“Javacia Leslie left government for Hollywood. Now she’s the first Black Batwoman”

“Javicia Leslie is a plant person.

It’s just one of the things she has in common with Ryan Wilder, the new lead character she portrays in The CW’s “Batwoman,” who takes the mantle as Gotham’s caped vigilante during the show’s second season, which premieres Jan. 17.

And because she’s a plant person, she had an important question about Ryan’s backstory when she accepted the “Batwoman” role: Who took care of Ryan’s plant while she was away?

“Ryan got her plant when she was technically an older teenager, young adult,” Leslie says during a late December video call. “But then I go to prison for 18 months. Where was my plant? That mattered to me.”

Even if it’s never addressed in the show, “It matters because for a plant to be that important to me,” she says, “obviously, whoever I had take care of it is a person important to me.”

It’s a detail that even showrunner Caroline Dries hadn’t considered — but Leslie, 33, explains that as an actor, “You want to know why you’re doing what you’re doing. You don’t want to just do it.”

These are the types of details Leslie focuses on while she does the work of inhabiting the world of her character. It’s only in moments when she steps away that she is reminded about the historic nature of her new role…”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/javicia-leslie-left-government-hollywood-140043805.htmlhttps://www.yahoo.com/news/javicia-leslie-left-government-hollywood-140043805.html

“Viola Davis, Issa Rae, Barack Obama and More Pay Tribute to “Brilliant, Beautiful” Chadwick Boseman”

“In the wake of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman’s death from colon cancer on Friday, Hollywood figures took to social media to pay tribute to the actor, who died at age 43 after a four year struggle with the disease.

According to an official statement from the actor’s representatives, Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016. The actor died at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his wife and other family members.

“Chadwick’s passing is absolutely devastating. He was our T’Challa, our Black Panther, and our dear friend,” said Marvel president Kevin Feige. “Each time he stepped on set, he radiated charisma and joy, and each time he appeared on screen, he created something truly indelible. He embodied a lot of amazing people in his work, and nobody was better at bringing great men to life. He was as smart and kind and powerful and strong as any person he portrayed. Now he takes his place alongside them as an icon for the ages. The Marvel Studios family deeply mourns his loss, and we are grieving tonight with his family.”

“Chadwick was such an elegant man with great integrity and tremendous talent,” wrote Anthony and Joseph Russo via their shared Twitter account. “He inspired an entire generation to stand up and be king. Honor him by emulating him-show kindness and love to others. Share your talents in ways that impact. Always strive to be a light in the darkness…”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hollywood-pays-tribute-to-brilliant-beautiful-chadwick-boseman

“Marvel Releases Shang-Chi Trailer”

“Marvel Studios is set to unveil Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings next year, so while fans wait to see the exciting new entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Comics has unveiled the above new trailer for an upcoming Shang-Chi series to build excitement for the new title. The character dates back to the ’70s, but given Marvel Studios’ tendency to tap characters who might not have well-known mythology among all of pop culture to deliver an exciting cinematic adventure, this upcoming series will surely excite both new and longtime fans ahead of that film’s release. Check out the above trailer and grab the first issue of Shang-Chi when it hits shelves on September 30th.

Per press release, “Shang-Chi returns this month in a brand-new series by Eisner Award-winning writer Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) and acclaimed artists Dike Ruan (Spider-Verse, Black Cat) and Philip Tan (Uncanny X-Men). The former Avenger will be forced to confront his family’s dark history when the mysterious Five Weapons Society emerges from the shadows.

With the group’s leadership in question, a bloody power struggle will erupt into a full-blown war and only the deadly fists of Shang-Chi can protect the Marvel Universe from the fallout. Founded by his father, Zheng Zu, this ancient group of warriors will reveal long-hidden truths about Shang-Chi’s past and drag the hero back into a world he thought he left behind forever…”

https://comicbook.com/comics/news/shang-chi-trailer-comic-book-marvel/

“Robert Rodriguez Reveals The Crazy Hoops He And James Cameron Jumped Through To Greenlight Alita: Battle Angel”

“Movies have always been, and always will be, something akin to a magic act. Just look at the process needed to pitch a film like Alita: Battle Angel into existence. It’s a process that, according to writer/director Robert Rodriguez, required a lot of crazy hoops to be jumped. That’s a lot, coming from the man that’s dreamt up movies like Desperado, Spy Kids, and Sin City, as each of those unique visions, while being triumphs in their own right, were much simpler to get off the ground.

