Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’ Photo: Netflix.
Preview:
Jon Bernthal will be back as Frank “The Punisher” Castle for a new Marvel special.
He’s also returning for ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’
Bernthal will co-write the special with ‘King Richard’ director Reinaldo Marcus Green.
Crime might not pay, but vengeance appears to be profitable for Disney going forward.
With Jon Bernthal’s tough nut vigilante Frank Castle –– also known as The Punisher –– back on our screens for next month’s ‘Daredevil: Born Again,’ which will find him once more interacting with Charlie Cox’s blind lawyer-turned-super-sensory-hero Matt Murdock, Entertainment Weekly brings word that we can expect more from Bernthal in 2026.
It’s a big vote of confidence in both the character and Bernthal’s portrayal and shows that Marvel is willing to further explore other avenues for its characters. And The Punisher is certainly a popular comic book creation.
‘Born Again,’ meanwhile, revisits the Daredevil character as portrayed in the Marvel/Netflix series that ran between 2015 and 2018. After its initial episodes were filmed, Marvel decided to overhaul it creatively and bringing it closer in story to the Netflix run.
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’
Exact details of the story have yet to be revealed, but unless it’s a complete stand-alone, chances are it ties into the ongoing Castle story explored in ‘Born Again,’ so it’s perhaps not surprising that Marvel doesn’t want to spill too much.
But here’s what Brad Winderbaum, head of Marvel Television, told EW:
“It’s like a shotgun blast of a story, but also has all the pathos and emotion that you want out of a Frank Castle story. It’s so exciting.”
Castle will come back into Murdock’s life in ‘Born Again’ at the lawyer’s request because Matt needs help with something handled that he’s unwilling to do, and Frank naturally dives in all guns blazing.
The new story marks even more involvement for Bernthal than usual –– he co-wrote the new special’s script with filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green, and the latter will direct the one-off.
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’ Photo: Netflix.
The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru and made his first appearance in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man #129’ in 1974 originally depicted as an assassin and adversary of the web-slinger.
The character is traditionally depicted as an Italian-American vigilante who employs murder, kidnapping, extortion, coercion, threats of violence, and torture in his campaign against crime.
On the big screen, he’s been portrayed by the likes of Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson, while Bernthal played him in the second season of the Netflix ‘Daredevil’ series and in his own aforementioned titular show.
Here’s what Winderbaum said of Bernthal’s work:
“Bernthal is a generational actor. He’s incredible what he brings to all the roles he plays, but particularly Frank Castle. And he’s a great writer. He knows the character inside and out…. Also, I love Punisher, but I love Jon’s Punisher in particular. The idea that he’s in the MCU and can bring that to the greater universe, especially the more grounded street-level stuff, is a huge opportunity and, as a fan, the greatest thing ever.”
What of the other Marvel/Netflix characters?
(L to R) Krysten Ritter, Finn Jones, Charlie Cox and Mike Colter in ‘The Defenders’. Photo: Netflix.
While Matt Murdock and his associated characters are returning for ‘Born Again,’ there hasn’t been much movement on the rest of the ‘Defenders’ line-up from the Netflix days, including Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones, Mike Colter’s Luke Cage, and Finn Jones’ Danny Rand/Iron Fist.
But Winderbaum has said that they might get their turn:
“I can’t say much. But I’ll tell you that It’s so exciting to be able to play in that sandbox… I can just say that all those variables taken into account, it is certainly something that is creatively extremely exciting and that we are very much exploring.”
When will the ‘Punisher’ Marvel special be on screens?
The current plan for the new special is for it to hit screens next year, around the same time as the second season of ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’ Which means we can expect plenty of Punisher content in 2026…
And the first season of ‘Born Again,’ which as mentioned includes Bernthal, kicks off on March 4th on Disney+.
Marvel Studios’ ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’
Movies and TV Shows Featuring Characters in ‘Daredevil: Born Again:’
Jon Bernthal at the ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ premiere. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
Preview:
Jon Bernthal is the latest recruit for Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey.’
Lupita Nyong’o, Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya are among the cast.
Nolan will kick off shooting soon.
If you thought ‘Oppenheimer’ writer/director Christopher Nolan was finished adding to the sprawling, starry cast for his follow-up, ‘The Odyssey,’ think again!
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He’s tapped yet another person for the ensemble, which at this point appears to include half of the A-list phone book (kids, ask your parents on that one).
