Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 220

INVINCIBLE Season 3 Sets Release Date and Confirms No Mid-Season Break Plus Other News Odds & Ends

Check out the latest odds and ends of entertainment news.

Invincible

Invincible season three has set its release date and shared a new trailer. Invincible will return on February 6, 2025. It will release its first three episodes on that date and then have episodic drops until March 13. In exciting news for fans, Invincible season three will also not have a large pause for a mid-season break. You can check out the Invincible season three teaser trailer above.

Gladiator 2

The Gladiator 2 popcorn bucket is here for your viewing pleasure.

Ready to be entertained. Get your tickets for #GladiatorII today! Playing at Regal November 22. #RegalMovies pic.twitter.com/x3CrAxBQ2O

— Regal (@RegalMovies) October 8, 2024

Velma WB/HBO Max

You probably haven’t thought about Mindy Kaling’s Velma in a while, and that’s good because HBO has canceled season three of the series. Yesterday, Davey Cummings, a background artist on the series shared on his Instagram in a now-deleted post, “Backgrounds I painted for Velma Halloween Special,” he wrote alongside a carousel post of different spooky backdrops. “So fun working with this crew. There will not be a season 3, but I hope I get to work with these amazing talented people again one day. GO WATCH ‘VELMA’ HALLOWEEN SPECIAL ON MAX!!”

The post was since been taken down, but he seemed pretty sure… And today, yes, Max has confirmed that Velma is officially canceled. In a statement, Max confirmed the Velma cancellation noting, “Over the past two seasons, Mindy [Kaling] and Charlie [Grandy] have created an incredibly fun and fresh world within the iconic whodunit franchise. While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we thank them for their compelling coming-of-age storytelling, unrivaled clues, and hilarious hijinks.”

Deadpool & Wolverine 20th Century Studios/TBS

Alas, Daniel Radcliffe was never going to appear as a Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine. Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick reveal the following about rumors of Daniel Radcliffe cameoing as a Wolverine variant in the Deadpool movie, “No, I don’t think that ever came up. It was a rumor that flew all over, but I don’t think Daniel Radcliffe was ever considered.”

However, Wernick notes, “We had pitched the idea of Danny DeVito… And ultimately it was thought it was just funnier to see Hugh. A short version of Hugh was funnier.” Reese concludes, “And that was inspired, obviously, other than by the comics that was inspired by Tim Conway’s Dorf on Golf.”

Voltron: Legendary Defender Netflix

Netflix’s Voltron: Legendary Defender has experienced many ups and downs during the course of its existence. But now reports indicate it could leave Netflix in December of 2024. That would be a blow to fans because the series was created for Netflix. However, as always with TV series, there are many cooks in the kitchen and complicated contractual nuances in play.

Official accounts have weighed in the question of whether Voltron will be removed from Netflix, noting “Discussions are ongoing. When we know, you’ll know.”

Mike Flanagan’s The ExorcistWarner Bros./Universal Pictures

Horror maestro Mike Flanagan has quietly become one of the busiest filmmakers in Hollywood. He just released The Life of Chuck, his third Stephen King adaptation, and he’s got a fourth, the Prime Video series The Dark Tower, on the horizon. But in betwixt, Flanagan also signed with Blumhouse for a new Exorcist film. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Flanagan calls that movie the “scariest film I’ve ever made.” Bold statement!

Speaking about the project, he said:

I’ve always felt that there’s no point in going into a franchise or into a property that monolithic unless there’s something new you can bring. I chased The Exorcist very aggressively because I was convinced I had something that I could add. This is an opportunity to do something that I believe has never been done within the franchise — something that honors what came before it but isn’t built on nostalgia. I really just saw an opportunity to make the scariest movie I’ve ever made. I know expectations are high. No one’s more intimidated than I am.

Mr. Crocket

Get ready for a creepy children’s show to come to life, complete with an eerie jingle. Mr. Crockett is here to snatch children and kill parents. Yikes!

YouTubeYouTube

YouTube will soon allow creators to organize their contents by “season” and “episode” on its platform. YouTube Chief Product Officer Johanna Voolich shares in a blog post, “To help our creators’ content shine on TVs, they will soon be able to organize their content into seasons and episodes, making it easy for viewers to tune into the new must see TV… We’re making other improvements to the TV experience with immersive content that plays directly from a creator’s channel, streamlined subscription options and easier access to links in descriptions.” This update will arrive in 2025.

Time Bandits Apple TV+

Alas, although fans were excited about the Time Bandits series reboot/adaptation of Terry Gilliam’s cult favorite movie and seemed to like it overall, it was not meant to be. Joining a pile of other Apple TV+ series that somehow didn’t manage to make a big mark despite a big budget and a good amount of star power, Time Bandits has been canceled after one season. It seems like Time Bandits just didn’t garner a large enough audience. And so, to the canceled heap it goes. We barely knew you!

