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the theoretical entendricist, seeking new impossible categories of flirtation

What’s next for Arrow? After that devastating season finale — an episode which finally ended the series’ flashbacks and left us with more questions than answers — we can throw out some ideas, but we’re not certain of anything, really. But there is one thing we’d love to see a lot more of: Manu Bennet’s Deathstroke. Supposing his redemption in the season finale sticks, he’ll be a changed man — someone who has conquered the Mirakuru and it as powerful and formidable as the Arrow ever was.

Here’s the catch though — Manu Bennet doesn’t want to settle for more screentime on Arrow. He’s not down with just being another in a long line of sidekicks and super series regulars. No, he’d prefer to star in his own show, and you know what? We’d like to see that, too. It has the potential to be amazing, a spectacularly different show, DCTV or otherwise, than any other out there.

RELATED: Arrow Star Rallies Fans to Petition for Deathstroke TV Series

The DC Television Universe (aka the Flarrowverse) is one of the more interesting universes we’ve ever had on television — and that’s counting the Tommy Westphall Universe, which included practically everything. The amount of interconnectivity, the amount of crossovers and references, the way the shows feel like they’re taking place close to each other (even if they’re not always on the same Earth, as in Supergirl’s case) makes the Flarrowverse incredibly interesting and ripe with potential. And now, one of its earliest inhabitants is interested in expanding his — and the Arrowverse’s — horizons.

The universe started with a man and a bow and slowly built out from there. The first season of Arrow didn’t even have a single magical or science fiction-y thing in it. In Season 2, it began to introduce superhero tropes, but slowly, adding Barry Allen’s Flash to the mix. Then magic was added as Constantine and Vixen came into play. Hawkgirl and Hawkman’s eternal, recurring lives became a central focus, as the Flarrowverse exploded outwards with DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Then Supergirl became a part of the universe, and it’s not stopping yet.

But as the Flarrowverse has expanded, it’s headed into greater and more glorious directions — space travel, time travel, inter-dimensional exploration, paradoxes, magic and more. During all of this, however, the foundation Arrow was built upon, the street-level, realistic approach to crimefighting, has actually been neglected.

Think of the MCU. Each outing added to it — the first phase focused on science, but then it became about outer space, and aliens, and even magic is now common place in the universe. But we didn’t get any more down to Earth stories about the MCU until the Netflix series’ launched with Daredevil’s gritty fights, Jessica Jones detective work, Luke Cage’s defense of his city, and Iron Fist’s… burning hand? Okay, let’s ignore Iron Fist for now. But the point is, the MCU expanded, first in grander ways, and then it took a step back and expanded in more grounded ways.

RELATED: Deathstroke, Kid Flash’s New Team Teased in Lazarus Contract Finale

With Bennet expressing his desire to star in a Deathstroke-led series, the Flarrowverse has a built-in opportunity to do the same. It’s interesting to note, then, that Bennet, in his call for a petition, didn’t tag The CW, the show the Flarrowverse airs on, but Netflix, the place where the Defenders meet.

Much like The Defenders, Deathstroke could be removed from the rest of the Flarrowverse simply by airing it somewhere other than ABC or movie theaters. Placing it on Netflix, or even Warner Bros’ incoming streaming service, the series would likely have a smaller episode count than its CW counterparts, making it perfect to debut during the now-traditional winter break, thus sating the appetite of millions of Flarrowverse fans itching to watch new content while Arrow, Flash and the rest are on hiatus.

A Deathstroke show, done properly, could be more grounded, more realistic than even Arrow in its freshman season. The show could be darker than its brethren, and and explore oft-ignored parts of the Flarrowverse, the seedier places, the cracks that the heroes overlook — much as the Defenders’ various series have for the MCU. It would thus be a different show than we see on The CW; a harder one, a darker one. And, in the course his travels, Deathstroke could meet more characters who could themselves branch off into their own shows, or movie one-shots, thus expanding the DCTV universe even more

Of course, the main reason we’re interested in Bennet’s proposal is that, frankly, Deathstroke is one of the most interesting and complex characters in the history of the DC Universe. He’s a villain, sort of, but also has a strong moral code. He’s as devoted as Batman to this code, but with tons more regrets. He’s a hitman for hire, who sometimes deviates from his contract. He has children, heroes and/or villains in their own right, and has numerous regrets about how he raised them.

DC’s current Deathstroke comic, scripted by acclaimed writer Christopher Priest, illustrates just how interesting and dark this character is. He’s willing to go to any extremes to do what is necessary; but unlike Oliver Queen, he doesn’t feel the need to whine about it afterward, or take a moment to get some moral handwringing out of his system. If he needs to kill someone, he’ll kill someone.

But the main reason we’re excited by the simple prospect of a series starring the Flarrowverse’s most dangerous assassin is that Manu Bennet simply deserves his own show. The actor has been nothing short of stellar, one of the most interesting parts of the entire Flarrowverse, on every episode he’s been featured in. He steals every scene he’s in because he just gets Slade Wilson, which is why we find ourelves hoping it’s more of a question of “when” and “where” we see Deathstroke grace our televisions/tablets/phones rather than “if” it will happen.

Starring Stephen Amell as the Emerald Archer, Arrow moves to Thursdays at 9pm ET/PT on The CW next fall. The series also stars Emily Bett Rickards, David Ramsey, John Barrowman, Willa Holland and more.

Deathstroke, starring Manu Bennet, does not exist. Yet…

The post Why Arrow’s Deathstroke Deserves His Own TV Spinoff appeared first on CBR.

There are absolutely spoilers for Spider-Man: Homecoming in this article, be warned. This article will talk about the villain(s) introduced in the new film and what some of this may mean for future Sony films.
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After Amazing Spider-Man 2, Sony had a plan for a Sinister Six movie that would’ve been written by Drew Goddard and debuted in 2016. Sony has always wanted to expand the Spider-Man universe into multiple franchises and they are talking about it again with Venom (Tom Hardy attached) and Silver & Black. Does the studio still want to do a Sinister Six movie? If you watch the new Spider-Man: Homecoming, you get the feeling they do as they introduce a lot of villains who have, at times, been members of the villain team.