The most recent recruit is ‘The Bear’s Emmy winner Jon Bernthal who will be playing… Well, that would be telling. And we can’t tell you because, like everyone else in the secretive filmmaker’s latest opus, he has yet to reveal character details.
But here’s what we know so far…
What’s the story of Christopher Nolan’s next film?
Writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’
In December, after months of speculation and casting, we got official confirmation that the movie is an adaptation of ‘The Odyssey,’ as revealed by Universal in a twitter post:
“Christopher Nolan’s next film ‘The Odyssey’ is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology. The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time.”
‘The Odyssey’ is a classic piece of literature by Homer that is divided between 24 different books, preceded by ‘The Iliad.’
The ancient Greek poem is one of the foundational texts of Western literature. It tells the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his perilous journey home after the Trojan War, exploring themes of heroism, loyalty, cunning, and the struggle against divine will. The tale includes iconic episodes like his encounters with the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe, culminating in his reunion with his wife, Penelope.
Historians and scholars date the poem to sometime between 750-650 BC. The first printed Greek version became available in 1488. In the centuries since, it has remained one of the most studied, adapted and parodied stories ever with adaptations including the 1911 silent film by Giuseppe de Liguoro, 1954’s ‘Ulysses’ with Kirk Douglas and the 2000 Coenbrothers comedy ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’
A more recent adaptation premiered this past December in theaters: ‘The Return,’ which stars Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche and was directed by Uberto Pasolini. On limited release, it has so far earned less than a million dollars worldwide.
Universal will no doubt be hoping for a slightly higher return on Nolan’s film, since, according to reporter Jeff Sneider, his ‘Odyssey’ carries a hefty $250 million price tag. Compare that to ‘Oppenheimer,’ which he made for $100 million and ‘Tenet,’ which had a $205 million budget.
Still, given that ‘Oppenheimer’ brought in nearly a billion dollars (and continues to earn on home entertainment venues), there’s reason for confidence.
Who else is in the cast for Nolan’s latest project?
Robert Pattinson in ‘Tenet’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Nolan has been locking down a wealth of talent for his latest movie. Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway, of course, are veterans of working with the director, having appeared in two other projects of his (both were in ‘Interstellar,’ while Hathaway had previously played Selina Kyle in ‘The Dark Knight Rises‘ and Damon was in ‘Oppenheimer.’
It’s anyone’s guess at this point what role the various ensemble members will be playing, or indeed how faithful Nolan’s movie will end up being. Can we hope for a giant fantasy epic from the director?
Nolan is also writing and producing the film, reuniting with his longtime producing and life partner Emma Thomas, who won the Best Picture Oscar for ‘Oppenheimer’ alongside Nolan.
As for the rest of the crew, we’ll have to wait and see, though Nolan tends to work with a lot of people more than once, so expect to see some familiar names when the credits role.
While the filmmaker had been based for years at Warner Bros., the company’s decision to put much of its 2020 slate on streaming saw him take his business elsewhere.
The rights to ‘Oppenheimer’ were put up for auction, a bidding battle that Universal ultimately won and reaped the rewards when the movie became a huge sensation.
Nolan was clearly happy without things worked out in collaboration with the studio, as he’s gone right back to it for this new project, which, like ‘Oppenheimer,’ will shoot in the IMAX format.
Where else have I seen Jon Bernthal?
(L to R) Jon Bernthal and Ben Affleck in ‘The Accountant 2’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
In addition to his occasional appearances on ‘The Bear’ (which as mentioned have won him praise and awards), Bernthal is known for a few key roles.
Also on TV, he broke out playing Frank Castle/The Punisher on Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ and the ‘Punisher’ show that featured his character (he’ll be back in the role for new Disney+ series ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ in March).
And he also won fans as Shane Walsh on post-apocalyptic zombie series ‘The Walking Dead.’
(L to R) Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach star in ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Preview:
Kevin Feige confirmed the Fantastic Four as appearing in the next ‘Avengers’ movies.
Their stand-alone new movie is about to wrap shooting.
The studio head also offered an update on the use of X-Men characters going forward.
With the huge theatrical success of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and the buzzy Disney+ hit ‘Agatha All Along,’ Marvel Studios finds itself in a better place heading in 2025 than at almost any point in its turbulent time since ‘Avengers: Endgame.’
