With the release of the first trailer for the upcoming Marvel Studios series Echo, Marvel not only introduced audiences to its latest Disney+ effort but also unveiled the new “Marvel Spotlight” banner.
Photo: The Direct
According to Brad Winderbaum, the head of Marvel streaming, Marvel Spotlight will allow the studio to “bring more grounded, character-driven stories to the screen, and in the case of ‘Echo,’ focusing on street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity. Just like comics fans didn’t need to read ‘Avengers’ or ‘Fantastic Four’ to enjoy a ‘Ghost Rider’ Spotlight comic, our audience doesn’t need to have seen other Marvel series to understand what’s happening in Maya’s story.”
A Reprieve For Fans Who Can’t Keep Up
The new banner will bring some relief to Marvel fans who have had trouble keeping up with the studio’s output. In order to enjoy shows like Echo, you will not have to have seen all of the preceding Marvel content.
Photo: Marvel
Projects released under the Marvel Spotlight banner will begin with a new logo and a musical theme composed by Werewolf by Night director Michael Giachhino.
Photo: Marvel
According to Marvel.com, the Marvel Spotlight is “rooted in Marvel Comics’ 85-year publishing history: Spotlight was an anthology comic book series first introduced in 1971 and was the origin of beloved Marvel characters like Ghost Rider and Spider-Woman.”
A Throwback to Netflix?
Interestingly, Marvel has chosen to launch the Marvel Spotlight banner with Echo, a show that prominently features former Netflix Marvel characters such as Daredevil and Kingpin.
The Netflix Marvel shows gained critical acclaim and a cult following of fans for their “street-level” stories and grittier tone.
Based on the first trailer for Echo, it looks like the new series will follow in the Netflix Marvel series’ footsteps. The series will also be the first Marvel Studios production to receive a TV-MA rating.
We will get our first glimpse at Marvel Spotlight when Echo arrives in January 2024.
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond-Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon! Also, thanks for reading!
The Marvelsended with one of the group’s three members lost in a parallel universe. The jump point Dar-Benn created over Earth grew even more unstable after she tried to use both Quantum Bands at the same time. The resulting explosion caused a cosmic power overload that not only killed Dar-Benn, it caused a rip in space itself. It opened a door to a different reality which then began bleeding into the MCU’s Earth-616. Monica Rambeau alone stopped a potential universe-destroying Incursion by absorbing the combined energy of Kamala Khan and Carol Danvers. That gave her the power she needed to close the tear using her electromagnetic spectrum manipulation abilities. But Monica knew her heroism would come with a cost. She was only able to close the hole from the other side. When it safely shut she was stuck in a completely unknown branch of the multiverse.
Marvel Studios
At least it was completely unknown until the film’s only post-movie sequence. A mid-credits scene revealed Monica ended up in a reality with major implications for the MCU’s future. Monica woke up in a hospital bed after someone rescued her from space. Sitting by her side was a Variant of her mother, Maria Rambeau. That Maria doesn’t have a daughter, though. She’s not a mom; she’s a superhero known as Binary, a persona that belonged to Carol Danvers in Marvel Comics.
More importantly, Binary’s associate and Monica’s doctor, turned out to be someone who reports to “Charles.” The scene featured Kelsey Grammer’s Dr. Hank McCoy, a.k.a. Beast, from Fox’s X-Men franchise. His surprise appearance is the most consequential moment yet for mutants in the MCU. It means the X-Men have finally joined the series for good.
Marvel Studios
Ms. Marvel‘s season one finale revealed Kamala Khan to be the MCU’s first confirmed mutant. Since then others like her have officially joined the franchise. A Variant of Patrick Stewart’s Professor Charles Xavier appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. (That film also featured the first Maria Rambeau Variant. She was that dimension’s Captain Marvel.) Namor was the main antagonist of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. And Mr. Immortal made a brief cameo on She-Hulk. There might also be more hiding in plain sight unaware of their genetic mutations.
However, none of those characters have direct ties to Fox’s X-Men films, which are poised to play a major role in the MCU soon. The version of Charles Xavier from Multiverse of Madness wasn’t just a Variant, it’s not clear any other X-Men or mutants exist in his reality. It’s also not yet known what connections, if any, the version of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine who appears in Deadpool 3 will have with his original Fox universe character. Despite mutants’ presence, the X-Men didn’t exist in the MCU until The Marvels post-credits scene. Now they do, because in that universe Beast reports to “Charles.”
20th Century Studios
We don’t yet know if the reality Monica ended up in is the exact same universe as the Fox X-Men movies, but The Marvels strongly hinted at it. In addition to Grammer’s Beast, the scene featured music (listed in the credits) from both X2 and Days of Future Past. That’s a big difference from the musical cue we got for Kamala Khan on Ms. Marvel. A motif from the X-Men animated series accompanied her genetic mutation reveal. If Marvel wanted us to treat Beast, Binary, and the unseen Charles Xavier as just other mutant Variants, why use Fox-era music?
Marvel Studios
The presence of Maria Rambeau’s Binary and the difference in Beast’s physical appearance means we can’t definitively say Monica ended up in the Fox X-Men universe. But no matter which exact reality she’s now trapped in isn’t as important as what that parallel world means for the MCU. The X-Men are now, finally, an official part of the franchise. They’ve also met a hero of Earth-616 and now know, impossible as it seemed to Hank McCoy before, they are not alone in the universe.
It’s only a matter of time before they meet more of a different Earth’s Avengers.
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.
The film will be produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, representative director and fellow of Nintendo, and veteran Hollywood producer Avi Arad, the former chief creative officer of Marvel Entertainment.
The film will be produced by Nintendo and Arad Productions, and directed by Wes Ball, the director behind the Maze Runner trilogy and next year’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
The film will be co-financed by Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment, with more than 50% financed by Nintendo.
“By producing visual contents of Nintendo IP by itself, Nintendo is creating new opportunities to have people from around the world to access the world of entertainment which Nintendo has built, through different means apart from its dedicated game consoles,” the company said.
“By getting deeply involved in the movie production with the aim to put smiles on everyone’s faces through entertainment, Nintendo will continue its efforts to produce unique entertainment and deliver it to as many people as possible.”
Shigeru Miyamoto said in a statement: “I have been working on the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda for many years now with Avi Arad-san, who has produced many mega hit films.
“I have asked Avi-san to produce this film with me, and we have now officially started the development of the film with Nintendo itself heavily involved in the production. It will take time until its completion, but I hope you look forward to seeing it.”
Nintendo’s first modern Hollywood production, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, was a co-production between Illumination (Minions, Despicable Me) and Nintendo. So far it has generated over $1.3 billion at the global box office since its early April release.
The Zelda franchise has sold over 130 million units since launching in 1986, according to Nintendo.
It was released in May and sold 10 million copies worldwide in its first three days, according to Nintendo, making it the fastest-selling game in the history of the series and the fastest-selling Nintendo game for any system in Europe and the Americas. As of September, it’s sold 19.5 million copies.
“We are very happy that [the Mario] movie is a hit, but will remain focused on carefully developing and further expanding each IP while respecting its unique characteristics, just as we have done in the past,” he said.
“Through our strategy of expanding the number of people who have access to Nintendo IP, we want to bring people in contact with our characters and the worlds depicted in our games, with the goal of continually invigorating our core dedicated video game platform business.”
Happy Friday Insiders. Jesse Whittock back again. The strike is over and normality is set to return to the world of TV and film after months of madness. Here’s a rundown of the biggest stories of the week. Don’t forget to sign up to the newsletter here.
Strike, Out!
SAG-AFTRA members on the picket line hours before the historic deal was announced
It’s a deal!: On Wednesday, the industry got the word it was desperate to hear. The deal got done and the actors strike is over. Normality is set to return to the TV and film biz. Our U.S. team were quick to get the industry reaction, as everyone rushed to get back to production and promoting their projects. Even Joe Biden was on hand to welcome the agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP, praising those on-strike actors whose industrial action would “ensure a better future” for creatives across the States and beyond. Crazy scenes saw Deadline’s social media guru Scott Shilstone revealing news of the deal to The Iron Claw star Harris Dickinson on the red carpet in Dallas. “As of when? said the shocked but delighted actor. The likes of Deadpool 3 and Beetlejuice 2 are already planning to restart shooting and we’ll be updating on all the big, on-pause projects that swing back into gear.
What’s been agreed: We’ll discover the fine details this weekend, after the tentative three-year agreement goes to the SAG-AFTRA board today. However, the deal effectively kicked in at 12.01am PT Thursday, meaning the industry is already thinking ‘business as usual.’ Picket line signs will be replaced by call sheets, scripts and props, and hopefully both sides of fence will feel they’ve achieved broadly what they wanted. Kevin Bacon was so excited by the deal that he dusted off his dancing shoes and got Footloose on social media to celebrate.
Celebrations spread: The strike didn’t only impact Hollywood, of course. Productions in Europe and Asia both shut down, with some actors card-carrying SAG members and others not thrilled by the optics of continuing to work while their American counterparts sacrificed pay checks and spent day-after-day on the picket line. In the UK, where the impact of the writers and actors strikes has been particularly acute, the likes of Pact, Bectu, PGGB and British Equity welcomed the deal, with some expressing relief that their members will be able to get back to work after a grim few months. The International Federation of Actors, which represents hundreds of thousands of members globally, said it was “immensely proud” of SAG’s “historic fight.” General Secretary Dominick Luquer added: “This achievement will undoubtedly strengthen the determination of performer unions worldwide to continue fighting with courage and confidence for higher standards, respect, equity, and to help each other out in a globalized industry.” Actors strike coverage from the start can be found here.
Streamers Face Euro Scrutiny
Charles in charge: International streamers have faced more pushback in Europe than anywhere else in the world, as the continent’s proud TV and film communities seek to protect their traditions. That’s manifested in a number of ways this week, including in the UK, where streamer regulation was rubber-stamped during the pomp and spectacle of the King’s Speech — the first Charles III has made since succeeding his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. In effect, U.S. streamers have been brought under the same regulatory framework that governs how public broadcasters operate. Should they break rules around “harmful” content, they can expose themselves to fines of up to £250,000 ($310,000) or be restricted completely. Netflix has previously said the changes could have a “chilling” effect on its appetite to offer documentaries in the UK and threatened to preemptively remove films and TV shows from its library to avoid falling foul of the new regs. For proponents of Ofcom’s regulation, the need to bring streamers in line with the local market has been apparent for several years, as the likes of Netflix and Amazon invest heavily in content and hoover up executive and creative talent.
Not buying it: It wasn’t just in the UK where streamers were in for scrutiny. A report for the European Parliament this week slammed the “widespread” buyouts practice of many streamers and called for change. Residuals and remuneration were among the biggest sticking points in the actors and writers negotiations in the U.S and more and more European creatives demanding success-based systems that give them insight into how their productions actually perform on streamers and a more defined route to long-tail revenue. The Grouping of European Authors’ Societies (GESAC) responded to the EU report saying buyouts were “unfair and coercive” and put creatives at “considerable risk.” For their part, streamers say their investment in European content has opened up an entirely new market for writers and performers and given them freedoms they’ve never had before. They certainly have some good data to back up their beliefs: A separate report from the European Audiovisual Observatory this week showed global streamers released 228 original European scripted titles in 2022, up from 127 a year earlier. Netflix was singled out as spearheading the growth. The UK and Spain were the top production destinations for streamers, with both countries providing 39 titles each. Indie producers were responsible for 84% of productions, highlighting how streamers have become a vital cog in the production engine in Europe.
Goodbye To A Groundbreaker
Hengameh Panahi
Leaving a legacy: The world of international indie film sales and production was reeling this week following news that revered French-Iranian sales agent and producer Hengameh Panahi had died at the age of 67. Panahi was a pioneer in the world of film sales who blazed a trail for her ability to spot emerging talent and then promote their work on the world stage. Her company Celluloid Dreams was synonymous with inscrutable cinematic taste and some of the biggest auteur directors of the last three decades. She had particularly strong bonds with compatriot filmmaker Jafar Panahi, cult Japanese director Takeshi Kitano and French Cannes Palme d’Or winner Jacques Audiard, having first got behind them when they were relative unknowns. As their fame rose, they remained loyal to Panahi even when bigger companies tried to poach them. Celluloid also sold the works of François Ozon, Jia Zanghke, Bruno Dumont, Chantal Akerman, Marjane Satrapi, Todd Haynes, Laurent Cantet, Alexander Sokurov, the Dardenne brothers, Marco Bellocchio, Naomi Kawase, Fernando Trueba and Bertrand Bonello to name but a few of the auteurs in its catalogue. The company was hit hard by the 2008-09 global economic crisis, but Panahi was a fighter and survived to score a top awards hat-trick at Berlin, Cannes and Venice in 2015. Panahi proudly declared at the time that she had sold 800 films, trained 150 rookie film professionals (who are now scattered in key posts across the industry) and paid out more than $55 million in minimum guarantees during her time as a sales agent. Her legacy lives on.
Tales From Taiwan
Janice Chua (L) and Adele Lim (R) speak at TCCF’s ‘Asian Rising Power in Hollywood’ panel
Entry point to China: Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) took place this week in a converted tobacco factory in Taipei, drawing the biggest international crowds the event has seen since it launched during the pandemic in 2020. Organized by Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) the event includes a pitching forum for film and TV projects, a market with sales booths for Taiwanese and international companies, and a few warehouses with immersive artworks and exhibitions, showcasing Taiwan’s prowess in the VR and gaming space. TAICCA was also keen to tout Taiwan as a financing partner for international film and TV production, through its various funding schemes. The country is already working with France through partnerships with Series Mania and national film agency CNC, as well as Korean and Japanese organizations and private companies. With mainland China effectively closed off from international cooperation and struggling with censorship issues, Taiwan is positioning itself as the entry point for Chinese-language content, but also has ambitions in the international space. Crazy Rich Asians writer Adele Lim was on hand to talk about taking Asian stories to global markets. Taiwan’s DaMou Entertainment announced a new show produced with Warner Bros Discovery, and Deadline also caught up with Greener Grass president Phil Tang, who gave us an insightful overview of Taiwanese drama production and how Taiwan is working with the global streamers. Find our complete TCCF coverage here.
Red Sea Stays Buoyant
Red Sea International Film Festival & Souk venue the Ritz Carlton, Jeddah
Going ahead: There has been film industry chatter in recent weeks over whether Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival would push on with its third edition against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The festival management has not made any official statement on the matter, but the staggered announcement of the bulk of its film program over the past week is confirmation the edition, scheduled to unfold in the port city of Jeddah from November 30 to December 9, is going ahead. Launched in 2021, in the wake of Saudi Arabia opening up to the world under its 2030 Vision strategy to move the economy away from a reliance on oil, the festival is a cornerstone of the country’s ambition to transform itself into the leading creative industries hub in the region. Alongside showcasing regional cinema, the first two editions drew attention for their glitzy red carpets and high-profile, paid guests. Personalities attending last year included Oliver Stone, Sharon Stone, Spike Lee and Guy Ritchie alongside Bollywood stars Shah Rubk Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra. It remains to be seen how many international guests will make the trip this year. The Festival Favourites sidebar features Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut Woman of the Hour and family drama Mother Couch, starring Ewan McGregor and Ellen Burstyn, but there’s no news on whether these stars will be hitting the Red Sea’s red carpet as yet. In the meantime, Morocco’s Marrakech Film Festival kicks off on November 24, some two months after a deadly earthquake in the nearby Atlas Mountains. It has confirmed a raft of attending talent over the past week, including Tilda Swinton, Jessica Chastain, Martin Scorsese, Mads Mikkelsen, Simon Baker and Viggo Mortensen. More Marrakech news here and Red Sea rundowns here.
The Essentials
Susanna White (inset) & ‘The Buccaneers’
?️ Hot One: The Buccaneers director Susanna White revealed she’s penned a coming-of-age feature for the BFI about her teen years, set during the end of the fur trade.
?️ Yes, another: Emma Corrin and Lucie Zhang are set to star as best friends who scam sugar daddies in Hong Kong-set comedy Peaches.
?️ Pod god: Max interviewed the WME agent behind the recent spate of popular British politics podcasts.
? Noms: Contenders for the 36th European Film Awards were unveiled Tuesday.
⚖️ Case dismissed: Dustin Lance Black’s UK assault trial was thrown out after a judge ruled there was inconsistent and insufficient evidence.
?? Brit List: The annual unsigned scripts selection was topped by a family adventure feature about a granny with secret superpowers and an underground spy base.
Before superhero movies were the only kind of movies, they almost always had a cute little gag where someone would acknowledge that something—typically something pulled straight from the comic book source material—was silly, whether it was by directly breaking the fourth wall or with a winky meta gag. That way the audience wouldn’t feel embarrassed about watching a superhero movie, because the movie had announced that it was okay to think it was embarrassing. The most iconic example is in the first X-Men movie, when Wolverine objects to everyone wearing matching leather costumes and Cyclops quips: “What would you prefer? Yellow spandex?” (a nod to Wolverine’s costume in the comics).
Vincent D’Onofrio has some thoughts on that “Daredevil: Born Again” overhaul
Modern superhero movies no longer waste time with that, with Marvel Studios’ latest release—The Marvels—basically being the ultimate expression of how Hollywood’s feelings toward superheroes have evolved. It’s a movie where everyone unabashedly wears a superhero suit, where everyone’s backstory is explained in a different thing, and where ill-defined superpowers that involve energy blasts and energy absorption are just accepted as cool. There’s no point in undercutting any of that, because nobody’s going to the theater to see The Marvels if they’re not already on board.
It’s been a long time since Hollywood has been embarrassed by superheroes. The movies make money. They’re popular. Marvel can make a movie called The Marvels and people generally understand what that means. However, Hollywood is still significantly ashamed of the actual source material—comic books—that these superheroes come from.
The Marvels is also an example of this, though not the most egregious one. After all, its three eponymous Marvels have different origins than their comics counterparts. Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel is better served by her movie origin, which isn’t dependent on a man, like her comics one. But fans of the comics version of Monica Rambeau might be disappointed that Teyonah Parris’ version doesn’t get any credit for being the first woman to use the Captain Marvel name or for having a legacy all her own. Then there’s Ms. Marvel, the one and only breakout star of Marvel Comics’ push to make the Inhumans matter at all, but Iman Vellani’s live-action version is implied to be a mutant in the MCU—at least partially because Marvel Studios wisely avoided the Inhumans, save for one failed TV project—and her powers were changed for her TV show.
Marvel Studios’ The Marvels | Official Trailer
More obvious examples can be rattled off easily: The Infinity Gauntlet story in the comics is completely different from how it plays out in Infinity War (which was the name of another completely different story) and Endgame. The bones of Civil War are there in the movie, but the comic had a whole thing about picking sides and competing philosophies about superheroism that all had their defenders (even if Captain America was obviously right in both of them). Or take any of the MCU Spider-Man movies, which have all been epic crossovers where Spidey meets another hero and faces increasingly gigantic stakes, as opposed to 90 percent of Spidey comics, where he’s just trying to juggle his Daily Bugle gig and his relationship with Mary Jane, and then maybe the Rhino will trash a bank if you’re lucky.
It’s the same with the Flashmovie across the aisle, which was heavily indebted to the Flashpointcomics event, in a sense, even though that’s just one Flash story in nearly seven decades of Flash history and this was the very first movie all about the Flash. Like Spider-Man, most comics about the Flash tend to be about him battling one of the many classic Flash villains like Mirror Master or Weather Wizard, not Superman’s General Zod, but a regular story about the Flash—any story from that long history—simply isn’t big enough for Hollywood to justify the huge financial demands put on a mega-budget superhero movie.
