Stan Lee Filmed FOUR Cameos in One Day

If there’s one thing geeks like, it’s an Easter Egg. A cheeky nod to say ‘we know you’re a fan; here’s something just for you.’ Every time the line “Are we having fun yet?” is uttered in iZombie (a reference to the fantastic Rob Thomas show Party Down) I squeal a bit and grab my boyfriend’s arm. Possibly the most famous of all the nerdy Easter Eggs is the Stan Lee cameo in the Marvel movies. He’s avoided falling buildings, been a skeevy guy with a hot blonde lady friend, and delivered a parcel for ‘Mr Tony Stank’ among many memorable appearances in the franchise. And even though he’s no spring chicken, he’s not slowing down any time soon!

The LA Times reported that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said that Lee had filmed four cameos in one day, when answering questions at a recent Q&A session. Feige explained that the cameos are not just shoe-horned in, but are carefully planned out parts of each movie. He said that all of the cameos were unique and awesome in their own right

“We do not shoot random ones. They’re always very specific. A couple of months ago in Atlanta, he flew down and we shot four in one day — for four various projects.”

Feige is clearly in awe of the 93-year-old legend. He went on to say, “He was unbelievable. He was on fire. He came in, he sat here, he stood there, he stood in this window, and then he went home.”

Feige didn’t elaborate on which projects Lee had filmed the cameos for, however with the studio having films scheduled until 2020, he still has plenty of work ahead of him!

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28th October to be ‘Stan Lee Day’

Excelsior, True Believers! Los Angeles has declared 28th October to be Stan Lee Day!

The legendary face of Marvel comics has been given a dedicated day in his honour as thanks for his contribution to LA’s entertainment industry. The 93-year-old comics giant originally hails from New York, but moved to the City of Angels about 30 years ago, taking it as an adoptive home.

In addition to this, Lee‘s annual convention (Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo) has been renamed Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic Con.This will be the sixth year for the convention, which is to be held 28th-30th October (kicking off, obviously, on Stan Lee Day) The con will celebrate all things pop culture related, including films, comics, video games, sci-fi and fantasy.

According to CBS Local, Lee said of the convention, “we want to have the most glamorous and sought-after guests possible in the entertainment field, because after all, Los Angeles to me is the home of entertainment — this is where it all starts.”

Happy Stan Lee Day, everyone!

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Image credit CBR.com

Hayley Atwell wants an Agent Carter Movie

Hayley Atwell as Agent Carter

Fans all over the globe have kept their hopes high and petitions ever-growing, in the goal of bringing Agent Carter back. Despite not being picked up for its third season, there is still hope. Especially where Hayley Atwell is involved. Beloved amongst the show’s supporters and the Marvel universe alike, Hayley Atwell is adamant that a chance will arise for Marvel to do some sort of “special” with Peggy’s long life, which is bound to be filled to the brim with adventure.

“I hound [Marvel Studios’ Louis] D’Esposito on a regular basis, saying, ‘Give me a movie!’ I think the great thing about Peggy is, we know from [Captain America: The] Winter Soldier that she lives a long life, so she can come back. I’m banking on, when I’m in my fifties, I’m like, ‘This is the time. Let’s see what Peggy’s up to in this decade.’ It’s still a much-loved show for the people involved in the making of it, and we know that for the fans, it has a special place in their hearts. I would be very happy to go back to her if she became available. I don’t feel like I’ve said goodbye to her. She does still seem to live on a lot for the fans. And Marvel is still such a big part of my career, especially my professional family, that I would absolutely not rule out the idea of going back to Peggy at some point, seeing her in other avenues. I love her, and I hope that she has a life elsewhere at another time. “

If you’ve missed Agent Carter: the two seasons are available for streaming on ABC or purchasable on iTunes, amongst other options.

If you’re wondering what led to the show Agent Carter, you may be surprised to know it was the Agent Carter film that was released in 2013 on the home media release of Iron Man 3. It’s basically a follow-up and spin-off of Captain America: The First Avenger. Due to it’s success Marvel decided to start ABC’s Agent Carter.

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What are your thoughts? Do you want Hayley Atwell on the big screen? Or would you prefer she reprised her weekly Agent Carter on ABC? Comment below or tweet me @SohoDoll. And as always, “I know my value. Anyone else’s opinion doesn’t really matter.” – Peggy Carter

Luke Cage SN1 EP01- ‘Moment of Truth’

A steady but engrossing premiere introduced us to the world of Luke Cage.