You start with Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton). The Vulture was one of the original Sinister Six from Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (1964) along with Doctor Octopus, Electro, Sandman, Mysterio and Kraven the Hunter. The film doesn’t take Toomes off the board, so you’ve got one member of a potential team there.

We move on to Herman Schultz (Bokeem Woodbine), the second person in the film to become the Shocker. The character wasn’t one of the original members, but he did join when Hobgoblin put together a Sinister Seven to take on Kaine. That moves it to two classic Spider-Man villains who could work together.

And there is a prison scene with Mac Gargan (Michael Mando) who is not only the classic villain Scorpion but was also attached to the Venom symbiote for a while. Gargan lead a version called the Sinister Twelve during the Marvel Knights: Spider-Man run. There has also been talk that Scorpion could be the villain for the Silver & Black movie.

They also introduce Aaron Davis (Donald Glover) who goes on to become the villain turned hero the Prowler. The fact he starts as a villain makes him a candidate even though the Prowler has never been a part of the Sinister Six. But having one of them turn on the others would be a good plot device in a movie about a super-villain team. The fact that at one point there was a Sinister Sixty-Six, it’s surprising that the Prowler has never been part of the team.

Another potential villain introduced in the film is Peter’s friend Ned (Jacob Batalon). He is believed to be Ned Leeds, another comic character who goes on to become the first Hobgoblin and join the second incarnation of the Sinister Six. This would also make for an interesting plot point to have Peter’s best friend go bad.

We are, of course, speculating on the building of the Sinister Six, but the evidence is there and if Sony believed they could make a movie based on a group of villains three years ago, it’s a safe bet that they probably still think that. A film starring Michael Keaton, Bokeem Woodbine, Donald Glover and Michael Mando wouldn’t be a bad thing either. Plus, if these five are the team, the sixth member could be a big name like… Tom Hardy as Venom… or Black Cat once Silver & Black is done… or the rumors that they want to have Kraven the Hunter get his own film. There are many villains they could tap into without having to go to Doctor Octopus, Green Goblin, Electro or the Lizard used by the previous films.

And even if they aren’t putting together a Sinister Six movie, Spider-Man: Sinister Six would be a good second film in this rebooted franchise.

There Is Something Sinister Growing In Spider-Man: Homecoming

When the Super NES Classic Edition was announced, you had to know that a version of the Super Famicom was on the way. Details were released in Japan shortly after the other system that the Classic Mini: Super Famicom would be coming on October 5. Here’s a picture of the much more cute box their system will come in.

Much like the SNES version, you’re only getting 21 games with a price hike of ¥8,000 (roughly $72). Though much like the NES/Famicom editions, you’ll notice a slight change in the games available. First, they’re getting Super Soccer (which was a popular sports game at the time in Japan but didn’t catch on well in North America), Panel de Pon (which is Tetris Attack, an actual puzzle game, which we didn’t get), they’re getting Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem instead of Earthbound (with no mention of Mother 1 or 2).

They’re also getting the regular Super Street Fighter II, one less Kirby game, no Castlevania titles, and no Punch-Out. So it feels like the Super Famicom version is just as lacking in content as the Super NES version. Below is the complete list of titles that will be available on the system in October.

Contra III: The Alien Wars
Donkey Kong Country
F-ZERO
Final Fantasy VI
Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem
Kirby Super Star
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Mega Man X
Panel de Pon
Secret of Mana
Star Fox
Star Fox 2
Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario RPG
Super Mario World
Super Metroid
Super Soccer
Super Street Fighter II
Yoshi’s Island

Nintendo Is Also Releasing A Classic Mini: Super Famicom In Japan

Showing the kind of quick-thinking that a five year old might come up with to convince their parents they didn’t knock over the nice lamp in the living room, Spider-Man:Homecoming producer and former Sony chief Amy Pascal has clarified her earlier statements that Sony’s Spider-Man spinoff films, such as Venom and Silver & Black, will take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“Well those movies will all take place in the world that we are now creating for Peter Parker, ” Pascal said on video which anyone can watch. “They’ll be adjuncts to it. They may be in different locations. But it will still all be the same world, and they will be connected to each other as well.”

At this point in the video, Kevin Feige looks like somebody has just informed him that Ike Perlmutter invited him to Mar-a-lago to have dinner with President Trump and discuss Marvel Studios Phase 4. Asked by an interviewer with a charming German accent if there’s a chance Spider-Man will pop up in the films, Pascal replies, “There’s a chance. There’s always a chance.”

“There’s no chance,” Kevin Feige tells us with his eyes in the video. And sure enough, this weekend, Feige confirmed that only Spider-Man is part of the MCU.

And now, in an attempt to save face, Amy Pascal has tried to say that she never said what she was captured on video saying:

Pascal said she was itching to clarify that after the story this week. Those other movies will not take place in the MCU

— ErikDavis (@ErikDavis) June 25, 2017

Sure, Amy Pascal. That’s what you meant the whole time.

Amy Pascal Now Claims She Meant Spider-Man Spinoffs Were In Marvel Comics Universe, Not Marvel Cinematic Universe

There was a lot riding on the recent Power Rangers reboot. They had a whole series planned out, up to six movies, and it looked like the studio was betting the farm. However, they may have made a big misstep when it came to the tone of the movie. In an attempt to bring the series to the adult fans that loved it they made it a bit too intense for the kids needed to justify a franchise. In an interview with Screen Rant director Dean Israelite said that he thought the PG-13 was the reason the movie didn’t find an audience at the box office.

“Yes, definitely. Definitely. And not only do I think it, but there’s been market studies on it, and the findings have been that if the movie were rated PG- I don’t want to go into the specific numbers- but if the movie had been rated PG, there would have been more traffic. I think parents were unsure if they could bring their kids to the movie, which surprised me, because the movie is a tame PG-13.

