‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ is here and obviously by now you’ve all seen it (and if not, this episode is almost ALL SPOILERS)! So that means it’s time for Ian Kerner to swoop in like Mary Poppins and talk about every detail of Marvel’s latest! Does the second time around match up to our love for the first film? How does Guardians 2 tie into the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Who were those Ravagers at the beginning of the film and what is the history of the ORIGINAL Guardians of the Galaxy? What can we expect from Volumes 3 and 4? Which Easter Eggs did you miss? And of course much, much more!

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Briefly: Finally.

After months and months of rumours, and our first official look at the character back in the Captain America: Civil War trailer, Marvel has finally, officially revealed who will be taking the reins on the anticipated Black Panther film.

After Creed blew absolutely everyone away earlier this year (his debut feature, Fruitvale Station is quite exceptional as well), Ryan Coogler has officially been tapped to direct the picture.

Marvel’s Kevin Feige notes that “We are fortunate to have such an esteemed filmmaker join the Marvel family. The talents Ryan showcased in his first two films easily made him our top choice to direct ‘Black Panther.’  Many fans have waited a long time to see Black Panther in his own film, and with Ryan we know we’ve found the perfect director to bring T’Challa’s story to life.”

So, what do you think of the choice? Excited, right? Yeah, us too.

Panther

Source: Marvel

Whoa. On Tuesday, December 8th Marvel teams up with Amazon on an exclusive offering to knock your Captain America socks clean off! The Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two collection drops only on Amazon with all new bonus content, film replicas and more. In addition, each film features custom disc sleeves from artist Matt Ferguson.

Geekscape got a sneak peek at these alternate covers to share with you—and they’re freaking awesome. Go ahead feast your eyes and start squirreling away your pennies!

This collection is not messing around—it doesn’t seem like this is going to be the “pretty good one,” only to be replaced next year by the “super awesome edition.” This collection already has all the goods I look for in my film collecting proclivities—and then a little more! I ended up buying a 3D TV several Black Fridays ago when it was the same price as the standard model and I’ve been enjoying it ever since. As a result, if a movie I want comes out on Blu-ray and there’s a 3D version—that’s the one I buy. That and so much more is already baked into this collection! In their own words:

The limited edition, 13-Disc Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection invites you to hold the greatest power in the cosmos in your grasp – an orb containing one of the legendary Infinity Stones! Plus Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ and Digital Copies of all Phase 2 films, in collectible packaging designed by artist Matt Ferguson. This set overflows with stunning Marvel memorabilia, including a gold-foiled page from the book of Dark Elves, an ancient drawing from the Morag vault, Avengers and S.T.R.I.K.E. uniform patches, a replica of the Tony Stark Tattoo from Marvel’s Iron Man 3, and much more!

I mean, come on!—there’s a freakin’ ancient drawing from the Morag vault! What more can you possibly ask for?!

Personally, there were some moments I didn’t fully connect with in this film collection—but honestly, I take the blame on those for the time being. Maybe I was in the wrong mood when I saw them or something—planning to give Iron Man 3Thor: The Dark World and Avengers: Age of Ultron further viewings before making my final call on them. (Especially after getting a better understanding of what went into this intricate web Marvel is weaving as best they can during this release event.) However, here’s the thing—even if every film isn’t up to the snuff of say, Guardians of the Galaxy, they’re still better than most other offerings in their genre; meaning—you can’t lose, even if you lose, with these films. You will be properly entertained come hell or high water!

This unveiling comes properly on the heels of the release of the premiere trailer for the first film in Phase Three, Captain America: Civil War, this week. Whoowhee!—that trailer’s some dramatic adrenaline right there.

And now, my lovelies, because these are just the sort of details I hunt down when considering investing in a collection to add to my. . . collection, here are all the technical details they’ve provided us at this time:

  • Marvel’s Iron Man 3 (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy)
  • Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy)
  • Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy)
  • Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy)
  • Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy)
  • Marvel’s Ant-Man (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy)
  • 1:1 Prop Replica of the Orb

PLUS an Exclusive Bonus Content Disc with 166 minutes of bonus material and more!

  • From Here To Infinity: Phases 2 & 3 Of The M.C.U.
    Journey back through Marvel’s Phase 2 films, from its launch in Iron Man 3 through its fulfillment in Ant-Man, to see how individual characters grow and change, how their relationships with each other evolve over time, and how the universe itself expands with each story. Listen to filmmakers discuss the first set of Phase 3 films– Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, Marvel’s Doctor Strange, and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – and discover there are no limits to the adventure!
  • Phase 2 Tag Scenes: A Making-Of
    Learn the story behind the post-credit sequence in Marvel’s Phase 1 and 2 movies, and explore how the scenes connect and unify the far-flung characters and worlds of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    • Marvel One-Shot: The Consultant w/Audio Commentary By Clark Gregg
      Marvel One-Shot: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Thor’s Hammer With Audio Commentary By Clark Gregg
      Marvel One-Shot: Item 47 With Audio Commentary By Louis D’Esposito, Max Hernandez, Titus Welliver And Jesse Bradford
      Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter With Audio Commentary By Louis D’Esposito And Hayley Atwell
      Marvel One-Shot: All Hail The King With Audio Commentary By Drew Pearce And Ben Kingsley
      Iron Man 3: Deleted Scenes
      Iron Man 3: Preproduction Creative
      Thor: The Dark World: Deleted Scenes
      Thor: The Dark World Preproduction Creative
      Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Deleted Scene With Audio Commentary By Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
      Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Preproduction Creative
      Guardians of The Galaxy: Deleted Scenes
      Guardians of The Galaxy: Preproduction Creative
      Avengers: Age Of Ultron: Deleted Scenes
      Avengers: Age Of Ultron: Preproduction Creative: Hulk vs. Hulkbuster
      Ant-Man: Deleted Scenes
      Ant-Man: Preproduction Creative

RELEASE DATE: December 8, 2015
PRODUCTS: Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and Digital HD
AUDIO: Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, Digital HD = English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, French-Canadian 5.1 Dolby Digital, Latin Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital
LANGUAGES: English & Spanish, French
SUBTITLES: English, French & Spanish

 

Marvel is really keeping the hype train a chugging, as their “Phase 3” movement will begin with a sequel to this years blockbuster Ant-Man which earned the studio $410 Million globally.

The studio announced that Ant-Man and The Wasp is set to hit theaters July 6th, 2018 and has Hope Van Dyne taking up the role of The Wasp.

The announcement of the sequel comes with the news that there are a few changes to the Marvel lineup. Black Panther will be moving UP to February 16th, 2018 and Captain Marvel on March of 2019.

There are also three films coming in 2020 that I’m dubbing the “Mystery Movies”. Marvel Studios is having a release on May 1st, July 10th and November 6th of 2020.

Paul Rudd will reprise his role as Ant-Man in Captain America: Civil War which is hitting theaters May 6th 2016.

Marvel Cinematic Universe fans who purchased Marvel’s Phase 1 Suit Case  collection, we have some good news for you. ‘Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection’ is coming this holiday season and you can Pre-Order it on Amazon for the low price of $249.99. The super fans will be clamoring for this set, i mean look how awesome it looks encased in the infinity stone orb.  The bonus content hasn’t been identified yet, so lets see what else they could add to sweeten the deal.

Marvel Phase 2

The limited-edition, 13-disc Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection invites you to hold the greatest power in the cosmos in the palm of your hand.

Contents includes: 

Marvel’s Iron Man 3 (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy)

Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy) 

Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy) 

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy)

Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy) 

Marvel’s Ant-Man (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy) 

PLUS

Top-Secret Bonus Disc and more!

 

Briefly: After binging Marvel’s Daredevil back in April, we’ve all been beyond ready for AKA Jessica Jones to hit the streets ever since.

The show is still slated to release this year, but with a slight change in title, according to ComicBook.com.

The title has been shortened from AKA Jessica Jones, to simply Jessica Jones. For simplicity’s sake (and to keep up with the naming conventions of other Marvel/Netflix titles), I think that it’s a damn good move.

The new title was discovered via the following screen cap, which Marvel later confirmed.

Screenshot

Marvel Studios announced today that Martin Freeman has joined the cast of Captain America: Civil War, they did not reveal who he will be playing. This is exciting news, I’m a big fan of Freeman and will be intrigued as to what kind of role he will be playing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I think the safe bet would be that he will play some sort of Government official regarding the registration act, but will be delighted obviously if it was more than that. Who do you think he could be portraying?

5549036409a51

“From his roles as Bilbo Baggins and Doctor Watson to Tim in ‘The Office,’ Martin’s range from the dramatic to the comedic has consistently impressed us,” said “Captain America: Civil War” Producer Kevin Feige. “We couldn’t be more honored or excited to have such a talented actor join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

Captain America: Civil War” hits theaters May 6, 2016.

Briefly: Okay, so we were totally lying on April 1st when we said that Chandler Riggs was playing Spider-Man.

But, today Kevin Feige did drop some new info about the role.

Feige revealed to Collider today that the new Spider-Man will indeed be Peter Parker, and that he’ll be Ultimate style 15-16 years old:

“In terms of the age of an actor we’ll eventually to cast, I don’t know. In terms of the age of what we believe Peter Parker is, I’d say 15-16 is right.”

He continues, explaining just why they chose to go with a younger Spidey this time around (aside from the fact that an immediately older one didn’t work):

“We want to play with Spider-Man in the high school years because frankly there’ve been five Spider-Man films and the amazing thing about it is, even though there’ve been five Spider-Man films, there are so many things from the comics that haven’t been done yet. Not just characters or villains or supporting characters, but sides to his character. The most obvious being the ‘young, doesn’t quite fit in’ kid before his powers, and then the fella that puts on a mask and swings around and fights bad guys and doesn’t shut up, which is something we want to play with and we’re excited about.”

Feige also culled some of our fears in a conversation with CraveOnline, revealing that the next Spider-Man film that we see won’t be an origin story:

“In Spider-Man’s very specific case, where there have been two retellings of that origin in the last whatever it’s been – [thirteen] years – for us we are going to take it for granted that people know that, and the specifics. It will not be an origin story. But, with great power comes great responsibility. It is inherent to who his character is. But we want to reveal it in different ways and spend much more time focusing on this young high school kid in the MCU dealing with his powers. There is a young kid [already] running around New York City in a homemade version of the Spider-Man costume in the MCU, you just don’t know it yet,“

Phew, I really didn’t want to spend the first half of his solo film with him learning how to wall crawl and stand up for himself. So, who would you like to see suit up as Spidey now that Donald Glover is definitely out?

spider-man

Briefly: Back in March, Eric noted that Captain America: The Winter Soldier and upcoming Captain America: Civil War directors Joe and Anthony Russo were expected to direct the two-part Avengers: Infinity War.

Today, Marvel gave the official announcement:

As anticipation and excitement build to a fever pitch for Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the blockbuster sequel to the third-largest movie of all time, Marvel is proud to announce Joe and Anthony Russo will join the franchise as the directors of Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1” and “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2.”

 

The Russo brothers first entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” one of the top-grossing film’s from 2014, and are currently preparing to shoot Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War.” The third film in the Captain America franchise will bring the classic storyline from the comics to life pitting Cap (Chris Evans) against Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), as well as introducing Black Panther to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with actor Chadwick Boseman ahead of his own film later in Phase 3.

 

Before stepping behind the camera for “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Captain America: Civil War,” the Russo brothers served as Executive Producers and directors for many TV series, including “Community” and “Happy Endings.” Joe and Anthony earned a Primetime Emmy award for their work directing the pilot episode of the cult-hit “Arrested Development” series. Their film debut was “Welcome to Collinwood”, produced by Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney.

I was a big fan of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (especially compared to other Phase Two films Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World), and so I’m definitely down for more Russo. They also directed some of the best episodes of Community however, so hopefully being Marvel’s new favourites doesn’t take up all of their time.

Russo2

Breaking: Last month, Marvel and Sony announced a groundbreaking new partnership that would (again) see a reboot of the Spider-Man film franchise, but more importantly, would officially allow the character to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It was quickly revealed that Andrew Garfield would not be reprising his Peter Parker role in the new series, and the internet has run rampant with speculation of who we’d next see don the blue and red suit ever since.

We can all stop that speculation now, as Sony has just revealed who they’ve chosen for the role. No, it’s not Donald Glover, and he won’t be playing Miles Morales. The Walking Dead star Chandler Riggs (Carl, duh) will play Peter Parker / Spider-Man beginning in Captain America: Civil War.

It’s certainly an interesting choice, and certainly not one I’d ever predict. He’s young (16), which I like, and he’s awkward as hell, so he’s already got a one-up on Andrew Garfield (at least as far as Peter Parker goes). I’ll admit that I was initially baffled at the decision, but then I remembered that we shouldn’t hate on this stuff until we actually see what it looks like. Peter Parker is an awkward teenage nerd who isn’t particularly good looking, and Chandler fits right into that description.

Here’s the press release:

After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Chandler Riggs has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when Spider-Man swings into the Marvel Universe with the release of Captain America: Civil War on May 6th, 2016. Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and newly appointed chairman of Sony Pictures, Tom Rothman.

 

Today’s announcement culminates what has been one of the most eagerly anticipated casting announcements in recent memory. Bloggers, pop culture speculators, and everyday fans have pored over and analyzed every conceivable online rumor in an attempt to discover the identity of the actor to play Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Riggs will immediately begin preparing for the coveted role.

 

Spider-Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.

 

Commenting on the announcement, Tom Rothman, chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios said, “Spider-Man is a classic superhero — a young man who balances his responsibility to serve humanity and crush evil with the shyness and normalcy of someone struggling to find himself. The role demands an extraordinary actor. You need someone who can magically transform himself from Peter Parker into Spider-Man. An actor who will depict the vulnerability of youth and the strength and confidence of a legendary figure at the same moment. We have found that actor in Chandler Riggs. From the first time we saw him in The Walking Dead, to his glorious screen test which floored all of us, we knew that we had found our new Peter Parker.”

 

Producer Avi Arad added, “I’m incredibly excited about Chandler Riggs. In the Spider-Man tradition, we were looking for a smart, sensitive, and cool new Peter Parker who can inspire us and make us laugh, cry, and cheer. We believe we have found the perfect choice to take on this role and lead us into the future.”

 

Producer Laura Ziskin said, “We are thrilled to have Chandler Riggs for this new incarnation of Spider-Man. We were fortunate enough to meet with a group of fantastically talented young men, and in the end, we all agreed that in addition to being an extraordinary actor, Chandler had the right mix of humor, youth, and pathos, along with an underlying sense of strength and power necessary to bring Peter Parker and Spider-Man to life on screen.”

 

Kevin Feige added “We cannot wait to show you where Marvel and Sony plan to take this beloved character, and we’re ecstatic to show you Chandler in costume, and in motion, later this year.”

Are you down with this announcement? Is there another actor you’d have rather seen cast? And what does this mean for Carl on The Walking Dead? Sound out below!

Riggs

According to Badass Digest, it is all but officially confirmed that the Russo Brothers will be sitting in the director’s chairs for Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War.

From Badass Digest:

So I’m on the phone with a source, talking about the Spider-Man casting rumor I just ran, when he says, “Oh shit. I just got an email. The Russos closed their deal to direct Infinity War.”

 

I first reported this to you guys back in November, and now I can tell you it’s come to pass: Joe and Anthony Russo will follow up Captain America: Civil War by graduating to Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and 2. The movies should shoot back-to-back in 2016 and 2017.

 

There are no writers on it yet, but I’m told that Marvel is in talks with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the guys who wrote the three Captain America movies as well as did work on Thor: The Dark World and helped create Agent Carter. Basically it’s about keeping the band together moving forward, with the Russos and Markus and McFeely all being really on the same page and working together well. I imagine that this will become official shortly.

I didn’t realize how sharply Captain America: The Winter Soldier divided fans. I enjoyed every minute of it, but speaking to people at this past New York Comic-Con (in particular talking to our Geekscape founder/leader Jonathan) there are people who think otherwise.

In some ways I’m excited, because the Russos seem to really grasp this bizarre universe Marvel has built. In other ways, I’m hesitant. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe marches forward, it both baffles and amazes me how the auteur theory can show up without mucking up the others. Shane Black, James Gunn and Joss Whedon have all left their signatures on their films (and if only Edgar Wright got to), but I can’t really speak to what signatures the Russos have. Not that that’s the most important thing, of course. The most important thing is that these movies are good, and I have little expectations that the Russos will disappoint.

My hesitation is/was that there are other directors I think that are capable of shouldering the responsibility. Back when possible directors were being thrown around I believed Justin Lin could have been the guy for Avengers: Infinity War. I believed his sense of action filmmaking combined with his balance of ensemble characters (Fast Five and Fast & Furious 6 are awesome superhero movies without superheroes) could have made him an ideal candidate. But Lin was destined to boldly go elsewhere.

I guess now that Marvel moves into Phase 3, they simply want to work with people they already know and trust, which is a completely understandable and financially responsible decision.

There is no definite, official announcement just yet, but Badass Digest is confident and their reputation is stellar. Expect an official announcement soon.

 

Briefly: Following yesterday’s fantastic full trailer, Marvel has revealed six of the supporting cast members for next month’s Daredevil.

Announced actors include Person of Interest‘s Rob Morgan as Turk Barrett, a smalltime criminal in Hell’s Kitchen, while Dexter‘s Matt Gerald will play Melvin Potter, a machinist caught between a rock and a hard place.

Under the Kingpin’s umbrella, we’ve got Falling Skies‘ Peter Shinkoda as Nobu, a Japanese businessman with an agenda all his own; Law and Order: SVU‘s Wai Ching Ho as Madame Gao, a powerful woman running her own trade, Camp‘s Nikolai Nikolaeff and Grimm‘s Gideon Emery as Vladimir and Anatoly, two Russian brothers looking to forge new names for themselves in America.

Marvel’s Head of TV Jeph Loeb says that “With an already tremendous cast, these six actors help to fully flesh out Matt Murdock’s world and give life to Hell’s Kitchen. We’ve been blessed to work with such amazing actors on this series to create a truly remarkable first season.”

Daredevil, of course, “follows the journey of Matt Murdock, who was blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, now fighting against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the super hero Daredevil in modern day Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.”

There is exactly one month left until Marvel’s Daredevil premieres on Netflix. As most of the world has finished House of Cards (except me) and working their way through The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (except me, again, guys my work commute sucks), Daredevil is creeping right around the corner. Like the real Daredevil. And now the full-length trailer is now online.

Unlike the previous teasers, this gives us the best look at the series overall to date. I was already stoked and prepared to binge on its premiere weekend, but now I wish the premiere could happen like right freaking now.

Of note is the location: Hell’s Kitchen. I work about a couple blocks away from Hell’s Kitchen, it’s about a twenty minute walk. Hell’s Kitchen today isn’t really a crime-ridden hell hole that it was until just maybe ten years ago. It’s interesting that in this Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hell’s Kitchen remains the dark place it used to be known for. Perhaps the Battle of New York in The Avengers drove the wealthy upper middle class away? I hope there’s at least some explanation.

A small reminder: Marvel’s Daredevil premieres the same weekend of Game of Thrones and will be at least week two into Mad Men‘s last leg. Prepare to watch TV all weekend.

Also, for funsies, compare this new series trailer with the one from the 2003 theatrical film. There’s no doubt that a decade plus change can highlight a change in cultural sensibilities, but it remains startling just how different the recent past is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmP3YFk_YHA

Marvel’s Daredevil premieres April 10th. I know you’re ready.

According to The Huffington Post reporting on various studies, the side effects to sleep deprivation are an increased risk to stroke, obesity, increased risk of diabetes, memory loss, increased cancer risk and just plain old dying.

Which makes the Ultimate Marvel Marathon in select AMC Theatres kind of fucking bonkers.

From AMC’s website:

Eleven Superhero-sized Movies in One Day Starts Wednesday, April 29 at 6pm

Do you have the power to watch all 11 AVENGERS movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe back-to-back? Take the challenge and you’ll take home an exclusive Marvel’s AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON collector’s pin and a limited edition print!

 

Plus, AMC Stubs members will get $10 Bonus Bucks loaded onto their card tickets are purchased in advance. Use it for event day snacks during our mega-marathon of these incredible movies:

 

6:00pm IRON MAN
8:25pm THE INCREDIBLE HULK
10:35pm IRON MAN 2
1:00am THOR
3:10am CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
5:30am THE AVENGERS
8:48am IRON MAN 3
11:15am THOR: THE DARK WORLD
1:45pm CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER
4:20pm GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
7:00pm AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON
You’ll be one of the first to see the premiere of the latest movie in stunning RealD® 3D.

 

Make it all the way through the marathon, and you’ll receive a limited edition Marvel Medal for your achievement.

Holy shit. I’ll buy the limited edition print on eBay, thanks.

You could sleep through Iron Man 2Thor and Thor: The Dark World, but anyone who actually tries to attempt this at all is insane. I don’t care how crazy good shape you’re in. Please don’t do this.

Luckily there are only four AMC Theaters participating. If you’re foolish enough to try them, venture out to Kansas City (AMC Studio 28), New York (Lincoln Square 13), Anaheim (Downtown Disney 12), and Orlando (Downtown Disney 24), but seriously don’t.

I really hope I don’t turn on the news to hear “FILM GOERS DIE TRYING TO SMITE GEEKSCAPE BLOGGER AFTER MOVIE MARATHON.” I don’t want blood on my hands.

Briefly: Daredevil looks so damned good, doesn’t it? From the first images to the bad-ass first trailer, and now the just-released Matt Murdock character poster, it’s clear that were in for a treat when the Netflix / Marvel collaboration launches on April 10th.

“Marvel’s Daredevil” follows the journey of Matt Murdock, who was blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, now fighting against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the super hero Daredevil in modern day Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.

First, here’s the new poster in motion:

And here’s the still version for you to stare at:

DD

My body is ready, and April 10th can’t come soon enough! How excited are you for Daredevil‘s launch?

For starters, I want to acknowledge that yes, we already know that all Marvel television properties are a part of the blockbuster Marvel Cinematic Universe. You don’t need to tell us twice.

But a teaser image posted on the official Twitter account for Marvel’s Daredevil (set to premiere on Netflix this April) hints at a more direct connection than we would have expected.

Carl Creel is the Absorbing Man, who appeared in early season two of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., portrayed by Brian Patrick Wade. This is entirely speculation, but is Wade reprising his role? Or is his S.H.I.E.L.D. character the child of this Carl Creel, also played by Wade? Is it time travel? Just a coinky-dink? The crux of this is just who the hell is fighting poppa Daredevil.

My guess is the one that makes the most sense: it’s Carl Creel Sr. in that poster, because it’s an old poster. If it were new, it would be brandished with “Like us on Facebook” or some garbage. It has to be circa twenty years or a little less than the time period Daredevil actually takes place.

Which on that note, can we speculate why there’s hard crime in Hell’s Kitchen in 2015? The second wave of gentrification has changed Hell’s Kitchen, and it isn’t the dangerous neighborhood it was when the Daredevil comic books were first being published. I’m curious to see Daredevil almost entirely because of this: How different is the Marvel Universe’s New York to ours?

Daredevil premieres April 10 on Netflix, which is just two days before Game of Thrones. You are not going anywhere that weekend.

Briefly: We’re still reeling over last night’s news that Spider-Man will officially appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Marvel has now clarified just how the web-head will affect its upcoming slate of films (or at least when we’ll be seeing them).

The new Spider-Man film will launch on July 28th, 2017. To make room for Marvel’s new pal, Thor: Ragnarok has been pushed to Black Panther‘s original release date on November 3rd, 2017, while Black Panther will now drop on July 6th, 2018.

The domino effect continues, and with Black Panther‘s move, Captain Marvel will now release on Inhumans’ November 2nd, 2018 date, and Inhumans will launch on July 12th, 2019.

Interestingly enough, both of the Avengers: Infinity War dates have not changed, and will still release on May 4th, 2018, and May 3rd, 2019 respectively.

Here’s the full list of Marvel’s currently slated projects:

– Avengers: Age of Ultron: May 1st, 2015
– Ant-Man: July 17th, 2015
– Captain America: Civil War: May 6th, 2016
– Doctor Strange: November 4th, 2016
– Guardians of the Galaxy 2: May 5th, 2017
– Spider-Man: July 28th, 2017
– Thor: Ragnarok: November 3rd, 2017
– Avengers: Infinity War, Part 1: May 4th, 2018
– Black Panther: July 6th, 2018
– Captain Marvel: November 2nd, 2018
– Avengers: Infinity War, Part 2: May 3rd, 2019
– Inhumans: July 12th, 2019

Are you excited to see Spider-Man make his MCU debut? Do you see another origin story coming, or will they realize that we’ve seen Uncle Ben die enough times by now? Sound out below!

Spider

So, it’s been rumoured for what seems like forever (or at least since the Sony hack occurred late last year), but Marvel has just made it official: Spider-Man will appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

And that’s not all that’s happening. Marvel (and of course Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal) will co-produce Sony’s next Spider-Man film (though Sony will continue to finance, distribute, own, and have created control over the franchise).

The press release also notes that “the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film”. Hmm, ‘the new Spider-Man’? Does that mean that we’re done with Andrew Garfield? Can #DonaldforSpiderMan make a comeback? Does that mean another reboot is happening? Maybe we’re reading too far into it, but it’s certainly some interesting wording.

It’s also noted that MCU characters may appear in future Spider-Man films.

I’m excited for the prospect. After two less than stellar The Amazing Spider-Man films, having Marvel involved with the franchise can only be a good thing. I definitely agree with Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment Michael Lynton, who stated that “This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans.”

Take a look at the full press release below, and let us know if you’re happy about the news!

Under the deal, the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU). Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger. Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films.

 

Marvel and Sony Pictures are also exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.

 

The new relationship follows a decade of speculation among fans about whether Spider-Man – who has always been an integral and important part of the larger Marvel Universe in the comic books – could become part of the Marvel Universe on the big screen. Spider-Man has more than 50 years of history in Marvel’s world, and with this deal, fans will be able to experience Spider-Man taking his rightful place among other Super Heroes in the MCU.

 

Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company said: “Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s great characters, beloved around the world. We’re thrilled to work with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opens up fantastic new opportunities for storytelling and franchise building.”

 

“We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans.”

 

“Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios share a love for the characters in the Spider-Man universe and have a long, successful history of working together. This new level of collaboration is the perfect way to take Peter Parker’s story into the future,” added Doug Belgrad, president, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.

 

“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie,” said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. “Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years.”

 

Spider-Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.

Source: Marvel

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Briefly: Well, after that mysterious and enticing teaser trailer from yesterday morning, Marvel and Netflix has just debuted the full teaser trailer for Aprils Daredevil.

It’s way, way better than the Ant-Man trailer, and (as we knew long ago) it’s going to be 13-episodes of the man without fear goodness. Guess who’s not going to work today?

The production values here look high, I dig the way Charlie Cox presents himself as Matt Murdock, and I love seeing that Frank Miller inspired black suit in motion. It’s going to be very interesting to see how Marvel handles an actual superhero in a TV show, and I cannot wait for April 10th.

Take a look at the teaser below, and let us know what you think! Daredevil hits Netflix on April 10th.

“Marvel’s Daredevil” follows the journey of Matt Murdock, who was blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, now fighting against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the super hero Daredevil in modern day Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.

Briefly: Marvel and Netflix have just debuted a promising 15-second teaser for April’s 13-episode Daredevil series, noting that a full trailer for the series will premiere online tomorrow.

In the teaser, we get to hear Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock for the first time, and he’s sounding pretty stellar. Take a look at the teaser below, and check back tomorrow for the full trailer.

I feel like I’m looking forward to Daredevil and Marvel’s other Netflix projects more than any of the MCU films this year. What are your thoughts?

“Marvel’s Daredevil” follows the journey of Matt Murdock, who was blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, now fighting against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the super hero Daredevil in modern day Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.

Briefly: Following the additions of Rachael Taylor and David Tennant last week, The Matrix alum Carrie-Anne Moss has joined Marvel’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones in a yet unnamed role.

The recurring role will see Moss as  “a no-nonsense woman who could prove a powerful ally to Jessica…if Jessica doesn’t completely alienate her first.”

Marvel’s Head of Television Jeph Loeb stated that “Carrie-Anne has proven her ability to play complex characters with deep and layered inner lives. Her interaction with Jessica Jones will be one of the many highlights of the series.”

Are you looking forward to the 13-episode series? Are you satisfied with the casting choices so far? Sound out below!

Moss

Briefly: We’ve got Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones, David Tennant as Kilgrave, and now Grey’s Anatomy and Crisis star Rachael Taylor has been cast as Patsy Walker in Marvel / Netflix’s AKA Jessica Jones.

Her official character description reads that “Trish is a syndicated radio talk show host, former model and child TV star known to her adoring fans as “Patsy” Walker. As Jessica Jones’ closest friend, Trish helps her embark on the most dangerous case of Jessica’s career.” Comic fans will also know her as Hellcat.

Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s Head of Television, stated that “Rachael’s ability to embody a character that must balance both the darker and lighter elements of our series will provide a perfect emotional anchor for Jessica Jones. Rachael blew us away with her grounded, humanizing take on Trish, adding yet another layer to the complex, emotional story we’re telling with this series.”

How do you feel about the casting choice? Anyone else you’d rather see in the role? Sound out below!

Rachael

Source: Marvel

From Comic Book Resources: Marvel’s Daredevil will premiere exclusively on Netflix on April 10, 2015. Starting at 12:01 AM Pacific time that day, all 13 one-hour episodes will be readily available. In a post-House of Cards era, we know the deal already.

In addition, Marvel Studios has released a neat little motion poster with a static version (seen below).

The showrunners have likened Daredevil to The Wire, which is a ballsy statement for sure. Hell’s Kitchen in 2015 is a different place than it was when Daredevil first fought crime there in the comic books, so it’s really fascinating to me how they’re trying to depict a gritty city corner in the larger, cosmic Marvel Universe. I for one am looking forward to this show just to see how they address this paradox.

Will you be watching? Wait, of course you are. Never mind.

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When the Sony hack attacks by North Korea evolved from a surreal, schadenfreude-filled incident to a watershed moment where the effects on the American psyche, speech, and capitalist practices will be measured in the years to come, my laptop gave me the middle finger and stopped working. It was like, totally the best time for me to not write.

Now that I have ol’ trusty back from Apple, I have some catching up to do. I’ll be writing about the coming hangover concerning this attack and what I personally believe may be the start of the world’s first Cyber War, but for now I can’t help but dwell on some actual movie business news coming from the Sony leaks. Thankfully this has nothing to do with insulting a celebrity.

According to Comic Book Resources, Marvel and Sony have reached or are inches away from finalizing a deal concerning New York’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Should they happen with these proposed plans, Spider-Man will be absorbed into the Marvel universe with a stand-alone movie with Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods) eyed to direct. Spider-Man will then be involved fully with Captain America: Civil War and The Avengers: Infinity War — Part 1.

This news differs from earlier reports that Sony and Marvel were merely talking about getting Spider-Man involved with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, somehow it seems more and more like a possibility.

Here’s how it will go down. If the deal is reached — and this is an if — Sony will co-finance 25% of Captain America: Civil War. Marvel will then pony up 25% for the next solo Spider-Man film, and Sony will be allowed to use two (2!) Marvel Studios characters and continue the events of Civil War. From there, Spider-Man will appear in Infnity War — Part 1 in 2018 and a second solo film (would this be the fourth solo film in total?) in 2019.

From Comic Book Resources:

Sony asked for approval over the costume, script (but only the parts specifically involving Spider-Man), and casting, with said actor required to sign a three-picture deal or more. The way this part of the document is worded makes it sound very much like a collaboration rather than one studio having more control than the other. They do however point out that Kevin Feige must serve as a producer, and if for some reason he leaves Marvel, they would be allowed to select his replacement. They also want Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach to be given executive producer credits, and state that it would be pre-agreed that Drew Goddard both writes and directs the first movie.

There are some caveats too. Namely, if any Marvel movies using Spider-Man fail to make their projected release date, Sony would be paid a whopping $100 million and the deal terminated. That’s kind of harsh.

On the business side of things, if any of the Marvel movies Spider-Man is included in misses their release date, Sony would be paid damages of $100 million, and the deal would be terminated. Sony have only three years and nine months to start pre-production before the rights revert, and Captain America: Civil War would reset the clock on this period. Sony also asked for Marvel’s help in ensuring that the “D Machine” would have to be accessible for Spider-Man’s solo movies in regards to their TV channels, radio networks, theme parks, and more. The deal would be announced at a press event by both studios on a mutually agreed upon date.

I wish I could get away with calling more directors “__ Machine.” Quentin Tarantino the Q Machine. Spike Lee the S Machine. Jonathan London the J Machine. They all sound like bad ’70s villains. (Sorry, Jonathan!)

Comic Book Resources makes it clear this stuff comes from internal documents and appears to be more of a gameplan from Sony than any actual final deal. We of Geekscape reiterate that none of this is finalized or confirmed. Considering the level of international urgency Sony have found themselves in I doubt they’re thinking much about a teenaged superhero in red and blue spandex anyway.

What if Kim Jong-Un actually doesn’t care about The Interview and hacked Sony just to pressure them so Spider-Man can join The Avengers? I would, as kids today put it, can’t even.

Today is full of casting announcements. Deadpool has Ryan Reynolds, Jessica Jones has Krysten Ritter, and now Doctor Strange has Benedict Cumberbatch.

From Marvel.com:

The actor will star in Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” scheduled to hit theaters November 4, 2016. The film, directed by Scott Derrickson with Jon Spaihts writing the screenplay, will follow the story of neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, after a horrific car accident, discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions.

“Stephen Strange’s story requires an actor capable of great depth and sincerity,” said Producer Kevin Feige. “In 2016, Benedict will show audiences what makes Doctor Strange such a unique and compelling character.”

Benedict Cumberbatch’s star is higher than ever, having starred this year in The Imitation Game as Alan Turing and as a giant dragon in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. He also has a steady gig working as the famous Sherlock in the critically-acclaimed BBC series of the same name, which is where I suspect he built his massive fanbase. The “Cumberbitches,” as they are, although he thinks that name is degrading. Oh, him.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always been full of A-list stars, but now it’s on a trend of getting the hottest rising ones. Benedict Cumberbatch is one on the verge of total A-list stardom, and a blockbuster Marvel movie just might be the one to truly cement his status.

Furthermore, how much awesome does Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe look? The exciting line-up announced a few months ago set the right mood, and now every casting choice announced so far makes the series look so damn good. 2016 onwards is going to be a hell of an era for superhero movies.

Heads up! Deadline has reported Marvel Studios have casted Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones, the titular character to one of their upcoming Netflix-exclusive series.

From Deadline:

Spearheaded by Melissa Rosenberg, the 13-episode drama — the second in a four-series Netflix-Marvel deal — centers on Jessica Jones, a superhero suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, which leads to her hanging up her costume and opening her own detective agency, where she ends up helping people and assisting other superheroes.

After the beloved Don’t Trust The B—- in Apt. 23 as well as an NBC sitcom (set in space!) she was to star was cancelled before it even aired, Krysten Ritter finally has the break her fans believe she deserves. I can’t wait to see her as Jessica Jones!

Additionally, Deadline has reported that Mike Colter (from The Following) is in the lead to play Luke Cage, also the titular character of a Netflix-exclusive series from Marvel.

Great news. My excitement for these Marvel shows just went into overdrive.

Briefly: Despite still not having an Ant-Man director after Edgar Wright’s shocking departure last month, Marvel may have found its Doctor Strange helmer in Insidious director Scott Derrickson.

Variety reports that talks are still early, but a deal is expected to be announced soon. Derrickson pretty much confirmed things himself with this tweet earlier this afternoon:

 

Do you think Derrickson is a good choice for the project? Is there anyone else you’d rather see in the director’s chair? Sound out below! Doctor Strange is still without a release date, but we’ll be sure to let you know as soon as more information is revealed!

Strange

Briefly: One of 2015’s most anticipated movies just got a new release date!

That’s right! Marvel’s Phase Three kickoff, Ant-Man, has just been brought forward. The film was initially scheduled for November 6th, 2015, and is now slated for July 31st.

This move puts the launch of Edgar Wright’s next film just two weeks after the yet untitled Batman / Superman film, though it does move it further away from Bond 25.

Sure, it’s still two years away, but how much are you looking forward to Ant-Man?

ant-man-movie-logo

Last night during the MTV Movie Awards another action packed brand new spot for Shane Black’s highly-anticipated Iron Man 3 debuted. The spot titled “Nightmares” features plenty of The Mandarin’s Extremis soldiers as well as giving us a few new shots of Stephanie Szostak’s mystery character in the film.

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Iron Man 3 suits up on May 3, 2013

Principal photography is underway and Marvel has debuted the first official image from The Russo Brothers highly-anticipated political-thriller Captain America: The Winter Soldier. You can check out both the synopsis and official press release below.
 

 “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” will pick-up where “Marvel’s The Avengers” left off, as Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and teams up with Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, to battle a powerful yet shadowy enemy in present-day Washington, D.C.

 
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Following in the footsteps of the record-breaking Marvel Studios’ release, “Marvel’s The Avengers,” production on the highly anticipated release, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” has commenced in Los Angeles, California, with production also including locations in Cleveland, Ohio, and Washington D.C. Directing the film is the team of Anthony and Joe Russo (“Welcome to Collinwood”) from a screenplay written by Christopher Markus (“Captain America: The First Avenger”) & Stephen McFeely (“Captain America: The First Avenger”). “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” returns Chris Evans (“Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”) as the iconic super hero character Steve Rogers/Captain America, along with Scarlett Johansson (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Iron Man 2”) as Black Widow and Samuel L. Jackson (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Iron Man 2”) as Nick Fury. In addition, film icon Robert Redford has joined the all-star cast as Agent Alexander Pierce, a senior leader within the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is set for release in the U.S. on April 4, 2014.
 
Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1941, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” features an outstanding supporting cast that includes Sebastian Stan (“Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Black Swan”) as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie (“The Hurt Locker,” “Million Dollar Baby”) as Sam Wilson/Falcon, Cobie Smulders (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” “How I Met Your Mother”) as Agent Maria Hill, Frank Grillo (“Zero Dark Thirty”) as Brock Rumlow and Georges St-Pierre (“Death Warrior”) as Georges Batroc. Rounding out the talented cast are Hayley Atwell (“Captain America: The First Avenger”) as Peggy Carter, Toby Jones (“Captain America: The First Avenger,” “The Hunger Games”) as Arnim Zola, Emily VanCamp (“The Ring 2,” “Revenge”) as Agent 13 and Maximiliano Hernández (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Thor”) as Agent Jasper Sitwell.
 
Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing the film. Executive producers on the project include Alan Fine, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo and Stan Lee. The creative production team on the film includes director of photography Trent Opaloch (“Elysium,” “District 9”), production designer Peter Wenham (“21 Jump Street,” “Fast Five”), editors Jeffrey Ford, A.C.E. and Mary Jo Markey, A.C.E. (“Star Wars: Episode 7,” “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”) and three time Oscar-nominated costume designer Judianna Makovsky (“The Hunger Games,” “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”).

 
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is set to hit theaters April 4, 2014
 
Source: Marvel