Now that all the Kang time traveling adventures are over, writers Mark Waid & Jeremy Whitley begins the next chapter. Avengers #7 sees Doom and Wasp take center stage.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Victor Von Doom bails the Avengers out of a magical threat. Nadia Pym (Wasp) shares her obsession and admiration for Doom’s scientific achievements. Doom enlists the team for a collaboration in order to stop a magical occurrence happening at a teenage Girl Scout camp.
Doom continues his mission to do right by the world, finally collaborating with other superheroes. Infamous Iron Manhas been a really fun series, that spills over into this issue. With Marvel Legacy around the corner, they should get as weird as possible with Avengers before the “reset/not reset.”
This was another great issue for Nadia, she’s been a surprisingly enjoyable new character. Between Avengers and Unstoppable Wasp, the characterization may differ, but she’s consistently fun to read.
Now that this team of Avengers is more acquainted with each other, Waid & Whitley should be able to deliver more stories like this. Especially if Doom is to become a permanent member. They look great together in every panel, even with leaving Vision behind for this mission.
Mark Waid and Jeremy Whitley have a handle on these characters, achieving fun little moments through dialogue without taking up too much space on the page. This issue in particular was a tight, contained tale that’s cliffhanger teases the subject of the next arc.
The mysterious Avenger X seems to be returning from the grave. Just recently, Waid told the story of her origin and involvement with the team in Avengers #5.1, which is also a good read.
The art in this issue takes a different form from the first six issues. This new approach is more conventional for an Avengers title. The water color worked well for Kang’s excellent time travel adventures, but it was wise to tone it down for this. It’s still very much a different looking Avengers book compared to others from the past, one that should be celebrated.
Avengers #7 is well worth your time, it’s a nice and refreshing pallet cleanser after a long arc. Finally seeing Doom team-up with other heroes is a satisfying experience that I sincerely hope isn’t over.
Hasan Minhaj Takes You Back To High School With ‘Homecoming King’
Fresh off hosting the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Hasan Minhaj is coming out with a Netflix Original stand-up comedy special. In ‘Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King‘, the comedian gives humorous insight to very personal things. Talking about the nightmare situations like racism or high school, Minhaj finds the humor in it all. Using his experience as a Muslim American not only allows his comedy shine but tells a powerful story.
Check out the trailer below:
“Filmed at the Mondavi Center in Minhaj’s hometown of Davis, CA, the special draws on his experience as a Muslim American, as Minhaj of ‘The Daily Show’ riffs on racism, immigrant parents, prom night horrors and more.”
‘Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King‘ premieres May 23rd exclusively on Netflix!
Will you be checking out this stand-up comedy special? Let me know in the comments!
It was confirmed today that the second season of The Shannara Chronicles, the popular fantasy series will air on Spike TV in the fall, shifting from MTV. The series is based on the best-selling fantasy book series by Terry Brooks, which debuted on MTV in 2016.
Season two takes place one year after the events of last season. The Four Lands are in chaos. The re-emergence of magic has the populace terrified, and an organization called The Crimson is hunting down magic users, using fear and intimidation to sow discord among the races.
Wil (Austin Butler), scarred by the loss of Amberle (Poppy Drayton) and his separation from Eretria (Ivana Baquero), has turned his back on his magical destiny to become a healer. But when a mysterious woman named Mareth (Malese Jow) saves Wil from a Crimson attack, he is forced to rejoin the fight.
At Spike TV, The Shannara Chronicle will join another show based on a work of literature, The Mist, an adaptation of the Stephen King novella, which debuts in June. Spike will use The Mist to introduce The Shannara Chronicles to its viewers, with an encore run of its first season airing Thursdays at 11 PM behind original episodes of The Mist, beginning June 29.
The Shannara Chronicles is created by Al Gough and Miles Millar based on the Shannara series of books written by Terry Brooks.
Are you ready to dive back into the world of Shannara? Discuss in the comments!
At this point, only two episodes have aired, but the first episode, ‘The Bone Orchard’ has reached 5 million viewers combined from all platforms. Season two is expected to debut mid-2018 with eight episodes.
Showrunners Bryan Fuller and Michael Green adapted Neil Gaiman’s work for the cable network.
