Tinker Bell in 1953’s ‘Peter Pan’. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.
Preview:
Streaming service Disney+ has a Tinker Bell series in development.
It’ll be a new, live-action take on the character.
Liz Heldens and Bridget Carpenter are running the show.
While Marvel has been all over Disney+ with a variety of shows based on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we haven’t seen quite as much from the company’s animation arm, which has mostly kept its live-action takes on cartoon characters limited to the big screen.
Now, though, Deadline brings word that the streaming service is developing a series based on ‘Peter Pan’s fairy, Tinker Bell, titled ‘Tink’.
While the character remains an iconic part of the Disney firmament, there have been frustrations with realizing her in the live-action world.
A live-action feature named ‘Tink’ was in development in 2015, with Reese Witherspoon set to play the lead. But that never came to pass and the idea has now been retooled into a series.
Despite a box office stumble with ‘Snow White’, the huge success of ‘Lilo & Stitch’ has led to the Mouse House reaffirming its commitment to converting its animated output to live-action.
‘Moana’ is sailing towards theaters this July, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ spin-off ‘Gaston’ is back in development, and there has been movement on the ‘Tangled’ live-action movie.
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ will return for a third season.
Charlie Cox stars as Matt Murdock/Daredevil.
Vincent D’Onofrio is also expected to be back as the Kingpin.
Despite a troubled development process, which included scrapping footage and hiring a new showrunner, the Marvel/Disney+ series ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ arrived to praise and solid viewing figures this past March.
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The show, which saw the return of Charlie Cox as superpowered blind lawyer Matt Murdock (who also battles crime as costumed vigilante Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio as powerful crime figure Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk effectively continued the story from the Netflix‘Daredevil’ series, albeit this time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Despite comments from Cox in July (see more on that below), Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming, television and animation at Marvel Studios, confirmed the third season renewal in an interview with IGN.
‘Born Again’ follows Fisk who goes from being a gangster to a NYC autocrat mayor. Matt falls in love with therapist Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva), but she winds up becoming an ally in the Fisk administration.
Season 2 will see the return of Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones character. Also in the Season 1 finale, Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle/Punisher returned and, in the very end, broke out of Fisk’s Red Hook jail.
In addition to the next two batches of Daredevil, the Punisher character will appear in his own one-off special co-written by and starring Bernthal and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green. It’s been shot but has yet to confirm a premiere date.
What did Cox and D’Onofrio say about the chances of a third season?
While a second season had already been ordered (and shot for a 2026 launch), Cox in a statement at GalaxyCon seemed to indicate that it would serve as the final season.
Yet that was reportedly taken out of context and for his part, D’Onofrio took to social media to say:
“Good chance there will be a third [season].”
When will ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 3 be on screens?
While Season 2 is due next year, Season 3 won’t shoot until around the same time, so we can expect it to launch in early 2027.
Landing on Disney+ on September 24th is the new Marvel Animation limited series ‘Marvel Zombies’, which spins off from the zombie-filled episode of ‘What If…?’ and loosely adapts the comic book run.
While Marvel’s Disney+ output has been somewhat hit-and-miss, the Marvel Animation team has been enjoying much more success, and ‘Marvel Zombies’ certainly counts as one of those.
It may not be perfect, but it’s certainly a lot of gory, darkly-hued entertainment.
Zeb Wells has enjoyed unusual power in the Marvel world, overseeing much of the animated output, but with good reason –– he and his writing team have crafted sharp, clever takes on the MCU, with ‘Zombies’ as no exception.
It’s not for the faint of heart and certainly dives into some dark areas (don’t get attached to all the characters, even some well-known ones), but it delivers the Young Avengers action many have been waiting for on the big screen, albeit in bite-sized chunks.
Bryan Andrews’ direction is also solid. Though the animation might not be the most advanced, it’s certainly stylish enough and gets the job done.
