We had three exciting new trailers for upcoming projects drop this week. They’re all exciting in their own way, so let’s dive right in and check them out!
SECRET INVASION
I love Nick Fury! So it’s really cool to see him headlining his own MCU project, especially with Ben Mendelsohn, who is such a fantastic actor. I love Don Cheadle’s line from the trailer when Rhodey says to Fury “You’re the most wanted man on the planet.”. That is the exact type of situation Nick Fury should be in, in a Nick Fury movie or story. I really dug up this trailer! It looked very cinematic, had I not known it was a television miniseries. I would’ve thought it was a movie that would be released in theaters.
Here’s the official synopsis: “Fury and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) try to stop the Skrulls who have infiltrated the highest spheres of the Marvel Universe.”
In addition, to returning characters, like Talos, we have a few new faces in this project. Emelia Clarke is playing G’iah, daughter of Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos. We first met her character as a little girl in 2019’s Captain Marvel.
Secret Invasion Premieres on Disney+ June 21st!
BLUE BEETLE
Blue beetle was originally intended to be released directly on to the HBO max streaming platform. But the studio and other people within the industry, who would given their insight, works also impressed by the film that they decided to release theatrically. I can see why they would make that choice, because this looks like a lot of fun. Take a look at the movie’s official synopsis:
Mexican-American teenager Jaime Reyes gains super powers when a mysterious scarab binds to his spine and provides him with a powerful suit of blue alien armour.
Jaime Reyes AKA The Blue Beetle
Jaime isn’t the first Blue Bettle, that honor goes to a man named Ted Kord. Kord was a brilliant science and the head of Kord Industries. Like Batman, Ted didnt have superpowers, instead relying his intelligence, physical skill, and the advanced tech. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Ted Coord, but at the bottom is at the end of the day he was really just a poor man’s Batman. Interestingly, enough the character night owl from Alan Moore’s seminal, classic Watchmen was loosely based on, and inspired by Blue Bettle.
Ted Kord
The Original Blue Beetle
It’s not clear if Ted Kord has any role in this movie. However, there is a brief glimpse in the trailer of the characters riding in “The Bug”, Blue Beetle’s very cool hover ship. This is another great example of how Nite Owl from Watchmen was inspired by The Blue Beetle, including Archie, Nite Owl’s ship in Watchmen. “The Bug” it is one of my favorite superhero vehicles in all of comics, so it’s really exciting to see it brought to life on screen. But it still doesn’t answer whether or not the original Blue Beetle will be making an appearance. We’ll have to wait and see.
The Bug hovercraft from the trailerThe Bug as seen in the comics
Blue Beetle hits theaters on August 18th
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSSTHE SPIDERVERSE
Here’s the official synopsis: Miles Morales catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is arguably the best Spider-Man film to date and is certainly in the conversation for one of the best superhero movies of all time. Initially, I was hoping that the sequel would focus more on Miles and his journey as Spider-Man and his developing relationship with Gwen Stacy’s Spider Woman. I wasn’t that enthusiastic about another big Multiversal adventure. However, after seeing the new trailer, I have to say I’m really intrigued by where they’re going with this new movie. It seems like a really interesting direction and has me very excited.
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Opens June 2nd
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It’s that time if year again! When we take stock and look at the best and worst serialized storytelling streamed, stolen, and broadcast to our TVs, tablet, laptops, and God knows what else. There were a lot of great shows in 2022, and in article, I’ll be going over my favorites, enjoy!
The Boys (Amazon Prime)
Hands down, my favorite series of the year goes to Amazon Prime’s The Boys. This surprisingly layered show works on multiple levels. What makes the series a cut above the rest (as well as the best show on television, in my opinion), is how the show is executed with excellence at every level. On the surface, there’s the insanity, graphic violence, shocking gross out moments, and depravity that the show revels in. It’s not for everybody. There’s a scene early on in the Season 3 premiere, that is unlike anything I have ever seen committed to screen. It was utterly insane. Almost as if the creators were saying to the audience “Hey, we know it’s been awhile, but in case you forgot what kind of show you’re watching… Check this out!”. It seemed to proudly announce, The Boys are BACK and no punches will be pulled!
The series works as a superheroes deconstructed, as well as a commentary on our current cultural obsession with them. On a whole other level, The Boys is a brilliant social and political satire, lampooning both sides of the social and political spectrum with equal opportunity. However, none of that would work if The Boys didn’t have some of the best storytelling and characters on TV. The writing is truly phenomenal, with amazing performances, from a cast that’s absolutely stacked with talent. It all comes together to create something very special.