We did a lot of preview screenings, and to me, it felt like a seven-year-old might be scared, but in a good way. They liked that they were scared of Rita, but they still came out of the movie enjoying it, they liked what was going on. I think we really tread that line well, so it was disappointing that parents didn’t know that they could take their kids to it. I’m hoping now, with it coming out on DVD and Blu-ray, and On Demand, that parents will feel more comfortable. That maybe they’ll check it out for themselves and then see that it’s suitable.”

He’s not wrong. A movie that is looking for a kid audience that starts off with a joke about jerking off a bull doesn’t work. If the movie does find an audience on home release and the merchandise sales go up perhaps the series will get the opportunity to try again. At the moment though it’s a looking less and less likely that a sequel is going to happen.

A group of high-school students, who are infused with unique superpowers, harness their abilities in order to save the world.

Power Rangers, directed by Dean Israelite, stars Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Lundi Lin, Becky G., Elizabeth Banks, and Bryan Cranston. It’s out on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD from June 26th.

The PG-13 Rating Hurt ‘Power Rangers’ According To Its Director

One of the big questions from the original Blade Runner was whether or not Deckard (Harrison Ford) was a replicant. There have been thesis statements and essays and debates following the movie since it first came out and now that we’re getting a sequel people are left wondering if we’re going to get that question answered. Director Denis Villeneuve says we aren’t getting that answer in Blade Runner 2049 but in a new interview with Ridley Scott over at IGN Scott says Deckard is a replicant and the sequel will address that.

Oh, it was always my thesis theory. It was one or two people who were relevant were… I can’t remember if Hampton agreed with me or not. But I remember someone had said, “Well, isn’t it corny?” I said, “Listen, I’ll be the best f***ing judge of that. I’m the director, okay?” So, and that, you learn — you know, by then I’m 44, so I’m no f***ing chicken. I’m a very experienced director from commercials and The Duelists and Alien. So, I’m able to, you know, answer that with confidence at the time, and say, “You know, back off, it’s what it’s gonna be.” Harrison, he was never — I don’t remember, actually. I think Harrison was going, “Uh, I don’t know about that.” I said, “But you have to be, because Gaff, who leaves a trail of origami everywhere, will leave you a little piece of origami at the end of the movie to say, ‘I’ve been here, I left her alive, and I can’t resist letting you know what’s in your most private thoughts when you get drunk is a f***ing unicorn!’” Right? So, I love Beavis and Butthead, so what should follow that is “Duh.” So now it will be revealed [in the sequel], one way or the other.

This is a series that lives and dies by symbolism so there is a chance that no one is going to out right answer the question but if you’re looking the answer is there.

Summary: Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.

Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve, stars Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas, Robin Wright, and Jared Leto. It will be released on October 6, 2017.

‘Blade Runner 2049’ Will Answer Whether Deckard Is A Replicant Or Not

Because “The King of the Vampires” fears sunlight, garlic, crosses and a month going-by without another reboot of his backstory, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is getting Sherlock-ized , as writers/producers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat reunite for a different spin on the classic vampire novel.  Variety reports that Gatiss and Moffat will serve as writers on the series, with Sue Vertue/Hartswood Films producing.

Casting/production decisions on Dracula are still awhile off due to Gatiss’ and Moffat’s commitments to other projects, although it’s expected that the series will adhere to the same format as Sherlock with a “miniseries season” of three to five feature-length episodes. No decision has been announced as to whether Dracula will have a modern-day British setting similar to Sherlock or be established in the novel’s 1897 time period (though Gatniss has discussed his love of classic horror films, particularly the 1958 Christopher Lee/Peter Cushing version of Dracula.

Dracula will stand as the first collaboration between Moffat and Gatiss since the most recent episode of Sherlock aired in Britain in January 2017. While they’ve both been quoted as saying that there is nothing currently planned for Sherlock, they haven’t ruled-out returning to the series for further adventures in the future. Moffat served as a writer and executive producer over six seasons of the BBC’s Doctor Who before stepping down from the sci-fi series and handing the reigns to Chris Chibnall. Along with making his reputation as a screenwriter, Gatiss is also an actor who has starred in a number of series including Game of Thrones and Sherlock (where he played Mycroft, brother to Sherlock Holmes).

The Moffat/Gatiss “Dracula”will be following-up on another recent attempt to bring the horror novel to the small screen. NBC and Downton Abbey producers Carnival developed a version of Dracula with Jonathan Rhys Meyers playing the novel’s titular character. The series premiered in 2013 and lasted for only one season.

Variety

‘Sherlock’ Gatiss, Moffat Stake Claim To ‘Dracula’ Reboot

Blizzard has been looking to fill some interesting jobs lately. We already told you about all the first-person development gigs that they have listed for an unnamed project, now they got a new one that will make a lot of fans happy. A new listing on their website for “Senior Software Engineer, Server” in Irvine is looking for someone to help remaster Warcraft III and Diablo II.

Compelling stories. Intense multiplayer. Endless replayability. Qualities that made StarCraft, Warcraft III, and Diablo II the titans of their day. Evolving operating systems, hardware, and online services have made them more difficult to be experienced by their loyal followers or reaching a new generation. We’re restoring them to glory, and we need your engineering talents, your passion, and your ability to get tough jobs done. If you like wearing many hats, know small teams are the most effective, and look forward to challenges that will create millions of new adventures for our players, we would love to hear from you.

The popularity of Diablo II alone will assure that whatever version comes out will be a hit for Blizzard, and Warcraft III is still revered by fans (even though Warcraft II is probably the most popular of the trilogy). Remastering both of these is a smart move, especially with a StarCraft remasting still supposedly coming this summer.