Apple TV+

For the interested, The Time Bandits season one synopsis shared:

Guided by Lisa Kudrow, the eccentric crew of bandits embark on epic adventures while evil forces threaten their conquests, and life as they know it. As the group transports through time and space, the gang stumbles upon fascinating worlds of the distant past while seeking out treasure, depending on Kevin to shed light on each situation. The “Time Bandits” witness the creation of Stonehenge, see the Trojan Horse in action, escape dinosaurs in the prehistoric ages, wreak havoc during medieval times, experience the Ice Age, ancient civilizations and the Harlem Renaissance, and much more along the way. 

Spirit HalloweenSpirit Halloween

Spirit Halloween is here to make Halloween miracles come true. Now you can dress like a Cinnabon Box or an Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Nuggets Cup. Isn’t that what every little kid dreams of? We just have to wonder if these costumes also include a Cinnabon and Auntie Anne perfume spray to really set the scene.

The Lord of the Rings

How many Hobbit feet have we made? The truth is, we’ve lost count. Here, Elijah Wood finds the perfect fit for his role as one of the most beloved Hobbits in the world of Middle-earth, Frodo.#wetaworkshop #tolkien #lordoftherings #lotr#middleearth #film #hobbits pic.twitter.com/8Glrf42B8b

— Wētā Workshop (@WetaWorkshop) September 16, 2024

Wētā Workshop can’t recall how many Hobbit feet its made, but does recall Elijah Wood looking for his perfect fit.

MCU – Beast Marvel Studios

Kelsey Grammer surprise reprised his role as the X-Men’s Beast in The Marvels. But Grammer can’t say much about whether his Beast will return to the MCU in the future. He notes that there have been “some conversations” about Beast returning to the Marvel franchise. These, he seems to imply, are bolstered by the “overwhelming” response to his cameo. In full, Grammer shares, “There’s nothing I can talk about. What I do know is that there was a huge sort of outburst when I showed up at the end of The Marvels; I guess it was. The response was really almost… it wasn’t unexpected. There’d be some response, but it was pretty overwhelming, and so there are some conversations.”

MCU – Scarlet WitchMarvel Studios

Elizabeth Olsen recently gave voice to what some MCU fans of the character have themselves felt. She noted, “It’s a character that I love going back to when there’s a way to use her well, and I think I have been lucky that when I started I was used well. I think people didn’t know what to do with me for a second there… if there’s a good way to use her I’m always happy to come back.”

She seems to imply Marvel wasn’t super sure what to do with her character for a time, but the good news is Olsen is always happy to return as Scarlet Witch… If there’s a reason.

MCU – RDJ’s ReturnRobert Downey Jr.

We were shocked when it was announced Robert Downey Jr. would return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. And we weren’t the only ones. MCU co-star Don Cheadle shared his reaction was about the same. He revealed, “I was like, ‘What the f*ck?’ I think that’s exactly what I said,” 

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomNintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom almost had a much more spoilery name. Producer Eiji Aonuma shared more about the title in Tears of the Kingdom‘s art book. In it, Aonuma notes, “One of the candidates for the title that made it to [the] end [of development] was ‘Tears of the Dragon,'”But it would be a bad idea to have the keyword ‘Dragon’ in the title, and we wanted to have dragon patterns in the logo, but decided otherwise. It’d emphasize the Light Dragon, after all.”

Nintendo

The game’s development team didn’t want to emphasize the Light Dragon too heavily in the title because it would have pointed to a huge game spoiler. The Light Dragon is, of course, Princess Zelda herself. To save her kingdom and restore the Master Sword to its full power, Zelda sacrifices her humanity and becomes the dragon. In this way, Tears of the Kingdom also makes perfect sense but doesn’t draw too much attention to The Light Dragon and her identity.

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THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM Director Says Film Will ‘Unite’ All Tolkien Fans

Decades before Peter Jackson’s live-action The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Ralph Bakshi rendered the epic in striking animation. (Rotoscope is cool, eh?) Now, a new project from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. returns J.R.R. Tolkien’s sprawling story to animated form. And this time, they’re going the way of anime. This trip into Middle-earth will be The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, fostered by filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama. And now, we finally have our first-look images which show us what The War of Rohirrim will look like. In addition, the first voice cast for The Lord of the Rings anime has been revealed, alongside more story details, concept art from the film, and the movie’s release date. It has even been announced that the story will be narrated by Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan.

Director Kenji Kamiyama spoke to Collider about uniting the fandom with this story:

“Anime has become a movement overseas…I’m grateful for the opportunity to produce The Lord of the Rings through animation… I hope that not only fans of The Lord of the Rings will enjoy it, but also that they will watch it as a Japanese animated film. When I saw the live-action trilogy 25 years ago, I was left with the impression that it was an amazing movie, and I felt that I had to protect that impression [with this film] at all costs …I wanted people to have that experience again. That’s why I ended up drawing it in the traditional Japanese animation style.”

Warner Bros.Here Is Our First Look at the Art of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

We finally know what The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will look like. Four first-look images of this anime-style The Lord of the Rings movie have been released. You can also check out our deep dive into the trailer, here.

Warner Bros.

