Marvel Studios
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Anadolu / Ruth E. Carter
We continue to learn more about Marvel Studios’ Blade reboot, currently stuck in limbo, from those who were initially attached to the project.
Two-time Academy Award-winning costume designer, Ruth E. Carter, is spilling the beans on Mahershala Ali’s Blade reboot that can’t seem to get off the ground.
Speaking on the Designing Hollywood podcast, Carter discussed her experience preparing for Marvel Studios’ Blade movie, revealing that the iteration of the film she was attached to at the time was going to be a period piece.
“I was prepping Blade for Marvel, and it was a 1920s Blade story, and it got shut down because of the writers’ strike and the actors’ strike, so I was just in limbo,” Carter revealed. “Having done a lot of research for this period piece about a vampire—Blade is a vampire story—[Coogler]’s wife, Zinzi, who also was a producer on [Sinners], she gave me a call and said, ‘I’m not gonna tell you the story, but Ryan has a story he’s going to tell you about … It is a period piece about vampires.’ And I thought, ‘Okay, I have already been living in that space for quite a long time prepping Blade, and Blade‘s not going to happen, so let me hear it.’”
Marvel Studios’ Blade’s Troubled Development
Since its announcement in 2019, the Blade reboot has had several different iterations. According to The Hollywood Reporter, one version of the film was supposed to take place on a “massive train.”
The version Ruth was attached to, the period piece, also starred Mia Goth as a vampire villain named Lillith who had a thirst for Blade’s daughter.
Goth is still attached to the project, but it sounds like we will never see that version of the film. Thankfully, for Carter, she was able to take that mindset from Blade to Sinners, helping her long-time collaborator deliver another box office win.
This latest development comes on the heels of Delroy Lindo speaking about his character in the Blade reboot and revealing that production “went off the rails,” leading to his departure from the project. He subsequently joined Coogler’s Sinners, where he is currently receiving praise for his performance in the film.
At this point, we hope this Blade movie starring Ali still happens.
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Source: Marvel Studios / Thunderbolts*
Word on the streets is that Marvel Studios is back (even though they never left), according to reactions from those who saw the latest entry in the MCU, Thunderbolts*.
Fans and critics, including our very own Bernard “Beanz” Smalls, got to see Thunderbolts* ahead of its May 2 release, and the consensus is that the movie is a return to the top-tier comic book movie form we have come to expect from Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios.
Most reactions praise the film for its surprisingly emotional tone, a quality often lacking in Marvel flicks. Others are praising Florence Pugh’s performance as Yelena, who is now headlining her first film since her debut in the underrated Black Widow film and a guest appearance in the Disney+ series Hawkeye.
Pugh’s performance is being hailed as “superb,” with Beanz adding in his first reaction that she was the film’s “MVP.”
“#Thunderbolts was awesome. Tons of implications on how the MCU is moving forward. The team works well together, plenty of emotion. Yelena is my MVP. Definitely a super fun movie,” Beanz’s full reaction read.
Another reaction read, “#Thunderbolts is A24 meets Superhero character study. Raw. Fresh. Hilarious at times. Sad at others. It has you rooting for this scrappy ensemble on the edge of your seat. Big implications, but still it’s own thing. If this is how the MCU is doing films now, BRAVA.”
We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves.
Film writer Emily Murray described Thunderbolts* as “easily one of the best MCU movies in a long time,” adding it “Has so much spark, charisma, and tells a genuinely emotional story you connect with. A tear was shed. Florence Pugh in particular superb, just walks away with it.”
“Biggest compliment I can pay #Thunderbolts is that it felt like Infinity era MCU. A focus on the characters and story, rather than fan service or future set-up (until lengthy post-credit scene). Terrific cast, led by the always-excellent Florence Pugh,” said another user on X.
Hit the #Thunderbolts hashtag on X, and you will be hard-pressed to find a negative reaction. We shall see if the critics all agree when reviews drop next week.
Until then, hit the gallery for more reactions.
