Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 218

Who Is Tommy, a.k.a. Speed, and Will He Appear in AGATHA ALL ALONG?

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Agatha All Along episode six revealed the full backstory of Joe Locke’s character “Teen,” whom we now know is Billy Maximoff, a.k.a. Wiccan. And we also now know just what Billy is searching for at the end of the Witches’ Road: his lost twin brother, Tommy Maximoff. After all, if Billy’s soul survived the fall of Wanda’s hex in WandaVision, then Tommy’s has to be out there too, right? But what do we even know about his brother, Tommy? And who could he even be in the MCU? First, let’s explore Tommy’s history in the pages of Marvel Comics, where he’s known as the super fast superhero Speed.

Marvel ComicsTommy Maximoff Was Created from Parts of Mephisto by the Scarlet Witch

Like Wiccan, Speed’s origins began in ‘80s Marvel Comics. This was when husband and wife Avengers the Scarlet Witch and the android Vision moved to the suburbs and started a family, after Wanda magically gave birth to twins, William and Thomas. Eventually, West Coast Avengers revealed Billy and Tommy were only magical constructs, something Wanda subconsciously created from lost fragments of the soul of the demon lord Mephisto. They eventually disappear, with the witch Agatha Harkness wiping Wanda’s memory of their existence. WandaVision loosely adapted all of this.

Marvel Comics

The twins are more or less forgotten about for years in the comics. Then, the Scarlet Witch nearly decimated the Avengers in the 2004 event Avengers Disassembled, after Wanda lost control of her power. In the aftermath, the Vision activates a protocol to recruit new young heroes as the next generation of Avengers. Among those heroes is teenager Billy Kaplan, who could wield potent magical powers, and calls himself Wiccan. He turned out to be the reincarnated Billy Maximoff. But if Billy was reincarnated, what of his twin brother Tommy?

Tommy Maximoff Becomes Tommy Shephard, the Speedster Hero Known as SpeedMarvel Comics

After Billy helps form the Young Avengers, he sets out to find new teen heroes to join. He’s not specifically looking for Tommy, as he doesn’t really know he’s Wanda’s son at this point. He and his team find Tommy Shepherd, a teenager from Springfield, New Jersey. Unlike Billy, he comes from a broken home, and had a less ideal upbringing. He has super speed powers just like the Avenger Quicksilver, who is Wanda’s twin brother. After accidentally vaporizing his school when his super-speed powers emerged, he’s placed in a high-tech facility, a souped-up version of juvenile hall. There, he was subject to experimentations so nefarious forces could turn him into a living weapon. Luckily, the Young Avengers rescued him, and he finally met his brother Billy.

Young Avengers Speed and Wiccan Search for their Mother WandaMarvel Comics

Eventually, the two realized who they really are—the reincarnated souls of Wanda and Vision’s children. They keep the how and why of this rebirth vague in the comics. Did their souls go back in time, and then born to other parents? Or, as Wanda believes, did they take over the existing bodies of two American teenagers? In any event, Tommy Shepherd takes the name Speed, becoming a member of the Young Avengers along with his brother. The two teen heroes eventually reunite with their mother the Scarlet Witch in Young Avengers: The Children’s Crusade. An openly bisexual character, Speed briefly dated teammate Kate Bishop/Hawkeye and then later David Alleyne/Prodigy, a young mutant who also joins the team.

Marvel ComicsWill Speed Make His MCU Debut in Agatha All Along?

We know that Billy is searching for his missing brother in Agatha All Along. He tells Agatha that he can sense that he’s out there somewhere. That is why he wanted to go on the quest to the Witches’ Road. This means that Tommy Maximoff’s soul took over another body, just as Billy’s did. But maybe it didn’t happen right away. In the post-credit scene for WandaVision, we see the Scarlet Witch using the Darkhold to find her missing sons. She hears a child’s voice crying out for his mother, but it’s just one voice, not two. Since we now know Billy reincarnated right away into the body of William Kaplan, could that voice we hear be only Tommy’s?

Marvel Studios

It’s possible his spirit didn’t find a new body right away, and that’s what Wanda heard. It’s also possible he didn’t become Tommy Shephard until after the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He could have been a wandering soul for some time. The rules of this kind of magic are unclear in the MCU. For all we know, Tommy appears in the second half of Agatha All Along. And while he might be an existing MCU character, we have a strong feeling Tommy Shepherd will be played by someone not yet seen in the Marvel films or series. One thing’s for sure: Speed absolutely will show up in the MCU sooner or later, leading us closer to a Young Avengers movie or series.

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X-Men’s X-Mansion Deluxe LEGO Set Comes Complete with Sentinel Robot.

Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters has been a staple of Marvel mutant lore ever since Uncanny X-Men #1 in 1963. Located in Charles Xavier’s ancestral mansion in Westchester, New York, villains have destroyed it several times over. Yet the X-Men always rebuilt it to fulfill its role as home and training ground for the team. Now, this iconic Marvel location is coming as a LEGO deluxe set, complete with several X-Men, their enemy Magneto, and a Sentinel robot. You can check out the first images of the LEGO X-Men X-Mansion set down below in our gallery.

