In what has to be one of the most left field reports in recent pop culture history, Academy Award Winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese is involved with a standalone ‘Joker’ film. The news comes via Deadline Hollywood, who broke the story. Scorsese will be working along Todd Phillips (Old School/The Hangover/War Dogs) with a screenplay by 8-Mile writer Scott Silver. According to Deadline, the film will be a “gritty and grounded hard-boiled crime film set in early-’80s Gotham City that isn’t meant to feel like a DC movie as much as one of Scorsese’s films from that era, like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or The King Of Comedy.”
This film will also reportedly relaunch the character with a new actor and not be a part of the DCEU (Jared Leto is reportedly still attached to both the Suicide Squad sequel and the Harley Quinn solo movie as well).
What do you guys think? Scorsese is, of course, a master of cinema. Todd Phillips certainly knows how to entertain, and Silver’s script for 8-Mile was definitely grim, gritty and hard-hitting. It is WAY early, but the ingredients are there for at the very least an interesting take on the material. Comment and discuss below!
In the penultimate chapter of M.A.S.K., Matt Trakker and his allies battle massive mutated creatures in the bowels of the Earth as an internal power struggle threatens to tear the team apart. The secret infiltrator continues to sow distrust. If M.A.S.K. survives the monsters, can they survive each other?
Writing
With the promise things are going to change for M.A.S.K. after the events of First Strike, the issue is heading towards what has been dubbed its “Season Finale.” Frankly, an ending just can’t get here fast enough.
This issue feels rushed, which may have something to do with the crossover event. Still, a drop in the quality of storytelling is apparent. The team is fighting against a massive Dire Wraith (the alien enemies of ROM), dealing with a mole in the operation, saving people, and their arch enemies VENOM also decide to show up. Despite all these events happening in the issue, everything feels bland and less than thrilling, which is the opposite effect you want to elicit from the reader with an action book. It almost feels like the writer was changed, but it’s still Brandon Easton behind the wheel, but his driving leaves something to be desire.
Artwork
The art by Drew Moss with colors by Jordi Escuin is less than satisfactory to say the least. It feels as if the art is being done by different people not just page to page but panel to panel. Characters look inconsistent, architecture is represented by crude shapes, and the facial expressions are off putting. This is the lowest score given in the artwork category by this reviewer in a while.
Conclusion
What happened to this series? It feels like it jumped the shark, but given how this is a universe with aliens, giant robots, and transforming vehicles, this seems hard to do. Given the series is about to end and the characters will soon be under a G.I. Joe title, this may be just one poor issue which came from an accelerated production schedule. Hopefully this is only a hiccup and not a prologue of what level of quality to expect in future issues from IDW publishing.
The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Daredevil & The Defenders star Charlie Cox and asked him about what’s in store for the character post The Defenders. If you are a reader of the comics, it’s likely that the phrase Born Again rings in your ear when thinking of Matt Murdock. Lucky for us, it seems as though season three will be adapting that storyline to some extent.
“Everyone who loves Daredevil loves Born Again. You can’t not. And if that’s the case, then the implications of that would be very exciting to me. That would be great. Having said that, I know we don’t tend to follow any story blueprints too closely, because if you do, then you become a foregone conclusion. There may be elements from Born Again, but I’m sure there will be elements that are unfamiliar and surprising and different in order for the show to be compelling to fans who know the comics very well. If we start making Born Again page-for-page, then the people who have read it and loved it — the hardcore fans — they won’t have too much drama.”
This is my favorite storyline in all of comics. It tells the story of Matt Murdock at his lowest point; Karen Page is a heroin addict after pursuing an acting career, and sells Murdock’s identity as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. Wilson Fisk systematically destroys Murdock’s life, and it’s an incredibly emotional journey to experience on paper. If they truly bring it to Netflix it has the potential to make Daredevil the greatest comic book show of all time.
Are you looking forward to Daredevil season three? How much of Born Again will be, or should be, brought to the small screen? Comment below, let us know.
As everyone is well-aware, Justice League comes out this November, and it is likely one of the most anticipated movies of the year. The film will feature five major heroes: Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and the Flash. Superman will also be making an appearance, as evidenced by the fact that Warner Bros. has to digitally remove Henry Cavill’s mustache for the film. Since the movie doesn’t come out for a few more months, let’s go ahead and jump the gun and daydream about who might be in the next Justice League movie. As this is DC, there are plenty of options.
Justice League plus Harley Quinn” by Julian Fong
More Than One Team?
There are plenty of great heroes and villains that could make an appearance in the Justice League sequel. In fact, we could see entire groups of characters come into play. For instance, it was established in Batman vs. Superman that at least one of the Robins is already dead. That means we aren’t likely to see the Boy Wonder in any forthcoming films (but you never know). However, that doesn’t mean we won’t have an appearance from the Teen Titans (possibly led by Cyborg himself?). The Teen Titans are normally led by Robin and often include Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven, and the previously mentioned Cyborg. With the absence of Robin though, we could see add-ins such as Firestorm or Blue Beetle. Firestorm and Blue Beetle would be great additions because they are unique personalities, and would bring even more diversity to the cast.
