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  • Here’s What’s About To Hit Netflix (It Involves Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

    Here’s What’s About To Hit Netflix (It Involves Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

    As you know, content comes and goes on Netflix. Each week, we’re bringing you a list of titles that you’ll be able to stream in the U.S. in the coming days. As always, dates are subject to change.

    I know what you’re thinking. Last week’s list had a Dean Cain Christmas movie. How could they possibly top it this week? Well, there’s no Superman involved, but you will find some other super heroes, not to mention the latest Netflix original stand-up special and a Trailer Park Boys Christmas title. Also…the Boz!

    Available on 11/14:

    Chelsea Peretti: One of the Greats (2014) – Netflix Original

    Chelsea Peretti “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star Chelsea Peretti showcases her diverse talents in this dark yet silly reimagining of her comedy special.

    Available on 11/15:

    Doc Martin Series 6

    Crippled by a sudden and inconvenient fear of blood, flashy surgeon Dr. Martin Ellingham abandons his bustling London practice and sets up shop as a country doctor in this medically minded British sitcom.

    Sewing Hope (2013)

    Forest Whitaker

    Following the brutal 25-year reign of Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony — an era that included turning teenage girls into sex slaves — this powerful documentary captures the efforts of Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe to heal the nation’s wounded soul.

    Sinbad: The Fifth Voyage (2014)

    Shahin Sean Solimon, Said Faraj, Patrick Stewart, Lorna Raver, Isaac C. Singleton Jr., Marco Khan

    When an evil sorcerer captures the sultan’s first-born daughter, the fearless sailor Sinbad must traverse a hotile wasteland to bring her back. Danger lurks around every dune in the form of fantastical creatures and sinister magic.

    Trailer Park Boys Live At The North Pole (2014)

    John Paul Tremblay, Robb Wells, Mike Smith

    In a flashback to 1997, the boys celebrate the Christmas season by robbing the mall. But Bubba’s having trouble getting into the spirit of things.

    Woldblood: Season 2

    Being a teenager is hard enough. Being a Wolfblood teenager is ten times more complicated. 14-year-old Maddy loves her abilities – heightened senses, being faster, stronger and more graceful – but hates the secrets that come with them.

    Available on 11/16:

    Dream House (2011)

    Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz, Elias Koteas, Marton Csokas, Taylor Geare, Claire Geare

    Abandoning high-stress Manhattan, Will moves to a quiet New England town but learns that his new home was the site of several brutal murders. As sinister signs multiply around his family, Will searches for help.

    Available on 11/18:

    30 for 30: Brian and the Boz (2014)

    Brian Bosworth, Barry Switzer

    Former NFL linebacker Brian Bosworth remembers his promising football career and the boastful media persona that dragged him into a downward spiral.

    Available on 11/19:

    Sabotage (2014)

    Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington, Olivia Williams, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello

    With Arnold Schwarzenegger lending his intimidating presence, this action drama tracks a crack team of DEA agents plotting their own heist. While they manage to make off with $10 million, the daring thieves are soon being knocked off one by one.

    Available on 11/20:

    Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 1 (2013)

    Agent Phil Coulson, seen in action in Marvel’s The Avengers, assembles a team of top S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to investigate bizarre threats. The crew includes experts in weapons, technology and sciences who fight to save the world from the unearthly.

    Here’s a look at more recently added titles.

    Image via Facebook

  • The Avengers Sequel Will Have Record-Breaking Number Of Visual Effects

    The Avengers Sequel Will Have Record-Breaking Number Of Visual Effects

    Special visual effects were what made the fight scenes of the film The Avengers look amazing, and its sequel will reportedly be benefiting from a record-breaking number of them. Avengers: Age of Ultron will be featuring over 3,000 visual effects shots in it, employing the most number of such effects in one film.

    The news was revealed in a keynote speech given by Victoria Alonso, executive producer of Avengers: Age of Ultron, at the Visual Effects Society Production Summit at the W Hollywood on Saturday, October 18. Alonso reportedly said that she expected more than 3,000 VFX shots to be used in the Joss Whedon-helmed film. This number is greater than previous films on which Alonso also worked, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, which counted 2,500 and 2,750 VFX shots, respectively.

    Alonso further revealed in her speech that Avengers: Age of Ultron’s special effects will be made by seven to 12 different VFX companies around the world. One advantage to this global collaboration for the film’s production, she continued, was that people in other countries could contribute unique ideas that don’t occur to the main studio. Alonso added that Marvel is raring to adopt emerging technologies for the film’s special effects, such as high dynamic range.

    The 3,000 VFX shots in Avengers: Age of Ultron will reportedly be used in action scenes as well as in characterizing each superhero with their powers. Effects will be used for Paul Bettany’s look in the film, supported with makeup, and the all-important shape of The Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo.

