Recapping All The 'Star Wars' News From Disney Investor Day Including 'Ashoka', Patty Jenkins, and Hayden Christensen's Return

Like I did with all the Marvel stuff announced at Disney's Investor Day, I've decided to just condense everything we heard into one article. You'd think Star Wars lineup would pale in comparison to the heavy weights over at Marvel, but they proved they also had a lot in the works that even fans hadn't guessed. The success of The Mandalorian and backlash over the sequel trilogy has led to Disney changing their approach to Star Wars, specifically moving towards Disney Plus series rather than movies. They're also looking to fill in gaps of story between the past movies, and further exploring the world of Star Wars during that golden era which means familiar faces can show up at any point.

Hayden Christensen Will Return As Darth Vader

I figured I'd start with the biggest news of the day, as Katheleen Kennedy confirmed production of the Obi-Wan Disney Plus series is under way. She revealed it will take place ten years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, and that Anakin Skywalker actor Hayden Christensen would be playing Darth Vader. She also teased a "rematch of the century" which means the series will probably lead up to an inevitable face to face reunion between the two. Its unknown how much of Christensen will be seeing as he'll obviously be under the mask and be voiced over by James Earl Jones, but we will probably see Hayden as the burned Anakin in scenes with Ewan McGregor's Obi Wan.

Patty Jenkins Will Direct Rogue Squadron 

Kennedy confirmed that Taika Waititi would be working on an unknown Star Wars film which had been rumored for some time now, but she also revealed Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins would be helming her own movie. It will focus on a team of Rebel pilots and will be released Christmas of 2023. 

Lando Disney Plus Series

Little information was released for this one other than it of course will be about Lando Calrissian going on his own separate adventures. Its unknown whether the series will star Billy Dee Williams as the original Lando, or Donald Glover as the younger version from Solo. It honestly could even include both, but we'll have to wait and see.

Ashoka And Rangers Of The New Republic

Following the appearance of fan favorite of the Clone Wars animated series Ashoka in the recent Mandalorian episode, Rosario Dawson will be playing the character in an upcoming series. This could of course lead to her tracking down General Thrawne and Ezra Bridger, as well as learning more about Anakin since they last saw each other. Rangers of the New Republic will also be set in The Mandalorian timeline and focus on the Rebels seen in the show, with all three shows eventually leading to a crossover event. 

Andor

Andor will serve as a prequel series to the film Rogue One focusing on Diego Luna's character of Cassian Andor who is a Rebel spy during the rise of The Empire. A sizzle reel for the show was shown which will be released on Disney Plus in 2022. 

Other series The Bat Batch, The Acolyte, A Droid Story, Star Wars: Visions

So what do you think of all this Star Wars news? Which project excites you the most? let us know below!

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It's Happening! Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Kirsten Dunst, Emma Stone, and Alfred Molina Join 'Spider-Man 3'

For the last couple of months the internet has been repent with rumors that we may be getting a live action Spider-Verse movie at some point from Sony. Little announcements here and there this year have done nothing but fuel that fire, specifically the announcement Sam Raimi (Original Spider-Man trilogy) would direct Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, and that Strange himself would be in the next Spider-Man movie. But then came the big yet confusing news that Jamie Foxx would be returning as Electro in Tom Holland's Spider-Man 3, reprising the role he last played in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 2014. Now the inevitable news we were all waiting for is apparently here, with so many other names being either confirmed or rumored to appear in the film.

The first news that broke seems the most official, with major trades such as Variety and THR confirming Alfred Molina would returning as Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 3. The news not only confirms the movie will somehow crossover into the world of the Raimi movies, but also probably means Foxx's Electro is in fact the same one from Amazing Spider-Man 2. Some thought Foxx might just be playing a new MCU version of the character, but it seems much too specific for Marvel to bring back these specific actors from their two past versions of Spider-Man.

Then later that same day came the report we were all waiting for from Collider's Jeff Sneider, who confirmed that Kirsten Dunst and Andrew Garfield have already signed on for the movie. He also say Tobey Maguire is currently still in talks, as is Emma Stone "pregnancy permitting". The news sort of all came at once as a huge shock, even if it what fans have been speculating about, it still just seemed like a pipe dream. But now we know it definitely isn't, and if all the deals go through we'll be seeing all three Spider-Men on screen together.

Of course no one at Marvel has confirmed anything, but there have been some signs pointing to it here and there. Tobey Maguire was reportedly sighted attending a costume fitting for the movie in LA, while Zendaya was grilled about the return of the previous two Peter Parkers in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel last week. Rumors have suggested the appearances will only be cameos and that Spider-Man 3 won't be the full on Spider-Verse movie Sony is clearly planning. This also sets the stage for a Sinister Six led by Molina's Doc Ock and assembling villains across the different films most likely including Vulture, Morbius, Venom, Scorpion, and Foxx's Electro. 

There was also some rumors that stated Charlie Cox will be reprising his role of Matt Murdock aka Daredevil from the now canceled Netflix series. This would be huge news as the Netflix shows and the characters in them appeared to have no future in the MCU given rights issues, leading many to believe he'd probably be recast. There's been fans campaigns all of the internet specifically asking for Marvel to somehow keep Cox version of Daredevil, along with Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk in the MCU. We might expect Matt Murdock to be the lawyer who defends Peter Parker following being framed by Mysterio and having his identity revealed in Far From Home. 

So with all this news to take in how do you feel about everyone returning? Who are you most excited to see back? Are there any other faces you want to see from the old movies? Let us know below!

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Zack Snyder Releases The Trailer For His Version Of 'Justice League' Set To Be Released In Four Parts

I can't believe its 2020 and we're still talking about the first Justice League movie, but here we are. After Zack Snyder was replaced by Joss Whedon on the original JL movie it was clear the movie's final product was not what the original director had intended. From Henry Cavill's strangely deleted mustache, to a whole new color palette to some scenes, Snyder fans were left wondering what the original version would've looked like. Now they've finally got their wish after months of lobbying for its release on social media and even getting involvement from the film's cast themselves, the film will be released in four one hour parts on HBO Max next year.