In the world of The Boys, nothing is black-and-white. Every single character feels fleshed out and real. There are at least four or five actors on this show, if not more, who give Emmy worthy performances. However, Season 3 had a few particular standouts who blew the roof off ever time they were on screen. Unsurprisingly, two of those standout performances belong to Anthony Starr as Homelander and Karl Urban as Butcher. Both actors continue to add layers to these complex characters with their extraordinary performances. Both Butcher and Homelander are guilty of fairly vile behavior, yet the show somehow makes you feel sympathy for them. That is no mean feet. Their dynamic continues to be the backbone of the series and things are poised to only get more interesting from here.
The prize for third MVP of the season has to go to new cast member Jensen Ackles, joining the show as Soldier Boy. As the show’s twisted version of Captain America, he was a great character who fundamentally shook up the status quo of the series, the first Supe we’ve seen to genuinely rival Homelander in power. As both an antagonist and reluctant ally, Soldier Boy was a true wild card. After 15 seasons playing Dean Winchester on Supernatural, Jensen Ackles showed us that he is not a one trick pony. Giving a complex, fascinating performance, as a complicated character who worked as both friend and foe. Soldier Boy was a kind of character we’ve never quite seen before on the show. He was the perfect shake up that the series needed and I hope we see Ackles return for future seasons. This was the best season of The Boys yet, coming off of the first 2 spectacular seasons. With Season 4 on the way, The Boys has established itself as the best show currently on television.
Arcane (Netflix)
A long list of wildly entertaining and groundbreaking animated shows have emerged over the last 30 years. After just one season, Netflix’s Arcane has already solidified it self as one of the very best. Arcane has so much going for it that it’s hard to know exactly where to begin. The beautiful animation is genuinely unique, every character is complex and interesting. One of the many things I loved about Arcane is how it doesn’t operate within the context of heroes and villains. The so-called “good guys” struggle with their inner demons and mistakes from their past. Conversely, just as you’re about to right off a “villain” as irredeemable, they display unexpected kindness, compassion, and humanity. Arcane is even further enhanced by it’s stellar voice cast, almost every actor here crushes it in their respective roles. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the fight scenes. The fights on this show fucking rule. The fight sequences aren’t just beautifully choreographed and thrilling, they also have a purpose in the story and give us better insight into the characters involved (Plus, they just look so damn cool). Even if you’re not a fan of animation, I say, give this show try, because Arcane is an absolute MUST WATCH.
The Sandman (Netflix)
After years in development Hell and numerous attempts at possible movies and TV series, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman finally got an on screen adaptation. It was worth the wait. However, what’s downright miraculous how damn good the show really is. Neil Gaiman himself was very hands on during the creative process and the production, so he approached this adaptation as if he was writing The Sandman story for the first time, instead of 30 years ago. Gaiman said that if he was writing The Sandman comic book series today, instead of the 90’s, this is more or less what it would look like. But don’t let that scare you if you’re a diehard fan, this is still very much The Sandman that we know and love. The result is show with the characters stories and you know and love, with some minor tweaks as the story transitions mediums from a comic book to a TV series.
Almost all of the changes made are for the better, even improving upon certain storylines and characters that didn’t work for me in the comics. Tom Sturridge IS Morpheus. He perfectly embodies the character and without him the series wouldn’t work. The rest of the cast kills it as well, with fan favorites like Lucifer, The Corinthian, Mathew The Raven and Hob Gadling all making memorable appearances. Despite the changes, this was still a shockingly accurate adaptation of the classic award-winning comic book series. With Netflix, having recently announced that the series will be returning for Season 2, if the show stays on its current course, some of the best Sandman stories are about to be brought to life on screen.
Stranger Things 4 (Netflix)
It’s safe to say that this was the best season of Stranger Things yet. The mythology moved forward in a major way. Stranger Things got a horrifying villain in Vecna, and the characters and story are left perfectly positioned at the end of the season to wrap up the series with a bang in Stranger Things 5.
This season has some fantastic characters, both new and familiar. Without spoiling anything, if one of the characters dies, you genuinely feel the emotional impact, where lesser series can come off as cheap. Let’s no forget the already iconic scene as Max and the rest of the gang desperately try to save her, all set to Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (Deal With God)”. Great stuff, a real chef’s kiss.