Click To View Gallery LEGO/Marvel Marvel/LEGO LEGO/Marvel Marvel/LEGO LEGO/Marvel Marvel/LEGO LEGO/Marvel Marvel/LEGO LEGO/Marvel Marvel/LEGO LEGO/Marvel Marvel/LEGO LEGO/Marvel LEGO/Marvel

Made up of 3,093 pieces, the LEGO X-Mansion arrives with a Cerebro area, Danger Room items, an exploding cupola, and a motorcycle for Wolverine. Most excitingly, it includes a buildable Sentinel mutant-hunting robot and ten X-Men minifigures. Five of these figures are all-new, created exclusively for this set. These new figures include Professor X in his wheelchair, a new variation of Jean Grey, Gambit, Iceman, and Bishop. Magneto, Storm, Wolverine, Cyclops, and Rogue join them. Jubilee appears in a blue transparent component on one of the consoles, as does Hank McCoy, a.k.a. Beast.

LEGO/Marvel

The X-Mansion Buildable LEGO Set will set you back $329.99. It will first become available to LEGO Insiders starting on October 31st/November 1st at 9pm PT/12am ET. The general public get access the same time and in the same place starting on November 4. This set truly celebrates Marvel’s mutant team in their ’90s pop culture heyday. Back when X-Men: The Animated Series ruled Saturday morning TV, and Jim Lee’s comics were Marvel’s biggest sellers. So if you’re a big Marvel Comics and LEGO fan, or if X-Men ’97 helped you fall in love with them all over again? Then this is one set you’ll definitely want to display. For more information, head on over to the official LEGO site.

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First Glimpse of H.E.R.B.I.E. from THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

When Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, lo those many years ago, that immediately meant all the X-Men characters could appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It also meant Fox’s other (and let’s face it, far less successful) Marvel property, the Fantastic Four, was joining the fray. However, aside from a Reed Richards cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the Fantastic Four have been MIA. But, hope is on the horizon! The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be part of the MCU’s Phase Six.

One thing we know is that the movie will feature a little robot named Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-Type, Integrated Electronics, or H.E.R.B.I.E. This character—the Richards’ personal robot—first appeared in the animated series The New Fantastic Four from 1978 and eventually joined the comics. He has appeared in the first piece of concept art for the film featuring the actors. He also appeared on the artwork for the Marvel booth at 2024’s New York Comic Con. Take a look below!

Drop into Hell’s Kitchen, head down the Witches’ Road, and swing by the Marvel booth (#2153) at #MarvelNYCC! pic.twitter.com/HZmKfUZUEZ

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) October 17, 2024

Marvel

Here’s everything we know about the MCU’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie.

TitleMarvel Studios

All the initial branding from Marvel indicated the movie’s title would be Fantastic Four. Now, we know that the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie will be called The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The Fantastic Four: First Step‘s Plot

The film gave SDCC attendees a glimpse into its world, which takes place in a retro-futuristic 1960s NYC. There’s not many other plot details to glean from it outside of that at this time.

Marvel ComicsBehind the Scenes

In August 2022, Marvel named Matt Shakman—who had directed WandaVision for Disney+—as the film’s director. Feige confirmed this at the D23 Expo in September of that same year.

Later in September, Marvel said Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer were writing the script for The Fantastic Four. By March 2023, Terminator franchise and Avatar: The Way of Water screenwriter Josh Friedman was at work rewriting the script. In October 2023, Cameron Squires’ name was added as co-writer.

Speaking to The Official Marvel podcast, Kevin Feige confirmed exactly when The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie would begin to film. He revealed, “We start shooting at the end of July… The day after [San Diego] Comic-Con is the first day of filming on Fantastic Four.” That means The Fantastic Four: First Steps begins filming on in late July. He also confirmed that the movie would be a period piece set in the 1960s.

The fantastic quartet—Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach—are already hanging out for their “first mission.” Pascal shared the candid photo of the cast on his IG page.

The Fantastic Four: First Step‘s Cast

The MCU’s Fantastic Four team has officially set its cast. Pedro Pascal will play Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic. Vanessa Kirby will play Sue Storm, a.k.a. the Invisible Woman. Ebon Moss-Bachrach will play The Thing. Finally, Joseph Quinn will play Johnny Storm, a.k.a. the Human Torch.

Netflix/Marvel Comics

Julia Garner (Ozark, Inventing Anna) will play the Shalla-Bal version of Silver Surfer. In the comics, Shalla-Bal appeared as Norrin Radd’s partner, but at one point, she received the same powers as the Silver Surfer and they were both Galactus’ heralds.

Paul Walter Hauser has also joined the cast, as have John Malkovich and Natasha Lyonne. We don’t know who these actors are playing. We do know Ralph Ineson will be playing Galactus.

The Fantastic Four: First Step‘s Release Date

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will release on July 25, 2025.

Originally published on December 22, 2023.

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Here are 13 of the Funniest Horror-Comedy Films in Existence

Halloween might be when terrifying sociopaths like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees shine. But this time of year is about scares and pyschopaths. It’s also about having fun! And nothing captures both aspects of the spooky season better than horror-comedies. If you’re more focused on laughs than screams, though, which ones should you watch? If you’re looking for horror-comedies with more humor than terror, these are 13 of the funniest ever made.

13. Death Becomes Her

The horror pitch: Two aging frenemies determined to maintain their beauty and triumph over their most hated foe turn to an evil sorceress for the gift of eternal life and youth. Unfortunately for them that’s exactly what they both get, as they learn there are worse fates than death.

And boy is it really freaking funny to see them learn that lesson. Starring Goldie Hawn, Meryl Streep, and Bruce Willis, Death Becomes Her is campy perfection. The film features (obviously) amazing performances buoyed by a smart, hilarious script and incredible visual gags.