Below is the trailer for Zack Snyder's Justice League:

The trailer shows off many of the deleted scenes and aspects of the movie that never made into Whedon's version, specifically the actual appearance of Darkseid. While he's mentioned as a looming threat in the original movie, here we actually see a flashback scene to Darkseid before he gets his omega power. This scene was actually in the theatrical cut but featured Steppenwolf instead of Darkseid fighting off armies of Atlanteans, Amazonians, and Green Lanterns for the mother boxes in the past. Its rumored this actual fight scene will be much longer in Snyder's version. There's also Steppenwolf's very different look which is similar to the design Snyder used in the deleted scene from Batman v. Superman which featured the character.

Then there's of course all the things we had heard about over time such as the black suited Superman, many more Cyborg scenes and his actual backstory, and the Flash scene featuring Iris West. Snyder confirmed we'll be getting to see Flash actually time travel in this version, and it will likely connect to the Darkseid ravaged future we see in the trailer and saw in Batman v. Superman. This may also finally connect to the scene where Flash come back to warn Bruce in BVS, a scene which still has yet to be given an explanation in the MCU but was likely a part of Snyder's plans.

As far as what was added by Whedon and won't be in this version of the movie, we know several of the comedy scenes including those between Bruce Wayne and Barry and some of Ben Affleck's lines during the fight against Superman won't be in the movie. We also know Cyborg and Barry won't have their moment bonding when they dig up Superman's grave, as it appears Cyborg is now doing that alone in a much more dramatic scene. Meanwhile Flash may be busy during this time time traveling to the Darkseid post apocalyptic future and to warn Bruce of Superman becoming evil. Evil Superman was a brief moment that was taken care of quickly in the Whedon version, but here it'll likely be a much larger storyline with Darkseid using the anti-matter equation on him which is what leads to the scene we saw in Batman v. Superman during Bruce's visions.

So what do you think of the trailer for the Snyder cut? Do you think you'll prefer this version over Whedon's? Let us know below!

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First Official Trailer For 'The Batman' Premieres At DC Fandome And Shows Off His Second Year Under The Cowl

Something just didn't feel right for comic book movie fans this summer. Between our usual summer releases and Comic-Con announcement, the time span between May and August has almost become comic book Christmas. Thankfully DC has still managed to bring us some excitement amidst the Covid 19 pandemic, with their own version of a virtual Comic-Con known as DC Fandome. The event brought us several video game announcements, as well as sneak peaks of upcoming movies like the Snyder Cut of Justice League, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, Shazam 2, Wonder Woman 1984, and of course the grand finale of the first trailer for Matt Reeves' The Batman.

Below is the first trailer for The Batman:

From the start of the trailer the masked man we're seeing taping up his victim is actually Paul Dano's Riddler, which is of course very different from his over top hat and cane look from the comics. Reeves' here seems to be taking a page out of Nolan's book, moving away from the comic look for a more modern and realistic look for the character. This also is a huge divergence from the looks Zack Snyder was going for with his world and Ben Affleck's Batman, which by all accounts was visually much closer to the aesthetic of the comics. We also get a good look at his smaller Batmobile and Batcave, which all just add to the darker more realistic feel especially for a much younger inexperienced Batman.

You may not have realized The Penguin is also in this trailer, and Colin Farrell looks unrecognizable as the character under all the makeup and facial prosthetics. Its hard to tell how important he'll be to the story as he's probably just still Oswald Cobblepott here, but we do see him in a chase scene with Batman. Matt Reeves' has revealed the movie will focus on the corruption of the Gotham PD which may tie into Cobblepott as well as Jeffrey Wright's Commissioner Gordon who already clearly has a relationship with Batman here. The Riddler seems to have a vendetta against them but has also clearly singled out Batman and wants his attention as scene with the uni-bomber scene at the funeral, and the riddle he left for him on the card.

Zoe Kravitz' Catwoman is also seen is a very early version of her suit, so its likely she's just getting started around the same time as Batman. The two share fight scene in the trailer but its hard to tell how important she'll be, and if she'll be on Batman or Riddler side. The movie seems to be following a Long Halloween style of storyline with The Riddler creating this elaborate plot for Batman and him having to use his detective skills to get the bottom of things. Reeves also confirmed several things including the fact the show will take place in year two of Batman's career, it will tie into the Gotham PD series he's developing for HBO Max, and it will have no connection to any of the previous DC movies. 

So what did you think of The Batman trailer? Are you excited to see Reeves and Pattinson's take on the character? Let us know below!

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Henry Cavill Is Reportedly In Talks To Reprise His Role As Superman, But It Won't Be In 'Man of Steel 2'

Now that we finally have gotten confirmation that Warner Bros. will be releasing the Zack Snyder version of Justice League next year on HBO Max, fans have been wondering how the new film could impact the future of DC. Well it seems the ripples are already starting to have their effect, as its being reported that Henry Cavill will indeed be playing Superman again in future projects for the studio. This news some after speculation has been rampant the last few years that Warner Bros. had no future plans for Cavill's Superman, and a growing belief that the actor would inevitably be recast. Now after years of those rumors, we can now rest assured that we will be able to see Cavill return to the part of Kal-El after all.

The news comes courtesy of Deadline who make it clear that although Cavill will be playing Superman again, the studio won't be giving him a new standalone film. Instead they want to use him as a sort of Nick Fury figure for their DC universe by having him appear in several of their other films. The most likely of these seem to be the upcoming Shazam 2! and Black Adam, two characters who have crossed paths with Clark Kent often in the comics and share similar powers to him. The character of Superman actually made a brief cameo in Shazam!, but the part was played by a double due to the hold out between Cavill and the studio at the time. The idea of Superman and Shazam teaming up against Black Adam has already been brought to the comics, and The Rock himself has said he would love to see it in one of his films.