    Meanwhile, the successful film The Avengers still remains fresh in the minds and hearts of its fans, including actor Robert Downey Jr., who plays Iron Man. Because of an offhand comment he made on the set, he now owns the 30-foot-tall “A” prop used in the film to decorate the Avengers Tower. “So now we have a massive Avengers ‘A’ that will be prominently placed,” said Downey of the prop.

  • Iron Man 4: Downey May Sign On If Mel Gibson Directs

    Iron Man 4: Downey May Sign On If Mel Gibson Directs

    Robert Downey Jr. is a man who has lived off of second chances. After multiple arrests and several stints in rehab, the 49-year-old actor finally pulled himself together to become not only one of the most revered artists working in film today but also the highest paid actor in Hollywood. He reportedly earned $50 million for his role in the film The Avengers, even though the movie featured an ensemble cast filled with big name movie stars.

    It’s clear that Downey wants to give his friend Mel Gibson the opportunity to enjoy one of the many second chances that were given to him. There are currently no plans for a fourth Iron Man. However, Downey is contractually obligated to appear as Iron Man in the upcoming The Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avengers 3 movies.

    The financial bottom line is going to be a big deciding factor on whether Downey straps on the Iron Man suit again. However, Shane Black, who directed Iron Man 3, thinks that Downey could be swayed to play Tony Stark once again if Mel Gibson was given the opportunity to direct Iron Man 4.

    Remember Mel Gibson? He was one the biggest movie stars in the 80s and 90s. He also won an Academy Award for directing Braveheart in 1995. However, a drunken arrest coupled with a well-publicized anti-Semitic and sexist tirade, combined with a rage-filled alcohol-fueled recording left on his girlfriend’s answering machine and leaked for the whole world to hear, has put the the 58-year-old actor on the outs with both the Hollywood crowd and the fans who used to adore him.

    So would Downey make another Iron Man with Gibson at the helm? The actor was asked during a recent interview, “Marvel badly wants Iron Man 4 and you’ve said you aren’t doing it. How about the idea you’ll do that movie if Mel directs it?” Downey responded, “Why not? That movie would be bananas.”

    Downey recently spoke of Gibson to Deadline, “Nobody should make a case for somebody who just wants forgiveness but hasn’t changed, but he’s a fundamentally different guy. I think it was just the very worst aspects of somebody’s psyche being treated as though they were the blanket statement about a person.”

    It’s been reported that when Downey was at rock bottom, Gibson was there to help. “Unless you are without sin — and if you are, you are in the wrong [expletive] industry — you should forgive him and let him work … This is my [expletive] time,” Downey said about Gibson during his acceptance speech for The American Cinematheque Award. “Mel and I have the same lawyer, same publicist and same shrink. I couldn’t get hired and he cast me. He said that if I accepted responsibility—he called it hugging the cactus—long enough, my life would take meaning,” Downey continued. “And if he helped me, I would help the next guy. But it was not reasonable to assume the next guy would be him.”

    If it’s true and Downey would commit to another Iron Man with Gibson as director, Disney and Marvel would have a hard time turning down the deal. According to Box Office Mojo, the three Iron Man movies have combined to make over $2.4 billion worldwide.

    What do you think? Does Mel Gibson deserve a second chance?

  • X-Men: Apocalypse Will Reveal More About Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique Character

    One of the most anticipated films of 2015 is X-Men Apocalypse, which is reportedly focusing on the character of Mystique, played by actress Jennifer Lawrence. The character saw major screen time in the previous installment of the series, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and is apparently going to be explored further in the new film, according to co-writer Simon Kinberg.

    Kinberg, who is also co-producer of the film, said that X-Men: Apocalypse will be featuring in more detail the relationship between Mystique and the character of Beast, played by actor Nicholas Hoult. “The relationship between Beast and Mystique is a really interesting one that we didn’t have a lot of time to explore in ‘Days of Future Past’ so we’ll have an opportunity to do more of that in ‘Apocalypse,’” said Kinberg.

    X-Men: Apocalypse will also reportedly show how Mystique was shaped by her two mentors, Michael Fassbender’s Magneto, AKA Erik Lensherr, and James McAvoy’s Charles Xavier. “Part of what’s really interesting about Mystique’s character is that she is, in some ways, the child of both Erik and Charles. She grew up with Charles and then sort of became a woman with Erik, so her being the cross-pollination, if you will, of those two philosophies and those two men is something we can explore in the movie too,” Kinberg said.

    Kinberg also revealed that X-Men: Apocalypse will be set in the 1980s. “We’re having a lot of fun with the idea of the ‘80s. It’s a decade that [director Bryan Singer] and I both grew up in, and so the music, the style, the aesthetic [and] the legacy of ‘80s movies is something we’re really having fun with,” he said.

    X-Men Apocalypse will also be the third and final part of the trilogy featuring characters from X-Men: First Class, Kinberg said, although he didn’t rule out their appearances in future X-Men films.

  • Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ Picks Up Scott Glenn

    Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ Picks Up Scott Glenn

    Netflix and Marvel announced that they’ve added another cast member to their upcoming Daredevil series, which debuts next year. Joining Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Rosario Dawson, Elden Henson, and Deborah Ann Woll will be Scott Glenn.

    Glenn will play Stick, the “mysterious martial artist and mentor” to Daredevil Matt Murdock.

    “Stick is one of the most important figures in Matt Murdock’s life and Scott Glenn embodies all the qualities of someone so integral to this hero’s journey,” said Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s Head of Television. “There are few actors who could bring such the authenticity, gravitas and charisma to such a key role in Matt’s journey to become the super hero we call Daredevil.”

    Glenn is known for films like The Silence of the Lambs, The Bourne Ultimatum, and The Hunt For Red October. More recently, he appeared on HBO’s The Leftovers.

    Daredevil will be the first original series from Marvel for Netflix, but will be followed by shows about Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage. These will all culminate in a miniseries event, The Defenders.

    The shows are to be shot in New York.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bob Iger Talks Disney’s Relationship With Netflix

    Bob Iger Talks Disney’s Relationship With Netflix

    Disney posted its fiscal Q3 earnings on Tuesday. The company had a record quarter with earnings per share up 27% from the prior year.

    CEO Bob Iger said, “Our strategy of building strong brands and franchises continues to create great value across our company. This quarter we delivered the highest EPS in the company’s history, and we’ve now generated greater EPS in the first three quarters of FY 2014 than we have in any previous full fiscal year. We’re extremely pleased with these results and we are also thrilled with the spectacular performance of Guardians of the Galaxy, which holds great promise as a new franchise for our company and once again reinforces the tremendous value of Marvel.”

    Something else that is bound to continue to help Disney’s Marvel brand is the set of shows coming to Netflix. We’re not expecting anything Guardians of the Galaxy-great with those, but it’s hard to imagine they won’t draw in the viewers.

    Late last year, Netflix and Disney announced a deal for at least four different shows and a mini series including shows about Daredevil (the first one up), Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. The miniseries will be The Defenders. This will all stretch over multiple years starting with Daredevil in 2015.

    This is not the first time the two companies have partnered. They made a big movie distribution deal in 2012, which will see theatrically released feature films from Disney appear on Netflix starting in 2016. Netflix will be the exclusive U.S. subscription TV service for first run movies from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Disnynature, and Lucasfilm. The two companies also have a deal in Canada.

    Suffice it to say that there is a lot of Netflix in Disney’s future.

    Disney didn’t bring up Netflix in its earnings report, but was asked about it by analysts on the earnings call. Iger had this to say about the companies’ relationship:

    Netflix, we’re growing our business with Netflix, first of all because we believe in their platform and its future. And we have from the beginning, when we did the output deal with the studio and we also believe that our brands can be well monetized on their platform, which is evidenced what they are paying for our brands and our content. So as long as that continues, which I think it will, not just domestically but internationally our business is expected to be robust with them or even grow. So it’s a good combination. We’ve got brands and content that they want and they have a platform that we like and that we want and they are willing to pay the right price for our content, good prices for our content. I think it’s mutually beneficial.

    CFO Jay Rasulo added:

    I’m not going to put shadow what revenue we’ll come off with Netflix in the future but everything that Bob says I believe applies to every market that Netflix would enter in the future.

    Netflix is, of course, already offering streaming customers some Disney titles. It even exclusively got the final season of Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Clone Wars . In the coming years, however, Disney’s presence is going to be felt much more on the service.

    You can find Disney’s full earnings release here.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ Finds Its Female Lead in ‘True Blood’s Deborah Ann Woll

    Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ Finds Its Female Lead in ‘True Blood’s Deborah Ann Woll

    With True Blood ending after this season, its actors are looking for new gigs. Deborah Ann Woll, who plays vampire Jessica on the HBO show, has found hers over at Netflix.

    Variety reports that the actress has joined the Netflix original Marvel’s Daredevil series – not just cast, but tapped as the female lead. She’ll play the blind hero’s love interest, Karen Page.

    Back in May, the series found its lead in Charlie Cox, probably best known for his work on Boardwalk Empire. Soon after, Vincent D’Onofrio signed on to play Wilson Fisk, better known as Kingpin.

    Rosario Dawson, Elden Henson and Peter Shinkoda have also signed on as series regulars.

    Netflix and Disney announced a deal that would bring the Marvel Universe Netflix’s original series lineup last November. W soon learned that there would be numerous series to come from that deal, including Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. Daredevil will be the first series to premiere. All of those shows will eventually culminate in an “epic” miniseries event, The Defenders.

    Daredevil will premiere some time in 2015 with 13 episodes.