Universal Pictures12. Gremlins 2: The New Batch

The horror pitch: Evil, magical monsters with a wide-range of terrifying abilities take over a New York City skyscraper.

Gremlins 2: The New Batch might be the most absurd movie on this list. We mean that in the best way. Joe Dante followed up his 1984 classic horror-comedy— which is more horror than comedy—with a chaotic film that goes all out for laughs. There aren’t really any scares in this absolutely bonkers sequel. It’s so wonderfully ridiculous it inspired an all-time great Key & Peele sketch. Gremlins 2 is the fever-dream of a madman.

11. One Cut of the Dead

The horror pitch: A desperate director conjures up the walking dead to make his zombie movie more realistic and cost-effective. But the cast and crew soon find themselves in a real-life horror film as things quickly spiral out of control.

This low-budget Japanese zom-com about the making of a low-budget Japanese zom-com is one of the most ingenuous horror-comedy films ever made. It’s also absolutely hysterical, as the fictional cast and crew in the film-within-a-film get turned into real zombies who are then put into their own film. One Cut of the Dead is really smart and creative, and it has layers and layers of great jokes and bits inside its layers and layers of storytelling.

10. Night of the Comet

The horror pitch: After a comet wipes out most living things on Earth two young girls must fight zombies and evil scientists if they want to avoid going extinct as well.

This low-budget 1984 sci-fi horror-comedy might be a surprise entry for some, but not for anyone who has seen it. Night of the Comet combines both slapstick and witty writing to create a memorable, funny classic that is equal parts hilarious, entertaining, and insightful. It not only deserves to be on this list, it deserves to be watched by everyone who loves great B-movies.

9. Ready or Not

The horror pitch: Instead of celebrating her wedding night, a new bride must fight for her life when her husband’s cursed family forces her to play the most dangerous game inside their mansion.

Some horror-comedies are funny because they’re witty and smart. Others are funny because they feature more broad-based humor that leans into the violent and gory elements of the genre. Ready or Not is both. This sharp, incisive film starring Samara Weaving has plenty to say about society while it’s also running around a haunted mansion finding more hilarious ways to off its despicable rich family.

Fox Searchlight Pictures8. Ravenous

The horror pitch: Soldiers stationed at an isolated military outpost in the 9th century find themselves under attack by a terrifying cannibal who is eager to go to war for his next human meal.

Everything about Ravenous‘s premise sounds like an amazing horror Western, but thanks to some solid performances (led by star Guy Pearce) the film offers up clever black comedy without sacrificing gore or terror. But what might be best about Ravenous is that it gets funnier the more you watch it, the true sign of a great horror-comedy.

7. Seed of Chucky

The horror pitch: Two resurrected killer dolls head to Hollywood to put an end to the movie being made about them.

Many long-running horror franchises eventually become de facto comedies, but the meta Seed of Chucky is different because it’s very intentionally a horror-comedy in every way. More importantly it’s really, really funny. The film stars Jennifer Tilly as herself playing Jennifer Tilly starring in a movie about Chucky and Tiffany, who are themselves resurrected by their child Glen/Glenda. It’s absolutely fantastic until the end…when it somehow gets even better.

La Sienega Productions6. Trick ‘r Treat

The horror pitch: The terror of Halloween comes to life across five twisted stories of death and mayhem set during the spookiest night of the year.

In a just world, Michael Dougherty would currently be making his seventh or eighth Trick ‘r Treat, but until the universe gets its act together we at least get to enjoy his anthology classic every October. Each of the film’s five shorts offers up both terror and humor alike, as you could make a compelling case this film should also be on our list of scariest horror-comedies. But ultimately we opted to include it on the funniest because rarely has a black comedy made us laugh so hard.

Warner Bros. Pictures5. This Is the End

The horror pitch: Famous Hollywood celebrities left behind during the Rapture have to stave off demons, madness, and each other to try and survive the literal end of the world.

This Is the End featuring Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Danny McBride might be scene-for-scene the funniest horror-comedy ever. Each star plays a version of themselves that is not exactly kind to any of them, as all their actor insecurities and failings somehow make a literal nightmare even worse. The more dire their situation the funny the film gets.

4. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

The horror pitch: Two kind men trying to enjoy their new vacation home in the woods find themselves under attack by a cult of college kids with a death wish that want Tucker and Dale to join them in the afterlife.

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil turns a well-worn horror cliche into comedy gold. The movie totally inverts the heroes and villains of a traditional “terror in the woods” story. A series of misunderstandings, coincidences, and accidents lead a group of judgmental college kids to assume two local “hillbillies” are really psycho killers. What follows is a whole lot of death and a whole lot of laughs, it what is a truly brilliant horror-comedy classic that manages to be heartfelt and smart even while its being really funny.

3. Army of Darkness

The horror pitch: A man sent back in time must help a village stop an army of undead soldiers who seek The Book of the Dead, an evil tome that could unleash monstrous spirits that will destroy the realm of the living forever.

Sam Raimi’s third and final Evil Dead film is a horror-comedy classic and the antithesis of the original film which is a straight horror film. Bruce Campbell (or rather, every Bruce Campbell) holds nothing back from his comedy bag of tricks as Ash’s fight against evil leads him back in time where he becomes a general in a war with reanimated corpses and skeletons. The visuals during the last half of this film are among the funniest in horror-comedy history, but the way the skeleton soldiers talk like real people is just as hilarious.

2. Beetlejuice

The horror pitch: A recently deceased couple must navigate the afterlife while also trying help save a young girl now living in their old house from a powerful demon who wants to destroy the living for good.

