks like Cyclops and Jean Grey are wearing costumes which are at least somewhat similar to the uniforms the youngsters have in the pages of All-New X-Men. Hey, at least it’s not black leather anyway. Who they’re battling isn’t clear (Archangel seems like a likely candidate) or what that structure is, but common sense says it all has something to do with the movie’s titular villain!
Photographer Melissa Paradis has managed to get some very nice snaps of a few of the cast members of X-Men: Apocalypse in and around the Montreal set of the movie. As you can see they’re clearly not gearing up to shoot anything here, but, unlike Alexandra Shipp who’s covering her (presumably) white hair with a hat, Olivia Munn’s purple-tinted do is on full display as she pets her pooch. Hopefully we’ll get some pics of theese guys in costume over the next few days.
X-Men: Apocalypse, directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men: Days of Future Past), will hit theaters on May 27, 2016 and stars Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), Michael Fassbender (Magneto), James McAvoy (Charles Xavier), Nicholas Hoult (Beast), Oscar Isaac (Apocalypse), Rose Byrne (Moira McTaggert), Sophie Turner (Jean Grey), Alexandra Shipp (Storm), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Nightcrawler), Tye Sheridan (Cyclops), Ben Hardy (Angel), Olivia Munn(Psylocke), Lucas Till(Havok) and Lana Condor (Jubillee).
FANTASTIC FOUR NEWS
A new international look at Josh Trank’s Fantastic Four reboot has been released it is mostly made up of footage from earlier trailers, but there are some previously unseen shots of Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and the Thing getting used to their burgeoning abilities.
So begins Michael B. Jordan’s letter (via EW) in response to the backlash his casting in Josh Trank’s Fantastic Four reboot received. His character, Johnny Storm aka the Human Torch, was a white guy in the comics so even though Jordan had proven himself a fine actor with roles in the likes of Fruitvale Station and Chronicle, this was always going to be a problem for raci…, err, purists. The actor had commented on this previously in interviews, but this the first time he’s come out with a full, in-depth response.
He goes on to say that he’s stopped being bothered by the negativity, and can see everyone’s perspective when it comes to going against 50 years of comic book continuity. “But the world is a little more diverse in 2015 than when the Fantastic Four comic first came out in 1961,” he continues. “Plus, if Stan Lee writes an email to my director saying, “You’re good. I’m okay with this,” who am I to go against that?”
“You’re not supposed to go on the Internet when you’re cast as a superhero. But after taking on Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four—a character originally written with blond hair and blue eyes—I wanted to check the pulse out there. I didn’t want to be ignorant about what people were saying. Turns out this is what they were saying: “A black guy? I don’t like it. They must be doing it because Obama’s president” and “It’s not true to the comic.” Or even, “They’ve destroyed it!” “Sometimes you have to be the person who stands up and says, “I’ll be the one to shoulder all this hate. I’ll take the brunt for the next couple of generations.” I put that responsibility on myself. People are always going to see each other in terms of race, but maybe in the future we won’t talk about it as much. Maybe, if I set an example, Hollywood will start considering more people of color in other prominent roles, and maybe we can reach the people who are stuck in the mindset that “it has to be true to the comic book.” Or maybe we have to reach past them. To the trolls on the Internet, I want to say: Get your head out of the computer. Go outside and walk around. Look at the people walking next to you. Look at your friends’ friends and who they’re interacting with. And just understand this is the world we live in. It’s okay to like it.”
FANTASTIC FOUR, a contemporary re-imagining of Marvel’s original and longest-running superhero team, centers on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.
Directed by Josh Trank, The Fantastic Four reboot stars Miles Teller as Mr. Fantastic, Michael B. Jordan as the Human Torch, Kate Mara as Invisible Woman, and Jamie Bell as the Thing. The film is scheduled for release on August 7, 2015.
AGENT CARTER & AGENTS OF SHIELD NEWS
Iain DeCaestecker & Nick Blood had the following conversations talking about the future of Agents of SHIELD in the upcoming third season!
“Director Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) embarks on a deadly new secret mission to protect the world from new threats in the wake of SHIELD’s wars with Hydra and a rogue faction of Inhumans.”
Some good news for Agent Carter fans here. Actress Haley Atwell has revealed that the upcoming second season of the show will run for 10 episodes – 2 more than its debut season. Peggy and co. are set to return to our screens during Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s midseason hiatus, but there’s no word on whether the extra couple of Agent Carter episodes will have any bearing on the length of the third season of Marvel’s flagship series.
Atwell also says that she’ll be crashing the Atlanta set of Captain America: Civil War next week, but she’s most likely just kidding since we know that.
“Dedicated to the fight against new atomic age threats in the wake of World War II, Peggy must now journey from New York City to Los Angeles for her most dangerous assignment yet. But even as she discovers new friends, a new home — and perhaps even a new love — she’s about to find out that the bright lights of the post-war Hollywood mask a more sinister threat to everyone she is sworn to protect.”
When it came to boarding ABC’s Marvel limited series Agent Carter as composer, Christopher Lennertz, who had an interview with Deadline, already had the job before the cameras rolled. More specifically, he served as composer for the Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter short that was included on the Avengers DVD. The short’s director, Marvel copresident Louis D’Esposito, also helmed Agent Carter’s first episode and served as the series executive producer.
What made Lennertz—a 2006 Emmy nominee for his Supernatural score—the lead contender for the gig was his experience with 1940s-era military music as well as the spy genre sound, respectively accentuated in his scores for the Steven Spielberg World War II videogame Medal of Honor and the 2005 James Bond game From Russia with Love.