‘Warcraft III” & ‘Diablo 2’ Are Getting Remastered, Per Via Blizzard Listing

As tired as most fans of The Flash television series are of having season after season big bad be a speedster, I have to ask the question: Do we really want a world where there is no Reverse-Flash or Zoom? There is just something about that yellow suit as it races through the city followed by a blur of red. But the series has done a really good job of killing off the characters. Eobard Thawne (Matt Letsch) was able to survive for a while after being wiped from existence, but he finally got his in Legends of Tomorrow. And Hunter Zolomon (Teddy Sears) went on to be become the Black Racer… but Savitar and Killer Frost took him out in the Flash. And we know the new season is going has Clifford DeVoe / The Thinker as the big bad… But, could that really mean no more super-speed races of good vs evil?

Since the show has established that there are multiple Earths, I’m thinking not. I don’t know if we’ll see either Reverse-Flash or Zoom in the next season, but I can’t see him being gone too long. Even if one of them is just brought back for an episode or two. And there are lots of ways to do it. There is still a Hunter Zolomon on Earth-1. We meet him when Zoom is still posing as Jay Garrick and takes Caitlin Snow to see his doppelganger. The end of season 3 showed a Speed Force storm… could be the cause of that Zolomon to suddenly getting speed powers. There’s also just bringing one of them over from another Earth… or from another time. Really, this show is set up that they could kill off the entire cast and not have to fire anyone.

And that’s the thing. These guys have shown that once an actor gets in good with them, they don’t want to let them go. John Barrowman’s one season as the big bad has finally ended with season five of Arrow and you know he will probably return in the future. Tom Cavanagh has played multiple versions of the same character and then they bring him back again. They killed off Matt Letsch in season one, brought him back for the start of season three and made him a villain on Legends of Tomorrow. They even killed off John Wesley Shipp’s character only to turn him into Jay Garrick. And now that Teddy Sears isn’t tied up with 24: Legacy anymore… how long until he’s back on the show?

Interestingly I’ve heard a fan theory on-line from a couple places that maybe The Accelerated Man from Earth-19 that we saw for all of three seconds will come back next season and will be that world’s Hunter Zolomon. Now, first reaction to that would be, but we know the actor who played the Accelerated Man was Sean Poague, not Sears. But if we didn’t know that, could you look at the image above and 100% for sure say that wasn’t Sears? We just see the eyes, forehead and bridge of his nose. The producers took the time to show us the character, so you have to bet that we’ll see him again. And since introducing alternate Earths, they seem to like to do two-part stories that involves other Earths. Season 2 Barry and Cisco went to Earth-2 with Harry and season 3 the group went to Gorilla City. Season 4 seems like to be Earth-19… which would be extra interesting since they’re laws forbid traveling through the multiverse. It would be easy to swap Sears in as the Accelerated Man and it would have a lot of emotional resonance.

Bringing it back around, I think Flash needs an evil speedster in his life. Not as the big bad for the season, but to push him at his own game. And since Letsch was on Legends last season, I’m betting that if we do get a man in the yellow suit again this season… it will be Teddy Sears.

Will Teddy Sears Find His Way Back To The Flash Now That 24: Legacy Is Cancelled?

Syfy has released a teaser trailer for Sharknado 5: Global Swarming. The video shows that the whirling tornado of killer sharks is moving around the world, taking out such iconic landmarks as Big Ben and the Great Wall of China. Poor Big Ben gets destroyed all the time, like it’s the only way to show London in two seconds of destruction. Anyway, I digress. As the Syfy original movie series moves on to its fifth entry, they are using the tag line: Make America Bait Again. Ian Ziering and Tara Reid are back again and are joined by Kathy Lee Gifford and David Noughton as themselves, Chris Kattan as the Prime Minister of England and as the Queen… Charo. (And you think the U.K. isn’t happy with the U.S. now, wait until they see the queen say “Cuchi Cuchi”.) Olivia Newton John and Gilbert Gottried are also supposed to appear.

The synopsis for the film reads: With much of America lying in ruins, the rest of the world braces for a global sharknado, Fin and his family must travel around the world to stop them.

The first Sharknado premiered in 2013 and was followed by Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014), Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! (2015) and Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens (2016). Yup, we’re getting these annually until someone puts a stop to it. Ziering and Reid have appeared in all five of the franchise films. Also in 2015 there was a Mockumentary called Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness which told the story of about David Moore, the filmmaker who first dreamed of “sharks in a tornado” and brought on disaster by using real sharks. The first Sharknado was to be a movie never seen, a crime never reported, a tale never told.

The film is directed by Anthony C. Ferrante from a script by Thunder Levin and Scotty Mullen.

Sharknado 5: Global Swarming spins into homes August 6th. For more information you can follow them on Facebook.

Sharknado 5 Teaser As Ian Ziering and Tara Reid Return For Syfy Original

WildStorm: A Celebration Of 25 Years is the big hardcover volume with a lot of new work from big time comic creators from back in the day, scheduled for August.

Except it’s now going to be out in September.

As any fan of WildStorm’s comics back then will know… that’s only traditional.

The new short stories featured in this title include:

THE AUTHORITY: A ten-page story written by Warren Ellis with art by Bryan Hitch and Paul Neary

BACKLASH: An eight page story written by Brett Booth with art by Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund

DEATHBLOW: A three-page story written by Brandon Choi with art by Jim Lee and Scott Williams

GEN13: A three-page story written and pencilled by J. Scott Campbell and inked by Scott Williams

MAJESTIC/WORLD’S END: An eight-page story written by Dan Abnett with art by Neil Googe

WILDCATS 2.0: A five-page story written by Christos Gage with art by Dustin Nguyen and Richard Friend

Also included are new pin-ups including:

BACKLASH by Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund
BRASS by Carlo D’Anda
CYBERNARY by Pop Mhan
DEATHBLOW by Lee Bermejo
DEATHBLOW by Tim Sale
DV8 by Humberto Ramos
EX MACHINA by Tony Harris
EYE OF THE STORM by Ben Oliver
GEN13 BOOTLEG by Adam Warren
GEN13 by Gary Frank
JACK HAWKSMOOR by Fiona Staples
JET by Dustin Nguyen
MAJESTIC by Eric Canete
PLANETARY by John Cassaday
RED by Cully Hamner
SLEEPER by Sean Phillips
STORMWATCH by Tom Raney
TOP 10 by Gene Ha
TRANQUILITY by Neil Googe
WETWORKS by Whilce Portacio
WILDCATS by Ryan Benjamin
WILDCATS/GEN13 by Adam Hughes
WORLDSTORM by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope

This title also includes:

Grant Morrison’s outline and character notes for WILDCATS: WORLDSTORM, plus the script for issue #2

THE AUTHORITY #13 and 14 presented in black and white, in their original, unedited versions

Previously unpublished art by J. Scott Campbell, Ed McGuinness, Cully Hamner, Terry Dodson, Chris Sprouse, Phil Noto, Ethan Van Sciver and others

What Better Way For WildStorm To Celebrate Their 25th Anniversary Than Being A Month Late?