During Collider’s “Directors on Directors” panel, a part of the festivities for this weekend’s ComicCon @ Home event, Rodriguez explained that it was a lot easier to pitch his own ideas for two simple reasons. Those ideas didn’t come from a preexisting property, and they were on much lower scales of budget and scope. Explaining the Alita: Battle Angel pitch process, Robert Rodriguez laid out the following high stakes game he played, with producer James Cameron on his side…

Alita: Battle Angel fans can recall the story of how, after 20 years of development and pitching by James Cameron himself, the manga adaptation found its way into the hands of Robert Rodriguez. Through rewrites and further development by his own hand, Rodriguez turned in a project that became an auspicious start to a potential franchise that’s still got its loyal base rooting for another installment…”

https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2551107/robert-rodriguez-reveals-the-crazy-hoops-he-and-james-cameron-jumped-through-to-greenlight-alita-battle-angel

“Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – An Update from Insomniac Games”

“Hi! I’m Brian Horton, Creative Director at Insomniac Games. Last week, we were so thrilled to introduce you to the beginning of your Marvel’s Spider-Man journey on PlayStation 5 – Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. This standalone game lets players experience the rise of Miles Morales as he discovers new powers that set him apart from his mentor, Peter Parker.

The reaction we received last week was nothing short of incredible. But we wanted to take a little bit of extra time to talk about the game and the trailer you saw and point out some things you might’ve missed. Take a look above.

At Insomniac Games, we’ve loved the character of Miles Morales for a long time. It started years ago, when Bryan Intihar (Creative Director, Marvel’s Spider-Man), suggested that we should have Miles Morales be a part of the same universe as Peter Parker. We sneakily introduced him at the end of our E3 2017 demo, surprising the audience when they thought the PlayStation Briefing was over.

As we continued with the Marvel’s Spider-Man universe, we knew that Miles’s origin story as a Spider-Man was something that needed its own game. Miles’s multicultural background reflects a more modern, diverse world and we wanted to give players a new story, with new set-pieces, fresh villains, and unique quests across Marvel’s New York City. This had to be a can’t-miss next adventure in the Marvel’s Spider-Man universe.

Let’s set the scene for the game a little more. It’s now wintertime, about a year after the events of the first game. Marvel’s New York is covered in snow, and just before Christmas break, a war between an energy corporation and a high-tech criminal army has broken out.

Miles’s new home in Harlem is at the heart of the battle…”

https://blog.playstation.com/2020/06/18/marvels-spider-man-miles-morales-an-update-from-insomniac-games/

“Ms. Marvel Reportedly Films This Summer, Will Appear In First MCU Film Soon After”

“Ms. Marvel is reportedly filming this summer, with her first movie appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe coming soon after. The name Ms. Marvel has been around since the late ’60s, which was used by Carol Danvers herself. Kamala Khan, however, is a relatively new superhero compared to others appearing in the MCU. Khan’s Ms. Marvel first appeared in 2013, becoming the first Muslim superhero from Marvel Comics.

Despite her being a relatively new superhero, Disney announced at their D23 fan event last year that Ms. Marvel was getting her own Disney+ series, along with She-Hulk and Moon Knight. Very little is known about Ms. Marvel so far, except that Bisha K. Ali will be the head writer on the show, and that the character will eventually crossover into the MCU films. That being said, Ms. Marvel’s show won’t be released until Phase 4, so it makes sense that we don’t know a lot about the series just yet…”

https://screenrant.com/ms-marvel-tv-show-filming-dates-movie-future/

“New Mutants Cast, Character & Power Guide”

 

With the New Mutants finally on their way in the coming months, here’s a rundown of the characters that’ll be appearing and the superpowers they possess. Originally envisioned as part of Fox’s X-Men universe, filming on New Mutants reportedly concluded in September 2017, with director, Josh Boone, touting a scarier take on the mutant world that had more in common with horror than traditional superhero tropes.