“They wanted the music to be smart and lush,” says Lennertz of the direction from the Marvel folk. “(Agent Peggy Carter) isn’t a superhero, but she’s a super spy, and the action music lives in the world of James Bond and Mission: Impossible.”
In exuding Carter’s spirit, Lennertz employed brass indicative of the big band era, specifically French horns for the action scenes, as well as strings. “Peggy is sexy and seductive and with the strings one can slip into espionage and tension,” explains the composer.
At one point, Lennertz’s orchestra numbered 60 members, including a Russian men’s choir for a folk choral piece used in episode five. But one of the most vital instruments that truly captured Carter’s aura was Lennertz’s use of the alto flute. “It feels like a strong woman’s voice, especially as she’s sneaking around” he says of the instrument heard frequently in composer John Barry’s Bond scores. “It also has that spy quality. Peggy is a real ’40s woman—curvy and strong. She can hold a machine gun with the best of them.”
JESSICA JONES NEWS
A couple of weeks ago, Netflix unveiled the latest synopsis for A.K.A. Jessica Jones, which is currently filming in New York and should wrap sometime in July. Since then, however, things have been relatively quiet besides some set photos.
With the show nearing the end of production, that should change soon enough. We should be getting an official logo soon, if not a concept poster, and possibly an official still or two to get fans excited for the release later this year. (As of right now, there is no official release date although it is looking like it’ll be in November or December.)
For now, we have a few photos of Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones) and David Tennant (Purple Man), thanks to the DailyMail, on set to hold us over.
Ever since her short-lived stint as a Super Hero ended in tragedy, Jessica Jones has been rebuilding her personal life and career as a hot-tempered, sardonic, badass private detective in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. Plagued by self-loathing, and a wicked case of PTSD, Jessica battles demons from within and without, using her extraordinary abilities as an unlikely champion for those in need… especially if they’re willing to cut her a check.
RANDOM TIDBITS
The Amazing Spider-Man Universe is dead. Andrew Garfield will no longer be playing Peter Parker when the wall-crawler makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, and Sony’s spinoff plans have been put on the back burner while Kevin Feige looks to repair the damage they did to the franchise.
One idea thrown around by Sony was a female led spinoff, and some “Sony Hack” emails actually addressed the possibility or bringing Emma Stone back as either Spider-Gwen or – seriously – Carnage. That could still happen, and when MTV News caught up with the actress, they asked her if she would be interested in taking on the role. It sounds like she very much is, and while Stone points out that a lot of moving parts would have to come together to make it happen, Marvel and Sony would no doubt have a hit on their hands if they moved forward with Spider-Gwen.
The video is also well worth a watch to see Bradley Cooper’s complete befuddlement at the name as he questions why she would be called Spider-Gwen when Spider-Man isn’t called “Spider-Peter”.
Latino-Review.com reported, and backed up by El Mayimbe, that Asa Butterfield (Hugo, Ender’s Game) had been cast as the new Spider-Man. After that news broke several trades denied Butterfield got the part, but did verify he is the frontrunner.
That same day, a link to that story was posted on Reddit. Nothing unusual about that, except for the fact that Asa Butterfield himself dropped in and made two comments, which he later deleted. He did so using the screename “Stimpers,” which he verified for an AMA years back.
Because Butterfield hasn’t appeared in a lot of projects over the past few years, many outlets have been using old images of the actor when he was much shorter. This has led to a misconception about his height, which Butterfield clarified.
He then deleted those comments. Why? Notice how he didn’t confirm nor deny the report. Was he instructed by Marvel or his agent to delete them?
Some audition tapes were going around for season two of Daredevil, and they appear to be for fan-favourite character Elektra. They’re looking for actresses with martial arts and dance experience, and the two featured here both have very exotic looks.
As you can see, there is no videos here as they have now been removed from many video sites, adding some weight to the speculation that they were meant for the role of Elektra.
Elektra for the uninitiated is a lethal scarlet assassin. Daredevil’s most fearsome enemy as well as his former lover and most renowned as being the greatest assassin in the world.
A few weeks ago, we heard reports that Marvel were interested in hiring director Ava DuVernay to helm one of their upcoming Phase 3 movies – widely rumored to be either Black Panther or Captain Marvel. The Wrap, who originally broke the news, recently sat down with actor David Oyelowo, who received a Golden Globe nod for his portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. in DuVernay’s Selma. The actor insisted that a studio like Marvel would be “smart” to hire his longtime colleague:
“The thing about Ava is everything she touches she elevates. She bakes into it who she is. So, if Marvel is as smart and as brave to go on that journey with Ava, I’m personally the first in line to see what she does with that. I think she’s going to take it in directions that are both exciting and provocative, and different to what you’ve seen thus far. It’s always going to be a Marvel movie, but she is so singular as a director that I think her, plus that brand is an exciting idea.”
While Oyelowo did seem very excited to see his friend join up with the world of CBMs, he himself appeared to be a little more hesitant about the idea of starring in one:
“For me personally, I tread with caution around the notion of those kinds of characters. Depending on which one of them you’re playing, there’s always a danger you’re going to get so identified with this larger than life character, that it could become tougher for audiences to believe you in other roles.”
Check out some fantastic Avengers: Age of Ultron concept art that was recently posted by Marvel Studios’ conceptual designer Josh Herman, and the visual effects company MPC (Moving Picture Company).
Josh uploaded the work he did on Iron Man’s Mark 45 armor (along with Phil Saunders), Hulkbuster armor (along with Josh Nizzi), the villainous Ultron (along with Ryan Meinerding and Charlie Wen) and various designs for the peacekeeping robots known as the Iron Legion.
MPC released four images featuring designs for the interior of Avengers Tower, formerly known as Stark Tower. We got a good look at during the party scene that Ultron (voiced by James Spader) crashed. What a party pooper.
