The demonic forces of Trigon infiltrate the minds and bodies of the Justice League, turning the veteran super heroes against their youthful counterparts in the all-new DC Universe Original Movie.
Robin, Nightwing, and the JL are all returning characters from previous films, but this will be the debut of the other Titans, including Beast Boy, Starfire, Raven, and Blue Beetle. Interestingly enough, it looks like Cyborg will be siding with the Titans in the flick. Cyborg was a core member of the Titans before becoming a founding member of the Justice League during DC’s New 52 relaunch.
Jon Bernthal will voice the villain Trigon; Bernthal is known as Shane from AMC’s The Walking Dead, as well as the Punisher in the upcoming season of Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix.
This first look was first revealed as bonus a bonus feature attached to Batman: Bad Blood. Bad Blood is currently available for digital download, and will release on DVD/Blu-Ray on February 2.
The Fantastic Four have long been one of the cornerstones of Marvel Comics. Known as Marvel’s First Family they sit alongside The Amazing Spider-Man as the company’s most famous characters and longest running titles. Like many characters created by Marvel, the movie rights were sold off many years ago in order to keep the company afloat during a rocky financial period. This means that a Fantastic Four movie at present cannot be a produced by Marvel Studios. There has been some rumours the movie rights will be returning to Marvel, but Fox who currently own them have discredited this story. However, lets take a look a why the Fantastic Four need to return home to the house of ideas and join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Three failed attempts
While out of the control of Marvel Studios, there have been 3 very bad attempts at adapting the Fantastic Four comic book series; the infamous, unreleased B-movie produced by Roger Corman in 1994, two movies released in 2005 and 2007 boasted an all-star cast but failed to win over audiences with either attempt, and the 2015 reboot that tried a darker and different take on the classic characters, this also failed and the movie was a critical and commercial failure. The Fantastic Four really deserve a better movie adaptation after many years of popular comics. A few failed attempts have enabled other characters to return to Marvel in one way or another, such as; Daredevil, Ghost Rider, The Punisher and most recently Spider-Man.
Hulk vs The Thing
One of the best rivalries in Marvel Comics for decades has been the Hulk and The Fantastic Four’s Ever Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Thing. As The Thing can regularly go two-to-two with Hulk it would be great to see them duke it out on the big screen.
Marvel Cosmic
The Fantastic Four have always been strongly connected to the cosmic side of Marvel from the origins of their powers to their many run-ins with the likes of the Skrulls and the Kree. The MCU has neatly set up the cosmic side to the universe in Thor, The Avengers and most recently Guardians of the Galaxy.
Galactus and the Silver Surfer
One of the most important stories in Marvel history: the Galactus Trilogy, a three issue story arc that saw the Fantastic Four meet the devourer of worlds, Galactus, a being of impossible power that they could only defeat with the aide of his herald and slave, the Silver Surfer. Galactus and the Silver Surfer are huge fan favourites from the comics and if Galactus did return to Marvel he could be a villain even beyond what we’ve seen from Thanos.
Doctor Doom
Not only has Doctor Doom long been the arch-nemesis of the Fantastic Four but he is arguably the best super-villain in Marvel Comics history. He is effectively an evil amalgamation of Iron Man, Black Panther and Doctor Strange and has faced off against nearly every major hero in Marvel Comics including the Avengers. If Marvel can somehow regain the movie rights to Fantastic Four, having Doctor Doom to play with in the MCU would surely be the most exciting outcome.
Would you like to see the Fantastic Four join the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
After the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, tons of celebrity cameos in the film were revealed. Daniel Craig was a stormtrooper, Simon Pegg was Unkar Plutt, and tons of voice cameos slowly leaked out as well. However, most cameos remained a mystery, including that of writer/director Kevin Smith.
That has now changed. Yesterday, Lucasfilm released a list of voice cameos from The Force Awakens, compiled by supervising sound editor Matthew Wood. Wood states:
You may have seen a section in the credits of The Force Awakens titled “Additional Voices,” with some familiar names listed. But who or what did all those familiar names play? I’m happy to finally reveal everyone below, running through the film chronologically. (There are also a couple of actor cameos in there that shall remain nameless (for now).)
The list is not collectively exhaustive, but it is pretty extensive, and it does reveal Smith’s cameo. It turns out Smith was a stormtrooper during the assault on Maz Kanata’s castle. His one line was in reaction to incoming Resistance fighters:
“We have incoming at 28.6! Move!”
The list also reveals a few lines by Tom Kane, the noted voice actor who provided both the opening narration and the voice of Yoda in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Wood closed out his remarks with some kind words for the actors listed, and gives credit to many more:
Finally, I just want to thank all the voice actors who contributed to the film, including but not limited to those listed below. There are several scenes with layers and layers of voices that we can’t credit individually, but they make sequences come alive, and the film would not be the same without them.
New details about the next Star Wars film, Rogue One, have surfaced.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is directed by Gareth Edwards, and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen (IP Man), Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen of Hannibal fame, Alan Tudyk (as a motion capture character), and Riz Ahmed.
The film is a prequel to the original 1977 Star Wars, dealing with rebel efforts to convey Death Star blueprints to Leia Organa. The screenplay is by Chris Weitz, and the film is due in theaters on December 16, 2016.
Possible spoilers after the jump.
Joblo released some details about the film today with the biggest news concerning Darth Vader. The face of the Star Wars franchise is expected to have a larger role than originally thought. This movie is thought of as a relaunching point for Vader as Disney has plans for the Sith Lord beyond Rogue One. We also had the report last week that James Earl Jones would reprise his role as the voice of Vader.
Also, Death Troopers are coming! Storm Troopers in all-black costumes will be in the film, and they have been referred to as Death Troopers. There will be a new Tie Fighter design and AT-ATs to be introduced as well.
We are just under 11-months until the next Star Wars installment and the first outside the Skywalker mythos.
Possible ‘Death Trooper’ helmet on the left. – source JoeBlo.com
Disney released an international teaser for Pixar’s Finding Dory Monday afternoon. The crew at Pixar doesn’t give you too much.
Finding Dory reunites everyone’s favourite forgetful blue tang, Dory, with her friends Nemo and Marlin on a search for answers about her past. What can she remember? Who are her parents? And where did she learn to speak Whale?
The film is directed by Andrew Stanton, and features the voices of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton.
Short on surprises and innovative plotting though it may be, Kung Fu Panda 3, which reunites the all-star voice cast featured in the first two installments while adding the talents of Bryan Cranston, J.K. Simmons, and Kate Hudson, has more than enough cartoony martial arts action, heart, and laughs to make it worth your while to see, especially if you’re a fan of the series. In many ways, it brings the series and its main character full circle, giving viewers all new reasons to cheer while delivering more of what’s made the series an enduring favorite: high-flying action, eye-popping animation, and a wealth of jokes and gags built around all that weight those pandas carry around.
Just when Po (voiced once again by Jack Black), the fun-loving yet formidable panda warrior trained by the great Kung Fu master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) to be one of the Valley of Peace’s most powerful protectors, thinks he’s got everything as far as what life is going throw at him figured out, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), Oogway’s friend and successor, hits the unlikely hero with an even more unlikely challenge: to take the step from student to teacher for his one-time idols, the Furious Five. Naturally, Po is wholly unnerved at the idea, almost as much as Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Tigress (Angelina Jolie Pitt) are. After just one chaotic day with Po leading the class, they have every reason to believe that their fears are well grounded; in fact, they’re all lucky to survive the class with all their limbs and skulls intact.
The warriors find a momentary diversion from the debate over Po’s future as a teacher with the arrival of his long-lost father, Li (Bryan Cranston). Father and son are overjoyed to be reunited, but they have little time to enjoy the reunion before the Valley is threatened by a new and powerful villain, Kai (J.K. Simmons). A spirit warrior whose powers grow as he absorbs the chi energy of martial arts masters he defeats, Kai’s march toward destroying the Jade Palace and all that Po and the Furious Five hold dear at first seems unstoppable. But as Shifu and the warriors discover, he can be beaten through a technique for mastering chi that has been lost for centuries, one that Oogway himself discovered in, of all places, a secret panda village high in the mountains far from the Valley of Peace. Li agrees to lead Po to the village — it’s his and Po’s home, as it turns out — but will they find what they need before Kai triumphs? It’s a race against time as the young Dragon Warrior comes face to face with others of his kind for the first time, and in so doing is forced to accept that the time has come for him to be more than just a butt-kicking kung fu hero of awesomeness.
Without a doubt, Kung Fu Panda 3 first and foremost benefits from the familiarity audiences should have with the series and the characters by this point. It’s been eight years since the first installment was a surprise summer hit, and since then the franchise has spawned both theatrical sequels and a TV series spin-off. What also helps is the consistency of visual style and tone throughout all those properties — parents and kids know exactly what they’re going to get when they go see a Kung Fu Panda film: slacker and jiggly belly jokes, lots of Jack Black/Po saying “Whoa!”, and bright, colorfully animated high-speed action and adventure. It’s a winning formula that, to the credit of this particular production, cast and crew do not simply fall back on and recycle.
Instead, writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, who have handled screenwriting duties for all three big screen Panda adventures, dare to venture into some surprisingly sophisticated thematic territory. It’s not often, after all, that you find a family-friendly animated action film exploring such complex concepts as the possible emotional impact the return of a biological parent can have on an adoptive family unit, how that can affect one’s sense of identity, just to name one challenging place the writers choose to take this story. It’s a credit to Aibel and Berger, the faith they display in the ability of Western audiences to be able to handle such material as they continue to develop their characters in meaningful and organic ways. Does the actual plot of the film deliver any truly shocking turns or twists? Of course not — older kids and parents will know exactly where this one’s going pretty much from the start. But that doesn’t take much away from the fun the movie delivers along the way.
One real possibility for disappointment out there for audiences and fans of the Kung Fu Panda series in Kung Fu Panda 3 may be the relative lack of screen time and substantive participation in the story the film allots to the star-studded supporting cast. While the whole gang is back together, much of the Furious Five aren’t a whole lot to do or say here, as the focus is shifted toward Po’s interaction with the newly introduced characters. From that group, the standouts are Cranston and Simmons, two performers recently recognized for their considerable talents with Oscar nominations for heavier fare, but who arguably built their early careers thanks to comedic roles. To be fair, considering the limited running time usually imposed on Western animated films and the nuanced ideas and themes the film wishes to develop, less face time for the familiar supporting characters is a necessity. But as the film’s story unfolds, it’s hard not to wish there might have been more involvement for characters voiced by such comedic talents as Rogen, Cross, and Jackie Chan.
But all in all, there’s a whole lot more to like than dislike in Kung Fu Panda 3. It’s bright, energetic, and genuinely heartwarming fun that kids no doubt will want to watch over and over again, so parents, when you budget for this particular trip to the movies, be sure and put aside a few bucks to pay for the home digital release when it becomes available, too.
Kung Fu Panda 3
Starring the voice talents of Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie Pitt, J.K. Simmons, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Kate Hudson, and James Hong. Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni.
Running Time: 101 minutes
Rated PG for martial arts action and some mild rude humor.