“Bryan Fuller, Michael Green and Neil Gaiman have evolved the art form of television narratively, structurally and graphically with American Gods, and we’re thrilled to be working again with these artists as they continue to build the worlds and wars of the gods,” said Starz programming president Carmi Zlotnik said.
‘American Gods’ has an exceptional cast with Ian McShane, Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Orlando Jones, Pablo Schreiber, Yetide Badaki, Bruce Langley, Kristin Chenoweth and Crispin Glover.
The series has a Sunday night time slot on Starz.
Are you watching ‘American Gods’ or you don’t subscribe to Starz? Comment below.
Fox has cancelled two of its freshman comedy series. Son of Zorn and Making History have both been cut short. Son of Zorn was a He-Man-esque parody, while Making History was a time-travel sitcom. Son of Zorn starred SNL alum and Colossal star Jason Sudeikis. Making History starred Adam Pally (Happy Endings) and Yassir Lester (writer, Girls).
The cancellation of both series isn’t much of a surprise. Neither shows were runaway hits. Making History was specifically cut down to only nine episodes. Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the duo behind The Lego Movie, executive produced both series. The duo also produce The Last Man on Earth, a different Fox series. Interestingly enough, the Will Forte vehicle was picked up for a fourth season.
Fox is no stranger to canceling freshman series. Last year, the network got rid of many new series. Notable cancellations included Bordertown, Party Over Here, and The Grinder. The network is also canceling several dramas, like Sleepy Hollow and APB. Whenever a show isn’t a runaway hit, or garnering enough praise, the network is quick to slice it down.
Making History was part of the time travel television trend this year. The show hit on the same subject matter as dramas like Timeless, Frequency, and Time After Time. As it turns out, none of these shows are getting a second season. Whoever kicked off the trend is probably wishing they could go back in time and find a different premise for their show. At least Making History didn’t pit sexy H.G. Wells and Jack the Ripper against each other.
The cancelation of Son of Zorn is more disappointing. In this humble writer’s opinion, Son of Zorn deserved at least another season. Fox has many animated comedies that work, and Son of Zorn was hitting its stride by the end. Much like Last Man on Earth, the show also featured notable Saturday Night Live alumni. The Neilsen ratings for Son of Zorn were also nearly twice as high as Making History.
Whether either show could have been as successful as Last Man on Earth is hard to say. But with strong creative teams, and growing momentum, neither show had reached its potential. It would have been nice to see both shows get more time. But hey, maybe Adam Pally can go back in time and get better ratings.
The movies, where our childhood dreams were born and our adulthood addiction is fed. Films, giving us our desires whether it be romance, drama, action, or the lot. Yet when did the film industry begin to get so dull and boring? Okay maybe those aren’t the right words, but when was their imagination stifled? Read with us as we take a look at how films have deteriorated in the year 2017.
32/51
Even Disney and Pixar are joining in on the fun
32/51, what does this mean? Well look up “Movies of 2017” in Google and count how many of the top movies are either reboots, sequels, or prequels. These numbers are only what I can recognize as well, it could be much higher. Why is this important you may ask? Look at it this way, when Hollywood recognizes trends the same movies get produced. The Fast and Furious franchise hasn’t died yet because of this and gets another movie this year. So where do we draw the line? The fact is, we haven’t. Until the public stops indulging Hollywood, nothing changes.
The Cashcow
Yeah, I get it, everyone loves action. Everyone loves heroes too, so let’s just rattle these movies off year after year. Don’t get me wrong, they are not all bad, but how many of them hit the mark too? Let’s face it, diehard fans will always go to watch Marvel, DC, and sometimes anime feature films. But with the release of a sub-par Ghost in the Shell, it begs the question as to whether or not directors want to retell these famous stories, or make it their own? Let’s face it, 9/10 (maybe an exaggeration) we dive into the movies for the title or the names behind it. When do we demand a higher level of perfection behind the story though? The answer has to be now. If we don’t take a stand, sub-par may become the new standard.