This really does come as a surprise given the years of news we heard about Warner Bros' lack of interest in Cavill's version of the character, instead wanting to focus on Supergirl or even recasting Superman with an actor like Michael B. Jordan. While most of those rumors were later debunked, there was also talk that Cavill was unhappy that he never got a Man of Steel 2. The film that launched the DCEU in 2013, other characters such as Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Shazam! saw their sequels green-lit almost immediately while his never did. DC's focus on team-up films like Batman v. Superman and Justice League seemed like a reasonable explanation for there being no Man of Steel 2 at the time, but once the studio had apparently begun to distance themselves from an expanded universe the justification became less clear.

Its very possible that the Snyder Cut has brought some new life to this shared universe idea, with an eventual future team-up film coming way down the line. Having Cavill's Superman show up in some of these sequels could be a good way of letting audiences know they still all exist in the same universe. Cavill has really only shown up in three DC movies over the span of almost the last decade, which I'm sure pales in comparison to the trilogies and Justice League sequels he was originally pitched in 2012. When you compare that to the amount of times Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. made MCU appearances throughout that time, it obvious his Superman has been severely underused. Cavill himself has always been a big fan of the character and has become a fan favorite, so seeing him come back in any capacity will surely make him and the fans very happy.

So how do you feel about Cavill coming back as Superman? Do you think he should get his own sequel or do you like the idea of him making cameos? Let us know below!

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New Trailer For Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet' Confirms The Movie Will Hit Theaters At Some Point

Movie fans had many projects they were looking forward to seeing this summer, but one of its staples was going to be a new time travel film from Christopher Nolan. But of course the COVID-19 pandemic has made the chances of the film's release in theaters this July seem less and less likely, but the director who has been vocal about wanting audiences to see his movies on the big screen had been persistent Tenet will still get that very treatment. The movie still holds it July 17th release date while other big project have completely vacated the next three months of release dates, but it still remains unclear if it will eventually be moved as well.

Below is the trailer for Tenet:

As for the film itself it definitely gives off a vibe most similar to Nolan's classic Inception, but this time dealing with inversion and time travel rather than dreams. Nolan is well known for not giving away too much about the movie's plot in his trailers, so of course its hard to really figure out everything going on here (Which makes it really hard to right an article about, but I'll give it a shot). What we do know is John David Washington (BlacKkKlansman) will be the main protagonist who is being brought in to learn about these methods of time travel through experts like Elizabeth Debicki and Robert Pattinson's characters.

Like Inception, it seems that the film will see a sort of team of characters form including Debicki, Pattinson, Michael Caine, and Himesh Patel (Yesterday). Nolan has once again assembled an impressive ensemble of young actors here, and really has only brought back one of his frequent collaborators with Caine. Kenneth Branagh will clearly be playing the movie's main villain who is a Russian bent on starting World War III, and who wants to acquire the Tenet technology. 

We also get a look at some major action set pieces, including a chase scene in a theater that feels like it came right of Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. There's also the car chase scene where time is reversed that we saw in the first trailer, as well as a scenes of a plane being crashed into a building which Pattinson's character jokes about at the end. Knowing Nolan's love of practical effects, it shouldn't come as a surprise that most of these scenes are real and just make the movie even more appealing to film fanatics. 

So what did you think of the Tenet trailer? Do you have any theories about what the movie could be about? Do you think it will get a new release date soon? Let us know below!

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Warner Bros. Finally Announces They Will Release The Snyder Cut Of 'Justice League' On HBO Max

During these strange times of the COVID-19 pandemic, optimistic movie news has been rare with the majority of articles simply announcing everything thats been delayed. With movie theaters closed and most TV and movie sets shutdown, many things have been left up in the air about when we'll be able to go to the movies again, and what the future of that experience will look like. Having said all that, it seems like the release of many streaming services such as Peacock and HBO Max couldn't have come at a better time, as they've all seen a huge surge in viewers with so many people stuck at home. As if they even needed any more to draw viewers in, now HBO Max has promised fans a movie they've been waiting three years for, and never thought they would get.

The well documented history of Zack Snyder's Justice League is familiar to most comic book fans who remember the director leaving the project following a family tragedy and being replaced by Avengers director Joss Whedon. Several reshoots were conducted including the infamous Henry Cavill mustache scenes that were terribly CGI-ed out, and other plot points and scenes from Snyder's original story were cut completely to keep a lighter tone. The end product was enjoyed by some, but other die hard fans felt it was just a messy edit of what Snyder originally intended.

"Release The Snyder Cut" has since become a movement on social media, with fans trying to convince the studio to release a version of the movie with all of his original scenes. The director himself had teased that this version of the movie existed, but of course would have to be finished and supported by the studio. Even Justice League actors such as Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa had voiced their support for its release. Well last week, during a live re-watch of Man of Steel along with Henry Cavill, Snyder confirmed the project will be coming to HBO Max next year. The studio will be providing a budget for Snyder to finish the CGI for the scenes cut and his original score by Junkie XL instead of Danny Elfman will be added in, but there will reportedly be no need for any reshoots.

There's many story elements fans expect to see in this version including seeing Darkseid on screen, Martian Manhunter, and more of an evil black suited Superman just to name a few. With the DCEU sort of in limbo as DC has turned its focus to solo project like Shazam!, Joker, Wonder Woman 1984, and Robert Pattinson's The Batman, its likely this movie will be a one off and won't revive the cinematic universe Snyder had planned back in the day. None the less it still gives fans a chance to see not only Snyder's original movie, but also more scenes of Ben Affleck's Batman who we probably won't get to see again in future films.

So how do you feel about the Snyder cut getting released? Do you think it will be better than the original Justice League? Let us know below!