For a film that feels like a pure comedy, Beetlejuice actually has some genuinely creepy scenes and sequences. They’re not enough to keep Tim Burton’s iconic film away from the top of this list, though. Michael Keaton’s Ghost With the Most establishes himself as the funniest bio-exorcist ever. He’s not the only source of comedy in the film, either. (How could he be when Catherine O’Hara is around?) The Netherworld and its recently deceased make for an all-time great setting for visual gags, one-liners, and absolutely absurd interactions.

The hilarious Beetlejuice Beetlejuice also could have made this list, but we wanted to spread the love.

1. Shaun of the Dead

The horror pitch: A man must lead his loved ones to safety through a horde of flesh-eating zombies overrunning London.

Shaun of the Dead is a dynamic, creative, all-time great horror-comedy. It’s also both the best zombie movie homage ever made and a perfect zombie movie unto itself. It features an amazing cast, amazing writing, and amazing directing. There’s not a single word, shot, or sequence that can be improved upon in anyway. There’s no praise you can heap on it that is unwarranted or over-the-top!

StudioCanal/Universal Pictures

It’s absolute horror-comedy perfection, one of the funniest ever put to screen. And for all those reasons it’s truly worthy of being number one on our list.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who thinks the Cornetto Trilogy represents mankind’s peak. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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One Wolverine Suit from DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Cost $100,000

If you have seen the new Deadpool & Wolverine movie, you know that there are a lot of different Deadpool and Wolverine variants. A lot of them have slight differences in their costumes, which may not seem like that big of a deal, but one of the costumes cost $100,000?! Yeah, you read that right.

Marvel Studios

One of the film’s editors, Dean Zimmerman, said in an interview that Wolverine’s brown, tan, and yellow suit in the scene where he is facing the Hulk cost $100,000 to make. This is even crazier when you think about how short of a scene this is in the film. It is only around 11 seconds long, with the suit not being visible for over half of that time.

Due to large costs like the aforementioned suit, the appearance of more Wolverine variants was out of the question economically. Zimmerman also mentioned there were ideas for many other variants given to them by a storyboard artist who was also a big comic book fan. But there were “time and budget issues you have to deal with.”

Marvel Comics

Zimmerman refers to the expensive suit as being based on Wolverine’s costume, which comic book artist John Byrne created during his run on the X-Men. Byrne worked on X-Men story arcs such as “Days of Future Past” or the “Dark Phoenix Saga.” Byrne is widely considered to have popularized Wolverine’s character.

Platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV digitally released Deadpool & Wolverine on Oct. 1. The studio has slated the film’s physical release for Oct. 22. The film will come with featurettes like the director’s commentary and gag reels. Physical releases will be in 4K UHD Blu-ray and come in two special edition Steelbooks.

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DUNE: PROPHECY Shares New Trailer and Official Release Date

Things got spicy during the first day of New York Comic Con 2024. HBO and Max folded space to bring the cast and crew of Dune: Prophecy to the Javits Center. They didn’t show up to only talk about the prequel, though. The show’s official panel also shared the series’ premiere date alongside an all-new trailer. And this latest look at Dune: Prophecy with the official trailer is our best yet. The Sisterhood destined to forever reshape the galaxy will deal with many dangerous enemies. That includes a powerful man who understands just how influential they’ll become if no one stands up to them.

Sandworms, shadows, spies, sword fighting, sex, and spice came to NYCC thanks to Warner Bros. Discovery’s all-new Dune: Prophecy trailer. This latest promo for the prequel series focuses on the dangers the Bene Gesserit will face while establishing themselves as a force of change in the galaxy. Their grand plans during this long ago era, when the true powers of spice were only just being unlocked, wont be easy to implement.

While we know the Sisterhood will go on to influence rulers throughout the Imperium, during this time they will first have to convince the Emperor to listen to them. Either that or install one of their own on the throne. Either possibility should make for an exciting first season. It won’t be easy to do either, though, thanks to Travis Fimmel’s Desmond Hart. He’s an original character who makes his presence felt in this trailer. This teaser suggests he possibly has a great power, as we see him bleeding from his back before visions of someone burning alive. Whether he’s just a man or not, the Emperor is listening to him.

Will this religious fanatic influence the Bene Gesserit’s goals forever? We won’t find out until the show debuts. Fortunately we now know when that will officially happen. During the show’s panel, HBO revealed Dune: Prophecy will premiere on November 17, 2024.

Warner Bros. Discovery/Legendary Television

While Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies brought Frank Herbert’s seminal novel to life, HBO and Max are bringing viewers back. Way, way back, to a time long before Arrakis became home to Paul Atreides. Dune: Prophecy takes place ten thousand years prior. That’s when two Harkonnen sisters first established the Bene Gesserit. (Even if they clearly didn’t want anyone to know that’s what they were doing.

Alison Schapker (Altered Carbon) serves as showrunner. The series also stars Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Jodhi May, Mark Strong, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Josh Heuston, Chloe Lea, Jade Anouka, Faoileann Cunningham, Edward Davis, Aoife Hinds, Chris Mason, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Camilla Beeput, Jihae, Tabu, Charithra Chandran, Jessica Barden, Emma Canning, and Yerin Ha.

How many of them will survive this dangerous Dune era? That might depend on how many of them can avoid upsetting the guy with magical powers. If he doesn’t have any though it’s probably best to avoid him anyway.)

Remember! Our fans can watch every major panel from this year’s New York Comic Con at home thanks to our free livestreams that are running during all four days!

