(Left) Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios. (Right) 1931’s ‘Frankenstein.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Preview:
‘Saltburn’s Jacob Elordi has boarded Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’.
He replaces Andrew Garfield in playing the monster.
Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz are all aboard the Netflix film.
Mary Shelley’s classic, literary horror-genre-goosing novel ‘Frankenstein’ is something that filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has had on his To-Do list for more than a decade.
Now, Deadline reports that Garfield has had to drop out, just one more ripple effect of last year’s strikes still impacting schedules. But the good news for the director is that Jacob Elordi, whose star is on the rise thanks to ‘Saltburn’ and ‘Priscilla’, is now lined up to step in.
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What’s the story of ‘Frankenstein’?
1931’s ‘Frankenstein.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Shelly’s literary game-changer follows Victor Frankenstein (Isaac), a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature (Elordi) to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
Del Toro is writing, directing and producing alongside J. Miles Dale, who served as a producer on del Toro’s ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ for Netflix, where this new movie is also based.
Who else is in Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’?
What has del Toro said about ‘Frankenstein’ in the past?
Director Guillermo del Toro for ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.’
“The only way to do the Shelley novel is to actually do a four-hour miniseries,” he told MTV in 2008. “But I think there are permutations in which you can tell the myth in a different way.”
Obviously, he’s clearly found a way to make the story work as a movie –– and has now cracked the script.
It’ll need to be something fresh –– Shelley’s book has been adapted many times in many ways for all sorts of media. But we can trust del Toro will bring his distinctive stamp to the story of the doctor who reanimates dead bodies and the creature he creates that faces hatred from the local villagers.
Guillermo del Toro poses backstage with the Oscar® for Animated Feature Film during the live ABC telecast of the 95th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
Quite what he intends to do with it is a mystery for now, but he may choose to tweak it in a modern-day setting or stick to more of a period feel. Either way, this is certainly something we know this director can do.
And hopefully, Netflix will give the result some proper big-screen treatment before it ends up on the company’s servers, and we’re glad del Toro is getting to tick another long-held dream film off his list.
As for Elordi, he’s worked on Paul Schrader’s next film, ‘Oh Canada’ and indie drama ‘On Swift Horses’. He’ll also be back for the next season of HBO’s ‘Euphoria’, due in 2025.
(Left) Oscar Isaac in ‘Big Gold Brick.’ (Center) Jason Momoa as Dante in ‘Fast X’, directed by Louis Leterrier. (Right) Gerard Butler as Brodie Torrance in ‘Plane.’ Photo Credit: Kenneth Rexach.
Preview
‘In The Hand Of Dante’ secures an Interim Agreement from SAG-AFTRA, allowing the production to begin in Italy
The crime thriller will be led by Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, and Gerard Butler
The movie is an adaptation of the novel by Nick Tosche, with actor Johnny Depp purchasing the rights through his production company Infinitum Nihil in 2008.
The book tells two separate tales, with Dante Alighieri in 14th Century Italy and a fictional version of Nick Tosches in 2001. The two stories alternate between Dante and Tosche. One is trying to finish his magnum opus, while the other is called to authenticate a manuscript of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri but ends up stealing it.
The book also touches on modern publishing, including Tosches’ own writing, the 9/11 attacks, and the Rolling Stones.
The star-studded cast for the crime thriller includes Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, and Gerard Butler. All names associated with mega franchises such as ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Aquaman,’ and ‘Olympus Has Fallen.’ While the actors have been on strike since July 14, the production has landed an interim agreement with SAG-AFTRA, allowing the actors to film in Italy.
Actor Johnny Depp purchased the rights to Nick Tosches’ book in 2008 through his production company, Infinitum Nihil. Originally, Oscar-nominated director Julian Schnabel planned to work with Depp on the film, with the actor playing the role of Tosches. However, the director revealed last month that Oscar Isaac has been cast in the leading role.
Visionary Director Martin Scorsese To Executive Produce
Director Martin Scorsese at the Academy Awards.
The crime thriller will be executive produced by none other than Martin Scorsese (‘Killers of the Flower Moon’), along with DreamCrew, Screen Capital/Screen One, and Tribune Pictures. Jon Killik, Francesco Melzi d’eril for MeMo Films, and Olmo Schnabel for TWIN Productions will also produce.
Jason Momoa in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.
Movies Starring Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa or Gerard Butler:
Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
Following the events of ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,’ Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy reunite as the Spider-man universe expands further than either of them has ever anticipated.
“Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.”
