Academy Award winner Halle Berry has entered a multi-picture deal with Netflix. Following the release of her directorial debut ‘Bruised,’ where Berry plays MMA fighter Jackie, the streaming service saw the sports drama rise to number one in USA viewing and number two on their Top 10 Global English Film List.
Netflix Head of Global Film Scott Stuber expressed his enthusiasm for the deal, saying in a press release, “There are few people with a career like Halle Berry. She’s an award-winning actress, producer and as audiences saw this past week, she’s an incredible director. We’re thrilled to be in her corner as she delivers power in front of and behind the camera in Bruised and look forward to telling more stories together.”
Berry will star and produce several films for the streaming service including the upcoming science fiction drama ‘The Mothership,’ directed by Matthew Charman. She will also be featured in the action film ‘Our Man From Jersey,’ alongside actor Mark Wahlberg (‘All The Money In The World’).
“My directorial debut, ‘Bruised,’ was a labor of love and I knew that Scott and Ted would treat it with great care,” Berry said in a statement. “The Netflix team has not only been collaborative and creative, but extremely passionate and a delight to work with. I am beyond grateful for the partnership and look forward to telling more stories together.”
‘Bruised’ received mixed reviews from critics, who thought positively of Berry’s direction, but also found that the movie lacked a consistent tone in its plot.
Berry is known to Marvel fans for her portrayal as the mutant Storm in ‘X-Men,’ ‘X2: X-Men United,’ ‘X-Men: The Last Stand,’ and ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past.’ She has also made appearances in other franchises such as John Wick, James Bond, and the Kingsman. She won an Oscar for her role in ‘Monster’s Ball.’
X-Men Star Halle Berry Signs Multi-Picture Deal With Netflix
‘Gintama THE VERY FINAL’ Is Getting A Home Video Release
Fans of the action anime ‘Gintama’ got some news with the announcement that Shout! Factory is releasing the film spin-off ‘Gintama THE VERY FINAL’ on DVD, complete with both the original Japanese audio and the English dub.
Crunchyroll reports that the “BD/DVD Combo will also include the English dub and the Japanese dub with English subtitles and a bundled exclusive 16-page booklet packed with character art and storyboards that will be released on February 8th, 2022 with pre-orders available now directly from Shout! Factory online.”
The DVD is set to be released on February 22, 2022.
A limited amount of the pre-orders will include an exclusive poster:
Exclusive Shout Factory poster for 'Gintama THE VERY FINAL' pic.twitter.com/Q3dMAJaUhp
— Jukt Micronics (@JuktMicronicsX) December 1, 2021
You can watch the trailer for ‘Gintama THE VERY FINAL’ below:
Shout! Factory describes the plot as follows:
“The countdown to destruction has begun! All will join to reclaim an Edo in grave peril! The Earth is facing its darkest days, and the members of the Odd Jobs must come together to save it from this otherworldly menace. Old allies Gintoki, Takasugi, and Katsura strive their hardest for their own ideals, but standing in their way is someone with whom they share a sad history: Utsuro, an alternate personality of their former teacher and mentor Shoyo. Having been spawned by Altana, the energy that fuels all planets, this immortal fiend has regenerated multiple times until finally becoming Utsuro, the ultimate enemy … And he intends to take down the entire Earth in order to end his own life.
Gintoki and the others set out to fulfill the wishes of their teacher Shoyo and thwart Utsuro’s plans. Shinpachi, Kagura, the Shinsengumi, members of the Kabuki District, and even former enemies will join their fight. As Utsuro’s power grows, Takasugi fights for his very life. What does Gintoki, battered and bruised, see at the very end? Will he be able to put an end to all of this?!”
DC Comics Announces New Batman Arc “Shadows of the Bat”
Still reeling from the fallout of the “Fear State” story-arc where Batman stopped Scarecrow, Gotham City is now facing a potential new threat in Arkham Tower, led by the enigmatic Dr. Wear. DC Comics released a “first look” for the upcoming new arc “Shadows of the Bat.”
DC Universe describes the storyline as “a massive new 12-issue weekly Detective Comics event that kicks off in January and shines a big, bat-shaped spotlight on one of Gotham’s darkest corners—Arkham. However, Arkham is no longer just a simple asylum, it’s been upgraded and reimagined into a cutting edge, artfully designed new tower overseen by an enigmatic new personality known as Dr. Wear.”
