Search Results

Marvel has begun to unveil some of its new promotional material regarding the upcoming movie, Captain America: Brave New World. From the looks of it, Captain America: Brave New World looks to be a promising adventure for all. Here is some of the promotional material we have uncovered in anticipation of the upcoming Marvel film. 1. Captain America promotional artwork for Captain America: Brave New World 2. Falcon promotional artwork for Captain America: Brave New World 3. Captain America & Falcon promotional artwork for Captain America: Brave New World 4. Anthony Mackie as Captain America for Captain America: Brave New World 5. Danny Ramirez as Falcon for Captain America: Brave New World 6. Sam Wilson as Captain America promotional artwork for Captain America: Brave New World 7. Captain America: Brave New World promotional artwork As shown above, the new promotional material features Anthony Mackie and Danny Ramirez as Captain America and Falcon for the upcoming Marvel film Captain America: Brave New World. Harrison Ford, who replaced William Hurtʼs Thaddeus Ross after the actorʼs passing, is also expected to have a major role in this film as Red Hulk. Carl Lumbly is expected to reprise his role as Isaiah Bradley alongside Seth Rollins who is expected to debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in an undisclosed role. Additionally, Captain America: Brave New World is scheduled to undergo major reshoots soon. Captain America: Brave New World will be released in theaters on February 14th, 2025.

As the release date of DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE approaches, Marvel unveils more merch. Ahead of Osaka Comic-Con 2024, Marvel Japan announced they would release brand new DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE merch. The designs on these new merchandise feature Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) all suited up. These designs cleverly incorporate nods to popular Avengers characters and Disney princess movies. While we still don't have all the images for the new merch, we are happy to share some of them with you. 1 - Deadpool and Wolverine featured on Osaka Comic-Con ticket holder cards 2 - Several nods to Avengers, and Disney princesses 3 - New look at Dogpool, Kidpool, Babypool, Zombiepool, Deadpool and Wolverine 4 - Deadpool as Avengers 5 - Deadpool and Wolverince stands 6 - Deadpool, aka the merc with a mouth, and Wolverine (Holy Snikt!) as Best Bubs 7 - "Aim for the middle and you'll never miss" 8 - DP + WOLV 9 - Wolverine (with the cowl) and Deadpool 10 - Several different designs featuring Deadpool, Wolverine and Deadpool variants (Part 1) 11 - Several different designs featuring Deadpool, Wolverine and Deadpool variants (Part 2) 12 - Several different designs featuring Deadpool, Wolverine and Deadpool variants (Part 3) 13 - Several different designs featuring Deadpool, Wolverine and Deadpool variants (Part 4) © Marvel 14 - Deadpool as the face of Disney Plus As seen above, the latest merchandise reveals a new look at Deadpool and Wolverine. Alongside the iconic duo, the merchandise confirms Deadpool variants like Babypool, Kidpool, and Zombiepool/Headpool are set to make appearances.This exciting glimpse into Deadpool & Wolverine is a treat for fans, with the film's release still three months away. The anticipation continues to build as each new detail adds to the excitement surrounding this highly anticipated cinematic event. Deadpool & Wolverine starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, and Matthew Macfadyen will be officially released in theaters on July 26.

Game of Thrones: Legends Mobile Game Ad Photo According to Redanian Intelligence, video game company Nexon is currently working on an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) set in the world of Game of Thrones. The plot is reportedly set sometime during Season 4 or 5 within the North as both Winterfell and the Wall are to be featured. For this, Roose Bolton is Warden of the North after betraying King Robb Stark at the Red Wedding and being awarded the lands by Lord Tywin Lannister. Other kingdoms may be featured as well, but at this time only the North has been confirmed. The Wall in HBO's Game of Thrones Season 1 (2011) The story has a campaign, but it is online. Players have the opportunity to choose between a new male or female protagonist whose mission will be to journey around to resolve different issues to complete the campaign. The protagonist who is not chosen will reportedly still be involved in the game. Cast members of Game of Thrones are unexpected to make a return to voice their respective characters, with new actors likely to take the helm. As for a release date, Intelligence cites a set time that is currently unknown due to the nature of the time video game development requires. Follow westerosies and Nexus Point News for more information as the story develops.