    Image via Deborah Ann Woll, Twitter

  • Marvel Introduces New Female Thor

    Marvel Introduces New Female Thor

    It was announced today on The View by Whoopi Goldberg that Marvel Comics that the traditional male Thor character will be replaced by a new female Thor.

    According to Marvel’s Asgardian canon, the male Thor commits some sort of misdeed which renders him unworthy of wielding his enchanted hammer Mjolnir, and the lady Thor takes his place. Little is known so far about the origins of the female Thor, but it’s been revealed that the original God of Thunder had once saved her.

    Goldberg remarked, “It’s a huge day in the Marvel Universe. Thor, the God of Thunder, he messed up, and he’s no longer worthy to hold that damn hammer of his. For the first time in history, that hammer is being held by a woman. That’s right. Thor is a woman!”

    Avengers director Joss Whedon chimes in on Twitter:

    It’s not clear why Whedon posted a picture of Katee Sackhoff, who would make an excellent lady Thor; perhaps it’s some sort of casting hint.

    Thor: God of Thunder series by writer Jason Aaron commented, “This is not She-Thor. This is not Lady Thor. This is not Thorita. This is THOR. This is the THOR of the Marvel Universe. But it’s unlike any Thor we’ve ever seen before.” Aaron will stay on as a writer of the new iteration of the Thor saga, and will be joined by Russell Dauterman, who will be handling the artwork.

    The original man-Thor will not be written out of the Marvel universe, but will be carrying his magical battle ax called Jarnbjorn, which he wielded during his younger days.

    Image via Youtube

  • A ‘Star Trek’ TV Series Might Come To Netflix?

    A ‘Star Trek’ TV Series Might Come To Netflix?

    Star Trek fans may have more to look forward to than a new movie in the next two years. As reported by The Huffington Post, the Star Trek TV series might be reborn over on Netflix. Netflix has reportedly expressed interest to CBS and Viacom (the owners of the Star Trek franchise) in obtaining the rights for their own Star Trek series.

    As of now, nothing has been confirmed by either Netflix or CBS, but it’s no surprise that the mega popular streaming website wants the series. Currently, Netflix has five different Star Trek series available for streaming, and it’s one of their top viewed series. In addition, it’s been announced that Marvel will debut several new series on Netflix, including a Daredevil reboot, so claiming the rights to Star Trek just makes sense for the demographic they’re aiming for.

    Amidst the rumors, Star Trek writer Larry Nemecek took to his blog last week to address the Netflix speculation, saying, “It’s in Netflix’s interest to be casting for new shows; Star Trek is one of them—especially as Trek’s 737 hours performs as a top draw on Netflix. As I understand it, there have been overtures, but no steps taken.” This statement doesn’t exactly kill the idea, so much as confirm that no moves have been made yet. It doesn’t completely take a new Star Trek series on Netflix out of the picture, an idea many fans are still clinging to.

    In the meantime, there are plenty of online web series spinoffs for Star Trek fans, including the popular Star Trek: Phase II. The fan-based series recently just completed a successful kickstarter campaign, raising $46,000 to help fund a new studio space and set design of future episodes, which cost about $15,000 each to make. The web series picks up where the original Star Trek TV show from the 60s left off, with the Starship Enterprise in their fifth and final year of their mission.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Vincent D’Onofrio Is Kingpin In Netflix’s Daredevil Series

    Vincent D’Onofrio Is Kingpin In Netflix’s Daredevil Series

    Marvel and Netflix announced on Tuesday that Vincent D’Onofrio will play Wilson Fisk, otherwise known as Kingpin, in Marvel’s Daredevil, which will debut on Netflix next year.

    We recently learned that Charlie Cox from Boardwalk Empire will be taking on the titular role.

    D’Onofrio is known for such memorable roles as Private Pyle in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket, that crazy guy from The Cell, and Detective Robert Goren from Law & Order: Criminal Intent, among many other things.

    “D’Onofrio will play Wilson Fisk, a powerful businessman whose interests in the future of Hell’s Kitchen will bring him into conflict with the blind attorney Matt Murdock and his alter ego Daredevil,” says Marvel.

    “We’re incredibly proud to have an actor with the gravitas and versatility of Vincent joining ‘Marvel’s Daredevil’ in such an integral role,” said Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s Head of Television. “Wilson Fisk is an iconic villain whose cunning and power make him the dangerous equal of our hero.”

    The character was portrayed by the late Michael Clarke Duncan in the much beloved Ben Affleck movie.

    Image via YouTube

  • Netflix’s Daredevil Series Has Found Its Lead

    Nope, it’s not Dexter.

    Marvel has announced that Charlie Cox is the new Daredevil, set to star in Netflix’s original series based on the “Man Without Fear.”