People keep asking if John Wick is coming back, and I haven’t really had an answer. But yeah, I’m thinking John Wick is back.

Lionsgate confirmed that they are currently developing a John Wick prequel series under the working title, The Continental. For those new to John Wick, The Continental is the chain of hotels around the world that provides a neutral ground for assassins where no “work” gets done on the premises and those who break the rules are “reprimanded” severely.  The series will expand and examine the larger world of John Wick that’s only been touched-upon in the movies. For director Chad Stahelksi, the premise opens-up a ton of possibilities:

They’ve got a really good structure. It’s very tied to the film [in that] it’s about the Continentals all over the world, how certain people come into that world, and what happens in relation to those people, which is cool. I think the world is very vast, and everything I’ve heard from it is very positive. […] It’s something that studio seems very, very intent on [making] and very, very behind.

With Keeanu Reeves‘ character the focus of the first two Wick films (and a planned third film), Stahelksi sees the television series as a wider sandbox for him to play-in from a storytelling standpoint:

I like telling stories from my one character’s perspective. Once you put that aside with the TV show, [you can] expand to all the different characters and follow them throughout their journey. You can be with the consigliere, concierge, the sommelier — you can be with all these different characters and walk through the world in different aspects; ones that I’m a little limited [from exploring] by staying with my lead guy.

Stahelski work on John Wick 3 and other projects may limit his involvement with the series; and though not confirmed by Lionsgate, Stahelski indicated that Reeves might appear on the show.

‘John Wick’ Prequel Series ‘The Continental’ Offers Big Stories, Less Wick

We have more information about X-Men: Dark Phoenix. We just learned that Simon Kinberg is directing and they announced a bunch of returning cast members. The one nugget of information that we didn’t know a lot about is that report that Jessica Chastain was being eyed for a role. It appears that we have some new information from The Hollywood Reporter about who she could be playing.

THR is reporting that Chastain is in talks to play Lilandra, the empress of the Shi’ar. She is the one who wants to execute the Dark Phoenix for the crimes it has committed and that’s what leads to a confrontation with the X-Men.

There have been rumors that the X-Men movies were looking to blast off into space but they have been based on casting sheets and not much else. If Chastain really is looking to play the Shi’ar empress that could open up an entirely new line of storytelling for the X-Men movies. In the comics they frequently have space battles and visit aliens. The movies, however, have been recycling the “mutants versus humans” story over and over again as if audiences were too thick to get the symbolism the first six times.

Does this mean the X-Men series is finally going in a different direction? Are we getting crazy space battles? Aliens> And everything else that has made this one of the most colorful corners of the Marvel universe in comics but one of the most boring in the movies? Only time will tell. As long as don’t get another “us versus them” plot it’ll be a huge change of pace for the X-Men movies.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix, directed by Simon Kinberg, stars Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, Alexandra Shipp, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. It will be released November 2, 2018.

Jessica Chastain In Talks To Be The Villain In ‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix’

Well it’s about time. According to Deadline 20th Century Fox has finally decided on a director and a cast for the X-Men movie due out next year. For the first time mega producer Simon Kinberg is finally getting his chance behind the camera. Kindberg has been a member of the X-Men team for years and this is his first chance to direct a movie proper. A complaint about X-Men: Apocalypse was that the X-Men movies had evolved in nearly a decade and fresh blood was needed. While Kinberg is hardly “fresh” blood a new director for these movies could be the kick in the ass this franchise needs to end on a high note.

Deadline has also announced a bunch of returning cast members including Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, Alexandra Shipp, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, and Kodi Smit-McPhee are all set to reprise their roles from previous movies. There are also rumors that Jessica Chastain is in talks to join the cast in a new role.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix has a release date of November 2, 2018. The current rumors suggest that production will begin next month.

‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix’ Releases A Cast List And Tasks Simon Kinberg To Direct

Nintendo has released the first look trailer for Metroid Prime 4, revealed just now during their E3 presentation. The game is currently in development, with no release date yet (though you can already pre-order it on Amazon), and sure, the trailer is basically just a fancy title screen, but who cares about that, because Metroid Prime 4! We repeat: Metroid Prime 4. Just watch the trailer:

Metroid Prime 4 Coming To Nintendo Switch; See The First Look Trailer From E3

The John Wick franchise kind of came out nowhere back in 2014 and then had one of the rare sequels that was just as good — if not better — than the original. The series of modestly budgeted action movies is now a hit and a franchise, which means that we’re getting a third movie. Director Chad Stahelski talked to JoBlo about the third entry into the series:

“We are going to put in something about the High Table, how that all works. We’re going to put in something about where John comes from, and where he wants to go. I don’t want to say too much more, but it will be a nice completion to Mr Wick’s journey.”

When asked if this was going to be the final entry into the series Stahelski replied: “In our minds, yes. But I’ll let the studio answer those sort of questions.” Which basically means that they want to wrap it up, but if it makes more money than god, then the series will keep going.