And that is that for another Marvel Madness. Hopefully you are all stocked up on all things Marvel for this week! Check back next week for more!
So this week’s Marvel Madness we talking renewals for both Agent Carter and Agents of SHIELD, our first look at the New Avengers, a gargantuan amount of Civil War set photos, possible Captain Marvel and Black Panther directors, and of course rumours and other stuff!
LET’S GET CRACKING!!!
Agent Carter Season 2:
“Dedicated to the fight against new atomic age threats in the wake of World War II, Peggy must now journey from New York City to Los Angeles for her most dangerous assignment yet. But even as she discovers new friends, a new home — and perhaps even a new love — she’s about to find out that the bright lights of the post-war Hollywood mask a more sinister threat to everyone she is sworn to protect.”
Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 3:
“Director Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) embarks on a deadly new secret mission to protect the world from new threats in the wake of SHIELD’s wars with Hydra and a rogue faction of Inhumans.”
Agent Carter will once again fill Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s time slot while the latter series is on mid-season hiatus.
As Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron continuously dominates at the box office both domestically and globally, the many visual effects companies that contributed to the superhero sequel are now showing off their incredible work. We have some before/after shots that include an official look at the new costume designs for the Falcon, Scarlet Witch, War Machine, and the Vision that might carry over into Captain America: Civil War.
Furthermore, we also have some official Age of Ultron stills showcasing the Iron Legionnaires by VFX studio Trixter, as well as Perception’s main-on-end title sequence, which featured a sweeping shot of the super cool monument of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in battle with Ultron.
Before the opening of Age of Ultron, Whedon spoke to Hero Complex regarding the enormity of the project and the pressures that came with it. So, what most took its toll on the writer/director?
“The weight of the thing, the weight of the last thing, of this not just being the next thing that happens — I wanted this film to be its own movie. I wanted it to be better, if possible, than the first one — not that the first one was the best movie ever made, but I wanted to do better, just be better at shooting. I wanted to work harder on the script. I wanted to spend more time just really working every aspect of it, because why go again if you’re not doing something new?”
Indeed, that desire to do something new and unique has not always gelled with Marvel execs – just ask Edgar Wright. But even more so than Marvel’s head honchos, the main voice pressuring Whedon was apparently his own:
“I heard that voice in my head every time, ‘But is this a great idea?’ And suddenly I had doubt that I don’t usually suffer from. And meanwhile, the studio’s gonna have some too, because everything’s riding on this all of a sudden. And it became a problem in a way that nothing else has. And it was a hard movie to make on top of that. So being paralyzed by either indecision or the weight of responsibility? Not useful, don’t have time for your paralysis, son, snap out of it. This was the hardest work I’ve ever done… it a little bit broke me.
According to The Wrap, Marvel are eyeing Ava DuVernay to direct one of their upcoming diverse superhero movies. Those are obviously Black Panther and Captain Marvel, and insiders indicate that it’s the former which is currently the most likely possibility. That’s set to be released in 2018, a little sooner than Carol Danvers’ big screen debut, possibly explaining why Kevin Feige is looking to land the Selma director. She also has a credit for “promotional services” on Spider-Man 2.
They add that there is mutual interest on both sides, but Marvel is still considering other filmmakers. A woman has yet to direct a superhero movie, and the fact that DuVernay is both non-white and non-male would earn some serious PR points for them. That aside though, DuVernay is a great director who received almost unanimous critical acclaim for her work on Selma.
Variety reports that there’s still hope for ABC’s next spinoff of “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD.” Despite recent reports that the spinoff series (which was confirmed to be in early development this April) is dead, ABC Entertainment Group president Paul Lee says there is still a possibility for the project.
On Tuesday’s conference call ahead of the network’s Upfront presentation in New York, Lee raved about “SHIELD” and “Agent Carter,” which returns midseason with Season 2, revealing, “it certainly is a possibility of spinning them off.”
The spinoff was rumored to focus on Adrianne Palicki’s Bobbi Morse and Nick Blood’s Lance Hunter, and Lee admitted, “We absolutely love those characters on ‘SHIELD,’” so much so that they didn’t want to mess with success by attempting a spinoff at this point.
“SHIELD” has been a solid performer for ABC in ratings, and the eight episodes of “Agent Carter” maintained the show’s momentum during its winter break.
Lee also gave vague details about “American Crime” creator John Ridley’s highly classified Marvel project, saying “I can’t talk about the John Ridley one, other than to say that he’s working on it.”
So far, the majority of filming for Captain America: Civil War has taken place indoors on sound stages in Atlanta, Georgia. However, it appears the Marvel Studios production will finally be heading outdoors this week as locals have spotted some intriguing set preparations in multiple locations. One set of photos via ATLwood411 show what appears to be an entire village that’s likely doubling for part of the Black Panther’s African nation of Wakanda. Especially given previous Civil War casting calls had requested many extras for African Market scenes to be filmed this week.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Journal Constitution has shared some more photos from a different filming location for Captain America: Civil War. These particular photos, as well as a filming notice, indicate that Atlanta will also be doubling for London and during a period setting in the movie. Apparently, the production crew has transformed an Irish pub into an English Pub, and the filming notice suggests the scenes here will take place “solely” inside the building. However, the pub’s exterior will be visible through windows in the scene, so that explains the period cars and set dressings below.
After transforming different parts of Atlanta into Africa and Europe, Captain America: Civil War has now utilized a nearby church for scenes involving a funeral. There’s no word on who will kick the bucket in the highly-anticipated Marvel sequel, but the scene is said to also take place in London. And thanks to Lorenfay, Corey Tatum, and Jennifer Brett, we have some photos that feature several extras all dressed for the occasion, as well as a supposed first look at Chris Evans (Steve Rogers) and Emily VanCamp (Sharon Carter) from afar. Instant speculation would suggest that the funeral is for Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter, who we know is elderly and suffering from alzheimer’s.