 

*Full Spoilers Ahead*

Wasn’t that something? After all the films and TV shows that have come before it, you could be forgiven for wondering just how Marvel was going to bring us yet another comic book property that still felt fresh and exciting. Well Luke Cage succeeds in being both of those things in a multitude of different ways, once again proving the genius of Marvel Studios.

The first thing that struck me about Luke Cage is how tonally different it feels to Marvel’s other Netflix shows. Daredevil and Jessica Jones are famous for the darkness that shrouds each episode, but whilst Luke Cage maintains that same level of gritty realism, the overall tone is somewhat brighter. This is immediately obvious, and I do mean immediately, as a sense of warmth is portrayed even in the opening credits. The warm yellow colours are in stark contrast to the dark reds of Daredevil and the cold purples of Jessica Jones, and this brighter atmosphere carries across to the opening scene. As the characters jovially chat about (forgive my ignorance) either Basketball or Baseball (maybe neither), a strong sense of fellowship and community is portrayed within their actions. The naturalistic nature of their conversation allows the audience to relate to them in ways that haven’t been entirely possible with the other Netflix shows.

The tone does darken as the episode goes on, but the show never loses the feeling of hope and togetherness. This is largely thanks to protagonist Cage. As powerful as the opening scene was for depicting tone, it also did a wonderful job of reintroducing us to Luke. Showrunner Cheo Coker rightly bypasses catching us up with what Luke’s been up to since Jessica Jones, instead giving us a man with a whole new set of problems. Cage struck an imposing but also intriguing figure throughout the opening scene. He is clearly a man trying to live a normal life, and his stuttered and ultimately unsuccessful attempts to engage in conversation with the barbershop folks reflect this. He may have amazing abilities, but at the end of the day is still a man struggling through life like the rest of us, and this was continuously emphasised throughout the episode.

Luke’s struggles with money and women put him in stark contrast with Cottonmouth. Both have power, so whilst Cottonmouth uses his to gain influence and grant himself luxuries, Luke shies away from his due to the damage it has caused, despite what he could gain from it. It’s the kind of hero-villain relationship that is used often, them being polar opposites of one another, but tweaked just enough so that it’s still exciting. What is that change? Well the fact that Cottonmouth isn’t at the top right now. He’s not really the man in charge. That’s a wrinkle personified by the character of Shades. It’s clear he’ll play a big part in Luke’s backstory, but as soon as Cottonmouth screws up he is subsequently always beside him. His story will be one of increasing his power then. Of becoming King. Having villains fight one another was glimpsed only briefly in Daredevil Season 2, so it once again pushes Luke Cage into fresh new territory.

This episode was about introducing us to Luke Cage’s world, so as such we were introduced to a lot of characters. Two standouts were Misty Knight and Mariah Dillard. Both are based upon pre-existing comic book characters, and both play a pivotal role in Luke’s story. Misty’s wisecracking badass detective persona was balanced by her flaws, and this is again what makes characters so great. Whilst on the job she has sex with Luke, a moment that looks set to cause problems going forward, but it is also a moment that will serve to keep the character grounded. Similarly, councilwoman Mariah Dillard is mixed up in illegal business and could easily see her power crumble. Adding these flaws to characters prevents them from being larger than life, they don’t have to be perfect, and it causes both victories and failures on their part to be all the more satisfying for the audience.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the place Luke Cage holds as a form of media in the current climate, where racial tensions are increasingly tested every day. I’m not a man of colour, so I won’t pretend to fully understand what people who are have to endure day to day, however I do understand the value Luke Cage has and the effect it could have on audiences. As a Marvel property Luke Cage has an enormous outreach, and the ability to both celebrate black culture and help a mainstream audience learn and understand the problems faced by all people of colour. The show paid reference to events and movements occurring in real life and this shouldn’t be shied away from. Luke Cage is the kind of show people need right now, and with any luck it will get people thinking about what’s going on in the world.

Of course there was plenty to see in this episode, so other highlights include:

• How great was the music? There were some standout pieces in there. I know the score is always used to emphasise the events onscreen, but the way it was used here just seemed more noticeable somehow.

• I didn’t catch his name but I liked the Barber. He’s obviously intended as a father figure to Luke, so that has me worried that he won’t make it to the end of the season, but the joyous outlook he has on life was refreshing, especially in contrast to Luke’s brooding.

• What do you reckon is gonna happen to the barbershop though? Given the history of these Netflix shows it doesn’t have long left to stand.