The only other selling point besides the title…
The Verdict for 2017 Film
2017 might need to be the year things change. Graphics and CG simply don’t cut it anymore because a lack of depth ruins it. Disney lovers will watch the new Live-Action re-boots. Marvel fanatics will watch the sequels. What we need isn’t reinventions of what we already loved, instead we need new content to love. Some of the biggest studios are turning to these options too. (Disney, Pixar, etc.) Overindulging these studios needs to end so cinema can push forward and truly entertain us once more.
“Are you sitting comfortably?” a familiar voice asks at the beginning of “The Narrow Escape Problem.” He gives us a moment to adjust ourselves appropriately. “Good. Then I’ll begin.”
After the voice of Lorne Malvo introduces us to the cast of the episode, each scored by a leitmotif taken from Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, we jump immediately into the Fargo theme, which has been used with less frequency since the first season. But the theme is welcome here, and the dramatic wail of the strings has a surprising lack of discord with the music of Prokofiev.
The use of the themes themselves, however, are much more of a mixed bag when considered in the context of Prokofiev’s original story, despite the strength of the episode overall. To get at why, we must first look at the events of Peter and the Wolf. In the “symphonic fairytale” Peter is a Young Pioneer (more on that later) who leaves the safety of his grandfather’s home to explore a nearby clearing in the forest. There he meets a duck swimming in a pond who argues with a bird, each jealous of the other. The duck, who cannot fly (Prokofiev wasn’t much of a biologist, apparently), is jealous of the bird’s ability to do so, while the bird is jealous of the duck’s ability to swim. At some point, Peter’s cat joins them, and the bird flies into a tree and the duck swims to the middle of the pond to avoid it.
Peter’s grandfather catches him in the clearing, scolds him, and locks him in the house, warning that a wolf could easily kill him if he wanders outside alone. A wolf does end up appearing, and after chasing the various animals, he manages to eat the duck. During this time, Peter escapes and, with the assistance of the bird and cat, captures the wolf. A group of hunters appear, and they lead the captured wolf around as part of a victory parade. Grandfather remains grumpy, and if you listen closely enough, you can hear the duck quacking from inside the belly of the wolf.
The question this story raises, then, is how much the third installment of Fargo will borrow from it.
Emmit, as the bird, is introduced amidst a fluttering flute that alights rapidly on a jumble of notes as he considers his outfit from a wealth of expensive clothing. He is vain and more concerned with his appearance than his brother is, and the leitmotif suits him perfectly. His role thus far, however, has been more reactionary than most of the other characters. If his trajectory matches his Prokofiev counterpart, then that won’t last the entire season, but up to this point, the show has directed its focus more intently on Ray.
Ray, as the duck, is also appropriately scored. The languorous plodding of the oboe reflects his unfortunate brand of dopiness, and this offsets him perfectly against Nikki Swango and the cat’s spry, staccato clarinet. (Swango is somehow the best scored of everyone, though she’s not given much to do in this episode.) Pairing the duck with the cat is somewhat incongruous, but with the haplessness of Ray’s schemes it works so perfectly that it’s easy to ignore. When he walks into the bank, the oboe accompanies him inside, even though he’s pretending to be the bird. McGregor’s performance is strong here, as well, as he plays Ray playing Emmit. (Think Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black.) There are subtle changes in his posture when he remembers he’s supposed to be acting like Emmit, but there’s enough of Ray in there that he can’t help being nice to Millie on her first day.
The relationship between the brothers, or birds, has such subtle shades of nuance in this episode; each has the opportunity to hurt the other, but fails to exploit it. Ray could have stolen more than the $10,000 that he did, but only took what he felt he was due. Emmit, speaking to Varga at the end, could have sicced Varga on Ray and gotten him out of the way, but chose to describe him as a loser instead. While it’s true that Emmit believes his brother is a loser, the look on McGregor’s face shows a genuine concern that he’s navigating dangerous territory here and could get his brother killed. They may not get along terribly well, but the Stussys do care about each other, make no mistake. Esau and Jacob these two are not, despite what Varga says.
After this, however, the leitmotifs start to wear thematically thin in places. Sy being accompanied by the bassoon is fitting, but matching him with the grandfather is so poorly connected to the source material that it becomes distracting. This is a disservice to the anxious energy Michael Stuhlbarg brings in the role, which is disappointing. He’s so entertaining squirming in his seat while being questioned by Winnie, or when he’s trying to intimidate Ray without breaking eye contact but can’t find the handle of his car door. Even though the music itself fits, the character matchup is a disaster, and that’s a shame for Sy. The exact same problem presents itself with the kettle drums of the hunters, who are not parallels of Yuri Gurka and his tiny sidekick. The hunters in the original story are heroic, while these guys are working for the wolf.