In the images, we see main character Héra, antagonist Wulf, and the legendary king of Rohan Helm Hammerhand and his family, Héra, Haleth, and Hama.

Click To View Gallery Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Stars and Synopsis New Line Cinema

Miranda Otto reprises her role as Éowyn in The War of the Rohirrim. She serves as the movie’s narrator as she tells the tale of Rohan’s history. Alongside Otto, Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, and Luke Pasqualino have been cast as the leads in the Lord of the Rings anime. Cox will voice the protagonist Helm Hammerhand. Wise will voice his daughter Hera. And Pasqualino will voice Wulf, the presumed antagonist.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Synopsis

A press release describes the new film as an exploration of “the untold story behind the fortress of Helm’s Deep.” The material adds that this feature will “delv[e] into the life and bloodsoaked times of one of Middle-earth’s most legendary figures; the mighty King of Rohan – Helm Hammerhand.” And new synopsis further shares that this Lord of the Rings anime will take place 183 before the events revealed in The Lord of the Rings movies.

The anime movie’s description notes, ” Set 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan. A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg— mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm’s Deep. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Héra, the daughter of Helm, must summon the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy intent on their total destruction.”

Concept art for ‘THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM’ anime film.

The film is set 183 years before the events of the original LOTR trilogy and will depict the bloody saga behind Helm’s Deep. pic.twitter.com/39zWom08ra

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 15, 2022

More About The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Director Kamiyama shares of this The Lord of the Rings anime movie, “This is the story of the most powerful king in Rohan’s history, someone who defeated his enemies with his bare fists. Why did his lineage have to end with him? I think there is a lesson in hubris there and also for a need for responsibility and awareness in their power. We live in an age where, all over the world, we face the reality of war again. What, then, is power? What is the responsibility of those who possess it? It is something they need to think about by thinking together with those who don’t.” 

Of Helm’s daughter Hèra, producer Philippa Boyens notes, “In the appendices where the story is drawn from, we get these quite interestingly drawn male characters, and then we get this young female character who is never named — and that was really interesting to me. We know Helm has a daughter, and we know that she was central to the conflict that happened. But myself, and especially screenwriter Phoebe Gittins, were drawn to her. We could feel the weight of being that unnamed daughter, which immediately piqued our interest: Who was she? How did she live?”

Finally, who is the antagonist of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, Wulf, who is “leading the armies of Dunlendings against Helm’s kingdom.” Boyens shares, “We have an exceptionally great antagonist in this story. He’s been one of my favorite antagonists to have written across all of the films I’ve worked on.”  Wulf is no wizard or powerful being, instead he’s just a human in The Lord of the Rings world. And Boyens reveals, “He speaks so directly to a lot of the crises that we’re facing today. He’s a really fascinating character and exciting too. You don’t know what he’s going to do, and some of the choices that he makes are just breathtaking in a good way.” 

Concept Art From The Lord of the Rings Anime Movie

The below concept art by Weta Workshop certainly hints at those blood-soaked times. That Oliphaunt doesn’t look like it’s there for a good cuddle.

Warner Bros./New Line Cinema/Weta Workshop

Helm, the ninth king of Rohan, was famously defeated—but not killed—at the Crossings of Isen. However, he would survive for just another year, following a lengthy siege alongside his brother. Despite his defeat, Helm maintained a ferocious reputation; he was even thought to live on in some form following official decree of his death. You can check out the rest of The War of the Rohirrim‘s concept art below.

Warner Bros./New Line Cinema/Weta WorkshopWarner Bros./New Line Cinema/Weta WorkshopThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Director and Other Cast

The War of the Rohirrim‘s director, Kamiyama, has been imbuing the anime world with color and story since the 1980s. Among his most noteworthy credits, we find several Ghost in the Shell series, as well as the 2019 Ultraman show.

Additional cast for the movie include Lorraine Ashbourne, Yazdan Qafouri, Benjamin Wainwright, Laurence Ubong Williams, Shaun Dooley, Michael Wildman, Jude Akuwudike, Bilal Hasna, and Janine Duvitski.

Peter Jackson will serve as an executive producer of the film.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Release Date

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will debut in theaters on December 13, 2024. At present, Warner Bros. touts Rohirrim as a stand-alone story; as such, we shouldn’t necessarily expect a trilogy born of this project. But given that The Hobbit was originally only supposed to be one film, we might not wish to count anything out, either.

Originally published June 10, 2021 with reporting from M. Arbeiter.

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GlobalComix Announces Partnership with DC, Shining a Spotlight on Iconic Character Runs

For longtime comic book readers, the pandemic changed a lot of our buying habits. Many of us switched to buying our monthly titles digitally and haven’t gone back. Now, fans of DC Comics will have a new way to read their monthly comics digitally, as GlobalComix has announced that some of DC’s iconic storylines will be available on the GlobalComix app and website. Starting on October 15, several of DC’s biggest franchises will be available to read on GlobalComix, anywhere in the world. Here are just a few of the marquee DC Comics titles available at launch:

GlobalComix

Batman Volumes 1-7, written by award-winning writer Tom King
Catwoman Volumes 1-6: “Copycats” written and drawn by Eisner Award nominee Joëlle Jones
Doom Patrol Volumes 1-6, featuring writer Grant Morrison’s acclaimed run
The Joker Volumes 1-3, from former Detective Comics writer James Tynion IV
Sweet Tooth Volumes 1-6, written and drawn by award-winning creator Jeff Lemire.