    “Marvel is proud to announce that acclaimed actor Charlie Cox has joined ‘Marvel’s Daredevil,’ an all-new 13-episode series premiering on Netflix in 2015. Best known for his acclaimed work in ‘Boardwalk Empire’ and ‘Stardust,’ Cox will play Matt Murdock, the lead role in this all-new Marvel Television series. Blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, Matt Murdock fights against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the super hero Daredevil in modern day Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.”

    Netflix and Disney first announced the deal that would bring the Marvel Universe to the streaming company last November. Later, we learned that there would be numerous series to spring from that deal, including Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. Daredevil will be the first full-run (13 episode) series to premiere. All of those shows will eventually culminate in an “epic” miniseries event, The Defenders.

    “This deal is unparalleled in its scope and size, and reinforces our commitment to deliver Marvel’s brand, content and characters across all platforms of storytelling. Netflix offers an incredible platform for the kind of rich storytelling that is Marvel’s specialty,” said Marvel Entertainment President Alan Fine at the time of the deal. “This serialized epic expands the narrative possibilities of on-demand television and gives fans the flexibility to immerse themselves how and when they want in what’s sure to be a thrilling and engaging adventure.”

    We recently learned that the showrunners were approaching the Daredevil series like “a very large movie,” quite cinematic in scope.

    Charlie Cox is a bit of a rising star. He had a recurring role in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire as Owen Slater, so he’s most definitely not an unknown–but he’s not as recognizable as the previously rumored Daredevil choices. Of course, I’m talking about Michael C. Hall, who was rumored to be the frontrunner for the role back in March.

    In December, we learned that Drew Goddard would be taking the reins as producer of the Daredevil series. Goddard was the director of the cult hit horror film Cabin in the Woods and the writer of the World War Z screenplay. Goddard has also written for various TV series, including LOST, Alias, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

    But he was recently replaced as lead on the show by Spartacus alum Steven S DeKnight. Goddard is still attached, however, in an executive producer role.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Chloe Bennet Says Acting Career Took Off When She Changed Her Name

    Actress Chloe Bennet believes her luck in Hollywood changed within days of adopting a new surname.

    The 22-year-old actress was born Chloe Wang, the daughter of a Chinese father and Caucasian mother in Chicago, IL.

    “I was having trouble booking things with my last name. I think it was hard for people to cast me as an ethnic, as an Asian American woman,” Bennet told The Toronto Star. “But I still wanted to keep my dad’s name, and I wanted to respect him, so I used his first name.”

    Bennet says that within a matter of days, she landed her first big role, a recurring spot on ABC’s hit musical drama Nashville.

    Bennet appeared in seven episodes of Nashville’s first season.

    From there she went on to become what some consider one of the breakout stars of the 2013-2014 television season when she landed the role of computer hacker Skye on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

    Bennet is joined on the Marvel adaptation by another actress of Chinese decent, Ming-Na Wen, who was born in Macau and lived in Hong Kong before moving to the United States as a child.

    “It’s been great to be a part of a show which is groundbreaking in terms of being an American woman and being Asian on television because there’s people who don’t see a lot of that and I’m really proud of it,” Bennet has said.

    Bennet disagrees with critics who say the cast of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is too homogenous:

    “It’s funny to see people say it’s not an ethnically diverse cast,” she says. “This is the first show where two of the regulars are Asians of Chinese extraction.”

    Far from being out of touch with her Asian roots, Bennet has embraced them throughout her life.

    When she was 15-years-old, she left her investment banker father, doctor mother, and ethnically diverse set of six brothers (“two African American, one Mexican American, and the rest half-Chinese,” according to Bennet) behind in Chicago to pursue a music career in Shanghai.

    “It was pretty difficult,” Bennet admits. “I didn’t know anyone there and didn’t speak the language. For the first few months, every day was the same: six hours of dance and four hours of Mandarin. But I had to grow up fast. I like to call it my high school job.”

    After a few years in Shanghai and Beijing, she returned to the US, changed her last name, and set her sights on an acting career.

    “I wanted to be racially ambiguous,” she says.”It must have worked. The first audition I went to was for Nashville.”

    Bennet keeps her Mandarin skills sharp by practicing with Ming-Na on the set of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

    “It’s a lot of fun,” she says. “We’ll talk in a nasty tone and pretend we’re saying bad things about the other actors when really we’re paying them compliments.”

    Image via Chloe Bennet, Instagram

  • Netflix’s Daredevil Series To Be Like A ‘Very Large Movie’

    It appears that the creators of the upcoming Daredevil Netflix series are going for something cinematic with the show’s debut season. Marvel CCO Joe Quesada discussed it a little with Comic Book Resources (via The Hollywood Reporter).

    While it will be thirteen episodes, it sounds like they’re approaching it like a film. Just not the Ben Affleck one. Here are a few of Quesada’s comments from the interview:

    One of the advantages is really from the planning stage — obviously it’s much easier to work with a smaller number of episodes than it is with a larger number of episodes. We can sit there and look at 13 episodes and plan it out as a very large movie. It makes seeing the bigger picture a little bit easier.