Speaking of wolves, I wrote in an earlier review about the lupine quality of David Thewlis’s V.M. Varga, which was apparently something the Fargo team was indeed going for. The menacing French horns of Peter’s nemesis have accompanied more intimidating villains in the past, but they really work for the peculiar Varga, as well. The oral fixation the directors seem to have with the character pays off here, with the revelation that Varga binges and purges not coming across as terribly surprising, despite the fact that I’ve never seen a villain with this issue before. It has something to do with the constant, lingering shots of the man’s tongue crawling across his disfigured teeth like some disgusting pink beetle. Yet in contrast with his repulsive appearance, he takes notes from Gus Fring when he folds up a towel to kneel on while he pukes. This duality is important later on.
Finally, we have Peter’s soaring string quartet chasing Gloria as she drives down a recently-plowed road on the tail of solving her step-father’s murder. By the end of the episode, Gloria’s encounter with Winnie (who is absolutely profanely delightful) seems to have her primed to figure out what actually happened to Ennis Stussy, but what is truly fascinating here is the relationship her Prokofiev counterpart sets her up for having with Varga, the wolf.
Remember that Peter is a Young Pioneer, or a member of a communist organization for children. He is a “man of the people,” which is in no way coincidental in an episode where Varga speaks of “pitchfork peasants with murder in their eyes” rising against the suffocating power of the One Percent. As he mentions this, there is a quick shot of him seated at a computer, spying on Emmit, under the leery eyes of a Stalin portrait. The constant references to Russia (including the Prokofiev themes themselves) and Soviet communism juxtaposed with Varga’s fear of the people at the bottom rising up leave us with the feeling that Gloria will be the one to take him down. Consider, after all, how when Ray mentions that “they always try to screw ya,” her casual reply is “They try,” before confidently striding along on her way. Varga is right to be afraid.
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD has been torturing characters ever since Fitzsimmons were thrown to the bottom of the ocean, and Skye found out her S.O. was Hydra. As the stakes raised over the years so did the emotional reactions from both characters and fans. However, as the trauma got worse, realism in the results of that trauma suffered. Simmons spent six months on an alien planet, but only showed signs of PTSD for two episodes after her return. Coulson lost an arm in combat but adjusted to having a robotic one rather quickly. May saw her ex-husband murdered only to turn around and casually hit on Coulson.
The emotional heart of the show, as portrayed by Iain De Caestecker, has been Leopold James Fitz. He provided the first of the show’s dramatic screams, way back in FZZT (see above) when he watched Jemma try to dive towards an early death to save the rest of the team. After he and Simmons escaped from the underwater pod, he suffered brain damage and spent most of season two recovering both physically and mentally. He was the first to hold Skye/Daisy after discovering she’s inhuman, to tell her it’s going to be alright, to offer friendship and empathy instead of fear.
In season three, he went action-hero-crazy and scoured the earth trying to bring Simmons back from Maveth and helped Bobbi through her own recovery, albeit largely off-screen. Fitz’s heart grew heavier with every Agent who defected, or was killed, or betrayed the team for one reason or another. He was the first to say “I love you”. Fitz is the only character to struggle with the reality of working in the field long after it’s become routine.
The Framework was a Nightmare–But Returning Was Worse
Normally, I’ll watch SHIELD live and then again once or twice before the next episode airs. But ever since the Framework, I would watch and then actively avoid SHIELD until the following Tuesday. I couldn’t figure out exactly what unsettled me, but I knew it radiated off of Fitz.
Fancy clothes can’t hide the pain, friend.
Framework Fitz wants one thing: power. But he doesn’t want it for himself. Every single thing Framework Fitz does is for the two people controlling his life: his abusive father, and his manipulative girlfriend Ophelia/Madame Hydra. When Fitz is named Head of Hydra, there is no satisfaction in the moment. It’s a private, verbal exchange between himself and his father, who couldn’t be more proud. But as soon as Fitz begins to assert himself in his new role, his father intimidates him back into submission. Ophelia acts as though she and Fitz are equal partners, but when he questions her methods she, too, gets aggressive and orders him to divert his attention.