Featuring the usual mix of MCU veteran performers and some talented voice types who imitate others, this is a great showcase particularly for the infectious enthusiasm of Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan and the usual great work of Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova. Kudos also to Simu Liu, whose Shang-Chi really goes through it in this story, and to Todd Williams, who voices a very different version of Blade from any we’ve seen before.
‘Marvel Zombies’ is by turns full of action and drama, some impressive set-pieces and ideas, and emotionally fun performances from MCU actors and others.
It’s funny despite the post-apocalyptic storyline, and with just four episodes, doesn’t outstay its welcome.
After the Avengers are overtaken by a zombie plague, a desperate group of survivors discover the key to bringing an end to the super-powered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world.
Who stars in ‘Marvel Zombies’?
Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan
Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff
David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov
Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
Awkwafina as Katy Chen Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop Randall Park as Jimmy Woo
Todd Williams as Blade Knight
It’s fair to say that the Marvel movies, specifically the Marvel Cinematic Universe releases, have reached “cultural event” status. And there’s a strong case to be made that the MCU is a currently a pop culture juggernaut, the likes of which we haven’t since the original ‘Star Wars‘ trilogy hit theaters for the first time.
It is a great time to watch the Marvel movies in order now and you can watch them all on Disney Plus in 4K format. You can even plan virtual Marvel movie nights with your friends using Disney+ GroupWatch feature.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
During World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a sickly man from Brooklyn who’s transformed into super-soldier Captain America to aid in the war effort. Rogers must stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) – Adolf Hitler’s ruthless head of weaponry, and the leader of an organization that intends to use a mysterious device of untold powers for world domination.
The story follows Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
Scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) scours the planet for an antidote to the unbridled force of rage within him: the Hulk. But when the military masterminds who dream of exploiting his powers force him back to civilization, he finds himself coming face to face with a new, deadly foe.
With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances – and confront powerful enemies.
Against his father Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
When Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
After the cataclysmic events in New York with ‘The Avengers’, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), aka Captain America is living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.
Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.
When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron (James Spader) emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron’, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.
Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
Following the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War’, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), with the help of his mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture (Michael Keaton), emerges.
Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther in 2018’s ‘Black Panther.’
King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T’Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan ‘special forces’) and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett).
Just when his time under house arrest is about to end, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) once again puts his freedom at risk to help Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) dive into the quantum realm and try to accomplish, against time and any chance of success, a very dangerous rescue mission.
As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization and his father, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung).
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest – Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natural disasters and destruction throughout the continent.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man. Teaming with other Multiverse Spider-Men (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield), they must now work together to take out the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and other Spider-Man villains from around the multiverse.
The Eternals are a team of ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. When an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows, they are forced to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants.
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.
Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.
On a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), the Guardians head to Earth in search of the perfect present. The special follows Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) as they set out to give Quill the best Christmas ever, after discovering that Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined the holiday for him as a child.
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), along with with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) , and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible and pits them against Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).
Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe.
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).
Marvel’s TV output continues to be something of a mixed bag, though things have certainly taken an upturn with the likes of ‘Agatha All Along’ and ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’ Now here comes ‘Ironheart’ aiming to maintain that momentum, utilizing the Riri Williams character from the comics whose youthful genius rivals that of Tony Stark even if her bank balance and living situation certainly don’t.
The Williams character was a key component of Ryan Coogler’s ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, but couldn’t stop sometimes feeling like she was jammed in to add something else. And in her own show, she’s a definite highlight even if not everything about the limited series around her works as well.
The tone of ‘Ironheart’ can sometimes vary wildly, with some scenes feeling like they come from a gritty, emotional drama about grief, loss PTSD or crime and others looking to bring some wackier, Freeform-level comedy. They don’t always fit together as well as they might.
Still, the team has a clear handle on the Riri character, her desires, frustrations and trauma (her stepfather and best friend were shot dead in front of her), and they launch her on an entertaining new adventure, even managing to find rational reasons why she wouldn’t simply pick up the phone and ask for help from Shuri (Letitia Wright) and the Wakandans when things get thorny.