After several delays due to the strikes in the entertainment industry, we are finally at the stage to get more information on upcoming Marvel Studios productions. AVENGERS 5, FKA AVENGERS KANG DYNASTY, Filming Date and Location AVENGERS 5, formerly known as AVENGERS: KANG DYNASTY, was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con on July 24, 2022. The movie was initially slated for a May 2, 2025 release, however, it got pushed to May 1, 2026, due to SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. The movie then dropped the KANG DYNASTY from its title after the Kang actor Jonathan Majors got dropped by Marvel Studios because of his two misdemeanor charges of assault and harassment. It is currently unclear whether Marvel Studios will keep Kang as the villain of the new installment of the AVENGERS franchise. Among all this uncertainty, one thing we are happy to be the first to report about AVENGERS 5 is that a new listing has included the filming date and location for the movie. According to this listing, AVENGERS 5 will begin filming in January 2025, in the United Kingdom. It seems like Marvel Studios is moving most of its productions to the United Kingdom. ARMOR WARS Filming Date and Location ARMOR WARS, starring Don Cheadle as the War Machine, is a Marvel Studios production that was in development hell for, well, forever. Initially announced by Kevin Feige during Disney's Investor Day in 2020, the project's journey took an unexpected turn. It was revealed in 2022 that ARMOR WARS was undergoing a significant transformation from its original conception as a Disney+ series into a full-fledged feature film. This transition sparked a wave of discussions among fans and industry insiders, eagerly anticipating additional updates on the project's progress and eventual debut. Some fans even began speculating that the project had been canceled. It seems like the project is still moving forward. Another listing has unveiled the filming locations and dates for the movie. As per this listing, ARMOR WARS is set to begin filming in the United Kingdom and Atlanta in January 2025, coinciding with the current filming schedule of AVENGERS 5. It raises the possibility that Marvel Studios might be planning to shoot both productions simultaneously. If they opt for similar settings, it could lead to cost savings. There's also the possibility that these dates could change, which wouldn't be unprecedented for either of these movies. SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGENDS OF THE TEN RINGS Filming Date and Location SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGENDS OF THE TEN RINGS was a success for Marvel Studios as it was perceived well by both audiences and critics. Anticipation for a sequel has been palpable among fans, particularly given the positive reception of the first film. Yet, with director Destin Daniel Cretton working on the upcoming Marvel/Disney+ series WONDER MAN, which wrapped filming recently as far as I am aware, talks of a sequel appeared to be on hold. However, a recent interview with Simu Liu (Shang-Chi) has revealed that a sequel to SHANG-CHI is indeed in development, with Destin Cretton still attached as director, as reported by ComicBook: You know Destin is such a special filmmaker and we're very happy to have him on the sequel. So, he'll be working on that and we're really excited to see what he comes up with. I think he's going to do a brilliant job. Adding to this recent news, another listing has revealed SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGENDS OF THE TEN RINGS sequel is set to begin filming in March 2025, in the United Kingdom. After enduring numerous delays, it's a relief to see these highly anticipated projects finally progressing into production. There's always a chance that these dates may undergo further changes, and unfortunately, it wouldn't be unprecedented. Nevertheless, let's hope that Marvel Studios can stick to their current schedule and deliver on the excitement they've generated among fans. This story is still developing...

Enter Sunspot The inclusion of Sunspot in Marvel Animation’s X-Men ‘97 has drawn up a lot of buzz around the powerful solar-based mutant that is Roberto Da Costa. Despite being a longtime mutant who has gone on to lead the Avengers, his history of depictions has been full of inconsistencies. Let’s delve into the historic and continual whitewashing of Marvel’s first Black male mutant. Roberto Da Costa is an Afro-Brazilian from a wealthy family who joins the New Mutants after being saved from anti-mutant mercenaries. His mutation allows him to absorb solar radiation, turning him all black as he converts it into super strength, energy blasts, and flight. He’s a suave ladies' man, best friends with Cannonball, infectiously cool when he wants to be, but melodramatic when he needs to be. What’s not to love? Since graduating from New Mutant status, Roberto has gone on to join Cable’s X-Force, was a part of the Hellfire Club (after his father), was an Avenger under Jonathan Hickman, owned his business empire, funded X-Corp, and most recently just ended his tenure on the mutant space nation of Arakko, working alongside the mutant goddess, Storm, in Al Ewing’s X-Men: Red. Oh! He’s also been in a couple of X-Men movies when Fox was doing those. He first appeared in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) in a very minor role, played by the late Adan Canto. In 2020, he appeared in the critically panned The New Mutants, played by Henry Zaga. Should I address the elephant in the room? Unpacking Sunspot’s Racist History How the @#$% does Roberto Da Costa go from a dark-skinned boy with a round nose and curly hair, to very light-skinned, straight-haired, and narrow-nosed? The erasure of Sunspot’s Blackness can be traced to the tail end of the 90’s. In the limited series, New Mutants: Truth or Death (1997), he’s drawn a couple of shades lighter than his usual dark complexion. It gets even worse in Volume 2 of New Mutants (2009) when he’s genuinely just drawn white—so white you wonder if it’s the same character, and what research (or rather the lack thereof) the artists did before depicting him. This would continue for many years. Since then, Sunspot’s depiction within comics has been getting… better—if not perfect just yet. This is in part due to fan backlash, calling out whenever Sunspot doesn't match his original intended look. His dark skin still comes and goes though, and notable Afro features (curly hair, fuller nose) are toned down, if not missing entirely. The highs! And the lows... The whitewashing of Sunspot predates Fox’s depictions of him. But why does this continue to happen? Why isn’t the diligent research and care had when handling this Black character? The Bigger Picture To arrive at an answer, we should first revisit what two things spurred me to write this article. First, Sunspot’s inclusion in Marvel Animation’s X-Men ‘97, a show which has been a welcome surprise (I’m not too big on the ’90s, and let’s just blame Rob Liefeld… More thoughts on the show later). However despite my enjoyment, whenever