1. All facts here
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Anadolu / Delroy Lindo
Marvel Studios’ take on Blade starring Mahershala Ali has become a running joke in Hollywood, and Delroy Lindo is providing some insight on why the film can’t seem to get out of limbo.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Lindo, who is currently promoting Ryan Coogler’s epic vampire flick, Sinners, opened up about the troubled Marvel Studios project, touching on issues like creative differences that have hampered production for the film, which was announced in 2019.
Lindo was announced to be joining the Blade reboot in 2021, subsequently exiting the project, revealing to the publication that it “went off the rails.”
“When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input,” the Da 5 Bloods actor said. “And in the various conversations I had with producers, the writer, the director at the time, it was all leading into being very inclusive. It was really exciting conceptually, but it was also exciting in terms of the character that was going to form. And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails.”
Lindo revealed that his character in the Blade reboot was supposed to have a “Marcus Garvey-esque” persona.
“I’m not saying that it would’ve been an out-and-out Garvey-ite. Not that, but just in terms of how this man’s philosophy, his ethos, and what was driving him. He was a character who had, very similar to Sinners, created a community, a Black community. He was a character who was the head of this community,” Lindo added.
It sounds like we missed out on something epic.
Welp.
Ali’s Blade Movie Is Currently A Joke
Since Ali’s Blade has failed to enter the MCU, the Academy Award-winning actor has appeared in other films, as well as the forthcoming entry in the Jurassic Park film franchise, and in other movies that were announced around the same time as the reboot, which has become a constant gag.
Wesley Snipes, who successfully brought the Daywalker to the big screen in three feature-length films, and recently reprised the role in Deadpool & Wolverine, has even taken shots at Ali’s Blade movie.
Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige insists that Ali is still very much involved with the Blade project and that it’s coming. We will continue to put faith in the man that is finally giving us the X-Men we have wanted to see for years, and delivered some of the greatest comic book movies of all-time.
He deserves that much grace.
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Source: Marvel Studios / Avengers: Doomsday
Marvel Studios did something entirely different by announcing that Avengers: Doomsday is in production and revealing the highly anticipated comic book movie with a huge cast.
X, formerly Twitter, was buzzing when the Marvel Studios account went live, leaving fans wondering what big announcement was coming. Little did they know they were in for five hours of watching chairs with names lined up to reveal who would be in the film.
The live stream began at 8 am PT Wednesday with Disney-owned studio slowly revealing each cast member by playing accompanying music associated with their characters while placing down the chairs.
Millions of fans tuned in to the 5 hour live stream in hopes their patience would eventually be rewarded, but nope, it was just chairs, and it also just proved how much of stranglehold Marvel Studios still has on the culture.
Out of all of the 27 cast members announced, there was only one person in the exceptionally large soundstage, Robert Downey Jr. himself who was revealed to be playing Dr. Doom in the Russo Brothers directed superhero epic.
Almost Everybody And Their Momma’s Are In Avengers: Doomsday
Some of the names revealed to be in the film should have come as a surprise, especially to those who follow Marvel Studios. Those names include:
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
Anthony Mackie as Captain America
Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes
Letitia Wright as Shuri / Black Panther
Paul Rudd as Ant-Man
Wyatt Russell as John Walker / U.S. Agent
Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor
Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / Thing
Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
Lewis Pullman as Sentry
Danny Ramirez as Falcon
Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch
David Harbour as Red Guardian
Winston Duke as M’Baku
Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic
Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
The biggest surprised had to be the announcement of the return of OG X-Men from the Fox movie franchises, Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), James Marsden (Cyclops) and Rebacca Romijin (Mystique).
A huge surprise was the announcement of Channing Tatum reprising his role of Gambit we met in Deadpool & Wolverine which was a hit. So clearly he did make a name for himself.
Glaring Ommissions
There were some glaring omissions, no Halle Berry Famke Janssen, or Anna Paquin. Also, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman were also missing plus, fans couldn’t help but bring up Chris Evans, the original Captain America in the MCU.
But chances are high that Kevin Feige has plenty up his sleeve in terms of cameos and other easter eggs when it comes Avengers: Doomsday, so we don’t think these announcements begin to scratch the film’s surface.