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Matt Reeves' Reveals First Test Footage Of Robert Pattinson In Costume For 'The Batman'

Honestly this definitely wasn't how I was expecting to first see Battinson in action. I was just expecting a blurry set photo to be all we would have for a few months before we finally got a trailer for this movie. But Matt Reeves' seems to have taken a note from Zack Snyder's book and knows you better off just revealing an official look at your character's costumes before a fan finds it anyway. The director has revealed the first footage of his lead actor Robert Pattinson in full costume as the Caped Crusader, accompanied by our first bit of Michael Giacchino's score for the movie.

Below is the test footage of Robert Pattinson in The Batman:

Lets get the obvious thing out of the way first, this red lit footage looks almost exactly like the intro to Netflix's Daredevil series from a few years ago. While the red lighting could have a deeper meaning, for now it just seems to evoke the tone and noir feel Reeves wants for his version of Batman. It also helps make it hard to make out the actual color the suit will be, and still keep a sense of mystery to what the full suit will look like.

As for what we can see of the suit, the chest plate seems armored similar to how it was in the video games Arkham Origins and Arkham Knight. Ben Affleck's Batman wore an armored suit for most of Justice League, but Pattinson's seems much less bulky. As for his cowl it seems strikingly different from what we're used to, with a more leathery and less perfect look with stitches holding it together. We know this will be a younger and less experienced Bruce Wayne, but he seems to have already gone though a lot judging by his suit's damage. 

The other standout is the new Batman logo, which is much slimmer than any we've seen before and almost the complete opposite of Affleck's widened version. The logo featured on his suit is apparently made from the gun that killed his parents, which helps show us how much this version of the character was affected by the tragedy and uses it to motivate himself. There's also the preview of Giacchino's score, most likely the main theme of the movie and also sticks to that mysterious and noir tone Reeves wants. 

So what do you think of Pattinson's Batsuit? Where do you rank it amongst the past costumes? Let us know below!

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Christian Bale Joins The Cast Of Taika Waititi's 'Thor: Love and Thunder' In A Mystery Role

With the new year starting out, it was only a matter of time before we got our first big movie story of 2020. And sure enough, it has come in the form of surprising news that Christian Bale has joined the cast of Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder. Bale's involvement in the MCU will certainly come as a shocker to fans who obviously know him for his time as Batman nearly a decade ago. Bale has since shied away from any big blockbuster franchises, instead focusing his efforts on several Oscar nominated films over the past few years. But as we've learned over time, no actor is above Marvel Studios anymore, and it seems that its only a matter of time before every big actor in Hollywood finds their way into these movies (I'm looking at you DiCaprio, we're still waiting).

Thor: Love and Thunder has already gained a lot of interest given the fact its the only post Endgame sequel for any of the core members of the Avengers. There's also the return of director Taika Waititi who famously breathed new life into the Thor franchise and character with Ragnarok a few years ago, bringing in a strong comedic influence. Love and Thunder should be no different based on its title alone, so it'll be interesting to see if Bale's more comedic side is brought out for his role in this film.

That role itself is still a big mystery, but at this point three Thor movies in, there's still a few characters from the comics that have yet to make an appearance. One is Thor's brother Balder the Brave, a character that Bale could fit well, but would feel a bit redundant bringing in another sibling of the god of thunder (After we've gotten both Hela and Loki). There's also the chance he'll be playing fan favorite Beta Ray Bill, although this would involve Bale basically having a CGI horse head which would feel odd for such a big name actor. Then again, this is the same studio that cast Bradley Cooper to just voice a talking raccoon so its still a possibility.

The film's story itself is still a bit of a mystery, with the announcement at Comic-Con that it would see the return of Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, a character written out of the MCU until her brief return in Endgame. Foster will be returning so that Waititi can adapt the recent Mighty Thor storyline from the comics, which saw her also get powers and her own hammer after a struggle with cancer. We also know Tessa Thompson will be returning as Valkyrie who is now queen of Asgard, and Waititi himself as the CGI rock character Korg. There's also how the film will handle the storyline started for Thor's character in Endgame, where at its end he seemingly went off to form the Asguardians of the Galaxy with Peter Quill and the gang. It doesn't seem likely this movie will focus on those adventures, but it'll be interesting to see if the team makes an appearance. 

So what do you think of Bale joining Love and Thunder? What role would you like to see him play? Let us know below!

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'The Batman' Gets Its Villain In The Form Of Paul Dano As Edward Nashton Aka The Riddler

So we went from months of being in the dark about casting for Matt Reeves' The Batman, to a month full of announcements. Just earlier this week we got word that Zoe Kravitz would be joining Robert Pattinson and Jeffrey Wright as our new Catwoman, but now we also know who will playing the film's villain. Early reports had suggested Jonah Hill was in talks to play the antagonist, but he and the studio ultimately couldn't come to an agreement. Just a day after that announcement, Reeves himself confirmed that Paul Dano (Prisoners) would be portraying the role of the iconic villain The Riddler.

Riddler has been a name we knew would show up in The Batman for quite some time now, alongside Penguin and Catwoman. This was the role that Hill was apparently up for, but Reeves' wanted to cast the actor as The Penguin. Between that and Hill's salary requests being double that of the movie's lead actor Pattinson, it seems Reeves finally decided to move on to a different name. Enter Dano who was Reeves' plan B, and by some accounts fits the role of Riddler more accurately than Hill would have. 

Although he may not have the accolades Hill has, Dano has made a huge impression on audiences and critics with his creepy performances in movies like There Will Be Blood and Prisoners. Dano fits the nerdy and quirky version of Riddler fans are used to from the comics, but can also take the character into a much scarier and dramatic place. Riddler hasn't been portrayed on the big screen since Jim Carrey's memorable yet campy take on the character in Batman Forever, so both Dano and Reeves have the freedom to take the character is whatever direction they please.