Riri’s interaction with the AI she accidentally created from a scan of her own brain, which is embodied in the form of her late friend Natalie, is always entertaining, the two written believably as best friends. Likewise, the moments with her mother Ronnie are also effective.
Also on the plus side is the Joe McGillicuddy character, a fun addition to the story who becomes something more –– and has a connection to someone that Riri admires that you might not see coming.
The villains are less well drawn –– Parker Robbins, AKA “The Hood” and his magic outfit can’t help but look like he’s cosplaying as Little Red Riding Hood sometimes, and the character, despite some much-needed depth in some family connections, is often written as one-note, and that note is B-flat.
Directors Samantha Bailey and Angela Barnes bring some varied styles to the show, but it works together as a whole. There are some well-conceived and realised action set pieces, especially one set at a high-tech greenhouse complex.
Dominique Thorne has put in some great performances in the past, including in ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ and ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ and brings real soul and depth to Riri. Given the space to explore the character without needing to be part of a bigger blockbuster tapestry, she’s always good here –– whether she’s having a quiet moment with friends or being badass.
Alden Ehrenreich is a highlight, his Joe character one of the more entertaining in the show. While he takes a slightly predictable turn later on, Ehrenreich keeps him entertaining and he plays well off of Thorne in moments such as the pair belting out an Alanis Morissette track or bonding over biotech.
Anthony Ramos struggles slightly with the big bad role, burdened by the fact that, for all of his inventive elements, Parker Robbins is a slightly dull dud as a character. Ramos plays him cool and composed, mostly staying away from campy villain tropes, but it doesn’t really register.
Lyric Ross is an energetic delight as Natalie –– or at least the AI drawn from Riri’s memories –– bringing needed energy to the series, but also a healthy dash of emotion that helps supplements our lead’s storyline.
Around Ramos is a varied bunch of criminals who are fine for what they need to be, but the group does rather waste the comic talents of Eric André as tech guru Stuart, who so desperately wants to be known as “Rampage”.
Finally, Anji White makes an impact in a smaller role as Riri’s mother, Ronnie Williams, a woman with her own grief, but also a deep amount of care for –– and no-nonsense attitude to –– her daughter.
Despite its tonal issues and a frankly unsatisfying final scene that falls into the Marvel trap of nodding to the future without really resolving the present, ‘Ironheart’ makes better use of the Riri Williams character than ‘Wakanda Forever’ ever could.
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What’s the plot of ‘Ironheart?
Set after the events of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,’ Marvel Television’s ‘Ironheart’ pits technology against magic when Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) — a young, genius inventor determined to make her mark on the world — returns to her hometown of Chicago.
Her unique take on building iron suits is brilliant, but in pursuit of her ambitions, she finds herself wrapped up with the mysterious yet charming Parker Robbins, AKA “The Hood” (Anthony Ramos).
Emily Hampshire is joining the ‘WandaVision’ spin-off focused on Vision.
She’ll play the AI tech system E.D.I.T.H. as seen in ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home.’
Paul Bettany returns to star as Vision.
The cast continues to grow for Marvel’s second spin-off from successful original MCU Disney+ offering ‘WandaVision.’ Though the title has officially yet to be confirmed, we do know that it’ll be focused on Paul Bettany’s Vision following the events of the show.
According to both sources, Hampshire is aboard to play E.D.I.T.H., the sophisticated artificial intelligence (the name is an acronym for Even Dead, I’m The Hero), Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) augmented reality security and defense system.
In the MCU, E.D.I.T.H. was originally created by Stark and bequeathed to Peter Parker (Tom Holland) following Stark’s death and seen in ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home.’ It provides access to Stark Industries’ global satellite network along with an arsenal of missiles and drones.
It remains to be seen how E.D.I.T.H. shows up in the series –– in the Spidey movie, the system was voiced by Dawn Michelle King, who served as first assistant editor and presumably was only going to serve as the initial version of the role, but was good enough that director Jon Watts kept her performance.