In the past, that kind of pressure has even killed what should be relatively easy superhero projects. Joss Whedon was attached to Batgirl before the recent doomed version, but one of the reasons his version fell apart was (supposedly) that he couldn’t “crack the code” of what a Batgirl movie should be about—as if easy jumping-on-point comics like Batgirl: Year One and Batgirl Of Burnside don’t exist, though the project would’ve been more cursed than before if it had ended up being a collaboration between Whedon and Burnside co-writer Cameron Stewart.
What is Civil War? – Marvel TL;DR
Less… problematic is Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again, which recently suspended production as part of a full creative overhaul after Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige was unhappy with what writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman had come up with (including the much-derided decision to keep Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock out of the Daredevil costume until the fourth episode). They were apparently making a semi-serious legal procedural that just happened to be about Daredevil, which could’ve been fun if not for the fact that there are tons of great jumping-on-point comics that Marvel could easily base a whole Daredevil series around without having to come up with anything new/bad.
Like, for example, Frank Miller’s acclaimed “Born Again” run, which the show was named after. That’s largely what Ben Affleck’s Daredevil movie followed, and Netflix’s original Daredevil show was mostly Frank Miller-inspired stuff, but there are so many more than that. Mark Waid’s Daredevil run (one of the best in superhero history) was a fresh start of sorts for the character, dropping some of the doom and gloom in favor of more optimistic jokey beats (masking some real gut-punches) that would fit perfectly on Disney+.
Or, if Disney wanted more of a legal procedural, Brian Michael Bendis’ Daredevil comics had a story arc where his secret identity was exposed and published in a newspaper, so he took the owner of that paper to court even though it was true. That would be an interestingly dark storyline for Marvel Studios to tackle, since it really highlights the inherent hypocrisy of Daredevil—a man who fights alongside the justice system during the day as a lawyer but circumvents it at night as a vigilante.
What is Infinity Gauntlet? – Marvel TL;DR
That gets at the real issue here: Hollywood is in a superhero slump, across Marvel and its big-screen competitors, but it’s at least partially self-inflicted. There are decades of well-received superhero stories that Hollywood could be pulling from but is choosing not to. Sometimes that’s a good idea, like in Captain Marvel, but a lot of these comic storylines have done the heavy lifting and solved these characters in a way that movies don’t need to do.
The previous Daredevil: Born Again administration shouldn’t have needed to waste time figuring out the character and deciding how to tell a Daredevil story, because it’s been done countless times before with countless creative teams who just happen to be working in a different medium that these studios—consciously or not—look down on.
Joss Whedon failing to make a Batgirl movie is not a Batgirl problem, it’s a Joss Whedon problem. Disney struggling to make a Daredevil TV show has nothing to do with it being hard to tell a Daredevil story—because it shouldn’t be that hard. It’s either because Disney is dumb and can’t figure it out, or because they’re more than happy to exploit comic books right up until the point where it requires actually reading them and acknowledging that there are good things about them beyond the easy IP they provide.
Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez immediately stood out when she appeared in Disney Plus’ Hawkeye back in 2021. Among a cast of charismatic goofballs and assassins with hearts of gold, Maya was a terrifyingly deadly foil, constantly reminding the audience and characters of the stakes. Disney was so enamored with Cox’s portrayal of the deaf Native American heroine, it greenlit a spinoff, and on Friday we got our first look at it. We also got the surprising announcement that the show, Echo, would be coming to Disney Plus and Hulu simultaneously.
This news comes just a few days after Disney committed to buying Comcast’s stake in Hulu and right as we all begin to wonder what that means for the future of the smaller streaming service. Hulu doesn’t have nearly the same subscription base as Disney Plus, but what it’s had going for it is live TV and a willingness to stream much more violent and “adult” content than the kid-friendly Disney Plus.
Watching the trailer for Echo, which includes people being beaten to death and shot in the head, it’s pretty clear why it would make its way to Hulu. That’s where stuff like Y: The Last Man, about the graphic death of all creatures with Y chromosomes, and Handmaid’s Tale, about the violently graphic subjugation of women in a patriarchal theocracy, stream. When Disney first launched Disney Plus, it differentiated between the two services in a similar fashion. Disney Plus was where you went to watch stuff with the whole family. Hulu is what you watched after the kids went to bed.
But as Disney’s gotten more adventurous with programming on Disney Plus, the lines have blurred with more adult fare like Loki and Andor. Premiering Echo, which stars a character who first appeared on Disney Plus, on Hulu makes sense in that context. Echo looks way too violent for Disney Plus — even if the earlier seasons of Daredevil and Jessica Jones (both originally produced for Netflix) are on the service.
But the show couldn’t have appeared on Hulu and not Disney Plus, given Disney Plus is where the Marvel canon lives — thus, the simultaneous release. I’m sure the fact that Echo’s executive producer, Sydney Freeland, previously worked on Reservation Dogs at Hulu helped as well.
The show will premiere on both services on January 10th, and as Variety noted in a story today, it will feature a largely Indigenous cast and make Maya’s Choctaw heritage a prominent part of the story. Notably, Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk is also playing a big part in the show. Fisk was originally introduced on Daredevil and made a surprise return in Hawkeye. Presumably, he’ll also return for the next season of Daredevil, but that show is facing a major production overhaul after Marvel hated the direction of the show and its focus on courtroom drama instead of the violent action sequences that helped the original show break out on Netflix.
If Daredevil is planning to be as violent as Echo appears to be, it will likely also appear on both streamers. So Echo is, in a sense, a test balloon for Disney as it figures out how to make these two streamers — including the new one it’s about to own outright — work together.
A representative for A24 confirmed the project to IndieWire; it was originally reported by Puck. The film will be based on Walter Isaacson’s biography of the tech mogul and SpaceX CEO, published this past September. Isaacson’s 2011 biography of Steve Jobs inspired the 2015 Oscar-nominated film directed by Danny Boyle.
The Elon Musk biopic marks the “Requiem for a Dream” filmmaker’s second homegrown project at A24 after last year’s “The Whale” won Brendan Fraser the Oscar for Best Actor. (A24 did, however, acquire Aronofsky’s debut feature film, the 1998 Sundance sensation “Pi,” for IMAX re-release.) Prior to “The Whale,” Aronofsky directed the provocative biblical allegory “mother!” for Paramount and, in 2011, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Director for Searchlight’s “Black Swan.” Most recently, Aronofsky directed the film “Postcards from Earth,” currently showing exclusively at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
It’s been just over a year since Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion and turned it into the rebranded X, making layoffs and changes that have caused uproar among users, including charging them for verification status. The polarizing businessman stepped down as chairman of Tesla in 2018 after being an early investor in the electric vehicle manufacturer; that year, the SEC sued him for falsely tweeting that he’d privately taken over the company. Musk founded California-based spacecraft manufacturer and defense contractor SpaceX in 2002.
Regina George and the Plastics are back in Mean Girls, the musical reboot of 2004’s original film. Once again brought to viewers by the mind of Tina Fey, Mean Girls will grace the screens in a slightly altered portrayal, which includes songs and dancing.
Granted, the trailer itself does not include much of either, even if it is hinted at. Instead, the trailer focuses more on nostalgia while acknowledging that it is a recreation. The trailer even calls out the audience calling it “This Is Not Your Mother’s Mean Girls.”
The slightly over two-minute teaser brings back iconic moments from the original film, including Cady’s overly scary Halloween costume, the Santa school performance, “Get in loser,” Regina’s overly relaxed mother, the Burn Book, and the female students gathering in the gym.
The original 2004 film is still considered an iconic teen movie. The satirical flick had found a new student, Cady, after years of being homeschooled, being thrown into the deep end of high school, and the conflicts that surround “Girl World.”
2024’s remake features the same array of characters with a new twist. Tina Fey’s return to Mean Girls, following having written the original film and stage musical, also sees her return to her on-screen role in addition to being a writer on the film. While Tina Fey reprises her role as faculty member Ms. Norbury, Tim Meadows is reprising his role as Principal Ron Duvall.
The 2024 iteration of Mean Girls certainly has the opportunity to make the same impression on audiences that the original had in 2004. But will the film be a near replica of the original, or will the twenty years between movies encourage alterations to the characters, storylines, and jokes?
While not everything in the 2004 film aged well, Mean Girls still actively holds a place in present-day pop culture.
Does 2024’s remake have a chance to stand on its own? Or, will it be compared to the original even if it is a great movie in its own right?
Mean Girls comes to theaters on Friday, January 12th, 2024.
Britain’s biggest independent film festival, Raindance is considered a champion of maverick filmmaking on a limited budget. Raindance celebrates these bold, creative, and risk-taking filmmakers with the Raindance Maverick Award at the annual BIFAs (British Independent Film Awards C.I.C), the awards ceremony founded by Raindance in 1998. Formally the Raindance Discovery Award, changes have been made to reflect the spirit of the award –maverick filmmaking on a limited budget – and includes a rise in budget cap from £500k to £1m, and no limit on UK theatrical distribution.
This year’s BIFA Raindance Maverick Award nominees comprises 5 remarkable films.
“The Raindance Maverick Award… captures all that is radical and rebellious about independent cinema,” says Elliot Grove, founder of Raindance and BIFA. “Raindance will always be a place to discover maverick films, and we are thrilled to champion these risk-takers and rule-breakers.”
The list includes our very own RED HERRING, directed by Kit Vincent, which screened at this year’s Raindance Film Festival.
Nominees
IF THE STREETS WERE ON FIRE – Alice Russell, Gannesh Rajah
IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE? – Ella Glendining, Janine Marmot
NAME ME LAWAND – Edward Lovelace
RAGING GRACE – Paris Zarcilla, Chi Thai
RED HERRING – Kit Vincent, Ed Owles
Previous recipients include Ben Wheatley, receiving an early accolade for his first feature Down Terrace. The BIFA Raindance Discovery Award was presented in 2022 to Hassan Nazer’s Winners, the story of two children from a small Iranian community who discover the lost Academy Award statuette of Asghar Faradi.
The winner will be announced at the BIFA awards ceremony on Sunday 3 December.
Raindance promotes and supports independent filmmaking and filmmakers.
From new and emerging to industry pros, Raindance connects, trains, supports, and promotes visual storytellers through every step of their career.
The Raindance Film Festival runs each Autumn in London’s Leicester Square.
The time around Remembrance Day is tough for Second World War veterans like Hank Jackson, who turns 103 in January.
“It’s the only time you really stop and think about all the poor buggers that didn’t make it,” said Jackson, a former tail gunner on a Halifax bomber.
Jackson flew 32 combat missions from the United Kingdom. All members of his crew received Distinguished Flying Crosses from the United States Armed Forces.
“They’ve all disappeared. My father and my brother were both in the army overseas – my father in the First World War – and all three of us made it back. So we did above average. We gotta remember a lot of those guys that didn’t.”
Bill Cook, who is 98 and was also a tail gunner in the Second World War, flew a dozen missions over Europe.
Story continues below advertisement
“My crew have all passed away. It still haunts me.”
Calgary veteran creates app to honour fallen soldiers
More than one million Canadians served in the Second World War. More than 45,000 died and another 55,000 were wounded. Another 33,000 fought in the Korean War.
Veterans Affairs Canada says there are 9,267 veterans of the Second World War and Korean War who are still alive in Canada.
But as veterans die, military historians worry about keeping their history alive in the minds of Canadians.
Staff with The Military Museums in Calgary, home to eight separate museums, have interviewed many of the dwindling number of Second World War veterans.
“It’s always a huge loss when we lose our veterans’ voices,” said senior curator Rory Cory.
Story continues below advertisement
“That’s why it’s important for us as a museum and as educators and historians in general to try and keep the public interest alive in those kind of things. It’s up to the next generations to carry the torch forward.”
Cory said the organization has come up with ways to get more war history into Calgary classrooms. There’s a program called Explosive Threats related to mining and demining and peacekeeping. And there’s another called Explosive Math, which has students do mathematical calculations to plot the shot fall of an artillery shell.
Winnipeg students and staff reflect on meaning of Remembrance Day
Karl Kjarsgaard, curator of the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alta., said he’s disappointed with how little students are learning in school about Canada’s contribution to the Second World War.
“Why should children come to our museum and say, ‘Canada was in World War II?’ I am concerned that Canadians are not being told of the excellence of gentlemen like these guys that did their best to give us our freedom.”
Story continues below advertisement
Canada’s involvement in the Second World War is taught in schools, but it often focuses on international conflicts and root causes as opposed to specific battles and exploits.
In British Columbia, for example, the provincial education ministry says social studies for Grade 10 covers the history of Canada and the world from 1914 to present day and requires all students learn about “international conflicts and co-operation,” with the world wars a suggested topic.
Jackie Jansen van Doorn, executive director of The Military Museums Foundation, said stories from a source are key to educating the younger generation.
“Having someone who’s actually been through a war and tell their first-hand experience is something that really makes memories for students that come through our doors,” she said.
“The education component this is just huge, and having the loss of these veterans impacts on how the next generation remembers things.”
Cemetery volunteer honours fallen veterans outside of Remembrance Day
Cook vividly remembered the first time he was in a firefight.
Story continues below advertisement
“The instructor would say, ‘You don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes.’ This Focke-Wulf (German fighter plane) was coming in on the tail and I was sitting there waiting until he got closer, and all of a sudden he fired and hit the tail fin,” Cook said.
“I was so bloody scared, I didn’t know which way to turn. After that, I thought to hell with the hero worship. When a fighter came in and he was 400 or 500 yards away, I would fire a blast off to let him know, ‘I see you,’ and they would usually peel off.”
Jackson said he doesn’t remember a lot of the missions, but he does recall facing his own mortality.
“When we were flying, I honestly did not think we’d make it. Because, you know, I thought if it happened, it’s going to happen, and I just hope it happens quick,” he said with a laugh.
“I didn’t want to go down in a flame or something.”
Jackson said he has shared some of his experiences with young people who have come to visit, but he also understands why some aren’t aware of what happened in the past. They may not have had family members who served.
“Anyone who has had a family member affected, they probably do.”
Denise Richards is keeping the door open for a potential return to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, although she admits it’s a challenge given her strained relationships with some current cast members.
The Wild Things actress, who was a mainstay for two seasons of RHOBH, left the show amid ongoing conflicts with Lisa Rinna and Brandi Glanville, particularly regarding Glanville’s allegations of a romantic encounter between the two.
During her two-part interview on the Just B With Bethenny Frankelpodcast, Richards shed light on her unexpected cameos in the current season. She explained that attending a screening of Garcelle Beauvais’ film led to her return. Richards emphasized her genuine support for Beauvais and revealed that the invitation to rejoin the show came from her.
“I didn’t ask to be paid to go to her screening, I didn’t expect it, I was truly going to support her and they were filming it,” she shared. “After I went to the screening, she called me the next day and asked me if I would ever do anything. I said, ‘If it’s with you, I would do it.’ I did a couple lunches and a dinner, it’s not a big deal.”
Added Richards, “Garcelle, I was friends with her before the show. I will continue to be friends with her. I love her.”
Expressing her friendship with Beauvais and newfound camaraderie with Sutton Stracke through the show, Richards touched on the tumultuous fallout with Rinna.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Heart Truth Red
“My experience with Lisa Rinna was so bad that I thought, ‘OK, what would happen next season?'” she told host Bethenny Frankel on her pondering whether to return.
“I did have a sh**ty experience. …It wasn’t good with Lisa Rinna and it was sad to me. I had a 20-year friendship with her,” she continued. “And to see how she could sacrifice a friendship of 20 years for a show that isn’t gonna last forever — obviously, she isn’t on it anymore — like, at what cost?”
Richards also said she believes she and Rinna would still be friends “if we weren’t on the show” together. “I think that you learn a lot about people when you live with them, travel or work with them. I had never worked with Rinna before,” she said.
Richards, who left the show wondering about her future interactions with Rinna, didn’t rule out a full-time return, especially now that Rinna has left RHOBH.
Bravo
“We’ll see whatever happens. I don’t know if they’ll ask me back, I just did a few episodes. I didn’t call to say, ‘Hey, can I come back?'” Denise responded. “After my second season, I also — because I wanted it to be real — thought, ‘How would this make sense, if all the women f**king hate me?'”
“Almost everyone did, except for Garcelle and Sutton, but everyone else was such an a**hole to me,” she continued, asking herself, “How would it make sense” for them to all film together without a “genuine” connection?
Reflecting on her initial decision to join RHOBH, Richards emphasized that it wasn’t motivated by financial concerns but rather a desire for a fun and different experience.
In an exclusive interview with ET’s Brice Sander at BravoCon in Las Vegas, the 52-year-old performer revealed that she believes she was merely finishing a dispute that Richards had instigated.
“I want you to remember that she picked a fight. Denise Richards picked the fight, and I ended the fight. So, she can call me evil. I’ve been called worse by better people,” Jayne said.
Last month, ET had the exclusive first look at Bravo’s return to Beverly Hills. In the season 13 trailer, Richards makes an appearance and she and Jayne get into it.
“Did you know that it’s seven dollars for a naked bundle of Denise Richards on OnlyFans?” Erika brings up at one dinner, sparking a new feud with the actress.
“You think I’m not going to go as low as I f**king can?!” Jayne later hisses at her former castmate.
“You’re one evil woman,” Richards tells her.
“I am,” Jayne replies.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays on Bravo.
Ever imagined a Minority Report-style world in which you can interact with technology simply by pointing at things? Well, Lexus wants to make that a reality… in your car.
One of the most interesting is the Reality in Motion2 system, which is enabled by Toyota Group’s upcoming advanced Arene operating system, which it claims will take in-car personalization to the next level.
For example, it has the ability to replicate the driving characteristics, sounds and vibrations associated with different types of car, so the driver can tailor the experience to suit their personal preference. What’s more, the aforementioned Reality in Motion2 system allows drivers to simply point at objects, businesses or landmarks outside of the vehicles and access further information. Like Googling something with your finger.
According to Lexus, onboard sensors work in conjunction with digital data from the car’s surroundings. “For example, when drivers point to objects or places of interest during their journey, the car’s display promptly delivers information along with voice guidance, enhancing the interactive connection between people and their cars,” Lexus stated at the Japan Mobility Show.
(Image credit: Lexus)
What’s the point?
All of this might sound like a flight of fantasy, but Lexus is pressing ahead with developing the tech, and some journalists were lucky enough to get a sneak preview of it in action in Tokyo last month.
According to Autoblog, one of the outlets invited to receive a demonstration of the tech, the Lexus engineers “demonstrated these features on a test course set up in a parking lot at a Toyota test center outside Nagoya.”
How did it fare? Well, according to Autoblog it “generally did what Lexus says it will. Whether you’re in the driver or passenger seat, you can point out the window, say the wake word or phrase, and it will identify the point of interest.”
This has the potential to heavily reduce driver distraction when behind the wheel, as it relieves the temptation to pick up the smartphone when you don’t know the name of a business or landmark in the vicinity.
Instead, the Reality in Motion2 system could make it as simple as pointing at a cool-looking coffee shop and asking the Lexus infotainment system what time it closes, rather than diving into Google Maps, locating the business and then pulling up its particulars. We’ll watch with interest to see how this one develops.
The new PlayStation 5 hasn’t come out yet — it doesn’t even have a specific release date — but a few YouTubers have gotten their hands on it, including Dave Lee from the Dave2D channel. Lee posted his teardown of the console yesterday, and if you’ve been curious about how that detachable disc drive works, this is the best look you’ll get at it without buying the $499.99 PS5 yourself later this month.
After Lee pries off the PS5’s plastic side cover, you can see the drive sitting there with three screws staring back at you. I thought they were pentalobe screws at first, but a later zoomed-in shot shows they’re just standard crosshead screws. Phillips head, if you like. Okay, no surprises there. Good.
It can’t be that easy. But it is!Clip: Dave2D / GIF: The Verge
But then it just pops right out. The screws were a red herring! Such sleek modularity!