In a statement, here’s what Christopher Carter, CEO of GlobalComix, had to say on the new DC Comics partnership:

DC is responsible for some of the most respected and revered pop culture icons, and we are thrilled to offer hundreds of their iconic stories to our readers across the globe. With 400 books totaling approximately 75,000 pages, DC and DC Vertigo fans will have a wealth of content at their fingertips.

The comics available in this first round are several iconic and influential DC titles from over the years. Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol run heavily inspired the Max TV series, which lasted four seasons. Meanwhile, Sweet Tooth has become a huge hit on Netflix. Many other comics were the inspirations behind high-profile movies and TV series. Comic book fans will have an opportunity to engage with GlobalComix’s DC Channel at New York Comic Con (Oct 17-20) at booth 3300 on the Show Floor.

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VENOM: THE LAST DANCE Villain Knull’s Story Will Continue in Future Projects

When “Venom 3” was briefly teased at Cinema Con 2022, fans of Sony’s Spider-Man spinoff movie were excited and relieved. But since then, we’ve only gotten a few brief teases of what the film will hold. Of course, the last time we saw Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and his trusty companion Venom, the pair went on adventures through the multiverse. Sony’s Venom leads ended up in the MCU, but not for long. At the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Eddie Brock returns to his own universe. And we assume that’s where we’ll find him (and most of Venom) in the third Venom film.

Sony Pictures

We know that the main villain in Venom 3 is Knull, who is a big Marvel Comics character. Assuming this is the last round for Eddie and Venom, people wondered why a big baddie like Knull would come into this story only to presumably disappear. Never fear, this isn’t the last time we will see this character. Venom: The Last Dance director Kelly Marcel spoke to IGN and said the following:

“One movie could never do justice to Knull… We were always aware of Knull, but knew that we needed to lay the foundation of the Venom character, and his relationship with Eddie, before introducing him. This is just the beginning for Knull.”

“This film introduces Knull, but it just touches the beginnings of his story,” Marcel continued. “Marvel’s greatest film villains are developed over time. Here, Knull is the threat lurking behind the danger that tests the absolute limits of Eddie and Venom’s partnership — but it’s their relationship that remains the heart of this story.”

Tom Hardy

Here’s everything we know about Venom: The Last Dance.

TitleSony

According to Variety, the official title for the third Venom film is Venom: The Last Dance. This seems a bit ominous, tbh.

Venom: The Last Dance‘s Plot

At this time, we don’t know anything specific about Venom: The Last Dance‘s plot. We only know that Eddie Brock is back in his own universe after his MCU visit. We assume Venom has also traveled back with him, despite the little gob of Venom goo left behind in the MCU. While we do not doubt that the new MCU Venom bud will seek to cause Tom Holland’s Peter Parker a lot of trouble in a potential Spider-Man 4, that likely won’t factor too much into Venom: The Last Dance.

Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy did tease a behind-the-scenes image of Venom: The Last Dance, which involves Eddie yelling at a wolf. Whether this will prove meaningful, we’ll have to wait and see. Whatever awaits us in Venom: The Last Dance, we can bet it will involve more of Eddie Brock and Venom snarking at one another and a great mix of comedy and tragedy.

A recent behind-the-scenes photo shared by Hardy also hints at the timeline of the movie. The image Hardy revealed shows his Eddie Brock wearing the same shirt as he was wearing when he was cast back into his own universe from the MCU’s world. This, of course, happened during the mid-credits scene of the most recent Spider-Man movie. The shared wardrobe seems to confirm the movie will pick up directly after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Marvel StudiosVenom: The Last Dance‘s Cast

Thankfully, Tom Hardy will return as Eddie Brock for Venom: The Last Dance. Alongside him, Ted Lasso’s Juno Temple has joined the movie, as will Chiwetel Ejiofor. We don’t know details on either of their roles yet. Clark Backo is also slated for an undisclosed role.

Regarding returning actors, there has been no news yet of any actors other than Tom Hardy reprising their Venom or Venom: Let There Be Carnage roles.

Behind-the-Scenes Tom Hardy

Kelly Marcel, a writer and producer on Venom‘s first two movies, will direct Venom 3. Marcel also serves as the writer of Venom: The Last Dance, penning the script based on a story she and Tom Hardy created. Marcel and Hardy will act as producers on the movie alongside Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal, and Hutch Parker.

Venom: The Last Dance‘s Release Date

Venom: The Last Dance will release on October 25, 2024.

Originally published on August 1, 2023.