Her methods are varied.
When you are manipulated by another person, even in the real world, it’s not easy to get out. The manipulator will tell you that you acted of your own free will, and they were an innocent bystander. You may try to appease the other person, just to have your head ripped off later. Often you’ll either think or be told that the negative reaction was your fault, so you try to atone. Once you figure out you’re in a toxic relationship and start your escape, the road is often bumpy and loops back on itself.
Fan reaction is historically strong when Fitz goes through his trials–many have gone so far as to call the relationship between Fitz and Ophelia non-consensual and noticed Fitz’s Dad used language which insinuated he may be physically abusive. For most of the Framework, I felt the same way the majority of fans did. I was sad, and shaken, and illin’ for an episode without Fitz and Simmons pointing guns at each other. Finally, the team returned and Fitz had another signature breakdown. The fans were FURIOUS, and I figured out why this story arc had me avoiding one of my favorite shows.
There Are No Strings On Me
The last thing Framework Fitz does is torture and threaten to kill Simmons. Then, he returns to the real world gasping for air, and shaking from the memories of the lives he ended. When he sees AIDA, his first reaction isn’t anger or fear–it’s wonder. He was in the Framework long enough that he doesn’t know who he is without her. This is where many fans started getting upset. First, Fitz abuses Simmons, then neglects to mention her and flocks to his captor once he gets his memory back.
Without getting into details, I can say with confidence that I understand this reaction. It’s a horrifying kind of Stockholm syndrome–you are not physically held captive, but you don’t know who you are emotionally or psychologically without your manipulator. You’re free but isolated and there’s nowhere else to go. Worse than that, this feels normal. You could try and leave, but how will it be different? It won’t–you think YOU are the weak link, not the other person. Fitz returns from a lifetime of manipulation. He returns from one nightmare to another–from a digital world to the “real” one where he now must face the aftermath. Worst of all, he feels he must do this alone. It may have been more satisfactory for fans if his first reactions were about Simmons, or if her name was the first word from his mouth, but it wouldn’t have been as realistic.
So no, Fitz did not shrink away from the only person in the room that he felt would forgive him. Instead, he flocked towards her in what might not have been a conscious decision. Simmons, the only other person who may have been able to stop him, wasn’t there. And even if she was, as he laments in the clip above, how could she forgive him?
Forgiveness…Can You Imagine?
Also in the above clip, you can see that Fitz’s fear of repercussions is very real. He is honest with AIDA after she can no longer control him, and she goes berserk. She is only empathetic when it benefits her. Once she no longer gets the reaction she craves, she punishes Fitz as though it were his fault she is having this negative reaction. This was another bone of contention with fans–the fact that Fitz was honest with her, and opened up instead of recoiling and searching for Simmons.
Again, this was realism at its finest. Fitz returns from the Framework with two sets of memories in his head, meaning that his experiences there still have a hold on him. AIDA still LOOKS like the woman who controlled his life, who he thought he loved for just as long as he’s loved Simmons in the real world. That kind of connection doesn’t disappear overnight. It doesn’t even disappear just because you want it to. A lifetime’s worth of thinking you’re the problem means you’re still stuck thinking “maybe this time will be different”. For Fitz, a scientist before all else, there are enough variables between Ophelia and AIDA that he thinks this time MUST be different. Now that she has free will, she understands empathy, she’s saved Mack. Now she’ll be able to appreciate free will in others, as well.
The Fitzsimmons reunion, unlike others, was 30 seconds of silence with no eye contact between them. This incensed fans even further, as they were hoping for words of forgiveness or love or smooches. But then, if you’d done everything Fitz did and seen everything Simmons has–how would you respond?
It’s no secret that Stephen King’s “The Dark Tower” is a continuation of his eight book series of the same name. The series of novels are a linchpin to his literary universe, with subtle nods and winks to multiple other books.