Its still hard to tell who is actually the main villain of this movie, with Kravitz' Catwoman probably serving as more of an antihero alongside Batman. There's been many rumors that the movie will follow the Long Halloween storyline which features many members of Batman's rogues gallery, but the main villain there was Calendar Man. Riddler could be serving as a substitute for that role in the story, but he could also just be a secondary villain to Penguin. Reeves is apparently still actively looking for an actor to play Penguin, and has shown interest in Seth Rogen but no formal offer has been made. 

So what do you think of Paul Dano playing The Riddler? Who would you like to see play Penguin? Are you disappointed Jonah Hill won't be in the movie? Let us know below!

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Actress Zoë Kravitz Will Play Selina Kyle/Catwoman In Matt Reeves' 'The Batman'

Just like with the Batman role itself, there has been months of speculation surrounding the casting of the role of Catwoman in Matt Reeves' 2021 reboot. The character has been rumored to appear in the film for a while now, yet there had been no solid casting rumors apart from fan suggestions. With Robert Pattinson (Good Time) set as our new Batman, Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) as Commissioner Gordon, and Jonah Hill (Wolf of Wallstreet) as an undisclosed villain, it was only a matter of time before Bruce Wayne's romantic flame was cast. After a shortlist of actresses screen-tested for the part, Zoe Kravitz (Big Little Lies) has reportedly won the role. 

Just a few weeks ago reports had come out that Warner Bros. was looking for a "Zoe Kravitz type" to play Catwoman and were looking at actresses of color for the role. These actresses included Tessa Thompson (Thor: Ragnarok), Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Dark Phoenix), Lupita Nyong'o (US), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Black Mirror), and Logan Browning (Dear White People). While it wasn't clear at the time why WB wouldn't just cast Kravitz herself rather than look for an actress similar to her, this was apparently due to her scheduling commitments to WB's other big franchise Fantastic Beasts. With that series in a sort of limbo at the moment, Kravitz was apparently freed up to take the role. 

Like with Pattinson who had to beat out Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road), Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name), and Aaron-Taylor Johnson (Kick-Ass) for the role of Bruce Wayne, Kravitz had to screen-test before winning over director Matt Reeves. According to THR the final names that screen-tested with Pattinson this weekend were fan favorites Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049), Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver), Ella Balinska (Charlie's Angels), and of course Kravitz herself. Its unknown if this race was as close as Pattinson and Hoult's reportedly was, but it seems Warner Bros. got the actress they wanted all along. 

(Left to right) De Armas, Gonzalez, and Balinska

This news also finally confirms that Catwoman will indeed be in the movie after months of rumors but no confirmation. The character will most likely be an anti-hero in the movie as she is in the comics, and serve as a love interest for Bruce Wayne. The character has been brought to the big screen by both Michelle Pfieffer and Anne Hathaway, so it'll be interesting to see what approach Reeves takes with the Selina Kyle. We also still don't know what villain Jonah Hill is playing or whether he's officially been cast, but Kravitz's Catwoman may be associated with him or helping Batman take him down.

So what do you think of Kravitz as Catwoman? Would you have preferred one of the other rumored actresses in the role? Let us know below!

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New Trailer For Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman' Puts De-aged De Niro, Pacino, And Pesci On Full Display

Mafia movie fans and cinephiles have been waiting for the release of Martin Scorsese's upcoming project The Irishman, which unites heavy hitter De Niro, Pacino, Keitel, and Pesci together for the first time on screen. But thing haven't exactly gone smoothly with the movies release, with issues over the movies cinematic release as well as the extensive technology used to de-age the actors all leading to years of delays. Well after the long wait its finally happening, and The Irishman will be hitting theaters and Netflix this November just in time for the award season. The new trailer gives us not only a better idea of the film's plot and relationship between its characters, but also shows off the controversial de-aging used on the main stars.

Below is the second trailer for The Irishman:

The first trailer for The Irishman released a month ago didn't get nearly as positive a reaction as this one, with some even being concerned Scorsese may have a flop on his hands. Thankfully this trailer seems to be a lot of those doubts at rest, and shows off the relationship between each of the characters. We know De Niro will be the main lead of Frank Sheeran who is hired as a hitman for the Bufalino crime family, led by Russell who's played by Pesci. The story is told for Sheeran's perspective as he recounts his life and what he did for the Bufalinos. We also see Pacino as Jimmy Hoffa, as labor leader who De Niro is assigned to take out.

The Irishman reunites Scorsese with Pesci and De Niro who he worked with on Goodfellas and Casino, but marks the first time the director works with Pacino. Other big names involved are Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, and Stephen Graham amongst others. The movie is already getting great buzz after its first screening for critics last night, with the de-aging technology being complemented and the film hailed as one of Scorsese's best in years. There's a strong chance we could see the movie make a big mark at the Oscars this year if this praise continues and with so many big names involved. 

So what did you think of the new trailer for The Irishman? Does the de-aging technology bother you? Let us know below!

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Sony And Disney Agree To Deal That Will See Spider-Man Return To The MCU With A Movie Set For July 16, 2021

No this isn't a joke or a prank, the news that Spider-Man fans never thought they'd get has finally arrived. After a month of frustration and disappointment over the standoff between Sony and Marvel that would see Tom Holland's Peter Parker written out of the MCU, peace has finally be restored. Marvel Studios and Sony have a agreed to a deal that will see them collaborate on the upcoming third film that now has an official release date of July 16, 2021. Not only will the third film now be a part of the MCU, but Spider-Man has also been confirmed to appear in another Phase 4 MCU movie that has yet to be revealed. 

The story itself courtesy of Deadline almost reads as fan fiction, as the chance of both sides ever coming to a deal was looking very slim, but they seemingly did just last night. Both Sony and Disney had been public about moving on in their own separate direction, with the MCU working to focus on many of their other characters, and Sony hoping to incorporate Holland's Spider-Man into their own Venom cinematic universe. This still might be the case with the deal seemingly only being temporary and much shorter than the first Spider-Man deal, and Sony eventually still wanting the character to themselves for their own planned shared universe.