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CREATURE COMMANDOS Bringing Interactive Belle Reve Prison Fan Experience to NYCC

The DCU will soon make its big debut, only it won’t be Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne who kicks off Warner Bros. Discovery’s highly-anticipated new superhero franchise. That honor will go to a ragtag group known as Creature Commandos. James Gunn’s animated series will debut at Max on December 5, but fans don’t have to wait that long to see what his motley monster crew has in store. They’ll get a chance to experience it in person this week. Nerdist has exclusive news about the DC Universe’s plans for New York Comic Con 2024. An immersive Creature Commandos fan experience will let guests enter Belle Reve Prison.

Warner Bros. Discovery

From Thursday October 17 through Sunday October 20 those who head to the Javits Center for New York Comic Con will want to march over to Booth #4327. Warner Bros. is transforming the spot into the infamous Belle Reve Prison. That top-secret, high-security prison has housed some of DC’s most dangerous figures. In the new DCU it will be where Amanda Waller keeps dangerous monsters who she’ll send on a Suicide Squad-style mission.

Fortunately NYCC attendees won’t be locked up at Belle Reve Prison for the weekend. Instead they’ll be “drafted” into Task Force M so they can freely enjoy the exhibit’s interactive experiences. That will include an AR photo op with the show’s titular creatures. The booth will also have exclusive swag, like character-themed dog tags and military-style canteens. And those who get there when the event starts on Thursday will also bag something special. The first 100 visitors will get a poster featuring new series’ key art. (Which Warner Bros. will reveal on Wednesday.)

“The Creature Commandos activation is designed to immerse fans into the world of the series, specifically bringing the iconic Belle Reve prison facility to life, giving them a taste of what’s to come in the DC universe James Gunn and Peter Safran are building, said Pia Barlow, Executive Vice President, Originals Marketing, HBO and Max, in a statement.

The interactive experience isn’t the only way Warner Bros. Discovery will celebrate the first release from James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe. There will also be a star-studded Creature Commandos panel. It will include Gunn along with stars Frank Grillo (Rick Flag Sr.), David Harbour (Frankenstein), Zoe Chao (Nina Mazursky), Sean Gunn (G.I. Robot and Weasel), Maria Bakalova (Princess Ilana), Steve Agee (Economos), and executive producer Dean Lorey. The panel will also include the release of an all-new show trailer.

DC Studios

After that we will have to wait until December for more Creature Commandos. And while we know some of those monsters won’t survive working for Amanda Waller (few ever do!), their legacy will endure. They will forever be a part of the DCU’s start.

Same as those who enter NYCC’s Belle Reve Prison activation.

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TRON: CATALYST Video Game Arriving in 2025

Disney is finally giving us a new installment in the TRON universe. TRON: Catalyst is a new TRON game that will be hitting consoles sometime next year. The developers have slated the game for release on the Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PC. Disney will also release the upcoming film, TRON: Ares, next year on Oct. 10. Disney Games’ announcement on social media platforms also released a trailer for the upcoming game.

“Play as Exo, a highly resilient and resourceful program wielding an unexpected power known as the Glitch, gaining strength and abilities which the overlords of the Arq Grid’s crumbling society seek to bring under control. Ride Light Cycles, engage in Identity Disc combat, and more as you’re relentlessly pursued through the city and beyond by Conn, a malevolent program with an agenda of his own, while uncovering more about the glitches that threaten the stability of this World.

Take on a legion of fearsome enemy programs in melee and ranged combat, both on-foot and while riding a Light Cycle. Master advanced techniques like parrying and Disc kicks to gain the upper hand, while exploring the Arq Grid and collecting Data Shards to upgrade your code base with new abilities,” read the game’s offcial description from its developers.

The game will include new features compared to the last game. TRON: Catalyst is a story-driven, isometric action adventure game that takes place in the Arq Grid. Players are acting as Exo, who is working in this grid’s capital city. An explosion engulfs Exo, granting them powers. The game will involve time loops and glitches that players can exploit. And, of course, the most important part: yes, the developers have confirmed that players can ride Light Cycles.

Big Fan Games

The game’s publisher is Devolver Digital’s Big Fan Games. Bithell Games and Disney Games are developing it. TRON: Catalyst has been described as “electrifying action and a rich storyline combined in a new adventure set within Disney’s iconic TRON universe,” by Big Fan Games.

Big Fan Games specializes in creating independent games that are based on existing intellectual property from film, television, and comics. They have partnered with companies like Dark Horse Comics, HBO, and now Disney. In the past, they have worked on games based on John Wick and Hellboy.

TRON Catalyst releases 2025 on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, & PC.

More info: https://t.co/nBzgYsrS3C

— TRON: Catalyst (@troncatalyst) October 14, 2024

Bithell Games is an independent game studio that works on science-fiction storylines. They made the last TRON game, TRON: Identity, which is available on both the Nintendo Switch and Steam. Bithell Games also worked on John Wick Hex with Big Fan.

The lack of a release date suggests that the game may be released in the latter half of 2025. Regardless, TRON fans will be waiting for the new immersive game. To find out more, you can go to the Big Fan website, where character descriptions are already out.