There was also a television idea being floated around that would show how John Wick got his reputation. While there is something “up and running at Lionsgate,” there is no confirmation as to whether or not the show would serve as a prequel:

“There are a lot of ideas being thrown around right now. A lot of people working on it. I don’t know if they’ve locked in a consensus yet. But they have some very good people on it.”

At the moment, we don’t know much for sure one way or another, aside from the fact that Stahelski seems eager to be part of the project no matter what direction it decides to take. It will likely depend on how well the third movie does, which is being fast-tracked into production by the end of the year. John Wick: Chapter 2 will be out on home release June 13th, and we’ll take John Wick: Chapter 3 as soon as they’ll give it to us.

John Wick: Chapter 3 Will Be A “Nice Completion To Mr. Wick’s Journey”

Looks like the population of Duckburg is going to grow a bit this year as Disney XD introduced more of the characters that will be making-up their summer revival of DuckTales, the ‘80s cartoon about Donald Duck’s nephews Huey (Danny Pudi – Community), Dewey (Ben Schwartz – Parks & Recreation), and Louie (Bobby Moynihan – SNL) and their wild adventures with their Great-Uncle Scrooge McDuck (David Tennant – Doctor Who, Broadchurch).

DuckTales will still adhere to the weekly stand-alone adventure format, and it will also experiment with the season-long mystery format…with the big mystery of the first season involving a decade-old family secret that finally explains why Scrooge and Donald stopped spelunking together. Joining the trio will be Webbigail “Webby” Vanderquack (Kate Micucci – Another Period), the granddaughter of Scrooge’s maid, Mrs. Beakley, who adds a new dynamic to the adventures and serves as the heart of the team.

But with a new start also comes new and familiar characters, so this season we’ll also be introduced to:

Donald Duck (Tony Anselmo): Single parent with bad temper tantrums who now finds himself having to move his family in with the very man he’s been estranged from for ten years: Scrooge.

Launchpad McQuack (Beck Bennett): Scrooge’s personal pilot, bodyguard and right-hand man.

Gladstone Gander (Paul F. Tompkins – BoJack Horseman): A rare example of something that actually unites Scrooge and Donald, he’s all luck and no skill.

Gyro Gearloose (Jim Rash – Community): Resident hipster and all-around mad scientist, who works with his intern…

Fenton (Lin-Manuel Miranda – Hamilton): Moonlights as local superhero Gizmoduck.

Goldie O’Gilt (Allison Janney – The West Wing): Scrooge’s love, a fellow adventurer who shares an interesting relationship with him.

Ma Beagle (Margo Martindale – The Americans) and the Beagle Boys (Eric Bauza): The villainous speed bumps on the road Scrooge and Donald are travelling…

Flintheart Glomgold (Keith Ferguson): A Scottish showman and one of Scrooge’s wealthy equals in Duckburg.

Mark Beaks (Josh Brener – Silicon Valley): Representing “new money,” he’s more obsessed with “buzz” and notoriety than wealth.

DuckTales premieres this August on Disney XD, and thanks to Entertainment Weekly for the pics.

DuckTales Reboot To Introduce New Characters, Season-Long Mystery

It was the scene that launched a thousand memes from Frank Miller and Jim Lee‘s All-Star Batman.

But does a preview for Dark Knight III: The Master Race #9, the final issue by Frank Miller, Brian Azzarello, Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson suggest that scene – and revise it slightly with Batman’s current sidekick?

That’s how it looks from over here…

Frank Miller has always seen his Batman comics, Year One, All-Star, the Dark Knights, Spawn/Batman as telling one story, in different sections. Could this be a reference to how the character, as Miller sees it, is changing?

Dark Knight III: The Master Race #9 is published tomorrow.

Is Frank Miller’s Batman No Longer The Goddamned Batman?

I love listening/watching to Richard Herring‘s Leicester Square Theatre Podcasts which he uses to interview other comedians on stage for a good long time, full of emergency questions, meanderings, digressions, revealing his own foibles, obsessions and life story along the way.

I thought this might be an opportunity to a) get him a few more viewers/listeners and b) get some of you to subscribe to the monthly badges that pay for the damn things (I’ve just upped mine to a monthly Platinum).

You've been meaning to do it for ages. You know podcasts are worth £12 a year. You know you'd just be funding more https://t.co/4dTpI2td4L

— Richard K Herring (@Herring1967) May 20, 2017

Because I was talking about it to all the cool comic book creators in the pub the other week (they call it RHLSTP) and realised that a number of revelations along the way never made it out to the general public.

Such as… how many Darth Vaders were there?

Much has been made of Darth Vader original actor David Prowse, the giant figure known more in Britain for playing the Green Cross Code Man in a series of public awareness films in the seventies and eighties. Prowse was dubbed by James Earl Jones in the movies, something Prowse has never been happy about, but there was a more serious falling out somewhere along the line on George Lucas‘ part, after Prowse was accused of spoiling the father/son twist in Empire Strikes Back, but this seems to mystify Prowse and he found himself cut out from what he calls the Star Wars family and after further statements from Prowse, found himself banned from official Star Wars events from 2010  after he appeared in the documentary The People vs George Lucas, despite saying he didn’t know what the interview was to be used for. He was not asked to reprise his role in Rogue One, and did not know Darth Vader appeared in the film until he was told by a Radio Times journalist.

But, although James Earl Jones dubbed his voice, Sebastian Shaw played his helmet-less version, no one seems to have disputed that Prowse physically played Darth Vader in the first three movies.

Until I was listening again to Peter Serafinowicz on RHLSTP, talking about his work with George Lucas as the voice of Darth Maul. As well has getting to go to Star Wars: Phantom Menace premiere in New York – but only by way of buying his own tickets to the show, and fly himself (and his friends) over himself and then have to watch… The Phantom Menace.

But the thing that stuck out for me was something I hadn’t heard elsewhere. With Peter telling Richard what George Lucas had told him – that Dave Prowse was only one of a number of Darth Vaders on the set of the show. Listen to it here at around 20:40.