Hampshire’s casting, though, suggests we’re likely to see a humanoid version of the tech.
There are no concrete plot details about the new show yet, but back when it was first mooted, there was talk of the “White” Vision looking to reclaim his memories, in a continuation of his storyline.
After Vision died at the hands of Thanos in 2018’s ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ he returned twice over in 2021’s ‘WandaVision,’ first as a spectral creation by his beloved, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), through magic powered by grief; then as a rebuilt, nuts-and-bolts android with a ghost white appearance and zero memory of his past life.
When the two Visions battled in the ‘WandaVision’ finale, Wanda’s Vision restored the “ghost” Vision’s memories, then Wanda allowed her Vision to fade from existence. The new show will take place after those events, as ghost Vision presumably explores his new purpose in life.
Unlike last year’s ‘Agatha All Along’, (one of Marvel’s bigger successes in 2024) the new show is being handled by someone other than ‘WandaVision’ creator Jac Schaeffer.
Marvel has hired Terry Matalas, who has worked on shows such as ’12 Monkeys’, ‘Terra Nova’, but rose to acclaim thanks to his efforts overseeing ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Season 3, which definitely pleased fans more than earlier seasons, to run the new ‘Vision’ series.
His work on ‘Picard’ certainly caught the attention of avowed ‘Trek’ fan Kevin Feige, and so Matalas now has the job. The only people who might be upset are those eagerly awaiting the much-talked-about ‘Star Trek: Legacy’ show seemingly set up by the finale of ‘Picard’.
Who else is in the ‘Vision’ series?
James Spader as voice of Ultron in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
So far, we’ve learned that James Spader, who played the rampaging AI who caused so much trouble for the Avengers in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ and effectively created the original version of Vision, will once more be back in performance capture gear to play the speechifying villain.
Known for playing stern authoritarian types and generally grouchy personalities (witness his superbly sarcastic –– but ultimately heroic –– Captain Liam Shaw in ‘Picard’), Todd Stashwick will be an assassin who is on the trail of the android and the technology he possesses.
Faran Tahir will reprise the role of the villainous Raza, leader of the terrorist organization the Ten Rings who tried to kill Tony Stark in ‘Iron Man.’ Though quite how his connection to the Rings organization works in the wake of ‘Shang-Chi’ remains to be seen.
Then we have Ruaridh Mollica, who will play a character named Tucker.
And, most recently, ‘Foundation’s T’Nia Miller was added as Jocasta, described as cunning and vengeful, with a grudge against Ultron. In the comics, she is a robot Ultron builds to be his bride who eventually sides with the Avengers. We’d have to imagine that Matalas and his writers have some other ideas for her storyline in the show.
Where else have we seen Emily Hampshire?
(L to R) Sirena Gulamgaus, Emily Hampshire, and Enrico Colantoni in Caitlin Cronenberg’s ‘Humane.’ Courtesy of Robin Cymbaly. An IFC Films & Shudder Release.
Hampshire played Stevie Budd for the entire run of ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ scoring plenty of acclaim, including several Canadian acting awards.
But perhaps more pertinently for this series, she was also a key component of the cast for Matalas’ ‘12 Monkeys.’
Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones in ‘Marvel’s Jessica Jones’. Photo: Netflix.
Preview:
Krysten Ritter will appear in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2.
She’s bringing Jessica Jones back to screens.
Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio star in the show.
Looks like the Defenders are getting back together. Well, some of them at least.
As part of its presentation at the big Disney Upfront this week (where the company touted its upcoming and returning shows in the hopes of luring advertising dollars), Marvel brought Krysten Ritter on stage to announce that she will appear as Jessica Jones in the second season of Disney+ series ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’
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This is what Ritter said about returning to the role:
“It’s so great to be back, returning to Jessica after three seasons and ‘The Defenders’ and now joining the MCU. I’m so excited to bring back this iconic character, and without giving too much away, there is much more in store for Jessica Jones. This is going to be an incredible season!”