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Who Is Wiccan? The AGATHA ALL ALONG Character’s Marvel Comics 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 faith episode. 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 Agathan 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?

Our best guess is the MCU is going with the “transposed soul” theory for Billy (and eventually, Tommy). We think the soul of Billy Maximoff took hold of Billy Kaplan’s body, after the hex on Westview fell. The mid-season trailer for Agatha All Along seems to confirm this theory. Perhaps Billy Kaplan “died” in a car accident, as seen in the trailer, and Billy Maximoff’s soul took residence? He might not even know what he really is. Hopefully, with The Marvels teasing a Young Avengers project, we’ll see Wiccan suit up as a hero before too long.

Originally published July 8, 2024.

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AGATHA ALL ALONG Finally Revealed Who Joe Locke’s Teen Character Really Is

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In the first few episodes of Agatha All Along, all we knew officially about Joe Locke’s mysterious character, simply called “Teen,” is that he’s a 16-year-old gay kid with quite an interest in witchcraft. He helps to break Agatha out of the spell that Wanda Maximoff placed her under at the end of WandaVision. A spell that lasted three whole years, only weakened by Wanda’s death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He essentially tells her he’s the ultimate Agatha fanboy, a fan who knows way too much about her life. But in episode five of Agatha All Along, they finally reveal who he really is — Wiccan, a.k.a. Billy Kaplan, the son of the Scarlet Witch. Here’s how we got to that big reveal.

Billy Maximoff you dropped this 👑💙

Don’t miss Joe Locke in #AgathaAllAlong, now streaming on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/KNo9sROJvg

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) October 14, 2024

Teen Has a Mystical Sigil Placed on HimMarvel Studios

In the first episode, when Agatha asks Teen who he is, his words sound muffled and she can’t hear what his name is. In fact, a series of cursive letters appear over his mouth, which prevents Agatha from knowing who he really is. Agatha then explains that the letters are part of a sigil, which is a concealing spell. Who (or what) placed that spell on Teen is a mystery. It’s certainly a mystery that annoys Agatha to no end since she can’t break the spell in her current powerless state.

Marvel Studios

Later on in episode two, the two characters take a car ride together. Teen attempts to explain to her where he’s from to make small talk. However, the very same magic prevents Agatha (and the viewer) from hearing it. We imagine lip readers will have a field day trying to figure out what he’s saying. This only annoys Agatha further. It’s evident to her there is something special about the boy.

In episode four, Teen is seriously injured but healed by Jen during their second trial. An obviously worried Agatha is by his side when he awakens, and Teen has a few questions for her. She doesn’t answer his inquiry about what happened to her son. But she does answer his questions about the sigil. She says she did not place it on him… at least, not to her knowledge. Apparently a sigil works on the witch as well when they cast it on someone to keep everyone safe. And, she tells him that the sigil can only be destroyed and not lifted. The sigil will destroy itself when it is no longer needed. Agatha tells Teen that you don’t have to know someone’s name to know who they are, which is a touching moment from the typically callous witch.

“Teen” Is Billy Kaplan, a.k.a. Wiccan, Son of Wanda MaximoffMarvel Comics

The prevailing theory since day one, of course, is that Teen is really Billy Kaplan/Wiccan. That was confirmed in episode 5, after Billy confronts Agatha over the death of Alice Wu-Gulliver. His body starts radiating mystical blue energy (just as child Billy did in WandaVision). Then, a blue crown appears on his head, which looks just like the one Billy used to wear in the comics. Agatha mentions to him “You’re just like your mother.” In anger, he attempts to drown Agatha and the other coven members in the quicksand of the Witches’ Road.

Without a doubt, we know now that Teen is Wiccan/Billy Kaplan. Billy in the comics is the reincarnated soul of Billy Maximoff, Wanda’s son she created in the Hex in WandaVision. In the comics, he becomes one of Marvel’s most important LGBTQ heroes, Wiccan is also a founding member of the Young Avengers. Although right now the show seems to position him in a more villainous role, he’s actually only ever been a hero in the comics.

How similar is Billy to his (dearly departed?) mother? In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Joe Locke talked about working with Jennifer White, Olsen’s movement coach for the MCU. She helped develop the hand gestures for Scarlet Witch’s powers. Locke said “We worked to find similarities in both Billy and Wanda, the way they use their magic. Fans of the comic corner know that Billy’s powers are pretty much the same as Wanda’s with a few differences, so we wanted to find similarities with that, but also his own finesse.”

Marvel Studios Agatha All Along Already Gave Us a Clue to Teen’s Backstory

In episode three, when talking with Alice Wu-Gulliver on the Witches’ Road, Teen mentions that he too lost his mother in a tragic way, when he was 13 years old. Teen is now 16, so exactly three years ago, around the time of the events of WandaVision. We should add, In the closing credits of the show, every actor’s name covers an image corresponding with their character. In Joe Locke’s case, it’s a newspaper headline that states “Near Death in Westview.” So how does this relate to Wiccan? We think we have an idea.