And, looking to assure fans (not to mention his Disney paymasters), Marvel boss Kevin Feige offered an upbeat tone at the recent Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore, talking up things to come.
While he didn’t announce anything new, he did confirm a few details and offered some updates about when we can expect to see the likes of the X-Men characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
That movie is due next summer (July 25th, to be exact) and Feige, sporting a cap bearing the characters’ iconic logo, talked it up as the movie he’s most excited about for 2025.
Here’s what he said about their movie and beyond, via Deadline:
“They wrap next week, the movie comes out next summer, and then all those characters go right into the next Avengers movies, so I’m very excited for the future of the Fantastic Four.”
Yes, the new reboot will indeed usher the characters into the wider MCU, and they’ll be facing one of their biggest antagonists, Dr. Doom (played by Robert Downey Jr., no less) in ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’ They’ll also be seen in ‘Avengers: Secret Wars,’ with both movies directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and landing in 2026 and 2027.
Feige talks the X-Men
Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige at Disney’s 2024 CinemaCon Presentation. Photo: Disney.
With Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox in 2019, the opportunity arose not only to use the Fantastic Four, but also the sprawling universe of X-Men characters. We’ve seen alternate universe versions in a couple of movies (and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ served as a wry, loving tribute to Fox’s X-Movies and more), but according to Feige, we can expect to see more mutants in the future.
This was his comment:
“I think you will see that continues in our next few movies with some X-Men players that you might recognize. Right after that, the whole story of ‘Secret Wars’ really leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men. Again, it’s one of those dreams come true. We finally have the X-Men back.”
But let’s not forget ‘Thunderbolts*’ which lands on May 2nd, 2025. Feige also took a moment to acknowledge their appeal:
“That’s what Marvel is all about: it’s taking characters from all different types of places and franchises and putting them together. That’s what the ‘Avengers’ is, that’s what ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ is.”
Marvel and Disney offered a look at some of their upcoming shows in a new teaser.
‘Daredevil: Born Again,’ ‘Wonder Man’ and ‘Ironheart’ were among them.
We also learned when ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ will land on Disney+ next month.
While Disney and Marvel have usually tended to use events such as Comic-Cons or the Mouse House’s own D23 spectacle to offer new looks and fresh release details for upcoming entries in the MCU, the companies have taken the step of launching a teaser online that reveals footage and info itself.
Marvel Studios’ ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’
The new trailer, which you can find above, spotlights the likes of ‘Daredevil: Born Again,’ ‘Ironheart,’ ‘Wonder Man’ and some of the returning/new projects from the animated side of Marvel’s TV arm.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ will be available to stream on Disney+ beginning November 12th.
Having done record-breaking business in theaters this summer (current total $1.33 billion worldwide), the third film featuring Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth has also been successful on video on demand, with its Blu-ray release imminent.
And now we know that it’ll be available to stream on Disney+ on November 12th. So if you’re ready to watch (or, more likely re-visit) Reynolds’s Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine on their multiverse adventure, now you know when you can.
The third season of the popular animated series, which is its own spin on multiverses, side trips and fun diversions within the Marvel universe, arrives on the streaming service on December 22, as a special Christmas gift.
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And how about Spider-Man?
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
An animated adventure aimed at younger viewers (but accessible to all ages), ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ joins Marvel Animation’s lineup on January 29th, 2025.
It explores Peter Parker’s origin story and younger days as the web-slinging hero.
Talking of Charlie Cox, when can we see Daredevil on our screens again?
The cast of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Funny you should ask. Next up on the schedule is the long-awaited return for Hell’s Kitchen’s conflicted hero, who gets his own series again (with more links to the Netflix series than previously imagined) starting March 4th, 2025, on Disney+.
Picking up the threads planted at the end of ‘Echo,’ ‘Born Again’ will see Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock once again facing problems from Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin, who here is campaigning to be mayor of New York.
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Is there news on ‘Ironheart’?
The cast of ‘Ironheart’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
There is! The new show, which continues the story of the Riri Williams character introduced in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ (and played by Dominique Thorne) will see her dealing with dangerous new threats and reckoning with her place in life.
The show arrives on Disney+ on June 24th, 2025.
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Anything else from the ‘Black Panther’ side of things?