The PS5 disc drive connector.Screenshot: The Verge
When Lee pulls the drive aside, it reveals a port framed within an oblong hexagon where the drive’s connecter settles. This is what I loved about so much of the design of machines like the Power Mac G5. You see the part, you grab it, and you take it out — there’s no hard, angular plastic connector to stab your sweaty fingers as you wriggle it free. Very tasteful.
The drive aside, the new PS5 is a nice-looking system if you’re into the pointy Dracula collar look of the first one. And when Lee puts it next to the original, the size disparity is more drastic than past comparisons have made it seem, even if they’re really not that differently sized; it’s still larger than the Xbox Series X, after all. Lee says it feels significantly lighter, too — great for when you take your PS5 out for its afternoon walk (or over to your friend’s house).
Here’s the full video, if you’d like to check out the rest of the teardown.
Between “Gunpowder Milkshake,” “Baby Assassins,” and “Kill Boksoon,” the hit woman subgenre is bubbling with new subversive takes on the masculine hired gun motif. The Korean director Lee Chung-hyun’s “Ballerina” picks up those reins for a film about Okju (Jun Jong-seo), a retired bodyguard seeking to avenge the brutal murder of her dancer friend Minhee (Park Yu-rim) at the hands of a ruthless underworld predator (Kim Ji-hun).
While the film finds thematic strength in Okju fighting a toxic patriarchy, it’s also a visual feast. Okju’s confrontation with convenience store thieves, in which she uses a can as a deadly weapon, is a whirling, cleanly composed sequence. The vibrant pink, purple and gold lighting — stylish touches that outline the close friendship shared by Okju and Minhee — often gives way to gritty and grimy shocks of violence. Those moments, which rely on Jun’s balletic movements, add a fierceness to this story.
A “John Wick” sensibility crosses borders in this Nigerian film from the director Editi Effiong. Richard Mofe-Damijo stars as the retired assassin Paul Edima. Trouble ensues when men who work for the brutal General Isa (Alex Usifo Omiagbo) murder a young man with the intent of framing him for their political crimes. Unbeknown to them, he is Paul’s son. Though they later try their best to quell Paul’s anger through bribes, he ultimately teams with the investigative journalist Vic Kalu (Ade Laoye) to expose the corruption within the country.
“The Black Book” cleverly deploys Wickian gunplay using an older protagonist. Paul has clearly lost a step; and yet, he doesn’t lack determination. When the army arrives to exterminate him, what follows is Paul quietly moving from victim to victim in the dark night like a ghost, slashing with quiet command. But this film ends with an all-woman army of mercenaries joining the act, preventing it from being a mere copy of a trope, and instead turning it into a unique Nigerian take.
The Chinese director Qiao Lei’s period revenge tale concerns a treasure map that disappeared and has now re-emerged. The villainous Bao Shu (Chun Yu Shan Shan) wants it, and leads his army of mystical killers to venture into the forest of Feihu Mountain where a legendary warrior called the Hidden Fox lurks.
That fabled killer is a MacGuffin for Gui Yu (Zhao Huawei), one of Shu’s adept swordsmen who has a secret goal in mind. The film’s smooth production design, its stunning use of texture — extreme close-ups on snow give these fights a poetic punch — and the nuanced performance by Zhao keeps you engaged in a slippery yet assured pursuit for payback.
The Malaysian director Syamsul Yusof’s “Mat Kilau” is a martial arts film placed in an anticolonial story. To harness the country’s gold, the British government, led by the racist Captain Syers (Geoff Andre Feyaerts), is destroying villages, killing dissenters and subjugating a slave work force. The film’s opening sequence witnesses one such massacre, a slow-motion vision of widespread death. The country’s Indigenous leadership empowers the unassuming warrior Mat Kilau (Adi Putra) to defeat the British army.
The film’s realistic explosions are a seamless mix of visual and practical effects. And the choreography of immense battles gives the movie scale. Florid camera movements, such as a spinning bird’s-eye view shot of a showdown between Kilau and a mercenary adds flair too. But it’s the film’s exploration of how smaller forces can combat a formidable power that elevates Yusof’s film from a culturally specific political critique to a broad rallying cry for the dispossessed.
Out of the fog of the 1990s, when geopolitical disaster films once reigned supreme, lands “Plane.” In Jean-François Richet’s robust survivalist film, Brodie Torrence (Gerard Butler) is a captain trying to fly home to meet his daughter on New Year’s Day. But when a vicious storm forces him into an emergency landing onto a lawless Southeast Asian island, he teams with Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter) — a prisoner in transport — to protect the remaining small band of passengers against a warlord (Evan Dane Taylor).
Butler’s recent run of action star roles (“Copshop” and “Greenland”) serve him well here. He has the kind of rugged everyman physique where you easily believe him as a mundane guy with deadly secret skills. He and Colter, another action veteran, make a compelling double team in the film’s many jungle shootouts, moving with precision. The aerial scenes are also a well-paced wonder, aligning impending doom with physics-defying maneuvers for pure popcorn entertainment.
Wildling Pictures has launched a new TV division focusing high-end drama, kids, YA and family content.
The Toronto-based production company, whose feature film output includes Iris Apatow starrer “Young Wether” and David Bowie biopic “Stardust,” have unveiled their first scripted TV slate as part of the expansion.
Highlights include screen adaptations of novels “A Death at The Party” by Amy Stuart and “Clara Voyant” by Rachelle Delaney.
In “A Death at The Party” protagonist Nadine is in the middle of throwing a garden party when she finds herself face to face with a dead body in the basement. She soon embarks on a hunt for the truth. Screenwriter Joanne Sarazen (“Tammy’s Always Dying”) will adapt the novel into a series.
Delaney’s “Clara Voyant” is a coming-of-age about wannabe journalist and astrologer Clara, who is crushed when her student newspaper assigns her the horoscopes beat… until she realizes that she is actually clairvoyant. “I Woke Up A Vampire” scribe Veronika Paz is set to write the screenplay.
Wildling’s TV slate also encompasses a number of animated projects, including an adult animated series titled “Hot Flash” based on a short film by Thea Hollatz, which premiered at Sundance in 2020. Set at a TV news station, it centers around a woman dealing with menopause, in one instance experiencing a hot flush while reporting on a snowstorm. Susan Coyne (“Daisy Jones & The Six”) and James Schultz (“Disappearance at Clifton Hill”) will co-write the project while Kristy Neville exec produces.
On the kids side, Paulette Bourgeois and Alex G. Griffiths’ book series “Professor Goose” is set to get the animated treatment, with a pre-school series in development with CBC. The show will focus on scientist Marie Curious Goose, PhD as she fact-checks her great-aunt Mother Goose’s stories.
Wildling president Matt Code (“Accused”) executive produces alongside the company’s Natalie Urquhart (“Suits”) and Julie Strifler (“Easy Land”).
“Our team are proud to introduce Wildling’s selection of high quality IP and elevated scripted original series,” said Code. “Having built a strong reputation within the feature film production space, we are delighted to be expanding our expertise with the launch of our original TV content. We are looking forward to working with some incredible talent and introducing these projects to potential partners at Content London in a few weeks.”
The Loki Season 2 finale shook things up across the MCU in a big way, and Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief might have just landed himself a new job title to boot.
Warning – The rest of this article contains spoilers for Loki Season 2, Episode 6.
When the credits rolled on Episode 6, Loki had found himself in a totally new position, at least as far as the MCU is concerned. Fans of the comics, however, might have noticed an interesting parallel between Loki’s new role as a replacement for He Who Remains and one of the character’s most iconic comic arcs.
Loki Has Become the “God of Stories”
Marvel
The MCU’s resident trickster has become something more, and the storyline has come to follow the broader strokes of the iconic “God of Stories” arcs from the comics.
Comic fans could note the similarities to the comic book storyline. There, Loki found himself outside of the Multiverse entirely, and—following its destruction and rebirth—became the God of Stories to preserve the tales of those who’d lived before.
One could see the end of the Sacred Timeline as a similar rebirth, and the TVA has always been regarded as existing outside of normal time. From his new seat at the center of the tree of time, Loki is acting as the MCU’s God of Stories; he’s preserving the branches so that every choice matters. Burdened with glorious purpose. A fitting end for the Asgardian God.
The God Stories Preserves True Free Will
A major theme in Loki has been the pursuit of free will. While the finale saw Loki make a sacrifice to take up his new role, it was a sacrifice he chose to make rather than one he was written into by the Timekeepers or He Who Remains.
In many ways, that choice can be seen as Loki’s ultimate gift to Sylvie. She’s no longer defined by her relation to what the “main” Loki would do. Her choices, as well as everyone else’s, will have equal weight and equal ability to blossom into an infinite array of possibilities.
Loki’s selfless act has given the entire Multiverse more choice and consequence than they’d ever known in the previous age and, so long as the God of Stories is there to protect them, their legacies will be theirs to decide.
All six episodes of Loki Season 2 are now available to stream on Disney+.
The new DC Universe should take a gradual approach to introducing its heroes, similar to the success of the Arrowverse.
A strong foundation, like Arrow in the Arrowverse, is crucial for the success of the new DC Universe.
The DC Universe should take inspiration from the Arrowverse in terms of diverse and strong casting, embracing the often surreal stories and characters in DC Comics, and incorporating the multiverse concept without overusing it.
When planning for the future of the new DC Universe, DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran can learn some valuable lessons from the success of The CW’s Arrowverse. After a long period of turmoil behind-the-scenes at Warner Bros. and DC Studios, and a series of releases that performed disappointingly, the DC Extended Universe is set to be rebooted into the DC Universe. The DCU will kick off with Creature Commandos and Waller in 2024 before Superman: Legacy releases in 2025. While Gunn and Safran may avoid repeating the mistakes of the DCEU, more successful inspiration can be found in DC’s television shows, namely those in The CW’s Arrowverse.
While the decade-long DCEU was plagued with problems, both in front of and behind the camera, The CW’s Arrowverse seemed to go from strength to strength, introducing characters from DC Comics into a television-based franchise separate to Warner Bros.’ big-screen productions. Featuring six main TV series, two animated series, and even folding two past shows into its continuity, the Arrowverse focused on iconic heroes such as Green Arrow, the Flash, Supergirl, and Batwoman between 2012 and 2023. While popularity waned in more recent years, DC Studios can still learn a lot from the success of the Arrowverse, which could help to inform the future of the new DC Universe.
10 The DC Universe Should Be Built Up Slowly
The Arrowverse Grew Over A Number Of Years
While the DCEU rushed into bringing Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman together in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the Arrowverse took a much more gradual approach to introducing its heroes. For two years, the franchise focused solely on Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen, a.k.a. Green Arrow, with subsequent heroes debuting when the timing allowed. This slow growth never felt forced, and characters introduced in one project would often end up leading another, such as Caity Lotz’s Sara Lance, who first appeared in Arrow before starring in Legends of Tomorrow. The DCU would benefit from this gradual build up, with more projects being produced if the pre-established ones are already working.
The CW’s Arrowverse comprises six primary TV shows: Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, and Batwoman, as well as the Vixen and Freedom Fighters: The Ray animated series’, and Constantine and The Flash from 1990.
9 The DC Universe Needs A Strong Foundation
Arrow Kicked Off The Arrowverse In 2012
The gradual expansion of the Arrowverse was only possible because the franchise had an incredibly strong foundation with Arrow. Stephen Amell debuted as Oliver Queen in the Arrowverse’s first series – and the series to gift the franchise its name – in 2012, and finally hung up his bow and arrow in 2020. Arrow season 2, episode 8, “The Scientist,” and episode 9, “Three Ghosts,” served as backdoor pilots to The Flash, the Arrowverse’s second series, though Arrow would run for two whole seasons before The Flash premiered in 2014. The DCU would benefit from establishing a strong base similar to Arrow, which may be planned for Superman: Legacy.
8 The DC Universe Shouldn’t Stick Too Religiously To Comic Storylines
The Arrowverse Changed DC’s Stories & Characters Routinely
One of the biggest criticisms of the DCEU dating back to its very start with 2013’s Man of Steel was that the characters Zack Snyder created were too dissimilar to those in DC Comics. However, this could work in the DCU’s favor, just as it did for the Arrowverse. While many aspects of the Arrowverse’s storylines were taken straight from the pages of DC Comics, character relationships were changed depending on the chemistry between actors, and many were reinvented completely to better fit the tone of the franchise. This organic growth would be great to replicate in the DCU, figuring out what works and making changes to enhance these aspects.
An example of the Arrowverse making a change because of the actors was pairing Oliver Queen with Felicity Smoak, as he is romantically involved with Dinah Lance in DC Comics.
7 The DC Universe Needs Strong & Diverse Casting
The Arrowverse’s Casting Choices Were Inspired
The DCEU faced many issues with casting, particularly when it came to controversies surrounding particular actors, which only proved the importance of hiring a strong cast. With this also comes a need for diverse casting, which is something that the Arrowverse always excelled at. Not only were many people of color placed in positions of some iconic superheroes, such as David Harewood as Martian Manhunter, but the Arrowverse also showcased LGBT+ actors and characters, including Sara Lance and Dreamer, portrayed by transgender actor Nicole Maines. DC Studios has already confirmed several actors for Superman: Legacy and other DCU projects, so hopefully this strong casting continues.
6 The DC Universe Needs To Remember How Weird The Comics Are
The Arrowverse Leaned Into The Magic Of DC Comics
While the DCEU often ignored the wackiness and weirdness of DC Comics’ storylines and characters in favor of a gritter and more mature version of events, the Arrowverse never shied away from bringing some of DC’s more bizarre stories to life. This is something that the DCU would certainly benefit from repeating, especially early on, as audiences are hoping for more light-heartedness and fun from the new franchise. The Flash’s sometimes-goofy villains were great to see in live-action, Legends of Tomorrow’s insane overarching storylines became more palatable with its vibrancy, and even Arrow included some outlandish moments, though these all worked to enhance the entire franchise.
The Arrowverse never shied away from bringing some of DC’s wilder stories to life.
5 The Multiverse Should Be Important To The DC Universe (But Not Overused)
The Arrowverse Included Several Popular Crossover Events
The multiverse has become a popular concept being explored in recent superhero franchises, most prominently in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is now deep into its Multiverse Saga. However, the Arrowverse brought the multiverse to DC’s television shows long before, specifically using Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen’s ability to access the Speed Force to enable crossovers with alternate realities. The multiverse played a key role in many Arrowverse stories, particularly the major crossover events, so the DCU shouldn’t ignore the multiverse by any means. However, with the recent failure of 2023’s The Flash, it’s possible that DC Studios may avoid the multiverse for some time.
4 The DC Universe Needs To Celebrate DC’s Previous Projects
Several Past DC Actors Returned For Roles In The Arrowverse
One thing that the Arrowverse did brilliantly was paying homage to DC projects that had come before it. Bringing previous actors such as John Wesley Shipp, Brandon Routh, Helen Slater, and Lynda Carter, among many others, back to either reprise their roles or inhabit new ones meant that the Arrowverse forged itself a strong spot in DC’s live-action community. The DCEU attempted this by bringing back Michael Keaton’s Batman in The Flash, but this didn’t have the intended impact at all. Somehow, the Arrowverse perfected this trend, so perhaps the new DCU can learn something about celebrating what came before while paving a new path for DC’s future.
John Wesley Shipp portrayed Barry Allen in 1990’s The Flash series, but returned as Barry’s father in the Arrowverse, and portrayed alternate versions of the Flash.
3 Crossovers In The DC Universe Need To Be Informed By Solo Hero Development
Heroes In The Arrowverse Were Changed In Every Crossover Event
During its eleven-year run, the Arrowverse featured seven major crossover events, which saw characters from its shows interact with each other, and often band together to save the world. What made these crossover events so brilliant, however, wasn’t that it simply brought characters together, but that it directly informed how characters acted and developed prior and following. The Arrowverse’s crossovers weren’t isolated events, but integral parts of the story, and key moments in the development of many heroes. Every time the heroes joined forces, they were different from the time before, being changed by their solo experiences, which is something the DCU should capture when developing its own crossover stories.
The Arrowverse included seven crossover events: Flash vs. Arrow (2014), Heroes Join Forces (2015), Invasion! (2016), Crisis on Earth-X (2017), Elseworlds (2018), Crisis on Infinite Earths (2019-20), and Armageddon (2021).
2 The DC Universe Needs To Include A Huge Amount Of Variety
Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl & Legends Of Tomorrow All Had Very Different Tones
One of the biggest problems with the DCEU was that most projects leaned heavily into the darker tones that Zack Snyder established in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Justice League, even when projects needed to be more fun. The Arrowverse never had this problem, even after beginning with the dark Arrow. The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow all had vastly different styles, bringing a huge amount of variety into the franchise that kept the action exciting. The DCU must replicate this, introducing projects with different styles, textures, and genres to keep the story interesting for audiences – hiring unique filmmakers is a great way to accomplish this.
1 DC Studios Needs To Listen To Its Audience
The Arrowverse Developed Perfectly Because Of Audience Viewership
The Arrowverse got off to a very strong start with the premiere of Arrow in 2012, and the show’s strong viewership figures gave The CW the confidence to continue to expand their franchise through a further five shows. The franchise’s crossovers were popular, fan-favorite characters saw more screen-time, and stories that weren’t so popular got dropped, proving that the studio was focused on delivering the strongest viewer experience. This ultimately led to the Arrowverse coming to a natural end with The Flash season 8’s finale in 2023, yet this just cemented the audience participation in the franchise, which is something that the new DC Universe must pay attention to.
There are three certainties in life, and they are death, taxes, and a new Call of Duty game arriving at the end of the year. Activision’s blockbuster series has been a regular on the gaming calendar for years now, and if you’re looking to experience the next chapter in this franchise, several deals are available right now at Antonline for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
First up, if you’re lacking the hardware to play Modern Warfare 3, Antonline is offering a great deal on an Xbox Series X console that includes a copy of the new Call of Duty. Priced at $500, this deal essentially gives you the game for free, which is normally $70 on its own. If you’d prefer to play on a Sony machine, you can pick up the game with the newer and slimmer PS5 console at the same price.
Other Modern Warfare 3 deals include the game with a month of Xbox Game Pass Core for $70 (normally $80), Modern Warfare 3 with a white or carbon black Xbox wireless controller for $105 (normally $130), and a bundle that gives you the game and a $15 Xbox gift card for free.
If you’re not looking to play just Call of Duty, there are a few other good specials to look at as well. An Xbox Series X console with Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo 4 is available for $500 (normally $630), or you can pick up the console with Call of Duty, Forza Horizon 5, and the Hot Wheels expansion for that racing game for $500.
While this year’s Call of Duty admittedly doesn’t have the best campaign when compared to previous years, it’s fortunately packed with plenty of other content once you’ve had your fill of weekend action. Call of Duty’s multiplayer is still rock-solid and has no shortage of people looking for some fast-paced action, while this year’s Zombies mode offers an open-world PvE experience to shake up its undead formula.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors.
GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.
Tamil-language film star Dhanush is to star in “Ilaiyaraja,” a biopic of a renowned Indian composer that marks the launch of joint-effort production and distribution slate by Connekkt Media and Mercuri Group, two major companies from South India.
Dhanush is one of South India’s most famous and most versatile movie stars, with credits including romance “Ranhjhanaa,” actioner “Vada Chennai” and Netflix’s “Vaathi.”Outside India, he is known for a key role in the Russo brothers’ “The Gray Man.”
Now in his 80s, Ilaiyaraja was born in humble circumstances in South India and rose to become a notable performer and composer. He is known for over 1,000 Indian film scores and for writing works for the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
The biographical film is expected to shoot in October 2024 and be released in 2025. No details of director, locations or other cast have been disclosed.
