Comic Years |
- Sony Buys Bungie For $3.6 Billion – What We Know So Far
- Star Trek Anthology Series – Akiva Goldsman Wants To Tell Tales of the Federation
- Leaked The Batman Scene Shows 4K Terror At A Funeral
- Spider-Man Domestic Box Office Record – Can No Way Home Beat Avatar, Star Wars?
- CW Arrowverse Crossovers Ranked – The Best And Worst Of The DC Shared Universe
- Halo The Series Trailer, Release Date, & First Look At Cortana Revealed
- Jason Momoa Joining F10 As New Villain – Aquaman Goes Fast And Furious For Final Installment
- What Comic Book Movies Are Coming Out In 2022 – And Beyond!
- Grant Gustin Season 9 Renewal – New Deal For The Flash Seems Likely
| Sony Buys Bungie For $3.6 Billion – What We Know So Far Posted: 31 Jan 2022 08:34 PM PST There’s yet another major transaction in the games industry shaking up the entire culture. Sony buys Bungie for $3.6 billion, sparking a huge array of questions regarding exclusivity, Destiny 2, and the acquisition market moving forward. All in all, this is a big deal. Bungie, best known for Destiny and early Halo titles, used to be a Microsoft studio. There’s a lot to get to here that’s different from recent developer deals. Here’s everything we know so far about the purchase. What We Know About News that Sony Buys Bungie Image Credit: Bungie GamesIndustry.Biz is reporting Sony buys Destiny 2 developer Bungie for the steep asking price of $3.6 Billion, sparking another acquisition that is sure to shake the games industry. Brendan Sinclair of GI.Biz writes “after the deal closes, Bungie will be “an independent subsidiary” of SIE run by a board of directors consisting of current CEO and chairman Pete Parsons and the rest of the studio’s current management team.” This is vastly different from the recent deals, including Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard. Essentially, this means that Bungie will operate largely as it is. The only differences become board positioning and executive-level structure. A Bungie acquisition is great for Sony as it looks to diverge more resources into live service games. In short, Destiny 2 is what they’re buying here and it has the chance to be an even bigger hit with Sony resources behind it. Interestingly enough, Bungie got its start as a Microsoft studio. They went independent for the sake of their team’s autonomy. I can’t imagine a deal like this would sacrifice any of that. That said, it does raise questions about console exclusivity and the chance that Bungie properties could become PS5 exclusive. So, what do we know of that issue thusfar? Will Destiny Become PlayStation Exclusive? Image Credit: Sony Just because Sony buys Bungie doesn’t mean all games go exclusive. In fact, the report states the opposite. Sinclair writes “Bungie will remain a multiplatform studio, with the option “to self-publish and reach players wherever they choose to play.” That’s a great move in terms of growing a portfolio for Bungie beyond Destiny 2. The game, while popular, is a live service shooter. Should Bungie decide to make more games, they’ll want a player base in as many places as possible. That’s certainly not to say the PS5 doesn’t offer a large enough audience. I write a lot about Xbox and Nintendo for the site as that’s my primary place of playing console games. That said, I’m a big fan of this deal for Sony. I don’t fanboy out for one company over the next. If anything, I’m wary of consolidation when it comes at the expense of players having access to more games. If it were up to me, then everything would be playable everywhere. While $3.6 million is a lot for a studio primarily making one game, the possibilities are wide open for more projects thanks to this purchase. If you have thoughts on this deal, then let us know in the comments! Thanks for reading Comic Years for all things gaming, comics, and pop culture. Featured Image Credit: Sony Sony Buys Bungie For $3.6 Billion – What We Know So Far |
| Star Trek Anthology Series – Akiva Goldsman Wants To Tell Tales of the Federation Posted: 31 Jan 2022 03:45 PM PST The ever-expanding universe of Star Trek has delivered some premium content over the past several years. With the success of Star Trek: Picard and Discovery on Paramount+ the creators are constantly looking for new stories to tell. But showrunner Akiva Goldsman has some ideas on where to boldly go next, that involves focusing in on familiar characters in a new show. Goldsman already has a title for this potential anthology series – Star Trek: Tales of the Federation. Like Short Treks, it would tell one-off stories featuring new and legacy characters we love. Akiva Goldsman Is Ready for a Star Trek Anthology Series Image by Michael Gibson via CBS Interactive Goldsman is interested in bringing back some classic characters for an anthology series he calls Star Trek: Tales of the Federation. In an interview with SFX Magazine, he goes into detail about this idea.
We are sure that longtime Star Trek fans would be interested in seeing George Takei back in action. And there are so many directions this type of anthology show could take. In the vein of Picard, many of these stories would likely follow up on beloved characters now that they are older and wiser. Tales Of the Federation Anthology Series Means Characters from Across Star Trek History Image via Paramount Goldsman says that this type of anthology series was common when he was young. In recent years these type of anthology series have made a comeback thanks to shows like Black Mirror, Electric Dreams, and Small Axe. And Goldsman thinks that now is the perfect time for a Star Trek anthology series.