    You can’t deny that there will be binge-viewing. You know that there are going to be some Marvel fans that when this show premieres, they are going to go on to Netflix, and they are going to sit there for 12 to 13-plus hours, and watch the entire thing all the way through. It’s going to happen. The Netflix model offers us the advantage of being able to construct the show in a manner that is very different than a weekly network TV show. Even the way that you parse out information and reveals within the show can be different than you would on weekly TV. With weekly TV, you sit there and go, “The audience may not want to wait two or three weeks to get this particular bit of information.” Whereas with Netflix, we might be able to hold onto a particular piece of information, because they may just watch it two hours later.

    Netflix announced Daredevil as one of several interconnected Marvel shows it intends to release. Others include shows about the characters Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage. These will combine as one big “epic,” and culminate in a miniseries event, The Defenders. The endeavor will stretch over multiple years, and as the announcement says, take Netflix members “deep into the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell’s Kitchen, New York.”

    Daredevil will be the first series, and it will debut next year. The release date has yet to be announced. Late last year, Drew Goddard was named as the showrunner. There have been rumors about interest in Six Feet Under’s Michael C. Hall (I’m sorry, it’s just better than Dexter) to play the superhero, but this has not yet moved beyond the rumor phase. Hall has apparently expressed interest though.

    Image via YouTube

  • Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique Could Get Own ‘X-Men’ Spinoff

    Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique could be the next X-Men character to have a spin-off film in the franchise.

    The 23-year-old Oscar winning actress reprises her role as the shapeshifter Mystique in the 20th Century Fox film, X-Men: Days of Future Past, which does not release in theaters until May 23. However, there is already talk of a spin-off film with Mystique as the central character, much like the successful Wolverine series, starring Hugh Jackman.

    “There was a regime [at the studio] that didn’t see the worth in [spin-offs], and the current people who run Fox understand, embrace it, and we’re going to do right by it,” says producer Lauren Shuler Donner, who has produced all of the X-Men films.

    “I’d like to do Gambit. I’d like to do Deadpool. We’ll see. There’s a lot of really great characters,” Donner said.

    She also said she would be interested in making a film with Mystique as the focus.

    “I love what Jen Lawrence has done with her, and I feel like because she is in such a crowded ensemble, there’s so much more opportunity if you were to follow her solo,” said Simon Kinberg, writer and producer of X-Men: First Class.

    Lawrence has two more Hunger Gamesfilms scheduled to be released in the next 18 months, and possibly the next X-Men film in the spring of 2016. Harvey Weinstein, producer of Silver Linings Playbook, said in February that Lawrence might take a year off after filming for the  final installment of the Hunger Games trilogy wraps.

    The next movie in the franchise, X-Men: Apocalypse, is scheduled for release on May 27, 2016. A third Wolverine standalone movie is schedule to hit theaters on March 3, 2017.

    Image via YouTube

  • Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Aligns With ‘Captain America’

    [Spoilers] Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a popular ABC television show in and of itself; however, the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier may ultimately lead to a further promotion of the hit television show. Executive Producers Jeph Loeb and Jeffrey Bell recently spoke with TVGuide regarding the potential influence.

    According to Loeb, “We hope people are watching the show. We don’t focus too much on where ratings are. That’s a network thing. We’re putting out a terrific show. Here’s the good news: By all indications, everyone is talking about what happened last [week]. We know that Captain America is an astonishingly good movie. Hopefully, you come out of that movie, even if you’ve never seen S.H.I.E.L.D., you’re scratching your head going, “Isn’t there a television show that’s about this?” Even if half the people are as mind blown as you are, it seems like there’s going to be a lot of what used to be called “watercooler talk” about this show, and that’s a good thing.”

    Though the interlocking storyline between Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Captain America: The Winter Soldier may appear to flow effortlessly, Jeffrey Bell explained that a high level of collaboration was needed to achieve the coherent result.

    “What’s wonderful is the Marvel movie universe is letting us play in their world. We talked with them at the beginning of what we wanted to do, which Marvel characters we wanted to tie in. They created this universe, so we’ve been talking about it with them the whole time.” Bell said before adding, “It was also why we knew from the beginning that what the movie reveals is Hydra is everywhere. If that were true, that meant it had to be true on our crew as well. It was exciting for us that, oh my God, we have a giant secret that we’re keeping all season! But it was also hard that there was a snake in the grass that we had to build in and keep that secret the whole season.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAuxfDV1baw

    Image Via Wikimedia Commons

  • ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Enlists Two Major Marvel Guest Stars for Final Episodes (Contains Spoilers)

    This report contains major spoilers from Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Read with caution.

    Last night’s episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D correlated with the outcome of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. At the end of The Winter Soldier, S.H.I.E.L.D was completely destroyed by the reveal that the company had been infiltrated by a group named Hydra. This meant even some of the most trusted agents could be compromised.