• References to ‘The Incident’ here. How long before Tony Stark just swoops down and says “Hi”. Please let that happen.

• There were some interesting flashes of Luke’s past here that will no doubt be explored later in the season, but it certainly signals a rich and interesting backstory, and carries on the tradition of the Netflix heroes being haunted by their past.

• The scene with Cottonmouth beating that guy to death was brutal, and certainly conveyed how unhinged his thirst for power is making him, though I doubt anything will ever top the car scene from Daredevil.

• Though he got his hands dirty this episode, both Cottonmouth and Mariah seem like the smart kind of villains, which is always enjoyable. Verdict’s still out on Shades though, who looks like he could go either way.

• I wouldn’t have minded if we weren’t given a full display of Luke’s power in the first episode, but I think it was necessary, especially to entice any new viewers. The whole scene was great as Luke overpowered the entire gang with a calm nonchalance, and the last standing member evoked a similarly fun scene from Iron Man 3.

So this was a stellar opening episode for Luke Cage, as he proved to be just the kind of hero we need right now. With a refreshing tone that clearly differentiates the show from its Netflix fellows, and a superb cast that promise to deliver an excellent story, it’s clear we’re in for a real treat with this one. The slow burn was necessary to establish this world and its characters, as it feels we barely scratched the surface of what’s to come, and I am very excited for that indeed.

“POTTER! Get Me Pictures Of Spider-Man!” – Daniel Radcliffe Wanted To Be Spider-Man

Spider-Potter, Spider-Potter

Does whatever a Spider-Potter does

Casts a web, from his wand

No it’s not that one dangling down there

Look out!

Here comes the Spider-Potter.

This would likely be the theme to Daniel Radcliffe’s Spider-Man, as he recently revealed to Metro that he would have liked to have played Spider-Man. ‘I would’ve been a good Spider-Man but the boat has sailed on that and I’m very happy to watch Tom Holland do it. He’s fantastic,’ he told the online newspaper, before adding ‘I love superhero movies’.

Of course, Daniel Radcliffe is most famous for playing Harry Potter  in the Harry Potter series. When asked about whether he’d join another franchise, he said ‘I’m not sure if I’d sign up for something that was another seven or eight films or ten years, but a shorter franchise, yeah,’

He also spoke to Digital Spy of his desire to join Game of Thrones (‘If they want to just bring me in and f**king kill me, I would be so happy to do that,’) and the Disney character he would most like to play (‘I would have a go at either Panic or Pain, the two little demons that run around Hades [in Hercules],’).

Whilst we won’t be seeing Spider-Potter on the big screen anytime soon, here’s hoping we can see The Potter Torch instead…providing Marvel Studios claim the rights back for Fantastic Four.

Spider-Man: Homecoming starring Tom Holland as the legendary web-slinger will be swinging into cinemas 7th July 2017. You can see Daniel Radcliffe ride a farting corpse in his latest film Swiss Army Man from today (Friday 30th September).

Luke Cage Delayed Marvel’s Iron Fist

The Netflix/Marvel series have been incredibly successful in the last few years, adding a new dimension to the Marvel Universe. In 13 episode runs, the characters are given room to breathe and develop, and the launch of the series every six months or so is considered to be a big event. Fans were delighted when it was announced that four solo shows – Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist – would be made in the run up to The Defenders, which would feature all four heroes. However, while Murdoch, Jones and Cage hit the screens fairly quickly, Iron Fist‘s Danny Rand seemed to be nowhere in sight. Some fans even thought they might not even get the series at all.

Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Coker is taking the blame for that one. In a recent interview with Complex, he explained that originally it was all going to be taken quite slowly and Iron Fist was scheduled to come before Cage, however the momentum built up by Daredevil and Jessica Jones meant they decided to jump in and make them quicker. Luke Cage’s popularity in Jessica Jones made him the obvious choice choice for the next new show. Coker said, “Marvel went from, ‘We’re gonna take our time’ to ‘Let’s flip it and do Luke Cage first. We’ve got this great concept and this guy is leaping off the screen, let’s follow the momentum.’”

Don’t worry Rand fans, you won’t have to wait too long! Game of Thrones star Finn Jones was recently cast as the leading man in the Iron Fist series, and it’s due to land next year. The trailer was shared at San Diego Comic Con, and if you missed it, here it is:

Luke Cage launches on Netflix TOMORROW!!! (30th September) Hooray!!