But, like with the poster reveal for Avengers: Endagame which became a hilarious meme, the cast reveal for Doomsday has also spawned jokes with users on X, formerly Twitter adding random pop culture characters to the film’s cast.
Lol bruh.
You can always count on social media to deliver some laughs.
Hit the gallery below for more reactions to the Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal.
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JC Olivera / Jonathan Majors
Jonathan Majors finally opened up about fumbling the Marvel bag and more in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, but newly surfaced audio has social media canceling him all over again.
Majors’ Kang The Conqueror was supposed to be a Thanos-level threat of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, with different variations of Kang making life miserable for whoever is on The Avengers team and other Marvel superheroes for years to come.
Unfortunately, Majors was swiftly given the boot after he was convicted of misdemeanor third-degree assault and second-degree harassment of his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
So, the last time we saw Kang the Conqueror was in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumanium, where Scott Lang and a gang of giant technologically advanced ants thwarted the multidimensional hopping villain.
He also revealed that he is working on a new superhero project.
Per THR:
On finding out he was fired, Majors recalled, “He goes, ‘I’m just gonna tell you now. That way you’re not surprised, and you can start processing it. They fired you. Marvel fired you.’”
As for his possible new superhero project, he said: “No relation to the big guys, DC or Marvel, but a pretty wicked story. I’m glad to be reading. Sometimes it feels like it’s not going to happen [about his career resurgence]. And sometimes it feels like we start next week.”
Jonathan Majors Claims Therapy & Domestic Violence Program Helped Him
Majors managed to avoid jail time but was ordered to complete 52 weeks of a domestic violence intervention program in addition to probation. Still, his once extremely promising Hollywood career suffered as studios began dropping him and his projects in the wake of his conviction.
The actor revealed as a result of therapy and a domestic violence program he had to attend as a result of his conviction, he was able to unpack some childhood trauma.
Majors claimed he experienced “sexual abuse from both men and women from the time I was 9,” adding he told his mother, and she apologized for not being able to protect him.
It looks like the Jonathan Majors redemption tour has hit a significant snag, thanks to that new audio. Do you think Michael B. Jordan regrets saying he’s “proud” of his Creed III co-star’s “resilience” and adds that he would love to work with him again?
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Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty / Wendell Pierce
Legendary actor Wendell Pierce is excited about the summer, and he should be because he will be in two of the biggest films this year.
The Wire star is the textbook definition of “booked and busy” these days. You can’t turn on your televisions and not see Pierce’s face in one of your favorite television shows.
This summer, the same can be said about the big screen as well. Pierce will star in James Gunn’s highly anticipated Superman reboot, which is set to jumpstart Gunn’s newly created DCEU. He also popped up in the trailer for the upcoming Marvel Studios film Thunderbolts*.
Speaking alongside his girlfriend and Power Book III: Raising Kanan co-star, Erika Woods with CASSIUSLife’s Bernard “Beanz” Smalls, Pierce expressed excitement about being a potential summer blockbuster and being in a rare space because he will be in both comic book movie universes.
Pierce Says He’s Looking Forward To This Summer
“I’m looking forward to this summer. It’s going to be a great summer, ” Pierce said to CASSIUSLife. “As an actor, you tried to build a body of work. And while you’re doing it, you’re not conscious of it. You want to build a body of work where you can look back and then appreciate how many different things you did and how diverse and eclectic your body of work is. It shows your range and how one of the things you want to be as a character actor is an actor of character that has the ability to do a multitude of things, and still bring something to it, and it affects people.
Pierce Reveals He Didn’t Realize How Big The Comic Book Movie Universe Was
Pierce continues, “I did not know how big the comic book world and the movie universe world was until I was shooting these movies. And so I’m looking forward to the response. Good and bad, is going to come from all sides. The affinity that people have for the material and the worlds, I really appreciate it. I was not of the world. I wasn’t the comic book guy, but the thing I love about the fandom is the fact that you see the fervor that people have, and if you don’t have it, you’re envious of it.