This deal does allow Marvel Studios to give their version of Spider-Man a proper conclusion, rather than having the character suddenly disappear after being so key to their last phase of films. Far From Home of course ended with a major cliffhanger with Mysterio having revealed Peter's identity to the world, so getting to see that explored in the MCU and what implications it causes is much more interesting than seeing it play out in a basically all new Sony universe. This also allows the references to Tony Stark, appearances from Happy Hogan and other Marvel heroes, as well as the events of Endgame to be referenced and used in the third movie. 

Its also been revealed that Jon Watts, director of both Homecoming and Far From Home will be returning for the third film. There had been rumors Disney and Sony were in a bidding war for Watts' services, with Sony wanting him to finish the trilogy for their own planned third film, while Disney wanted him to direct another one of their MCU properties. Its still unknown which future movie Spider-Man will be appearing in, but some rumors have suggested it may be in the planned Fantastic Four reboot, a group Spidey crossed paths with often in the comics, or a yet to be announced Avengers team-up. Its possible the MCU could also now be more tied into the Venom-verse than we initially thought, with each universes movies referencing the others and allowing Holland's Peter to co-exist in both. 

So what do you think of the news of Sony and Disney coming to a deal? Or you happy with what we're getting or do you wish it was longer? Let us know below!

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Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige Developing A New 'Star Wars' Movie For Disney With Kathleen Kennedy

Kevin Feige's name has been in headlines more than usual lately, with his name having come up in all the back and forth between Disney and Sony over the rights to Spider-Man on screen. Feige is of course known as the mastermind behind the MCU, a producer who worked his way up from working on the original Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy to becoming the architect behind one of the biggest franchises in the world. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that yet another Disney owned franchise finely came knocking on Mr. Feige's office door, and thats none other than Star Wars.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Feige is attached to an all new Star Wars film thats in the works over at Disney. This project will be separate from the current trilogy which is coming to an end this year with Rise of Skywalker, and also will have to relation to the upcoming Star Wars films by Rian Johnson or the one being written by D.B. Weiss and David Beinoff (Game of Thrones). Its unknown what this project will actually be about but it will likely also focus on new characters as the franchise looks to move on from the Skywalker saga.

Feige's involvement make come as a surprise to some Marvel fans who are surprised to see him crossover into another franchise, but he will still remain the head of Marvel Studios and for now isn't taking on a bigger role at LucasFilm. Kathleen Kennedy who has assumed a similar position to Feige's MCU role and the overseer of the Star Wars films has taken some criticism in the last few years, specifically with fans frustration over the direction of the new trilogy, and lack of creative control given to directors working on their projects. Bringing Feige on board should be a relief to fans who know he has already proven he has a way for crafting cinematic universes, and will hopefully see his impact felt in other upcoming Star Wars projects.

Reports have also suggested Feige already has a big name star lined up to star in the project, and that it may be an actor he has already worked with in the MCU. Feige's passion for Star Wars as a fan apparently drew him to eventually get involved in a project with them and ultimately led to this partnership with Kennedy. The Star Wars films have been not only distancing themselves from the Skywalker saga, but also any prequel or spinoff films following the disappointing performance of Solo: A Star Wars story. The franchise has instead turned to Disney+ for many of their projects such as The Mandalorian and the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series, so we can expect all of these new projects to be completely new stories with all new characters just set in the Star Wars universe. 

So what do you think of Kevin Feige's involvement with Star Wars? Do you hope he'll take on a bigger role at LucasFilm? Let us know below!

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Jeffrey Wright Joins 'The Batman' As Commissioner Gordon; Jonah Hill In Talks For Villain Role

Things have been pretty quiet as far as casting for Matt Reeves' upcoming reboot The Batman, with the only confirmed cast member being Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne himself. Now after months of rumors and speculation, we finally have two names we can add to that list; Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) and Jonah Hill (Wolf of Wallstreet). Wright will be taking over the role of Jim Gordon, the commissioner of the Gotham Police Department who works closely with Batman. Hill's role is still under wraps, but rumors have suggested the actor will probably be playing the classic Batman villain The Riddler. 

Wright's casting as the new Commissioner Gordon confirms that Reeves' version of Batman will have no connection to the previous Ben Affleck one. Some rumors had circulated that The Batman could be a prequel to Affleck's DCEU caped crusader, but its pretty clear Wright is not playing a younger version of J.K. Simmons' Gordon from Justice League. Simmons casting was one of the most heavily praised of the DCEU, so it'll be a shame to see him go after only one portrayal of the character. Wright has many credits to his name including roles in Source Code, Casino Royale, Westworld, and Boardwalk Empire, with a recent gig ironically in the MCU as the voice of The Watcher in the upcoming What If? series on Disney Plus.

Prior to Wright's casting there were rumors that Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained), and Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) were up for a role in the movie, with the assumption being it was also for Gordon. Ali of course has taken on the role of Blade for Marvel, while Esposito has also recently been rumored to join the MCU in a mystery role. Its unknown how important Commissioner Gordon will be to the plot of The Batman, but its likely he'll be pretty key given that he's the second casting announcement. Gordon is just one of many well known supporting characters in the Batman universe including Robin, Lucius Fox, and of course Alfred, all of whom have yet to be cast or confirmed to be appearing in the movie at all.

As for Jonah Hill's casting, the actor is reportedly still in negotiations over his salary for the part and things could still fall through. He had been rumored to be in the running to star in the movie months ago, but this is the first official confirmation of his involvement. While early fan speculation was that he would be playing The Penguin, a character rumored to be the movie's main villain, Collider's Jeff Sneider reports he's actually in talks to play The Riddler. Riddler was also rumored to be a part of the movies plot which will apparently feature many members of Batman's rogues gallery. Riddler was brought to the big screen by Jim Carrey in Batman Forever, but hasn't been in a Batman film since, despite several rumors of him appearing during Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.