The two companies Mercuri, a multinational with interests in consulting, technology, sports, media and entertainment, and film studio Connekkt, say they are pooling forces for the next three years in order to work on a slate of big budget films. They estimate their financial commitment to be in the order of $110 million (INR93 billion).
The partnership will be based in Chennai and led by Ilamparithy Gajendran. From film production and distribution, it is expected to lead to addition ventures in streaming content, original IP, other formats and “opportunities in the wholesome South entertainment business.”
“Mercuri is one of the most reputed names in global entertainment space and has been an amazing partner to us. We are thrilled to be joining hands with them to produce multiple mega-budget films starting with the biopic of a music legend unlike any other,” said Connekkt Media executive Varun Mathur. “The Indian media and entertainment industry is at a very important juncture, with the next two decades poised for amazing growth. As a national studio our partnership with Mercuri places us in a great position to deliver enthralling content to millions of fans in India and globally during this very exciting phase.”
“Having serviced some of the biggest production houses and celebrities in the past, we feel we are better placed to expand our offerings than before as we 1699622350 jointly venture out to feed all stake holders, including the consumer,” said Sriram Bakthisaran, MD & group CEO of Mercuri.
Early in the movie, Kamala notices Fury and S.A.B.E.R. have a tablet with intel on every superpowered individual on the planet, including her. Rather than be angry or insulted at the violation of privacy, she gets an idea.
In the final scene of “The Marvels,” Kamala ambushes “Hawkeye” protege Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) in New York by cheekily recreating the post-credits scene of the first “Iron Man.” Not only channeling her inner Samuel L. Jackson but repeating his speech pretty much verbatim, Kamala asks the new Hawkeye if she thought she was the only teenage superhero in the world (Bishop remarks that she’s in her 20s, but you get the point) and tells her she is part of a much larger universe. Kamala also mentions other kid heroes, like Ant-Man’s daughter, Cassie, and finally extends an invitation for Kate to join her Young Avengers initiative.
It makes perfect sense that the MCU’s biggest fangirl would outright just do a reenactment of the scene that changed Marvel forever, word for word. And before you complain that there is no way she would know what Fury said, come on. Don’t you think she is capable of grilling Nick Fury until he told her every single detail of his speech that night? Of course, she would. She would memorize it, too, because she is that big of a fan.
After “Endgame,” there has been a lack of cohesion in the MCU, with little to actually unify the characters into one team. In Phase One, it was Fury and Coulson who assembled the Avengers and kept them together, but what about now? S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone, S.W.O.R.D. is essentially just window dressing, and Fury is barely dealing with heroes now.
After 100 days in the Big Brother house, 25-year-old Jag Bains was voted the new champion, taking home a $750,000 grand prize and going down in history as the first-ever Sikh-American to win the show.
After the confetti settled, Bains sat down with ET correspondent, andBig Brother season 24 winner, Taylor Hale, and reflected on his accomplishment.
“Being a Sikh on the show, like, just being a houseguest on the show, was so important,” Bains shared. “Having this platform to be able to present myself and my community meant the world to me.”
“To be able to stay loyal to whoever I was loyal too and play the game how I wanted to play, and be victorious at the end, it is everything,” he added.
“When I played this game, a lot of times there were tough decisions I had to make, and ultimately what it came down to every time, I want to make a decision that I would be proud of,” he explained. “That I will look back and I’d be able to hold my head up high. And I feel like I played that game.”
CBS
Bains also became the first ever houseguest to be unanimously evicted, which occurred in Week 4. However, due to a special twist in the game’s rules, Bains’ ally, Matt Klotz, had been given the Power of Invincibility, which could nullify any eviction in either weeks 4 or 5. In a bold and risky move, Klotz used the power on Bains, and kept him in the game.
Bains went on to stay loyal to Klotz — the show’s first-ever deaf contestant — all the way to the end, despite many people predicting that keeping Klotz in the game to be the other half of his final two was a mistake that could have cost him the game.
“Part of me did think I was making that mistake, and that’s why I say there’s really hard decisions that we have to make in the game. Like, how do I stay loyal to the person who saved me in this game? He is the reason I’m in this game,” Bains shared. “I was on the block, I prayed. And Matt answered those prayers. He saved me, and I made a vow that day that I was gonna go to the very end with him.”
“It’s a reality that he could have won the whole thing, and for me I really thought he had a strong shot against me,” he continued. “But ultimately, I knew that if I decided to evict him, I don’t know if I could live with that decision. For me, it came down to morals, and what I would be proud to do, and proud to look at later, and proud to tell my family about, and to stand by that decision.”
“So I knew that it was a risk, I knew that it was a $750,000 mistake, but to me it wasn’t a mistake,” Bains said.
On Thursday, after Bains had won the final Head of Household competition — notably making him the player with most comp wins in Big Brother history as well — the whole season came down to him and Klotz, who each got a chance to deliver a speech to the jury arguing for why they should get the votes needed to win.
Klotz was up first, and he calmly detailed his different decisions, and how he overcame being deaf in a game that is so heavily based on whispered secrets. It was a nuanced and compelling examination of his calculating and understated gameplay.
In a bold, brash move that will like be remembered for more being one of the more daring gambits in recent Big Brother memory, Bains decided to go in with a bit more fervor, telling the jurors, “I am standing where I am standing and you are sitting where you are sitting because I have willed it to be that way!”
“It is not by luck, it is not by mistake, it is because I signed your eviction notice!” Bains continued, with an unexpected level of fire and passion. “My hands are covered in your blood! I am the most dominant, masterful, and strategic player in this house. I don’t only deserve to win, I have earned this victory!”
Reflecting on that speech after managing to pull off his victory with a final vote of 5-2, Bains admitted that it might have been a bit more intense than he meant for it to be, but he doesn’t regret it.
“I’ve always said to everyone that you need to advocate for yourself, and I felt so passionate about making it. I truly felt like I deserved to win,” Bains told ET. “And so, in that moment, I was just really passionate, and I was saying everything that I felt was real.”
“Did I lie in my speech? Absolutely not. Did I go super hard? Yeah. I could have toned it down a bit,” Bains said. “But my tactic was like, look, I can either shy away from the game I’ve played or own up to it fully…. and ultimately I wasn’t going to shy away from how I played the game and I gave the speech I gave.”
Walt Disney on Wednesday said it would acquire Comcast’s 33% stake in Hulu, confirming that it would take full control of the streaming service.
The deal would move Hulu completely under Disney, allowing it to better integrate the service with Disney+ and ESPN+. Hulu is already part of various bundles with the services, but Disney is looking to potentially combine them into a single app. Comcast would walk away with billions of dollars and ammunition to bolster its own streaming service, Peacock.
The two companies had previously agreed to speed up the sale process, with November 1 being the deadline for both or either party to trigger a deal. Disney said that by December 1, it would pay Comcast’s NBC Universal $8.61 billion, which values the stake at $27.5 billion.
That, however, is unlikely to be the final price. Disney and Comcast have gone back and forth on the exact value of the deal. The $27.5 billion valuation was set five years ago, and Comcast CEO Brian Roberts has said the service is worth far more today.
In an Securities and Exchange Commission filing from September, Disney disclosed that the companies will both hire outside investment banking firms to come up with a sale price if the the two companies couldn’t agree on a price. Those two firms’ valuation will be used to set the final sale price for Disney to buy Comcast’s share of Hulu. Comcast hired Morgan Stanley and Disney hired JPMorgan Chase to help decide the value of Hulu.
If JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley assessments are not within 10% of each other, the two firms will then select a third firm to come up its own figure. The ultimate sale price will come from the average of the two estimates that are closest in value to each other. The firms will base their assessment on the valuation of Hulu on September 30.
If the final price is higher than the $27.5 billion valuation, Disney will pay NBC Universal its percentage of the difference. The company expects the appraisal process to be completed in 2024.
It took weeks for SAG-AFTRA to break through an impasse over a streaming fund that president Fran Drescher said was “essential” to a new contract, she explained in an interview with TheWrap the day after the actors 118-day strike ended.
“It was essential that we came out of these talks with a new stream of money from these [streaming] platforms,” Drescher said. “When it comes to compensation, streaming did not fit the traditional linear residual structure, and we needed to find a solution to that.”
On Oct. 11, the talks between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers seemed to fall apart when the studios broke off talks over the guild’s proposed revenue sharing system. The proposal called for streaming services to share a portion of their revenue with the guild, which would in turn share the funds from that revenue sharing with actors whose work appeared on those services.
The AMPTP, which was pushing for SAG-AFTRA to accept a bonus structure similar to the one agreed to with the Writers Guild of America, called the revenue sharing system an “untenable economic burden.”
“It was very much a surprise to us, because we sent our proposal to them expecting a response, and two hours later we were told that they were going to pause talks,” Drescher said.
Two weeks later, talks resumed after a discussion between Drescher, guild chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, and Disney CEO Bob Iger. As discussions continued, Drescher told the CEOs and AMPTP that while SAG-AFTRA was willing to compromise on some form of bonus structure for streaming, the guild was holding its ground on establishing a fund that would allow actors that do not appear on shows that draw enough viewers to qualify for bonuses to take part in the increased compensation.
“We were willing to accept a new money stream based on their solution, the bonuses, rather than our solution,” Drescher said. “Since the nature of negotiation is to be fluid, we entertained it with the caveat that we needed the fund to give us the freedom to use that money to benefit a wider net of members.”
More details will come when SAG-AFTRA unveils the full contract on Friday afternoon following a national board meeting. But Drescher and guild insiders told TheWrap that the new streaming bonus structure will establish a fund run by trustees from SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP member studios, similar to the health and pension funds for the actors guild, with the money for that fund coming from a portion of the bonuses earned by high-performing streaming movies and TV shows.
Like the health and pension funds, how much gets contributed by the studios to this fund through the bonus structure will likely be a major part of future negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP. But the fact that it is now established was considered by Drescher to be one of the biggest victories for her negotiating committee from this new contract.
“This is an ongoing thing, but what is most important is that now there is money for actors that there never was.”
Tatiana Maslany and Ginger Gonzaga in She-Hulk: Attorney At LawPhoto: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios
Like many of Marvel’s Disney+ shows, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law’s first season was fairly uneven, struggling to find its footing and establish a rhythm. While the greater MCU cameos were delightful (and yes, the Daredevil appearance was well worth the wait), they came at the expense of fleshing out the series’ regular supporting cast (which includes great turns from Ginger Gonzaga, Josh Segarra, and Renée Elise Goldsberry). Still, like its Disney+ predecessors, at its best, She-Hulk showed how delightful an expanded MCU can be: comical but thoughtful (even when its feminist agenda was a bit on the nose), zany and meta, a genuine sitcom (as opposed to a surrealist parody of one) that gives us insight into day-to-day life in a world with Avengers. Not to mention so many faults (including wonky CGI) can be forgiven in a show anchored by Tatiana Maslany, whose incredible talent, paired with a lighthearted playfulness, perfectly serves both Jennifer Walters and her green alter-ego. [Mary Kate Carr]
In the ocean’s deep unknown, a submarine searches for a creature only known through legends. When reports surface that the sub has gone missing, a rag-tag group of adventurers must band together if they are to rescue those lost at sea. But, when the team discovers they are not on a rescue mission but a mission of discovery, their journey goes from another day on the water to being confronted with the legendary Loch Ness Monster.
Written and Directed by Tyler James, The Loch Ness Horror is influenced by movies crafted by The Asylum and SYFY Channel in every frame. The rescuers get brief introductions, and the mission to rescue the sub/ find the Loch Ness Monster is all laid out; then, it’s nothing but monster mayhem. Like many entries in the low-budget creature feature family, many characters are fodder for epic monster kills (none disappoint), though it would be nice to know a few of their names first. Even with romantic subplots and a small scientific conspiracy, the main character is the Loch Ness Monster. To that end, James delivers on a fun, gigantic, and over-the-top title monster.
“…their journey goes from another day on the water to being confronted with the legendary Loch Ness Monster.”
The Loch Ness Horror is built entirely on spectacle, and despite that foundation, the film could use a little more spectacle. James adds a few Alien-inspired twists and a great ending, but the movie feels like it could be so much more. Playing off the Alien inspiration, the story sets itself up as a campy Alien at sea (ironic since Alien is often dubbed Jaws in space) but never capitalizes on its premise. Yet, the presence of the title monster is evident and enjoyable throughout the movie and offers a few cheer-worthy monster moments.
From the title, poster, and trailer, The Loch Ness Horror will have its fans. The film seems destined for the rabbit hole of weird movies on Tubi. James has found a middle ground between the sensational Sharknado films and the pure shlock of Sharkula. But, the middle ground might be the undoing of The Loch Ness Horror. Characters never serve the plot more than mere victims; the monster itself, while fantastic, is used sparingly, and the story never evolves much beyond discovering the Loch Ness monster. It has charm and some exciting ideas but needs more of each to thrive in a world with hundreds of low-budget, high-concept monster movies.
An alliance of rebel forces in war-torn Myanmar has taken several key towns from the country’s military regime in recent weeks, the most successful challenge to the junta that seized power in a coup in 2021 and the latest evidence of how overstretched the military has become.
The early successes of the alliance’s campaign, which began in Shan State at the end of last month, have encouraged resistance forces elsewhere in the country, which have also seized several towns.
On Wednesday, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the commander in chief of the armed forces, called a meeting of the defense and security council and said that the military had lost control of three towns in Shan State — the first official acknowledgment of the losses — and said the army was “committed to taking the required actions to counter their acts of terror.” But so far, it did not seem to have taken much action.
“We’re on Day 14, and there’s been no real response from the military other than a bunch of meetings and saber rattling,” said Jason Tower, the country director for Myanmar for the United States Institute of Peace, a nonpartisan research organization. “I think that says a lot.”
Myint Swe, the acting president installed by the military after the coup, warned at the same meeting Wednesday that the country ran the risk of being broken apart.
The offensive began on Oct. 27 after three ethnic armies — the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army — announced “Operation 1027.” The rebels, which call themselves the Brotherhood Alliance, opened fire on the military, capturing trucks and weapons, according to videos on social media.
The alliance and the National Unity Government, the shadow civilian government, said that as of Friday they had seized seven towns in Shan State, including several crucial trade routes to China, and three others in the central Sagaing region. Together, these towns cover more than 8,000 square kilometers, larger than the state of Delaware.
The junta is now on the verge of losing control of its most important border crossings, representing more than 40 percent of cross-border trade vital for tax revenue, according to the United States Institute of Peace.
On Friday, Zaw Min Tun, the military spokesman, called on the public to “not to believe rumors and propaganda.” “I would like to say that it will soon be settled and a safe situation will be restored,” he said in a statement.
The military has been plagued by defections and struggled to recruit from a populace still angry about military rule.
For two years, the various armed ethnic groups, which have battled the army for decades, and the People’s Defense Forces — former protesters who took up arms — have combined forces, and they now control large parts of the countryside. But these groups have operated autonomously and are fragmented throughout Myanmar.
Now, the resistance movement has been galvanized by the successes of the Brotherhood Alliance.
On Monday, the People’s Defense Forces said it had taken control of Kawlin, a town in the region of Upper Sagaing, raising its flag outside a government building. On Tuesday, Karenni resistance forces said they seized three military outposts in Mese, a town in the east. On the same day, the People’s Defense Forces said it had taken control of Khampat, a town in the west.
U Kyaw Naing, the spokesman for the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army,said the alliance had captured more than 150 military outposts.
And Lieutenant Colonel Tar Aik Kyaw, the spokesman for the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, said more than 300 soldiers had surrendered in Shan State, some laying down their arms without engaging in combat.
But Richard Horsey, a senior adviser on Myanmar for the International Crisis Group, cautioned that it may be too early to call this a turning point.
“There isn’t a straight line from trouble on the battlefield in somewhere like Northern Shan to failure of the regime,” he said. “They’ve been doing this for 70 years, fighting very difficult battles across quite significant chunks of Myanmar, and, yet, it hasn’t led to military collapse.”
The threat of conflict spreading has also raised fears of a humanitarian crisis. Local aid workers say that more than 30,000 people are displaced, with many fleeing on foot to Lashio, the largest town in Shan State, among other places.
Shan State is Myanmar’s largest state, covering almost a quarter of the country. For decades, various ethnic groups have battled one another for more territorial control within the state. Once known for being the center of opium production in the country, it is now home to dozens of casinos and scam compounds.
Thousands of Chinese citizens have been trafficked into these centers, and China in recent months has focused on trying to get them shut down and bringing its people home. Laukkai, in particular, has been a hub of such scam centers. Some refugees from that city have fled to China, and last week, Thailand’s deputy police chief said that the country plans to repatriate 162 Thai citizens who had been held there.
On Tuesday, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said the Chinese government had lodged a protest with the “relevant parties” in Myanmar because the fighting had resulted in the deaths of Chinese citizens.
A day earlier, China’s assistant foreign minister, Nong Rong, urged officials in Myanmar to maintain stability on the China-Myanmar border. China, which has expressed support for the military regime after the coup, is building a billion-dollar rail line in Shan State under its Belt and Road infrastructure program.
Several analysts say they believe that the offensive would not have gone ahead without implicit approval from China, which wields a lot of influence on many of these ethnic groups, and did nothing to stop the operation despite signs leading up to it.
Amy Chang Chien contributed reporting from Taipei.
Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography of the controversial tech mogul, which was published in September, will serve as the basis for the screenplay. Isaacson’s “Steve Jobs” book was previously adapted into the 2015 Universal film of the same name, starring Michael Fassbender as the Apple CEO.
Sources tell Variety that there was heated competition to option Isaacson’s book from studios and filmmakers alike, with A24 ultimately winning the bidding war. Aronofsky, who most recently directed last year’s Oscar contender “The Whale” starring Brendan Fraser, is known for his surreal filmmaking style, which often includes psychological elements. His past credits include “Requiem for a Dream” (2000), “Black Swan” (2010) and “Mother!” (2017). For his work on “Black Swan,” Aronofsky was nominated for the best director Oscar, while Portman ended up winning the best actress award.
Musk first rose to prominence when he founded SpaceX, a spacecraft manufacturing company, in 2002. He was also an early investor in Tesla, and eventually climbed the ranks to become the automotive giant’s chairman (a position he stepped down from in 2018 after he was sued by the SEC), product architect and CEO. Most recently, Musk made the controversial decision to purchase Twitter for $44 billion, rebranding it to X. Since taking over the social media platform, Musk has made several changes that have resulted in backlash, including laying off a large number of the company’s employees, charging users for verification and removing headlines from links shared on the site.
Puck was the first to report the news of the film.
One of the most recognizable international stars in the business, Mads Mikkelsen joins me for this week’s edition of my Deadline video series The Actor’s Side to talk about a stellar career that now includes his acclaimed performance in The Promised Land, Denmark’s official entry for the Oscars this year.
In it, Mikkelsen plays Ludvig Kahlen, who goes against all odds in order to develop what is considered useless land called the Heath, where no crops seemingly can grow, and prove to the King that he can do what no others have done. It is a stirring, old-fashioned epic with relevance for today that proved a hit on the fall festival circuit including at Venice, Telluride and Toronto. We talk about the challenges of taking on this role in a career that has taken him around the globe and sparked success not just in his native Denmark, where four films in which he starred brought Oscar nominations including a win for 2020’s Another Round, as well as in such massive franchises as Fantastic Beasts: Secrets off Dumbledore, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Doctor Strange, Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale, and most recently as the villain in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. On television he did the iconic Hannibal in addition to starring in such classic stories as King Arthur, The Three Musketeers, and Clash of the Titans in new versions.
Click on the video above to get the “actor’s side” of it all from Mads Mikkelsen.
Join me every Wednesday during Oscar season for a new edition of The Actor’s Side.
[This story contains spoilers for the “Women Tell All” special of The Golden Bachelor.]
Gerry Turner was looking forward to getting closure with one woman in particular at the “Women Tell All” episode of his inaugural season of ABC‘s The Golden Bachelor.
The special that aired Thursday brought amicable reunions with the previous contestants from his season, but the most anticipated moment for him was his sit-down with Faith Martin. During last week’s hometowns episode, viewers saw Turner tell both Martin and Leslie Fhima that he loves them, but only Fhima and Theresa Nist remain in the mix for the final rose, with Martin sent home on Thursday’s installment.
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Turner discussed why he doesn’t regret telling Martin he loved her, his reaction to the “zip it” debate, his use of the phrase “knockin’ boots” ahead of the overnight dates, why the fantasy suites were the cause of two “watershed moments” for him and why he is “indeed so happy” about how the end of his season plays out.
The Golden Bachelor contestants gather for the “Women Tell All”
What was it like to reunite with everyone from your season?
It was like a pendulum swinging quite violently. I was extremely happy to see all the smiling faces of the women who had left in earlier episodes, but then obviously it was very impactful upon me to see Faith and to hug her again and hear what she had to say. So that was a difficult moment.
There was discussion from viewers about you having assured both Faith and Leslie during their hometowns that you love them. How do you feel now about expressing yourself in that way?
There are traditions in the Bachelor franchise, and one of them is for the Bachelor to totally screw up and use the L-word quite copiously. But seriously, I would say that I wouldn’t back down from those statements with each one of those three women. At the moment that I told them that, I loved them very much and had so much respect for them. But the important thing to remember is that I wasn’t at the end of the journey yet, and by the time I got to the end of the journey, it was pretty clear that I had only one woman of those three that was right for me.
Faith has mentioned not getting closure with you when she was sent home. Do you feel that you’ve now been able to give her that closure?
I would a hundred percent agree with her about not having closure at the moment she left the show because I felt the same way. It was abrupt, and I really looked forward to the “Women Tell All” specifically to be able to see her again and listen to what she had to say and say a few kind words to her. So that was really huge for both of us.
Leslie Fhima, Faith Martin and Theresa Nist on The Golden Bachelor
You’ve spoken about how much you care for the two remaining women. What goes through your mind as you’re having to decide which of those two is right for you?
You have to remember that when I first looked at the two women who were left, I had not had the opportunity to speak to them without cameras and without microphones. And that opportunity was presented in the fantasy suites. I began marking time to the fantasy suites from the moment it was down to two people because I knew that the information that was going to be exchanged in the fantasy suites would make up my mind for me.
The overnight dates can be an emotional time and allow you to see new sides to a person. Did the fantasy suites involve emotional moments for you?
With Leslie’s situation, she had three grandchildren, and in Theresa’s situation, she had six grandchildren. And in both of their cases, there were many times that they thought they were carrying on a conversation with me about love and long-lasting relationships and so forth, literally right in front of their grandchildren because that’s what it was. And there’s a certain self-censoring that happens in those situations. You’re protective of your children and your grandchildren, and once we got to the fantasy suites, that protectiveness went away.
Do you consider the hometowns to have been pivotal in your development of these relationships?
Here’s a news flash for you. You get this first: There was a watershed moment in those fantasy suites, and the watershed moments happened twice, one for each fantasy suite. And up until that point, if I had not remained open-minded, I might have made a mistake. Who knows how it would have ended.
When the show’s producers spoke with THR last week, they discussed the phrase “knockin’ boots” getting used in anticipation of the fantasy suites. Do you remember saying that?
I said that phrase just one time, and it has really taken on a life of its own. It was a euphemism for an intimate moment that I didn’t want to present in an embarrassing way, but literally, I made the comment one time.
I guess the internet never wants to forget. The “Women Tell All” included Kathy [Swarts] and Theresa, who had a tense exchange this season. How did you feel about that situation?
My opinion is, the reality of it was that it was just two women who were very focused on a goal, but they were sort of speaking a different language, and they were missing each other. In retrospect, I think I was confirmed in that. I do know that Kathy was very apologetic to me and contrite at the “Women Tell All.” I think the world of all those women, and Kathy just as much as any of them.
We got to see Sandra [Mason], who caused a stir among viewers after missing her daughter’s wedding for the show. Given that your relationship with her didn’t work out, how have you felt about her choice?
That’s a personal choice that Sandra made, and I would respect all of those women’s personal choices. I’m not even going to weigh in on that. She felt like that was the right thing to do. I think her daughter was supportive of that decision, and I guess I’ll leave it at that.
There were a lot of reactions from fans about getting to see your lion tattoo when you went in a hot tub this season. How does it feel to deal with comments like that?
There’s a lot of funny stuff on the internet. I actually like the negative comments way better than I like the positive ones because they’re funny. I remember people thinking that I’d been subjected to spray tan early on, and then I remember when people saw me with orange juice, they thought I was a recovering alcoholic. So this one, I don’t know how to respond to that.
What makes you happiest when you think about viewers soon getting to experience your finale?
Once we get through the final episode and everyone understands the source of why I am indeed so happy, it’ll be a relief because keeping a secret this long is really not in my nature. I like to talk, and I have a terrible poker face. Being able to talk about things after the final episode on Nov. 30 will be a great relief.
The Golden Bachelor airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Candidates should be of minimum 18 years to apply.
The basic pay for the DBW posts in the Ordnance Factory for 2023 is around Rs 19,900, with additional Dearness Allowance (DA).
Ordnance Factory Khamaria, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh has begun the recruitment process for 119 posts of tenure based DBW (Danger Building Worker). Recently, it released the detailed notification under the section Employment News (04-10) November 2023. Eligible candidates, who are interested in seeking recruitment under the given post, are advised to visit the official website and apply on or before November 21, 2023.
Those applying for the position must have been an ex-apprentice of AOCP trade (NCTVT), while also having Ordnance Factories training/experience in manufacturing and handling of military ammunition and explosives, along with the additional eligibility as per the notification released by the association.
Age Limit
It is mandatory to note that candidates should be of minimum 18 years, whereas the maximum age limit has been set to be 35 years for the General category, as of October 20, 2023. Candidates belonging to reserved categories will attain the benefits of age relaxations as per the guidelines of the government.
Salary
The basic pay for the DBW posts in the Ordnance Factory for 2023 is around Rs 19,900, with additional Dearness Allowance (DA).
Selection Process
Notably, the selection of candidates will be done solely on the basis of the marks obtained in the NCTVT and the Trade Test/Practical test. These marks will be arranged in order of merit to evaluate the final result. Ordnance Factory Khamaria, first of all, starts with declaring a cut-off percentage based on total NCTVT marks, which further decides the candidates that are eligible for the Trade Test.
The Trade Test is likely to occur a month after the advertisement’s closure. This test holds a great value as it holds a weightage of 100 marks. In the end, a merit list will be formulated which is prepared by combining scores from both the NCTVT Exam and the Trade Test/Practical Test.
Entertainment Bureau brings you all updates from the world of entertainment — breaking news, Twitter trends, features, movie reviews, exclusive inter…Read More
By the early ‘80s, James L. Brooks had already had an enviably successful career in television, a decade of Emmy-winning work that included the creation of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Taxi.”
But was his most influential piece of entertainment still ahead of him? Setting the template for the sort of tender funny-sad movie that would become a Hollywood staple, 1983’s “Terms of Endearment” is rooted in the experience of a Houston widow, Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine), and her relationship with her daughter, Emma (Debra Winger). Jack Nicholson plays a former astronaut who lives next door to Aurora, and the cast also includes Jeff Daniels, Danny DeVito and John Lithgow. Only four years after its release, Times critic Kevin Thomas referred to the movie as “one of the key American films of the ‘80s.”
An adaptation of the 1975 novel by Larry McMurty, “Terms of Endearment” would go on to win five Academy Awards, including three personally for Brooks, for directing, screenplay and best picture, as well as two for MacLaine and Nicholson. (Winger and Lithgow were also nominated.)
The film is being re-released on Blu-ray on Nov. 14 in a new 4K transfer from the original camera negative approved by Brooks. The set also includes a commentary track from the 2001 DVD release of the film featuring Brooks, co-producer Penney Finkelman Cox and production designer Polly Platt.
After “Terms,” Brooks continued to largely go from success to success, directing “Broadcast News” and “As Good as It Gets” among others, while helping to launch the feature debuts of Wes Anderson and Cameron Crowe. (He’s also a producer on Kelly Fremon Craig’s recent adaptation of Judy Blume’s “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.”) Brooks also, of course, was involved in creating the long-running animated series “The Simpsons.”
He recently sat for a brief interview with The Times to reflect on “Terms of Endearment,” contemporary Hollywood and how, at 83, he isn’t done yet.
James L. Brooks, photographed in April 2023 in Los Angeles.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
When you made “Terms of Endearment,” you had a lot of experience in television, but this was your first time directing a feature. And it doesn’t feel like anybody’s idea of a first film. Did you approach the movie with a lot of confidence going in?
No, I approached it with complete innocence, which is so great and helps so much. And you only get it once. And I think that’s what helped me — my being naive. You don’t know what you’re not supposed to do. There’s nothing you’re doing by rote. Every day you come to work has a newness and energy to it. And learning on the job — it’s good. In a bad situation, I guess it can be overwhelming, but it really helps. It’s not like you’ve done it before.
Is it striking to you that a movie like “Terms” is now rare and difficult to get made in Hollywood these days?
I think everything’s difficult to get made theatrically. That’s becoming tough to do. But it was quite a cast to bring to the game. Debra Winger was the star of the moment. Jack Nicholson — we wouldn’t have had a movie without Jack Nicholson. I wouldn’t have known who else to go to without Jack Nicholson. And I was fortunate that Debra knew him personally and was able to get the script to him because I don’t think I could’ve gotten the script to him. And before I got him, I tried to think of who and I couldn’t. And that was scary.
What was it about McMurtry‘s novel that appealed to you?
It was the second time in my life that I had cried when I read the book. And I thought that there was sort of a biological truth that I had to live by and just follow that.
What do you mean by biological truth?
I had cried once at a tragedy in life. I wasn’t a crier at the time. I’ve since improved on that score. And when I read the book I was in tears and that removed all questions for me.
Debra Winger, left, and Shirley MacLaine in the movie “Terms of Endearment.”
(Paramount Pictures)
It’s really become a part of the lore around the movie that Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger didn’t get along. For you as a first-time director, how did you navigate that?
There was a moment — I don’t think she’d mind my telling this story — there was a moment when things were bad in a certain way and Debra wouldn’t come out of her hotel room. I hope she wouldn’t mind this. I don’t think so because we came out of the picture really appreciating each other. And she won’t go out of her hotel room. And we are up against a holiday where if you didn’t finish shooting, people come to grab you and the world falls off. And I went up to the hotel room and I knocked on her door. And she said, “Jim, I just can’t, I just can’t see you right now.” And I said, “I have to go to the bathroom,” and she said, “Nice try.” And I walked away in failure. But I think that sort of broke the ice, because everything suddenly wasn’t so serious. And out she came.
This film began a very fruitful collaboration you had with Nicholson. He’s in four of your movies and won twoOscars. What did working with him come to mean to you?
The short answer is: everything. He used to come up behind me and — it was my first time directing — and he’d say, “You want to know the worst direction you gave today?” And he’d tell me. And then he’d come up, “You want to know the best direction you gave today?” And it was just so great. And what he brought with him, especially with all the stuff you hear about the cast and everything, is joy for the work and a light touch. And just the karma of that was great.
Can I ask when you last spoke to him? As of right now, his final role will be in one of your films, 2010’s “How Do You Know.”
I don’t know whether that’s true. We’re in touch, we’re periodically in touch. I just think he’s one of the great humans.
James L. Brooks, left, and Jack Nicholson on the set of “Terms of Endearment.”
(Paramount Pictures)
On the commentary track, one of the people you’re in conversation with is Polly Platt, the production designer. The two of you worked very closely over a number of years. And yet her role was often difficult to define from movie to movie. Whydid you and Polly eventually stop working together?
There was no breakup or anything. I mean, we were close forever. And what she had was, in a really down-home retrograde way, she loved the ass off movies. She loved movies. And she had a deep history with it. And she was a purist. It was great to be around. It was funny with dailies because she didn’t like studio executives. So whenever the studio came in to see me, Polly would sit there making faces at them.
The word for her is irrepressible. And I was just thinking about it the other day because she told a story where John Ford gave her his hat. And then I saw the other day a picture of him, and indeed he was wearing the hat that I saw that he gave Polly. She loved movies in a great way, that had a contagion to it, and that had a sense of service to it. And she was unique and she misbehaved. She was exciting and she was an extraordinary mentor to women. She didn’t break them in two, she made them wonderful for the rest of their lives, which tended to be what happened.
One of the projects you worked with her on was “I’ll Do Anything.” Do you foresee a day when the Prince estate relents and you can release the musical version with his songs on it? Because I would buy that disc in a second.
You know something, I was obsessed with trying to do it because the movie was a tremendous failure. And one of the things I’ve thought of is that nobody has just gone and done a documentary of, “This is what happened to me and let’s look at it.” And nobody’s done it yet, that door is still open. Still, nobody’s done that. But I couldn’t get the rights of his songs. And that’s what stopped me.
Are you still pursuing that? Do you think anything will come of it?
No, it was a long time ago.
Do you think that you’ll direct again?
I’m going to, early next year.
You have a new film you’re going to be directing? That’s so exciting.
I think I will, because people are gathering now. I might as well.
You’ve often shepherded younger filmmakers along. How does that help you in your own process?
It’s always good to keep serving a film in one way or another. And it’s been great. I took a very long time writing the script I’m about to do. Like, I won’t say how long. So I was always doing it. It started in a certain way and then it took a path. But that’s the picture I’m going to make.
Director James L. Brooks, left, with Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson on Oscar night in 1984.
(Associated Press)
Is Hollywood a lot different now from when you were making “Terms”? Is it difficult in the same way?
That glut of streaming is really something. And to make a specific movie that you care about, that comes out of you, that represents you, and make that as a theatrical movie is even harder now. When there’s so much data before you start, and I understand it, there’s actually numbers that tell you whether you’ll make money. And they tend to be right.
And are you hoping to have this new film be a theatrical project?
Oh, it will be. It is.
You’ve often said that people remember “Terms” as a drama, but at the time it really played more as a comedy. Why do you think that is?
The whole thing was to make it as a comedy. The whole thing was to clock laughs. You had to, in order to do it right. And of course, once the audience leaves and it has its afterlife, it’s a drama because people are watching it alone. But I swear to you, in the theaters it was a comedy.
You had this personal goal of getting people to somehow laugh at the word “cancer”?
I got obsessed with it because the word was such an awful word at the time. It was such a conversation-killing word at the time. And I thought making it as a comedy, that had to be a goal: how to get a laugh on the word “cancer.” And we sort of got there.
I think of that tone as your trademark. It’s a little bit sad, a little bit funny —
Well, hopefully a lot sad and a lot funny.
What is it that you like about working in that register?
Life. I mean, that’s what real life is, isn’t it? Somewhere in there.
When The Marvels hits theaters on November 10, it will break at least one Marvel record.
At 105 minutes, the Brie Larson vehicle is the shortest film in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and we may have Director Nia DaCosta to thank.
Photo: Entertainment Weekly
“I really wanted it to be under two hours,” DaCosta said. “I always think about the runtime, actually, when I go into a film. And I just feel like there’s no need to have it long if you don’t need to, because 1 hour 45 minutes is pretty average for a movie, so we were all really excited.”
What’s Best For the Movie
As superhero movies have come to dominate the box office, films have increasingly got longer and longer. While The Marvels will buck this trend, DaCosta insists that she was simply doing what’s best for the movie.
“I just think you do what’s right for the movie,” she added. “I didn’t even know about this runtime thing until I think it was reported on. You have to do what’s right for the movie.”
While the film may be shorter than its MCU brethren, DaCosta insists that fans don’t have to worry that it won’t be action-packed.
Photo: Also Entertainment Weekly
“We get to add to that history, that [Marvel is] starting to really dig into now, like women beating the shit out of each other,” DaCosta said. “We do a lot [of that] in this film, which is really exciting for me, because I love fight scenes. I was very excited to do it. I think the main fight scene, I’m really proud of. It’s something you haven’t seen before in the MCU, because of the nature of it, the switching.”
The MCU’s Newest Superhero Team
The Marvels will see Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel team up with Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) and Photon (Teyonah Parris) to form the MCU’s newest superhero team.
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond-Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon! Also, thanks for reading!
Unstoppable Doom Patrol #6 marks the beginning of the end, and the team’s going out with a bang! We get the debut of the Flex Force, shocking discoveries, and the surprise return of a major power, this issue has it all!
Just watch out for the crow… it’s more than it seems.
Positives
The team seems to have finally found some peace in this issue; everyone’s working together well, the leadership struggle’s been resolved, and with the new inclusion of Flex Force the Doom Patrol seems to be stronger than ever.
We also start to see a return of the characters that the DP has helped previously in the series, like Psylo-Simon from the Lazarus Planet: Dark Fate story, or Starbro from the epic Fast and Furious-esque Unstoppable Doom Patrol #3.
The Flex Force team’s entirely built from these rescued metahumans, or the ones that wanted in anyway. It’s a clear show of just how far the Doom Patrol team has progressed in these issues. They want to help, and, for once, it’s actually working. They’re making a difference for their people.
Of course, in true Doom Patrol fashion, when the $#!+ hits the fan, it hits HARD.
Hopefully, you’ll remember your DP history for this one, because oh BOY there are some really deep cuts here. The deadlier villains of the Doom Patrol’s rogues gallery are out in full force here, with a team-up that seems to put the “stoppable” back in Unstoppable Doom Patrol.
Dennis Culver deserves so much praise for his work with this team. Taking the Doom Patrol to a place they’ve never been before, one of actual relevance and effectiveness, was never going to be easy, but Culver has risen to the challenge wonderfully.
The character work and character focus in this series is second to none in modern comics, in my opinion, and really drives home that these reluctant superheroes are characters that need to be used, not left on the shelf for years. The DP may not be well-liked among other superheroes, but their motivations are pure, and they’re not ones to be messed with.
Also… THAT ENDING. AH!
Chris Burnham and Brian Reber deliver some of the best art of the series in this issue. The whole training scene with Flex Force, the eventual descent into a brawl, and again THAT ENDING are all wonderful pieces of work on their own, but as a whole they make some of the most interesting-looking comics on sale today. I need more comics from these two, please!
Negatives
Unstoppable Doom Patrol #6 is the second to last issue, and I’m upset by this at a base level.It’s almost over. Boo-Hoo, I say.
There is still a light at the end of the tunnel for that, though. Check out our interview with Dennis for more info on that…
Conclusion
Unstoppable Doom Patrol has been, without a doubt, my favorite current DC comic release since issue #1 came out. I know that I’m inherently biased when it comes to these characters I’ve known and loved for many years, but to me, this book is so much more than the sum of its parts. With the care and attention that has been put into these stories, it’s hard to deny that the creative team is doing their best work here.
I will miss you sorely when you’re gone, DP. At least I have one more issue to keep me sane. Relatively.
The first of many graphical updates has gone live on RuneScape today. Entrana may be a location that the average player does not visit all too often but says its name, and everyone knows the rather annoying requirement one needs to abide by to travel there. One must unequip their armor, weapons, and other miscellaneous items to set foot on the island. This means that to look at today’s update in all of its glory, you need to do just that. This update will have you shouting, ‘bank your armor!’ like it’s 2006 all over again.
Image via Jagex
Mod Zact was the one behind the changes to Entrana. With a focus on making the island more geometrically correct and providing a brand-new boat. Entrana looks much more in line with the newer areas of RuneScape now. This is essential as it can be a stark contrast from going to the older, lesser frequented areas to the more recent locations, or those which have had a graphical overhaul.
With Entrana being graphically updated, there is no time like the present to make the journey over and see what it has to offer. Which, honestly, outside of Runecrafting Law Runes, and remember the days of running Rune Essence to people traveling to and from Entrana to craft Law Runes? Also, accessing the island when doing the Lost City quest, there isn’t too much to do.
While Entrana may not be the most exciting place in the whole of RuneScape. Its small, isolated location makes it an easy starting point for graphical updates. If it’s a matter of playing catch-up, it makes sense to knock locations such as this off of the list first. No matter how big or small the location that receives the graphical update, however, it is always appreciated by the community.
About the Author
Priscilla Wells
Priscilla is both the weekend editor and a freelance writer at Prima Games. She began working at Prima Games in early 2023. Prior to this, she spent nine years writing for both her own personal gaming blog, and other related websites. Priscilla has grown up playing video games, and most often plays her PS5 and Nintendo Switch consoles. You can find her playing Final Fantasy XIV, RuneScape, Pokemon GO, or lost in the latest RPG to release.
She is an Australian living in the United States with her American husband, three children, and her Basset Hound. Before moving to the United States, Priscilla obtained a Bachelors of Secondary Education majoring in English and Japanese Language. This allowed her to teach English and Japanese in a high school setting.
You can follow her on Twitter/X at @Cilllah
Damian Del Borrello is the supervising sound editor of Season 2 of Taika Waititi’s hit HBO series, Our Flag Means Death. Del Borrello has worked extensively with Waititi, including on his upcoming Apple TV+ series, Time Bandits.
Sound on a period pirate comedy is incredibly important for setting the oceanic scenes and creating emotional connections with the audience, although viewers might not always be aware of the nuance Del Borrello’s team is bringing to the series. We spoke with this sound maestro and learned about what creator David Jenkins wants from the sound of every scene, how this team handled a remote workflow, and what mistakes new creators should avoid.
Avast, me hearties, etc. Enjoy the following conversation with Del Borrello.
Our Flag Means Death Season 2 | Official Trailer | Maxwww.youtube.com
Editor’s note: this conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
No Film School: You’re coming right off of Rings of Power. What’s it like coming from an epic fantasy into a pirate comedy?
Damian Del Borrello: Obviously, the scale is quite different. Rings was a fantasy epic, whereas Flags is more of a period piece and more of an intimate show. At the core, it’s all about relationships. So, very different expectations in terms of the soundtrack, but also just a very different approach, both from a logistics point of view but also creatively.
I think in Our Flag Means Death, it was all about the authenticity of the sounds, which speaks towards the period component stuff like the ships, stuff like the locations, stuff like all those amazing design decisions that were made, supporting and elevating all of that to make it feel authentic and real.
NFS: I know that you contributed sound directly to Rings of Power. Is there anything that you did in Our Flag Means Death where you contributed sound?
Del Borrello: I work really closely with all of our crews. So, specifically, one thing to highlight on Flags was to do with the foley. David Jenkins, during all of our spotting sessions, was very specific with how he wanted things to sound, and he went right down to the sound of the footsteps. It’s like, he had this notion of “the heavy.” Who’s the heavy in the scene, who’s the most important, where is the most important emotional beat in the scene?
He spoke directly about the sound of the footsteps in this moment, in that moment. So, I worked quite closely with our foley team, the Bespoke Post, the fantastic foley team here in New Zealand. They would deliver their tracks to me and I would actually do quite a bit of pitch shifting. So, I would actually pitch things down to create more of a sense of weight.
Blackbeard, for example, in one of the spotting sessions we came up with this notion that he would have spurs, or the sound of metal going along with his footsteps that was almost like a pastiche towards the Western bad guys, in those old Western films, just to add a sense of danger. … So, there was a whole lot of those subtle additions and variations.
Aside from that, the mixing of that, of all those sound effects was quite a big contribution on my part, because we’d mixed in Dolby Atmos. We had the height channels available to us. So, in terms of positioning the audience in the different parts of the ship, so that you could feel when you are underneath, under the deck, right in the bowels of the ship, versus when you are just below the deck or up on the deck, and having all of those sounds be consistent wherever we are throughout the whole season was quite a big job. But also so satisfying when it was working.
‘Our Flag Means Death’ Credit: Nicola Dove/Max
NFS: What was your typical timeline on each episode?
Del Borrello: All of our editorial crew was remote. Our dialogue editor had about a week to prep the tracks per episode. Sound effects editors had about two weeks to prep the tracks, then we had about a week to pull it all together in the mix.
My mixing partner is Gareth Van Niekerk, so it was two of us. Gareth was on the dialog and music and also mainly the lead mixer. I was doing all the sound effects and also supervising, so handling all the music as it was coming in from our music editor, Steve Griffin, who was LA-based, and our ADR supervisor, Angelina Faulkner, was also LA-based as well. Which worked really well on the ADR front, because all of our actors were back in LA by the time we started, and so it worked with the time zone as well. She was able to go into the sessions, into the studios for the records.
NFS: What are you most proud of in terms of sound this season?
Del Borrello: It was certainly episode seven [‘Man on Fire’], the sequence from Spanish Jackie’s all the way to the end. There’s so much going on in there. There’s so much detail that we built into it … Once we got the mix right, there’s so much clarity as well, moment to moment … That one shot in Spanish Jackie’s was shot so well.
It’s quite daunting sometimes when you’re presented with something like that to work on because it’s all about the transitions. What’s important, what do we have to hear before we see it, how quickly can we lose the stuff that we just pulled away from? But the way that that all plays, we always know what’s important, what’s coming, what’s gone, and what’s happened in each little beat within that shot.
Then also of course, the chaos of the big twist, which honestly when I first saw the season was a real surprise to me. I didn’t see it coming. That was really good, to build all of that in and to have those giant set pieces with the explosions and the cannon fire.
That was also a bit of a challenge with the visual effects, because that was coming in late. We had a whole lot of things that we’d built knowing what was coming, and it wasn’t until we actually got the final shots that we could actually go, “Oh, right. Actually, we need to swap this out. We need to add that. We need to change the sound of this.” That did happen at the very last minute, and so that was probably a big challenge as well.
‘Our Flag Means Death’ Credit: Nicola Dove/Max
NFS: You may have already answered my next question, which was going to be about the most challenging sequence. Sounds like that is potentially it.
Del Borrello: Yeah, I guess they go hand in hand often, right? So, it’s like the most challenging one that works is the most satisfying.
NFS: What mistakes do you see beginning sound editors making early in their careers, and how do they avoid them?
Del Borrello: I guess one thing is, and it’s something that I learned in film school from my mentors way back, and it’s more sound is not necessarily good sound. When it comes to sound editing, the best thing you can do is choose the right sound, a single sound for a moment. It might be a very detailed sound, but it’s really about what’s important for the emotional honesty of the beat or the scene or whatever it is. Whether it’s a nuts and bolts storytelling element, so that we know what’s happening off-screen.
Or if it’s something that’s connected to a character’s emotional moment, something that supports that or subverts that, depending on what’s required for the scene. It’s about understanding what the scene needs, not necessarily just filling it all and then deciding after. That’s something that I see a lot, certainly with our young freelancers coming through. They build in all of this technical, beautiful detail, just becomes a bit of a mess, and it’s a little bit hard to understand what we’re meant to be seeing, what we’re meant to be hearing. It’s really all about story and emotion.
‘Our Flag Means Death’ Credit: Nicola Dove/Max
NFS: What advice would you give someone who wanted to get into sound? Where should they start as a learning process?
Del Borrello: Well, I guess outside of film schools, just getting connected to professionals in your area. Whether it’s just expressing a desire to be part of the industry, and wanting to meet. It really is about the network.
I really hate that word, “networking,” because is a bit derivative. I think it’s important to connect with people who are passionate about the same things as you. I think if you can find those people in your area and you are passionate yourself and you have the drive to do sound work, it’s something that will just happen.
I know it sounds a little bit simplistic, as well, but it’s about authenticity. It’s about meaningful relationships, and not just transactional. Because any creative field, it’s always about the people. The more of those real relationships you can get and cultivate, the more likely it is you’ll probably end up working with some of these people. So, I think, try not to be transactional is the key.
WARNING: Spoilers ahead for the season two finale of Marvel’s “Loki”
The “Loki” Season 2 finale went into some weird places. Only this time around, there’s a new He Who Remains sitting at the throne — and he’s not a Kang variant. So, is the god of Mischief now just… God?
Well, no. Technically, he’s the God of Stories. More on that in a minute, because it does have a huge, possible tie to a future Marvel project, but first, a quick recap. Episode 6, now streaming on Disney+, certainly made a meal out of trying to fix everything but in the end, there was only one option for Loki, and it essentially means Tom Hiddleston will exist in the MCU forever.
We just may not see him again, because he’s now apparently the keeper of the entire MCU, multiverse and all.
The finale almost immediately let fans know that a lot was about to happen, as it included Loki’s first appearance in the MCU, way back in 2012’s “Avengers” in the “previously on” segment, and was titled “Glorious Purpose.” From there, the typical Marvel intro ran in reverse, signaling that time was, as it always does in this show, going to get a little wonky.
To kick off the actual plot, Loki tried everything he possibly could to stop the time loom from exploding. And we do mean everything, as Loki utilized his new control of his time slipping to go back to different moments, changing how things were done in an effort to win.
Eventually realizing he needed to go back further, he returned to the season one finale, and the moment Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) killed He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors). There, Loki learns that the time loom is actually a fail safe, and he and his friends are doomed anyway, unless he kills Sylvie.
But, Loki being Loki, he finds a way around that. It’s a lot to succinctly explain, but in short, Loki opts to destroy the loom himself, grab the remaining branches, and create a new timeline. Complete with a superhero transition into a new outfit, Loki struts into a different dimension, weaves the timelines together, and creates what appears to be a giant glowing tree made up of literally everything in existence.
That tree is, of course, is unmistakably Yggdrasil, the World Tree of Norse mythology that gives structure to the universe and supports the 9 realms of existence.
In short, not only did Loki save the TVA and the branched timelines, but he basically organized the multiverse on Asgardian terms. The catch is, he’s also now effectively the new He Who Remains, sitting at the center of the tree, watching over and caring for everything — and presumably, there forevermore.
But he’s also something else new: The God of Stories. It’s never said outright, but last week’s episode of “Loki” featured several characters talking at length about the need for people to write their own stories. That line of thinking pointed Loki in the direction he needed to learn to control his time skipping.
In the comics, it’s a little more complicated, but the bullet points are that in the 2013 Marvel series “Loki: Agent of Asgard,” much like on “Loki” our god of mischief encounters various alternative versions of himself. After some adventures that force him to reconsider his life, he’s told that he can’t change his story.
But Loki concludes that lies are just another kind of story and rebrands himself the God of Stories. This ends up tying directly to the 2015 Marvel crossover event, “Secret Wars,” which among other things involved ending the Ultimate line of comics and importing some of its characters — notably Miles Morales — into the main Marvel continuity.
Will any of that happen? For now, the climax of the current incarnation of the MCU is still a “Secret Wars” movie. How we’ll get there remains to be seen however. The so-called “Multiverse Saga” has been closely tied to Jonathan Majors, whose legal troubles may result in his being removed from the MCU. In fact, it feels like that might be just what happened in the “Loki” season (series?) finale. We’ll see.
And now it’s obvious that earlier Thursday, “Loki” co-star (and fan favorite) Ke Huy Quan, who plays Ouroboros/Doug, teased that insanity in a video posted on the show’s official account on the site formerly called Twitter.
The episode aired on the same day Marvel’s new superhero team-up Movie “The Marvels” landed in theaters.
ABC News Studios is shining a spotlight on the incredible world of dog dancing in a new trailer for “The Secret Life of Dancing Dogs” released Friday.
The six-part docuseries — which premieres Nov. 17 on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in the U.K., Ireland, Balkans, Canada, South Africa, Singapore and the Philippines — follows seven women from around the globe and their furry friends, whose tails never stop wagging. They spend months preparing to compete on the world’s preeminent dog dancing stage, Crufts, in England.
They include Lorna Syrett and her border collie Nora (United Kingdom), Gina Pink and her working sheep dog Swagger (United Kingdom), Christine Bérczes and her Australian shepherd Meredith (Hungary), Marianne Elise Methi and her border collie Vega (Norway), Jennifer Fraser and her Australian shepherd Daiquiri (Canada), Sachiko Kuniyoshi and her border collie Alena (Japan), and Isa Randle and her chihuahua Lucky (United Kingdom).
Dog dancing, also known as “Heelwork to Music,” is a competitive sport where people choreograph mind-boggling dance routines with their four-legged canine partners. Performances are judged using a dizzying array of criteria, including musical interpretation, choreography and the bond between handler and canine.
“The Secret Life of Dancing Dogs” is executive produced by Edward Hambleton and Claire Weinraub. Haewon Yom serves as co-executive producer and David Sloan as senior executive producer.
ABC News Studios is led by Mike Kelley. Reena Mehta is senior vice president of streaming and digital content.
Regarding movie and TV characters that have withstood the test of time, I can think of no better characters than the sarcastic ones. These people we remember the most years later for their hilarious jokes, awesome one-liners, and deliveries that just can’t be beaten. Today, we’ll review the most sarcastic TV characters and the ones from movies.
(Image credit: Warner Bros)
Chandler Bing (Friends)
Out of the entirety of the Friends cast, I don’t think there’s been another character that stands out just as much as Chandler Bing. From his first moments on the series to his last, Chandler was hands down the most sarcastic of the leading group, and some of his lines have lived on for years long after the series ended. Friends was undoubtedly one of Matthew Perry’s best TV shows.
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
Deadpool (The Deadpool Franchise)
Deadpool from the Deadpool franchise in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is sarcastic by nature. No matter what fight he’s dealing with, there’s always a joke that comes flying out not that long after, whether it be a lighter joke or a very much Rated-R quip, Ryan Reynolds’ character always has a quick remark.
(Image credit: HBO)
Roman Roy (Succession)
The Succession cast is always serious about what is happening in the show – as they should be. It’s a lot of money they are dealing with.
But Roman Roy? He is the most unserious character ever and will break any tension with a sarcastic quip that will undoubtedly sit in viewers’ minds for hours long after the TV show ends. Kieran Culkin was a beast at his delivery.
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)
Tony Stark (The MCU)
Out of the original Avengers, Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr. in one of his best roles) is hands down the most sarcastic. I’m pretty sure half the time, it was just Downey Jr. acting like himself on screen because he’s Tony Stark in real life. I’ll never get over how he called one of Thanos’ henchmen, Squidward, literally.
(Image credit: BBC One/CBS)
Sherlock Holmes (Elementary & Sherlock)
It’s hard to pick just one Sherlock – so why not both? Benedict Cumberbatch from Sherlock and Jonny Lee Miller from Elementary both perfectly capture what it’s like to play Sherlock Holmes – as well as his sassy and sarcastic nature when solving the case. They are some of the best portrayals of Sherlock out there – I’ll give Robert Downey Jr. an honorable mention, too, for his role as Sherlock in the Sherlock movies.
(Image credit: CBS)
Max Black (2 Broke Girls)
Kat Dennings has probably some of the best one-liners in all of 2 Broke Girls as Max Black. Coming from a broken home, the character came swinging right out the gate with hilarious one-liners and wits that made me laugh for hours on end – even if deep down, we all know she uses sarcasm as her emotional shield.
(Image credit: 20th Television)
Comic Book Guy (The Simpsons)
Few characters on this list have been around for decades, but Comic Book Guy from The Simpsonswas primed for that. Appearing in the second season of The Simpsons, the character has remained a mainstay in the series for his sarcastic nature and love of all things comic books, making snide comments to anyone who challenges his mastery of the medium.
(Image credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Juno (Juno)
Juno from Juno is probably the most relatable teenage character in movies (besides, maybe, the whole teen pregnancy part). She’s witty and sarcastic and uses it in situations where you probably shouldn’t use humor, but it’s what brings you comfort. Admittedly, Juno was my favorite movie character for a long time.
(Image credit: Fox)
Gregory House (House)
There are many medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy, New Amsterdam, and so many others, but nothing can beat House and its namesake doctor, Gregory House. A man who is incredibly smart but has a drug problem, he uses sarcasm in his everyday job, which not only makes him hilarious but also causes him to run into some interesting patient situations.
(Image credit: Disney)
Hades (Hercules)
I will stand by the fact that Hades is hands down the best Disney villain overall. Not only is he so sarcastic and makes jokes about death and Greek mythology all the time, but he’s able to use that hilarity and turn it sinister, turning into a pretty scary villain when he needs to be. But you can’t hate him because he’s just so funny.
(Image credit: AMC)
Roger Sterling (Mad Men)
When I first watched Mad Menand attempted to find someone I liked from the cast, the first person that came to mind was Roger Sterling. Portrayed by John Slattery, Sterling had some of the best storylines on the series – and brought that sarcasm despite all his heavy problems.
(Image credit: HBO)
Tyrion (Game Of Thrones)
There are some great Tyrion quotes out there that I could reference for hours about how sarcastic this man is, but they wouldn’t do it justice. Honestly, rewatch Game of Thrones for Tyrion’s sarcastic nature – I assure you, you will laugh just as much the first time you watched this series thanks to Peter Dinklage’s excellent performance.
(Image credit: NBC)
Seinfeld (Seinfeld)
I mean, come on. Of course, we must put Jerry Seinfeld from Seinfeld on this list. The man was born to be a sarcastic comedian, and in every episode of this series, something will come out of his mouth to make you laugh.
(Image credit: ABC)
Miranda Bailey (Grey’s Anatomy)
The Grey’s Anatomy cast has ebbed and flowed so often throughout its long run that it’s sometimes hard to remember everyone there. But Miranda Bailey, played by Chandra Wilson, has been in the show for years, and honestly, she’s one of the few that I see the reason why. Not only is she hilarious in her sarcastic nature, but her facial expressions are to die for.
(Image credit: Netflix)
Lucifer (Lucifer)
When you’re the ruler of Hell, you tend to have a sense of humor from all the darkness going around, and of course, Lucifer from Lucifer is very much like that. And he has a sense of humor that is unlike anyone else. I’m pretty sure Lucifer can charm anyone with his sarcastic nature and pretty smile – and yes, he would most likely delight me, too, with his sarcasm.
(Image credit: Disney Channel)
Alex Russo (Wizards Of Waverly Place)
As someone who grew up watching Wizards of Waverly Place, Alex Russo is why I am the person I am today. Funny, quippy, and sarcastic, this girl always knew how to make anyone laugh, regardless of the situation. And it’s certainly a show to watch if you love Selena Gomez, as she plays Russo.
(Image credit: The CW)
Fallon Carrington (Dynasty)
If you want a character that genuinely lives for drama, then Fallon Carrington (played by Elizabeth Gillies) from Dynasty is the one for you. She grew up with money and power, but because everyone was always fighting each other within her family, she learned how to stand up for herself quickly – which manifested into some of the most sarcastic moments of the show.
(Image credit: MTV)
Stiles (Teen Wolf)
I’m 99% sure Stiles from the Teen Wolf cast can use his sarcasm as a weapon. Before he was affected by any supernatural forces, he was genuinely just a funny kid who used sarcasm in every way possible, and yes, I am still missing Dylan O’Brien in this role, because he was just the best.
(Image credit: CBC)
David (Schitt’s Creek)
In modern-day television, no one is as sarcastic as David from the Schitt’s Creek cast. Played by Dan Levy, this character had so many moments of sass that they are printed on t-shirts all over the place now. I still laugh just as hard when he says, “You look like the downfall of society,” years later.
(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)
Charlie (Two And A Half Men)
Fun fact – I binge-watched Two And A Half-Men for the first time in 2023, and yes, I am now aware of how funny Charlie Sheen was in this show as Charlie. He is probably the most sarcastic TV character I’ve ever gotten the chance to watch – and no matter how many times I view the episodes, I still laugh just as hard.
(Image credit: Columbia )
Seth (Superbad)
The Superbad elevated many people among its cast up to fame, and one of those just happened to be Jonah Hill, who played Seth in the film. From there, we see how hilarious and sarcastic Hill could be when he played Seth and somehow made me laugh despite his strange nature – and his weird obsessions.
(Image credit: NBC)
April Ludgate (Parks And Recreation)
Aubrey Plaza’s best TV shows certainly includes her role in the Parks and Recreation cast, where she played April Ludgate. Her deadpan-style comedy and the way she responded to any joke is what made her such a great addition to this cast, and in any rewatch, she’s always the standout star.
(Image credit: Max)
Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
Arguably, you could place anyone from the Big Bang Theory cast on this list, but Sheldon stands out. He’s sarcastic, intelligent, and pretty much the face of the franchise – I mean, he got his series afterward, so it’s not surprising he’s on this list.
(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)
Betty Rizzo (Grease)
Betty Rizzo is an exciting pick on this list because while she is undoubtedly sarcastic and a mean girl, we all know she’s going through some serious personal stuff. Regardless, she channels her emotions into her sarcasm and truly comes up with some funny one-liners that have lived on – and of course, we can’t forget the sarcasm queen’s song, “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee.”
(Image credit: HBO)
Miranda (Sex & The City)
Miranda Hobbes from the Sex and the City cast was the sarcastic and funny friend I’m sure we all want in our thirties. Portrayed by Cynthia Nixon, Miranda is a career-minded woman who has probably one of the most cynical takes on relationships and men in general, and she makes it known plenty through her sarcastic quips.
(Image credit: MTV)
Daria (Daria)
Daria’s sarcasm from the show Daria is what made her famous. The adult animated sitcom — a spinoff from Beavis and Butt-Head — was released in the late 1990s and featured the story of Daria, a cynical high school student who was hilarious in every way. Let’s be honest; we all wanted to be her.
(Image credit: FX)
Sterling Archer (Archer)
Archer is all about Sterling Archer – who makes this animated series so much more fun with his sarcasm. As a secret agent who is as narcissistic as he is sarcastic, he makes this show as hilarious as some of the best TV shows.
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)
Loki (The MCU)
I must include the supervillain (or hero, depending on how you look at him), Loki. From his first appearance in the MCU to his TV show on Disney+, Tom Hiddleston has made Loki one of the most sarcastic supervillains in the MCU. It’s no wonder he keeps coming back again and again.
(Image credit: Twentieth Century Fox)
Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada)
“Florals? In the spring? How original.” You can’t get better than Miranda Priestly. Meryl Streep portrayed the character in The Devil Wears Prada cast, and this character used her sarcasm as a weapon to anyone who dared go against what she wanted. Truly, no one did it as well as Priestly.
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
Severus Snape (The Harry Potter Franchise)
While Severus Snape was a man of few words in most of his appearances in the Harry Potter franchise, he was full of sass and sarcasm. Played by Alan Rickman, Severus Snape was a powerful wizard, and in some of his best moments, he used his sass and sarcasm against everyone, especially his students.
(Image credit: AMC)
Saul (Better Call Saul)
I mean, it’s Saul Goodman. He’s the king of sarcasm. There’s a reason why Bob Odenkirk received an entire spinoff dedicated to the character after starring in Breaking Bad – he’s an okay-ish lawyer with no shortage of sarcasm to offer. He can somehow always get someone out of trouble.
(Image credit: Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
Sokka (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
What do you do when all your friends and family have bending abilities but you don’t? You use sarcasm as a weapon, of course, and that’s what Sokka did in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Hands down, Sokka was the funniest of the leading group of characters in the popular Nickelodeon show.
(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)
Richard Hayden (Tommy Boy)
David Spade is another iconic actor known for his sarcastic characters, and one of his best is Richard Hayden from Tommy Boy. His scenes with Chris Farley made him all the funnier and stands out as one of his best movies.
(Image credit: Universal Pictures)
Billy (Billy Madison)
Adam Sandler is known for being sarcastic in many of his movie roles, and one of his most iconic was Billy in Billy Madison. A spoiled man, Billy was hilarious in every way and used his sarcasm and dimwitted nature to get whatever he wanted – which, later on, hilariously backfires.
There are plenty of great sarcastic characters out there to love and enjoy, but these guys certainly stand out as some of the best. Now if you don’t mind me, I’m going to look up a compilation of Chandler Bing’s funniest moments and laugh my butt off again and again.
Kevin Bacon is showing his excitement for the 118-day actors strike ending with some memorable dance moves.
On Thursday, the actor shared a video of him in what appears to be an empty barn, re-creating his iconic dance from the 1984 film as Moving Pictures’ song “Never” plays in the background. The clip was joined with the caption, “Strike over! @sagaftra.”
The scene he references is when his character, angst-ridden Ren McCormack, punchdances around an abandoned warehouse in the Oscar-nominated movie.
Bacon follows in the footsteps of several other stars, including Mandy Moore, Alec Baldwin, Octavia Spencer and Noah Schnapp, who took to social media to celebrate after it was announced that SAG-AFTRA had officially reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with studios and streamers. The deal came after weeks of renewed negotiations between the union and AMPTP as Hollywood waited in anticipation.
But rather than putting his feelings into words, Bacon decided to put it into dance, alluding to the iconic film that launched his career. The actor, who starred opposite Lori Singer, played Ren, a city teen who moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned. With his rebellious spirit, he looks to shake up the town and convince the city council to lift the ban on dancing.
Earlier this year, Bacon opened up about how he struggled with fame following the success of Footloose.
“I was so into what my idea of a serious actor was, and all of a sudden I was given this thing [Footloose] that was completely not a serious actor,” he said on an episode of Podcrushed in September. “So I rejected it, like, full on. And really, I think in some ways, I tried to self-sabotage that piece of myself and my popularity.”
Prince Harry, Elton John, and several other prominent British figures have been given the green light to continue with their legal case against the publisher of the Daily Mail. A judge made the ruling after Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) attempted to have the cases thrown out in London’s high court.
Legal action was brought against ANL by Prince, Harry, Elton John, Lady Doreen Lawrence, David Furnish, Sadie Frost, Liz Hurley, and Sir Simon Hughes for unlawful information gathering and “gross breaches of privacy.” The claims include allegations of illegal activity, including homes being bugged, deceptive tactics used to obtain private medical information, and the tapping of live phone calls.
ANL has called the claims “preposterous smears.” In March, the publisher asked a judge to rule in its favor without a trial, saying the legal challenges against them were brought “far too late.” Today, however, Justice Nicklin said ANL had “not been able to deliver a ‘knockout blow’ to the claims of any of these claimants.”
“Each claimant has a real prospect of demonstrating that Associated, or those for whom Associated is responsible, concealed from him/her the relevant facts upon which a worthwhile claim of unlawful information gathering could have been advanced,” Justice Nicklin said.
David Sherborne, who is representing Prince Harry, said ANL’s attempt to have the claims ended was as “ambitious as it is unattractive.” He added that the members of group each had a “compelling case.”
In March, Prince Harry made a surprise appearance in London’s High Court to support the legal suit. In a written submission, he told the judge he had suffered from “suspicion and paranoia” caused by ANL’s actions.
The cases against ANL and the Daily Mail coincide with another high profile case against the Rupert Murdoch-owned News Group Newspapers. In July, a judge ruled that Prince Harry’s snooping lawsuit can go to trial, albeit without one of its most damning allegations. Like his other ongoing lawsuit against the Mirror Group’s tabloids — for which Prince Harry testified against in June — the Duke of Sussex had also sued The Sun and the now-defunct News Of The World, accusing the newspapers of hacking his phone over a decade ago.
Trending
In his testimony against The Mirror, The Sunday Mirror, and The Sunday People, Prince Harry said “some editors and journalists do have blood on their hands.”
Hugh Grant, who has campaigned for press reforms, spoke out about today’s ruling, according to the BBC. The actor noted, “This ruling is a significant blow to the Daily Mail and great news for anyone who wants the truth about allegations of illegal press practices to come out.”
No cabe duda de que César Chávez es la figura histórica más reconocida de la historia de los latinos en Estados Unidos.
Convención Demócrata en Nueva York, 14 de julio de 1976. César Chávez en el podio, nominando al Gdor. Brown. Biblioteca del Congreso.
Existe una buena razón para esto. Chávez ocupa un lugar importante en la historia de Estados Unidos. Como líder de la lucha de los trabajadores agrícolas por la sindicalización y la dignidad a partir de la década de 1960, Chávez logró lo que nunca se había hecho. Organizó con éxito a los trabajadores agrícolas (principalmente mexicanos y filipinos) y consiguió contratos laborales históricos con los grandes agricultores del valle de San Joaquín, en California. Al mismo tiempo, Chávez inspiró y alentó las luchas por los derechos civiles del Movimiento Chicano en todo el Suroeste y el Medio Oeste.
En muchos sentidos, Chávez fue el padrino del Movimiento Chicano, el mayor y más extendido movimiento por los derechos civiles de los mexicanoamericanos en la historia de Estados Unidos.
Aunque muchos han escrito sobre las cualidades y habilidades de liderazgo de César Chávez, desafortunadamente, estos escritores e historiadores han pasado por alto un elemento crucial de este liderazgo. Han ignorado la marcada devoción religiosa y espiritualidad de Chávez. Fue un organizador brillante, pero estaba fuertemente motivado a expresar su liderazgo por su fe, su fe católica. La naturaleza espiritual de Chávez comenzó con la influencia de su abuela y su madre, que les enseñaron a él y a sus hermanos a no herir nunca a nadie, especialmente físicamente. Es lo que algunos denominan teología de la abuelita o teología de las abuelas. No se hace daño a otro ser humano porque es hijo de Dios. César Chávez ampliaría lo que aprendió de sus matriarcas para incluir otros aspectos de su fe y espiritualidad. Esto incluye lo siguiente:
Chávez creía en el poder de su fe católica.
El catolicismo le inspiró a hacer el bien a los demás. Dijo: “Creo que hay tres elementos en mi fe. Somos Dios, yo y mi hermano. Soy tradicional. Soy un católico tradicional. Voy a la iglesia regularmente y lo hago fielmente… Pero además de eso, también tengo lo que considero una religión renovadora. Salgo y hago cosas. Eso es lo que creo que es una fe verdadera, y eso es lo que creo que Cristo realmente nos enseñó: salir a hacer algo. Podemos repasar Su sermón [Sermón de la montaña] y está muy claro lo que quiere que hagamos: vestir al desnudo, dar de comer al hambriento y dar de beber al sediento. Son cosas muy sencillas y eso es lo que tenemos que hacer”.
Chávez luchó por la dignidad humana de los trabajadores agrícolas y otras personas que sufrían un trato inhumano.
Sobre esto declaró: “Nunca debemos olvidar que el elemento humano es lo más importante que tenemos; si nos alejamos de esto, seguramente fracasaremos”. La dignidad humana es muy importante para los pobres, quienes no reciben ese trato. Sobre los pobres, Chávez añadió: “Es más que un sindicato (UFW) tal como lo conocemos hoy lo que tenemos que construir. Es el movimiento de los pobres… Sabemos que nuestra causa es justa, que la historia es el relato de revolución social y que los pobres deben heredar la tierra”.
La abnegación estaba muy presente en el liderazgo de Chávez.
Principalmente él tuvo que sacrificarse por los demás. “Cuando somos realmente honestos con nosotros mismos, debemos admitir que nuestras vidas son lo único que realmente nos pertenece”, confesó. “Así que es la forma en que utilizamos nuestras vidas lo que determina qué clase de personas somos. Creo profundamente que la vida solo se encuentra dando la vida. Estoy convencido de que el acto de valor más verdadero, el acto de humanidad más fuerte, es sacrificarnos por los demás en una lucha totalmente no violenta por la justicia”.
Por supuesto, la no violencia formaba parte de la fe de Chávez por la que es más conocido.
Chávez reconoció que la no violencia no era fácil, especialmente para los hombres. Comentó de forma reveladora: “No soy un hombre no violento. Soy un hombre violento que intenta ser no violento”. Chávez hablaba a menudo de la no violencia. Sin embargo, para él, la no violencia era más que una táctica: era una forma de vida. Pero la no violencia no significaba dar la otra mejilla o ser pasivo. Chávez creía en lo que llamaba “no violencia militante”. La no violencia exigía ser activo y luchar por los derechos y la dignidad. Significaba ir a la huelga y hacer piquetes. “La no violencia es más poderosa que la violencia”, sentenció Chávez. “Estamos convencidos de que la no violencia sirve de apoyo si se tiene una causa justa y moral. La no violencia da la oportunidad de mantenerse a la ofensiva, lo que es de vital importancia para ganar cualquier batalla”.
César Chávez luchó por la justicia social para los trabajadores agrícolas y otras personas desfavorecidas, pero era una justicia social impregnada por su fe.
Declaró: “Si voy a salvar mi alma, será a través de la lucha por la justicia social”. Y añadió: “Buscamos los derechos básicos que Dios nos ha dado como seres humanos. Porque hemos sufrido y no tenemos miedo a sufrir: para sobrevivir estamos dispuestos a dejarlo todo, incluso la vida, en nuestra lucha por la justicia social”.
No cabe duda de que la fe y la espiritualidad influyeron en el liderazgo de César Chávez. Debemos empezar por aquí para comprender al hombre y su causa. Chávez lo dijo todo cuando se le preguntó, tras muchos años de lucha por los derechos y la dignidad de los trabajadores del campo, qué le motivaba a continuar la lucha. Chávez respondió de forma reveladora:
“Hoy no creo que pueda basar mi voluntad de lucha en la economía frívola o en alguna doctrina política. No creo que tenga sustento suficiente. Para mí la base debe ser la fe”.
Mario T. García
Mario T. García es profesor distinguido de Estudios Chicanos y Chicanas en la UC Santa Barbara y editor de “El Evangelio de César Chávez: Mi fe en acción” (The Gospel of César Chávez: My Faith In Action).
Qatar’s emir holds talks in Egypt on ending Gaza violence
The leaders of Qatar and Egypt met in Cairo on Friday, both hoping to mediate a de-escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip, the provision of humanitarian aid and the release of Israeli hostages.
The talks between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed intensified efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and the delivery of sufficient quantities of aid for its 2.3 million besieged residents, a statement from Sisi’s office said.
Qatar said ‘joint efforts to stop the aggression against Gaza, reduce escalation and bring in urgent humanitarian aid’ were discussed.
The Qatari emir’s visit comes a day after Qatar’s prime minister met the chiefs of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israeli spy agency Mossad in Doha to discuss the parameters of a deal for a hostage release and a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas.
UN: ‘The carnage simply must stop’
The UN has called for an end to the carnage afflicting war-torn Gaza during Israel’s military campaign, according to a top UN aid official’s comments released today.
‘The present course chosen by the Israeli authorities will not bring the peace and stability that both Israelis and Palestinians want and deserve,’ Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations’ agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), wrote in a media opinion piece.
‘Razing entire neighbourhoods to the ground is not an answer for the egregious crimes committed by Hamas.
‘To the contrary, it is creating a new generation of aggrieved Palestinians who are likely to continue the cycle of violence. The carnage simply must stop.’
German foreign minister: Israel must not lose ‘historic opportunity’ for peace with Arab states
Israel must not lose a ‘historic opportunity’ for peace with Arab states due to its war, Germany’s foreign minister has said as she embarked on a trip to the region.
Annalena Baerbock is making her third visit to the Middle East since Palestinian militant group Hamas launched its October 7 attack from the Gaza Strip, which sparked a conflict with Israel.
One of her stops will be the United Arab Emirates, which was among countries that normalised relations with Israel in 2020.
She will also visit Saudi Arabia, which had been in talks over a potential normalisation with Israel, until they were paused when the current war broke out.
In addition, Baerbock will visit Israel.
‘In this almost unresolvable turmoil, it is crucial not to lose sight of the big picture,’ she said. ‘Israel’s historic opportunity for peace with its Arab neighbours must not be lost – because that is precisely the goal of the terrorists.’
Iran warns expansion of Israel-Hamas war is ‘inevitable’
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Friday that expansion of the Israel-Hamas war has become “inevitable”, amid widespread concern in the region and beyond that the conflict could spread.
“Due to the increasing intensity of the war against the civilian residents of Gaza, the expansion of the scope of the war has now become inevitable”, Amir-Abdollahian said to his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in a phone call.
His comments were cited on the ministry’s website.
The Islamic republic, which supports Hamas financially and militarily, has hailed the militant group’s attack on Israel as a “success” but denied any involvement.
The Israeli military has surrounded Gaza ‘s biggest hospital where it claims Hamas is hiding its underground headquarters, and is closing in around it.
IDF troops are said to be about 270 yards away from the Al-Shifa hospital, where an estimated 60,000 people have taken refuge, many in a makeshift camp.
Heavy fighting has been reported in recent days around the medical facility as Israeli troops battle through the narrow streets in their operation to destroy Hamas.
Overnight, Hamas-run local authorities accused the IDF of shelling areas around hospitals in the north of the coastal strip, including Al-Shifa, as well as the Rantisi children’s hospital and the Indonesian hospital.
Click the link below to read the full story…
Blinken says ‘far too many’ Palestinians have died and more needs to be done to save lives
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says ‘far too many’ Palestinians have died and more needs to be done to save lives and get aid where it’s most needed.
Speaking in New Dheli Friday, Bliken said the U.S. ‘appreciates’ Israel’s steps to minimize civilian casualties but that’s not enough.
He said the U.S. has proposed additional ideas to the Israelis about how to accomplish that including longer ‘humanitarian pauses’ and expanding the amount of assistance getting into Gaza.
Blinken’s remarks come as the Israeli military pushed deeper into dense urban neighborhoods in its battle with Hamas militants.
Turkey discusses increasing daily number of aid trucks to 500 for Gaza
Turkey discussed increasing the daily number of aid trucks to at least 500 for Gaza with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to Ankara, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.
The top U.S. diplomat took a positive approach on the issue during talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Erdogan said.
Ankara will take steps to provide ambulances, food, water and medication to Gaza in cooperation with other countries, Erdogan also said as he spoke to reporters during his return flight from Uzbekistan.
Breaking: Palestinian Authority says it is ready to assume responsibilities in Gaza as part of political solution
The Palestinian Authority is ready to assume responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as part of a comprehensive political solution for the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (seen below on Nov. 5) has said.
Blinken welcomes pauses but says more needs to be done to protect civilians
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday he welcomed Israel’s agreed pauses in its offensive in Gaza, but that more needed to be done.
‘I think some progress has been made,’ Blinken said, speaking in New Delhi.
‘But I was also very clear that much more needs to be done in terms of protecting civilians and getting humanitarian assistance to them.’
Follow the link below to read the full story…
UN report paints dire picture of Palestinian economy, with GDP shrinking 4 percent
A new UN report has painted a stark picture of the devastation of the collapse of the Palestinian economy after a month of war and Israel’s siege of Gaza.
The gross domestic product shrank 4 percent in the West Bank and Gaza in the war’s first month, sending over 400,000 people into poverty.
Such an economic impact has been unseen in the conflicts Syria and Ukraine, or any previous Israel-Hamas war, the UN said.
The rapid assessment of economic consequences of the Gaza war released Thursday by the UN Development Program and the UN Economic and Social Commission for West Asia was the first UN report showing the devastating impact of the conflict especially on the Palestinians.
If the war continues for a second month, the UN projects that the Palestinian GDP, which was $20.4 billion before the war began, will drop by 8.4% – a loss of $1.7 billion. And if the conflict lasts a third month, Palestinian GDP will drop by 12%, with losses of $2.5 billion and more than 660,000 people pushed into poverty, it projects.