They continue, “The Bat-Family suspects that all is not as it seems with this new project and that Dr. Wear may have other more sinister plans, but learning what those are will require them to infiltrate Arkham’s frightening new complex…and to do it largely without the aid of the person who trained and molded them into the heroes they are.”
“’Shadows of the Bat’ will catapult Detective Comics to new levels of action, mystery and suspense, while bringing some of the Bat-Family’s supporting heroes to the forefront,” DC adds. “And did we mention that this week’s Detective Comics 2021 Annual helps set the whole thing up? With that in mind, we thought it was the ideal time to sit down with ‘Shadows of the Bat’ writer Mariko Tamaki for a free-ranging discussion about what we can expect from her biggest and most ambitious DC storyline to date, which heroes will be taking a leading role and just how suspicious we should be of this oddly named new doctor. (Is he even really a doctor?!?)”
The twelve-part story-arc takes place while Batman is away from Gotham City, putting the focus on such characters like Nightwing, Batwoman, the Batgirls, Tim Drake, and Oracle.
Writer Mariko Tamaki describes Dr. Wear as “a salesman—charismatic and convincing. When we meet him at the beginning of this series, he’s in the middle of a huge press conference promoting Arkham Tower, a new and improved 2.0 version of Arkham Asylum that recently completed construction just blocks away from City Hall.”
DC Comics also released a preview of the cover for ‘Detective Comics 2021 Annual,’ which is set to be released on January 4th, 2021.
DETECTIVE COMICS 2021 ANNUAL is out now, and it's the prelude to Shadows of the Bat—the 12-part weekly DETECTIVE COMICS epic starting January 4 with issue #1047! pic.twitter.com/cPHc8hDH5X
— DC Nation (@thedcnation) December 1, 2021
Unauthorized Masters of the Universe and TMNT Mashup?! Yes, Please!
Sometimes you cannot wait for two companies to shake hands when it comes to franchise crossovers. When your patience runs out, there are artists out there who will step in and fill the void in the market. What void? The one for a Masters of the Universe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle mashup, of course!
ToySnobs are here to give us the ultimate team up we’ve been waiting nearly thirty years for! It may not be official, but I’m gung-ho for it all the same. So get ready for Tordak and Turtletor! Yep, TMNT-ized versions of Hordak and Skeletor.
These are niche items, no doubt, but damn, do they look fantastic. Pre-orders for these two are up now. They’re currently priced at a $20 discount, bringing the total down to $59.99 per turtle.
There’s almost no information about the company on their official website, Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram. I’m all for smaller companies creating retro-inspired toys. I’ve backed quite a few crowdfunding projects specifically for that. However, I’d just like a little more info about this company and its manufacturing process before dropping nearly $80 on a figure.
Then again, the team behind this retro-inspired line of toys may want to keep things on the down-low in case Mattel, Nickelodeon, and Playmates decide to send their team of lawyers out because these figures are a bit too close to the playthings of old.
I can’t wait to see some finalized versions of these things show up. What do you think?
[Source: ToySnobs]
NECA’s Ultimate RoboCop Features Peter Weller’s Likeness & Nap Time Chair
Peter Weller’s likeness is finally being bestowed on NECA’s RoboCop action figures. Again, both versions of the Detroit cyborg police officer due out in April 2022 will come with swappable heads; this time, we get to see Weller’s bald mug that dwelled under the helmet.
Ultimate RoboCop features the cyborg law enforcement officer with nice shiny armor, his signature auto-9 firearm, and the unmasked head of Alex Murphy. Yep, Peter Weller’s likeness is finally an accessory with these figures.
Battle criminals and rogue enforcement droids alike with an array of accessories: interchangeable data spike fist, Auto-9 pistol that fits into a hidden spring-loaded leg holster, Cobra Assault Cannon, attachable muzzle blast effect, and an additional interchangeable head with the likeness of Peter Weller.
If you’re not into RoboCop with clean armor, not to worry. NECA has a super Ultimate set coming soon with the battle-damaged lawman and his weird BDSM nap time chair. This one comes with an interchangeable head sporting Weller’s likeness, too. Too bad there’s no paste dispenser. You know kids want to be able to feed Murphy like a baby.