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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Tom Holland Read SPIDER-MAN 4 Script and Says It Still ‘Needs Work’

Everyone loves Miles. The web-slinging teen is back in our lives with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and will return once again next year in Beyond the Spider-Verse. We absolutely adore Miles Morales in his animated form, but many fans have been wondering if the character will make a live-action debut in the near future. Well, according to Variety, producer Amy Pascal says a live-action Miles Morales movie, a Spider-Woman animated film, and Spider-Man 4 are in the works.

Speaking of the latter, Tom Holland gave an update about its script recently. According to Variety, he did a recent interview on the “Rich Roll Podcast” and said he’d recently read a draft of the Spider-Man 4 script. Holland said “it needs work, but the writers are doing a great job.”

“One of things is that with Marvel, your film is a small cog in a large machine,” Holland remarked. “That machine has got to keep running. You have to make sure you can fit into that timeline at the right time to benefit the bigger picture. That’s one of the challenges we’re facing. The time in which we need to get that done is a tall order but definitely achievable with the people we have working on it now.”

He even revealed that he read it alongside his former (and probably future) co-star and very famous girlfriend Zendaya.  “I read it three weeks ago and it really lit a fire in me,” continued Holland. “Zendaya and I sat down and read it together and we at times were bouncing around the living room like this is a real movie worthy of the fans’ respect.”

Marvel Studios

This is much clearer than his previous statements. Earlier in 2024, Tom Holland updated fans on how Spider-Man 4 was coming along and how he was involved. He noted to Deadline when asked whether he’d return for more Spider-Man, “The simple answer is that I’ll always want to do Spider-Man films. I owe my life and career to Spider-Man. So the simple answer is yes. I’ll always want to do more.”

Holland’s more complex answer continued as follows. “We have the best in the business working toward whatever the story might be. But until we’ve cracked it, we have a legacy to protect. The third movie was so special in so many ways that we need to make sure we do the right thing.” Finally, he revealed, “This is the first time in this process that I’ve been part of the creative so early. It’s just a process where I’m watching and learning. It’s just a really fun stage for me. Like I said, everyone wants it to happen. But we want to make sure we’re not overdoing the same things.”

Here’s what we know about Spider-Man 4 and the rest of the Spider-People films in the works.

Spider-People Movies Are in the Works, Including a Live-Action Miles Morales FilmSony Pictures Animation

On the topic of a Miles Morales live-action movie and a Spider-Woman adventure, Pascal noted, “You’ll see all of it… It’s all happening.” And that’s what we love to hear, especially when it comes to Miles Morales getting his own live-action solo adventure.

Pascal followed up on this revelation recently with Variety, assuring fans that live-action Miles Morales is coming, but two more projects are taking priority. Chris Miller, who has worked on the Spider-Verse franchise alongside Phil Lord, gave fans more clarity via social media. Spider-Man 4 and Beyond the Spider-Verse are the two projects that must come first. So breathe easy, all good things are still happening.

To clarify, when she said “not until we make two more movies,”she meant Beyond the Spider-Verse and the live-action Tom Holland film. https://t.co/3tmEwEctwB

— Christopher Miller (@chrizmillr) February 13, 2024

Fellow producer Avi Arad shared that the Spider-Woman film will actually come sooner than most fans are expecting. That makes a lot of sense, considering things are going well with the current animated franchise.

Meanwhile, Pascal also said that a fourth Spider-Man movie with Tom Holland and Zendaya is in the works, noting, “Are we going to make another movie? Of course, we are.”

Tom Holland on Spider-Man 4Marvel Studios

Pascal is not the only one discussing a fourth outing for the MCU’s Spider-Man, of course. In addition to his comments above, Tom Holland shared more about Spider-Man 4 late last year.

Chiefly, he cautioned that he would only return as Spider-Man for a story worth telling. He noted:

All I can say is that we have been actively engaging in conversations about what it could potentially look like for a fourth rendition of my character. Whether or not we can find a way to do justice to the character is another thing. I feel very protective over Spider-Man. I feel very, very lucky that we were able to work on a franchise that got better with each movie, that got more successful with each movie, which I think is really rare, and I want to protect his legacy. So, I won’t make another one for the sake of making another one. It will have to be worth the while of the character.

Of course, should the right story emerge, Holland is more than eager to resume his role in the MCU. He went on to say, “But that said, if we can figure that out, I would be a fool not to put the suit back on again because I owe everything to Spider-Man. I love the character and the people I get to work with. So, I would love to tell another story, but I’ll only tell it if we can find the right one.”

We’ll Cross Our Fingers for More Spidey Updates Soon

Ultimately, It could be a couple of years or five years before any of this stuff happens… if it happens at all. Corporations do change their minds, whether we like it or not. But hopefully, we’ll see traction for all our Spider-People.

And even more hopefully, Sony will give Miles what he deserves, which is to exist in every form with lots of adventures for fans to enjoy. For now, let the speculation on who would absolutely crush a live-action Miles Morales movie begin.

Originally published on May 31, 2023.

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MAYFAIR WITCHES Shares Season 2 Release Date and Stills

AMC is bringing back its Anne Rice Immortal Universe series in only a few months. Mayfair Witches has revealed through its panel at New York Comic Con that the series will be back for season two on January 5, 2025. AMC alo revealed new casting updates for Witches and Interview with the Vampire. The news was announced at the TCA press tour, via The Hollywood Reporter.

Mayfair Witches Season 2 Shares First Teaser and Release Window

The legacy continues. #MayfairWitches returns to @AMC_TV and @AMCPlus in 2025. pic.twitter.com/PuxidK82lB

— Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire (@Immortal_AMC) May 27, 2024

Mayfair Witches has now shared its first season two teaser. This is a very brief look at the new season, but it does confirm that Mayfair Witches season two will be heading our way January 5, 2025. And it does bring the drama. Take a look above and below.

The time has come to embrace your destiny.

Welcome to the official account for Anne Rice's #MayfairWitches. The new season premieres early 2025 on @AMC_TV and @AMCPlus. pic.twitter.com/EBds2MmF7k

— Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches (@MayfairAMC) October 10, 2024

Mayfair Witches Season 2 Images

Along with the release date news, we also got a look at some brand new images from the show’s second season showcasing several of the characters, including Rowan (Alexandra Daddario), Lasher (Jack Huston), and Courtland Mayfair (Harry Hamlin). Take a look below.

Click To View Gallery AMC TV AMC TV AMC TV AMC TV AMC TV Mayfair Witches Season 2 Cast AdditionsAMC Networks

Mayfair Witches has already started production on an eight-episode second season in New Orleans, with the addition of Alyssa Jirrels as a series regular, playing Moira Mayfair. She’s lead character Rowan Fielding’s (Alexandra Daddario) cousin and a mind reader. She blames her family and the entity called Lasher (Jack Huston) for the death of her sister Tessa (Madison Wolfe). Ted Levine joins as recurring guest star Julien Mayfair, the father of Cortland Mayfair. Also coming on board is Thora Birch as Gifford Mayfair, a self-deprecating tarot card reader and bohemian.

Lights, camera, action. Production has begun on #MayfairWitches Season 2! pic.twitter.com/pNdRlLKTKu

— Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire (@Immortal_AMC) February 6, 2024

In the original Witching Hour novel, Julien Mayfair is a major character in the Mayfair family tree. However, the description sounds like the series will reimagine him. Moira Mayfair might be a stand-in for Mona Mayfair, a major character introduced in Rice’s second Mayfair novel, Taltos. There is a Gifford Mayfair in the novels as well, but she’s barely referenced. This sounds like a totally new character with the same name.

Finally, Deadline reports that Ben Feldman has joined the cast of Mayfair Witches season two. Feldman will play Sam ‘Lark’ Larkin, a “successful CEO of a genetics startup and Rowan’s (Alexandra Daddario) former boyfriend, who has re-entered her life.”

Talamasca Nerdist

AMC has also started work on a series about the Talamasca. John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side) is currently writing a script for this potential third series. The Talamasca is an ancient psychic order who were chroniclers of all things supernatural. Anne Rice introduced them in her third vampire novel The Queen of the Damned. She later greatly expanded upon the order in her Lives of the Mayfair Witches series, and their origins were finally revealed in the 2014 novel Prince Lestat.

Originally published on February 6, 2024.

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Who Is Wiccan? The AGATHA ALL ALONG Character’s Marvel Comics and Live-Action History, Explained

Although many fans suspected it since he was first cast, Marvel Studios has now confirmed it — Joe Locke’s “Teen” character in Agatha All Along is indeed Billy Kaplan, a.k.a. Wiccan, the son of the Scarlet Witch. He revealed his true nature at the end of the show’s fifth episode, with his full origin story explained in episode six. But just who is Wiccan in the Marvel Comics universe, and how can he possibly be the teenage son of Wanda Maximoff? The answer is a bit complicated, to say the least.

Wiccan’s Young Avengers Marvel Comics DebutMarvel Comics

The first thing to know about Wiccan is that his name wasn’t even originally Wiccan. Debuting in 2005’s Young Avengers #1, this new teen hero, created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, originally teased the character as related to Thor. Billy Kaplan’s hero name was Asgardian, and the creators led readers to believe he had ties to the God of Thunder. However, Billy had ties to another famous Avenger instead, Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch, and to a certain extent, the Vision.

Wiccan, the Son of Scarlet Witch and the VisionMarvel Comics

The true origins of Wiccan actually go back to ‘80s Marvel Comics. This was when husband and wife Avengers the Scarlet Witch and the android Vision left the team. Wanda and Vision moved to the suburbs and started a family, after Wanda gave birth to twins, William and Thomas. After a few years, they revealed that Billy and Tommy were only magical constructs, a mystical creation of Wanda’s. She subconsciously created both children from lost fragments of the soul of the demon Mephisto. They were never truly “real.” They eventually disappear, with the witch Agatha Harkness wiping Wanda’s memory of their existence. This was all loosely adapted in WandaVision.

Marvel Comics

Nearly two decades later, the Scarlet Witch nearly decimated the Avengers. This was in the 2004 event Avengers Disassembled, which saw Wanda lose control of her power. In the aftermath, the Vision activates a protocol to recruit new young heroes as the next generation of Avengers. Among those heroes is a teenager named Billy Kaplan, who could wield potent magical powers. At first, his spells allowed him mainly to fly and create lightning. So he emulated Thor in his superhero career, naming himself Asgardian. When he met the other Young Avengers, the gay teen hero met and fell in love with Teddy Altman, a.k.a. Hulkling, a teen Skrull who emulated the Hulk. Billy soon changed his codename to Wiccan.