Many of his “constant readers” have taken the journey to the Tower and include the many book tie-in’s whether they are considered essential reading or not. Having undergone the journey many times myself, I’ve felt first hand the excitement at finding a nod to Roland and his Ka-Tet or the world of the Tower.
With the new movie being a continuation, the rules have changed. Things that were pivotal to the overall story might not bear any importance to the new movie. Below are movie adaptations of works that relate to “The Dark Tower” book series although there have likely been cuts (such as in Hearts in Atlantis). If you do want to take the long route we highly suggest reading the series. Although if you’re looking to understand the extended universe of Stephen King, follow our handy movie map.
The Stand (1994)
“After a deadly plague kills most of the world’s population, the remaining survivors split into two groups – one led by a benevolent elder and the other by a maleficent being – to face each other in a final battle between good and evil.”
Probably the most relevant of all the titles on this list. If you’re curious who “The Man In Black” is, then look no further than the 1994 mini-series. Coming in at six hours long, this is also his longest adaptation. Starring Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, and Jamey Sheridan. “The Stand” is a tale of apocalyptic measure. Sheridan stars as “Randall Flagg,” who in the world of King is also known as Walter O’Din, Raymond Fiegler, Legion, Marten Broadcloak or “The Man In Black”. A constant source of discord in King’s works. If you want to see what he is capable of, “The Stand” is a fantastic place to start.
Although they are very unlikely to ever touch upon it; later in the book series the main characters travel to a world where the virus from “The Stand” has taken hold and wiped out the population. It’s doubtful the movies will cover this. However, it’s a nice touch in the novels to further weave the tapestry and belief that, “there are worlds other than these”.
Salem’s Lot (1979)
“A novelist and a young horror fan attempt to save a small New England town which has been invaded by vampires.”
Due to the movie changing to a story of Roland, it’s hard to say whether other characters from the novels will appear in the series. However in the fifth book “The Wolves Of The Calla” fans of the vampire novel Salem’s Lot saw the reappearance of Father Callahan. Played by James Gallery, Callahan is only a minor role in both the novel and the movie. Callahan would go on to play a much more important role in “The Dark Tower” series. His reappearance in the books further adds’s to the series mythology by bringing information about vampires and other creatures that are chasing Roland.
IT (2017)
“In Derry, Maine, seven friends come face-to-face with a shapeshifter, who takes the form of an evil clown who targets children.”
The more eagle eyed viewers of the Dark Tower trailer spotted a heavy connection with IT. Whilst only brief it showed Jake walking past an old sign with the villain Pennywise’s name on it.
The connection between IT and The Dark Tower has always been somewhat confusing. There is “The Turtle” who is an agent of the Beams and an agent for good who tries to guide the children in IT. He is commonly thought to have created the universe and attempts to help the children destroy the evil clown Pennywise later in the novel.
There is also a strong connection between the house on Neibolt Street which will feature in the upcoming movie and novel “IT” and the Dutch Hill Mansion. It’s the later Jake Chambers must use a portal to travel to Mid-World a second time in “The Drawing Of The Three” novel. Both share the same wallpaper and twisting designs that the child characters must traverse.
Whilst this is a tenuous link, there is a character in the seventh novel in the series “The Dark Tower” Dandelo who is a similar creature to Pennywise. However, in Mid-World he has portrayed an emotional vampire who makes people laugh to death.
It might be a weak link, but any excuse to watch the new movie or catch the original “IT” starring Tim Curry is never a bad thing.(This is simply because the new IT movie won’t be released until 8th September). It is worth noting, however, that the 1990 mini-series had no ties to the Dark Tower series.
Desperation (2006)
“When a sheriff arrests a writer, a family, a couple, and a hitchhiker and throws them in a jail cell in the deserted town of Desperation, they must fight for their lives.”
Aside from being a brilliant King novel Desperation also has further villainous ties to “The Dark Tower.” The villain in the movie/novel is a sheriff possessed by a god-like entity known as Tak. Whilst the movie bears little in the way of Dark Tower connections. The novel itself has reference to the Can-Toi (links to number 5 on the list) who are animal/human hybrids and referred to as Low Men.
There’s also the use of a Can-Ta in the movie which is an enchanted animal statue. A turtle shaped Can-Ta is used heavily in the sixth book of the series “The Song Of Susannah”. Once again showing that the turtle is an important creature in the world of Stephen King.