Star Trek has already touched upon the anthology format with Short Treks in 2018. These 10-15 minute shorts experimented with genre and focused on minor characters from Star Trek: Discovery. A new anthology show could expand upon this idea, and dig deeper into Star Trek history and lore. New Star Trek Shows Loom on the Horizon Image via CBS Interactive In the meantime, the current Star Trek shows are still going strong on Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access). Star Trek: Discovery will resume its fourth season on February 10, 2022. Picard will follow closely behind to air new episodes from its second season starting March 3, 2022. A new series called Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is also due out on May 5, 2022. This series will follow the adventures of Captain Pike in the decade before the original Star Trek series. Several familiar faces from Discovery will return for that series including Rebecca Romijn as Number One, and Ethan Peck as Spock.  Image by Jan Thijs via CBS Interactive You can stream all current Star Trek shows and movies on Paramount+.Who would you like to see featured in a new Star Trek anthology show? What beloved characters from Star Trek history do you think deserves a spotlight in the (potential) Tales Of The Federation series? Let us know in the comments and as always be sure to follow Comic Years on Facebook and Twitter for all of the latest genre news. Star Trek Anthology Series – Akiva Goldsman Wants To Tell Tales of the Federation |
| Leaked The Batman Scene Shows 4K Terror At A Funeral Posted: 31 Jan 2022 10:45 AM PST A scene from upcoming Batman movie recently leaked, but instead of covering it up or asking the actors to pretend like it's fake, Matt Reeves released a 4K version of it on his Vimeo page. I guess the director thinks if you are going to try to get a sneak peek of the next Dark Knight film, watch it in the best quality. It’s the future, people, save those grainy videos for set leaks and Vine compilations. The leaked The Batman scene gives us a lot without showing that much beyond a funeral, and we're here to break down everything we're seeing in it.  Image via DC Films Bruce Wayne Attends a Funeral in 4K, Talkative as EverThe scene starts with Batman at a huge funeral. In attendance are a lot of police and other high-profile people of Gotham. Among them is the same woman from the trailer who critiques Bruce for "not doing anything" despite his family's history of philanthropy. We hear from a phone call that the D.A. Gil Coulson is missing. The response to that news is another officer saying "Not again," implying that people are disappearing willy nilly. One of the best ways Batman comics argue for the necessity of Batman is by having the entire legal system basically always at risk, and we're getting some of that urgency in The Batman.  image via DC Films Gil Coulson isn't missing for long. A car, decked out in white symbols poorly painted on, crashes through the doors in this enormous funeral. Batman saves a child because he's Batman, and looks up to see a looming figure on a crowded Balcony. In the chaos, they disappear, but we get a profile glimpse, and they have glasses similar to The Riddler's. Gil Coulson steps out of the car with a bomb around his neck and his mouth taped closed. The tape has “no more lies” written on it. He has a note taped to his chest like a dangerous sack lunch. It says "To The Batman." Coulson holds up a ringing phone, and that's it. In the grand scheme of this move that will run nearly 3 hours, this leaked 4K scene doesn’t really tell us much we didn’t already know about The Batman. What Does the Leaked The Batman Scene Mean in Context?It looks like The Batman has something major in common with the most successful Batman movie of all time. The Dark Knight had a lot going for it, but the tone really made it feel like everything had weight. There was this layer of dread because The Joker was both always a step ahead and absolutely brutally enjoying it while he was. Batman comics live off the cruelty of his villains, and it really feels like we're getting that just from this leaked scene with The Riddler. It's a funeral, but nobody is surprised. Someone's missing, but this has happened before. A car crashes into a building and the D.A. steps out with a neck bomb and a message, and all anyone can do is run.  Image via DC Films The Batman seems like it's leaning into what makes Batman really Batman: fear and badass detective work. The Riddler has had an interesting character history, but this time he seems like a genuinely terrifying dude in this one, and Batman isn't all muscle and raspy voices. In fact, Robert Pattinson looks weathered and exhausted when he's just in a suit and tie. It looks like we're finally leaning more into Batman's actual detective work because there's actually something to be found out. It's not just about finding where The Riddler is at any given time or figuring out how to get from Hard Rock to Gotham in an afternoon. The Riddler isn't chaos or muscles and a sick mask. Seeing Batman go up against villains as smart as he is makes for an incredibly satisfying battle where his inevitable victory feels deserved. It's not just that he has the best technology or impressive friends. This leaked 4K scene from The Batman is kind of the perfect tonal teaser because it doesn't give much away, but it tells us what kind of movie we're getting. Batman has an enemy he can't just punch or throw off a train, and we're jazzed to see where it goes. The Batman hits theaters March 4th, 2022, and tickets go on Sale February 10.What did you catch from the leaked 4k funeral scene from The Batman? How do you feel about how Twilight veteran Robert Pattinson is doing as Bruce Wayne? Tell us your thoughts, reactions, and theories in the comments! Featured image via DC Films Leaked The Batman Scene Shows 4K Terror At A Funeral |
| Spider-Man Domestic Box Office Record – Can No Way Home Beat Avatar, Star Wars? Posted: 31 Jan 2022 05:15 AM PST A Disney movie, technically owned by Sony, could hold the top three spots in the all-time domestic box office running. In its eighth weekend of release, Spider-Man: No Way Home is about to blow past Avatar's domestic box office record. This means the only movies ahead of it would be Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Avengers: Endgame, two films from studios owned by Disney. Yet, with a huge winter snowstorm on the east coast of the US, the box office suffered this weekend. Yet, as the box office slows down for this meteoric movie, it looks like Sony will have to be content with only coming in third all-time domestically. Again, this film debuted less than two months ago. Even if it doesn't beat Avatar, the domestic box office for Spider-Man: No Way Home is already a record setting performance. At the very least, it sends a strong (if not troubling) message to studios and movie theaters. Pre-pandemic box office receipts are possible, but you might need a once in 20 years movie. All apologies to Batman, but Spider-Man is the biggest comic-book character at the box office. Also, because of the near non-existent marketing campaign for this much-anticipated film, audiences ended up hyping themselves up more than any trailers could. Lastly, whether intentional or just "not wasting a crisis," the way all of the big guest-stars leaked early only served to get people more excited. If Spider-Man: No Way Home does break the domestic box office record held by Avatar, again a 3rd-place spot, theater releases aren't saved. In fact, it may only solidify what certain filmmakers have feared about the business. Only big “event” movies can make money. Spider-Man: No Way Home v Avatar – Dawn of Millions in Domestic Box Office Receipts Image: Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures Already, Disney was responsible for seven of the top ten record domestic box office spots. Interestingly, they are responsible for Spider-Man: No Way Home which is owned by Sony. And they now own Avatar, though they didn't when it earned the lion's share of that total. The only other studios in the top ten are Paramount and Universal, with one movie apiece. Now, if Spider-Man: No Way Home can take the 3rd place domestic box office spot from Avatar, it's a feather in Sony's cap even if Disney made the film. It is also a very strong financial reason for Sony Pictures to continue their unique partnership with Marvel Studios. One need not be a Hollywood insider to know that Tom Holland is probably in the midst of making a deal for more Spidey movies that will set his grandchildren up for life. So, if all goes well for Spidey, it should supplant Avatar in the next two weeks or so. However, unless they do a re-release with some sort of really appealing bonus content, that's where it will stop. Avengers: Endgame is still about $100 million ahead of No Way Home's current $760 million. The top domestic box office record-holder, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, is safe with $937 million. Wondering What Could Have Been at Theaters Without the Omicron Surge Image by Tsui via Wikimedia Commons Yet, if you're the executives at Sony, you have to wonder if this might not be an entirely different equation in pre-pandemic times. This might have been the first film to gross $1 billion domestically. The love that people have for all the generations of Spider-Man is strong. Of course, in pre-pandemic times, there is no what that Spider-Man: No Way Home would have remained unchallenged at the box office for eight weeks. Yes, Scream 2022 did beat it the first week – another film decades in the making from a certain point of view. Still, if any movie (that isn't Star Wars or the culmination of 10 years of Marvel Studios films) could do it, it would have been Spider-Man: No Way Home. Also, worth noting that we are talking about the domestic box office here, meaning just in the United States and Canada. When looking at global box office receipts, Avatar is the highest-grossing movie, just beating Avengers: Endgame. Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently still in theaters.What do you think? Will Spider-Man: No Way Home snatch the domestic box office record from Avatar or do you think it will stay in fourth place? Share your thoughts, theories, and reactions in the comments below. Featured image via Sony Pictures. Spider-Man Domestic Box Office Record – Can No Way Home Beat Avatar, Star Wars? |
| CW Arrowverse Crossovers Ranked – The Best And Worst Of The DC Shared Universe Posted: 30 Jan 2022 10:59 PM PST The DC series on the CW, known as the Arrowverse, are part of a shared universe so its time we ranked the crossovers. Now many of the shows, especially in the early days, would cross over frequently. Characters from Arrow or The Flash would pop up on the other series to make this world feel lived in and real. Yet, as the amount of series on the network grew, the crossovers became huge ratings events encompassing multiple shows. Of course, with seven Arrowverse crossovers in the books, the DC shared universe on the CW has both hits and misses, which is why we've ranked them here. Though, before we go on, it's worth noting that every crossover is pretty fun. In fact, every time it happens, folks who remember what it was like when Warner Bros. didn't want their DC heroes to share the screen celebrate. The CW is now up for sale, but in the ten years we've had these DC shows, it's been a great test kitchen for superhero concepts. It's still a TV show on a network that has never been profitable. So, sometimes the visual effects aren't great. Yet, any time they bring the heroes together, they deliver an exciting story that impresses, even more so if you know the budget constraints. Still, before we dive into the list, let's talk about how we figured out this ranking. How We Ranked the DC and Arrowverse Crossovers on the CW Image via CW Almost always when it comes to art, terms like "best" and "worst" are synonyms for liking or not liking a particular thing. Naturally, there is some of this involved here, as well. Let's be honest, we all know some DC comics fans who would rank all the CW crossovers in last place if they could. Still, we wanted to try to include some kind of criteria beyond which ones those of us at Comic Years who watch the Arrowverse like to re-watch the most. We want the Arrowverse CW crossovers ranked fairly, especially because Greg Berlanti and company created a very impressive DC Shared Universe on TV. Even with glaring continuity errors and unexplained recasting, there is still a tighter continuity and more lived-in feeling in the Arrowverse than the DCEU. So, the main criteria is how authentic the crossover feels. Is it just an excuse to get all their series regulars together or does the story actually feel like the kind of epic event that these things are in the comics? The other main criteria is the execution of this story. The more you know about how TV is made, the more difficult it can be to suspend your disbelief. Low Ranked, but Still 'Good,' Arrowverse and DC CrossoversWithout (much) further ado, we get into the rankings. Still, just one more caveat saying that even though these are the low-ranked Arrowverse crossovers on the CW, they're still fun stories in the DC shared universe. Despite the criteria listed above, it all mostly comes down to personal taste. So, if you're favorite crossover is listed here, feel free to tell us how you'd rank it in the comments below. Heroes Join Forces – The DC Shared Universe Crossovers Corporate Demanded Image via Warner Bros. Television At the time of this crossover the Arrowverse consisted of two CW series, The Flash and Arrow. In fact, these two episodes served as a kind of backdoor pilot for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, the third Arrowverse series. It's also where audiences can most clearly see the hand of Warner Bros. corporate at work. You can tell that this was the first of these major crossovers, because it does feel like the storytellers didn't quite know what to do with everyone. The final showdown, if I remember correctly, takes place in an abandoned warehouse. While very much a supervillain staple, it did not give what