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‘It’s the circle of remakes!’ – Reimagining The Lion King Songs As The Tale Of Jon Favreau’s Latest Disney Job

 Instead of reporting it in the traditional way, I thought I’d tell you about the news that Disney are making a reimagining of The Lion King through the power of song lyrics:

The Circle of Remakes

Nants ingonyama bagithi Jon Favreau (There comes a Jon Favreau)

Sithi uhhmm ingonyama (Oh yes, it’s a Jon Favreau)

Nants ingonyama bagithi Jon Favreau (There comes a Jon Favreau)

Sithi uhhmm ingonyama (Oh yes, it’s a Jon Favreau)

Ingonyama

Siyo The Lion King (He’s going to reimagine The Lion King)

Ingonyama

Ingonyama nengw’ Jon Favreau enamabaal Disney (It’s a Jon Favreau and Disney)

Ingonyama nengw’ Jon Favreau enamabaal Disney (It’s a Jon Favreau and Disney)

Ingonyama nengw’ Jon Favreau enamabaal Disney (It’s a Jon Favreau and Disney)

Ingonyama nengw’ Jon Favreau enamabaal Disney (It’s a Jon Favreau and Disney)

Ingonyama nengw’ Jon Favreau enamabaal Disney (It’s a Jon Favreau and Disney)

Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala (se-to-kwa!)
Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala (asana)

From the day the first Disney animation begun
Featuring, adaptations , of fairytales for the young
There’s more to remake than can ever be remade
More to re-imagine than can ever be re-imagined
There’s far too much money at stake here
More profits to make than can ever be made
But Jon Favreau’s Jungle Book’s rolling high
Through the public eye
Keeps chugging along on the endless round
It’s the circle of remakes
And it entertains us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we refuse to pay
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of remakes

It’s the circle of remakes
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we refuse to pay
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of remakes

 Can You Feel The Hate Tonight?

There’s a bitter resentment to the rush of money
When the house of mouse writes a cheque to Mr Favreau
A  moment of upset, that inspires the internet feuds
It’s enough for the internet folk to just explain their views

And can you feel the hate tonight
It is where we are
It’s desired for the keyboard warriors
That The Lion King falls hard
And can you feel the hate tonight
How it’s laid to rest
It’s enough to make trolls and spambots
Sweat their smelly vests

There’s a time for original ideas if they only learn
That the movie studios need your dough
There’s a rhyme and reason to the nostalgic releases
When the familiarity of these ever-growing franchises sells more seats than most

And can you feel the hate tonight
It is where we are
It’s desired for the keyboard warriors
That The Lion King falls hard
And can you feel the hate tonight
How it’s laid to rest
It’s enough to make trolls and spambots
Sweat their smelly vests

Reimagining Old Classics

Reimagining old classics! What a wonderful thing
Reimagining old classics! Ain’t no passing craze
It means CGI animals replacing the animation of yesterday
It’s Disney’s  money-making philosophy

Take John Favreau here
Why, when he left Marvel Studios

When he left Marvel Studios

He found his movies lacked a certain appeal
He would achieve a 48% rotten score on Rotten Tomatoe’s scale

Jon Favreau: I’m a sensitive soul though I seem thick-skinned
And it hurt that my critics never stood sci- fi western things
And oh, the shame

He was ashamed

Jon Favreau: Thought of changin’ my name

What’s in a name?

Jon Favreau: And I got downhearted

How did ya feel?

Jon Favreau: Everytime that I were in bed the passion didn’t quite feel the same

Hey! Jon Favreau! Too much information for the readers!

Jon Favreau: Oh. Sorry

Reimagining old classics! What a wonderful thing
Reimagining old classics! Ain’t no passing craze
It means CGI animals replacing the animation of yesterday
It’s Disney’s  money-making philosophy

Reimagining old classics!
Reimagining old classics! Reimagining old classics!
Reimagining old classics! Reimagining old classics!
Reimagining old classics! Reimagining old classics!
Reimagining old classics! Reimagining–

It CGI animals replacing the animation of yesterday
It’s Disney’s money-making philosophy
Reimagining old classics!

I say “Reimagining”
I say “Old classics”

The Lion King’s release date has yet to be confirmed.

Please note: Jon Favreau’s comments are purely fictitious. 

Samuel L. Jackson Says S.H.I.E.L.D Will Return To The MCU

It has been over two years now since the release of ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ saw S.H.I.E.L.D fall at the hands of Hydra, forever branded as a terrorist organisation. Well maybe not quite forever.