    The S.H.I.E.L.D episode managed to tie together the events of Captain America and the series, while keeping one of the movie’s major twists a secret; this twist involved Nick Fury’s (played by Samuel L. Jackson) resurrection. On the show, most of the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D believe Fury is dead, but those who only watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and have not seen Captain America 2, will also be in on the secret soon.

    Jackson told New York Magazine’s Vulture column that he just filmed scenes for the season finale. “I just shot the end-of-the-season show.” However, he remained quiet on any details about his upcoming guest appearance. He even joked that giving away more details could result in his firing. “You’re trying to get me fired and killed! I don’t talk about Marvel’s business. None of us do,” he told the Vulture reporter.

    Nick Fury isn’t the only character from the Marvel movie universe to make a guest appearance on ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Jaimie Alexander reprised her role as Sif from Thor and Thor: The Dark World. Cobie Smulders, who played Maria Hill in The Avengers and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, appeared in the pilot episode of S.H.I.E.L.D.

    Smulders will also appear on an upcoming episode of S.H.I.E.L.D, just in time for May sweeps. Fury and Hill both helped take down S.H.I.E.L.D in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, so they may take on a similar role in the series.

    Jackson appears on S.H.I.E.L.D’s May 13 season finale, and Smulders appears on the April 29 episode.

    Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D airs Tuesday nights on ABC at 8:00 pm EST.

    Image via Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Facebook

  • Netflix’s Daredevil Series Reportedly Eyes Michael C. Hall for Lead

    The creators of Netflix’s upcoming Daredevil series have apparently turned their focus on Dexter‘s Michael C. Hall, and want him to play The Man Without Fear.

    The report comes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an incredibly popular Facebook fan page devoted to all things Marvel–from small screen to silver screen. They quote a reliable source, but this is obviously just a rumor at this point.

    Post by Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Last November, Netflix and Disney announced that they were developing multiple original series centered on Marvel characters. The first one to debut will be the Daredevil series, but there will be a total of at least four different shows and at least one miniseries. Other characters to get their own Netflix original include Jessica Jones, Iron First, and Luke Cage.

    “This deal is unparalleled in its scope and size, and reinforces our commitment to deliver Marvel’s brand, content and characters across all platforms of storytelling. Netflix offers an incredible platform for the kind of rich storytelling that is Marvel’s specialty,” said Alan Fine, President of Marvel Entertainment at the time of the announcement. “This serialized epic expands the narrative possibilities of on-demand television and gives fans the flexibility to immerse themselves how and when they want in what’s sure to be a thrilling and engaging adventure.”

    In December, we learned that Drew Goddard would be taking the reins and producing the Daredevil series. He’ll also write and direct the first episode. You might know Goddard as the director of the cult hit horror film Cabin in the Woods and the writer of the World War Z screenplay. Goddard has also written for various TV series, including LOST, Alias, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

    What do you think of Michael C. Hall as Daredevil? It’s just a rumor, but one that’s exciting many fans–at least if you go by the comments.

    Image via Marvel Cinematic Universe, Facebook

  • Chris Evans To Leave The Acting World?

    Chris Evans To Leave The Acting World?

    Chris Evans has captured our hearts since he appeared in “Not Another Teen Movie”, but as a superhero he’s gained a level of fame many only dream about. Now, he says, he may be done with it all.

    Evans signed a 6-picture deal to appear as Captain America in the insanely successful Marvel series, but he says when he’s finished with that, he wants to be on the other side of the camera. He’s already used his time off from filming wisely, taking winter break to shoot his directorial debut, “1:30 Train”. The indie love story stars Alice Eve and was filmed in just 19 days.

    “I’ve known for a while I wanted to direct,” Evans says. “But (time) never really opens up. There’s another movie to do, there’s another acting job. It just got to a point where I was like, you know what — I have to do this. If I’m acting at all, it’s going to be under Marvel contract, or I’m going to be directing. I can’t see myself pursuing acting strictly outside of what I’m contractually obligated to do.”

    But it’s not as though Evans will leave the spotlight anytime soon; he still has at least three Marvel movies to do, and he acknowledged in a Variety interview that the films have opened up doors for him in the directorial world.

    “Without these movies, I wouldn’t be directing,” he said. “They gave me enough overseas recognition to greenlight a movie. And if I’m speaking extremely candidly, it’s going to continue to do that for as long as the Marvel contract runs.”

    Evans can be seen next in “Captain America: Winter Soldier”, which opens in April.

    Image via YouTube

  • New ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ Trailer Released

    For months now 20th Century Fox has been marketing the next X-Men movie in slow teases.