It’s also possible we will see some characters from the Gotham City Sirens, since there is already a standalone film lined up for that group. The Sirens include famous female villains such as Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman.
One final team possibility is the Suicide Squad, which also includes Harley Quinn. While the movie got less-than-positive reviews, some great characters came out of it that would be great for other films. Will Smith as Deadshot would be a welcome return, as well as El Diablo and fan-favorite Harley Quinn.
Whoever is included, it would be epic to watch various teams of different alliances coming together to stop a greater threat.
A Bigger League
With a sequel, we will likely see several more heroes added to the lineup. With a new Green Lantern movie in the works, we will no doubt see him added to the team. We could also see the likes of Supergirl and Green Arrow, since they are running their own successful TV shows at the moment. It’s also possible we will see Shazam in the next Justice League, as there is already a movie in the works.
Villians All Around
The DC heroes are great, but they have even better villains. Aside from the Sirens and Suicide Squad, there are great villains like Deathstroke, who is likely to appear in the new Batman movie, as well as other great Batman villains like Clayface, Two-Face, and Ra’s Al Ghul. The recently released Injustice 2 showcased some other great villains that could make appearances, such as Gorilla Grodd and Atrocitus. The game also established that Brainiac is a terrifying villain, and would make an excellent addition to the villain roundup.
Make It a Battle Royale
Ultimately, what I (and hopefully many others) hope to see from the next Justice League movie is a full-on clash between all kinds of heroes and villains. Doing so would be tricky, but if Warner Bros carefully places their releases and build up to it, they could make something great with a ton of great characters and a lot of memorable set pieces.
If you can’t wait to see all kinds of heroes clash, though, we recommend playing some of the DC games already out there. One is Injustice 2, but there are dozens more, including the MMORPG DC Universe Online or, if you like retro titles, Superman: Shadow of the Apokolips, which came out in 2002 for the PS2 and Gamecube. DC has even reached niche gaming sectors such as slot machines, with ere are plenty of options out there. You could even play some DC-inspired slots games, such as the ones at Sky Bingo. You can even download Sky Bingo’s mobile apps so you can take your superhero gameplay on the go, while you’ll find the dedicated DC Comics reader app on the Play Store and App Store, if mobile is your platform of choice.
Let’s Wait and See
It’s hard to speculate right now what we can expect from the next Justice League movie, but that doesn’t mean we can’t dream. The movie comes out November 17th, and the new trailer has got us all more pumped than ever. Once it drops, that’s when the real speculating will begin.
Doctor Who has reportedly cast Bradley Walsh as the first companion for Jodi Whittaker’s Doctor, according to the Daily Mirror. The BBC has yet to officially confirm the casting.
Walsh is an actor and television personality, most notably starring in Law & Order UK (where new Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall served as a writer and executive producer). He is also a host on the English game show The Chase. Walsh also appeared in the Doctor Who spinoff The Sarah Jane Adventures in the episodes Day of the Clown: Parts I and II.
The Doctor’s companions have typically been younger females (see: Billie Piper, Karen Gillan, and Pearl Mackie). This casting would continue the brave trend of trying something new with this incarnation of Doctor Who.
Doctor Who will return this Christmas with Twice Upon a Time, which will show Peter Capaldi’s Doctor regenerate into Jodi Whittaker’s Time Lady.
What kind of dynamic do you think Bradley Walsh’s companion will have with Jodi Whittaker’s Doctor?
This year’s MetroCon brought some unique experiences and guest panels with noteworthy voice actors such as Steve Blum, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Scott McNeil, Christina Vee, Vic Mignogna, Max Mittelman, Ray Chase, and Robbie Daymond. The con featured a variety of panels on subjects as diverse as Nerds with Disabilities to Supernatural Genderbents. There were tabletop gaming rooms as well as video gamer rooms. The merchandise hall was nothing short of an anime cosplay wet dream. The con is worth it for the shopping alone.
Vic’s Star Trek Dreams
Like all things however this con was only as good as its storytellers. One great storyteller is Vic Mignogna. This English voice actor has been Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, Kurz from Full Metal Panic, Broly in Dragonball Z, Ikkaku in Bleach among a host of other projects. During his talk, Vic regaled fans with some coming soon projects. The most interesting is his participation in the expanding of the Star Trek Universe with Star Trek Continues and how it is fulfilling his childhood dreams.
MetroCon facilitated an open and welcoming environment that felt both embracing and comfortable. In minutes during his talk with fans the feeling was like Vic was chatting with a 100 or so of his closest MetroCon friends. Fans felt comfortable expressing their love and sharing priceless moments with Vic. As far as celebrity panels go this was handled with an abundance of professionalism and a sense of true engagement which some cons have trouble generating.
Scott McNeil and Pepper Appeal
One of the featured voice actors was Scott McNeil. Known for his signature look and pepper fetish he’s voiced anime and video game characters. Many know his work from DragonBall Z, Beast Wars, and World of Warcraft. His panel was relaxed yet filled with ritual. Through bouts of witty banter and some play acting the actor gave his thoughts on past projects, action figures and what the Warcraft movie felt like to him.
The MetroCon Power Board Blum McGlynn and McNeil
One of the final guest talks featured some heavy hitters with Scott Blum, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Scott McNeil. They collectively have voiced or directed such blockbuster animes like Cowboy Bebop,Samurai Champloo, Ghost in a Shell Stand Alone Complex, Star Wars Rebels and countless more. Their talk focused on how to get into voice acting and how to take care of your voice as a voice actor. They veered into other stories describing bloopers from recordings to the proper way to voice Wolverine.
All in all this was a con worth attending. Security was tight due to pricing for levels of con access. However the staff were friendly, cooperative and easy to talk to. So put MetroCon on your con to do list next year. Be sure to check out the panels which range from costume contests to LARPing. If you’re so inclined submit a panel. Regardless of all else start planning your cosplay costume now because the competition is fierce.
See you next time MetroCon. Anyone who attended MetroCon or is curious let’s talk about it in the comments below.
Netflix released the first trailer and poster for the powerful documentary, ‘Strong Island.’ The film will have a limited theatrical release and hit Netflix on September 15.
Check out the trailer below.
About ‘Strong Island’ In April 1992, on Long Island NY, William Jr., the Ford’s eldest child, a black 24-year-old teacher, was killed by Mark Reilly, a white 19-year-old mechanic. Although Ford was unarmed, he became the prime suspect in his own murder. Director Yance Ford chronicles the arc of his family across history, geography and tragedy – from the racial segregation of the Jim Crow South to the promise of New York City; from the presumed safety of middle-class suburbs, to the maelstrom of an unexpected, violent death. It is the story of the Ford family: Barbara Dunmore, William Ford and their three children and how their lives were shaped by the enduring shadow of racism in America.
Netflix calls ‘Strong Island’ a deeply intimate and meditative film. The documentary asks what one can do when the grief of loss is entwined with historical injustice, and how one grapples with the complicity of silence, which can bind a family in an imitation of life, and a nation with a false sense of justice.
Netflix is looking for more and more content. Do you think the streaming service puts out quality documentaries? Comment below.
Of all the cast members in the new Star Wars films, John Boyega continues to prove himself the worst at keeping secrets. During an interview last Friday, Boyega hinted at several Last Jedi cameos, according to Variety.
John Boyega And The Royal Brothers
It’s no secret that the British royal family loves Star Wars. Princes William and Harry reportedly spent time on set in stormtrooper costumes, though Boyega admits he’s not sure if the scene made it into the final cut of The Last Jedi.
Boyega originally leaked the royal visit on a previous interview with BBC 4 radio. Pictures of the visit to Pinewood Studios came out in April of last year. Upon Boyega’s return to the radio show last week, he was asked for more information. “I’ve had enough with those Prince William secrets, man. They came on set; they were there, man. Tom Hardy was there, too – I said it. I’m sick of hiding this.”
John Boyega and Mad Max
While neither Prince has a speaking role, Tom Hardy allegedly shares several scenes with John Boyega. Hardy will apparently play a stormtrooper that trained with Finn, though further details on the full extent of his role are well-kept…for now.
Netflix’s Little Evil is a sendup of the satanic kid horror subgenre, movies like The Omen and Rosemary’s Baby, etc… and it stars Adam Scott as the stepdad of a pint sized devil with all of the possession signs.
This one should be a hit with horror fans. Check out the trailer:
This looks pretty funny. Adam Scott is always reliable as the straight man who’s hiding just a little bit of pent-up insanity beneath the surface. And that kid looks the part for sure.
Little Evil also stars Evangeline Lilly, Tyler Labine, Donald Faison, and Owen Atlas. It’s directed by Eli Craig, who has a little experience in this area having directed the underrated Tucker and Dale vs. Evil.
This is a Netflix release, and of course it’s set for a release date – September 1 – that is so close it makes it almost impossible to build any anticipation. That is the Netflix way, whether you like it or not.
Hostiles, the latest collaboration between Christian Bale and Scott Cooper, director of Out of The Furnace and Crazy Heart, will debut at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival alongside about a dozen heavy-hitting prestige films.
Today, we have the first look at Christian Bale as an army captain who becomes embroiled in a Native-American war. And, well, Bale definitely has the 19th century look down pat:
Set in 1892, Hostiles tells the story of a legendary Army Captain (Christian Bale) who, after stern resistance, reluctantly agrees to escort a dying Cheyenne war chief (Wes Studi) and his family back home to tribal lands. Making the harrowing and perilous journey from New Mexico to the grasslands of Montana, the former rivals encounter a young widow (Rosamund Pike) whose family was murdered on the plains. Together, they must join forces to overcome the punishing landscape, hostile Comanche, and vicious outliers they encounter along the way.
Nothing much to see here, except Christian Bale looking like a badass.
Hostiles has a tremendous cast: Bale, Rosamund Pike (who should be in more), Wes Studi, Ben Foster, Jesse Plemons, Rory Cochrane, and Q’orianka Kilcher. It will debut at TIFF, and is scheduled to hit theaters some time this fall in time for awards season.
