NICHOLASGRAFF.com

EXCERPT:

The poster for episode 6 of Marvel’s What If…? teases the long-awaited Killmonger story. Ever since the announcement of What If…?, fans have been scouring the teasers for potential clues of what each episode would be about. When Killmonger was spotted in the official trailer for the series, it was clear the character would have a big part in at least one episode.

Killmonger first appeared in the MCU as the main antagonist in Black Panther. Portrayed by Michael B. Jordan, the villain is remembered as one of the best in the franchise as he was a well-rounded character whose motivations made sense. Critics especially pointed out that Killmonger was unique in that he was not just a one-note bad guy similar to what audiences often see in other MCU films. At the end of Black Panther, after battling for the crown of Wakanda, Killmonger appeared to have died while watching the sunset with T’Challa.

(full article)
https://screenrant.com/marvel-what-if-episode-6-poster-killmonger/

EXCERPT:

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is now unlikely to get released in China due to comments from star Simu Liu a few years back. With China being one of the world’s largest box-office markets, every studio is desperate for access to their audiences. But getting permission to release films in the Middle Kingdom seems to be getting more difficult as time goes on.

The last film that Disney was able to get into Chinese theaters was Free Guy, which has performed admirably in the marketplace. The last theatrical Marvel release, Black Widow, has still not been released in China and it is looking less and less likely that it will be. The status quo for many studios is to make sure there is nothing controversial that might anger the Chinese government enough for them to block the film, a difficult proposition when so many creatives have strong opinions about the nation.

(full article)
https://screenrant.com/shang-chi-movie-china-release-simu-liu-backlash/

EXCERPT:

A new video demonstrates some major martial arts differences between Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings and Danny Rand in Netflix’s Iron Fist. With Shang-Chi dominating the box office recently, fans have been reviewing the other martial arts heavy entries into the MCU. Clearly, for a character who is supposed to be one of the best martial arts fighters in Marvel Comics, Danny Rand a.k.a. Iron Fist, did not perform to expectations.

To be fair, Iron Fist was a television series with a more limited budget. However, there have been a lot of rumors over the years about the limited effort Finn Jones put into his choreography. In fact, fans praised Jessica Henwick in her role as Colleen Wing in Iron Fist for how much work she put into her martial arts training, and how much better her fight scenes looked.

(full article)
https://screenrant.com/shang-chi-iron-fist-fight-scene-compared-video/

EXCERPT:

Newly released images from The Matrix: Resurrections confirm the return of Carrie Anne-Moss as Trinity. Fans have been desperate for information about the return of The Matrix series ever since part 4 was announced. With Trinity’s return confirmed, the speculation can now begin on how exactly that is possible considering what happened to her in the last film.

Moss’ Trinity was a staple in the original Matrix trilogy, appearing in The Matrix, The Matrix: Reloaded, and The Matrix: Revolutions. Trinity was not only a key resistance member and one of the best fighters of the group, but she was also the love interest of Keanu Reeve’s Neo. Trinity was the heart that inspired Neo to greatness. While both characters seemingly died during the events of the third film, it has long been assumed that both Neo and Trinity would be returning for Matrix: Resurrections.

(full article)
https://screenrant.com/matrix-4-resurrections-carrie-anne-moss-trinity-images/

EXCERPT:

Patton Oswalt has expressed that he would really like Marvel to make a movie or show with the characters of Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. With all of the new MCU TV shows and movies being announced post-pandemic, they are among a host of Marvel properties that are not currently in use. Plus, the two characters already have a leg up on many other characters due to their recent live-action interpretations.

Both Misty Knight and Colleen Wing debuted in Netflix’s former corner of the Marvel universe, with Knight (played by Simone Missick) in Luke Cage and Wing (portrayed by Jessica Henwick) in Iron Fist. Undoubtedly, the two were fan-favorites, with Wing in particular carrying much of the series when it came to action and martial arts. They also had a fun dynamic that was established when their two series crossed over back in 2018 (though to be fair, it might have just been the chemistry between Missick and Henwick).

(full article)
https://screenrant.com/misty-knight-colleen-wing-movie-patton-oswalt-marvel/

EXCERPT:

Frank Oz says that he has not retired from The Muppets, but Disney would rather he not return. The Muppets were last seen making webisodes on Muppets Now on Disney+, the series that debuted in 2020 alongside the digital distribution of the original The Muppet Show. For those paying attention, there is a bit of a difference between the characters now and back then.