So what do you think of the casting of Wright and Hill? Were there other actors you would've preferred in these roles? Let us know below!

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Tom Holland And Kevin Feige Comment On Spider-Man's Future And Seemingly Confirm His MCU Exit

With everything that's been playing out through the media regarding them, you'd think Tom Holland and Kevin Feige would like to be as far away from reporters right now as possible. Unfortunately for them, the two both had to make appearances at this weekend's D23 conference to talk about their upcoming projects. While Holland was their to only promote his upcoming Pixar movie with Chris Pratt called Onward, and Feige took the stage to announce Black Panther 2, questions about the future of Spider-Man were inevitable. The two sat down with Entertainment Weekly to basically confirm that Spidey's future will see him outside of the MCU, and the two gave their first official comments on the matter. 

In the presentation for Onward that I mentioned above, the crowd attending the event apparently gave a loud applause for Holland once he took the stage. While at that moment he didn't specifically talk about the drama unfolding he reportedly appeared emotional onstage when he stated the following: “It’s been a crazy week but I want you all to know from the bottom of my heart I love you 3000”. The clear node to Iron Man's quote from Endgame could be interpreted as a final thank you or goodbye to the MCU, as well as the support he's been getting online from fans. The actor has not only had a tough week due to the Spider-Man news, but also because of his upcoming Uncharted film losing its director just a few days ago. 

While there was no further mention of Spider-Man on stage, Holland did a sit down interview later in the day to more specifically talk about Spidey's future. The actor made sure to confirm that no matter what happens he'll still be playing the character, amongst some rumors he may not have been signed on and was frustrated over having to leave the MCU. In the video below you can see Holland's comments on the matter, which will vague and optimistic also seemingly confirm the character's exit. Feige also sat down to shed some light on the whole situation, stating that Marvel always knew their access to the Spider-Man character was temporary and they feel they were able to tell the story they wanted.  

So from this we can pretty much get that Feige and Marvel are moving on from the character, or at least making it appear so. While it isn't hard to believe that the studio always had the possibility of losing Spider-Man in their head, it is a little far fetched to think this is all the story they wanted to tell. After all, Spider-Man: Far From Home still had many MCU character playing a role in Peter's life despite the absense of Iron Man, and seemed to be setting him up as one of the new faces of the universe going forward. With the cliffhanger of the world now knowing Peter's identity, and seemed like something that would change the state of the MCU for the future. There's also the eventual next interpretation of The Avengers, which almost certainly would've featured Holland's Spider-Man in a key role.

Although this is all disappointing for fans, it is good to know that Holland will at least be returning as the character and we won't have to sit through yet another reboot. Now how different Peter and his world will be without the MCU and in the hands of Sony has yet to be seen, and how they will explain all the missing elements that were so important in the last movie (I guess Aunt May's single again). We also now have confirmation writers Chris McKenna and Eric Sommers who wrote Far From Home will be returning to write the third film for Sony. Jon Watts on the other hand still isn't under contract for the sequel, and Sony and Marvel have reportedly gotten into a bidding wore to get the director to work on their future projects.

So what do you think of Feige and Holland's comments? Do you think Spider-Man 3 can still work without the MCU? Let us know below!

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Sony And Marvel Reportedly End 'Spider-Man' Deal Removing Tom Holland's Peter Parker From The MCU

As a huge Spider-Man fan, I think I can speak on behalf of all of us when I say we've been through some serious ups and downs this last decade. Between the cancellation of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 4, the reboot starring Andrew Garfield, and the eventual integration of the character into the MCU played by Tom Holland, there hasn't exactly been stability for fans of the webslinger. Well just when we had got our footing, it seems Sony has now ended their deal with Marvel Studios. This deal was what allowed Tom Holland's version of the character into the MCU specifically for big events movies like Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame. The character will now apparently be going back on his own away from all the other Marvel characters, and will remove Spidey and all his supporting characters from availability in future MCU projects.

The news in devastating for a number of reasons, but at first its important to note that Sony was never purchased by Marvel unlike the recent deal with Marvel Studios. Where as characters such as the X-Men and Fantastic Four are now fully under Marvel Studios' control with not threat of leaving, the Sony deal saw a partnership between the two studios that would allow them to use the character and share in the profit. Unfortunately this always left the door open for the possibility of Sony wanting to fully take back the character for themselves, especially after a new successful version of the character was launched by the MCU.

The deal was made in the first place due to struggles Sony was having with the Amazing Spider-Man franchise and the Sony hacks that took place around the same time. There was always the thought this deal could be temporary and that now seems to be the case, with the renegotiating of the deal between Sony and Marvel falling through. Marvel reportedly wanted a 50/50 agreement that would see the pay half for each of the movies in order to receive half of the profit. Sony was not interested in this and feel they can move on from the character without the help of Marvel or Kevin Feige. 

Tom Holland's version of the character seemed to be set up as a future staple for the MCU, with the majority of his last film dealing with the legacy left behind by his mentor Iron Man. There were also several non Spider-Man MCU characters involved including Happy Hogan, Nick Fury, and Maria Hill. Its unknown how Sony will account for all these characters or even mentions of them in their new movies, especially with how important they were in Peter Parker's life. Its possible Sony could go the multiverse route by having this Peter crossover into another reality without any of those characters, or focusing on an entirely new version of the character still played by Holland. Overall the whole situation is going to create a headache for both parties involved from a storytelling standpoint. Perhaps the writing was on the wall at this years Comic-Con, where there was no mention of Holland's Spidey at Kevin Feige's Hall H Marvel Panel.

So how do you feel about Spider-Man leaving the MCU? What do you think Sony will do with the character? Let us know below!