Ritter’s gritty, funny portrayal of the character was widely acclaimed, and she was a definite standout among the Netflix/Marvel heroes.
There had been talk that other Netflix characters might be making the leap, following Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock/Daredevil and his arch nemesis The Kingpin, AKA Wilson Fisk, as played by Vincent D’Onofrio.
Hopes remain high that Mike Colter, who played Luke Cage, a hulking hero with great strength and impenetrable skin, might also show up. And that’s it for the Defenders line up. There definitely was not anybody else we’d want to see.
Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones in ‘Marvel’s Jessica Jones’. Photo: Netflix.
One of the key characters during the Netflix/Marvel TV run, with her standalone series launching in 2015 and lasting for three seasons. She also appeared in the ‘Defenders’ team-up miniseries in 2017.
Jessica was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appeared in ‘Alias #1’ (November 2001) as part of Marvel’s Max, an imprint for more mature content.
She gains super strength and the ability to fly (to some degree, it’s more like giant leaps) and relative invulnerability but the accident also kills her family (or so she thinks).
In the show, much as in the comic, she’s an extremely troubled young woman, an alcoholic who funds her life through working as a private investigator.
In Season 1, she must deal with Kilgrave (David Tennant), a cunning and sadistic mind manipulator who forced her to kill someone while under his power and effectively ended her brief heroic career.
A continuation of the ‘Daredevil’ series that aired on Netflix from 2015 to 2018, ‘Born Again’ picks up with our hero Matt Murdock (Cox), a blind lawyer with heightened abilities, amid a continued fight for justice through his bustling law firm.
At the same time, former mob boss Wilson Fisk (D’Onofrio) pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course.
Season 2 will pick up after the cliffhanger of the first, in which crime lord Fisk violently consolidated power, leading Matt to go underground and begin reaching out to allies to resist Fisk and his anti-vigilante task force. Jones will be part of that group of allies.
“People were watching it as a season four, not at as a first season. It’s given us the confidence of making the show annually into the future.”
Just don’t got expecting this to open any floodgate for other characters, according to the executive:
“It’s about not rushing and telling the best story. Yes, it’s exciting to think about characters interacting, but it’s about the reasons why. At times we’ve done that very well, at times we’ve rushed. The story has to lead the path.”
The show follows Riri’s further adventures as she works on her technological creations (including her version of the Iron Man suit) and encounters some dangerous villains.
‘Ironheart’ launches on Disney+ on June 24th, and you can see the trailer below.
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Then there is ‘Wonder Man,’ about a superpowered actor and stunt man (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who auditions to be in a superhero movie.
Nearly nine years after ‘Inside Out,’ Pixar Animation Studios reunites audiences with Riley in the sequel ‘Inside Out 2,’ who is entering her teenage years. The original emotions—joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust—are back to guide Riley through the next chapter of her life—but not without a few new challenges and emotions.
‘Inside Out 2’ introduces Anxiety (Maya Hawk), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), who are now sharing Headquarters with the original emotions. When Riley is selected to go to a summer hockey camp, Joy (Amy Poehler) and Anxiety butt heads on the best way to navigate her through new social situations.
Kelsey Mann is photographed on September 25, 2013 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar.
Director Kelsey Mann is at the helm for the sequel and went to great lengths to retain the same look and aesthetic as the 2015 film. The sequel deeply explores the self-doubt and self-consciousness of a teenager, which will make for a ton of puns and laughs.
The film premiered at the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles on June 10, 2024, and arrived in theaters on June 14. The movie received overwhelmingly positive reviews, with a 91% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and a 95% from the audience. The film opened to $154.2 million domestically and has since raked in over $620.1 million. ‘Inside Out 2’ has a runtime of 1 hour and 37 minutes.
Did you miss it in theaters? Don’t be sad. The movie is available for rent or purchase on digital starting August 20. Rent for $24.99 or purchase for $29.99 on platforms such as Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube, Vudu, and more.