Roberto Da Costa is on my screen, I squint my eyes and frown—and I’m not just talking about the jacket that comic Roberto wouldn’t be caught dead in. Again, his Afro features have been diminished and his dark skin has been lightened so its ambiguously brown. Last year, when it was reported that he would be voiced by Gui Agustini, a white Brazilian man, fans quickly began to vocalize their justified frustration at Sunspot being whitewashed again. The discussion about diversity in front of and behind the screen led to former X-Men ‘97 head writer and executive producer Beau DeMayo leaving Twitter after back and forth with fans. Also recently, Henry Zaga, who played Sunspot in the weirdly racist and better-to-have-been-forgotten The New Mutants (2020), recently stated he would like to return as Roberto Da Costa. Comics Explained, a Youtuber, proclaimed his anticipation for this to happen. When others began to note how Zaga isn’t Black like Sunspot is in the comic, he implied that Zaga being Brazilian was enough. Look, I’m not gonna harp on about this guy—not even how weird, corny, and tacky it is for a self-proclaimed “comic historian” to change his profile picture to a panel of a Black character being actively whitewashed. Instead, I want to connect this attitude to comments made by the director of that movie, Josh Boone, in an interview when he was asked about the criticism his whitewashed casting rightfully obtained. “I didn’t care so much about the racism I’ve heard about in Brazil, about light-skinned versus dark-skinned. To me, it was I wanted to represent Brazil positively and I wanted to find somebody who seems like he could look like a guy who’s had the silver spoon in his mouth, who has like a really rich dad, and [Henry] just exemplified all these things.” — Josh Boone Outside Africa, Brazil has the highest percentage of Black people as a country. Are we to sit here and believe that one: a dark-skinned Brazilian actor couldn’t have been found, and two: that Sunspot’s Blackness is that readily disposable? Zero Black and dark-skinned Brazilian actors could (in his words) “represent Brazil in a positive way” and “look like a guy who’s had the silver spoon in his mouth”? Do we see the racial script being blatantly poured before us? The point I want to arrive at is that the erasure of Sunspot’s blackness isn’t something that just happened and continues to happen in a void. It’s a deliberate choice stemming from systemic anti-Blackness that bleeds into everything. It’s the choice to see the label “Brazilian” and ignore the “Afro” in front of it. It’s the choice to see Blackness as not as important to one’s identity, allowing it to be ignored and sacrificed at the artist’s discretion. And when it comes to Sunspot’s identity, the erasure of his Blackness is especially insulting when you consider his mutant powers emerged when he was the victim of an anti-Black, racist attack. An origin that X-Men '97 has completely omitted (along with his dark-skinned father...), instead replacing it with a coming out allegory (as seen in episode 7). Although, I do suppose it's uncomfortable to incorporate a Black man's pain caused by racism when there's a white voice actor behind the scenes. But does Sunspot's origin even need to be brought up to justify his Blackness? Why do we have to make the case for why a Black character—within a franchise that has few Black characters, within an industry that is the same—should stay Black? Why is this a point that needs to be had and shared over and over? Why are we giving a platform or time to anybody who fixes their lips to say otherwise? To truly stage the conversation surrounding the erasure of Sunspot’s blackness requires prerequisites that a lot of people simply lack. It requires the understanding that anti-Blackness is pervading and prevalent. It requires the understanding that anti-Blackness seeps into all of our choices as a collective society, conscious and subconscious. It requires the understanding that perhaps we shouldn’t be entirely surprised that non-Black creators don’t have the facilities to properly maneuver while being aware of it, if not around it in some fashion. This entire topic has brought to mind a Toni Morrison quote: “The function, the very serious function of racism is a distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.” The function of saying otherwise, of playing devil’s advocate, of saying “but muh, the comics” is to preoccupy your time. It’s to distract. There are better, more worthwhile, less mind-numbing conversations to be had. The idea that arguing a character’s Blackness is something that can be done in your free time is utter lunacy. These people should be blocked, ignored, and forgotten, just like everything else that refuses to get with the times. As a Black fan of Sunspot, I am relieved to be a part of a fanbase that continuously calls out such a racist practice, yet also saddened at the same time that this collective backlash has become so commonplace. It’s almost framed to appear that we shouldn’t be surprised that an Afro-Latino has his Afro aspect diminished and/or erased again, and again… and again. This article isn’t here to convince you at length why (his) representation matters. The audience that I write to, and frankly the only audience that matters, knows why it’s important for people to see people who look like them on the screen. This isn’t to say a character’s reliability is only skin deep. However, there’s a quality in seeing a character look like you—I mean really look like you—in a society that continually seeks to replace and diminish your identity and has done so for centuries. Especially when said identities are so intertwined with what makes those characters who they are, and why we love them. A Final Note As the X-Men continues to thrust forward as a Civil Rights allegory, it is disheartening at best and antithetical at worst, to see this franchise continue to not handle its characters of color correctly—as the whitewashing of Sunspot truly is only the tip of a much larger iceberg. I suppose moving forward I hope we can get to the point where fans don’t have to relentlessly ask to keep Black characters Black, and dark-skinned characters, dark-skinned—because this issue goes beyond just Roberto Da Costa. Even fellow mutant, Storm, has had printed moments where she isn’t depicted how she should be. I hope that an industry that “prides” itself on diversity and pats itself on the back once a year with one-shots (much more diverse than their standard ongoings, mind you), could do the active work and make sure these “slip-ups” don’t even see print in the first place. Until then, I suppose it falls upon the fans to do that work: when we see good depictions that choose to represent Sunspot as he is—as he should be—dark-skinned with Afro features, it should be noticed and praised; when we see depictions that choose to represent him otherwise and treat the visually Black aspect of him as something that can be disregarded or sacrificed, that shouldn’t go unnoticed either. P.S. A Sunspot and Spider-Man (Miles Morales) team-up is way overdue.

Natasha Romanoff's journey ended in Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, Scarlett Johansson's journey with Marvel Studios isn't quite over yet. There were several confirmations for an untitled top-secret project Scarlett Johansson was working on in collaboration with Marvel Studios. These confirmations came from Marvel Studios' boss, Kevin Feige, and Scarlett Johannson herself. When ET interviewed Kevin Feige during THE MARVELS premiere, he has confirmed there was a project in the works with Scarlett Johansson: ET: "Yeah, it was like one of the things that was talked about at this retreat were Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr. possibly returning at some point." Feige: "We did not discuss that at the retreat is the truth. We're doing a project with Scarlett." Scarlett Johansson also commented on this top-secret project in an interview with ComicBook back in June 2023: It is still happening, [but] not currently because nothing is happening right now. We're all sort of in this holding pattern as we wait out the writers' strike and potentially our own guild strike, and so on and so forth. We haven't heard anything else about the top secret for a long while. It was unknown whether it would be a live-action movie, or a TV series, or even an animated project. We are happy to be the first to share that this top-secret project is a TV series. Courtney Baker, a creative executive at Marvel Studios, has added this to her LinkedIn profile: Serve as an executive on the upcoming TV project Untitled Scarlett Johansson series for Disney+. While the plot of the project is still under the wraps, one could speculate this TV series might be about Black Widow corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This recent development concerning Scarlett Johansson's involvement in an untitled Marvel/Disney project comes in the wake of recent statements by Iger, in which he indicated that they intend to scale back Marvel's production output. Despite this scaling back, the fact that Johansson is still attached to this upcoming project implies a strong vote of confidence from Marvel and Disney. This could mean that they have high expectations for the project, likely viewing it as a significant addition to their lineup despite the overall reduction in output. What do you think this project could be about?

(Photo: Courtesy of Marvel Studios) Deadpool & Wolverine will reportedly be adding a new concept to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What does that mean going forward? Here are our thoughts. (Photo: Courtesy of Marvel Studios) With the highly anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine approaching and the many looming rumors that have been surrounding this film since its debut, there seems to be a new one circulating with an entirely new multiverse concept being introduced that will impact the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward. According to Insider DanielRPK (via 'Patreon' & 'X') alluded to a new concept being introduced: In every universe, there’s one specific being, an important figure that if they die or get removed from their universe, that entire universe would begin to collapse and vanish over time. A description that may sound familiar to some. (What if..? Vol. 2, Issue 35) Comic reader's eyes may have been widened given this "New Concept" sounds a lot like the comic definition for a ‘Nexus being’. In the comics, The Watcher defines a Nexus being as "Someone with an immense amount of power to affect the Universal Time Stream. Beings who can alter the future and health of their reality/universe." This specifically aligns with the Marvel Cinematic Universe's new concept. (Photo: Courtesy of Marvel Studios) (Photo: Courtesy of Marvel Studios) In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we have been introduced to the term ‘Nexus’ a few times, Once in WandaVision during episode 7 titled Breaking the Fourth Wall, a reference during a fake commercial as an antidepressant called Nexus. Possibly alluding to Wanda Maximoff having a connection with or being a nexus being, as she is in the comics. In Loki, we’re given an informational deep dive into the TVA and its rules, and Miss Minutes begins to discuss ‘Nexus Events’. A Nexus Event is what causes the sacred timeline to branch off, they’re events caused by variants breaking off from the path that had been previously set by ‘He Who Remains’ & The TVA. (Photo: Courtesy of Marvel Studios) In the latest trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine, the TVA agent, Paradox, mentions to Deadpool that Wolverine left his universe to die. This lines up with this new element, perhaps hinting that Wolverine was the "nexus being" of his own universe. Knowing this new concept opens up doors for new theories and possibilities that now could or already have happened within the MCU. Has our anchor hero already died and if so who? Are we actively seeing the causes of that within the main universe and will Deadpool & Wolverine answer that question or leave us with more?

Dune: Part Two has found its way to substantial box office success. Written and directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two picks up right where Dune: Part One leaves off, continuing the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), adapting the second half of the classic 1965 novel by Frank Herbert. Paul ingratiates himself in the Fremen culture on Arrakis with the help of Chani (Zendaya) and seeks to lead their people to freedom while achieving revenge against the Harkonnens. The film also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem and others. Total numbers, as reported on April 21, for the sci-fi epic from director Denis Villeneuve put the film at just under $700 million worldwide. Grossing $276 million in North America and $419 million overseas, the film brought its global total to $695 million after eight weeks in theaters. It's safe to assume that by the weekend's end, $700 million worldwide will be locked. It's currently the highest-grossing film of 2024, and the only one to cross the $700 million mark. Reaching these heights is a feat in box office power in a post-COVID theatrical landscape. Only five movies in 2023, eight in 2022, and five in 2021 crossed the $700 million mark worldwide. Denis Villeneuve and the star-studded cast surrounding him have indeed cultivated the potential desert power the Duke Leto Atreides foresaw on the dunes of Arrakis. These numbers come hot off the heels of Dune: Part Two returning to IMAX screens for an extended run in the premium format, starting on April 19. Audiences showed a tremendous desire to see the Timothée Chalamet-led epic on the biggest screens possible, with IMAX previously reporting a record-setting global market share of 22% of the film's global box office back in its second weekend. The sand-swept sequel to 2021's Dune: Part One has had terrific holds in the weeks since its initial March 1 release and is a major step up in revenue from its predecessor's total cume of $433 million. There are several reasons to attribute to the film's resounding success. An A-list ensemble cast, phenomenal word of mouth, interest in premium format screens, and a singular vision from one of the best directors working today, brought to life by an incredible array of cast and crew make this a can't-miss event film. It also certainly doesn't hurt that until April 16, the film was playing exclusively in theaters, unlike Dune: Part One, which had a day-and-date release on HBO Max at the time of its release. With the film released on digital formats on April 16, it'll be interesting to see how it continues to hold at the box office. If this initial weekend's return to IMAX screens is any indication, though, Dune: Part Two can expect the spice to continue to flow. Dune: Part Two is currently playing in theaters and is also available to buy or rent digitally.

(Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) WARNING: This review contains spoilers for X-Men ‘97: Season 1, Episode 7! If the purpose of this episode was to ready fans for the highly anticipated 3-part finale titled “Tolerance is Extinction,” then oh boy did the team behind episode 7 succeed. (Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) We are first taken to the funeral of the beloved Gambit, who was killed during the mutant massacre on Genosha in episode 5. The members of the X-Men along with family members of Gambit are grieving, the funeral service led by Nightcrawler as the Pastor, (it's safe to say his words here really make us as fans feel like we have also suffered a loss). “How could Remy, so tuned to potential fail to see how his sins had made him into a hero” really hits when you think about what we saw in episode 5. One noticeable absence we see from Remy’s funeral is Rogue… who lets just say has gone…. FULL ROGUE. (Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) Grief-stricken Rogue is out on a personal mission (one I fear every fan will see as justifiable considering she lost not only the man she loved, but another that she once had a romantic relationship with). She is out looking for Henry Gyrich and Bolivar Trask, the individuals that the X-Men believe were behind the attack on Genosha. In these scenes with Rogue, we get to see just how powerful she is when she is tapped into all of the rage and hurt built up over losing Remy and Magneto. She is able to break into a prison that is described as being strong enough to hold the Hulk, but that doesn’t stop her from knocking the walls down to get the information she needs. Audiences won’t understand just how serious Rogue is about finding Gyrich and Trask until she goes up against of one the military personnel who proclaims that the X-Men are supposed to be one of the “good ones” and Rogue says “you killed those sugar, now you get me”. She is on a mission and she isn’t here to play any games with anyone in her way. This attitude is nearly mimicked as she encounters the only and only Captain America soon after. She gets to a point where she pretty much tells Captain America that if he isn’t going to help her and do things by the book, then there’s really no reason for him to have his shield and throws it far off to not be seen as if Superman were to throw a football across the world (pretty petty and funny if you ask me). If someone as righteous as Captain America refuses to help the mutants, who can they trust? The one thing I love about the writing on this show (and something Beau DeMayo and his writing team) have excelled at, is really making you fall back in love with these characters. Outside of the comics and maybe a few of the Fox X-Men films, they really are never done justice or have time to shine due to studios and companies pushing Wolverine to the forefront. Throughout this entire series we have gotten to see every character have its own moments and side stories that are interwoven into the overall story-arch of this season. Each character is given time to showcase their emotions, a reaction to choices that we have seen played out. I think this is what is going to make the finale of the series play off so well and I can’t wait to see what choices beloved X-Men do or don’t do. On the other side of the world, we see the X-Men visit Genosha to assist in helping with clean up and aid to the victims of the massacre. We find that Emma Frost (as many fans guessed) was not killed in the attack on the island as her and Jean are able to have some sort of telepathic moment that help Jean and Scott locate her. We also get to see an interesting turn for Beast during this time on the island. I feel like we rarely see Beast bothered or upset by much, he’s usually the voice of reason and optimism on the team but after a conversation with journalist Trish Tilby, we hear him say “begging for your tolerance was our first mistake”. This really makes me feel as though we are going to see members of the team really make some defining actions on their points of view on humans and how they view mutants. It’s also important to note how important this will be once they are finally reunited with Professor Xavier during his year long vacation away with the Sh'iar empire. (Imagine: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) The X-Men are then alerted that Bolivar Trask is on Madripoor and tells them to quickly journey there where he will reveal more information about Mr. Sinister and his plans (definitely a trap). We finally get to see that there are in indeed more sentinels being built, Trask admits much worse than the ones we saw attack Genosha. He attempts to commit suicide as he claims that he had no idea that Sinister was going to attack Genosha in such a… well let’s say sinister way. Before he is able to jump off the building, Rogue catches him and tells him that if he wants to truly make amends, he needs to help the X-Men. He says “I have nothing” and Rogue replies “neither do I” and she lets go, leading him to death. The remaining X-Men are shocked that Rogue… would kill someone willingly (even if the asshole Trask). This is another moment where we get to see how every member on the team feels differently, and how grief makes some of them cross a line they wouldn't cross in a million year. Nightcrawler says “Rogue, what have you done?”, Scott, Jean and Beast are shocked, Morph says “is this who we are?” And Wolverine seemingly is okay with Rogue’s decision to drop Trask. Before Rogue can even fully defend her actions, the X-Men are hit with a powerful blast from Trask who is now… a sentinel? This is another moment of writing that just hits this spot so sweet because for the first time we get to see our heroes left in the past and humans evolve into something bigger and more dangerous. Jean, Scott, Morph (as Quicksilver), Beast and Wolverine attempt to take on Trask but they are extremely outmatched. Even Jean (who finally gets some bad ass fight scenes and reminds audiences that she’s not just some fainting laughing meme for folks but is actually a very strong telekinetic) didn’t stand much of a match for Sentinel Trask. Things are not looking well and I almost got scared Scott was going to be seriously injured but luckily for the X-Men they have one badass, time-traveling mutant appear to assist, aka Cable. (Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) Before the end of the episode we get two huge reveals. Magneto is not dead and the big bad behind the attack on Genosha wasn’t even Sinister but rather the supervillain Bastion (voiced by the amazing Theo James - who was revealed to be in the show a few months ago, but his role was kept a secret). Things are not looking good for the X-Men and the 3-part finale is bound to be one for the books. Let us hope Storm, Professor Xavier and other mutants appear to assist because this is about to be one big uphill battle for our heroes. Rating: 4.5/5

If the previous Godzilla vs Kong (2021) was our Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), then this is our Justice League (2017). (Image: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) WARNING: This review contains spoilers for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024). If you are here for the fifth film of the ever-expanding MonsterVerse cinematic universe, what you came for should go without saying: Titans brawling on the big screen. Adam Wingard’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) does an okay job whetting your appetite. Following 2021’s Godzilla vs Kong, the two eponymous Titans have fostered a begrudging peace and marked their territories in separate places: Godzilla occupies the surface, acting as its protector against the lingering threat of other Titans; meanwhile, Kong resides below in Hollow Earth. (Kong: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) Kong is our true protagonist, heavily humanized, as we follow him surviving and searching for belonging and family. He’s personable and at times kinda funny—it’s hard not to root for him. He even suffers a toothache, an injury that pushes him to briefly return to the surface, allowing him to reunite with Jia (Kaylee Hottle), an orphaned Iwi native from Skull Island who, like Kong, believes she is the last of her people. This brings us to the human element of this installment. There are probably two people in the entire world who go to watch a Godzilla/Kong movie interested in the nitty-gritty of the petty human squabbles—regardless, here it is, to remind the audience how insignificant we are in a world of much bigger, much cooler Titans. We see the return of Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), struggling to connect with her adoptive daughter, Jia, who is experiencing weird visions and grappling with her sense of belonging. The main human cast is rounded out by Brian Tyree Henry returning as the tolerable podcaster and conspiracy theorist Bernie Hayes, and Dan Stevens debuting as the not-so-tolerable Trapper. Both are given little to do other than deliver flat jokes and plot points that were already obvious. (From left to right, Trapper, Dr. Ilene Andrews, and Jia: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) There isn’t much to say about these characters. Dr. Andrews has an unconvincing and hollow subplot about the fears of giving up Jia after a trip to Hollow Earth reveals a telepathic subsect of the Iwi tribe that has survived. Trapper does help Kong out with an upgrade later on, but the movie tries so hard to build him up as this cool, nonchalant, space cowboy that he’s nothing more than a walking, talking, lifeless trope. There’s the beginning of a plot thread involving the exploitation of indigenous cultures surrounding Bernie’s hunger for content, but like most of the emotional beats of this movie, it’s half-baked and falls flat. I only wish we were able to feel any of these moments as much as the writers want us to. Every time the film focuses on this band of humans though, all you can think about is how much you would rather be seeing what Kong and Godzilla are up to… So let’s pivot to that. The plot begins moving when a sinkhole near Kong’s home in Hollow Earth leads to—shockingly—another, lower level of Earth, where a tribe of his species has miraculously survived! After getting immediately jumped, Kong is led by a baby, kinda-cute mega-monkey to the tribe’s leader and our antagonist: the enigmatic Skar King. All things considered, the Skar King has a surprisingly dope introduction, as he coolly sits on his throne, draped in shadows, eating raw animals, and wielding a whip made out of bones. (The Skar King: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) I wanted to like the idea of the Skar King, and he does deliver in the realm of being ruthless, cruel, and visually engaging, and one of the few mega-monkeys who can stand toe-to-toe with our Kong. But it still feels like something is missing. He’s not the threat to Kong we are promised he is, at least not anything to shake