Peter does his best George Lucas voice saying “Dave Prowse was only in the Darth Vader suit when he was standing and pointing, when he was running or fighting, he was other guys…”

Wikipedia reports that in the lightsaber fight scenes between Vader and Luke Skywalker, Prowse, who wasn’t a very skilled swordsman (he kept breaking the poles that stood in for the lightsabers), was replaced by the scene’s fight-choreographer, the stuntman and fencing coach Bob Anderson. Prowse felt sidelined by Anderson during the making of Return of the Jedi in particular, and claims that he was only able to persuade director Richard Marquand that he should be the one to throw the Emperor off the balcony after Marquand had tried and failed for a week to film the scene successfully without him.

But Peter’s reported claim from George seems much more than that.  Is this more bad feeling making its way out? Or is what actually went down on an Elstree sound stage?

So How Many Darth Vaders Were There In Star Wars: A New Hope Anyway?

George R.R. Martin took to his blog last night to give some clarifications and details on the four (with a possible fifth) Game of Thrones Spinoff series in development.  Yes, they’re real, and GRRM himself is involved, and this has been in the works for some time. Except, don’t call them spinoffs, call them… well, I’ll let GRRM explain:

Yes, it’s true. More or less. Though, as is all too common these days, various distortions and misapprehensions have crept into some of the reports along the way. And television being the fast-moving business that it is, there have already been some further developments.

None of these new shows will be ‘spinning off’ from GOT in the traditional sense. We are not talking Joey or AfterMASH or even Frazier or Lou Grant, where characters from one show continue on to another. So all of you who were hoping for the further adventures of Hot Pie are doomed to disappointment. Every one of the concepts under discussion is a prequel, rather than a sequel. Some may not even be set on Westeros. Rather than ‘spinoff’ or ‘prequel,’ however, I prefer the term ‘successor show.’ That’s what I’ve been calling them.

Yes, I am involved, and have been for months. I had my first meeting with HBO about the possibility of a successor show back in August, when I pitched them two possible series. (One of those is among the concepts being developed, one is not). In the months that followed, other writers were brought in and pitched other ideas. Ultimately HBO decided to go ahead with four separate developments, to be written by Max Borenstein, Jane Goldman, Brian Helgeland, and Carly Wray.

And there’s more. We had four scripts in development when I arrived in LA last week, but by the time I left we had five. We have added a fifth writer to the original four. No, I will not reveal the name here. HBO announced the names of the first four, and will no doubt announce the fifth as well, once his deal has closed. He’s a really terrific addition, however, a great guy and a fine writer, and aside from me and maybe Elio and Linda, I don’t know anyone who knows and loves Westeros as well as he does.

Some of the reports of these developments seem to suggest that HBO might be adding four successor shows to the schedule to replace GAME OF THRONES. Decades of experience in television and film have taught me that nothing is ever really certain… but I do think it’s very unlikely that we’ll be getting four (or five) series. At least not immediately. What we do have here is an order for four — now five — pilot scripts. How many pilots will be filmed, and how many series might come out of that, remains to be seen. (If we do get five series on the air, I might have to change my name to Dick Direwolf).

The one goal that EVERYONE involved shares here is to make these new shows just as good as GAME OF THRONES itself. No easy task, mind you. David Benioff and Dan Weiss are a tough, tough act to follow, as all those Emmys demonstrate.

I can’t tell you what the shows will be about (well, I could, but I won’t), but I will tell you a couple of things they WON’T be. Which will disappoint some of you, sure, but better to do that now than later, I think.

We’re not doing Dunk & Egg. Eventually, sure, I’d love that, and so would many of you. But I’ve only written and published three novellas to date, and there are at least seven or eight or ten more I want to write. We all know how slow I am, and how fast a television show can move. I don’t want to repeat what happened with GAME OF THRONES itself, where the show gets ahead of the books. When the day comes that I’ve finished telling all my tales of Dunk & Egg, then we’ll do a tv show about them… but that day is still a long ways off.

We’re not doing Robert’s Rebellion either. I know thousands of you want that, I know there’s a petition… but by the time I finish writing A SONG OF ICE & FIRE, you will know every important thing that happened in Robert’s Rebellion. There would be no surprises or revelations left in such a show, just the acting out of conflicts whose resolutions you already know. That’s not a story I want to tell just now; it would feel too much like a twice-told tale.

More than that, I will not say. Feel free to makes your guesses, if you like… but I am not going to be confirming or denying anything, so don’t expect replies.

George R.R. Martin Gives Details On The Four (Possibly Five) HBO Game Of Thrones Spinoffs In Development

Geoff Johns has tweeted out tonight an image that teases a project called Doomsday Clock. The project is with Gary Frank and Brad Anderson. The story is set for November 2017 and the image gives off the feel of the Watchmen with the clock and color scheme, but the word Doomsday and the Superman logo give off a different vibe. Is this where we finally get answers about the Comedian’s button and Dr. Manhattan’s influence on the current DC Universe?

Everything I have done in comics has led to #DoomsdayClock @1moreGaryFrank @DCComics https://t.co/YEoYmG86Uk pic.twitter.com/i5CLpjW2jx

— Geoff Johns (@geoffjohns) May 15, 2017

Geoff Johns Hits Social Media With Surprising New Teaser…

Power Rangers was, for me at least, a rather unexpectedly great movie. It also generally received positive reviews and was seen as a good start in a new franchise. However, that positivity hasn’t translated to box office.

Not even breaking $100 million domestically, the film series’ hopes for continuation does seem on dodgy ground. Lionsgate’s hopes likely rested in how the film would do in the Chinese market, what with the film costing $100 million to make and then some in marketing. But sadly, Forbes are reporting that the film’s debut in China has been far from spectacular – reporting that on it’s first day Power Rangers only took $1.2 million.

It will be hard to justify a big budget sequel with these kinds of figures, which is a shame given the film’s reception. It would be a terrible shame to see the film franchise stopped from continuing after such a promising start. Hopefully, DVD and Blu-Ray sales may help bolster the films taking and give some hope at another shot at the box office.