(L to R) Ryan Coogler and Kevin Feige presenting ‘Ironheart’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Yep! Another show produced by ‘Panther’ director Ryan Coogler is the animated ‘Eyes of Wakanda,’ which follows Wakandan warriors who have traveled the world to retrieve dangerous vibranium artifacts throughout history and T’Challa’s ancestors passing down the mantle of Black Panther.
‘Eyes of Wakanda’ will be with us via Disney+ on August 6th, 2025.
In time for Halloween next year is ‘Marvel Zombies,’ a spin-off of ‘What If…?’ and set in the corrupted universe where many heroes have become flesh-craving monsters.
That series is poised to land in October 2025.
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When will ‘Wonder Man’ arrive?
Marvel Comics’ Wonder Man. Photo Courtesy of Marvel.com.
While we’ve been waiting ages for anything new about this show –– which features ‘Aquaman’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the character of Simon Williams, now we finally have a proper first look.
And from the teaser footage, it appears to focus on Williams as an actor trying to get the role of Wonder Man, with a little help from ‘Iron Man 3’ and ‘Shang-Chi’s Trevor Slattery, AKA Ben Kingsley.
(L to R) Director James Cameron, Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington at D23 2024 presenting ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo: Disney.
D23 2024 finished off its first day on Friday, August 9th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California with a presentation showcasing the upcoming Disney movies and TV shows.
The presentation included upcoming film and television projects from Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and kicked off with Walt Disney Animation.
Bob Iger at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
But first, CEO of the Walt Disney Company Bob Iger took to the stage to address the arena full of fans. It was Iger’s first D23 in five years and he told the audience how much he missed them.
“There is nothing more that we love then surprising you and filling your heart with love. The world needs to be entertained more than ever before, and we take that seriously. We have a lot to be proud of and more to look forward to.”
Actress Ginnifer Goodwin took to the stage to show footage from her upcoming sequel, ‘Zootopia 2’. She also announced that Oscar-winner Ke Huy Quan is joining the cast as a snake named Gary.
“Now, reptiles have a shady past, and Gary could send the crew on a whole new mission.”
‘Zootopia 2’ is scheduled for release on November 26, 2025.
Jennifer Lee presenting at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Next, CEO of Walt Disney Animation Studios Jennifer Lee announced that the long-awaited third installment of the ‘Frozen’ franchise will be release in 2027.
“Coming out of ‘Frozen II’ we still have some questions.”
She also revealed concept art from the new movie, which featured Elsa and Anna on horseback with Olaf riding along.
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Pixar Animation Studios
‘Dream Productions’
‘Dream Productions’. Photo: Disney.
CCO of Pixar Pete Doctor began by thanking the audience for their support of the box office hit ‘Inside Out 2’.
“I want to thank all of you for going to theaters and making ‘Inside Out 2’ the number one animated movie of all time.”
He also announced a new Disney+ series set in the world on ‘Inside Out’ called ‘Dream Productions’. The series is set between the original film and the sequel and Doctor screened footage for the audience.
Doctor also announced another Disney+ series called ‘Win or Lose‘, and the new movie ‘Hoppers’, which stars Bobby Moynihan and newly announced villain, Jon Hamm.
Next, Doctor introduced the fifth installment in the ‘Toy Story’ franchise and had this to say:
“We are excited for Jesse, Woody and what all the gang will do next.”
Doctor then introduced the director and writer of the movie, Pixar-regular Andrew Stanton. Stanton revealed that the villain of the new movie will be technology.
“Toys’ jobs are harder when the toys go up against what kids are obsessed with today, technology. This time around its toys vs. tech.”
(L to R) Zoe Saldaña and Yonas Kibreab at D23 2024 presenting ‘Elio’. Photo: Disney.
Zoe Saldaña was on hand to present her upcoming movie, ‘Elio’ and show footage from the film. The new movie follows an eleven-year-old boy named Elio Solis (Yonas Kibreab) who accidentally becomes the intergalactic Ambassador of planet Earth after being beamed up to the Communiverse by aliens for making contact.
The actress had this to say about the movie:
“I felt a real connection to the character. It felt authentic. I can’t wait for you all to see it.”
‘Elio’ is scheduled for release on June 13th, 2025.
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‘Incredibles 3’
Pete Doctor presenting ‘Incredibles 3’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Finally, Doctor announced the long-awaited third installment of the ‘Incredibles’ franchise entitled ‘Incredibles 3’.