“You want to be a part of it. It’s infectious. And that’s the thing that I love about it. It’s so infectious that even though I may not have been a part of that fandom, I am drawn to it and now want to know more and to now be a part of that, a small part of that is going to be exciting. And actually it’s been really interesting being in both of the worlds. I’m one of the few rare people who have gotten to be in both, so I’m looking forward to that as well.”
We hope Mr.Pierce keeps that schedule clear, he’s going to be in a lot of comic book movies.
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Source: Marvel Studios / Marvel Animation / X-Men ’97
The wait for season 2 of X-Men ’97 will be a long one!
X-Men ’97 was one of the standouts for Marvel Studios / Marvel Animation last year and left fans wanting more after its explosive season one finale, which ended on a cliffhanger.
Speaking with Collider, Marvel’s head of streaming, television, and animation Brad Winderbaum revealed when we could expect to return to X-Men ’97.
“Season 2 of X-Men ’97 is going to be in ’26. We’re working on it now. It’s exciting. That world of the ’90s is just… I can’t believe they let me make it. I grew up at Marvel, as you know, clocked a lot of time here, and I feel like I used a lot of currency to revive this thing that I loved watching after school. So, the fact that we get to play in that universe with those actors is honestly why I went into this business in the first place.”
Marvel Studios didn’t waste time greenlighting the animated series for a second and third season. When the show returns for season three, it won’t be with writer Beau DeMayo who got canned ahead of season one’s premiere.
“Right now, we are still working on X-Men ’97 season 2. It’s coming together amazingly, and the scripts for season 3 are insane,” Winderbaum told Screen Rant.
“That is certainly scratching the X-Men itch for me on television. And there is an X-Men feature in development right now, so that is the focus of X-Men currently.”
Social Media Is Not Happy About The Wait For X-Men ’97
News of the show not returning until 2026 isn’t sitting well with some fans, and understandably so.
One user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote, “This is so tiring with most if not all shows having 2 years in between seasons. Stop with this.”
“And yet another blow. Way to kill all momentum. X-Men ’97 was, wire to wire, the best piece of entertainment Marvel produced the last years,” wrote Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld who has been taking shots at Marvel Studios as of late because he claimed he wasn’t allowed to go to the Deadpool & Wolverine afterparty.
Others are willing to be patient.
We will be locked in whenever season 2 premieres, until that day arrives, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Source: Marvel Studios / Black Panther: Wakanda Forever / Okoye
If you eagerly awaited the Black Panther spinoff series featuring Okoye, we have bad news for you.
Marvel’s head of streaming, television, and animation, Brad Winderbaum, confirmed that the Okoye series starring Danai Gurira is no longer moving forward at Marvel Television.
Talk of the series began in 2021, but there hasn’t been a peep about it until now.
“I think fans of Okoye are going to be excited to see her come back, but I don’t think it’s going to be in a television show,” Winderbaum said to Pay or Wait. “I can’t say where and when, but I think there’s a lot to look forward to.”
As for the animated Black Panther spinoff, Eyes of Wakanda, that is still in the works… for now.
“Eyes of Wakanda, more than any other show we’re doing in animation, ties directly into the MCU,” Winderbaum said about the show in 2024. “This is a story about Wakandan history. It’s produced by Ryan Coogler, it’s directed by Todd Harris who is one of our longtime storyboard artists, who I first met when he designed the Hulk vs. Thor fight in Thor: Ragnarok. It’s an awesome show. The action’s insane, the storytelling is fantastic. It’s about the history of Wakanda, but it also expands into the greater MCU at different time periods. So if you’re a fan of the movies, this is gonna be a real treat.”
Social Media Is BIG MAD
Reactions to the news of the Okoye series being put on ice is not sitting well with Marvel fans, specifically, Black ones who feel every other show has gotten a spinoff, but don’t understand why Black Panther is not.
“Characters like Agatha and White Vision can get two entire series but Okoye from an Oscar worthy franchise can’t. I hate the MCU,” one user on X, formerly Twitter wrote.
Another user on X wrote, “I waited over 3 years to get an Okoye show and they canceled it but they are making Daredevil season 2 and a Punisher special. … you see, more men, less women. I hope people are happy.”
Damn, that Okoyo series could have been special. Eyes of Wakanda better be L I T.
Just saying.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Source: Mondadori Portfolio / Getty / Anthony Mackie
Even though he didn’t have to say it, Anthony Mackie wants the folks who were big mad to know that he is a “proud American.”
Anthony Mackie had patriotic nerds in their feelings yesterday on social media following comments he made during a Captain America: Brave New World promotional event when he was asked, “What does Captain America represent to you today as a superhero?” After receiving backlash, Mackie had time to clarify his statements.
“Let me be clear about this, I’m a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP is the honor of a lifetime,” Mackie said in an Instagram Stories post. “I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country.”
He added, “CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to.”
Mackie’s comments came after he said that “America” was a term that Captain America didn’t represent.
“To me, Captain America represents a lot of different things, and I don’t think the term ‘America’ should be one of those representations,” Mackie said in the initial clip that sparked “controversy” on X, formerly Twitter. “It’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity, and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable.”
Much Ado About Nothing
Anyone who has seen the latest Captain America movies knows that Chris Evans’ Steve Rodgers had beef with the US Government numerous times. Mackie didn’t say anything wrong.
Captain America: Brave New World is the first feature-length film featuring Mackie’s Sam Wilson as Captain America. He took over the mantle at the end of Avengers: Endgame when old man Steve handed him the shield.
He became Cap in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Mackie recently shared that Evans was the person who told him that he was becoming Captain America.
Captain America: Brave New World arrives in theaters on February 14.
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Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty / Beau DeMayo
This might be one of the most ridiculous ways ever to respond to sexual misconduct allegations.
X-Men 97 showrunner Beau DeMayo vowed to address the serious allegations Disney/Marvel Studios dropped after DeMayo accused the studios of taking away his writing credit on the popular Disney+ animated series.
That day has finally come, but for whatever ridiculous reason, DeMayo locked his response behind his OnlyFans account.
Deadline exclusively reports that DeMayo claims “These allegations of egregious misconduct are false,” calling out Disney and Marvel for its “toxic environment” and “near criminal working conditions” that “turns individuals against one another, stokes paranoia to ensure compliance.”
DeMayo’s claims come after Disney/Marvel Studios revealed they fired him after a misconduct probe’s “egregious nature of the findings” after claiming his firing was due to him sharing risque fan art of himself.
According to reports, word on the Disney streets is that DeMayo allegedly sent nude photos of himself to X-Men ’97 colleagues and got handsy with some of them.
Per Deadline:
Today, as attorney Bryan Freedman filed an expedited jury trial seeking complaint in LA Superior Court to have an allegedly “illegal non-disparagement provision” removed from the writer’s exit package documents, DeMayo took to OnlyFans to call BS on the Kevin Feige-run Marvel and Bob Iger-led Disney.
“The rumors being spread around me online are lies, and they are offensive, but more concerning is that they’re a smear campaign designed to discredit my credibility in order to cover up the egregious prejudicial misconduct stretching from select crew members on X-Men ’97, all the way all the way to the top at Marvel Studios,” DeMayo declared in his nearly 30-minute remarks to camera on the often explicit subscription social platform.
Admitting that “personality conflicts happen, especially in creative environments like Hollywood, DeMayo also acknowledged that he has long known he is “not everyone’s cup of tea.”
Yet, in a nutshell, DeMayo asserted today that him “being gay, Black and open about it at Marvel Studios” and was the real issue the company had with him and why he was tossed out and later saw his credits for the upcoming second season of the mutant saga removed. In fact, spotlighting the timeline of his departure, DeMayo says that it was only after his intial conversation with company HR that he “no longer felt safe at the studio as a gay Black man” that he was shown the door.
Very interesting.
Social Media Reacts To Beau DeMayo Directing People To His OnlyFans Account
Users on X, formerly Twitter, are still skeptical and don’t understand why DeMayo directed people to his OnlyFans account to see his reply.
Again, this is a bizarre way to “bring the receipts and try to clear your name.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
3. Howling
4. Questions that needs answers