The movie premiered on Disney+ for subscribers on September 25th and is currently available to watch.
After debuting at $154.2 million domestically, ‘Inside Out 2’ has since surpassed ‘Frozen II’s box office record, raking in a total of $620.1 million domestically and $1.6 billion worldwide. As far as ticket sales go, ‘Inside Out 2’ passed ‘Barbie’ by taking its spot as the 13th biggest movie of all time.
For physical media lovers, ‘Inside Out 2’ was released on DVD, Blu-Ray, and 4K Ultra HD on September 10th. A steel book Blu-Ray edition is also available, and you can order it at Target or Walmart.
The home release includes bonus features such as a behind-the-scenes look at how the animators created the new emotions, the making of the hilarious “The Vault” scene, a three-minute alternate opening scene, and deleted scenes.
Watch the official trailer for ‘Inside Out 2’ below:
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The synopsis for ‘Inside Out 2’ is below:
Following the 2015 movie, ‘Inside Out 2’ will return to the mind of Riley (Kensington Tallman) as she enters her teenage years. Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Liza Lapira), and Fear (Tony Hale) have their hands full as Riley experiences life-changing moments, along with Headquarters going under a sudden demolition to make room for something completely unexpected – brand new Emotions. Experience an emotional rollercoaster as the sequel introduces Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), who will share Headquarters with the original 5 Emotions.
While last week’s episode ended with some criminals in the night, this episode seems to be going more towards the mystical side. Welcome to episode 4 of ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,’ “Is This Not Real Magic?” Which features our best friend Wong (Benedict Wong)!
The episode opens with a mansion outside of town and a hack magician performing. The crowd looks bored, as he calls a volunteer up on stage. Still looking over the unenthused crowd, Donny Blaze (Rhys Coiro) pulls out a “sling ring” and makes a portal.
We cut to Nepal and Wong. The portal opens above him and the volunteer drops in. She tells Wong that the portal dropped her into a pit with a talking goat and then she ended up there. He offers to send her home but not before she unceremoniously spoils ‘The Sopranos’ episode he was watching.
Cut to Jennifer (Tatiana Maslany) breaking the fourth wall again, mentioning that we look happy because we saw Wong. “It’s like giving the show twitter armor for a week,” she says. Her dad (Mark Linn-Baker) comes in and offers to boost up her security after her attack.
She says she’s a Hulk and will be okay. We move to her office where Jennifer is setting up her new dating profile. Nikki (Ginger Gonzaga) comes in to show her another interview she did, and they are stopped by Wong. He explains his “issues” with the magician from earlier.
Wong explains that Blaze was kicked out of the Mystical arts school and now he is using his magic for dangerous purposes. Jennifer asks if Blaze signed a contract, and Wong explains that they never got it in writing.
She mentions doing things by the book, and Wong asks, “The book of Ashanti?” No, the book of American laws! He gives her his card and leaves. At the bar, Jennifer closes the laptop on the cease and desist, and has some last minute Blonsky (Tim Roth) paperwork to do.
A man approaches them, offering to buy her a drink. Jennifer mentions they are doing work and he walks away. She says that type of guy is the reason she doesn’t date. Nikki asks to see her profile, immediately calling her out for her choices, starting to swipe on her matches.
She brings up dating as She-Hulk. Jennifer says no, and that it’s possible for her to get dates as her normal self. We jump to She-Hulk and Wong handing the cease and desist over to Blaze and his manager, Willows (Leon Lamar). Blaze argues with the sorcerer supreme about who’s the better magician and she puts a stop to it, being very obviously grossed out by him and leaving the office.
Next, Jennifer is on a date! However, her date (Ryan Powers) is not exactly blowing her away. He mentions that he was an entrepreneur and not subtly looks at other women. He asks what Jennifer does and she mentions she’s a lawyer.
Well, he’s not paying attention, as he’s on his dating profile and matching with other women. She explains her superhuman power to him and still, he’s not paying attention. Something feels off to her and she thinks he’s going to attack her, but both end up reaching for their keys.
In the courtroom, we see the case between Wong and Blaze. The judge is dubious at best. Wong summons the woman from the magician’s show, Madisynn (Patty Guggenheim) and She-Hulk uses her as the best witness they have.
Well, it’s not working at all. She’s absolutely the worst witness of all time! Blaze’s lawyer asks for the charges to be dismissed, and She-Hulk points out that the mystic arts is real magic, unlike what he does. “Oh my god even the lawyer is a magician,” Jen says.
Wong stands and gives a speech on how Blaze could easily destroy all life as they know it, and the judge explains that it will take a few weeks for her decision and Blaze is still able to do magic in the meantime. Wong offers to throw him into the mirror dimension, but She-Hulk tells him not to.
Jennifer asks Nikki to look at the case for her, and she gets no new matches on her dating app. Finally, out of desperation, she makes an account for She-Hulk. “I’m not proud of this,” she tells the audience. And within seconds, she’s getting matches.
She goes on a date with a few matches, but even then, none of them are great. They still treat her weirdly both as a woman and as a superhero. She asks, “Is there anything worse then dating in your thirties?”
Finally, she meets a man that just seems perfect, Arthur (Michael Curiel), who asks more about her and wants to split some food to go.
Meanwhile, Blaze is back on stage and his volunteer isn’t exactly going along with his act. He summons a real bird that lays an egg, but it hatches a baby demon monster. Throwing it into a portal, he accidentally summons more of them. He then teleports into Wong’s house and asks for his help stopping the demons.
Back at her home, Jennifer is absolutely loving this guy. But before anything could happen, Wong interrupts, asking why she isn’t answering her phone. “Oh, I know why,” says Wong, as she tells Arthur she’ll be right back.
He tells her about Blaze’s portal and She asks Wong what she’s supposed to be doing there. “Be a Hulk,” he tells her and she helps him send the demons back. Mentioning how of course she finally found a hot guy who cares about her and now she’s fighting demons instead of being with him.
After sending them back, she forces Blaze to except the cease and desist order. He agrees and Wong sends Jen back to have a fantastic night. She wakes up the next morning to Nikki informing her that Titania (Jameel Jamil) is on the news again, as the villainess has now been cleared of all charges.
Arthur walks in and is surprised she’s Jennifer and not She-Hulk. He doesn’t look happy, and awkwardly leaves. Jen answers the door to a man serving her a cease and desist, claiming that the Titania trademarked the name “She-Hulk.” “What a bummer way to end the episode, hopefully there’s a fun tag,” Jen tells the audience as the episode ends.
While there was a tag, I think the fun thing to discuss is how ‘She-Hulk’ has been using its humor to poke fun at the MCU.
Very obviously, Donny Blaze is a play on Johnny Blaze, the character known as Ghost Rider. The actual She-Hulk comics themselves were filled with Marvel references and as we mentioned last week, the fourth wall breaks. Honestly, it’s like the show is highlighting the characters Marvel has recently had returned to them, from Wolverine to now Ghost Rider, and as we know from the trailer, eventually Daredevil.
But with that fun and action filled episode concluded, we’ll see you back next week in hopes the action and humor continues to impress!
Premiering on Disney+ on September 8th, Disney+ Day, the studio’s new version of ‘Pinocchio’ continues its drive to make newer, live-action versions of its animated output.
Unfortunately, in the case of ‘Pinocchio’, the result is one of the much lesser examples of that effort. And that’s even more surprising given the pedigree of people behind and in front of the camera.
While he’s had a few misses in his time (‘Welcome to Marwen’ and his remake of ‘The Witches’ didn’t feel the critics’ love and didn’t do much for audiences either), he’s a proven talent. And his collaborations with Tom Hanks – ‘Gump’, for which Hanks was amongst the Oscar winners – and survival drama ‘Cast Away’ are still considered classics.