“Brad Bird is developing it now. We think the film is special and hope you enjoy it.”
Jude Law presenting ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Actor Jude Law presented the first trailer from the upcoming Disney+ series, which will be release this December. The series is told from the perspective of a group of kids who get lost in the vastness of space and are trying to find their way home.
Law addressed the fans and expressed his joy to be part of the project:
“I’m thrilled to share with you ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’. It means a great deal for me to be part of the ‘Star Wars’ family’.
You can watch the trailer below, which reveals Law’s character is a Jedi.
(L to R) Dave Filoni, Chief Creative Officer, Lucasfilm and Jon Favreau appears at the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California on August 09, 2024. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
Director Jon Favreau and producer Dave Filoni surprised the crowd by presenting some exclusive footage from the upcoming feature film version of the Disney+ show. The footage featured the main characters on a new adventure, as well as ‘Star Wars’ familiars like At-Ats, snowtroopers and surprisingly, Babu Frick from the recent ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’.
Favreau had this to say about the movie:
“We are getting an opportunity to bring these characters to the big screen.”
Filoni added:
“We’re all excited to have ‘Star Wars’ back on the big screen.”
Favreau mentioned that they just started filming a few weeks ago. The movie is scheduled to release in 2026.
(L to R) Anthony Mackie and Kevin Feige presenting ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and actor Anthony Mackie presented footage from ‘Captain America: Brave New World,’ but it was the same footage shown a few weeks ago at San Diego Comic-Con.
The footage included a meeting between President Ross (Harrison Ford) and Sam Wilson (Mackie), where Ross asks Wilson to form a new Avengers team. Another scene reveals that the Celestial left behind after the events of ‘Eternals’ is made of Adamantium, the same metal that made Wolverine’s claws. The footage also reveals Giancarlo Esposito’s villain Sidewinder and ends with Ford’s Ross becoming the Red Hulk on the White House lawn in front of the press.
Mackie had this to say about playing the iconic role:
‘The shield is very heavy. It’s an amazing honor.’
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ opens in theaters on February 14th, 2025.
With the film currently shooting, the cast was unable to appear but sent a video that features actor Joseph Quinn in his superhero costume.
Again, the footage shown was the same from Comic-Con, but features the Fantastic Car, the team in their astronaut suits, Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) teaching a science class on television, Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) in Thing form on a dating show, and a final scene of villain Galactus (Ralph Ineson) looking in on the Baxter Building where H.E.R.B.I.E. is vacuuming the living room.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is scheduled for release on July 25th, 2025.
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‘Ironheart’
The cast of ‘Ironheart’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
“I have been having the best time playing Riri and I can’t wait for you to see the series”.
The footage reveals that Riri is expelled from MIT following the events of ‘Wakanda Forever’ and makes an uneasy alliance with Ramos’ villain, The Hood.
“We’re channeling the essence of the original series but forging a new path.”
The footage sees the return of the Punisher and Bullseye, our first look at the White Tiger, and a confrontation between Matt Murdock and the Kingpin that reveals he knows who the Daredevil really is.
The series will premiere on Disney+ March, 2025 and Cox revealed that they’ll begin shooting season 2 soon.
The group revealed the new trailer from the show, which you can watch below. The trailer shows Agatha trying to put her coven back together, and it also gives us our first glimpse of Audrey Plaza in the series.
‘Agatha All Along’ will premiere on Disney + September 18th.
(L to R) Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler presenting ‘Snow White’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Actresses Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot appeared to introduce the new trailer for the upcoming live-action remake, as well as screen an extended scene featuring the iconic ‘Whistle While You Work.’
Zegler said this about the making the movie:
“It’s been an honor of a lifetime. It’s been the most incredible experience, and I can’t wait to share it with you.”
Gadot added:
“It was lots of fun to do something different than I’ve ever done before. It was delicious and fun.”
The cast of ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Award winning director Barry Jenkins was on hand to present the new trailer for the live action ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’, which is a prequel to Jon Favreau’s 2019 movie. Jenkins announced that Lin-Manual Miranda will write the music, as well as the return of Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner as Pumbaa and Timon, respectively, who all appeared to greet the crowd.
You can watch the new trailer below, and the film is scheduled for release on December 20th.
Bridges, who starred in the original, had this to say about his return:
“I’m Just a small part of this”.
Lee explained that she plays Eve Kim, a programmer that helped create Ares, who’s now come into our world. The footage shows Leto’s Ares in the real world, and our first look at Bridges as Kevin Flynn.
Leto said this about his character’s motives:
“He’s a program looking to make the real world his, permanently”.
Finally, it was announced that Nine Inch Nails will provide the music for the movie, which will be released on October 10th, 2025.
(L to R) Director James Cameron, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña at D23 2024 presenting ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo: Disney.
Oscar-winning director James Cameron revealed that the official title of ‘Avatar 3’ is ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. He also brought actors Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña on to the stage before showing concept art from the upcoming film. However, Cameron told the crowd it was too early to show footage.
Cameron had this to say about the new movie:
“It’s an insane adventure, and feast for eyes, but has high stakes. There are new characters that you will love, and love to hate. You’ll see more of Pandora than you ever seen before. The new film is not what you expect but what you want.”
Worthington added:
“We have been hard at work getting it done.”
Saldaña finished by thanking the fans for their support:
“We want to personally thank you for your support.”
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ is scheduled for release on December 19th, 2025.
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D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Presented by Visa. Photo: The Walt Disney Company.
(Front Row) Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson in Netflix’s ‘Daredevil.’ Photo: Netflix.
Preview:
Marvel’s ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ is undergoing a creative change.
Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll, are according to reports, returning.
Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are starring.
After seeding the previously Netflix-based characters of Matt Murdock (played by Charlie Cox, he’s the blind lawyer with super-sensory hearing skills who suits up as the vigilante known as Daredevil) and Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, a hulking criminal overlord who is one of Daredevil’s main enemies) into the MCU via the likes of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’, ‘Hawkeye’ and ‘She-Hulk’, Marvel was riding high on the reaction to news that the two would be the focus of their own Disney+ series.
‘Daredevil: Begin Again’ was supposed to be Marvel triumphantly proving it can take a character that has been brought to TV screens elsewhere and merge them into the wider, more directly canonical comic book-based universe. Commissioned from writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman, it was set for a mammoth 18-episode shoot and cameras started rolling back in March of last year.
Yet less than half the episodes had been filmed when the writers’ strike closed down production, and when executives got a look at the footage, they were unimpressed. Ord, Corman and the directors were let go and a new creative team, including Dario Scardapane as showrunner and ‘Loki’ Season 2 directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, was hired.
And from the sounds of a new report, fans will be even happier to learn of some returning veterans in front of the camera…
Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson to reprise their roles?
Deborah Ann Woll in Netflix’s ‘Daredevil.’ Photo: Netflix.
Classic characters from the ‘Daredevil’ comic books, Foggy is Matt’s legal partner, while Karen is their legal secretary/research assistant.
They had a big fan following after their appearances on the main show and (especially in Woll’s case) popping up in other ‘Defenders’ shows on the streaming service. People were disappointed when they weren’t included in the original plans for ‘Born Again’, but it would appear that Marvel has listened to its audience.
We’ll also see another Netflix character/actor, as Jon Bernthal is reprising the role of Frank Castle –– better known as tough guy vigilante The Punisher –– from his own series and his ‘Daredevil’ crossovers.
When will ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ be on screens?
Given the various delays and changes, we don’t expect the show to premiere before 2025.
It continues the story of the vengeful Maya Lopez from ‘Hawkeye’.
The show will launch in one batch on both Disney+ and Hulu.
Looking to put reports of production issues behind it, Disney and Marvel have released the first trailer for ‘Echo’, the series that spins off the Maya Lopez character (played by Alaqua Cox) from 2021’s ‘Hawkeye’.
And from the looks of this initial footage, the tone for the show will be quite distinct from its parent series or, indeed the rest of Marvel’s Disney+ output to date. There is violence almost from the get-go, including Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) putting the hurt on an ice cream seller who dismisses a young Maya because he doesn’t understand that she’s deaf.
And the differences don’t end there –– the series will debut on both Disney+ and Hulu, with a TV-MA age restriction (the trailer makes it clear that D+ uses will have to tweak their age settings if they’ve been using it in family mode) and all five episodes will be available at once, as opposed to the company’s previous policy of weekly releases.
Following the events in the ‘Hawkeye’ finale (where Maya shot Wilson Fisk in the face), we catch up to the main character as she is pursued by his criminal empire.
When the journey brings her home, she must confront her own family and legacy.