In an interview with ComingSoon.net for ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’ Nick Fury himself, Samuel L. Jackson, weighed in on Shield’s place in the franchise and whether there is ever a way it could come back.

“Yeah! For sure, definitely. Why wouldn’t there be? There’s some way of fixing what they created, and hopefully somebody has that going on or Nick Fury is out there — wherever he is, probably hanging out with Jules and walking the world — figuring out what happened and how it got to that particular place. Maybe they’ll find out that all that was part of a ruse to get to something else also. That would be great. They’ll bring me back somehow, some way, for some reason. I mean, they didn’t have me around to referee the kids when they didn’t go to their rooms and got in this big old fight. We’ll see what happens.”

Seems pretty likely then. This also lines up with ongoing events in ‘Agents of Shield’, as the latest episode saw Coulson and the new Director attempting to secure Shield’s place in the world as a legitimate organisation again. In any case, I’m sure we’ll find out once ‘Infinity War’ rolls around.

 

Iron Fist Writer Joins Runaways Team

It was recently announced that US streaming service Hulu will be making a series of Marvel’s Runaways. The comics, which ran from 2003-2009, features a group of super-powered teenagers who discover their parents are part of an evil crime organisation, known as “The Pride”. Even though it finished seven years ago, it has remained a fan favourite, and it’s ensemble cast lends itself very well to a TV adaptation.

It had already been released that the showrunners would be Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl) and executively produced by Marvel TV stalwarts Jeph Loeb and Jim Chory. Yesterday, Iron Fist writer Tamara Becher announced that she too has joined the team bringing Runaways to the screen.

New gig, day one. pic.twitter.com/o9qZyn8jPY

— Tamara Becher (@trbecher) September 26, 2016

Beacher is no stranger to teen ensemble casts, as she formally wrote for Joss Whedon‘s classic Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. She has just finished work on the Netflix/Marvel series Iron Fist, due for release next year, and she obviously impressed the comic moguls, as they’ve snapped her up quickly for this new project.

It’s not the first time Marvel has collaborated with someone other than Netflix to produce a TV series; Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is on ABC. The difference here is that Hulu is another streaming service, rather than a comer coal network, making it a direct competitor with Netflix. At present, it’s unclear whether the Runaways series will link in to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, like Daredevil, Jessica Jones and AoS have, or whether it will be standalone.

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‘Marvel, after careful consideration I’ve decided to endorse your film’ – Sam Neill To Cameo In Thor Ragnarok

Sam Neill has confirmed that he will cameo in the upcoming Marvel  film Thor Ragnarok. In an interview with ShortList, he revealed ‘I’m not really allowed to say this and I can’t tell you what it is…I did a couple of days on Thor just before I came over here.’ Sam Neill is most famous for playing paleontologist Alan Grant in Jurassic Park…and he isn’t the only Jurassic Park actor set to star in the movie. Jeff Goldblum will also appear as The Grandmaster, a character who is part of the Marvel supervillain group known as the Elders of the Universe; he first appeared in The Avengers #69. The Grandmaster won’t be the first Elder of the Universe to make an appearance in the MCU. Benico del Toro played The Collector in Guardians of the Galaxy, a being who owns an ever-growing collection of various interstellar species, relics and fauna.

Whilst Thor Ragnarok is proving to be a Jurassic Park reunion, don’t expect to see Sam Neill in Jurassic World 2, if his theory about Mr Grant is anything to go by.  When asked about a possible return to Jurassic Park, he offered his own narrative reason for why we may not see Alan Grant again: “I think the problem is that no one knows where Alan Grant is anymore. He’s retired from paleontology. He’s sick to death of dinosaurs and running. He’s not quite as fleet of foot as he was, and he’s now retired to Dayton, Ohio, and has a very successful accountancy business… I think that’s what’s happened to Alan. Either that or he’s dead,”

According to Sam Neill, “Someone found his hat. His hat was floating on the Hudson river, but that was the last ever heard of him,”. He also makes a good point about the aftermath of Alan’s traumatic experiences on Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna: “How do you recover from all of that stuff? I don’t think therapists are trained to deal with post-dino stuff. No. I don’t think you get over it. Accountancy would be one way,”

Hopefully there’s still a chance that we’ll get to see Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic World 2 – because who wouldn’t want to see Chris Pratt and Jeff Goldblum in the same film? It’s a shame we’re likely not getting a full Jurassic Park reunion anytime soon though.

Thor Ragnarok will be in cinemas 27th October 2017, whilst Jurassic World 2 will be released on 7th June 2018.