Thanks to Just Jared, we finally have a good first look at Chris Evans (Steve Rogers), Emily VanCamp (Sharon Carter), and Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson) as the stars were filming two seperate scenes yesterday in Atlanta, Georgia, for Marvel Studios’ highly-anticipated Captain America: Civil War.
As previously reported, Evans and VanCamp took part in scenes involving a funeral that’s set in London, which makes us think that it’s for Hayley Atwell’s former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Peggy Carter. Of course, we won’t know for sure until next summer. Meanwhile, the leading man and co-star Mackie were also spotted filming a different scene together at an unknown location. Anyhow, check it out!
Even more Captain America: Civil War set photos thanks to Just Jared, and which seemingly reveal why Chris Evans (Steve Rogers) and Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/ Falcon) are in full costume for today’s scenes in Atlanta, Georgia an African village. That’s right, actor Frank Grillo, who is reprising his Captain America: The Winter Soldier role as Brock Rumlow aka Crossbones in a much larger part, has now been spotted in full costume.
In addition, the Daily Mail has provided more shots from the funeral scenes in which Chris Evans is still dressed in all black while helping to carry the casket. We also have our first photos of Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow( It appears directors Anthony & Joe Russo have given Black Widow long hair again following her shorter ‘do in Avengers: Age of Ultron), who it seems was also attending the funeral which is more than likely for Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter.
Thanks again to Just Jared we see Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow heading into action (or escaping it) after some sort of scuffle, but where this will fit into the threequel remains to be seen.
And last but not least we have 4 set photos of Scarlet Witch herself, Elizabeth Olsen!!
Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” pases the billion-dollar mark 24 days after its global release! This marks the third time a Marvel Studios film has crossed this milestone and makes it the highest grossing film of 2015, domestically.
“Avengers: Age of Ultron” started hitting theaters on April 22 and debuted at #1 in all territories! In the U.S., it achieved the second biggest opening weekend of all time with $191.3M, behind only “Marvel’s The Avengers,” and in Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong, Philippines, Ecuador, and Bolivia, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” had the biggest opening weekend ever.
RUMOURS
We’ll meet Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther for the first time in Captain America: Civil War next year, but Marvel are already looking for a director to helm T’Challa’s 2018 solo movie. It sounds like Ava DuVernay is a strong contender, but now another name may have entered the mix, and once again, it appears as if Kevin Feige is going to make an unexpected and interesting choice.
According to El Mayimbe (via Twitter), it sounds like Marvel have met with Dope director Rick Famuyiwa. It’s strictly a rumour for now of course, but the studio is known for hiring lesser known (i.e. cheap) filmmakers who have impressed critics and moviegoers with TV shows or smaller films. Famuyiwa is a native of Nigeria, and the buzz around Dope has been good, so it’s well worth keeping an eye on this.
It’s hardly a spoiler to say that superheroes will fight in next year’s Captain America: Civil War, but a new rumour details a specific battle between one fan favourite character and another who will be introduced to the MCU for the first time next year.
It’s nothing too revealing of course, but it is interesting to wonder what will lead Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) to come to blows in Captain America: Civil War next year. For example, whose side will they each be on? Now that we know he has a family – who he wants to keep secret – my guess is that Clint will side with Steve, but we’ll just have to wait and see.
Will the Green Goliath be smashing his way into Captain America: Civil War along with the rest of his Avengers team-mates? That’s certainly seems to be what Mark Ruffalo is suggesting with both the Tweet below and this Instagram post, but it’s always possible he’s just having a bit of fun or welcoming the new cast members to the MCU. Then again, it seems odd that he’d wait a full week after the announcement just to do that.
The full casting announcement for Captain American: Civil War confirmed the long standing rumours of Paul Rudd and William Hurt appearing in Civil War, with Rudd of course returning as Scott Land and Hurt reprising his role as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, last seen in The Incredible Hulk. But these confirmed castings also lend credibility to a rumour from last year concerning their roles in Civil War, as well as Hurt appearing in Ant-Man. Because it’s an old rumour it’s worth revisiting in light of this new confirmation.
Spoiler Warning: Possible heavy spoilers for both Ant-Man and Civil War ahead.
Given it’s a superhero movie, we can safely assume that Scott Lang is successful in stopping Darren Cross’s evil plan in Ant-Man (whether or not this involves Cross actually being killed, or perhaps banished permanently to the microverse ready to return in future installments, remains to be seen). Normally, I wouldn’t count out Hank Pym’s character biting it to create some emotional pathos for our characters, but a rumour last year also provides details about a possible post-credit scene involving Pym, as well as how Ant-Man fits within the tapestry of the larger Marvel Universe. Apparently the events of Ant-Man take place in the same time frame as Avengers: Age of Ultron, rather than after it, but the post-credit scene catches us up with the aftermath of Age of Ultron. According to the report, the post credit scene involves General Ross (played by Hurt) reaching out to his old colleague Hank Pym, on behalf of Tony Stark. When Pym asks Ross why Stark needs him, Ross allegedly responds, “Haven’t you seen the news? We’re at war.” Now, this doesn’t quite fit into the end of Age of Ultron – things are relatively peaceful when the credits roll – but perhaps futurist Tony Stark is predicting the Civil War to come, and wants Pym on his side. The report also suggests that Tony is reluctant to use his own technology after the disaster that was Ultron, and so requires the military aid and scientific expertise of Ross and Pym.