Hearts In Atlantis (2001)
“A widowed mother and her son change when a mysterious stranger enters their lives.”
Hearts In Atlantis the novel is a four part novel. It’s only part one, “Low Men In Yellow Coats” that received the cinematic treatment. Anthony Hopkins stars as the mysterious stranger Ted Brautigan. It is this character who has major implications to the Dark Tower universe. As an exceptionally strong psychic, Brautigan is being chased by agents of The Crimson King. He’s known as a “breaker” who’s sole purpose is to destroy the beams that hold the universe together.
The Low Men are agents of The Crimson King. They also happen to be Can-Toi. Brautigan plays a massive role in the book series going so far as to help save the tower and lead a rebellion against The Crimson King. However, in the movie, the low men are replaced by FBI agents. This removes direct links to the series. With the “The Dark Tower” not shying away from other links to Kings movies it would be a stroke of genius to have Hopkins turn up in a later movie and continue his character’s journey.
The Mist (2007)
“A freak storm unleashes a species of bloodthirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole up in a supermarket and fight for their lives.”
There are two major connections here, The first occurs quite early in the movie. Protagonist David Drayton is working on a painting before a storm hits his home. Look familiar?
The second connection, whilst never outright mentioned are the creatures themselves. These monster are hinted at in the eighth book in the series “Wind Through The Keyhole”. They live in a space referred only as Todash. This space itself is referenced a number of times in the book series, but it’s in the eighth book where hero Tim Ross must cross a bridge over a thinny (thin space between the worlds) and encounters a pink tentacle. Much like the one in the garage scene of the movie. Furthermore Mrs Carmody’s line “My life for you” is a repeat of one of Randall Flaggs henchmen, “TrashCan Man”’ favorite lines through the book and miniseries.
Harry Potter
Yes, you read that correctly! In the fifth novel of the book, “The Wolves Of The Callah” there’s reference to Harry Potter and more importantly Quidditch. The weapon of choice for the Wolves is a small, golden-winged device that uses it’s razor sharp wings to strip the flesh from its target. They also happen to be Golden Snitches. Whilst this means nothing to Roland and the people of Mid-World, it’s another amazing touch to show how close to our world the books are set.
This list is only a small snippet of the overall connections between Stephen King’s works. His novels share multiple locations with Derry and Castlerock. This isn’t even touching upon the idea of “twinners” and other worlds. What do you think of the list? Did we miss anything – sound off in the comments below!
The full track list for Warner Bros. upcoming Wonder Woman has been reportedly revealed by Film Music Reporter. The movie is scored by Rupert Gregson-Williams, who’s known for his previous work on Hawksaw Ridge and The Legend of Tarzan.
1. Amazons Of Themyscira
2. History Lesson
3. Angel On The Wing
4. Ludendorff, Enough!
5. Pain, Loss & Love
6. No Man’s Land
7. Fausta
8. Wonder Woman’s Wrath
9. The God Of War
10. We Are All To Blame
11. Hell Hath No Fury
12. Lightning Strikes
13. Trafalgar Celebration
14. Action Reaction
15. To Be Human – Sia (feat. Labrinth)
Generally, movie song lists give away potential spoilers for what could be happening in key scenes. However, it seems like Wonder Woman‘s soundtrack doesn’t give away anything we didn’t already know based on the marketing.
“Wonder Woman hits movie theaters around the world next summer when Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action adventure from director Patty Jenkins. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.”
Wonder Woman stars Gal Gadot as the title character, Chris Pine, Robin Wright as Antiope, David Thewlis, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, Connie Nielsen, Ewen Bremner, and Lucy Davis.
The emotional heart of the show, as portrayed by Iain De Caestecker, has been Leopold James Fitz. He provided the first of the show’s dramatic screams, way back in FZZT (see above) when he watched Jemma try to dive towards an early death to save the rest of the team. After he and Simmons escaped from the underwater pod, he suffered brain damage and spent most of season two recovering both physically and mentally. He was the first to hold Skye/Daisy after discovering she’s inhuman, to tell her it’s going to be alright, to offer friendship and empathy instead of fear. 