It’s even more disappointing to report, then, that ‘Pinocchio’ is such a dud that has the whiff of corporate requirement that feels less like it has fairy dust sprinkled over it and more like it was pumped out by a machine.
There are a few tweaks here and there, but this new telling of the tale follows the basic points of the original. Widowed carver Geppetto (Hanks, slathering on prosthetics and a strange accent for the second time this year after ‘Elvis’) is still grieving the loss of his son.
He’s become a shut-in, refusing to sell most of the items in his shop and creating a new child in the shape of a puppet he names Pinocchio because the toy has white pine wood in his head.
And just a cricket arrives seeking shelter in the shop (the Joseph Gordon-Levitt-voiced Jiminy), a fairy arrives to grant Geppetto’s wish that the puppet lad comes to life.
It’s here we should note that Cynthia Erivo, with her typically lyrical, powerful singing voice, is one of the few bright spots of the movie, effortlessly charming in a small role. With Jiminy assigned as the wooden boy’s conscience, the story proper can kick off, as Geppetto bonds with his new “child”, who can now talk and move without need of strings (‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’s Benjamin Evan Ainsworth provides his voice).
Yet realizing that he’ll need to learn to socialize with other, human children, Geppetto encourages Pinocchio to attend school, which does not go well. Instead, he’s encouraged by wolfish, shady theatrical agent Honest John (Keegan Michael-Key) to pursue fame.
From there, he’s soon part of a traveling puppet show run by the alternately enthusiastic and cruel Stromboli (Giuseppe Battiston), who takes him on tour. And he also falls afoul of The Coachman (Luke Evans, in a much less meaty role than his ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Gaston), who promises to whisk him and other kids away to Pleasure Island where the unfortunate kids indulge, only to transform into donkeys headed for the local mines.
All this proceeds in roughly similar fashion to the animated version, but while that 1940 movie has long since entered the classic canon, this new ‘Pinocchio’ seems destined to do little than take up space on Disney’s streaming servers.
A big issue is the CG for Pinocchio and his various friends (including Geppetto’s pet fish Cleo and kitten Figaro), which look to ape the cartoon examples, but come across as cheaper, quickly pumped out efforts that have little of the charm of the originals.
While hewing close to the design of the 1940’s ‘Pinocchio,’ the update has wood grain and texture that you can only achieve in 3D, but he doesn’t have the same charm.
Hanks, meanwhile, does his best to inject life into Geppetto, yet the effect is more of someone on a ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit than a solid recreation of a landmark Disney title.
Some of the performances – Key as Honest John, for example, and the sweet-natured Fabiana (a puppeteer brought to life by newcomer Kyanne Lamaya) make an impression. Fabiana, for example, is one of the new additions, who makes a connection with Pinocchio and provides some real emotion in a movie that largely struggles to generate it.
In terms of other additions, there is Sofia the seagull (Lorraine Bracco), who has a couple of moments with Jiminy but makes little impact.
Possibly most disappointing of all is the finale, which goes through the sea monster motions as Geppetto looks to save Pinocchio only for the puppet boy to help him out instead, and then hand waves away his ultimate wish in a seconds-long wrap up from Jiminy. It’s more frustrating than magical, as though Zemeckis and co-writer Chris Weitz (with ‘Paddington’s Simon Farnaby also credited) couldn’t be bothered to truly finish the story.
Many of the classic songs are present and correct (plus a couple of new tunes, one from Fabiana) and while Erivo knocks “When You Wish Upon a Star” out of the park, most of the others are unremarkable.
There are several things you might wish upon a star to improve in this latest Disney movie, and you can see why the company chose to punt it straight to streaming (unlike, say, the Pixar productions ‘Soul‘ and ‘Turning Red,‘ which both deserved a theatrical release).
We fear it’ll take more than one fairy’s worth of magic to turn this one from a wooden effort into a real, live movie.