    The JFK conspiracy viral ad was clever, but may have gone over the heads of mainstream moviegoers. This, followed by other short teases, has left X-Men: Days of Future Past in an odd place for a summer movie. The flick will appear just a few weeks from the release of Marvel’s other big summer blockbuster, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This combined with the early marketing push for Guardians of the Galaxy and the fact that Bryan Singer is already tweeting details from the next X-Men movie makes it unclear whether the studio has much confidence in Days of Future Past.

    Despite the odd marketing, though, the movie is almost certain to be a success at the box office. Fox today release the second full-length trailer for the move, previewing exactly the type of big summer movie that comic movie fans are expecting.

    As seen in the trailer, characters from Bryan Singer’s X-Men movies are set to meet their younger selves introduced in 2011’s X-Men: First Class. The story that unfolds is a cult-classic story arc in the Marvel comic universe involving a dystopian future, mind/time travel, and, of course, a fight to stop the Brotherhood of Mutants’ evil plans.

    Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen will both reprise their roles as Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto. Halle Berry will also be returning from previous movies as Storm, and Ellen Page will once again play Kitty Pryde. Other actors from the previous X-Men movies will also step back into their roles, though it was recently revealed that Anna Paquin’s Rogue will not appear in the movie – her part was cut due to time constraints.

    X-Men: Days of Future Past will hit theaters on May 23, one week after Godzilla.

  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier Has Good Early Reviews

    Surprise, surprise! Marvel has made yet another fantastic superhero film in the form of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger. Critics have been raving about the latest installment in the Marvel movie-verse after getting a taste of the film in early showings. Disney allowed critics to take to Twitter and share their opinions on the film about three weeks before it is scheduled to release, and the results have been in their favor; the critics are loving this film.

    According to the information and trailers released to the public (one of which is shown below), the new film will feature Captain America (also known by his civilian name, Steve Rogers) as well as Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) as they go on various missions and escapades for S.H.I.E.L.D. Chris Evans, the actor who portrays Steve, has revealed that his character will not just be grappling with old-friends-turned-enemies and baddies like those shown in the action-packed trailers, but with the “moral ambiguities of the modern age.”

    In an interview with Hero Complex, Chris was quoted as saying, “For Steve, it’s about what is right. He’s relatively acclimated to the modern day — it’s not tech shock anymore, he’s not just like, ‘What’s a cellphone?’ It’s more about, given his situation, given the company he works for, what are we doing that’s the right thing? How much privacy, civil liberties are we willing to compromise for security? It’s pretty crazy how relevant it is right now.”

    This take on Steve and the direction it takes the film has, apparently, been a huge hit with the critics who have gotten a sneak peek at the film. As mentioned above, they took to Twitter to express their thoughts, and an overwhelming majority expressed that the film was superb in one way or another.

    Those are just a few of the multitude of awesome snippets that can be found all over Twitter. Here’s to hoping that the film lives up to the hype and is just as successful with general audiences. It definitely sounds like a fantastic film that no one will want to miss! Be sure to mark your calendars for April 4th, when it releases to theaters.

    Image via YouTube.

  • Jaimie Alexander, ‘Thor’ Warrior, Talks ‘Agents of SHIELD’ Appearance

    Jaimie Alexander, who played Lady Sif in Marvel Studios’ Thor and Thor: The Dark World, made an appearance on ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. last night.

    Lady Sif came to earth in the show’s 15th episode “Yes Men” to take the evil Lorelei back to Asgard before she could cause death and destruction in the human world.

    Alexander said she was “very, very excited” to reprise the role of Lady Sif on the television series.

    “I love playing Lady Sif, and just to be able to get to explore her even further was just such a treat for me.”

    Alexander said she enjoyed working with the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. cast. “We cracked up so many times, all of us in all of the scenes would just start laughing at some point, and then we’d have to start over. But it was the most fun I’ve had in a long time working on something, and those people really are one of a kind.”

    Fellow cast member Clark Gregg stars as Agent Phil Coulson in the television series as well as several Marvel movies, including The Avengers, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, and Thor. Alexander said Gregg was instrumental in her appearance on the series:

    ” … my good buddy Clark Gregg and I bumped into each other at a party a couple of weeks before I received the phone call from Marvel to do [the guest appearance], and he had asked me, apparently hypothetically, if I would be into a Thor and “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” crossover. I said, “Yeah, I think it would be a blast.” I loved working with Clark on the first [Thor] film and the show just seemed so much fun so I said, “Yeah, I would love to.” Then two weeks later I got that phone call asking if I would come on the show and I was like, “All right!” Agent Coulson can get anyone to do anything is pretty much what I’m trying to say.”

    When asked if Lady Sif would return to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Alexander replied “I don’t know for certain, but I’m certainly game if Marvel’s game, especially if it’s with these awesome people that I worked with. And any chance I get to explore Sif a little further and give the fans what they’ve been asking for, I’m completely game.”

    Fans certainly seemed to appreciate last night’s reference to the bigger Marvel Universe in the form of Lady Sif’s appearance:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons