‘The Punisher’: 5 New Cast Members Join Netflix Drama

One of three Marvel series set to debut on Netflix in 2017 (the others being Iron Fist, and The Defenders), Marvel’s The Punisher is gearing up to adorn itself with both allies and aggressors. No one here at AR was more excited than I was today to hear Marvel’s announcement about the most recent additions to the upcoming Punisher Netflix series.

Joining the killing grounds with series lead actor Jon Bernthal is Daniel Webber (11.22.63), Jason R. Moore (A Lonely Place For Dying), Paul Shulz (Nurse Jackie), Jaime Ray Newman (Bates Motel), and Michael Nathanson (The Knick, Wolf of Wallstreet). Webber will play Lewis Walcott, a young veteran re-acclimating to society, Moore has been cast as an old friend of Frank Castle, Shulz plays Rawlins, a member of the CIA that has ties to Castle’s days in Afghanistan, Newman will join as Sarah Lieberman, Micro’s wife (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Nathanson will play Sam Stein, a Homeland agent partnered with Dinah (Amber Rose Revah).

I was also more than amped that Steve Lightfoot, who absolutely blew me away with his work as Executive Producer on NBC’s Hannibal is taking the helm in the same role on The Punisher as well as becoming the showrunner and penning its maiden season’s first two episodes. He had warm things to say about those about to join him.

“We couldn’t have asked for a more talented group of actors to round out the cast of Marvel’s The Punisher. …It’s a thrill to watch them each bring their characters to life with such layered, nuanced performances.”

Even thinking about the gritty, raw, yet openly vulnerable offering from Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle aka The Punisher, I get goosebumps. Having initially seen the character for pages upon comic book pages in my first fragile glances upon more violence-forward areas of the Marvel spectrum, I couldn’t have asked for a better fit in an actor. He absolutely wowed me in the first season of The Walking Dead as the two-timing Shane Walsh. It’s tantamount that Bernthal’s supporting cast can go steel toe-to-steel toe with him, which seems likely to happen. Executive Producer Jeph Loeb had glowing things to add regarding the stellar lineup.

“Marvel TV is very proud of the cast of The Punisher. Each actor brings a special promise who surround Jon Bernthal’s exceptional performance.”

The promise of a gloriously glossy, stylistic and well-acted presentation seems to be rapidly approaching on the horizon for ex-military vigilante Frank Castle’s chilling foray into his own thrilling Netflix drama.

SOURCE: MARVEL

‘Rogue One’ Director Explains How Director Krennic Fits in With The Empire

Since the main antagonist for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) was revealed, fans have wondered just how the character would fit into the pre-existing hierarchy of the Empire first introduced in the original classic A New Hope back in 1977.

In an interview with USA Today, director Garreth Edwards divulged just exactly where Krennic stands with the Empire.

[Krennic] hits a brick wall in the hierarchy where they won’t let him in the club and it’s going to turn into a them-or-us situation: either Krennic or Tarkin and the others.

Edwards also added that Krennic is a “working-class” Imperial officer who ascended to his position “through sheer force of personality and ideas”.

Krennic hitting the brick wall or glass ceiling means that the character was most likely born in the outer rim of the galaxy. Fans who read the books know the Empire is extremely prejudiced against non-human species or those born outside the inner rim of the galaxy. Where is this guy from, Jelucan? One thing is for sure, he wasn’t born on Coruscant.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters December 16, 2016.

Head on over to USA Today read more of the interview with Edwards including a brief account of what it like shooting a scene with Mendelsohn opposite Darth Vader.

From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves. In theaters December 2016.

SOURCE: USA TODAY

‘Infinity War’: Benedict Cumberbatch Speaks About Strange Role

In recent interviews, it comes as no surprise that Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch has expressed how whole-heartedly ecstatic he is to be playing the role of the astral projecting protector Stephen Strange from the pages of the Marvel comic books.

Speaking at length with Screenrant, the actor happily discussed his experience on that project, and his upcoming appearance in Avengers:Infinity War slated to be released on May 4th, 2018. Cumberbatch has his own ideas about the man dubbed ‘Strange’ by artist and Marvel legend Steve Ditko.

“I was intrigued by this man. He was complex, he was supremely arrogant, to a point where I was like, ‘okay yeah, I get it, I get it.’ …I wanna see him fail, I wanna see the humor of someone struggling to understand this ludicrous, extraordinary world that he’s been asked to accept. And also, you know, the real drama of a man whose every inch of his life, every aspect of his life is through what he’s capable of with his hands, and losing that, and what would result is a breakdown physically and mentally from that. So all of those flavors were just mixed in with the great comics of old.”

The transition from eager audience member to polished participant behind the cameras was a journey as well, as the character of Doctor Strange will be putting the ‘can’ in ‘incantation’ alongside the Avengers.