Peacemaker (HBO Max)
James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad has become is one of my favorite films over the last couple of years. It’s arguably the best film in The DCEU. Now, I love John Cena and he’s fucking great in The Suicide Squad, but to be honest I was less than enthusiastic when I heard Peacemaker was getting his own spin-off series on HBO Max. It seemed like an odd choice to expand on the character. Boy, was I wrong. In James Gunn we trust, my friends.
Peacemaker is a home run that has no business being as good as it is. I always say, there’s no such thing as a bad character, just bad writers, and Peacemaker is a perfect example of that. John Cena elevates the seemingly violent sociopath, into a deeply broken man, struggling with guilt and deep emotional turmoil. The series is surprisingly complex, shifting between hilarious and heartbreaking with ease. Coupled with the magic touch of James Gunn, and one of the best TV show opening intro sequences ever, and Peacemaker is yet another contender for the best superhero show on television.
Other FavoritesFrom 2022:
The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
Reacher (Amazon Prime)
Young Justice: Phantoms (HBO Max)
His Dark Materials (HBO/HBO Max)
Interview with The Vampire (AMC)
Moon Knight/She-Hulk (TIE) Disney+
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews for the podcast, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
Disney’s 1990s animated drama, Gargoyles, remains one of my favorite television shows of all time. With its adult themes, complex heroes and villains, and storylines that drew from mythology, history, and Shakespeare, there was truly nothing like it on TV. Then or now. The series has received something of a cultural resurgence of late, with Director Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us) expressing interest in directing a live action adaptation of the show (Which would be fucking awesome!). I’ve been singing the praises of Gargoyles for awhile here at World’s Best Media, like in this article where I take a more comprehensive, deep dive into this personal favorite: https://best-media-world.com/2018/02/11/must-watch-gargoyles/
Gargoyles creator Greg Wiseman is currently the show runner on the spectacular, fucking PHENOMENAL, HBO Max animated series Young Justice. Which I highly encourage you to watch, especially if you’ve been a fan of the man’s work at all over the years. Young Justice’s streaming numbers will ensure whether or not it receives a fifth season. So please go out and support not only a fantastic creator, but one of the best superhero television shows ever made. Truly, if you’ve never seen this show, do yourself a favor and head over to HBO Max right now and give it a watch. Actually, go watch BOTH shows right now!Young Justice on HBOMax and Gargoyles on Disney+!
Fan interest in Gargoyles has never waned. It’s been a cult favorite ever since it premiered, with yearly conventions, online message boards, fanfiction, and cosplay, all going strong.
With or without Jordan Peele, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some sort of reboot or adaptation in the works soon. After all, this is the age of constantly exploiting existing IP. Resurrecting an old idea is always better than coming up with a new one. Plus, I think audiences all are much better suited for something like Gargoyles than they were when the series debuted. Viewers are much more accustomed to complex mythologies, fantasy, and unconventional longform epic storytelling. The superhero revolution, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc. Gargoyles has everything Disney needs to make its next giant modern fantasy epic. We’ll see how it all plays out, in the meantime IGN put out this really cool video about Gargoyles and the history of the series. In particular, it focuses on how the show boasted particularly excellent villains, in billionaire David Xanatos and rogue gargoyle, Demona. Played by Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis respectively, best known from Star Trek:The Next Generation. In fact, quite a few cast members from The Next Generation made appearances on Gargoyles, notably Brent Spiner as Puck and Michael Dorn as Coldstone, to name a few. It’s a great primer if you’re unfamiliar with the material and it was this video that prompted me to write this article. It also got me excited to revisit the series, which is available on Disney+ and DVD. Check out IGN’s great video below…
Are you a Gargoyles fan? How would you like to see a Gargoyles reboot or sequel handled? Let me know in the comments below.
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
I think it’s fair to say that the majority of people out there don’t have the DC Universe streaming service yet. I think the majority of subscribers are Superfans like myself. I don’t know what kind of numbers DC Universe is pulling down, but I think eventually Warner Bros., the parent company that owns DC Universe, will bundle the streaming services with others that Warner Bros. are developing. Just like some of their competition is doing. When Disney+ launches in November, subscribers will be able to purchase a bundle deal that will include Disney+, Hulu, and an ESPN streaming service of some kind. I’ve read reports that indicate the Disney+ bundle is going to be available for around $12 or $13 a month, which is a fucking steal in my opinion. I only mention this because I think that’s what will probably happen with DC Universe eventually.