“It’s a little on the grittier side for Marvel and shows the breadth of what Marvel is capable of. It is sort of a new direction for the brand, especially for Disney+.”
And here’s Freedland on the impact of the series:
“People on our show — they bleed. They die. They get killed and there are real world consequences.”
This is also the first show to feature a deaf Native American as its title character, albeit one who has special powers. Just don’t expect the comic book version.
“Her power in the comic books is that she can copy anything, any movement, any whatever. It’s kind of lame. I will say, that is not her power. I’ll just kind of leave it at that.”
When and where can I watch ‘Echo’?
Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez in Disney+’s ‘Echo.’
As mentioned, all five episodes of ‘Echo’ will debut at once on Disney+ and Hulu on 10 January.
The cast of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Preview
Marvel’s new ‘Daredevil’ series has new creative talent behind the scenes.
A veteran of Marvel’s ‘The Punisher’ is aboard to run the show.
The series will take on a grittier tone in its new incarnation.
The changes keep on coming for Marvel’s new planned ‘Daredevil‘ series, currently on pause because of the actors’ strike. And now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the company has hired a brand new showrunner and directors.
It comes at a time when the Marvel team is changing how it makes TV series, switching to a more traditional model of having an overall showrunner who keeps more creative control.
Which means that ‘Daredevil: Born Again’, which returns Charlie Cox to the role of blind lawyer-turned-vigilante Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onofrio’s hulking, villainous Kingpin from the Netflix incarnation of the character to starring status after appearing in different MCU projects.
What has happened with ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ so far?
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ was supposed to be Marvel triumphantly proving it can take a character that has been brought to TV screens elsewhere, produced by a different Marvel small-screen team.
Commissioned from writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman, it was set for a mammoth 18-episode/two-season shoot, and cameras started rolling back in March.
Less than half the episodes had been filmed when the writers’ strike closed down production, but that was far from the only issue.
According to earlier reports, executives were not happy with the direction the series was taking (which does have us wondering why they greenlit the show at script stage), including the fact that Cox allegedly didn’t show up in costume as Daredevil until episode four.
Who are the new people boarding ‘Daredevil: Born Again’?
Charlie Cox in Netflix’s ‘Daredevil.’
Dario Scardapane, the new showrunner, has experience in the Marvel TV field, having worked on ‘The Punisher’ during the Netflix era, and more recently was part of team behind Prime Video’s ‘Jack Ryan’.
He’ll be in charge of overhauling the feel of the show, making it more serialized and grittier, closer to the Netflix version of the show.
While some of the footage that was already shot will be used, it’ll be his job to figure out how to include it and write new material to steer the show in its fresh direction.
On the directing front, filmmakers David Boyd and Michael Cuesta have also been let go, and will be replaced by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, the directing team who have become famous for their stylish, twisty, low-budget thrillers and now have Marvel experience thanks to work on ‘Moon Knight’ and ‘Loki’ Season 2.
They’ll no doubt be bringing some of their trademark style to the show.
What is the future for ‘Daredevil: Born Again’?
Charlie Cox in Netflix’s ‘Daredevil.’
Right now, the release schedule for the show’s arrival on Disney+ is in flux –– no set date has been announced. And we also don’t know how many episodes the show will comprise in its current incarnation.
Also, the actors’ strike’s impact continues to be felt, so nothing of the new version will be shot until that is resolved (which is looking good for a deal possibly as early as this week).
‘Daredevil: Begin Again’ was supposed to be Marvel triumphantly proving it can take a character that has been brought to TV screens elsewhere (Cox played the character for three seasons and the ‘Defenders’ team-up limited series on Netflix, produced by a different Marvel small-screen team).
Commissioned from writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman, it was set for a mammoth 18-episode shoot and cameras started rolling back in March. Less than half the episodes had been filmed when the writers’ strike closed down production, but that was far from the only issue.
In the Reporter’s story, there is mention that the executives screened the available footage and didn’t like where the show was headed, including the fact that Cox allegedly didn’t show up in costume as Daredevil until episode four.
Which, we must admit, is surprising, because you have to assume the team signed off on the scripts, and the character’s actions would have been apparent on the page.