“I’m gonna be in the Avengers films, which is a phenomenally exciting thing for me. I mean, I came to comics through the film, so I’ve been buying my ticket for the last eight years, and now I’m on the other side of the screen. It’s very, very exciting. And I can’t wait to see who I get to jam with. It’s gonna be great.”

With Cumberbatch on board for at least one more Doctor Strange film via his contract, the actor seems on point with connecting to the arrogant yet open-minded neurosurgeon as he metamorphoses through the motions.

“…The possibilities are endless. It’s not just what he brings to the universe, it’s also what he gets to do in it.”

Doctor Strange hits theaters November 4th, 2016

SOURCE: SCREENRANT

‘Doctor Strange’: Director and Cast Talk Pushing the Boundaries of Superhero Films

In a recent press junket, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, the director of Doctor Strange Scott Derrickson and the film’s stars, Benedict Cumberbatch and Mads Mikkelson discussed Doctor Strange’s impact on the MCU at large. The spark that Feige speaks about the character’s unique mystical experience with is truly refreshing, given the movie’s more etherial nature.

We always say we have to push the boundaries, we have to keep surprising people, and we have to keep making them unique and different, and certainly, this movie and this character fits all of that. And also, tapping into other dimensions and tapping into that supernatural realm of the Marvel Comic Universe is going to come in handy, as we move forward throughout the Cinematic Universe. So, the timing was perfect.

Derrickson marvels on the attention lore of the material at hand as well.

“I remember, in some of my early meetings, saying that my goal was for every set piece in the movie to be the weirdest set piece in any other movie, but each one of them would be uniquely odd and unusual and refreshing. And that comes out of movie fandom, more than anything else, because that’s what I want to see. I want to see event movies that use visual effects and visual effect sequences for more than just mass destruction.”

The leading men of the project also have a little bit of starshine in their eyes regarding their otherworldly roles.

Cumberbatch muses excitedly over donning the garb of Doctor Strange for the first time:

“I was giddy, like a child at Halloween. When I saw it, for the first time, Alex Byrne, our brilliant costume designer, who’s done a few of these films went, ‘Oh, you’re having as superhero moment, aren’t you?’ And I went, “Yeah, I think I am.”

Mikkelson remembers his journey from fanboy to zen flyboy:

“Basically, for half of my life, I was reading comic books, and the other half, I was watching Bruce Lee. So, when Scott was pitching this story to me, 10 minutes into the pitch, he said, ‘There’s a lot of Kung Fu and flying stuff.’ And I said, ‘Whoa, rewind to the Kung Fu bit. I’m on!’ It’s a childhood dream coming through. It’s just amazing that at the age of 108, I get the chance to fly around.”

To enjoy the full interview, head on over to Collider.

 

Doctor Strange hits theaters November 4th, 2016

SOURCE: COLLIDER

‘The Flash’: “The New Rogues” Clip; Producers Preview

Ahead of tonight’s brand new episode of The Flash, The CW has released a clip giving us a sneak-peak at the debut of the iconic Mirror Master and the return of Captain Cold! Well.. sort of… The clip itself flashes back to the night the particle accelerator exploded so we’ll have to wait until tonight to see Colds return in the present day timeline.

The producer’s preview gives us a look at Jesse Quick donning her new suit as she and The Flash throw a wrench in Mirror Master and Tops plan. Meanwhile, Cisco, Caitlin, and Harry prepare to explore the multiverse in order to find a new Harrison Wells to permanently fill the spot left on Team Flash by Harry in his absence.

The Flash airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.

‘Doctor Strange 2’: Sequel in the Wings

The impossibilities are still endless awaiting the rapidly approaching release of ‘Doctor Strange,’ and director Scott Derrickson is already envisioning the future.

Derrickson told Den of Geek recently that should he have the opportunity to make the sequel, that he has plans to lean towards a darker lining regarding the dramatic personæ:

“What made The Dark Knight so great was that the origin story of Batman had been well-told, and then it was time to bring in a villain where you really got to go deep. And not just the Joker, also Two-Face. It was a more visceral experience, I’d love to be able to do that for Doctor Strange.”

I have no doubt that Doctor Strange as a first outing will be a visual stunner. Hopefully, the film will also establish Stephen Strange as Benedict Cumberbatch sinks fully into the role. The Dark Knight was not only a visceral experience but a writing tour de force by screenplay writer/director Christopher Nolan. As a writer, I can only dream, visualize, and hone myself in pursuit of such mastery presenting a sequel (or any movie) of that caliber.

It’s a healthy thing, and great practice to open up your visions of a character’s future when putting ‘pen to paper’ to any project to get a taste of potential outcomes today’s story may birth. I’m comfortable calling these musings ‘illusions’ and not ‘delusions of grandeur’ for the time being.