Can we take a moment to appreciate how weird a character Supergirl is? Superman may be labelled the “Last Son of Krypton”, but the sheer amount of people or dogs (Kyrpto, I’m looking at you) that escaped the planet’s destruction is astounding. Kara Zol-El was originally sent to Earth to look after her baby cousin; Kal-El only to accidentally get placed in suspended animation for decades. When she awakes, not only is Kal-El no longer a baby, but he has become the Man of Steel himself. Their destined roles now reversed, it is up to Superman to take care of his cousin and guide her. If Supergirl hadn’t been a product of the Silver Age, you’d swear she was the product of someone’s fan fiction. As such, I have often struggled with the character. I accept the importance of the character’s death during Crisis on Infinite Worlds, but outside of a 2004 Batman/Superman story-line, there was nothing that endeared me to the character. Her Earth 2 counterpart;Power Girl, was interesting because of her unwillingness to be defined solely as Superman’s cousin, but Supergirl lacked that independence and often served as a plot device for when an unknown Kryptonian issue would reek its head. CBS’ Supergirl, on the other hand, is about a Kara Zor-El, who wants to pay tribute to her cousin without being subservient to his legacy. Clark may be her inspiration, but he doesn’t define who she is. This Kara Zol-El is her own woman, a superhero and interesting character who just so happens to have a famous cousin. The Adventures of Supergirl by writer;Sterling Gates and Artist; Bengal is not only a fitting tie-in to the TV show, but a fantastic work in its own right.
This comic acts as an interesting companion piece to the Burnside Batgirl series, one aimed at millennials, but appeals to a much broader readership desperate for something different. The foreground of this revolves around a monster-of-the-week fight with Superman villian; Rampage, but that fight serves as a vehicle for recapping the TV series’ premise and certain aspects of the pilot developed by Greg Berlanti, Ali Adler and Andrew Kreisburg. One could argue that it’s redundant because the majority of those picking up the comic will be familiar the show but given that the new 52 has done nothing for the character, it is necessary as a way of re-introduces readers to the character. Besides based on their work on DC characters, up until this point, I’m fairly certain Berlanti and Kresiberg could convince me to watch a show about the aptly named Challengers of the Unknown. The first chapters highlights what makes the series great, an understanding of how to humanise one with godlike powers. The problem with a lot of Superman stories is that the failure to understand that the best drama is internal in nature. There is a reason why Superman’s greatest adversary is one who challenges him on an intellectual and philosophical level. The villains and actions scenes should be a way of personifying the internal challenges that such characters face. Smallville was always great at showing the impact that living in a world of cardboard would have on a young hero. The need to constantly be in control, to constantly restrain yourself, is something that Clark had to learn over that show’s tenure. Supergirl is faced with a similar dilemma, having embraced her powers, she must now learn to control them effectively. The young Kryptonian refugee certainly has the raw power and potential to be a hero, but as the new kid on the block, she must learn the accompanying responsibility. Kara’s inexperience is what prevents her from being a great hero and that is her true antagonist. Supergirl can certainly do lots of things, but the question is should she and how her actions influence those around her.It has the great emotional core of Smallville without all the fluff. Sterling Gates captures Kara’s voice quite well, emulating the uncertainty that she feels and her worries regarding how people perceive her relative to Superman. I look forward to seeing how Mr. Gates deals with Kara vis-a-vis other characters in the coming chapters as this inaugural outing is a soliloquy of sorts.
It’s really nice that publishers have finally recognised that bright, energetic and vibrant artwork has a place in the industry. Bengal is a French comic book artist who has been active in the European industry for a number of years and it is reflected in his style of artwork. One thing that the European comic tradition has always exemplified is a style unrestricted by much of the gritty photo-realism that often dominates the US market. It looks and feels like a sophisticated animated series. It’s position outside of mainstream DC continuity allows it that flexibility with regards character designs and house styles. It is unafraid to be a There is a joy to art like, an intangible quality that reflects the love and fun that went into its creation. My one gripe, and it is one that doesn’t reflect the quality of the work per se, is that it doesn’t take advantage of the unique features a digital comic can provide creators. There is no attempt to layer images in such as way as to ensure a smoother progression from panel to panel. There is not problem with designing a weekly digital comic as a more serialised form of the traditional print comic, but it can feel like a wasted opportunity. Bengal’s artwork itself is beyond reproach, it’s glad to see a style such as his being embraced.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s just a damn fine comic and one that sits comfortably alongside recent endeavors to give nuanced female-led titles the spotlight that they deserve in an ever diversifying readership. Much like the DCAU of old, The Adventures of Supergirl is that special kind of adaptation that exceeds its source material. The mainstream DC universe hasn’t treated Kara well over the last few years and it’s about time that she got her kumuppins. We need better female representation in comics and it looks like it just might be a job for Supergirl. The series can only go up, up and away from here.