Anyway, back to TITANS. Even though the show premiered on DC Universe, TITANS Season 1 was available on Netflix for a while, I’m not sure if it still is (I just checked, it isn’t). It’s also available on Blu-ray and digitally through iTunes. It takes a few episodes to get going, but once the show found it’s footing, I thought it was a really strong first season. TITANS has some very interesting characters, some stand out action sequences, and it’s actually fairly unique. Even among the over crowded market of superhero TV shows, TITANS managed to stand out . In fact, every series that DC Universe has produced has been more or less excellent across-the-board: Titans, Young Justice: Outsiders, Doom Patrol, and Swamp Thing are all fantastic shows.
Season 2 looks like it’s really upping the ante, the list of new characters include: Superboy, Krypto, Rose Wilson AKA Ravager, Aqualad, and Deathstroke, to name a few. However, the character I’m most excited to see is another new addition to Season 2, Bruce Wayne. Considering how large Bruce’s shady loomed in Dicks life and the series as a whole, he really felt like a character on the show despite not actually being featured in the first season (with the exception of dream sequences or partial views here and there). It will be great to finally see him in the flesh as a REAL character on the show this time. Also, I love the show’s excellent casting for Bruce Wayne, Ian Glenn a.k.a. Ser Jorrah Mormont himself from a Game of Thrones. I think that’s perfect casting for a older Bruce Wayne/Batman.
This almost seems like a almost The Dark Knight Returns era Bruce Wayne. Anyone who watched Game of Thrones knows that Ian Glenn is more than physically up to the challenge of playing Batman. I’ve heard the producer say that the focus won’t be as much on Batman, but Bruce Wayne instead. I think that’s a smart way for the show to have his cake and eat it too. Batman is such a huge figure, by not having him suit up he won’t overshadow the other heroes, but we still get to see and explore Bruce Wayne as a character. I can’t wait to see how he and Dick interact after all of the baggage that was built up between the two of them in the first season. The relationship between Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne is one of the most interesting dynamics in comic books, finally seeing this pairing in live action for the first time (Batman Forever and Batman & Robin don’t count) is super exciting. You can check out the trailer for TITANS Season 2 below:
This week also saw the release of the final trailer for JOKER from director Todd Phillips, with Joaquin Phoenix playing the titular Clown Prince Of Crime. At World’s Best Media, I’ve dedicated little to no coverage to this movie. I don’t think I’d be exaggerating to say that I’m fundamental against the very concept of this movie’s existence.
The buzz surrounding JOKER has been great, Joaquin Phoenix looks like he’s going to deliver a fantastic performance, and the trailers have been solid as hell, but that’s not really the point. It’s essentially a Joker origin story and, for me at least, there in lies the problem. Don’t get me wrong, there’ve been fantastic Joker stories that teased possible origins for the character. The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, Batman: Endgame by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm, all of these classics stories present a possible origin for The Joker, but none of them present the origin as definitive. The stories never give you the whole picture of who this guy really is, why he does what he does, and is the information we just learned about him even real? The stories always leaves a question mark at the end, things are left ambiguous. However, this new film is just a straight up origin. This is the story of how one man, Arthur Fleck, goes from A to B to C and becomes The Joker.
If there is one character in all of fiction that will only be hurt by definitive origin story it’s, The Joker. I always say the joker is to the normal people of Gotham white Batman is to the criminals. This almost supernatural force who seems to be everywhere at once and 10 steps ahead of every move you can make, The Boogeyman. Chaos and Madness incarnate. Which is why he such a compelling antagonist for a Batman, because a lot of what I just said about The Joker could be said about Batman. When you have a character as iconic as The Joker, the reveal that the story could possibly give you, can never live up to what you have built up in your head. Your imagination fills in the blanks in a way the storytellers never can.
Sure, I get JOKER is it’s own standalone movie, it’s not affecting anything other DC films, TV shows, or comics. But fictional characters have pop culture capital and a high-profile project like this can increase or decrease that capital. That’s just another way of saying, if a Joker origin movie sucks, it hurts this fantastic character outside of this movie. The Joker is bigger than one film. You could make an argument that the character of The Joker is almost as important as Batman himself. When a character is as compelling, beloved, and interesting as The Joker, you don’t want to see them fuck it up. Like I said before, I’ve heard nothing but positive things about this film and Joaquin phoenix looks like he’s putting on a hell of a performance. Still, Despite everything the movie has going for it, I’m just not that into this kind of Joker film. I’ll probably see Joker when it comes out. Then I can report back if I was right, or I was wrong and I need to eat a little crow, or things fell somewhere in the middle. Who knows? We’ll find out in a little over a month. Anyway check out the trailer below …
Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter @PJWrightWBM or type Worlds Best Media into the search bar, you can also like and follow us on our Facebook page; World’s Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, go a long way to supporting the show. We really appreciate the loyalty shown to us by World’s Best Media fans, so thanks again!