Doctor Strange hits theaters on November 4th, 2016

SOURCES: DEN OF GEEK, CBR

‘Black Panther’ To Begin Filming This January

The cameras are set to roll on Marvel’s Black Panther this January in Atlanta. Tammy Lyn Casting has put out a casting call looking for extras to populate the great nation of Wakanda which will serve as the setting for the film.

The production is looking for athletic type extras experienced in African style drumming, Martial Arts and MMA, boxing, wrestling, military/weapons/knife handling, stick-fighting,

The film will shoot until May, set for a February 2018 release and stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, and Florence Kasumba.

Marvel’s Black Panther hits theaters February 16, 2018

Deadpool Fans Unite for Change…and Quentin Tarantino?

After the rather drama-free departure of Tim Miller from ‘Deadpool 2’ Friday, it’s obvious there’s an empty seat that needs to be filled on this satire-saturated feature film. Fox has no doubt been mining for the perfect successor for the fan admired director. Some fan’s however, have decided to actively take matters into their own rapidly typing hands.

Sunday on Change.org, a petition-organizing site for the masses, fans assembled to gather votes to have directing tour de force Quentin Tarantino take to the set for our beloved merc-with-a-mouth. Carl Champion Jr., the creator of the petition is quite confident in the success that having the Academy Award winning Tarantino on the project would bring:

“If there was ever a chance to see Tarantino do a project almost guaranteed to make a billion dollars, this is it. We got a great taste of what this could be like in Kill Bill, but imagine having a guy like Tarantino write dialogue for The Merc with the Mouth! It would be so glorious. Join me!”

Having Tarantino’s spin on our favorite fourth wall-breaking badass would no doubt be something to see, but whether Fox takes the sway of potentially 2500 max dedicated Deadpool supporters is extremely unlikely. The sound of the cash registers at the box office is far too deafening for the clicking of keyboards to be heard over, and it’s the producer’s call on the creative end most of the time.

Thus far, with only 554 votes left to reach the petition goal, at least some of us agree with Champion Jr. Personally, I love Tarantino’s body of work, but I’m not feeling the feels about him potentially taking the directorial reins of the project. I’d rather see Tarantino do his own thing on his own projects, where he so often shines in full effect. With Deadpool having such an ardent protector and producer in star Ryan Reynolds, who’s vision of the character is so razor-focused it pushes any occluding visions completely out of the way, the next director will no doubt be a handpicked accompaniment to his dyed in the sites dedication. 

SOURCES: CHANGE.ORG, CBR.COM

‘Indiana Jones 5’: Lucas is Out

Shortly after Disney acquired Lucasfilm from George Lucas, it was announced that Lucasfilm would be continuing the Indiana Jones franchise along with the Star Wars franchise. After Lucas’ ideas for the story of The Force Awakens were rejected resulting in Lucas removing himself from the production entirely, many wondered if the visionary filmmaker would still be involved with Indy 5.

Steven Spielberg, who is currently helming the on-screen adaptation of the best-selling novel, Ready Player One, was quoted by CBR this summer during a press roundtable for The BFG, saying that he would never make an Indiana Jones film without his best friend Lucas. Spielberg added that Lucas would be an executive producer on the film but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.

In an interview with Collider while promoting Inferno, screenwriter David Koepp who is currently penning the script for Indy 5 was asked about Lucas’ attachment to the project.

“He’s not, to my knowledge. I’ve had no contact with him.”

This comes as no great surprise considering Lucas called the executives at Disney “White Slavers” and described his exit from Lucasfilm like it was a divorce last winter in an interview with Charlie Rose. Lucas also was quoted in Hollywood at the red carpet premiere for The Force Awakens that the only movies he would ever make again would be never be seen by anybody but himself and his friends.

SOURCES: COLLIDER, SCREENRANT (via CBR)

‘Alien: Covenant’ Might Have A Name for Xenomorphs

While promoting his new film, The Light Between Oceans, Michael Fassbender slipped up in an interview with Mark Goodier on BBC Radio 2, referring to the Xenomorphs in the upcoming Alien: Covenant as “Neomorphs”. AVP Galaxy claims that the name was used by the crew to identify the new alien variation and that these new Neomorphs are a result of the ecosystem being mutated by the black goo seen in Prometheus.

As time passed the black goo grew pods on the trees and the ground, releasing spores when disturbed. Apparently, these spores are set to infect several members of the crew through their nostrils and mouth. While it sounds like facehuggers will be absent from the film, it definitely still sounds like an Alien film as the new Neomorph will burst not from the chest, but from the back and throat.

The film directed by Ridley Scott will serve as a sequel to Prometheus as well as a prequel to the original Alien. Fassbender is the only cast member from Prometheus to return. The film also stars Amy Seimetz, Billy Crudup, Carmen Ejogo, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, and Katherine Waterston.

Alien: Covenant hits theaters August 4, 2017.

SOURCES: AVP AND BMD (VIA SCREENRANT)