‘Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse’ opened in theaters domestically on June 2, 2023. Initially, the movie was slated to release in April 2022 but shifted to a later release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ opened to $120.6 million domestically and so far has grossed $371.8 million since its release. Worldwide, the movie has earned $666.5 million. This film serves as part one, with part two slated for a 2024 release.
The first film not only received positive reviews from critics and fans alike, but it also won the Academy Award for “Best Animated Feature” in 2019. The highly anticipated sequel once again dazzled the audience and is certified Fresh on the Tomatometer.
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Who’s in the cast of ‘Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse’?
This movie further expands what we already know of the Spider-Verse through the lens of Miles Morales. The film’s protagonist, The Spot, figured out that his spots can be used as portals for dimension jumping, but also the reason why Miles Morales became Spider-Man in the first place. The Spot uses his portals to travel to universes with colliders by absorbing its power to further increase his power, making him quite formidable for the team of Spider-man and Spider-woman.
Gwen Stacy also gets some much needed attention in this movie as we dive into her past on how she became Spider-Woman, her struggle to keep her identity a secret from her father, and how losing her best friend catapulted her into the frenzied world the “Spider Society.”
For the first time on the big screen, we’re introduced to Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Punk, Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman, and Pavitr Prabhakar/Spider-man India – all of them working together under the direction of Spider-Man 2099 to prevent catastrophic canon events.
Ben Reilly in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
We’ve already seen in the first film how many variants of Spider-people exist. We’ve met Spider-Ham, Spider-Noir, and Peni Parker in ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’, and the amount of cameo and easter eggs is dialed up in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’ Here are some of the easter eggs you can find in the movie:
Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider
Mayday “May” Parker/Spider-Girl
Spider-Byte
Spider-Rex
Peter Parkedcar
Web-Slinger
Bombastic Bag-Man
The Spectacular Spider-Man
It’s not easy to catch all the easter eggs and cameo while watching in the theaters, but once the movie arrives on digital or a streaming platform, the audience will have the ability to pause and rewind to spot all the references and appearances.
Are There Two Version Of The Film Floating Around?
Sharp-eyed audience members begin to wonder if there were two versions of the film being shown in theaters The differences are subtle and do not affect the overall story. An example is when Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 speaks with Lyla – In one version, Lyla takes a selfie with a bunny ear filter that shows up on Miguel’s face, and one version shows Lyla giving a fist bump. The films’ associate editor Andy Leviton has confirmed this on Twitter. Which version did you see?
Where Can I Watch ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’?
(L to R) Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) and his daughter Mayday in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
The movie premiered on May 20, 2023, at the Regency Village Theater in Los Angeles and was released domestically on June 2, 2023. It is still playing in theaters, so be sure to check Moviefone below for showtimes in your area. ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 14 minutes.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse’ below:
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Can’t make it out to the theater? The multi-Spider-Verse jumping movie will soon be available digitally on Prime Video. Currently, it is listed as available for pre-order for $19.99. As far as streaming goes, since Sony does not have its own streaming platform and currently has a deal with Netflix, it is likely to end up on the major streamer in the fall.
What is the plot of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’?
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ takes place one year after the events of ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,’ as Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is unexpectedly approached by his love interest Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) to complete a mission to save every universe of Spider-People from the Spot (Jason Schwartzman), who could cause a catastrophic disaster. Miles is up for the challenge, where he and Gwen journey through the Multiverse together and meet its protectors, a group of Spider-People known as the Spider-Society, led by Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac). However, Miles finds himself at odds with Miguel and the Spider-Society on how to handle the threat.
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Who is in the voice cast of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’?
While more mature and character-driven than the original, ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ builds off of the first film exceedingly well and dives deeper into Miles’ struggles with being Spider-Man, as well as Gwen Stacy’s origin story. The movie is also larger in scope than the previous film, with even more breathtakingly beautiful animation, and explores the Spider-Verse further by adding some excellent new characters and setting up an exciting conclusion in ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,’ which is scheduled to be released next year.
Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
Story and Animation
The sequel starts off with a bang featuring Gwen Stacey’s heartbreaking origin story, which also introduces Jessica Drew, Miguel O’Hara, and the Spider-Society. We then return to Miles Morales and his struggles with school, his parents, and being Spider-Man. Miles soon encounters The Spot, a new super-villain who’s own origin story is tied to Miles’. Miles doesn’t take his new “archenemy” seriously and The Spot vows his revenge
against Spider-Man by amassing as much power as possible.
Meanwhile, Miles is visited by his old friend Gwen and soon learns of the Spider-Society and wants to join. He eventually follows Gwen to their headquarters, reunites with Peter B. Parker, who now has a baby daughter, and meets O’Hara and learns that they have all been keeping a terrible secret from him. Now knowing the truth, Miles must decide what path he wants to take with his future.
(L to R) Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) and his daughter Mayday in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
Ordinarily, I do not like sequels that just set up other sequels and don’t have a satisfying conclusion of their own (I’m looking at you ‘Fast X’). But ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ is different and has an extremely satisfying conclusion, even if it is a cliffhanger. The story overall is more mature, a bit darker, and even larger in scope than the original, but never loses focus of Miles, his family, his friends, and his point of view. The movie is long at almost two and a half hours, but never feels too long and the quitter, character-driven moments, for example between Miles and his parents, raise the stakes of the overarching story. The movie also takes more time to examine Gwen Stacy and her backstory, which is one of the highlights of the film.
Not unlike the original, Oscar-winning movie, the animation is absolutely gorgeous and some of the most impressive I’ve ever seen. The movie itself has a specific style and tone, which gives it a certain comic book quality. But at the same time, each character has his or her own specific style which is very unique. Because of the multiverse aspect to the story, the filmmakers can have some fun with the animation styles, and they do, mixing and matching what style works best for which character. Some are a representation of the medium or time the character was first created, but the movie also mixes different types of animation as well as even Legos (a nod to Lord and Miller’s ‘The Lego Movie’) and live-action. It’s also worth noting how the animators successfully make Miles and Gwen look older than they did in the first movie.
(L to R) Jessica Drew (Issa Rae), and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy
The movie wisely begins a year after the original, giving Miles some time to grow and mature, but at fifteen, he’s still just a kid. The sequel really takes its time to set up Miles now, how he’s changed, how he’s not, and what his personal problems are before his new journey truly begins. These are some of the most touching moments of the movie, especially Miles scenes with his parents, where he desperately wants to tell them the truth but can’t. Shameik Moore is even better, if that is possible, as the voice of Miles this time around, and seems to have even made his voice more mature to age appropriately with Miles.
The first 20 minutes or so of the movie is Gwen Stacy’s origin story, and it could really be a short film of its own. It’s a heartbreaking beginning, but fitting for the character who has always been a bit more emotionally broken than Miles, and now we know why. Gwen’s relationship with Miles also grows in this movie and is completely believable, while there is a fun rivalry between Miles and Spider-Punk for her affections. Hailee Steinfeld gives a great voice performance and adds a lot of emotion and vulnerability to the character.
Issa Rae as Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ which opens in theaters on June 2nd, 2023.
There are too many new Spider-People introduced to mention them all, and some are just fun cameos that I won’t spoil. But Jessica Drew definitely stands out. If you are old enough, you will remember a Saturday Morning cartoon in the early 1980s called ‘Spider-Woman,’ which featured Jessica Drew. Well, this interpretation is completely different and extremely refreshing. Issa Rae plays the character like a complete boss, and the addition of a Spidy-Cycle was a nice touch.
Also a standout, Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya as Hobert “Hobie” Brown/Spider-Punk. Certainly a lesser known Spider-Man, Kaluuya makes the character come alive with an authentic attitude, Johnny Rotten accent, and punk animation style. Another new Spider-Person worth mentioning is Spider-Man India, hilariously voiced by ‘Deadpool’s Karan Soni, who is a nice addition to the Spider-Team.
Miguel O’Hara as Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
The Villains
While not a villain per se, Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 is definitely an antagonist in the film and very tough on Miles. The character was first introduced in the end-credit sequence in ‘Into the Spider-Verse,’ and I have to say, I was slightly disappointed. The character was very one-dimensional for me, and I hope he will be explored further and perhaps redeemed in the next movie. Oscar Isaac is fine in the role, but not given enough time to really explore the character. He’s angry through most of the movie, and with the exception of a few funny lines, his emotions never really change. While his true motivations are revealed before the movie’s end, we’re never really given enough time to truly understand how he feels about what he’s doing.
But the main villain in this movie, and it would seem the following film, is The Spot, wonderfully voiced by Jason Schwartzman. The actor is goofy, bumbling, funny, scary, menacing, brilliant, and a bit dumb, all at the same time. While the character does not seem much of a threat for Miles at first, he certainly is by the film’s end and his transformation is completely logical. It was also a nice touch retconning Miles origin so it would be tied to The Spot’s.
Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) takes on The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
Is ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ set in the MCU?
No, ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ is not set in the MCU. However, this is a multiverse story, and there are definitely references, Easter eggs, and other surprises linked to the MCU and other Spider-Man film and television projects from the past.
Are there any End-Credit scenes in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse?’
No, at least there was not at the press screening. There is a mid-credit bumper that says, “Miles Morales will return in ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,’” which of course we already knew. But that doesn’t mean that an end-credit scene wasn’t kept from the press as not to spoil, so if you don’t have anywhere urgent to be, you should probably stay in your seats after the movie just in case.
Final Thoughts
In the end, it’s hard to believe that ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ is just as good if not better than the Oscar winning ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,’ but it is! The sequel recaptures the magic of the original, while broadening the scope, raising the stakes, and delivering a more mature movie with a satisfying ending, even if it is “to be continued.” The movie takes a deeper look at fan-favorites like Miles and Gwen, but also introduces great new characters like Spider-Punk, Jessica Drew, and The Spot, while featuring eye-popping, beautiful, fresh, and groundbreaking stylistic animation.
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ received 9.5 out of 10 stars
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ lands in theaters on June 2nd, 2023.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’:
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ is produced by Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Marvel Entertainment, Lord Miller Productions, Pascal Pictures, and Avi Arad Productions. It is set to release in theaters on June 2nd, 2023.
(L to R) Oscar Isaac, Guillermo del Toro, and Mia Goth speak onstage Netflix TUDUM 2025: The Live Event at The Kia Forum on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Netflix.
We already know that he’s pushing ahead with a new animated project, adapting Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2015 historical fiction novel ‘The Buried Giant’ for Netflix, but it would seem he might also be setting his sights on another live-action film (especially since ‘Giant’ is being crafted in stop-motion and will likely take years to see the screen).
And this other movie is one that del Toro has wanted to make for more than a decade: an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic tale ‘Frankenstein’.
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Who does Guillermo del Toro want for ‘Frankenstein’?
According to Deadline, del Toro is in the early stages of finding his cast for this new adaptation. He’s reportedly had talks with Oscar Isaac, Andrew Garfield and Mia Goth for the three lead roles, though the trade site is quick to caution that there are no formal offers out to the actors but all three are eager to work with del Toro.
And who can blame them? The director won two Oscars for ‘The Shape of Water’ in 2018 and has long been considered an inventive, entertaining filmmaker.
What has del Toro said about ‘Frankenstein’ in the past?
“The only way to do the Shelley novel is to actually do a four-hour miniseries,” he told MTV in 2008. “But I think there permutations in which you can tell the myth in a different way.”
Obviously, he’s clearly found a way to make the story work as a movie –– though he’s still figuring out the script.
It’ll need to be something fresh –– Shelley’s book has been adapted many times in many ways for all sorts of media. But we can trust del Toro will bring his distinctive stamp to the story of the doctor who reanimates dead bodies and the creature he creates that faces hatred from the local villagers.
It’s the sort of subject that del Toro does so well –– finding the humanity in the monstrous and the monstrosities among humans.
This would be a high-profile cast for the director –– Isaac was most recently seen in the likes of ‘Dune’, ‘Big Gold Brick’ and Marvel’s ‘Moon Knight’ series. He’ll be heard as Miguel O’Hara in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’, due in theaters on June 2nd.
And in the case of at least the first (though possibly both), they will also boast the voice of ‘Get Out’, and ‘Nope’ actor Daniel Kaluuya, who plays Spider-Punk.
Kaluuya, of course, is already a veteran of the main MCU (to which Sony’s Spider-Verse movies don’t yet directly connect), having played W’Kabi in 2018’s ‘Black Panther’.
The new movies continue the adventures of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld) as they combat threats from across the Spider-Verse.
Alongside the returning heroes, we’ll see more from Spider-Man 2099 (AKA Miguel O’Hara, voiced by Oscar Isaac) and meet the likes of Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman), played by Issa Rae.
Marvel Comics Spider-Punk. Photo courtesy of Marvel.com
Spider-Punk, AKA Hobart “Hobie” Brown, is a more recent Marvel Comics arrival, created by writer Dan Slott and artist Olivier Coipel in 2015 via ‘The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3’ #10.
He’s described as a homeless teenager who becomes a hero to the oppressed citizens of New York in his dimensional universe.
On the villainous side, there is a deep cut from within Spidey’s rogues’ gallery.
Voiced by Jason Schwartzman, The Dot will feature a character design meant to call to mind an unfinished sketch, featuring blue construction lines that evoke a comic book artist’s rough drawing before the work goes to an inker. The design itself will evolve over the course of the film as the character changes and grows, taking on a more fearsome shape as he learns to better apply his own powers.
There will also be an appearance from more familiar The Vulture; though not the Michael Keaton character from ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ and other live-action movies. Instead, this will be a different dimension’s version, voiced by Jorma Taccone.
Aside from the knowledge that our heroes will have to face off against those villains (and, likely some characters yet to be revealed), the story for both of the sequel movies remains largely a mystery. But given the continued presence of Lord and Miller in particular, we’re anticipating an inventive, funny, emotional and visually wild ride across the two films.
We’ll have to wait for ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ as it won’t land in theaters until June 2nd next year. And ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ is even further away, arriving on March 29th, 2024.
Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) takes on The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
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Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) takes on The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
The annual Annecy International Animation Film Festival is happening now in France and one of the main attractions is a presentation about much-anticipated sequel ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’.
Following on from 2018’s Oscar-winning ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’, the new film is one of two sequels that will continue the adventures of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld) as they combat threats from across the Spider-Verse.
Alongside the returning heroes, we’ll see more from Spider-Man 2099 (AKA Miguel O’Hara, voiced by Oscar Isaac) and meet the likes of Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman), played by Issa Rae. And the clip from the festival also featured George Stacey, Gwen’s policeman father, played by Shea Whigham.
“For those who are not hardcore canon nerds, The Spot is one of the deepest cuts in Spider-Man’s rogue gallery,” says co-director Kemp Powers in a statement. “But he has a super-power that really excited our entire team: His entire body is covered in little interdimensional portals that can send him anywhere he wants to go.
“We thought it would be really cool if the portals felt like living ink that had spilled or splattered on the comic artist’s drawing,” Powers told the Annecy crowd before screening test animation footage. “His very simple power provided endless exciting challenges and permutations for our team.”
Meet The Spot, Miles Morales's most formidable foe yet. 🕳 Voiced by Jason Schwartzman, see him in action in Spider-Man: Across the #SpiderVerse, exclusively in movie theaters June 2, 2023. pic.twitter.com/1aAmMjMcpX
— Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse (@SpiderVerse) June 13, 2022
Voiced by Jason Schwartzman, the villain will feature a character design meant to call to mind an unfinished sketch, featuring blue construction lines that evoke a comic book artist’s rough drawing before the work goes to an inker. Seen in the official tweet about the character in an early form, the design itself will evolve over the course of the film as the character changes and grows, taking on a more fearsome shape as he learns to better apply his own powers.
He’s not the only problem our heroes will have to deal with – the movie also features a version of The Vulture, the longstanding Spidey villain most recently brought to screens by Michael Keaton in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ (and seen in a brief moment in ‘Morbius’). In ‘Spider-Verse’, he’ll be voiced by Jorma Taccone, the Lonely Island team member who has cropped up in all the trio’s movies including ‘Hot Rod’ and ‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping’, plus a variety of other movies. Most recently, he lent his voice to ‘Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers’.
We’ll have to wait for ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ as it won’t be in theaters until June 2nd next year. And ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse‘ is even further away, arriving on March 29th, 2024.
Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
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Star Wars Celebration at the Anaheim Convention Center
Star Wars Celebration got off with a bang on Thursday May 25th as thousands of fans gathered at the Anaheim Convention Center for the first day of the big event.
After the montage, a full choir dressed in black surrounded by smoke appeared to sing the Darth Vader theme (aka ‘The Imperial March’) live, while Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen took the stage together for the first time in decades to a standing ovation. “Hello everyone, we are back,” said Christensen. President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy, ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ director Deborah Chow, Moses Ingram and Rupert Friend took the stage to discuss the new Disney+ series which drops its first two episodes on May 27th.
(L-R) Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Deborah Chow, Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm, Ewan McGregor, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Hayden Christensen attend the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration for “Obi-Wan Kenobi” in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. The series streams exclusively on Disney+. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
After Kennedy addressed the crowd teasing what fans will experience over the next few days, McGregor talked about the new show and returning to the character. “It was really special to come back and play him with Deborah, and our brilliant cast,” he said. “In the last few years, we’ve really felt the love from you for the prequels we made. That has meant a lot to us, and me personally. It made the whole experience a lovely thing. It was fun to take the Obi-Wan that we all know and take him to a darker and more broken place. It was a great challenge in a way.”
Hayden Christensen also talked about returning to play Darth Vader. “Thank you so much, It’s been an amazing thing to return to ‘Star Wars’ and pick up a lightsaber again. It’s been incredible.” Rupert Friend, who plays one of the show’s villains discussed his character’s lightsaber. “Mine is double ended, and it’s very hard not to make the noise all the time.”
McGregor then invited everyone in the hall to return this evening to watch the first two episodes of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ with the cast at the Anaheim convention center, a few hours before it premieres around the rest of the world.
Disney
Kennedy introduced a teaser for ‘Andor,’ which will premiere on Disney+ this summer, then Diego Luna, who plays Cassian Andor from ‘Rogue One’ took to the stage along with other members of the cast. The series will be 12 episodes long and take place five years before ‘Rogue One.’ It will be a two season show, with the second season ending right before ‘Rogue One’ begins.
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Luna discussed returning to his ‘Rogue One’ role. “It feels amazing. When I made the film, I lived everyday like it was the last. I did not know this was possible. I love what he represents. He is of the people, and this story is about the power we have and the awakening we deserve.”
Genevieve O’Reilly returns as Mon Mothma and the actress discussed reprising her role. “It is such a gift to come back to this role. I first played this woman almost 17 years ago, so to continue to play her now, I feel so lucky.” It was also announced that ‘Dune’ actor Stellan Skarsgård will be playing a Rebel leader in the series.
Luna then revealed the official teaser poster for ‘Andor,’ as well as a teaser trailer for the new show. The footage began with a village of people ringing a warning bell as the Empire attacks. We get our first look at Skarsgård’s new character, as well as Mon Mothma, and Cassian piloting a starship. The series will launch on August 31st with a two-episode premiere.
Disney original series ‘Willow’
The presentation then transcended the ‘Star Wars’ world to give a sneak peek at another George Lucas-created property, ‘Willow.’ Original film director Ron Howard appeared to present the upcoming Disney+ series based on the 80’s film. “I’ve had a lot of great experiences throughout my career but nothing like making ‘Solo,’” Howard said. Then he welcomed on stage “Willow” himself, Warwick Davis. “I’m back playing the character and it is something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s a dream come true. Making the movie was one of the best experiences of my life, and I’ve been in ‘Star Wars’,” said Davis.
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Joanne Whalley was also announced to return from the original movie for the new series and then appeared to address the crowd. “It’s incredible to be back and have her sword in my hand again,” said Whalley. The new series will take place 25 years after the original and feature all new characters in addition to the return of Davis and Whalley. It was also announced that Davis’ real-life daughter will play Willow’s daughter in the new series, while his son is his stunt double. The presentation ended with footage from the new show
Kennedy, who left the stage to put on a cowboy hat, then introduced ‘The Mandalorian’ team of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. Favreau began by complimenting Kennedy on being the “best producer in the business.” The two filmmakers are also working on the upcoming ‘Ahsoka’ series, as well as ‘The Mandalorian’ season three.
“I know I don’t get to do any of this without the support I get from fans and Lucasfilm. ‘Ahsoka’ is going great. We are lucky to have Rosario Dawson fronting this. She is not here because she is shooting scenes so you can see it soon.” Dawson in full costume appeared in a short video teasing the new series and saying, “Maybe I’ll see you next time.” ‘Ahsoka’ will premiere in 2023 according to Filoni.
Pivoting to season three of ‘The Mandalorian,’ Favreau announced that actress Katee Sackhoff will be returning as Bo Katana, and the actress was on hand to appear. Releasing in 2023, Favreau said that they have wrapped filming, and are now in the editing process. He then showed footage from the upcoming season.
Katee Sackhoff attends the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
Opening with ‘The Mandalorian’ theme, Mando is told he is no longer a Mandalorian because he removed his helmet. We get many shots of Grogu, as well as Bo Katan and the return of Carl Weathers as Greef Karga. Mando then says that he is returning to Mandalore to be punished for his transgressions.
Favreau then introduced director Jon Watts, who is working on a secret new ‘Star Wars’/Disney+ show. “So, this is a show we have been working on for a long time. It is about a group of kids that get accidentally lost in the Star Wars world and are now trying to get home. It’s a story about kids, but it’s not just a show for kids,” he explained. Watts then revealed that it takes place in the same ‘Star Wars’ timeline as ‘The Mandalorian’ and ‘Ahsoka.’ The series will be titled ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ and stars Jude Law. Watts said that they begin shooting soon, and that it will be released next year.
Finally, to celebrate the 90th birthday of ‘Star Wars’ composer John Williams, he took to the stage with a full orchestra to perform for the first time ever, the new theme to ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi.’
“Thank you all so much for being here. I know this is a ‘Star Wars’ convention, and this is not ‘Star Wars’, but you might know it,” said Williams before conducting the orchestra performing the “Indiana Jones Theme.” Then, Harrison Ford shocked the audience by walking on stage.
Harrison Ford of the upcoming fifth installment of the “Indiana Jones” franchise honors composer John Williams on his 90th birthday at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
”It’s a great honor to be here and congratulate John on his 90th birthday. That music follows me everywhere I go, and I am happy about it,” said Ford. “What I’ve come to appreciate is the generosity of this man, and what a wonderful talent we are blessed with,” the actor said of Williams, fighting back tears. “We are looking forward to the next ‘Indian Jones.’ We had a great time working with James Mangold and I am very proud of the movie we have made. So, I will be seeing you around campus.”
Finally, Ford announced that the ‘Untitled Indiana Jones‘ will be released on June, 30th 2023, while Williams and the orchestra played “The Imperial March.”
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You can watch our exclusive red carpet interviews with the casts of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi,’ ‘Andor,’ and ‘Willow’ by clicking on the vide player above.
Though it had to deal with arriving on HBO Max the same day as theaters, Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune’ still managed to become a big success, earning $41 million on its opening weekend ahead of taking in more than $400 million at the worldwide box office.
And since the first movie only told half of the story from Frank Herbert’s book, there was widespread relief when ‘Part Two’ was quickly announced. Casting is underway for the new movie, with the latest news that Christopher Walken will be playing Emperor Shaddam IV.
In the book, Shaddam is the Padishah Emperor of the Corrino Empire, which for those unfamiliar with Herbert’s weighty tomes, essentially means he rules the known universe.
He’s never glimpsed in the first movie, instead sending messengers to carry out his bidding. But it’s Shaddam who, concerned that House Atreides (led by Oscar Isaac’s Duke Leto) is becoming too powerful, hatches a plan to have the family take over stewardship of the planet Arrakis (AKA Dune).
That, in turn is a crafty scheme to betray them, the Emperor conspiring with the cruel House Harkonnen to launch an assault on the Atreides shortly after they arrive on the unforgiving desert planet. The result leaves Leto and many of his family and forces dead, and son/heir/prophesised mystical saviour Paul (Timothée Chalamet) fleeing into the harsh sands of Dune.
Timothée Chalamet in 2021’s ‘Dune.’
‘Dune: Part Two’ continues the story of Paul and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) as they regroup and earn the trust of the native Fremen (including leader Stilgar, played by Javier Bardem) and warrior Chani (Zendaya). They’ll survive while plotting a reprisal, as Paul becomes a spiritual and military leader among the Fremen.
Walken’s casting is certainly interesting – he’s known for his distinct delivery, and certainly has the air of someone who could lead a massive Empire while also coming across as mysterious.
He’s one of the key components for the new movie, which has already added Florence Pugh, playing the Emperor’s daughter, Princess Irulan and ‘Elvis’ star Austin Butler, who will take the role of Feyd-Rautha, the cunning nephew of the pitiless baron who heads House Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), and who is being groomed to rule Arrakis.
Returning cast for ‘Part Two’ – which Villeneuve again co-wrote alongside Jon Spaihts – also includes Josh Brolin as loyal Atreides military man Gurney Halleck, who survives the attack.
Villeneuve’s movie racked up 10 Oscar nominations this year, and won six of them, including Editing, Cinematography, Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. While there was surprise that the director didn’t feature in his own category, there’s already chatter that if ‘Part Two’ turns out as well as the first, it’ll be a major player come awards season 2024.
‘Dune: Part Two’ will start filming this summer in Budapest, and is currently aiming for an October 20th, 2023 release date.
Last week’s episode ended with us in paradise, welcome to the season finale of ‘Moon Knight’.
We open on Marc being dragged out of the pool by Arthur’s men, who place the scarab on his chest and leave. Only for it to be picked up by Layla. Arthur is stopped, and we witness Ammit’s power. Layla goes to kill him, only to be held back by Tawaret taking over her body to tell her she needs to break Khonshu’s statue to bring Marc back.
Harrow breaks into the vault of the gods, getting into a fight with the other avatars and defeating them. He breaks the statue, releasing Ammit back into the world. The goddess asks who brought her back and mentions that Arthur’s scales “lack balance.” Layla also finds and destroys Khonshu’s prison, releasing him. She refuses to become his avatar, only agreeing to help if they can work together.
We cut to Marc in the afterlife being told his scales are balanced. Tawaret explains to him that his afterlife is everything he wanted. Sensing it isn’t right, he tells the goddess they need to get Steven back. Marc runs the other direction and paradise instantly fades. Marc finds Steven buried in the sands, and finally admits he saved him. Apologizing that he couldn’t protect him, all as Marc slowly turns to stone.
The golden door opens and the two of them come back. Tawaret helps Marc and Steven get back to the world of the living while Khonshu and Ammit fight in the Vault. Khonshu senses them returning and inhabits Marc’s body again. He now must talk to both Steven and Marc, and they strike up a deal. They will be his avatar, but once Ammit is gone, they will be freed.
Layla learns how to trap Ammit, but she needs more avatars. Without even words, it’s revealed she’s accepted Tawaret’s offer for help. Arthur makes it to the top of the great pyramid, now working as Ammit’s avatar, eating the souls of the unworthy.
Marc & Steven make it in time, and their fight with Arthur shows how the two of them both have control over the Moon Knight power. Layla appears just as Arthur is about to get the upper hand, looking nearly as powerful as they are, and is the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the Scarlet Scarab.
Layla saves a car full of people from Arthur and is asked if she’s an Egyptian superhero. In a very moving, but quick scene, she hastily replies, “Yes.” Arthur gets the better of Marc, same as Ammit with Khonshu. It seems Marc’s about to lose before he blacks out, waking up to Arthur nearly dead beneath him. Once again, it wasn’t him or Steven who did it!
They take Arthur back and return Ammit to his body as a prison. Khonshu tries to get Marc to kill the body and Layla tells him to stop. He sides with Layla, telling the moon god to release them.
Steven is shown back in the white room with the doctor. He asks the doctor if he believes gods are real, to which he responds, “No.” Marc returns to tell him “What if we disagree?” The doctor walks away bleeding, and Marc and Steven team-up to escape their personal afterlife. Marc wakes up back in Steven’s apartment, with two of everything, including goldfish. And that’s the end!
Now before we touch on anything else in the episode, let’s discuss that end-credit scene.
We’re shown Arthur is now in a mental hospital, really, this isn’t a dream. He’s shown being led away by a man in black, and is taken out to a white car, passing the bodies of killed nurses. He gets thrown into the car and is shown Khonshu in a very fancy suit. He explains that Marc truly thought he left, and that the god needs an avatar strong enough to do his work and not be afraid to get their hands dirty. But that isn’t Marc or Steven.
The god Knocks on the windows, and we’re introduce to Jake Lockley, another alter of Marc’s and the cause of the blackouts. He aims a gun at Arthur, and fires, presumably killing him, and drives off. So ‘Moon Knight’ finally gives us Jake Lockley, but only in the post-credit’s scene. And that, this whole time, it is implied Jake was Khonshu’s avatar. Almost like Marc and Steven were borrowing the powers for themselves.
This version of Lockley is a bit different; we’re obviously shown him more brutal, almost gleefully killing Arthur at the end. In the comics, Lockley was a taxi driver, basically Moon Knight’s ears to the ground. He would gather info on targets, but he was never seen as a killer. So, it’s very interesting where they’re taking the character in the future!
Now, for my verdict. How did Marvel do with ‘Moon Knight’? Well, in my opinion, there was way more highs than there were lows. While the show was plagued with Marvel’s telltale CGI fights and spectacles, especially in this last episode, there was plenty of heart and emotion.
A lot of that praise can be placed on Oscar Isaac for absolutely killing it as Marc, Steven and now Jake. He gave a crazy different performance for each character and seeing him switch between two personalities near the end of this last episode blew me away. I would easily put him up there with the likes of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth as fantastic Marvel character casting.
Ethan Hawke plays a very interesting villain, but he weirdly starts off incredibly scary in my opinion but then eventually…is less menacing? At least, he doesn’t stay as threatening as the show puts him up to be, which can be chocked up to Moon Knight himself being way deadlier. I guess I just wanted more of Harrow as a villain. On the outside, he’s a creepy cult leader that is reminiscent of real life evil, but as the show progresses, I just didn’t feel that at the end of the series.
But, even with all the flaws ‘Moon Knight’ had, it’s still one of my favorite series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I cannot wait to see where the hero goes in the future, and if Layla will ever return in her superhero form.