As this year’s San Diego Comic-Con continues, breaking news, trailers, announcements, and other cool reveals keep on blowing minds of fans everywhere! But it can be a pain in the ass trying to find all the SDCC news. So keep it HERE at World’s Best Media, where you can find all of the up to the minuet info, you want the most! We’ll be updating this page all weekend with the breaking news and content that can’t be missed from SDCC 2019!
WOW. We got some killer stuff today! At the Marvel Studios panel, Kevin Feige did not disappoint. He rolled out the next 2 years of Marvel’s PHASE 4 slate, which will consist of 10 projects. They include both theatrical releases and projects to be released on Disney +. Plus, Feige offers up some tantalizing hints on MCU projects coming after the slate of shows and films. It’s all pretty exciting, so I’m going to break it down for you right here…
MARVEL STUDIOS PHASE 4 (The Next 2 Years)
The Eternals – Release date 11/6/20
Dir. – Chloe Zhao
Staring – Angelina Jolie as Thena , Richard Madden as Ikaris. The cast also includes Selma Hayek.
The story of the film, broadly speaking, follows The Eternals, a race of aliens imbued with power and immortality by The Celestials (some of the most powerful beings in the existence of The Marvel Universe). The Eternals are charged with protecting Earth and humanity from The Deviants, an evil, monstrous mirror race of The Eternals. To use a poor analogy. Think of The Eternals and Angels and The Deviants as Demons.
The Flacon and The Winter Soldier Release Date – Fall 2020 on Disney +
Starring – Anthony Makie as The Falcon/Captain America, Sebastian Stan as The Winter Soldier, and Daniel Bruhl returning as Baron Helmut Zemo ( This time he WILL be getting the classic Baron Zemo mask!)
As expected, this series will see Anthony Mackie don his really cool Captain America uniform which is a combination of The Falcon in Captain America’s classic look. So it seems like this series will be about Sam Wilson adjusting to this great weight on his shoulders and Bucky Barnes being with him along the way, like he was with Steve Rogers. All the while having to deal with Baron Zemo not much more than that is known at this time. But I can’t wait for this one, I think it’s going to be really cool.
Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings – Release Date 2/12/2021
Dir. Denton Daniel Cretton
Starring – Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Tony Leung as The REAL Mandarin
Not much is know about the story at this time. Shang-Chi is the greatest martial artist in the world. He’s a hero and adventurer. In the comics his father was the criminal mastermind Fu Manchu. I can see for racial reasons why Marvel wouldn’t want to use that character. So I strongly suspect that The Mandarin will be Shang-Chi’s father in this movie. A lot of the character drama from Shang-Chi’s story comes from the pain he feels being a hero who wants to do the right thing, when his father is one of the greatest villains in the world. Despite the fact that The Mandarin was smoke and mirrors in Iron Man 3, it’s been strongly suggested that a “real” Mandarin is out there. For several years, Marvel would release fun short films as an extra feature on the Blu-Rays for their movies. The last one Marvel produced was on the Blu-Ray for Thor: The Dark World and called “All Hail The King”. In that short film, it’s revealed that Aldrich Killian co-opted much of his bullshit Mandarin story from some real sources and it turns out that The Mandarin is a very real, very dangerous guy, who is very pissed that his name had been dragged through the mud in Iron Man 3. The film ends with one of The TRUE Mandarin’s disciples, breaking Trevor Slattery (played by Ben Kingsley) out of prison, the actor who played the fake Mandarin for Aldrich Killian, so he can face justice at the hands of the real Mandarin. So, we’ve known for a while that the real Mandarin was out there and it was only a matter of time before we see him somewhere in The MCU. This is the perfect project to use him in. It’s also worth pointing out that the terrorist group who originally kidnapped Tony Stark in the very first Iron Man movie was called The Ten Rings.
Shang-Chi
The Mandarin
WandaVision – Release Date Spring 2021 on Disney +
Starring – Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, Paul Bettany as The Vision, Teyonah Paris as adult Monica Rambeau (the daughter of Carol’s best friend in Captain Marvel)
For some reason people seem to be down on this project, but I think it has the potential to be something special. Kevin Feige he himself has said that this series is very strange. One of the more interesting things about Wanda maxim off is her exponentially growing power and her increased mental stability. Panel confirmed that this series takes place after endgame. Which makes me wonder, have a wonders abilities progressed to the point where she can resurrect vision, as she eventually has the power to do in the comics at great cost.