After fighting baddies all day, dock the 7” scale Ultimate Battle-Damaged RoboCop figure in the included screen-accurate chair with movable elements. The chair is over 8″ tall, over 7″ wide, and has swiveling seat as well as articulated swiveling monitors! RoboCop comes with even more accessories, too: interchangeable data spike fist, Auto-9 pistol, attachable muzzle blast effect, and an additional interchangeable head with the likeness of Peter Weller.
I hope that’s not the final product as far as Weller’s likeness is concerned. The eyes and nose are spot-on, but the lips make him look like he is trying to be a bit pouty. Kiss face RoboCop is kind of funny, though. That should have been a scene in RoboCop 2; Murphy is reprogrammed to kiss criminals.
What do you think of NECA’s new Robos? Let us know in the comments section below.
[Source: NECA]
‘Evil Dead’ Actor Bruce Campbell Talks Retirement From Portraying Iconic Role Ash
Legendary actor Bruce Campbell has had several recognizable roles including a man claiming to be Elvis Presley in ‘Bubba Ho-Tep’ and various cameoing characters in the Sam Raimi ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy. Most of his fans recognize him as Ash Williams, the chainsaw-armed hero who made his first appearance in Raimi’s 1981 horror flick ‘The Evil Dead.’
After several sequels, a television show, and the upcoming ‘Evil Dead Rise,’ Campbell has announced that he is retiring from the role of Ash, expanding on his reasoning in an interview with Collider.
“I’m done playing Ash, so that determines a lot of where we go with the franchise without that character, but there are more stories. We’re doing it book-focused these days,” he explained. That darn book gets around, and that’s how we play it. That book wound up in an urban environment with a single mom, so let’s see what happens. It’s fun to fiddle with it. There’s not gonna be any traditional form of Evil Dead anymore. Ash is gone. I’ve retired the character because I physically just can’t do him anymore, so why bother? Why do I do it? It’s time to hang up the chainsaw.”
When asked if he would miss portraying the character, Campbell replied, “No. Whatever the cliched phrase is, I left it all on the table. I’ve got nothing else to give.”
He concluded, “This was my way to go. I had not played Ash in 25 years. I’m a much better actor now. I wanted to go back and apply modern acting knowledge to this character that I only scratched the surface of in the movies, where he was still a two-dimensional character and sometimes one-dimensional. It was great to be able to flesh him out. I feel that we did it, and now it’s like, ‘See ya!'”
Though he has retired from playing Ash, Campbell will work on ‘Evil Dead Rise’ as a producer with director Lee Cronin.
Michael Shannon Opens Up About The Sci-Fi Flick “Take Shelter”
Michael Shannon has had a prolific acting career, appearing in such films as ‘Man of Steel,’ ‘Revolutionary Road,’ ‘The Iceman,’ ‘The Shape of Water,’ and the 2011 science fiction apocalyptic film ‘Take Shelter.’
Directed by Jeff Nichols, the sci-fi movie also stars Jessica Chastain and follows a man suffering from horrifying visions of disasters affecting the Earth. The movie was made on a smaller budget and was received critical acclaim following its premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
In an interview with NME, Shannon discussed the movie telling them, “I have a real soft spot for that one.”
“I felt the same way when I read Shotgun Stories – that I was reading the work of a very singular artist, who was writing in a manner that was completely unique to him and that no-one else could come close to,” he explained. “Most people seem to think it’s a movie about mental illness, which it never was to me.”
Shannon said, “The whole thing with the mother… I hate to use the concept of someone’s mental illness as a red herring because it’s a very serious thing, but the fundamental question that ‘Take Shelter’ poses is: how can anybody in their right mind stay sane in a world like this? Particularly if you are responsible for other people and you know that, at the end of the day, you cannot protect them from what is coming.”
“It’s told with a beautiful discipline,” he continued. “It was a very quick shooting schedule and there were days where we really struggled to get what we needed, but we always did.”
Shannon concluded, “I think the point at the end of the movie is that both things are true. There is a storm coming but we’re also inevitably going to suffer some sort of trauma and be rendered a bit dysfunctional by the fact that this is on the horizon.”
You can currently see Shannon in the Hulu series ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ and he is set to appear in the upcoming David Leitch thriller ‘Bullet Train.’
You can watch the trailer for ‘Take Shelter’ below:
$100 Gets You A “Premium” Poké Ball and That’s It. No Pokémon Included
Hey! Do you like trapping creatures in tiny confined spaces and then forcing them to fight each other for your glory? Well, then you better go somewhere else because we don’t put up with those shenanigans around here.