Now, a big overhaul is planned, with Ord and Corman out and the directors hired for the season also let go. The search is on for new writers and directors to bring the show more closely in alignment with Marvel’s thinking once Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio (reprising his role as classic Daredevil villain the Kingpin from the Netflix version, having also appeared in the MCU’s ‘Hawkeye’ series) and the other cast can return to work with the resolution of the actors’ strike.
Much of the acquired footage will be repurposed and new storylines added.
This is far from the first of the MCU-linked series to see problems behind the scenes. The Reporter’s story also mentions that ‘Moon Knight’ head writer Jeremy Slater quit the show, with main director Mohamed Diab taking on more of the creative workload.
On ‘She-Hulk’, show creator and writer Jessica Gao was largely sidelined once director Kat Coiro came on to oversee a production that suffered with Covid issues. But unlike Slater, Gao was brought back in during post-production to finish the series.
And perhaps the most chaotic example –– which can truly be seen on screen –– is ‘Secret Invasion’, which suffered a revolving door of creative teams even through pre-production, with the back-and-forth even threatening to foil the series completely as schedule changes meant cast could have been unavailable.
The result? One of the worst-reviewed and least-watched Marvel TV series to land on Disney+.
It’s clear Marvel is struggling to adapt its successful movie method to TV despite aiming to change how shows are produced.
From the sounds of it, the plan now is to switch back to a more traditional process, including working up pilots and show bibles instead of cranking out whole first seasons of series at big expense.
The consequences of the studios and other big companies that make up the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) not negotiating in good faith with writers and actors are continuing to be felt.
We already learned that Disney and Marvel have been juggling their schedules for big screen output to accommodate films that are delayed due to the strikes (or completed projects for which they want talent to be available to promote).
Yet that is also having a knock-on effect on the various Disney+ series that the superhero-focused studio produces. Which is hardly surprising given the deep intersections between Marvel’s movie and TV output (and the fact that the shows are also seeing delays due to writer and actor availability).
Animated series ‘What If…?’, which explores variations on characters and stories, has a second season ready to go, but will now launch in December this year (an exact date has yet to be announced).
‘Hawkeye’ spin-off ‘Echo’, based around Alaqua Cox‘s deaf Native American character, is shifting from November to January, while ‘X-Men ‘97’, a revival of the 1990s animated show, will fly from this fall to early next year.
Perhaps the biggest move underway is for the series currently known as ‘Agatha: Darkhold Diaries’ (formerly ‘Agatha: House of Harkness’ and then ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’), now shifting to next fall, likely (probably a smart move) to arrive around Halloween 2024.
As for shows that were still in production (or post-production)? The likes of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ and ‘Wonder Man‘ will have to wait to gear up shooting again, while ‘Ironheart’ (featuring Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams, first introduced in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’), is stuck in post-production limbo, and does not currently have a launch slot.
‘Loki’s second season is still on track to launch on Disney+ on October 6th.
Marvel is no doubt figuring that the show –– which is still the most successful of the small screen MCU offerings –– will effectively sell itself. And it also doesn’t want to have the fall completely empty.
‘Loki’ picks up the story of the title character’s (Tom Hiddleston) journey around the multiverse, figuring out what is wrong with time and encountering variant versions of himself. Owen Wilson and Sophia Di Martino star in the series, with Ke Huy Quan a big guest star in this second season.
AMC scores waiver
Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead.’
It’s not all bad news for those who produce TV series (and movies). Many independent productions have secured waivers to keep shooting or to promote their projects.
Perhaps the highest profile of recent examples is AMC, which is behind shows such as the mammoth ‘Walking Dead’ franchise and ‘Mayfair Witches’.
It might surprise you to learn that AMC Networks, whose AMC Studios produces most of its shows, is not an AMPTP member but is an “authorized” by the alliance, meaning AMC agrees to abide by any contracts between the AMPTP and industry unions such as the WGA or SAG-AFTRA.
The recent waiver from SAG-AFTRA (the union representing actors, which is currently on strike) means that three shows can continue work.
(L t R) Danai Gurira as Michonne, and Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead.’
‘Walking Dead’ spin-off ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ (surely self-explanatory for fans) can resume production while ‘The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’ (which sees the return of Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes and Danai Gurira’s Michonne to the franchise) finished shooting before the strike but can have the cast head to the studio for post-production work such as additional dialogue recording.
Anne Rice adaptation ‘Interview With the Vampire’ will return to shooting in Prague after shutting down when the actors’ strike started. No other AMC shows are currently included under the waiver.