A review copy was kindly provided by the publisher.
Holy Moses! Iggy Pop and Josh Hommes, you might know him as the front-man for the AWESOME bands the Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss, are in the midst of a wonderful collaboration! What, what??
Many of you, I know I am, are still reeling from the recent deaths of David Bowie and, most recently, Glenn Frey – but there is a glimmer in this darkness. It would seem that music fans may have something to look forward to and that is…NEW MUSIC from Iggy Pop! And, to sweeten this deal he’s collaborating with Josh Hommes? YAAASSS!
If you don’t know who Iggy Pop is, and you fancy yourself a music fan, then you should reevaluate that idea. But, if for some reason you have been living under a rock and just don’t know, in his own right, he a shinning example of non-conformity, anarchy, and punk rock all spun into a wiry, heroine chic physiqued, chaotic masterpiece. HE, is the Godfather of Punk Rock.
So, in this our winter of discontent let there be light.
This secret project, Post Pop Depression“, is a collection of songs co-written and recorded by Pop and Hommes. The album was recorded independently, there were no record execs to answer and this seems to be just what the doctor ordered. Not being beholden to the record industry ‘machine’ allows some artist to create their art without worrying about whether it will be a commercial success. The absence of the influence a record label could prove to be a very good thing for this project.
The first single from this new offering is, Gardenia. The beginning strains of this song makes you think if Bowie. It just has that sound about it. You can definitely hear his influence in the song, which shouldn’t be a surprise since in the 1970s the two – Bowie and Iggy Pop – collaborated together in Berlin. Mr. Bowie helped Mr. Pop write and produce the albums, “The Idiot” and “Lust for Life.” China Girl, Tonight, and Sister Midnight were also products of their musical partnership and friendship.
Iggy Pop has said of his friendship with Bowie, that he saved him from personal and professional ruin and that he resurrected him. Perhaps this new project Hommes will stand to do much of the same. It will fuel the rock god into further rebirth.
Marvel Studios or Netflix has yet to make an official announcement.
The series stars Mike Colter as Luke Cage, with a supporting cast of Mahershala Ali, Frankie Faison, Darius Kaleb, Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Frank Whaley, and Alfre Woodard. Rosario Dawson will appear in one episode.
After a sabotaged experiment leaves him with super strength and unbreakable skin. Luke Cage becomes a fugitive trying to rebuild his life in modern day Harlem, New York City. But he is soon pulled out of the shadows and must fight a battle for the heart of his city – forcing him to confront a past he had tried to bury.
Colter talked about how he expects Luke Cage to fit in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and follow up Jessica Jones.
“I would like to think that while we are in the same world, it’s going to feel a little more, I guess, urban is the word most people would say…The characters that live uptown are different than the characters that live in Hell’s Kitchen, but you will see some crossover characters as you already noticed on the previous series. So there are similarities, but definitely, you’re going to notice that you’re in Harlem as opposed to Hell’s Kitchen. We want to be true to Harlem as a part of town and distinctly different than Hell’s Kitchen,” said Colter to Den of Geek.
As far as the other Marvel properties at Netflix; Jessica Jones was renewed for a second season, a Punisher series is in the works, and Iron Fist found a showrunner in Scott Buck with all the characters involved in a Defenders mini-series sometime in 2018.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is two months away from release and every detail possible is spilling on this film. Empire Magazine just released 14 new images from the film and one image features the Omega symbol used by Darkseid.
Darkseid is the ruler of the planet Apokolips, and he is intent on conquering the universe and eliminating all free will. One of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe and most well-known long-running villains, the character is a major enemy of the Justice League.
A new trailer was released today as well.
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, violent vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting the world in greater danger.
Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jason Momoa, Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, Gal Gadot, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Diane Lane, Ezra Miller, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Michael Shannon, and Laurence Fishburne.