Netanyahu casts doubt on daily pauses in fighting
The White House said on Thursday that Israel agreed to pause military operations in parts of north Gaza for four hours a day, but there was no sign of a let-up in the fighting.
The pauses, which would allow people to flee along two humanitarian corridors and could be used for the release of hostages, were significant first steps, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested any pauses would be scattered, and there was no official confirmation of a plan for recurring breaks.
Asked if there would be a ‘stoppage’ in fighting, Netanyahu said on the Fox News Channel: ‘No. The fighting continues against the Hamas enemy, the Hamas terrorists, but in specific locations for a given period of a few hours here or a few hours there, we want to facilitate the safe passage of civilians away from the zone of fight and we’re doing that.’
UN slams four-hour daily pauses in fighting as ‘very cynical and cruel’
Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, described Israel’s decision to allow a four-hour humanitarian pause each day in combat operations in northern Gaza to allow civilians to flee to the south as ‘very cynical and cruel.’
‘There has been continuous bombings, 6,000 bombs every week on the Gaza Strip, on this tiny piece of land where people are trapped and the destruction is massive. There won’t be any way back after what Israel is doing to the Gaza Strip,’ Albanese told reporters in Adelaide, Australia, on Friday.
‘So four hours cease-fire, yes, to let people breathe and to remember what is the sound of life without bombing before starting bombing them again. It’s very cynical and cruel.’
Netanyahu says he is not seeking ‘to govern Gaza’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will continue until Hamas is defeated but asserted that the country has no intention to conquer or govern the blockaded territory after the fighting ends.
Netanyahu said Israel does not ‘seek to govern Gaza’, adding ‘We don’t seek to occupy it, but we seek to give it and us a better future.’
In an interview with Fox News that aired Thursday evening, Netanyahu made clear that though Israel had no intention of occupying Gaza, it did envision a radically reshaped territory free of Hamas.
‘What we have to see is Gaza demilitarised, deradicalized and rebuilt,’ he said.
Share or comment on this article:
Israel-Hamas LIVE: Netanyahu says he is not seeking ‘to govern Gaza’ as UN slams four-hour daily pauses in fighting as ‘very cynical and cruel’
Prince Harry can continue with his privacy lawsuit against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers, a U.K. judge ruled on Friday.
As the BBC reports, the case also involves six other celebrities, including Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost, Sir Simon Hughes and Baroness Doreen Lawrence, who are all claiming that Associated Newspapers has partaken in “gross breaches of privacy” and unlawful information gathering. According to the lawsuit filed by Harry and his fellow claimants, this includes allegations of listening into and recording phone calls, bugging cars and illicitly obtaining private financial and medical records.
Associated Newspapers has consistently denied the allegations and sought to have the case dismissed because some of the claims happened years ago, falling outside the limitation period. However, now that a judge has ruled the suit can continue, it looks to become the latest high-profile trial in the U.K. dealing with issues of privacy when it comes to tabloid newspapers.
“We are delighted with today’s decision which allows our claims over serious criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy by the Mail titles to proceed to trial,” Harry’s lawyers told Variety in a statement. “The High Court has dismissed ‘without difficulty’ the attempt by Associated Newspapers to throw these cases out. Indeed, the Judge found that each of our claims had a real prospect of showing there was concealment of unlawful acts by the Mail titles and that this could not have been discovered until recently. Our claims can now proceed to trial.”
Back in March, Prince Harry made a surprise appearance at London’s High Court in support of the suit, telling the judge in a written submission that he suffered from “suspicion and paranoia… caused by Associated’s publication of the unlawful articles – friends were lost or cut off as a result and everyone became a ‘suspect’, since he was misled by the way that the articles were written into believing that those close to him were the source of this information being provided to Associated’s newspapers,” as the Evening Standard reported.
In June, the prince became the first senior royal to testify in 130 years when he took the witness box during his case against British tabloid The Daily Mirror. That case remains ongoing, as do several others against various U.K. publishers. Now that his latest case has been given the green light, it is possible that Harry could find himself in court once again to testify.
Prince Harry currently lives in Montecito, Calif. with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children. In January 2020, the couple stepped down from their royal duties and moved to California to pursue production and nonprofit work under their Archewell banner.
Panahi, a pivotal figure in the global arthouse scene, died on November 5, aged 67. In her decades in the business, as a producer, co-financier and sales agent, Panahi introduced the world to international auteurs from Iran (Jafar Panahi, Marjane Satrapi), Europe (Jacques Audiard, François Ozon, Gaspar Noé, Marco Bellocchio, Aleksandr Sokurov, the Dardenne brothers) and across Asia (Takeshi Kitano, Naomi Kawase, Jia Zanghke, Hirokazu Kore-eda).
“She took films that were challenging, that were difficult to make, to sell, to promote, and she fought for them,” says Oscar-winning producer Jeremy Thomas (The Last Emperor) who knew and worked with Panahi for more than 30 years. “She was a unique part of the film ecosystem. She was really inspirational, with the films that she enabled to be made, and seen.”
Celluloid Dreams, which Panahi founded in 1985, was a pioneer in scouting and promoting international filmmakers, particularly from regions (Asia, the Middle East) that long been ignored by distributors in the West.
Jacques Audiard’s French prison drama A Prophet, Takeshi Kitano’s samurai action comedy The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi, Marjane Satrapi’s animated autobiography Persepolis, S. Craig Zahler’s violent Western Bone Tomahawk, Todd Haynes’ experimental Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There: There was little that united the Celluloid Dreams line-up, aside from Panahi’s esquisite taste.
“Panahi was ‘the’ sales agent par excellence and has, since the 1980s, pioneered a new way of understanding the exchange and promotion of arthouse films internationally,” says Giona Nazzaro, artistic director at the Locarno Film Festival. “But beyond even that, she is famed for her unparalleled eye in seeking out and supporting nascent projects as a producer. It is to this discerning vision that we owe the discovery and consecration of some of the greatest contemporary auteurs: from Jafar Panahi to Kitano Takeshi, from Jacques Audiard to Jia Zhangke…A new generation of professionals was formed under her close supervision and guidance. We now also count them among the brightest lights in our industry.”
Posting on X shortly after the news of her death, the Locarno festival called Panahi “fierce and an inexhaustible source of inspiration.”
Fierce and an inexhaustible source of inspiration, Hengameh Panahi played a crucial role in the history of cinema and a fundamental part, more than we can imagine, in shaping our own private histories as passionate cinephiles.@GionaNazzaro‘s tribute: https://t.co/OmdTsOnfrmpic.twitter.com/6GTRT6iDFS
The European Producers Club, posting on Thursday, called Panahi “a very important woman who enlightened our industry for decades with her passion and vision. We owe Hengameh Panahi masterpieces and many successes.”
Many highlighted Panahi’s role as a partner and mentor. Famously, after meeting two young, talented but broke animators on a trip to L.A. in the early 1980s, Panahi helped organise a trip for them to attend Brussels’ Anima animation festival. The duo? John Lasseter and Tim Burton.
Though Celluloid Dreams Panahi actively sought out partnerships with other independent producers and distributors to find new ways to finance and release hard-to-market movies.
“When I started MUBI 16 years ago, Hengameh was the first person in the film industry who believed in me,” says Efe Çakarel, who launched his arthouse streaming platform with Panahi’s help. “Her instincts were sharp as a knife. She invested in MUBI (then called “The Auteurs”), joined our board, licensed us her entire library, and mentored me. Her influence and ideas in those early days shaped what MUBI became today. I will miss her greatly.”
Martin Scorsese, Ete Cakarel and Hengameh Panahi at the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2009
“Hengameh’s taste was unparalleled and she was an exceptional sales agent,” wrote indie production and sales group XYZ Films in an email to The Hollywood Reporter following Panahi’s death. In 2012, XYZ formed a foreign sales partnership with Celluloid Dreams in 2012, called Celluloid Nightmares, to produce and distribute arthouse horror movies. “She taught us a lot during the years of our Celluloid Nightmares partnership,” said XYZ. “Hengameh’s passing is a loss for filmmakers and cinema around the world and she will be missed.”
Jeremy Thomas notes that Panahi’s passing comes as the kind of cinema she celebrated and championed has become an endangered species.
“She was a driver of world cinema and for a time that was a very strong business, popular in the movie houses and on DVD but a lot has changed,” he says. “You go to the big festivals, like Toronto, and the screenings are full up, with audiences queuing to see these movies [but] fewer and fewer of them are getting theatrical releases. The marketplace has been greatly reduced [to] the couple of streamers who have taste.”
But, he adds, Panahi would be the last one to give up the fight for independent cinema.
“She was a lifetime fighter and did whatever was needed to stay in the game,” he says. “Above all it was her infectious enthusiasm, and optimism. Most people in the film business are glass half-empty types. Hengameh was always half-full or overflowing.”
Sofia Coppola’s latest movie, A24’s “Priscilla,” takes audiences back to the 1960s to chronicle a love story between 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu and rock star Elvis Presley. Cailee Spaeny plays teen Priscilla and Jacob Elordi is the King. With the film spanning 1959 to 1972, costume designer Stacey Battat pulled together around 130 looks for Spaeny’s character, and at least 100 for Elordi.
Silhouette changes, subtle makeup and hair changes were key to Spaeny’s transformation. Speaking at the Middleburg Film Festival, Spaeny was joined by Battat to accept Variety’s Creative Collaborators award on behalf of director Coppola, who was unable to attend. Spaeny said, “We weren’t working with any sort of special effects makeup or aging techniques, so those pieces were essential in my figuring out how I was going to be differentiating all these stages in her life.”
Battat, Coppola’s go-to costume designer, has worked with the filmmaker on over six projects, including “The Beguiled,” “On the Rocks” and “The Bling Ring.” She began by diving into photographic research. “I looked at photos of Priscilla and photos of what was historically accurate, and then fine-tuned it. I had younger-looking silhouettes to begin with, and more childish colors, and moved forward with more adult silhouettes. A big part of that was hair and makeup because that also gave an idea of her age.”
As for Spaeny, despite spending a lot of her childhood visiting Graceland, she admitted she didn’t know Priscilla’s story. The biggest entry into playing the character was meeting with Priscilla herself. “I was so prepared. But the second I walked through the door, everything went out of my head. I remember I was staring at my plate and she wanted to know if I had any questions. She was so gracious with her time, we ended up talking for about four hours.”
The film was shot in 30 days on a $13 million budget, out of order. Priscilla’s graduation scene was one of the first scenes shot. While there were photos of her dress, Battat said, “We made some small changes to the neckline.”
For her wedding gown, Battat said, “We were lucky enough to collaborate with Chanel on the wedding dress, and Valentino made his tuxedo.”
With the film shooting out of order, Spaeny explained she would often find herself a more mature, pregnant Priscilla in the morning, and “I’d be 14 after lunch.”
For another part of the transformation, Spaeny talked about perfecting Priscilla’s black eyeliner as Coppola zoomed in while she applied her makeup.
Yes, that was actually Spaeny.
“I had to get it in one take,” she told the audience. “I think it was the most stressful scene ever. Everyone was holding their breath, and Jo-Ann MacNeil, our head of makeup was so proud of me. I had to get in there and do my own eyeliner.”
Taiwan-Japan documentary After the Snowmelt and Filipino fantasy feature Mother Maybe were presented with the TAICCA X CNC Awards at the close of the pitching forum at Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF). Both awards came with a cash prize of $30,000.
Organized by Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), TCCF’s Pitching event handed out awards worth nearly $200,000. TAICCA chairperson Homme Tsai said this was possible as the agency had “actively collaborated with South Korea, France, Japan and the three major telecommunications companies in Taiwan. Our goal is to provide creators with more funding while seeking additional international collaboration opportunities.”
Initially, the event had planned to only hand out one TAICCA X CNC Award, in partnership with French national film agency CNC, but announced at the end of the ceremony that, due to the high quality of submissions, it would hand out two awards.
Taiwan-Japan co-production After The Snowmelt is a tribute from director Lo Yi-Shan to her best friend Chu, who passed away while trekking in Nepal. Accepting the award, Lo said there are not many opportunities for documentary pitches in Taiwan and thanked TCCF for adding a doc pitching section.
Mother Maybe is a fantasy drama that mixes Filipino folklore with a universal message of finding your own family and place in the world. “This is our first film market and my first time in Taiwan but I’m glad this story resonated with a lot of people. It’s quite personal but also a little crazy,” said producer Arden Rod Condez. The project also received the Taichung Action Award and the MPA Grand Award.
Another multiple award winner was revenge thriller drama series Maid Of Vengeance, directed by David Chuang (Danger Zone), which received the Chunghwa Telecom Award and the Series Mania Award.
Taiwan-Hong Kong supernatural drama Appetite For Desire received the MIFFEST Award, Choice of Deep Waters Award and Taipei International Film Award (see full list of award winners below).
PROJECT TO SCREEN GRAND AWARDS:
TAICCA X CNC Award ($30,000): After The Snowmelt (Hope Content Marketing Co)
TAICCA X CNC Award ($30,000): Mother Maybe (E&W Films & Southern Lantern Studios)
Chunghwa Telecom Award (NT$600,000): Maid Of Vengeance (Universe Of Ladies Co)
PROJECT TO SCREEN: FEATURE FILMS
Taipei International Film Award (NT$300,000): Appetite For Desire (Circle Luna, Content Digital Film Co, Flash Forward Entertainment)
Taichung Action Award (NT$300,000): Mother Maybe (E&W Films & Southern Lantern Studios)
KFA Original Award (NT$300,000): Mr. Tiger (Content Digital Film Co, Rediron Film Co, Volos Films)
Choice of Deep Waters Award (NT$150,000): Appetite For Desire (Circle Luna, Content Digital Film Co, Flash Forward Entertainment)
MIFFEST Award (provision of post-production services worth $30,000): Appetite For Desire (Circle Luna, Content Digital Film Co, Flash Forward Entertainment)
MPA Grand Award (participation in Global Film & Television Immersion Program 2024): Mother Maybe (E&W Films & Southern Lantern Studios)
Udine FEFF Award (participation in Focus Asia 2024): A Ballad Of Long Hair (Sinema 5, Akanga Film Asia)
PROJECT TO SCREEN: SERIES
MyVideo Initiative Award (NT$300,000): Before We Were Monsters (Outland Film Production)
Hakka TV Award (NT$300,000): I Wish You Happiness (Storyable Co)
Warner Bros Discovery Spotlight Award (NT$300,000): It’s Showtime! (Calendar Studios Co)
Series Mania Award (participation in Series Mania): Maid Of Vengeance (Universe Of Ladies Co)
PROJECT TO SCREEN: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AND SERIES
CCDF Award International Award (participation in the 2024 CNEX Chinese Doc Forum): Queer As Punk
Docs by the Sea Prize (participation in Docs by the Sea Forum): We Live Underground (Across Film)
Documentary Association of Europe Award International Award (producer & director receive membership in European Documentary Network and consultation with a film sales advisor): Queer As Punk
PROJECT TO SCREEN: ANIMATION FEATURE AND SERIES
Muse Animation Award (NT$300,000): Favorable Wind Ears (Xanthus Animation Studio)
FUBON Momo Mini Award (NT$300,000): Fresh Truck (Muteam Workshop Co)
ATF* TTB Award (participation in ATF x TTB Animation Lab and Pitch Animation Workshop: Brian (Brilliant Animation Studios, Whatube Studios)
STORY TO SCREEN
TCCF Award: Best Story (NT$100,000): A Trip To The Asylum: The World Is A Madhouse (Slowork Publishing, The Grayhawk Agency)
TCCF Award: Best Story (NT$100,000): A Sketch In Scarlet (Links Publishing, Mystery Creation Co)
TCCF Award: Best Story (NT$100,000): Peenky Promise (Naver Webtoon)
FriDay Video Original Story Award (NT$300,000): Second Woman (Sun Color Culture Co, The Grayhawk Agency)
Gamania Star Adaptation Award (NT$100,000): The Subordinate Leasing Program (Kadokawa Taiwan Corporation)
iMoon Good Story Award (NT$100,000): Murderer Of Us (Beans Books, Co)
Set TV Next Star Award (NT$100,000): The Gap Year (Sharp Point Press, The Grayhawk Agency)
EBC Original screenplay Award (NT$100,000): A Sketch In Scarlet (Links Publishing, Mystery Creation Co)
GTV Best Originality Award Cash Prize (NT$100,000): The Gap Year (Sharp Point Press, The Grayhawk Agency)
TVBS Storytelling Impact Grand Award (NT$100,000): Second Woman (Sun Color Culture Co, The Grayhawk Agency)
Balding, bespectacled and bowed by the weight of a thousand disappointments, Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) moves through “Dream Scenario” with a schlubby passivity. At the college where he teaches evolutionary biology, his students sigh and fidget; during a lesson on zebras, he explains that their stripes keep them safe by ensuring that they don’t stand out from the herd. Not standing out is Paul’s entire vibe.
Then he learns that, inexplicably, he has been popping up in people’s dreams. At first, it’s just the reveries of family and acquaintances — one of his daughters, a former girlfriend — but soon his invasions spread to complete strangers. A droll running joke has dream-Paul refusing to respond to the dreamer’s cries for help: In one scenario, his daughter is being pummeled by falling objects while Paul calmly rakes leaves; in another, a student is being menaced by a gore-soaked pursuer while Paul, sashaying past, declines to intervene. In Paul’s world, as in our own, it’s possible to go viral by doing virtually nothing.
This could seem like a one-trick conceit; but the Norwegian writer and director, Kristoffer Borgli, infuses his screenplay with a sadness that foregrounds Paul’s long-burning need for recognition. At lunch with a former graduate school classmate (Paula Boudreau), who has recently published the book about ants that he himself has struggled to write, he attacks her for stealing one of his ideas. Later, he pushes back defensively when the ex-girlfriend (Marnie McPhail Diamond) describes his inaction in her dream about a dying friend.
“You’re still doing that?,” she asks, incredulous. “Searching for the insult?” It’s perhaps the movie’s most important line, adding layers to a character who could seem a fool. But Paul is dull, not despicable, a vaguely resentful academic who’s loved by his stoic wife (Julianne Nicholson) and yearns to be included in their neighbor’s famed dinner parties. His newfound celebrity has him perplexed, then pleased, and ultimately petrified when the movie takes a dark turn and the dreams become nightmares. Now Paul stands out. Now he will be hunted — and not only online.
Pondering the downside of notoriety and our willingness to exchange safety for fame, “Dream Scenario” is often funny and frequently surreal. Borgli’s previous feature, “Sick of Myself” (2023), also examined someone going to extremes to gain the attention she felt she deserved. Here, though, he has more ideas than space to execute them, and the movie’s third act can feel overloaded and indecisive of where it wants to land. Sharp, unheralded cuts from dream to reality leave us little time to get our bearings; yet they also leave Cage free to roam the length and breadth of his considerable acting range. The sight of Paul, in his shabby parka and scrubby beard, attempt to re-enact a young woman’s erotic dream — at her request — could make you want to put your eyes out.
Full marks in this scene, though, to the terrific Dylan Gelula who, along with other supporting players like Michael Cera (as an advertising pup who wants Paul to carry a can of Sprite into people’s dreams) and Tim Meadows (as Paul’s department head), help ground the film’s cringe comedy. In the end, “Dream Scenario” is less interested in cancel culture than the fickleness of a mass audience that can rapidly swerve from adulation to condemnation — even when, like Paul, you really haven’t done anything at all.
Dream Scenario Rated R for awkward groping and awful outerwear. Running time: 1 hour 42 minutes. In theaters.
‘Our Flag Means Death’ Credit: Nicola Dove/Max 
‘Our Flag Means Death’ Credit: Nicola Dove/Max 