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Marvel Studios Announces Full Phase 4 Slate Including 'Thor: Love and Thunder', 'The Eternals', 'Black Widow', and 'Blade'

One of the most exciting events for movie fans every year has become the Marvel Studios' Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con. Over the last ten years of the MCU, Hall H has been the location of many memorable events including the announcement of the cast for The Avengers, the title for Age of Ultron, and the trailer for Infinity War. But now with the Infinity Saga having come to a close and the events of Endgame leaving the future of the MCU as a big mystery, this year's Comic-Con finally gave fans the roadmap for whats to come courtesy of the mastermind himself Kevin Feige.

Below is the list of all the MCU projects announced at Hall H this year, some of which we knew about and some that were huge surprises. These include new solo projects, Disney+ shows, and sequels along with their directors, logos, and some of their cast. They're in order of release date, but some of these projects still don't have official dates set. 

Black Widow - May 21, 2020

Despite pretty much all of us knowing this movie was in the works, Marvel decided to announce Black Widow as the last movie on its panel (Or so we thought). While the actual announcement of the movie and its release date weren't much of a surprise, we did get some new details including the fact that the movie will take place after Civil War. We also know David Harbour will be playing some version of Red Guardian from the comics, and Taskmaster will be the villain as revealed in some concept art.

The Eternals - November 6, 2020

Eternals is a very mysterious property to some casual comic book fans, and they are characters who will give us a much better understanding of the mythos and history behind the MCU. Going with such an unknown group of characters is one of Marvel's bigger risks, but the cast they've put together has certainly eased fans. This panel included the confirmation of the cast which includes Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Bryan Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, and more. 

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier - Disney+ Fall 2020

Along with Loki and WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier was one of the first Disney+ series we heard would be in development. We now know that Falcon has taken up the mantle of Captain America after he was given the mantle by old Steve in Endgame, and Winter Soldier is now his partner in crime. The rumors of Daniel Bruhl returning as Baron Zemo after the events of Civil War are true, and he will indeed be the villain of the series and even wear the character's iconic mask.

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings - February 12, 2021

Shang-Chi is another project we've recently learned Marvel had in active development, and is the only movie here where we're fully being introduced to a single lead character in their own solo movie. We know the movie will be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, and will star newcomer Simu Liu in the title role. Whats probably most interesting about this announcement is that Marvel will be bringing the real Mandarin to the MCU after the controversial twist from Iron Man 3. Actor Tony Leung will be playing the role, and some rumors have suggested this version of the character could be Shang-Chi's uncle. 

WandaVision - Spring 2021

The second Disney+ we'll be getting is the already confirmed Vision and Scarlet Witch series, that will apparently see the return of the character after his death in Infinity War. Feige emphasized how its one of the strangest projects Marvel has ever created, which may confirm rumors that the show will partially take place in the 1950s as well as in alternate timelines. We also know the character of Monica Rambeau who was a young girl in Captain Marvel will now be an adult played by Teyonah Parris, and will serve as one of the series main cast.

Loki - Spring 2021

Sometime alongside the release of WandaVision will be the premiere of another Disney+ series focused on Tom Hiddleston's fan favorite Loki. Although the character also met his end in Infinity War, we know the alternate timeline version of Loki from the past The Avengers went back to is still alive and has the tesseract in his possession. The show will apparently feature him also traveling through time and possibly even the multiverse, so it'll be interesting to see The God of Mischief put his plan into action.

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness - May 7, 2021

A Doctor Strange sequel has been rumored for a while now but we weren't sure what direction they'd take the character in, but the title alone here is a huge giveaway. With original director Scott Derrickson returning, the movie has been described as Marvel Studios' first horror film. Scarlet Witch will be in the film which likely means it will directly tie into the events of WandaVision. This also confirms the multiverse does exist in the MCU despite Mysterio lying about it in Far From Home, so this opens the door to different version of characters and possibly the introduction of some of the Fox characters like the X-Men.

Hawkeye - Fall 2021

Just like Black Widow, her partner in crime Clint Barton will be getting his own solo outing, only his will be in the form of a Disney+ series. Jeremy Renner will be starring alongside a yet to be announced actress as his protege Kate Bishop, who Barton trains in the comics to become the new Hawkeye. Bishop's character was heavily rumored to appear in Endgame with some believing the scene early in the film with his daughter could mean she would be taking up the mantle, but we now know Bishop will indeed by a new character in the MCU. This also is likely setting the stage for an eventual New Avengers or Young Avengers film with Bishop as the new Hawkeye, and Barton in retirement with his family.

Thor: Love And Thunder - November 5, 2021

This one probably would've been a bigger shocker if we hadn't already heard that Taika Waititi would be returning to work on Thor 4 earlier in the week. With no character having received a fourth film yet in the MCU, and Thor now seemingly part of the Guardians, many of us believed the next time we would be seeing him was in Guardians 3. There was still a big surprise left for the stage though as it was revealed Natalie Portman would be returning as Jane Foster and the film would adapt the comic where she becomes The Mighty Thor. While Portman had seemed to have a falling out with Marvel with her character written out of the films, Taika's involvement may bring us a whole new layer to the character we haven't yet seen. 

Confirmed Phase 5 Projects Without Release Dates

Just when everyone thought the panel was over, Kevin Feige revealed he still had another surprise up his sleeve. Oscar Winner Mahershala Ali took to the stage and revealed he would be playing Blade in a new film reboot for the character, made famous by Wesley Snipes in the 90s. Although Blade is not part of Phase 4 and doesn't have a release date or director yet, we did get a logo and of course our main actor announcement. Feige also assured fans Black Panther 2, Captain Marvel 2, Guardians 3, Fantastic Four, and X-Men are all in development seemingly for Phase 5. While he never mention Spider-Man 3 or Ant-Man 3, its possible these projects could've slipped his mind as the announcement were made pretty off the cuff. 

So what do you think of all of Marvel's Phase 4 projects? Which one are you most excited for? Let us know below!

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