The report also features a hint about both Black Widow’s role in Civil War. The report confirms early rumours that Black Widow’s role in Civil War will be a relatively small one, with Widow “arrested for aiding fugitive superhumans in a power play by Stark.” A smaller role for actresses Scarlet Johansson makes a great deal of sense. Not only are there an absurd number of characters appearing in Civil War –there are thirteen returning characters, plus the introduction of Black Panther, Baron Zemo, Everett Ross (likely), and of course Spider-Man – but she also has a nine-month old child and an incredibly busy 2016 lined up. Johansson is scheduled to start shooting Ghost in the Shell in January or February of next year, followed by Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 & Part 2 later that year, which will reportedly film for approximately nine months.
Finally, the report goes on to suggest that Ant-Man may be brought into the Avengers film in a jail break sequence freeing Black Widow. The source suggests this would take place in a future Marvel film, but given Ant-Man’s confirmed appearance in Civil War it seems more likely that this would happen in that film. Captain America recruiting former ne’er-do-well Ant-Man to join The Avengers, only to use him in the service of breaking a prisoner out of jail, seems like a perfect way to bring Scott Lang into the larger Avengers fold.
Of course, it’s worth taking all these rumours with a large grain of salt – Marvel is well known for its constant story revisions, and the source for these rumours was anonymous and seemingly unverified. Still, they all seem relatively plausible, and the confirmation of these characters appearances in future marvel films – long before such casting was announced – lends them credibility.
That’s all folks, hope you have now fulfilled your Marvel news cravings! But be sure to check in next week for more news about Marvel!
Ah Friday what a lovely day to talk DC tv and some movie news. This week we talk about the future of DC’s TV line-up from the likes of Arrow, Flash, Gotham, Constantine, and newcomers Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl! BUT as usual some movie news well movie pictures from Suicide Squad’s set and BVS’ Wonder Woman!
The Flash’s Danielle Panabaker had a Reddit AMA talking mostly about The Flash’s future. Here’s a summary of some of the more important information: – Tom Cavanagh (Harrison Wells) will be back in future seasons. – Killer Frost is coming. Danielle hints that she may show up in the season final. The costume has already been created. – At the end of the season final, Caitlin is terrified – The possibility of Caitlin crossing over to Legends Of Tomorrow has been discussed but is not official yet. – When asked to tease the season final she responded “The finale has lots of tears and lots of emotions. And it might be the end of the world for Team Flash…” – One word description of the final: Heart-Wrenching – Deleted scenes involve more Caitlin/Wells interaction and Caitlin/Iris/Cisco interaction. One of these scenes involves Wells suggesting that Caitlin take a job elsewhere, she declines. – Season 2 starts filming July 7 – There’s a wedding in the season final.
Now that the dust has settled on Arrow’s eventful Season 3 finale, fans have been left wondering about the crime-fighting future of one ‘John Diggle’ in particular. While the idea was briefly teased during a conversation between Diggle and his (former?) best pal Oliver Queen, David Ramsey has now confirmed that his character will indeed be operating under a mask next season.
Speaking to Comicbook.com at The CW’s annual upfronts presentation on Thursday, Ramsey stressed the importance of preserving Diggle’s secret identity while he’s out catching the bad guys. “I do think you need some kind of concealment,” he claimed, “And to that end, they are working on something. You will see something for Diggle next year, season 4. You will.”
But what mask will he wear? Earlier this year, there was a lot of speculation about Dig potentially taking up the mantle of a certain Green Lantern. Given the character’s close partnership with Green Arrow in the comics (albeit as the ‘Hal Jordan’ incarnation), the rumors did appear to carry some weight. However, Ramsey maintained that this was never the plan:
“Everyone wants to talk about John Stewart. Is it “John Stewart Diggle” or “John Diggle Stewart” or whatever, and will he be Green Lantern? Marc Guggenheim has said publicly that it’s not the way to go right now. But people are still talking about it… I think they’ve taken great strides to making John Diggle part of the lexicon, and that’s an important thing. I don’t think you want to abandon that… I think there’s something very normal about him that’s part of the appeal. I think if you put a mask on him as part of the Green Lantern Corps, and that’s wonderful by the way – John Stewart is a wonderful character – but you lose some of that. You lose part of the “everyguy” character.”
While he may have ruled out Green Lantern, Ramsey did go on to name-drop a few other (lesser known) DC Comics heroes as potential secret identity candidates – including the likes of ‘Vigilante’ and ‘The Guardian’.
DC Comics fans are still mourning the recent cancellation of NBC’s “Constantine,“ which starred Matt Ryan as the titular occult detective — but could the character live on through another DC television series, like The CW’s “Arrow”?
The supernatural drama is produced by Warner Bros. Television — the studio behind The CW’s “Arrow,” “The Flash,” “iZombie” and newly picked up “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” (not to mention CBS’ “Supergirl,” and Fox’s “Gotham” and “Lucifer“) which could pave the way for a potential crossover. However, WBTV is currently trying to find a new network home for “Constantine,” which would stymie any cameo plans.
“Arrow” showrunner Marc Guggenheim admitted that “there’s a lot of desire on everyone’s part” to bring the character into the shared DC TV universe he created with Andrew Kreisberg and Greg Berlanti, telling Variety, “It would be wonderful and we certainly have a million ideas — it’s hard for me to say mainly because A: it’s not my decision to make and B: with ‘Constantine’ being shopped around to other networks… it’s really hard to make plans when a show’s kind of in limbo.”
Even The Arrow himself, Stephen Amell, was seemingly eager for a crossover between the two properties before NBC swung the ax. During a recent panel at Wizard World Philadelphia Comic-Con, Amell spoke about the interconnected nature of the DC TV universe.