Unfortunately for all involved (and the many fans looking forward to this unique-sounding venture), New Mutants was repeatedly delayed, first with potential reshoots that never took place and later in order to prioritize Dark Phoenix.

The waters were muddied further when Disney completed their purchase of Fox and its assets. The studio were rumored to be unhappy with New Mutants and questions were asked over whether the film would be released at all, or bumped off to a streaming service amid reports of further Disney-led edits taking place.

Ultimately, an April 2020 theatrical release was confirmed and a recent trailer proves that the horror edge is still in place, even with a PG-13 rating…

“Wonder Woman 1984: Release Date, Trailer, Cast, and Everything Else We Know”

“When is the Wonder Woman 1984 release date? If you’re anything like us, having witnessed Diana Prince’s epic sprint through the bleak, hellish emptiness of no man’s land, you’ll be desperate for more from the badass goddess of the Justice League. Wonder Woman became the highest-grossing superhero origin film of all time in 2017, and made Patty Jenkins – who returns for 1984 – the best-paid female director.

Wonder Woman refused to shy away from the horrors of the Great War, but at the same time blessed a generation of girls with a role model that proved that they could be a hero just as much as men. While Wonder Woman 1984 appears to be adopting a lighter tone, it’s shaping up to be just as excellent.

We’ll be going over the film’s release date, trailer, and cast – with some spoilers from the previous film – so you’re all set for a return to the bright neon lights of the eighties…”

https://www.techradar.com/news/wonder-woman-1984-release-date-trailer-cast

“Shang-Chi Director Explains Why He Joined The MCU”

“Destin Daniel Cretton was born in Hawaii and is of Asian descent. And as he told The Hollywood Reporter, he didn’t have a superhero to look up to when he was growing up, or at least not one that looked like him. Shang-Chi actually debuted in Marvel Comics in 1971, prior to Destin Daniel Cretton’s birth, but the character obviously didn’t and still doesn’t have the prominence of many other non-Asian characters in the Marvel canon.

So without a superhero to identify with and see himself in, Destin Daniel Cretton was attracted to Spider-Man. The thing about Spider-Man is that he wore a mask and could theoretically look like anyone underneath, even if Destin Cretton knew that it was Peter Parker. Interestingly, the idea that anyone can wear the mask is the thematic through-line in the recent animated masterpiece Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

But Destin Daniel Cretton doesn’t want that for his son. He doesn’t want his son to have to imagine himself behind the mask, he wants him to see a superhero onscreen that looks like him; a superhero who he can look up to, doing all kinds of amazing things that he can imagine himself doing.

Creating that for his son and so many other Asian kids is why Destin Daniel Cretton wanted to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe to direct Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and why he feels privileged to be doing so…”

 

https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2487892/shang-chi-director-explains-why-he-joined-the-mcu

“Kamala Khan Takes Center Stage in MARVEL’S AVENGERS”

“Since debuting in 2013 in the pages of Captain Marvel #14 and gaining her own solo series in 2014, Kamala Khan—aka Ms. Marvel—has become something of a phenomenon. The Jersey City teenager, known for her fangirl tendencies and her adoration of the Avengers (notably Captain Marvel) has gone from breakout comic character to fan favorite, appearing in everything from animated television shows to her own upcoming Disney+ series. So it’s not surprising that when Marvel Games recently unveiled the sixth mystery playable character in Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics and Marvel Entertainment’s upcoming Marvel’s Avengers game, it was revealed to be none other than Kamala herself.

And she’s not just there to entice players to smash with her embiggening powers—though, as Crystal Dynamics narrative designer and Marvel’s Avengers writer Hannah MacLeod noted at a press event, “these powers introduce a dramatically new element and make her combat aspiration feel so unique.” Kamala is very much the centerpiece of one of most anticipated games of the year. “She’s our games’ protagonist,” revealed MacLeod. “You’ll experience our Avengers story through her unique perspective.”

As part of a private demo session, Nerdist had a chance to play Kamala at a training level— and we had a blast. While each superhero feels unique to control and customize, being able to use the character’s embiggening powers, stretching abilities, and punching strength added a whole new level of fun to the game…”

https://nerdist.com/article/kamala-khan-marvel-game/