How Can Teenage Billy Kaplan Possibly be Wanda Maximoff’s Son?Marvel Comics

Billy Kaplan believed he was the eldest of three sons born to doctors Jeff and Rebecca Kaplan. And he was, in a manner of speaking. His soul, however, was the transposed soul of Wanda’s child, also named William. Whether he was the actual reincarnation of Wanda’s child, who somehow went back in time and was reborn to another family, or if he was the soul of Wanda’s son who took over the existing body of teenager Billy Kaplan, all remains a mystery. One prevalent theory is that the real William Kaplan died, possibly in an accident. Then the soul of William Maximoff “moved in,” retaining all of the original Billy Kaplan’s memories. This remains just a theory of Wanda’s however.

Wiccan Finds His Twin Brother, SpeedMarvel Comics

As a member of the Young Avengers, Wiccan’s powers grew rapidly. He had similar reality-altering, chaos magic powers as that of his mother. This fact scared many other heroes in the Marvel Universe. Billy eventually found his soul twin Tommy, now Tommy Shephard, the super-fast hero called Speed. He joined the team as well, and eventually, Billy and Tommy went on a search for the Scarlet Witch. They eventually found her, and she confirmed they were indeed the reincarnated souls of her lost children Billy and Tommy.

Marvel ComicsWiccan’s Magical Powers

Wiccan has incredible magical abilities that allow him to warp reality, similar to his “soul mother,” Wanda Maximoff. Wiccan’s spells work by stating intent, focusing on that outcome, and making it happen. If he says “Iwanttolevitatethiscar,” he merely has to repeat that over and over, focus on levitating the car, and it happens. Among the spells Wiccan has cast are tracking spells, teleportation spells, illusions, concussive blasts, telekinesis, and astral projection.

Wiccan Becomes the Demiurge, and Prince Consort of the Kree-Skrull AllianceMarvel Comics

Over the years, Wiccan’s powers have grown. The Asgardian Loki believed him to be something called the Demiurge, a reality warper with nearly godlike powers. Loki was correct in his assertions, as Billy eventually evolves into Demiurge status. As the Demiurge, he had the power to view the past, present and future, as even alter the universe at will. He eventually relinquishes the power to remain mortal, believing it would corrupt him. Doctor Strange himself has called Billy Kaplan one of the most powerful sorcerers on Earth, and believes he will eventually assume the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme.

Marvel Comics

Wiccan has stayed with his boyfriend Teddy through thick and thin. The pair served together on teams like the Young Avengers, Avengers Idea Mechanics, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Eventually, they joined the proper “grown-up” Avengers squad. After many years of courtship, Billy married his longtime boyfriend Teddy Altman/Hulkling, who is the ruler of the Kree/Skrull Alliance. He became Prince Consort, and Court Wizard of the Alliance.

Wiccan in the MCUMarvel Studios

How they portray Wiccan in the MCU on Agatha All Along is already very different from his comic book appearances. For the first four episodes, Joe Locke was simply described as “Teen,” an Agatha fanboy, one with a magical sigil preventing him from uttering his true name. However, he finally revealed himself as Billy Maximoff at the end of episode five. So how can this be Billy Kaplan/Billy Maximoff?

Episode six gave us our full Wiccan backstory at last. They introduce us to 13-year-old Eastview resident William Kaplan, in a flashback set three years ago. He’s a relatively normal teenager, who is celebrating his Bar Mitzvah. At his celebration, he meets Lilia, who is working as a fortune teller there. Reading William’s fortune, she realizes he has a broken lifeline, and we learn that she placed the sigil on him to protect him in the future.

Marvel Studios

Soon after, we see Billy in the car with his family, feeling down as Wanda’s hex in Westview starts to come down. His mom is not paying attention to the road (not the witchy one, a regular one) and they get into a terrible car wreck that kills William. But as his heart stops beating, the soul of Billy Maximoff moves into his body. This lines up with Wanda’s own theories in the comics as to how her twins could be teens. Wanda posits that their souls took over existing bodies, killing their original inhabitants. However, MCU Billy didn’t kill William Kaplan, the accident was happenstance.

Not realizing who he actually is, and not having access to William Kaplan’s memories either, Billy Maximoff pretends to be the Kaplans’ child. But over the next couple of years, as he starts to get older, he begins to research the Hex in Westview. He realizes he’s the soul of Billy Maximoff, living in a new body. However, he still has access to his mind-reading powers, and other magical abilities. He seeks out Agatha Harkness, so that she will take him down the Witches’ Road, so he can find his long-lost missing brother, Tommy. After all, if he found a new body, surely so did Tommy. Whoever Tommy is, we have a feeling that he will reunite with his brother soon, and we’ll get the MCU versions of Wiccan and Speed at last.

Originally published July 8, 2024.

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Who Is Superman’s Dog, Krypto? The DC Comics History of the Kryptonian Canine

Krypto the Superdog is an aspect of Superman’s comic book mythos that many fans felt would never make it into a live-action film. However, as many had speculated, Kal-El’s loyal pet will indeed have a prominent role in James Gunn’s Superman. James Gunn, the director and co-head of DC Studios himself, confirmed Krypto in a post on social media.

Krypto arrives on screens in Superman this summer. Krypto was inspired by our dog Ozu, who we adopted shortly after I started writing Superman. Ozu, who came from a hoarding situation in a backyard with 60 other dogs & never knew human beings, was problematic to say the least. He… pic.twitter.com/zw8rVqv0n0

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 15, 2024

Krypto first emerged in the comics as Superboy’s loyal Kryptonian pooch in the Silver Age of comics. And he has come to symbolize a certain era of Superman comics. Superman’s loyal pet weaved in and out of continuity over the years. Yet somehow, he always finds his way back to his loving master.