Disney first attempted to acquire the Muppets in the early 1990s, with Michael Eisner negotiating with Jim Henson, who passed away before the deal was complete. The House of Mouse officially acquired Muppet Studios in February 2004, which led to a number of new projects. Since then, there have been two new films, The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted, an attempt at a new primetime series, a rebooted Muppet Babies done with 3D animation, and the aforementioned Muppets Now. Sadly, Frank Oz, the original voice of beloved characters like Miss Piggy and Fozzy Bear, has not been involved in any of these projects.

(full article)
https://screenrant.com/disney-muppets-frank-oz-return-response/

EXCERPT:

Fans are talking about James Franco over on Twitter following the release of the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer. The anticipation for both the film and trailers for the next Spider-Man film have been very high, with fans scrubbing through every frame looking for hints and clues. One such detail is the reason that Franco is being discussed so much on social media.

For anyone who may have forgotten, Franco played Harry Osborne, the best friend of Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker (a.k.a. Spider-Man) in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. Throughout that film series the relationship between Franco’s Osborne and Maguire’s Parker was fraught with tension as Harry believed Spider-Man killed his father, but did not yet know Peter was actually the masked hero. By the third film, Harry had taken up his father’s mantle of the Green Goblin after learning that Peter was Spider-Man, though ultimately his friendship with Peter proved stronger than his hatred and he sacrificed himself to save his friends.

(full article)
https://screenrant.com/spiderman-no-way-home-james-franco-green-goblin/

EXCERPT:

In the wake of Mike Richards vacating the Jeopardy! host position, Mayim Bialik will be filling in for the time being. Finding a permanent replacement for the beloved Alex Trebek has proven even more difficult than the producers of Jeopardy! originally had planned. And with fans keeping a keen eye on the proceedings, the pressure is truly on.

Trebek hosted Jeopardy! for 37 seasons before his untimely passing due to pancreatic cancer. Following his passing, the show tested a number of temporary hosts in 2021 to find a replacement. The guest hosts included Bialik, former champion Ken Jennings, news anchor Savannah Guthrie, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, beloved star LeVar Burton, and also Mike Richards, the current Executive Producer of the series. Richards was ultimately chosen, with fans convinced he used his EP power to influence the choice.

(full article)
https://screenrant.com/jeopardy-host-mayim-bialik-temporary-details/

EXCERPT:

In Marvel’s upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the logo for the Ten Rings organization has changed from its original depiction in the MCU. The Ten Rings first appeared in Iron Man back in 2008, when the terrorist group kidnapped Tony Stark in an attempt to force him to build a highly destructive weapon. In Shang-Chi, the titular character is forced to confront his connection to the Ten Rings, which is led by his father, the Mandarin.

The Ten Rings has gone through some transformation since the organization’s introduction to the MCU. Featuring across the Iron Man trilogy, in Iron Man 3 the iconography of the Ten Rings was co-opted by villain Aldrich Killian to cover up the failings of his own devious technology, Extremis. Killian even hired Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) to pose as the Mandarin and claim responsibility for the chaos he caused. Stark, however, uncovered Slattery’s true identity and Killian’s set-up as a false version of the Ten Rings. In Shang-Chi, the Ten Rings will have their original place in the MCU as a mysterious terrorist organization restored.

(full article)
https://screenrant.com/shang-chi-ten-rings-logo-change-why/

EXCERPT:

Lucy Lawless has revealed that she did not enjoy performing all the action scenes on Xena: Warrior Princess. The fact may seem odd to some fans who still consider the series and its star cult icons. Fortunately, Lawless, a consummate professional, still delivered the goods in all those Xena battle scenes despite her personal feelings.

The character of Xena began as a smaller part on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and was so well-received that the producers decided to spin her off into her own series. Xena:Warrior Princess ran from September of 1995 until June of 2001. The show was a fan-favorite for all 6 seasons, jumping up to cult status early in the first season. Lawless was chosen for the title role after 5 other actresses, including top pick Vanessa Angel, turned down the role.

(full article)
https://screenrant.com/xena-warrior-princess-lucy-lawless-action-scenes-reaction/