LOKI– Release Date Spring 2021 Disney +
Starring – Tom Hiddleston as Loki
As we saw in endgame, low-key managed to get away with the space stone. Apparently this show will be a trip through history and Loki is very long life. I’ve heard it described is almost something like quantum leap. It appears that it will involve low-key mixing it up at important historical events with famous historical figures. Which sounds like a whole Lotta fucking fun. I am in.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness – Release Date 5/7/2021
Dir. Scott Derrickson
Starring – Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff
OK, this is the movie I’ve been fucking waiting for. According to director Scott Derrickson, this will be Marvel’s first “scary movie“. Which is about as close as you can get to saying you’re going to do a horror movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you don’t think that’s awesome, there’s something fucking wrong with you. Doctor Strange was a great origin movie and in Infinity War and Endgame, we got to see a lot of cool shit from Doctor Strange and what he’s capable of. I can’t wait to see how his powers have progressed. It’s important to note that this director knows how to do a really creepy, disquieting, fucked up movie. Hopefully Marvel will let him embrace that. It’s also really interesting to see Scarlet Witch in this movie, though not completely surprising, because in the comics it’s been suggested multiple times that her powers are magic-based. Maybe she will turn to Doctor Strange after something that happened in WandaVision? Who knows. But I can’t wait for this one! The more Doctor Strange the better!
Hawkeye– Release Date Fall 2021 on Disney +
Starring – Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye
This looks like it may be more of a limited series than some of the other shows on Disney +, but it will apparently focus on Clint Barton training a new protégé, a girl named Kate Bishop, making her first MCU appearance. In the comic books, after years of training with Clint Barton and other superheroes, Kate is viewed more as a hero in her own right, rather than simply being Clint’s sidekick. In fact, both Cling and Kate both go by. I know it can be confusing, but hey that’s those crazy comics for, ya! The series will also explore Clint’s time as Ronin in the wake of Thanos’ decimation. This show looks like it’s heavily borrowing from the fantastic Hawkeye comic book run by writer Matt Fraction and Artist David Aja.
Thor: Love and Thunder – Release Date 11/5/2021
Dir. Taika Waititi
Starrring – Chris Hemsworth as Thor/Odinson, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster/Thor
So I love the direction they’re going in with this new movie. First of all, I was thrilled another Thor film was being made, and they were bringing back the same director: Taika Waititi, who gave us the fantastic Thor: Ragnarok. But it also seems like the story will be largely taking it’s cues from the recent and ongoing Thor comic book run by writer Jason Aaron. Which is a good thing, because it’s probably one of the best Thor stories that I’ve ever read.
In that story, due to a complicated series of events, Thor is no longer worthy of wielding his mighty hammer; Mijonir. Meanwhile, Jane Foster has been fighting her own battles, against the cancer that has ravaged her body. In this story, a Parliament of World’s is formed. Like a U.N. for The Ten Realms, set up to keep the peace throughout the realms and it’s people. Jane is the representative from Midgard, so even though she and Thor are no longer dating, she spends quite a bit of time in new Asgard and has made some wonderful new friends in the process. The Parliament meets on New Asgard (a shadow of Asgard’s glory days) which resides on Earth’s Moon. As a sidenote, at this point Asgard has taken up residence on an area near what they called the “Blue Area” of the moon. It’s the only place on the moon that perfectly simulates Earth’s pressure, gravity, temperature , and most importantly, you can breathe there.
So, while on a walk through the blue area of the moon, contemplating her depressing situation, Jane Foster comes across Mijonir and attempts to lift Thor’s legendary hammer (after Thor has spent months attempting to lift it unsuccessfully) and as the inscription says, “whosoever holds this hammer, should they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor“ At which point Jane’s shocked to see herself turned into a beautiful, god-like, female version of Thor. She is unrecognizable as Jane Foster. Now I can already hear some of the assholes on the Internet complaining that a woman will be, in a way, playing Thor. First of all, in the comics, this is one of the best Thor stories they have done in years. A great story is simply a great story. Also, this isn’t just a story about Jane Foster. It’s also is a very profound story about Asgard and Thor himself.
So for you idiots thinking Thor is going to get kicked to the wayside because of some bullshit liberal agenda…relax. The movies going to be great. I am really thrilled to see Marvel is taking some interesting chances with their with their projects. I have a few guesses, but I can’t wait to see who the villain will be in this movie. Gorr The God Butcher, perhaps? We can only hope!