the table. It’s when Kong is rightfully beating his ass, that we learn about his secret weapon: Shimo! Another ancient Titan who is the most powerful of them all, caused the previous Ice Age and is controlled by Skar King’s bone whip. Kong is outmatched. (Evolved Godzilla: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) And what’s Godzilla up to? He’s busy eating radiation from nuclear plants and Titans to get stronger. Why? Because he senses something is brewing beneath the surface. And because Godzilla doesn’t fight to fight, he fights to win. During this janky, abrupt, and oddly edited journey spliced in between scenes of the humans doing human things we don't care about, Godzilla evolves and obtains magenta plates. Our two beloved Titans briefly butt heads in Egypt, before they are interrupted by Mothra, reawakened by Jia who has become… the Avatar of all three Titans? (It’s as shoehorned in as you think it will be, as the humans relay the prophecy to us without so much as a flashback to put any shred of life into the storytelling.) United under the Jia Avatar, the two once-enemies (and Mothra) team up against the Skar King and the still enslaved Shimo delivering everything you wanted from this movie on a silver plate and wide scale, decimating Rio de Janeiro in Titan-level fashion. It’s beautiful. (Godzilla and Kong: Courtesy of Legendary Pictures) The verdict? Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the popcorn-munching, brain-numbing fun it was intended to be and that the audience craves. It’s evident that we’re making up things as we go along, messily padding the breaches in storytelling as we stumble towards new heights—but that isn’t necessarily an unforgivable thing, even as obvious as it is. It’s fine because, at the end of the day, we aren’t here for human subplots, complex villains, or deeper thematic themes about exploitation, community, or nuclear anxiety, right? We’re just here to see a big-ass monkey and a big-ass lizard fight. And we get that. And it’s pretty cool and mostly entertaining. But is it wrong to want more? Or should we just accept the movies we think we deserve? Rating: 3/5

The official trailer for the third installment of the Deadpool franchise has just dropped, and Hugh Jackman's beloved Wolverine is not the only familiar face popping up. Let's get into all the exciting details you may have missed in this action-packed teaser. WARNING: This review contains spoilers for X-Men '97. The Return of Wolverine We open with Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) approaching Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in a bar, with a shot that seems to be a nod at the upcoming videogame Marvel's Wolverine by Insomniac Games. The bartender tells Logan, "You're not welcome here. You're not welcome anywhere." This remark could either be in reference to his mutant status, or rather be hinting at something this Logan has done in the past. In this film, it appears Deadpool is facing the destruction of his universe, including all the people he loves and cares about. Wolverine, (in Wolverine fashion) exclaims that's not his "f***** problem". Logan has frequently been jaded and slow to action, but Paradox played by Matthew Macfadyen clues us into what happened to this Wolverine. Apparently he let down his entire world, likely resulting in the death of all the mutant family he has grown to love. Connections to Marvel's Loki In the trailer, we see not one, but two nods to Marvel's time-jumping series, Loki. In the trailer, we first see Wolverine and Deadpool fighting in the Void. Previously seen in Loki Seasons 1 and 2, the Void is a point at the end of time where things pruned by the TVA (Time Variance Authority) end up. Additionally, we see the return of Alioth, the trans-temporal entity that is the Void's guardian. Our Antagonist Emma Corrin is our villain, Cassandra Nova. If you aren't an avid comic reader, this name may be unfamiliar. Cassandra Nova made her mark in New X-Men (2001). She is the twin sister of Charles Xavier, and his spiritual and moral opposite. Xavier recognized her evil and attempted to kill her in the womb, (yes, in the womb) but she survived. As an adult, she would go on to unleash deadly Sentinels on Genosha, slaughtering the mutant population—as similarly seen in episode 5 of X-Men '97. Like Xavier, she has telekinetic abilities, which we see as she faces off against Wolverine with embarrassing ease. New and Familiar Faces If you have a keen eye, you likely caught the return of a number of familiar faces. Firstly, we find out that Cassandra Nova has made her home in a decomposed skull of beloved hero, Ant-Man/Scott Lang. This is a confirmation that Cassandra Nova will be as casually cruel as she is in the comics. It wouldn't be a Deadpool and Wolverine movie without some mutants. There are a number of returning mutants we see standing before Cassandra Nova's skull base. From left to right in the establishing shot, we are able to make out the return of Callisto, Lady Deathstrike, Azazel, and Toad. Previously, we saw the return of Pyro (Aaron Stanford), which goes to show this movie is filled with deep cuts that will please fans of Fox's X-Men films. Additionally, Punisher villain, the Russian, also makes an appearance in the trailer. While fans may remember Kevin Nash's portrayal of the character in The Punisher (2004), the Russian we see in the trailer is portrayed by someone else. It is quite possible that this is just a variant, and this Russian variant is portrayed by the stunt actor Billy Clements per his resume, who has worked on several Marvel productions as a stunt performer. Other Easter Eggs Dogpool is an animal version of Wade Wilson, first appearing in Prelude to Deadpool Corps #3 (2010). In the comics, Wilson the dog obtains the same powers as Deadpool after acting as a test subject for what was supposed to be a self-replenishing mascara. In a quick shot, we see the Red Skull's Coupe from Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), but with the Hydra logo replaced with an Iron Man one. Could we see the return of either the crimson supervillain or Avenger, respectively? As Wolverine and Deadpool walk out to an upcoming threat, we see a nod towards one of Deadpool's co-creators, Rob Liefeld. Behind them, a storefront reads "Liefeld's Just Feet", a reference towards the running joke that Liefeld can't draw feet. The glorious final shot of the trailer shows Deadpool and Wolverine jumping into a magical portal. Those familiar with the MCU's mystical side will recognize that this means a sorcerer will be appearing. Doctor Strange has already dealt with the multiverse in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). Could we see him popping up to help out this dynamic duo? Or will another sorcerer be debuting? Even with all the details we've uncovered from this trailer, there's likely to be even more surprises when Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26.

(Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) WARNING: This review contains spoilers for X-Men ‘97: Season 1, Episode 6! The fifth episode of X-Men ‘97 left viewers in a craze as one of the X-Men’s most prominent members is killed off following a gruesome battle with the deadly Godzilla-like Sentinel on the mutant island Genosha. This week's episode returns to Storm and Forge in the desert as they work together on restoring the mutant abilities Storm lost during episode three. This episode also reveals that Charles is alive and living among the Shi'ar in space acting as an Emperor consort to Lilandra, Empress of the Shi’ar. The beginning of this episode takes place in space with Deathbird, sister to Lilandra, taking on a fleet of Kree space-ships led by Ronan the Accuser (and man does this guy get his ass beat much like his MCU counterpart ). Suddenly, an announcement from Lilandra is broadcasted that she is seeking Charles Xavier's hand in marriage and is set on making him the Emperor of the Sh’iar Empire which Deathbird does not approve of. Deathbird speaks out against Charles and Lilandra marrying and becoming one. She vocalizes her distaste for Charles and mutants by referring to Earth as "Milky Way ghetto" (which got a few laughs out of me). This scene is important because it highlights that even creatures in space view mutants as inferior. Creator and Head Writer Beau DeMayo doesn't shy away from showing how the fear and disgust for mutants go far beyond that of Earth. Deathbird takes things a step further by telling Charles that to marry Lilandra and become Emperor, he must purge all memories of Earth including all memories of his X-Men, and Lilandra must be the one to do it. This sets up an interesting conflict for the character, will he erase the memories of his life, his family, his X-MEN to be with his star-crossed lover? Charles initially agrees, but has a change of heart at the last minute that we will not undergo the erasure of his X-Men from his memories. Instead, he decides to teach the Sh’iar counsel a lesson (literally) by using his psychic powers and taking them all to the Astral Plane. He gives a compelling lecture on the hypocrisy of the Sh’iar Empire and the genocide they have taken part in with other races and intergalactic species. As we hear him speak of his “Children of the Atom,” he is terrifyingly interrupted by a psychic vision of the massacre that occurred on Genosha that we saw in the previous episode. He makes a vow that he will not abandon his kind and says that “it is time, I return to my X-Men,” setting up long awaited reunion with the members of the team back on Earth. (Storm and The Adversary. Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) The other half of this episode focuses on Storm as both she and Forge take on a demonic owl named The Adversary. Forge was bitten by this creature back in episode 4 and we see that the bite was poisonous and is spreading throughout his body. A powerless Storm, despite the horrors of this demon playing with her mind, sets off on a quest to save Forge. Upon their arrival on the location to a remedy that could save Forge, we see Storm have to face her greatest fear… being enclosed in a small space. Similar to how we have seen in the comics and other adaptations, she is able to overcome her fears and becomes stronger than ever (she even gets her classic back uniform from Uncanny X-Men). I have to call out that I feel this moment could have been more epic had Marvel not spoiled this in a promotional ad a few weeks ago and if writers had given us a chance to see Storm powerless for a little longer during this first season. Myself and many fans alike felt like although the scenes with Forge and Storm are important to this particular storyline, we did not get to see their relationship develop as much as it did in the comics which could have done it more justice in ‘97. However, the story itself works pretty nicely and will leave fans feeling satisfied. We get to see Storm finally conquer her fears and hearing her proclaim "LET THEM THUNDER, FOR I AM LIGHTNING” really does bring tears to your eyes. It is a powerful and pivotal moment for the character and you honestly cannot do anything but smile. “It is time, I returned to my X-Men,” hints at both Storm and Charles returning to their family in the upcoming episodes of X-Men ‘97. This feels like the first step in the buildup for the 3-part season finale which is titled Tolerance is Extinction, which creator Beau DeMayo is already teasing as being next level compared to episode five. Will we see another X-Men member fall at the hands of the mastermind, Mr. Sinister who was revealed to be behind the attack on Genosha… Stay tuned. Rating: 3.5/5