was supposed to be an epic team-up the epic feel it deserved. Yet, this is what gave us Legends of Tomorrow, and it took almost a full season for that series to find its sea, er, spacetime, legs. Crisis on Earth X – The Arrowverse Can't Even Have a Wedding Image via Warner Bros. Television Because this crossover was hyped up, we knew what was coming. The Arrowverse heroes would face dark versions of themselves from a world where everyone is a literal Nazi. I think they tried, as most Arrowverse shows do, to thread the needle between satisfying drama and satisfying camp. Every hero character got to chew up some scenery as a baddie, but ultimately this crossover didn't quite stick the landing like the others. But, again, just because this is a low-ranked crossover, it doesn't mean that this CW event didn't have some special Arrowverse moments. There is the double-wedding at the end, which is nice. There was also the return of Wentworth Miller's Leonard Snart, and Russell Tovey's The Ray. Lastly, there was the incredibly moving performances by Franz Drameh and Victor Garber, the two actors who played Firestorm, when the latter died from injuries sustained in battle. One thing the Arrowverse does right is "found" fathers and sons. The Latest Arrowverse Crossovers – The Flash Armageddon Image via the CW Frankly, the Armageddon event should probably be ranked a little higher in this list of CW Arrowverse crossovers because it does a good job at utilizing all the players. However, the realities of filming TV series like this in a pandemic are too ever-present to be denied. We didn't really get to see the type of big DC hero team up that these crossovers make possible. The absence of other characters felt glaring, specifically Superman and the active Legends. Yet, that doesn't mean Armageddon didn't have its great moments. Part of what can make these crossovers feel forced is that everyone shows up all at once and then they all go away. In this crossover, the other Arrowverse characters were sprinkled in throughout different episodes. That really makes this feel less like a crossover and just a part of the DC shared universe like the comics. Honestly, with the reality of the ongoing pandemic, this may be the future of DC crossovers on the CW. Top Ranked DC and Arrowverse Crossovers In the Shared UniverseElseworlds – A Set Up for the DC Shared Universe to be Really SharedElseworlds is an iconic title for DC Comics, much like "What If" is for Marvel. As I've said, I've tried to put my personal biases aside for this ranking. Yet, what puts this one over-the-top for me is that it features the return of the original live-action Barry Allen as played by John Wesley Shipp. We see a decimated DC universe, and then OG Barry flees to get the Arrowverse heroes to help as Jeremy Davies rewrites the reality of this world. As both a setup for Crisis on Infinite Earths and just a regular crossover, Elseworlds works great. It firmly establishes who these characters are in this world and what they mean to each other. Flash vs. Arrow – The Original Arrowverse Team-Up Ranked Image via the CW This first pair of team-up episodes was the proto-crossover. Basically, Arrow castmembers guest-starred on an episode of The Flash and vice versa. Yet, what makes this story so great is that it truly establishes the friendship between Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen and Grant Gustin's Barry Allen. Oliver tries to train Barry, but they end up angry at one another. They also start to see each other as "less than" what they initially thought of the other person. Barry sees Oliver as cruel and violent, while Oliver sees Barry as lazy (because of his powers) and not serious enough. Of course, by the end, they've both learned important lessons about what makes the other person a hero. When it's all said and done, you believe that these two heroes are truly friends and partners. While Batman and Superman may hold the title of "World's Finest," in the DC canon, this Oliver and this Barry give them a serious run for the title. Invasion! – A Classic DC Comics Crossover Brought to Life Image via Warner Bros. Television Again, personal bias here may be outweighing my objectivity. I was a DC comics-buying kid when the comic version of Invasion! first debuted. Just seeing the Dominators brought to live as if ripped from the pages of the comics was worth the price of admission alone. (Reminder: these shows are free.) Yet, by taking the Arrowverse cosmic, it set the stage for the TV Justice League to be born. It also really built on the character development from Flash vs. Arrow, because even though Barry doesn't trust himself, Oliver never stops. This was the "Flashpoint" season, so seeing Oliver's friendship for and trust in Barry in action is what that show needed at that point. The other great part of the crossover is that it finally introduced Supergirl to the rest of the Arrowverse. Barry guest starred on Supergirl in "World's Finest," a very cute crossover episode. Yet, seeing Melissa Benoist's Kara meeting the rest of the CW DC heroes was very satisfying. It also started the long-running trend of only women US presidents in the Arrowverse. Crisis On Infinte Earths – How the DC Shared Universe Did Their Own Endgame And Created the Greatest of the Crossovers Image via CW It's probably no surprise that this gets ranked at the top of the Arrowverse crossovers on the CW, because it made the entire canon of DC shows part of a shared universe. From seeing Burt Ward, potentially as an aging Dick Grayson, to glimpses of Titans and Doom Patrol this event delivered on all fronts. Sure, The Flash movie plans to introduce the multiverse on the big screen, but they learned it by watching the CW squad. The Crisis On Infinite Earths event was a triumph of broadcast TV storytelling. This story was large and complicated, including cameos and guest spots for dozens of current and former DC legends. And just like Avengers: Endgame the fact that it wasn't a total chaotic mess is an achievement in itself. Not only was this a faithful adaptation of the original comic book crossover, but it also served as a fitting end to Stephen Amell's tenure as the center of the Arrowverse. Lastly, it was a triumphant celebration of more than a half-century of live-action storytelling with DC Comics Characters. I can't imagine a crossover event that could ever top this. (Well, maybe if they did "Death of Superman," but only maybe.) You can find these series on the CW or streaming on Netflix or HBOMax to make your own ranked list of crossovers.How do you feel about how we ranked the DC and Arrowverse crossovers on the episodes? What are your favorite crossovers? Share your thoughts, reactions, and own rankings in the comments below. Featured image via Warner Bros. Television CW Arrowverse Crossovers Ranked – The Best And Worst Of The DC Shared Universe |
| Halo The Series Trailer, Release Date, & First Look At Cortana Revealed Posted: 30 Jan 2022 05:20 PM PST Are you ready for some football? Look, that might make zero sense if you’re here for Halo news. That said, a lot of fans of the series likely tuned into the NFL AFC Championship game to check out the latest look at the Halo show. It makes sense CBS would run this major reveal for an upcoming Paramount+ show. Plus, the NFL fandom might intersect with Halo more than I realize. Overall, the new Halo trailer for the upcoming series finally gives fans a first look at Cortana and the highly anticipated release date. It’s been a long time coming. First impressions for me, at least, point to a strong show coming soon. The New Halo TV Series Finally Has a Release Date Image Credit: Paramount+ The upcoming Halo series is gearing up for a final marketing push before releasing on Paramount+. Debuting on CBS and now on YouTube, the trailer shows us a lot to love. If you’re a diehard Halo fan, then you can choose to approach this project with one of two dispositions. Firstly, you can be happy we’re finally getting a Halo show. It certainly wasn’t a given, even after getting the greenlight. The Halo TV Series 2022 hype train nearly derailed after a move from Showtime to Paramount+. Nevertheless, it’s still on the way. The other approach, which many are already taking, is to hate it. Hate the look, critique its take on Master Chief, disregard all of it. To those fans, I’ll say this. Think back to a time where you enjoyed things. Might have been a long time ago, huh? Is this going to match the magic of Halo we hold in our heads from years of loving these games and this world? Maybe not, but isn’t this worth giving it a shot? Some will say no, but I say yes. We’ll get to give the show a shot this spring. The series Halo is ready to kick off on March 24. Paramount+ gives this synopsis for the upcoming series:
Sign me up! Before we go, let’s address the AI elephant in the room. Our First Look at Cortana is…Different Than Expected Image Credit: Paramount+ Our first look at Cortana is certainly the most contentious part of the series trailer we got this weekend. The approach clearly aims to hit realism harder than game accuracy. Did the first look at Cortana throw me off to the point of anger? No, but I don’t really understand the switch. That said, the show isn’t trying to be a one-for-one retelling with the games. Producers said this series exists in the Halo sphere of lore but won’t have an impact on the games. I’m okay with that. Plus, the Cortana weirdness was relieved for me with the incredible and impressive-looking Elites. That quick combat scene was great. Another shocker was the voice of Master Chief, Steve Downes, not making an appearance. Instead, the series Halo will include actor Pablo Schreiber, as heard in the trailer, who also portrays the character physically in armor. Halo the Series Will Debut on Paramount+ On March 24, 2022.If you’re having some thoughts on the new series, then let us know in the comments! Thanks for reading Comic Years for all things gaming, comics, and pop culture. Featured Image Credit: Paramount+ Halo The Series Trailer, Release Date, & First Look At Cortana Revealed |
| Jason Momoa Joining F10 As New Villain – Aquaman Goes Fast And Furious For Final Installment Posted: 30 Jan 2022 11:28 AM PST The Fast and Furious franchise looks like it’s getting a new antagonist! F9: The Fast Saga came out last June and grossed $726 million at the world box office. It brought together Dominic “Dom” Toretto (played by Vin Diesel) and his team as they try to stop Dom’s younger brother, Jakob (played by Peacemaker‘s John Cena) from trying to steal a machine powerful enough to hack into every computerized weapons system in the world. F9 left the door open for sequels. We now know will include a Fast and Furious 10 and 11 and while there are no details on the tenth movie’s plot, we do know Jason Momoa joining F10 as a new villain. What Details Are There About Jason Momoa Joining F10? Image via HBO Max To be honest, I can’t say much about Momoa’s villainous character in F10. His character and background have both been kept under wraps and in terms of plot, not a lot is known except that it’s likely to continue where F9 left off and will probably include Deckard Shaw (played by Jason Statham). The post-credit scene in F9 showed Shaw with a man trapped in a punching bag. The guy offered plans that Shaw was looking for, but he said he already has the details he needed. Someone then knocked on the door, so Shaw shoved the guy back into the punching bag and answered the door to see Han (played by Sung Kang), who is clearly shocked that Shaw is alive. Fast and Furious 11 is going to be filmed back-to-back with F10 and director Justin Lin said it won't be two separate stories, but rather, one chapter told over the course of two films. Lin told Collider:
On a similar note, Diesel told Entertainment Weekly: “Just wait for 10. Let's just say, the fact that you guys know that the studio is saying we can't cover all this ground that needs to be covered in just one movie, you can only imagine what is to come.” Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Michelle Rodriguez, and Sung Kang are expected to return with Justin Lin directing. Someone who won’t be in F10? Dwayne Johnson. He famously butted heads with Diesel, and they’ve had a long standing rivalry since 2016, when Johnson said that there were “candy asses” on the set of the Fast and Furious movies. What’s interesting is that Johnson and Momoa are actually really great friends. Johnson’s daughter, Tiana, is obsessed with Aquaman, and Momoa actually sent her a personalized message for her birthday last year. Did Johnson warn Momoa about the “candy asses” on set? Who knows? Whether or not this happened, it looks like Jason Momoa is joining the Fast and the Furious franchise and, even though we like him, he’ll be the villain of F10. Fast and Furious 10, with Jason Momoa, will come out in theaters May 19, 2023.Are you excited that Jason Momoa is joining F10? What type of villain do you think he’ll be? Let us know in the comments below! Featured image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr Creative Commons. Jason Momoa Joining F10 As New Villain – Aquaman Goes Fast And Furious For Final Installment |
| What Comic Book Movies Are Coming Out In 2022 – And Beyond! Posted: 30 Jan 2022 04:55 AM PST After a year without superhero movies (in theaters, anyway), we finally got a slow return of them in 2021. It was good to have them back. They were all great, from Black Widow through The Suicide Squad and finishing the year off with Spider-Man: No Way Home. Even if Rotten Tomatoes got it wrong once or twice. However, if all goes to plan, we'll get double the amount of comic book movies coming out in 2022. And we've got all different kinds. Superheroes who can turn into bats. Superheroes who dress like bats. And one or two batshit crazy comic book movies. Now, let's sink our teeth into them. Pun intended. Something was In the Way of The Batman Coming Out in 2021 (it was COVID) (Image: Warner Bros) Here's how long we've been waiting for The Batman to release in theaters. I started writing for Comic Years in May of 2019. The news of Robert Pattinson's Batman casting was my sixth article. June 2019. It will be two years and nine months when we'll finally see Matt Reeve's Se7en-styled The Batman. In fact, the more childish fans in geekdom have had enough time to throw a temper tantrum over the casting, get over it, and declare Pattinson the best Batman ever (those trailers were that good). Speaking of the trailers, we've had four so far, but it wasn't until December 27th, 2021, that we got a full trailer with a plot. The Riddler isn't just out to kill people and drive Batman mad. He's specifically after the Waynes. Meanwhile, we know Catwoman's role – she's teaming up with Bruce. "The cat and the bat," she says in the trailer. We don't quite know yet how Collin Ferrell's Penguin fits into the plot. It almost feels like this could be two movies. Riddler and the Penguin are so menacing in the trailer that it's hard to imagine Penguin as the secondary villain. Warner Bros must have realized this, too, seeing how a Penguin-centric HBO show is coming after the comic book movie. Ferrell is also playing Penguin the way he was always meant to be. He's not a freak in the sewers acting gross. He's a well-respected, albeit corrupt, aristocrat in Gotham City. He has style, swagger, and sees his physical condition as a way to manipulate people further. Between him and Paul Dano's Riddler, against Pattinson's Batman and Zoe Kravitz's Catwoman… it's going to be a good movie, well worth the wait. The Batman opens March 4th, 2022. Morbius, the Most Delayed Comic Book Movie Coming Out in 2022 (Image: Sony Pictures) Poor Morbius. Initially slated for July 10th, 2020, the superhero creature feature might be the last pre-COVID production that needed a release. However, the delay seemed to help Sony set up a better marketing plan. Either that, or we're just so hungry for comic book movies going into 2022 that they all look fantastic. Morbius is also a considerable risk for Sony Pictures. While they want to create a shared universe of Spider-Man characters (that can pop in the MCU now), many of the characters are obscure. Venom was the only character that had strong brand recognition. Morbius has very little. He's kind of in the same spot Guardians of the Galaxy was in. Sony is hoping that their touch of Spider-Man connection and overall franchise notoriety will draw in viewers. But who is Morbius? Like Venom, he's been both hero and villain. In recent years, he's played more on the hero side. The recent short-lived series by Vita Ayala was fantastic. Sadly, it was also supposed to debut along with the movie. Between not having the movie bump and the COVID delays, the series ended prematurely. Hopefully, the living vampire's comic book will live again in 2022. As for the movie, the new April 1st release date will probably help the movie. It's far enough from the Spider-Man: No Way Home behemoth, but long before The Batman comes out. Without a ton of competition, Morbius should do okay for itself. The movie's biggest villain, however, is the Omicron variant. Morbius was delayed again with the new surge in COVID cases, but hopefully, the most recent date sticks. Morbius opens April 1st,2022…in theory. The Most Anticipated Comic Book Movie Coming Out in 2022 – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Image: Marvel Studios) Ever since WandaVision, the Multiverse has been tearing apart. Not just the MCU multiverse, but every movie ever connected to Marvel properties. At the end of Loki, the "sacred timeline" started to fracture and branch out wildly. But it's Spider-Man: No Way Home that will finally throw the Multiverse into chaos. We don't yet know the full implications of Doctor Strange and Spider-Man's actions. We don't even know if the spell that Strange cast was for the MCU Peter Parker or every Peter Parker. Not to mention sending villains back fully cured. What does the Raimi universe look like if Green Goblin lives? Or the Amazing universe in Doctor Connors is cured before he tries to mutate New York? The Multiverse of Madness looks to be the turning point of Marvel Phase Four. Ironically, though we saw his Spider-Man villains in No Way Home, Sam Raimi is directing the Doctor Strange sequel. There's also the movie's release date – the first weekend of May. Now, Marvel has had control of the summer kickoffs for most of the past two decades. From 2007's Spider-Man 3 to 2019's Avengers: Endgame, they owned the first weekend of May. That would have continued into 2020 if the pandemic didn't happen. They often place their most significant movie of the year on that weekend, including every Avenger movie (though they decided to release Endgame one week early). Marvel made the first weekend of May into a spotlight on each phase's most important comic book movies. Expect Doctor Strange to be one of Phase Four's most important movies. Also, we finally get to see Baron Mordo again! Does he still think there are too many wizards? Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opens May 6th, 2022. DC League of Super-Pets. No, Seriously, this is Coming Out in 2022
There are a few comic book things I never thought I'd say about the movies, but they keep coming regardless. Marvel isn't seriously making Captain America, right? He's way too corny of an idea. Several billion dollars later, and we're all wishing we got just a little more Steve Rogers, somehow. They'll never make Guardians of the Galaxy – nope, they're on number three. Killer Croc making Suicide Squad an Oscar-winning movie? How did we even get to Killer Croc to begin with? King Shark? Starro? Pip the Troll? And now we're getting the League of Super-Pets. No, It's not a straight-to-video release. It's a tentpole movie starring the Rock as Krypto, Kevin Hart as Bat-Hound, Jon Krasinski as Clark Kent, and more. More as in Kate McKinnon, Kevin Conroy (wonder who he'll be), Jameela Jamil, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, Ben Schwartz, and KEANU REEVES! The man who killed hundreds of people for killing his pet is going to be the voice of a superhero pet. How did we get here? Sure, we had to live through an attempted coup of the US government, and we're still amid a global pandemic. But hey, at least this timeline has DC's League of Super-Pets, right? Well, it's actually one of those "how hasn't this been done yet?" The animated movie is perfect in the age of Pixar and superhero movies. Sure, we've had the Incredibles, Megamind, and Big Hero Six, but not Super-Pets? Who's in charge of making sure awesome things happen at Warner Bros because they're the real heroes. DC League of Super-Pets opens May 20th, 2022. Thor: Love and Thunder Could Change Thor – and the MCU – Forever Image via Gage Skidmore On July 8th, 2022, just a couple of months after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we're getting another major MCU movie: Thor: Love and Thunder. Regardless of how much the new Asgardian god film impacts the MCU, it will still be a momentous feature. Firstly, we're not just getting Natalie Portman's return to the MCU after a nine-year hiatus; she'll also wield Mjolnir and become Thor, just like she has in the comics. But, coming so soon after Multiverse of Madness, the next question is if this is the same Jane Foster as before? Secondly, Thor will become the first MCU character to headline four movies and break the trilogy mold. He'll hold this title for some time too. The next Captain America movie won't be Steve Rogers, but Sam Wilson. And yes, with the obscene amount of money No Way Home has already pulled in, that second Tom Holland Spider-Man trilogy is almost certainly going to happen. However, it's not going to be before 2025. Hell, by the time we get another Spider-Man movie, we might get Thor 5. But don't count on it. The main villain of Love and Thunder is Gor, the Godbutcher. We should be very worried about the Odinson. Sure, Taika Waititi's Ragnarok was one of the zaniest Marvel movies yet, but it also had some of the most devastating moments. If you want to see how good Waititi is at mixing drama with absurdity, just watch his Oscar-winning JoJo Rabbit. Many comic book movies are coming out in 2022, but Love and Thunder might have the most emotional impact. Maybe bring a box of tissues to the theater. Thor: Love and Thunder opens July 8th, 2022. Can the Rock and Black Adam Save the DCEU? (Image: Warner Bros) While The Batman isn't part of the DCEU, the other DC comic book movies coming out in 2022 are. The last films we got set in this shared universe were the outstanding The Suicide Squad and the infuriatingly bad Wonder Woman 1984. The Rock's debut as the Shazam family supervillain has a lot of potential but more than enough working against it. Though he's in the same family as Shazam, Black Adam is…not Billy Batson. Not by a mile (or roughly the size of the Rock's bicep). He's a dark, violent character. Quick to murder his enemies and even faster at making them suffer. Oh, and then there's the fact that he's a tyrannical dictator. Bring your kids? Maybe not. This will likely be the most terrifying role that Dwayne Johnson ever takes on. However, Black Adam looks incredible based on the behind-the-scenes, concept art, and teaser scene we got during the last DC Fandome. Sadly, that doesn't mean it will do well at the box office, pandemic or otherwise. The Suicide Squad is one of the best DC movies ever made, but good reviews, good word-of-mouth, and a phenomenal cast couldn't beef up its numbers. Of course, that could also have something to do with the Warner Bros and HBO Max deal. How many people decided to stay home and watch Harley Quinn and an army of rats defeat Starro? If Black Adam doesn't have to compete with itself on July 29th, 2022, and the Thor: Love and Thunder crowd has quieted down enough, Black Adam could become the Rock's highest-grossing film yet. Black Adam opens July 29th, 2022. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part One Will Introduce More Comic Book Spider-World Characters (Image: Sony Pictures) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of the best comic book movies ever made. However, there are a lot of Spider-heroes in the Multiverse. Over a year ago, Sony released twenty new Spider-Man logos, hinting at new characters, including Zombie Spider-Man, Captain Universe Spider-Man, and Punk Rock Spider-Man. We're even Annie Parker, a Spider-Girl from another universe. Considering how Jake Johnson's Spider-Man was having relationship problems with his world's MJ, seeing that one version of him and MJ had a daughter will probably be hard to handle. The first teaser trailer we got didn't reveal much. We saw Spider-Gwen open a portal to get Miles Morales and then a multiversal throwdown between him and Spider-Man 2099. However, the most revealing part of the trailer was the title: Across the Spider-Verse Part 1. That only made fans even more excited. The promise of two more Spider-Verse movies! We're going to get something epic, that's for sure. We also have no idea who will join the voice cast, but there are some obvious choices. First of all, if Captain Universe Spider-Man isn't voiced by Keanu Reeves, then what are we even doing? Then we have the Punk Rock Spider-Man…Billy Joe Armstrong from Green Day. Or Pete Davidson. And yeah, it looks like we're getting a Zombie Spider-Man. Come on. If Vin Diesel can make four (going on six) movies where all he says is "I am Groot," he can give us some groaning, wailing, and garbled zombie-speak. Regardless, with so many new Spider-characters, everyone should find one they love. Oh! Spider-Ape! I'm thinking Bryan Cranston. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part 1 opens October 7th, 2022. The Comic Book Movie Coming Out in 2022 that had the Slowest Production Ever (Image: Warner Bros) Originally, we were supposed to get The Flash several years ago, not long after the abysmal failure of the Justice League. When that Frankenstein's monster of a Joss Whedon film bombed at the box office, Warner Bros put a hard stop on nearly every DC movie. Many, such as Cyborg, were flat-out canceled. The Flash, however, went through years of turbulence to finally get to where it is today: less than a year to release. Despite getting a live-action Morbius in 2022, The Flash is the superhero movie coming out that has us most nervous. Sure, Warner Bros and DC did give us Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad over the past couple of years. But they also proudly released Wonder Woman 1984. However, there is a lot to look forward to with the Flash. What other superhero movie coming out in 2022 has a legendary character meet alternative versions of himself from the Multiverse? We haven't seen that before, right? Oh…sorry, that was from a Comic Years in a universe where The Flash came out several years before Spider-Man: No Way Home. Even so, despite getting Toney Maguire to reprise his role from 2002's Spider-Man, The Flash has an even better comeback. Michael Keaton is returning as Batman! And, from what we know, he's going to meet Ben Affleck's Batman (and possibly more). So, despite fan trepidation about the movie, there's still something to be pumped up for. The Flash opens November 4th, 2022. We're All Going to Cry When This Comic Book Movie Comes Out in 2022 (Image: Marvel Studios) In 2020, we lost a king. Chadwick Boseman – T'Challa, the Black Panther and King of Wakanda. His passing devastated fans and the industry alike. Of course, the "show must go on," and Ryan Coogler set to accomplish an impossible task: Make Black Panther without Black Panther. To honor Boseman, Marvel decided not to recast T'Challa. It was a controversial choice. The character has a legacy, so Even though Boseman wouldn't be alive to do it himself, Marvel could pass the torch to the next T'Challa. Others agreed, feeling that someone else in the role would look wrong. Plus, how many actors would want to follow up Boseman's iconic performance? So, who will be the superhero we see in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever when it comes out later in 2022? That's kind of the mystery. Shuri took up that mantle for a time in the comics, and fans loved her. Fans equally love Letitia Wright's Shuri, but the actress has caused Disney some controversy and might leave with the franchise. But this raises a good point: we can have a new Black Panther while honoring Boseman's T'Challa. And even if we don't see Shuri in the Vibranium suit, several characters from that world could. The obvious choice is Okoye, Danai Gurira's breakout character. As well, Nakia, Lupita Nyong'o's character and T'Challah's love interest. There are even rumors that Winston Duke's M'baku could be the next Black Panther. As long as it isn't Martin Freeman's Everett Ross. This actually happened for a couple of issues in Christopher Priest's run, and as hilarious as it was, we don't need it in the movie. However, regardless of who the next Black Panther is, it will still be great to return to Wakanda. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens November 11th, 2022. Coming to the End of 2022, We Get the Lamest Superhero in Comics – But Awesome on the Big Screen (Image: Warner Bros) It's not surprising that the first Aquaman movie did well. But a billion dollars? Yes, Jason Mamoa has enough charisma and charm to power a fleet of Black Manta's Manta-subs (it's not the best name). However, the first movie was fun but hokey — kind of on the same level as Venom, which came out the same year. Aquaman felt like a 1990s superhero action movie. It would fit better in the world of Batman Forever than it would Man of Steel. This time around, Aquaman is following stiff competition. The first Black Panther won several Oscars and was robbed of nominated for Best Picture. Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom will face a very high bar if Wakanda Forever is half as good and meaningful as Black Panther. Even if it is an entirely different kind of movie. Also, coincidentally, it looks like we're going to see two underwater kingdoms in superhero movies coming out in 2022. All signs point to Namor the Submariner, King of Atlantis, as the villain of Wakanda Forever. In the comics, Namor, despite being so similar, has always been considered more interesting than Arthur Curry. However, there's one subtle difference. In the comics, writers and artists long portrayed Aquaman as a sweet guy who happens to talk to fish. On the other hand, Namor is an asshole who happens to talk to fish. But Mamoa's Aquaman is far less "sweet," with some asshole qualities. He's basically Namor. The Lost Kingdom's real advantage is scope. The first Aquaman movie looked like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars made a baby. Atlantis made Asgard look like a neglected outhouse. December is often the "epic fantasy movie" month, so Aquaman could hit that billion-dollar mark again. Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom opens December 12th, 2022. The Comic Book Movies Coming Out Beyond 2022 (Image via Disney+) Many critics might hate it, but we're still in a golden age of superhero films. And 2022 is just the beginning of the industry's bounce back from the COVID shutdowns of 2020. Hopefully, Omicron doesn't shut everything down again. In 2023, we're getting:
We'll probably also see Blue Beetle in 2023, now that Warner Bros decided to release it in theaters instead of HBOMax. Then we have 2023, and the slate of movies is absolutely, incredibly…something. We have no idea yet, just a bunch of dates that Marvel laid claim to. But we have some ideas:
Marvel Studios – Eternals 2 – Even Further Beyond! (Image: Marvel Studios, modified) This, of course, doesn't even get into the many announced movies with no dates, especially between Warner Bros and Sony. We have:
That's enough movies to fill up 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. Sounds a little crazy, sure. But there are still other movies we can assume we'll get. Spider-Man 4 with Tom Holland reprising his role for another trilogy. An Eternals sequel, probably in 2025. And we'll have at least one more Batman with Robert Pattinson by Christmas 2025. One thing is certain with all these superhero and comic book movies coming out in 2022 and beyond. It's a damn good age to be a geek. (Featured Image: Warner Bros) What Comic Book Movies Are Coming Out In 2022 – And Beyond! |
| Grant Gustin Season 9 Renewal – New Deal For The Flash Seems Likely Posted: 29 Jan 2022 11:47 PM PST It looks like The Flash might be getting another season! A Season 9 renewal for the hit CW The Flash seems very likely to happen after a report that star Grant Gustin is nearing a new one-year deal. The series is currently in its eighth season and another season had been up in the air for a while. The Flash debuted its newest season in late 2021 with the five-episode Armageddon crossover, featuring other Arrowverse stars. The rest of the seasons doesn’t pick up until March, and we didn’t know if it was Barry Allen’s swan song on the CW. Hopefully, it’s not. What Would the Grant Gustin Renewal Contract Include? Image via the CW There was some talk that a multi-year renewal was on the table, but for now, it seems that Gustin is going with the one-year contract deal. Gustin is supposedly getting a sizable raise for the renewal, with his current salary believed to be about $200,000 an episode, and he’s capped his involvement with a new season at 15 episodes. Given that the CW is now for sale, it’s unclear how this could potentially affect new contracts and salaries going forward. It’s not a shock that Gustin would be back for Season 9 of The Flash. Back in 2020, Gustin had gone on Smallville alum Michael Rosenbaum’s podcast, Inside of You, where they discussed the possibility of more seasons. Gustin made it sound like fans could look forward to more, but it was unclear because of the pandemic. He said:
While it’s no secret that the pandemic has greatly affected both filming schedules, Season 8 kicked off last November and brought fans the epic “Armageddon” event, but no idea on whether Season 9 was on the table. Other OG Flash characters Jesse L. Martin (Joe West), Candice Patton (Iris West), and Danielle Panabaker (Caitlin Snow) agreed to new Flash deals last year, but it didn’t specify if that included Season 9. Will A Season 9 Be The Last Season as Part of the New Deal? Image via the CW There are a lot of rumors floating around that a ninth season of The Flash could be the last, and honestly, it’s a solid run. Arrow ended in Season 8 while other shows last much longer (Smallville wrapped after 10 years while Supernatural went on for a record 15 years). Gustin himself said on Inside of You that playing Barry Allen did take away from some other projects he had been interested in. He said:
However, Gustin realized that his words could have been misconstrued. Shortly after being on Rosenbaum’s podcast, he talked to Entertainment Tonight and clarified things, saying:
You can continue to watch Season 8 of The Flash on the CW when it begins again on March 9. Seasons 1-7 are currently on Netflix.What do you think the Grant Gustin Season 9 deal renewal means for The Flash series as a whole? Will it continue to the tenth season? Do you think it should end? Let us know in the comments below! Featured image via The CW h/t TVLine.com Grant Gustin Season 9 Renewal – New Deal For The Flash Seems Likely |
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