Black Widow – Release Date 5/1/2020
Dir. Cate Shortland
Starring – Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Rachel Weiss and David Harbour appearing in unknown rolls
This movie will be a prequel taking place before Captain America: Civil War. It will feature such classic Marvel bad guys as Taskmaster, who I’m very excited to see. Natasha also faces off against the “evil Black Widow”, Yelena, another product of The Red Room Program. This woman is Natasha if Hawkeye never showed her a better way to live and became here friend. Yelena is a vicious, manipulative killer, a mirror image of what Natasha could have become. This will be the next Marvel movie we have to look forward to. I think this is a long time coming. Black Widow is more than capable of carrying her own film. It will be really cool to see how they incorporate this into some other events in a MCU history.
Before things wrapped up, Kevin Feige had one more surprise for the crowd. After listing all of these projects, he brought out, the fantastic actor, Mahershala Ali, and announced Ali will be playing Blade in an upcoming movie, introduce The Day Walker to the MCU. No release date has been announced . That is pretty fucking cool nonetheless. Ali is a fantastic actor. He’s perfect for this role. There have been rumblings of Blade in the MCU for a few years now ( even some suggesting Wesley Snipes would return ) so it’s going to be really exciting to see what they do with the character.
Feige wrapped things up by explaining this is what they have in production that will be hitting theatres and screens over the next 2 years. Two years is a lot shorter than any of the previous phases of the MCU, which makes me think that this is just the first half of Phase 4 and more announcements will be made along the way. However, he closed things out by saying Guardians Vol.3, Black Panther 2, Captain Marvel 2, and (FUCK YES) The Fantastic Four!!! will be coming soon after these projects. He had to drive the crowd wild by mentioning one more thing coming soon, one word:“Mutants.” So that was the Marvel Studios presentation this year. It certainly did not disappoint.
New Trailers For Movies & TV Series
Watchmen:
Westworld-Season 3:
Arrow – The Final Season
Supergirl – Season 5
The Witcher (Netflix)
The Flash Season 6
Star Trek: Picard
Supernatural: The Final Season (Chevy Impala Tribute)
OTHER NEWS
DC Universe announced that their series Young Justice will officially be back for a fourth season.
LIVE FROM RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL! …Well… No, not really… But it’s a good show anyway! On this week’s episode of The World’s Best Podcast, guest co-host Paul Sr. and I discuss the must see movies and TV series coming up next month, in our July Movie & TV Preview! We give you the scoop on Spider-Man: Far From Home, Stranger Things 3, Young Justice: Outsiders & more! Of course, along the way we take some of our usual nonsensical detours, but that’s part of the fun!
I also wanted to mention, as a public service announcement, that the word around the campfire is that Spider-Man: Far From Home is not only spectacular, but it also has a lot of cool surprises and twists and turns. Besides the trailer I have posted below, I’d recommend avoiding anymore trailers or clips from Spider-Man: Far From Home. From what I’ve heard, this is a movie you want to go into knowing as little as possible. Speaking of trailers, you can also check out the latest trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home, as well as Stranger Things 3 and Young Justice: Outsiders at the end of this article.
As a little bonus for our World’s Best Media readers and subscribers, I wanted to bring your attention to a few other movies and TV shows premiering in July that we didn’t have time to go over on the podcast. First up, we have Amazon Prime’s new series The Boys. Based on the incredible comic book series created by writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson, The Boy’s takes place in a world where superheroes exist, but they’re reckless, entitled assholes who are way more likely to kill a bunch of innocent people as collateral damage than they are to save the day. When these pricks get really out of hand, The Boys step in. The Boy’s are a covert government team of violent lunatics who fuck up and/or kill superheroes who get out of line. Garth Ennis is the amazing writer behind the comic book classic Preacher as well as writing the most iconic run on The Punisher of all time. If you’re at all familiar with Ennis’ writing you won’t be surprised that The Boys is batshit insane in the best possible way. Everything I’ve seen so far has indicated that the show is pretty damn faithful to the source material. I’m pretty psyched for this one. Make sure you check out the trailer posted below. The Boys premieres on Amazon Prime on July 26.
Lastly, we have the new DCAU movie (or DC Animated Universe movie), Batman:Hush. I’m alway excited when one these new animated movies come out. They may not always knock out of the park, but when they do it’s fucking spectacular. Batman: Hush is based on the comic book storyline of the same name, an iconic Batman story written by Jeph Loeb (Batman: The Long Halloween) and legendary artist Jim Lee. The story is a sprawling mystery about a mysterious madman calling himself Hush, who’s hellbent on destroying Batman and everything he loves. The story is a trip through the most iconic parts of Batman’s world, featuring everyone from The Joker and Ras Al Ghul to Superman and Nightwing. This movie has the potential to be great, so I hope DC really nails this story. The trailer is posted below. Batman: Hush hits digitally on July 20th and on Blu-Ray August 6th.