“‘Constantine’ was an NBC show. I’m on The CW. I had had discussions with DC — so not NBC, not CW — but with DC Entertainment about guest starring on ‘Constantine’ when it was still on the air. And that was and is still on the table,” Amell said, according to ComicBook.com. “The reason that I was going to guest star on ‘Constantine,’ at least the idea that we were throwing around, was he’s an expert when it comes to the Lazarus Pit, which is now something that is a part of and will continue to be a part of ‘Arrow.’”
While John Constantine would arguably be a natural addition to the “Arrow” universe given the comic book character’s familiarity with supernatural phenomena, Guggenheim cautioned, “a lot of the pieces are in place, except for that one final piece, which is: what’s the fate of ‘Constantine’? That’s the tricky thing. But it comes up in the writers’ room constantly — we have a number of ideas; one idea that’s particularly exciting to me. We’re in a little bit of a wait-and-see mode, like you guys are.”
Speaking of crossovers!
Crossover episodes between its hit superhero shows — “The Flash” and “Arrow” — have fueled the CW’s success, and network president Mark Pedowitz promises there will be more to come. “We’ll be doing them as special events in the fourth quarter,” he told ad buyers at the CW’s upfront presentation.
With yet more characters from the DC Comics universe entering the CW schedule with the pickup of “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” the plan is for even more creative storytelling, especially since the shows will all be in the hands of executive producer Greg Berlanti and his team, including EPs Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg.
“We do have crossovers planned,” says DC chief content officer Geoff Johns. “The point of building these three shows out on the CW network is we can make a comic book world. That’s really the secret formula starting to emerge on television for the first time.”
Johns says the plan is for the characters to weave in and out of storylines, in order to help and challenge one another. “The shows are acting like monthly comic books by doing so,” he notes.
Indeed, Stephen Amell’s “Arrow” and Grant Gustin’s “The Flash” appear prominently in the trailer for “Legends of Tomorrow.”
But there’s another DC character being introduced to the small screen this fall who might have to sit out all the crossover fun — at least for now.
Of CBS’ hotly anticipated “Supergirl,” “The network has said publicly at this point they’re going to keep her to themselves,” says Berlanti. “I always approach the shows as a fan first, so I would love to see (a crossover). I think in success, all things are possible. But there’s a lot that would have to happen before everybody might say yes to that.”
On the heels of CBS ordering Supergirl to series, Digital Spy spoke to cast member David Harewood (Homeland), who plays DEO (Department of Extra-Normal Operations) agent Hank Henshaw.
In the comics (pre-New 52), Hank has a much different background. He’s an astronaut that believes catastrophic events that plague him and his crew are Superman’s fault. Before his injuries take his life he transfers his consciousness into Superman’s birthing matrix, becoming Cyborg Superman.
Harewood well aware of Henshaw’s comic backstory. “Hank Henshaw, yes, who ends up becoming Cyborg Superman in the comics, battling Superman,” Harewood told Digital Spy when they brought up that who he is playing in the show. “So I’m looking forward to that.”
“He’s a bit of a supervillain,” Harewood teased. “He seems pretty indestructible. Which I kind of like because I keep getting blown up in these things. I’m kind of looking forward to being indestructible.”
Ciara Renee is new to the DC Universe on screen, but the actress revealed she’s a longtime fan of the comics and the characters who will grow into Legends on the show during a red carpet interview with ComicBook.com on Thursday. Despite the trailer that shows a CGI Hawkgirl soaring above the city, Renee hasn’t gotten to actually put on the wings of Hawkgirl just yet. It’s clear from her appearance on the red carpet Thursday, though, that she can’t wait for Kendra Saunders to take flight.
Ciara, Hawkgirl is a very different kind of superhero than what we’ve seen in this CW/DC Universe so far. What’s the inital appeal to you about playing a character like this?
Ciara Renee: I think the fact that she’s a girl is amazing! We don’t see many superheroines, so it’s going to be great to see a couple more bolstering the team. And, you know, she can fly! Which is not half bad! (laughs)
In the comics and even on the Justice League animated series, Hawkgirl has usually been a sort of balls-to-the-wall take nothing from anybody kind of character. Is that something you’re looking to bring to her on Legends?
CR: Oh yeah, absolutely. It’s interesting, because I think we’re finding her before she really understands her powers and her purpose. So she’s not necessarily a balls-to-the-wall human just yet, but when she gets angry… well you’ll see! (laughs)
Rumor has it we’ll see you Tuesday night on the season finale of The Flash. What was it like getting to tease the character a little bit before some of the other cast?
CR: Right! It was super cool. It was kind of a last minute thing. I signed on for the show, and they said, “Let’s try this!” and I just said, “Absolutely!” I’m excited to see it and how that turned out.
Did you get to put on the wings?
CR: No, we don’t have that costume yet, sadly. We’re still waiting for that, so not yet.
Are you hoping for the full beaked mask and all?
CR: I love her costume! I think it’s hot, man! I’ll take any part of it, wings and beak and everything.
What’s the general appeal to you of coming into the DC Universe and this new family of comic book shows?
CR: It’s so cool. It’s such a great community, and the fans are so passionate and excited about this. I was such a nerd as a kid; I watched Justice League all the time, and Justice League Unlimited, and Batman and Superman; I loved those, I love all those cartoons. So it’s really cool to be playing the real life version of one of the coolest characters on those shows.
When Morena Baccarin (Deadpool) first debuted as Dr. Leslie Thompkins, many didn’t expect her to stick around for too long, but with Erin Richards’ Barbara Kean falling out of favor with fans, Baccarin received an expanded role as her relationship with Ben McKenzie’s Jim Gordon evolved over the course of the latter half of the show’s freshman season. And with Barbara’s status, after her attack on Lee in the season finale, a little uncertain, it looks like Gordon will have the nice doctor to keep him company for a good while longer.
Earlier this week, Fox officially announced that their Batman prequel drama Gotham has decided to exercise Baccarin’s option to promote her from recurring status to a series regular.
At the CW Upfronts in New York Thursday, ComicBook.com chatted with actor Carlos Valdes about his fan-favorite character, some of those twists and turns, and how he likes feeling the vibes as Cisco.
Carlos, did you know just how far Cisco would come in season one? I feel like on a personal level, he had a lot of character development and growth.
Carlos Valdes: Yeah, absolutely. You know, with this show, we don’t know specifically what events are going to shape these characters into their ultimate trajectories, their end games so-to-speak, but we do know the sign posts. Do you know what I mean? We do know the big markers for the plot.
Like, we knew that Harrison Wells was really Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash…
Wait, you knew that from the very beginning?
CV: Mm-hmm!
So who does Cisco want to interact more with in season two?
CV: Umm, you know, honestly, I love the scenes where Cisco and Joe West get to play around. I love playing off of Jesse L. Martin; he’s the best. I don’t often get scenes with him; I do every now and then, and when we do, we get along like gangbusters. I think there’s a really nice dynamic there between Joe West and Cisco. I’d love to work with Jesse a bit more.
It’s so much fun for fans every time that you get to reveal the name of a villain; comic book fans are just waiting for those ridiculous, iconic names to be said on screen. What’s that like for you, getting to reveal the icons and have that as part of your character?
CV: Well, you know, I have to give the credit first to the comic book writers who gave them those names 50 years ago, 75 years ago.
But it’s an honor. It really is! I mean, first of all, the writers came up with a really neat convention, you know? To justify these names, they have Cisco coming up with them with his unusual style, and I think that works really well. I think they did something smart and I’m trying to do it justice as best as I can. It’s an honor.
There have been some cool moments and nods to Cisco’s comic book alter ego, is that something you’re vibing on, getting to do that in the future?
CV: That wasn’t very subtle, Lucas. (laughs)
(laughs) To be super obvious and puntacular…
CV: I think, yeah, that’d be really nice. I can tease that fans can expect some big questions about the Vibe mythology to be answered in the next episode, the season finale here.
Yeah, we’ve been waiting since that mid-season trailer, where we saw that visor…
CV: Yeah! It looks good, right? You’d think, right? They’re kind of giving you the lollipop, but they’re not really giving it to you, they’re just holding it in front of your face.
What is the most surprising thing for you about coming into this DC Comics TV Universe?
CV: The most surprising thing. Huh. The most surprising thing is how supportive the network and the team are of the entire effort. We are living in an age where superhero media is huge. It’s easy for that to become stale, or become a fad, but I think we’ve kept it going strong in terms of fans’ interest because we’ve given it care, and we’ve given it dimension. We’ve given it something unique and different. I think that’s what has made the show such a success, and I’m really happy to be a part of it!
Now that you’ve had a full season to really build this character and get comfortable with him, what are some things you’re personally hoping for, for Cisco, as the show continues into season 2 and beyond?
CV: I hope he continues having romantic quandaries! You know what I mean?
That was fun this week, for sure.
CV: Those are really fun to play, because they’re an added dimension in his trajectory of growth. If he learns more about his romantic side, I think that’d be really fun to see.
Filming is still going strong this weekend for Suicide Squad in Toronto, Canada, and Just Jared has just bagged the most recent photos from the not-so-secret set. Offering yet another look at Will Smith and Margot Robbie in costume as Deadshot and Harley Quinn, respectively, these photos show the pair getting pretty close during filming as well as in-between takes. In addition, we also have another grainy look at Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang and Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag.
More photos have also surfaced online from the Suicide Squad shoot and they feature more of Will Smith being quite the gentlemen as Deadshot, as well as Margot Robbie seemingly putting on quite a show in the rain as Harley Quinn. There’s also a good look at Jay Hernandez as El Diablo.
Suicide Squad director/screenwriter David Ayer (Fury) caught many people by surprise when he announce that Batman foe Killer Croc (aka Waylon Jones) was joining his film. That news came with the announcement that Lost and Oz actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje would portray him. Then the cast the photo was released at was even more shocking to see that Killer Croc was being done with practical makeup effects, not CGI as many had assumed.
Welp, now we can see even more of that fantastic makeup design with this full-body shot of the reptilian villain-turned-hero.
The latest piece of promotional artwork from Umberto Gonzalez (formerly El Mayimbe) gives us another awesome look at Wonder Woman, presumably close to how she’ll appear when played by the lovely Gal Gadot in Zack Snyder’s Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. She’s sans cape this time, but as you can see she appears to be in the process of blocking a hail of gunfire with her gauntlets.
The CW has just released the first trailer for its upcoming series DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, a spinoff of both the Arrow and Flash universes. The show focuses on a team of superheroes made up of familiar faces from the DC TV Universe, including Brandon Routh‘s Atom, Victor Garber‘s Martin Stein, Caity Lotz‘s Canary, Ciarra Renee‘s Hawkgirl, and newcomers Arthur Darvill as Rip Hunter and Franz Drameh as Jay Jackson, as well as others.
Note: Sara will be returning via The Lazarus Pit as confirmed by the trailer for Legends of Tomorrow that was just unveiled at The CW’s Upfront presentation. Said Lotz to EW, “There’s going to be some differences. There’s going to be some repercussions [from] whatever happened and it’s definitely going to make a difference in how she is. I’m really looking forward to it. The stuff they were telling me about it and where they’re going to go with the character is exciting.”
“DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW”
When heroes alone are not enough… the world needs legends. Having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront an unstoppable threat — one in which not only is the planet at stake, but all of time itself. Can this ragtag team defeat an immortal threat unlike anything they have ever known? DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW stars Victor Garber (“The Flash,” “Alias”); Brandon Routh (“Arrow,” “Superman Returns”); Arthur Darvill (“Doctor Who”); Caity Lotz (“Arrow”); Ciarra Renee (“Pippin”); Franz Drameh (“Edge of Tomorrow”); with Dominic Purcell (“The Flash,” “Prison Break”); and Wentworth Miller (“The Flash,” “Prison Break”). Based on the characters from DC Comics, DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” upcoming “Pan”), Marc Guggenheim (“Arrow,” “Eli Stone,” “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters”), Andrew Kreisberg (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Eli Stone,” “Warehouse 13”) and Sarah Schechter (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” upcoming “Pan”).
CBS on the other hand has released their 6-minute trailer for Supergirl! It will focus on Kara Danvers (Kara Zor-El) as she deals with being a superhero from another planet.
SUPERGIRL is an action-adventure drama based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist), Superman’s (Kal-El) cousin who, after 12 years of keeping her powers a secret on Earth, decides to finally embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be. Twelve-year-old Kara escaped the doomed planet Krypton with her parents’ help at the same time as the infant Kal-El. Protected and raised on Earth by her foster family, the Danvers, Kara grew up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex (Chyler Leigh), and learned to conceal the phenomenal powers she shares with her famous cousin in order to keep her identity a secret. Years later at 24, Kara lives in National City assisting media mogul and fierce taskmaster Cat Grant (Golden Globe Award winner Calista Flockhart), who just hired the Daily Planet’s former photographer, James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks), as her new art director. However, Kara’s days of keeping her talents a secret are over when Hank Henshaw (David Harewood), head of a super-secret agency where her sister also works, enlists her to help them protect the citizens of National City from sinister threats. Though Kara will need to find a way to manage her newfound empowerment with her very human relationships, her heart soars as she takes to the skies as Supergirl to fight crime.
NBC has declined to renew Constantine for a second season…but the show isn’t quite dead yet.
Executive Producer Daniel Cerone broke the news via Twitter, but says that Warner Bros. is still shopping the series around in hopes of finding it a new home.
While the show never drew a huge audience in its difficult Friday night timeslot, where it was meant to serve as a companion piece to Grimm, the adaptation of the popular DC Comics character has found a cult following that is still hoping to #SaveConstantine.
Arrow lead Stephen Amell has came out in full support for his fellow DC TV show – pledging to guest star on it, were it picked up by another suitor. Since then, Amell has revealed that genuine discussions about an Arrow/Constantine crossover have indeed happened in the past, over at DC Entertainment.
While speaking at Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, Amell talked candidly about the wildly popular DC TV universe – and the potential for interconnectivity between any of its shows, including Constantine. Check out what he had to say below :
“There is an opportunity for interconnectivity with any DC television show that exists. Like, as an example, yesterday Constantine was cancelled. And there is…yeah, I know, it’s brutal…it’s a good show, and it should come back. And it may come back, like there are various platforms where it could come back.” “Now, Constantine was an NBC show. I’m on The CW. I had had discussions with DC… so not NBC, not CW… but with DC Entertainment about guest starring on Constantine when it was still on the air. And that was and is still on the table. So we have Flash, we have Legends of Tomorrow, a new show which is directly connected to the Arrow universe, we have Supergirl… I’m sure it’s going to be amazing… there’s Gotham obviously, and I’m missing something… Titans, there you go… we have no shortage of options for me and other characters to populate.”
While it may be difficult to see the supernatural procedural and urban superhero drama meshing together at first, Amell explained that there had always been a very specific reason behind a potential crossover:
“The reason that I was going to guest star on Constantine, at least the idea that we were throwing around was he’s an expert when it comes to the Lazarus Pit, which is now something that is a part of and will continue to be a part of Arrow.””
While it’s dissappointing we never got to see this crossover this year, there may yet be some hope for next season. Amell claimed that the likes of Geoff Johns, Jim Lee and his Flash co-star Grant Gustin had joined him in throwing in their support for a surprise pick-up for Constantine.
http://widgets.ign.com/video/embed/content.html?url=http://www.ign.com/videos/2015/05/05/what-charlie-cox-wants-from-season-2-of-daredevil When Daredevil was renewed for a second season, it was revealed that Steven S. DeKnight would not be returning to serve as showrunner. Doug Petrie and Marco Ramirez have been confirmed to take over, and Charlie Cox had this to say when asked about the behind the scenes changes in a recent interview with IGN. “The show has had such a great response that I imagine we’ll be wanting to stick in that world and tonally feel we’re in the same universe. It’s very hard to know – when you’ve got a writer’s room and a showrunner it’s very hard to know who’s influencing the dialogue. Who’s influencing the structure of the scripts, the tone of it. I imagine it’s very much a collaborative process.”
“I think in our show we’re more likely to see the likes of Bullseye, The Punisher and Elektra,” Cox added when talk turned to which direction he hopes to see the second season of Daredevil head in. “I don’t know if any of those characters will appear, and also I don’t know what’s going to happen with Wilson Fisk. He’s certainly not out of the picture. Hopefully he’ll come back.” Now, what about that red suit? While the small screen version of the Man Without Fear’s classic costume has been well-received by fans, it was missing one key element. “As people who have seen the show will know, we do get to the more recognisable classic red suit by the end of the series. But at this point we don’t have the ‘DD’ on the chest so maybe that’s something that will evolve with this suit as we go further along the line. Maybe he’ll decide to get that printed on!”
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