DC Comics/Warner Bros. Krypto First Appears in DC Comics’ Silver Age as Superboy’s Dog

Krypto first appeared in Adventure Comics #210 in 1955. He was created by writer Otto Binder and arguably the most iconic Superman artist of all time, Curt Swan. Introduced in an intended one-off story, Krypto, who looks like a white Labrador retriever, was actually Superman’s pet as a toddler on Krypton. In Silver Age DC, Krypton was an idealized futuristic version of mid-century America, only with flying cars and high technology. But the average family was a mom, dad, kids, and your standard pets that looked just like Earth animals. When Superman’s father Jor-El must test his son’s rocket to Earth, he uses Krypto as a test subject. In a sense, Krypto predated Laika, the Soviet dog who was the first animal in space, by two whole years.

DC Comics

Krypto’s ship is knocked off course, and he doesn’t arrive on Earth until Kal-El is a teenager in Smallville. Immediately remembering his former master, the two form an instant bond. Just like his master, Krypto has all the same powers under Earth’s yellow sun as Kal-El does. Although as a dog, his super hearing and smell is actually superior. Luckily, under Earth’s yellow sun, he’s also hyper-intelligent, so he’s not going around killing cats with his heat vision, or biting people’s arms off. During this era, we are privy to Krypto’s thought balloons, and he clearly has human-level intelligence. Wearing a little red cape attached to his collar, Krypto became a hero just like his master. When not saving people with Superboy, he posed as “Skip,” the Kent family dog. Although he seems way too comfortable calling Kal-El “master” given the circumstances. Hey, it was the Silver Age.

Krypto’s Popularity and Eventual Decline in Superman ComicsDC Comics

DC editorial originally intended for Krypto to be a one-time character, but the kids reading the comics at the time demanded he return. And a mere four issues later, he did. For the rest of the Silver Age, Krypto became a fixture of Superboy stories, and inspired several other “Super pets” in the Superman family. Following in Krypto’s wake were Supergirl’s cat Streaky, as well as Beppo the Super Monkey, and even Comet the Superhorse. Eventually, there was even a Legion of Super-Pets. Like we said, Silver Age DC was pretty goofy, folks. But the readers of the time loved these cute little animals with superpowers.

In the early ‘70s, thanks largely to the Marvel revolution of the previous decade, the audience for comics started to shift to teens over younger children. DC decided that a little dog flying around in a cape was too childish for their audience, and they wrote Krypto out of the series. They explained that he went off into space at some point after his adventures with Superboy, before Clark Kent became Superman. He made sporadic appearances during the Bronze Age, but didn’t feature regularly in a series. Then, in 1985, DC had its company-wide Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot. Krypton went from an idealistic utopian planet to a stark and emotionless world with zero room for cute pets. Like all other Kryptonian survivors not named Kal-El, DC erased Krypto from continuity. And it would stay that way for the better part of two decades.

The Reemergence of Krypto in Modern-Era DC Comics ContinuityDC Comics

Gradually, DC Comics would hint at Krypto in various ways during his two-decade absence. In the ‘90s comics, there was a little white rescue dog (from Earth) given the name Krypto as an homage. However, Krypto’s true return came in the early 2000s, in the “Return to Krypton” storyline. In that story, by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness, Superman is lured into a fake, ideal depiction of Krypton. A version that looked just like the Silver Age one from decades prior. On that Krypton we meet a version of Krypto, explained as Superman’s childhood pet. This fake Krypton was a trap created by the villainous Brainiac 13. But when Superman escapes this false reality, Krypto follows him home. He sticks around as Superman and Lois Lane’s super pet.

DC Comics

Thus, Krypto returned to DC continuity, this time without human intelligence like his Silver Age counterpart. He was a dog with powers who needed training, leading to all kinds of comedic moments. Readers welcomed Krypto 2.0, who went on to become the Conner Kent Superboy’s loyal dog. Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s Superman: Secret Origin in 2009 restored his classic origin into the main continuity. Krypto was once again Kal-El’s pet from Krypton who landed on Earth years after he did. Everything old was new again, which is how it works in comics. The New 52 reboot removed Krypto from the main continuity again in 2011 (except in flashbacks to Krypton), but DC Rebirth returned to the classic, pre-New 52 continuity in 2016.

Krypto in Animated and Live-Action Media, Including the new DCUDC Comics/Warner Bros.

Krypto first appeared in animated form in the 1966 Adventures of Superboy cartoons. Later he appears in various animated shows and direct-to-video movies, usually as a cameo. Among those series where Krypto makes a cameo are Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League Action, and Legion of Super-Heroes. In 2005, he even got his own series on Cartoon Network, Krypto the Superdog, which lasted for two seasons. His most recent appearance in animated form was in the movie League of Super-Pets, where Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson provided his voice. The biggest addition to Krypto lore from this film is that he now has the civilian name of Bark Kent.

DC Comics

In live-action, we’ve seen homages to Krypto, but never the real deal. In both Smallville and Titans, Krypto was an Earth dog given Kryptonian-like powers via nefarious experiments. The Krypto in Titans became a companion for that show’s version of the Conner Kent Superboy. In the new DCU, James Gunn has confirmed that Krypto in Superman is indeed an alien dog, which will make him the first live-action appearance of the comic book Krypto. He’ll also likely appear in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, as he plays quite a role in that story in the comics. It only took the better part of 70 years, but it’s finally time for that very good boy’s time in the mainstream spotlight.

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