Anyway, listen to this week’s episode of The World’s Best Podcast here or subscribe on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, & iTunes: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/18357511
On this week’s episode of The World’s Best Podcast, I review the new DC superhero movie SHAZAM! starring Zachary Levi.Shazam may not be well known, but at one time his comic book series was outselling Superman. DC may not be knocking it out of the park with their movies like Marvel, but they’re on the right track. With missteps like Suicide Squad and Justice League out of the way, DC has built up a solid roster of stand alone movies with Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and now Shazam. SPOILERS are discussed in this episode, but I cover the characters history and some other interesting topics before breaking down the movie.
Listen to the episode here or subscribe on Stitcher and iTunes:
Last week, the DCUNIVERSE Streaming Service wrapped up the first season of it’s flagship original program, Titans. Considering that, initially, there was some negative buzz about the project, Titans turned out to be a damn good superhero show with a unique take on the DCU and a killer teaser for Season 2. There really isn’t a superhero show quite like Titans airing at the moment.
One of the coolest parts of the season was how the show alternated episodes by focusing on the overarching, season-long story in one episode. While the next showcased great, but more obscure characters from DC lore and giving them time to shine. We met characters like Jason Todd (the new, borderline psychotic Robin), Hawk & Dove, Donna Troy aka Wonder Girl, and Doom Patrol.
DoomPatrol popped up around the 4th episode of Titans and was a early highlight in Season 1. Raven is rescued by Garfield Logan aka Gar aka Beast Boy in his tiger form and then takes her to see the rest of his “family”, The Doom Patrol. The Doom Patrol lives in a mansion under the eye of The Chief whose real name is Dr. Niles Caulder. Each member of the Doom Patrol had been in some kind of sever accident and Dr. Caulder’s very bizarre methods saved their lives. However, though his strange methods saved their lives, the side effects of his treatments gave them special abilities. Some are so extreme that that they see themselves as freaks and become more or less shut ins. When Raven is ready to leave, Beast Boy decides to strikes out on his own with the Titans. The Doom Patrol will always be his family, but he needs to start his own journey. As happy as the rest of the Doom Patrol are for him, there’s a sense of tragedy because none of the rest can ever do that themselves. Gar’s the only one of them who can remotely pass as human. They want Gar to have what they can’t: Freedom to live his own life. Basically DoomPatrol is really, really, fucking weird.
I can’t say I was much of DoomPatrol fan or knew that much about them besides Grant Morrison’s acclaimed DoomPatrol run from the comics years ago. Seeing an episode with those characters front and center made me kind of like them. They’re kind of goofy, but if you don’t take it too seriously the DoomPatrol characters are a lot of fun.
For the moment, the plan for DCUNIVERSE is to make at least one episode of an original series available on the app each week. Of course, all of the the content the app provides, like free comic book downloads from DC’s library, DC films, and more.
YoungJustice: Outsiders (Part 1) will be available on DCUNIVERSE January 4, with 3 episode blocks coming out each week. YoungJustice returns for Part 2 of the seasonthis summer.
Shorty after Part 1 of YoungJustice: Outsiders finishes up, the DoomPatrol series will premiere on February 15th. Even though these are the same characters, in the same universe, there are 2 big differences from the DoomPatrol series and the DoomPatrol episode of Titans. The Chief, the somewhat menacing Dr. Caulder, will be payed by Timothy Dalton.While Cyborg has been added to the team in Beast Boy’s absence. Out of the many comic book series premiering in 2019, this has the potential to be a very fun and weird superhero show, so make sure to keep an eye out for this one.
“Remember when I was in The Mummy?! (Sigh) Better days…”
“I’m Timothy Dalton For Christ’s Sake! What the FUCK amIdoinginthisthing?!”
Check out the teaser below and these cool character posters in our first official look at the series. I’ll sat this it looks weird as hell and I really dig that.
What do you guys think of DoomPatrol? Are you going to give it a try? I’d love to hear your comments below.
The long awaited 3rd Season of Young Justice premieres on 1/4/19 on the DC UNIVERSE streaming service. Check out the new trailer for Young Justice: Outsiders right here!
World’s Best Media 