Is The Power Rangers Sequel In Jeopardy?

Time to see if your childhood holds up; T2: Terminator 2 – Judgement Day is getting a release in 3D this summer.

T2: Terminator 2 – Judgement Day 3D will be released on August 25, 2017.

Bring On The Nostalgia Because ‘T2: Terminator 2 – Judgement Day 3D’ Is Coming

We’re a little late to the party on this one, but it’s still a feel-good story because it shows what happens when you do the right thing. Reddit user Reddit user Khemist49 came across a particularly rare find in the gaming industry: a gold disc containing the original source code for 1998’s StarCraft. In the hands of almost any other person, we’d be writing a story about how they sold that disc on eBay for around $50k to some extravagant collector from Korea. But instead, he turned it over to Blizzard after finding it in an eBay box of his own marked “box of Blizzard stuff.”

Originally he posted about the disc on Reddit, to which people wanted him to post all its secrets. But then Blizzard hit him up and asked to have it back since it had intellectual property that belonged to them. After chatting with a lawyer, he decided to send the disc back, which got him a copy of Overwatch and $250 Blizzard store credit. But that wasn’t the end of it, as he posted this thread on Reddit along with this picture.

Along with getting a ton of awesome Overwatch and Diablo III swag (we kinda want to try out the bottle opener), the man got a free pass to BlizzCon this year, all expenses paid with the staff wanting to take him out for drinks. Now obviously this doesn’t happen to everyone, but the lesson to be learned here is that if you find something that belongs to someone, no matter how minor or insignificant it may be, the rewards of returning it might be greater than just having a profound effect on your personal being. It’s a wonder what showing a little kindness can do on both ends.

Blizzard Shows Love To A Man Who Found The ‘StarCraft’ Source Code

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is off to a strong starting with Variety reporting that the Marvel sequel is looking at an impressive $150 million dollar opening weekend. That’s impressive and the reviews thus far have been very positive. However, this is the era of modern filmmaking so before this movie was even out people were already asking director/writer James Gunn if he was going to return for a third. Gunn, in an attempt to not answer the same questions 5778345784 times during the press junket, announced that he will be returning for a third movie.

In an interview with USA Today Gunn revealed that not only has he started working on a third movie but that Zoe Saldana is looking like she’ll have a bigger role.

James Gunn has already started writing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to complete his trilogy, discussing the story with Pratt and having “some pretty intense conversations” with Saldana about a significant role in the threequel. The only travels Gunn has on his docket in the near future, though, are relaxing ones to “get my head on straight after three years of waking up and going to sleep and thinking about a talking raccoon.”

Now while we can all be happy that Gunn has started working on a third movie we should probably give him a chance to relax a little after this second production. At the moment Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the only post-Avengers 4 movie that we know about. There are slated release dates for “untitled Marvel projects” but that doesn’t mean Guardians 3 is anywhere on the docket.

“I love these characters,” Gunn says. “Including my father and my dog, my mother had eight kids, and I have all these Guardians. They’re my kids.”

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will be released on May 5, 2017.

James Gunn Has Already Started Writing ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3’

As the high fantasy cable drama of Game Of Thrones nears it’s series conclusion, it’s apparent HBO doesn’t want to leave Westeros just yet.

Variety just broke the news that yes, HBO has indeed closed deals with four different writers to explore the various spinoff options possible after the end of the show.  That’s four writers for FOUR DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

This has been a long rumored possibility, never fully dismissed by current Game Of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss, who are on board for these prospective series as well as “A Song of Ice and Fire” creator/author George R. R. Martin.  Early reports say that Martin will NOT be writing any of these new projects, but we all know how Grandpa George feels about sharing his toys and sandbox.

Currently the named writers for these projects are Max Borenstein (Kong: Skull Island),  Jane Goldman (Kingsman: The Golden Circle), Brian Helgeland (A Knight’s Tale), and Carly Wray (Mad Men, The Leftovers).  Variety goes on to say that Goldman and Wray will each be “working individually with Martin” on their individual titles.

There is such a rich history included in the Game of Thrones universe, so much material in the novels not touched by the series.  Here’s hoping we get an entire spinoff based in Dorne, guys.

What House would you want to know more about?  What secret stories? Let us know in the comments!

Game Of Thrones Spinoff(s) Happening Says HBO

Oh, if only the company had done this with the NES Classic Edition. But, give them credit where it’s due, the Nintendo Switch was a hot commodity and people want one sooner than later. So rather than shipping them by boat as is the tradition with large electronics shipments, the system was sent by plane to be on shelves everywhere two months ago.

The Wall Street Journal ran a story today talking about how the company opted to ship through a more expensive route because of the high demand around the globe. The goal was to sell two million units, but the company actually sold 2.74 million, so to meet the demand they shipped from China to the U.S. and Europe, which cost the company an extra $45 per unit. So the next time you want to knock the company about some of its practices, also keep in mind that they make good decisions on occasion, even at the expense of their own profits.

Nintendo Flew In Switch Shipments To Meet The Current Demand

The trailer for the adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower is finally set to drop this week according to Collider and multiple other sources. The movie has an August 6, 2017 release date but aside from some images and am Entertainment Weekly cover there hasn’t been much. The trailer leaked not long ago but Sony quickly pulled it from outlets. This is a movie that should be all over the place considering we have movies that aren’t coming out until December that have trailers out. The rumor is that the trailer is going to be attached to the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 due out this Friday but who knows when the trailer will actually drop. The fans of the series have been waiting for a long time to see this movie happen and the radio silence on the marketing is making everyone nervous.

To quote Haleigh Foutch who wrote the announcement for Collider: “I’m not even convinced this movie exists anymore. Prove it, Sony.” I’m with you Haleigh.

The Dark Tower will be released on August 6, 2017 or maybe not. We’ll see but here are some images to get your hopes up.

The Trailer For ‘The Dark Tower’ Is Finally Debuting This Week