Marvel Studios

The origins of Wiccan in the comics are a bit murky. In the 2016 Scarlet Witch series, Wanda explains to her therapist even she doesn’t know how her “imaginary” children’s souls reincarnated as Billy Kaplan and Tommy Shephard, a.k.a. Wiccan and Speed. Either their souls went back in time to when she was still a teenager herself, and were born to different mothers, or they took over the bodies of existing “normal” teens in the present, effectively killing them. Either option absolutely horrifies Wanda.

Marvel Comics

However, we think the MCU is giving us another option. In the mid-season Agatha All Along trailer, we see Billy in some kind of car accident in the adjacent city of Eastview. And we see this was when Wanda’s hex was still up, or perhaps, as it was coming down. Was the tragic way he lost his mom that very accident? And did he almost die in the very same crash? Did Billy Maximoff’s soul, which perhaps like WestView Vision’s was an extension of her own, take up residence in the dying Billy Kaplan’s body?

That would mean he’d have Billy Kaplan’s memories, but his soul is that of Wanda’s son. He could take over his body without killing him, because Kaplan already died and his spirit moved on. In this new body, Billy Kaplan might have retained the magical powers of Wanda’s son. Kaplan might not even know who he really is. Maybe Wanda discovered who he was, and placed the sigil on Billy before her death? We still have questions. With three episodes left in the series, hopefully we get Wiccan’s full backstory before it’s all said and done.

Originally published September 19, 2024.

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TOMB OF DRACULA and GHOST RIDER Should Be Marvel’s Next Disney+ Halloween Series

Marvel Comics has an abundance of horror-themed characters, both hero and villain. But until recently, Marvel Studios has been reluctant to lean into their creepier characters for adaptation. But in the last couple of years, we’ve seen a shift. In October 2022, Marvel released their Werewolf by Night special presentation to much fan acclaim. This year, Agatha All Along leans into the Halloween horror vibes. And next year, Marvel Zombies hits Disney+. Well, we think it’s time Marvel Studios officially made this an annual affair. There should be a yearly horror-themed series or special on Disney+, utilizing their vast array of monster characters. And we think two comics in particular make for the perfect adaptations—The Tomb of Dracula and Ghost Rider. Below, we explain why these two should be our featured players.

Marvel ComicsTomb of Dracula Was Marvel Comics’ Undead OpusMarvel Comics

The Tomb of Dracula was unique in that its creative team was stable throughout its eight-year run. Marv Wolfman wrote all but seven issues with Gene Colan as the artist for the whole run. Over the course of their seventy issues, from 1972-1979, the series focused on a group of vampire hunters going after the Lord of the Vampires. Among those heroes were Rachel Van Helsing, Abraham Van Helsing’s granddaughter, and Quincy Harker, the son of Jonathan and Mina Harker from Bram Stoker’s original novel. Eventually, “good guy” vampire Hannibal King joined them, as did a new character named Blade. (You may be familiar with that guy). He originated in the pages of Tomb of Dracula.

Marvel Comics

Despite being set in the Marvel Universe, superheroes intruded into the events of the series only on very rare occasions. The series was dark and moody, maintaining that feeling without too much Marvel Universe intrusion. Dracula himself was arrogant and evil in the way Lee and Kirby’s Doctor Doom was with none of Doom’s redeeming qualities. And Tomb of Dracula simply had incredible art throughout by Colan. Visually, his Count evoked both Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee. But his cape had that extra flair, with a blood-red collar and a length that seemingly defied physics. (That cape later inspired how Todd McFarlane would draw his signature creation, Spawn). Tomb of Dracula had a certain amount of repetitiveness, to be sure. Every issue had to feature Dracula defeated, cursing his foes, and then plotting another scheme. But then, isn’t that just as predictable with heroes like Spider-Man, who constantly wins?

Marvel’s Dracula Is a Combination of Classic and UniqueMarvel Comics

We’ve had many Draculas on screen since Tomb of Dracula. We’ve had Gary Oldman in the ‘90s, creating a visual look unlike the versions we’d seen decades prior. The BBC/Netflix series Dracula also presented a modern version of the Count. And, of course, we’ve had a metric ton of parody versions, from Count Chocula to Hotel Transylvania. In fact, the parodies outnumber the serious takes at this point. So why not let Marvel Studios bring their specific version of Vlad the Impaler to life on screen? Imagine a limited series over Halloween season where the Nightstalkers have to stop Dracula from a global takeover? In the early days of Disney+, an R-rated vampire series would be out of the question. But these days, they’ve imported all the former Marvel Netflix shows and Deadpool films, so it doesn’t seem to be a factor anymore.

A Groovy ’70s-Set Tomb of Dracula Series Would Set It Apart From Other AdaptationsMarvel Comics

One cool thing Marvel Studios could do is set the series in period, during the ‘70s. After all, the ‘70s was a bit of a vampire heyday. It saw Dark Shadows continue in popularity, the publication of Salem’s Lot and Interview with the Vampire, and big-budget remakes of Dracula and Nosferatu hit theaters. Why not set in this groovy period, which saw so much vampire media? While we don’t think a Tomb of Dracula series could sustain more than one season, it would be a blast as a one-off event series during Halloween. And Dracula could himself appear in later projects, like future X-Men or Blade films. Tomb of Dracula deserves a proper MCU adaptation as much as any superhero or mutant.

Ghost Rider Should Skip a Movie Reboot and Become a Disney+ SeriesMarvel Comics

Of course, Dracula and cohorts would not be the only Marvel horror characters who should make the jump to Disney+ for a spooky season series. Our next candidate is none other than Ghost Rider, a major Marvel character who has headlined his own comic series several times. Not to mention, he has featured in two live-action films, while appearing in the TV series Agents of SHIELD. If he’s not Marvel’s biggest horror hero, then he’s certainly their biggest original horror-themed character not based on a public domain character. A streaming series is ideal for him.

Ghost Rider Is Marvel’s Longest-Running Horror HeroMarvel Comics

Ghost Rider first appeared in 1972, created by writer Mike Friedrich and artist Mike Ploog. Stan Lee originally thought Ghost Rider should be a villain, but once he saw Ploog’s design, he wisely realized this was a character who needed to be a hero with his own feature. The original Ghost Rider (there was a Western hero of the same name before) was Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcycle rider who makes a deal with the Devil (or Mephisto?) to save the soul of his dying father. Having made this demonic pact, they force him to become the Spirit of Vengeance, who must avenge the innocent for eternity.

Marvel Comics

More than fellow spooky Marvel titles of the time, Ghost Rider really rode the line (sorry) between superhero and horror comics. Because it scratched both itches, this iteration of Ghost Rider lasted a solid ten years, from 1973-1983. Yes, Ghost Rider was a demonic being, and he often fought other devilish creatures. But for every demon he fought, he also tussled with Spider-Man, or the Hulk. Speaking of the Hulk, Johnny Blaze tapped into the same tortured hero energy that worked so well for Bruce Banner. And at the end of the day, he’s also just a memorable image. The flaming skull head, riding a motorcycle engulfed in flames? It’s just something that works. He was born to be a million tattoos.

Ghost Rider Has All the Right Ingredients for an Incredible SeriesMarvel Comics

We know both Ryan Gosling and Keanu Reeves have expressed interest in playing Ghost Rider in the past. They are big movie stars, so they might not want to do a series. But who knows? Stranger things have happened. We imagine something in the vein of the old Incredible Hulk TV series. Something where Johnny travels America, caught up in the lives of different strangers each week. And for the record, we’d make sure that this Ghost Rider was Johnny Blaze, and not any of his successors. Although Ghost Rider eventually bonded with Danny Ketch and Robbie Reyes, we’re gonna stick with Johnny Blaze for a streaming series, if only because he has the cleanest origin story. Not to mention the best civilian name. Here’s hoping the next few Halloween seasons give Marvel’s iconic horror icons their proper place in the MCU.

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Don Cheadle’s ARMOR WARS Update Is Unfortunate, To Say the Least

In December 2020, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced the upcoming Phase Four slate at the Disney Investors Day. As part of that slate, two projects with links to the late Tony Stark received series orders. Those projects, Ironheart and Armor Wars, were announced as Disney+ series. However, in September 2022, Marvel shifted the latter from a show to a theatrical movie. The movie will focus on Tony Stark’s best friend, James Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine. Don Cheadle is onboard to continue as Rhodey.

Years later, it seems we aren’t much closer to Armor Wars happening, based on recent statements by Don Cheadle. In a TVLine interview, when asked about an Armor Wars update, Cheadle told the interviewer that they can find out and let him know. Welp. “…I don’t know, I’m not sure where anything is right now,” said Cheadle. “I think things are going through a lot of changes, and we’ll see what happens, we’ll see what it is.”

When and if we get Armor Wars, Cheadle hopes that Rhodey’s Skrull revelation from Secret Invasion will be addressed in that film. Maybe we will see him in Ironheart, which is actually set for a 2025 arrival.

Here’s everything we know about Armor Wars so far.

TitleMarvel Studios

The movie’s title is Armor Wars.

Armor Wars’ Plot

The Armor Wars comics contain seven issues. The story arc focuses on Tony Stark discovering his Iron Man technology is now in the hands of not just heroes, but also villains. That, of course, leads to chaos. So, of course, his bestie, Rhodey, sets off to recover the items. Disney + confirms the movie will be similar and asks, “What happens if Tony Stark’s tech falls into the wrong hands?”

Additionally, a D23 Expo panel revealed that story would follow on directly from Disney+’s Secret Invasion show.

Behind the Scenes

Comedian and writer Yassir Lester will be the show’s head writer, even through the shift from television series to a film. According to the announcement, Marvel sources say the studio was committed in getting the story told the right way and in that process realized that a feature was better suited for the project.

Armor Wars‘ Cast

So far, only Cheadle, who reprises his role as James “Rhodey” Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine, is announced for the movie.

Armor Wars‘ Release Date

The is currently no release date for Armor Wars.

Originally published on September 10, 2022.

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