But if you have a spare $100 and really like Pokémon, then Sideshow Collectibles has just the product for you. A new version of the Poke Ball is on the way. So if you’re looking for a Premium Poké Ball, then here you go! This replica will ship sometime between December 2021 and February 2022. Pre-orders are currently being taken over at Sideshow.
This premium quality, highly accurate Premier Ball replica is made with an engineered metal shell, has a deeply colored surface that is sensitive to touch and proximity, and features a brightly illuminated button and lift-to-display illuminated presentation case. This Premier Ball promises to be a beautiful addition to any Pokémon collection!
There’s not much difference between this “premium” Poké Ball and the replica released earlier this year. They’re the same price. They have the same case. The only change? The color scheme.
Check out Sideshow’s video below for a complete rundown of the features in motion. The $100 price tag is still eyebrow-raising, even after seeing the thing working. It lights up, and that’s it. There are no sounds. It doesn’t enslave sentient creatures to do your bidding. It doesn’t work with Pokémon Go.
OK, I can’t really be snarky about this. My office is literally filled with replicas that cost as much, if not more, than these gadgets. What gets me, though, is that these things could have so much built-in functionality. Maybe give them a vibrate function? Or some sound? Something! Team up with Sphero and have the thing be a bit more interactive.
What do you think of the Poké Balls? Are they worth the $100 with the functionality they currently have? Let us know in the comments section.
[Source: Sideshow]
Batman 1989’s Joker Is Finally Getting A New Action Figure
Beast Kingdom will produce two 8″ tall figures based on Batman 1989. These include Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson’s iconic Joker. According to Superhero Hype, these two figures will be more akin to MEGO toys than Marvel Legends or Hot Toys versions.
No release date or price points have been announced yet. However, Beast Kingdom figures tend to land in the $50-$100 range. This may go even higher depending on the licensing agreement with Nicholson.
While Nicolson’s contract allowed him a portion of merchandising profits, only a few Joker figures were made based on the film. Hot Toys successfully captured Jack’s look with two 1/6th scale figures, but those are now very costly. Nevertheless, I had the classic purple-suited Joker, and the likeness was uncanny. The photos above show that BK is on the right track, but it needs to be refined.
I had the Toy Biz Joker and the Kenner one that came out a couple of years later. Toy Biz didn’t do an outstanding job, and when Kenner took over the license, things improved. Even then, we got a Joker with a color-changing face and the “knock-out” gun one. That was it.
This wasn’t the only example of weirdness with the Burton films. Instead of a movie-accurate Penguin, Kenner recycled the old Super Powers Penguin for the Batman Returns line. The only change? A new paint scheme.
At least these days, the toy companies better understand what the customer is looking for. Or maybe the licensing deals have changed. Who knows for sure. Either way, we get a 1989 Joker!
[Source: Superhero Hype]
Director Colin Trevorrow Explains Why The T-Rex Has Feathers In ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’
Eagle-eyed viewers of the recently released five-minute prologue to ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ noticed something peculiar about the dinosaurs featured in the video. Several of the dinosaurs, including the iconic tyrannosaurus rex, had feathers on their hide. This is a departure from the fleshly design of the T-Rex from the previous movies.
‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ director Colin Trevorrow broke down the reasoning for the prologue’s new design in an interview with IGN.
“I think we have a really good logical explanation for why these are dinosaurs that look different than the other Jurassic dinosaurs have looked in the past,” he explained. “In this case, it’s that we’re showing them in their original habitat. There was no frog DNA used to bridge the gaps in the genomes, so it gave us an opportunity to show dinosaurs with feathers … We didn’t want it to be unrecognizable, this is a heroic character we love and care about very much, but it allowed us to give context to what those 65 million years really represent in world history.”
“It’s an origin story, in the way we might get to do in a superhero film,” Trevorrow continued. “The T. rex is a superhero for me. It really allows us to take this brilliant concept that [Jurassic Park author] Michael Crichton conceived, that is the foundation that all of this has been built on, and show it in its absolutely purest form.”
SyFy notes how Trevorrow treats the T-Rex as a “legacy character” along with the human characters that have been featured in the dinosaur franchise.
“When she roars in front of the screen and the film burns up, the idea is that she is breaking out of the movie screen and now she’s going to exist among us,” Trevorrow explained. “It is something that Emily and I found to be pretty crucial as a way to start the film.”
You can watch the ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ prologue below:
