The Broadway musical ‘Wicked’ has garnered a massive fan following since its premiere in 2003 in San Francisco before arriving in New York. The stage play’s music is written by Stephen Schwartz and has gone on to receive numerous awards.
The play follows the Witches of Oz and acts as a sort of prequel and retelling of the popular novel ‘The Wizard of Oz’ by author L. Frank Baum.
Ever since its success, talk of a film has been around since 2004 when Universal Pictures announced they were making an adaption.
Now it appears that a movie is finally moving forward with ‘Jem and the Holograms’ director Jon M. Chu being tapped to helm the feature.
Chu recently sat down with Collider to discuss ‘Wicked’ and what direction the movie will take.
“We’re in the beginning stages of Wicked,” the ‘In the Heights’ director explained. “However, I think the philosophy of what musicals mean to me personally now that I have actually made a movie musical… you know, there’s theory about what movie musicals mean to me as being a watcher of movie musicals.”
He continued, “Now that I’ve gone through it, what really has hit me is the power of music and why musicals exist in the first place when words aren’t sufficient. Nowadays, words really aren’t sufficient for what we’re going through. So for me, it’s finding the truth of each song and working our way inside out of why that exists.”
“Yes, of course, we’re going to have Oz, and you’re going to be in this crazy world, and you’re going to revisit this innocent place and you’re going to see that it’s not as innocent as it had been in the past,” Chu explained. “But you’re also going to see that the relationship between these two women [Elphaba and Glinda] is more real than ever, that we’re going to be that close to them. We’re going to root for them to try to get into that school or when one crosses the other. You’re going to hate the other one at some point.”
He added, “You’re going to want them to make up at another point, and you’re going to feel when they separate. That’s the most important thing. The spectacle? That’s the easy part, we can hire a lot of people to do that. It’s those little moments… that’s what’s going to make that.”
‘Wicked’ is based on the novel ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’ by Gregory Maguire.
Film Director Jon M. Chu On Adapting The Hit Musical Play ‘Wicked’
Batman 1966 Figures Coming From Todd McFarlane!
Nananananananananananana YES PLEASE!
More classic Batman! Sorry, but I’m tired of bulky Batman looking like he stole parts of Iron Man’s suit. Give me some classic black, blue, and gray spandex. The Batman of blue and yellow is my guy. More of him, and you’ve got yourself a customer for life.
Yesterday Todd McFarlane teased on Twitter the upcoming release of an action figure line based on the classic 1966 Batman series. The three figures shown off include Adam West’s Batman, Burt Ward’s Robin, and Cesar Romero’s Joker. All three figures appear in a Batcave diorama with George Barris’s legendary Batmobile.
BATMAN 66 ON 6/6! It couldn't be a BETTER time for a FIRST LOOK at McFarlane Toys upcoming Batman 66' lineup! McFarlane Toys will be showing off some more looks of the DC Retro lineup featuring your favorites from the Batman Classic TV series during the Summer Showcase! #batman pic.twitter.com/VcuziNkiDA
— Todd McFarlane (@Todd_McFarlane) June 6, 2021
The articulation and detail point to these being 6″ or 7″ figures. Though cool for display, it may also limit vehicles and playsets. I’m not sure if the Batmobile in the background is part of the McFarlane line.
It may be one of the several that hit the market when the Funko 3.75″ line was on the market years ago. If you didn’t see it, that line produced a lot of characters from the campy old show. Yes, even two versions of Mr. Freeze.
The overall appearance of these toys look great. Will they represent the final product? Possibly. If I had to nitpick, I’d say Robin’s face looks a bit too boyish. He almost looks like our buddy Butch Patrick. Though slightly out of focus, the Joker is undoubtedly looking like Cesar Romero.
DC Universe Classics also had Batman, Robin, and the Joker. To be honest, those figures suffered from the same problem all the other DC figures had, ugly joints and poor paint application. Ugh.
McFarlane Toys are known for great attention to detail, tons of articulation, and amazing paint jobs. You can see hints of that in the teaser image. I’m astonished at the detail in Robin’s mask and Batman’s cowl. They’re probably not removable, but the depth gives that illusion.
Which characters from the classic show should McFarlane produce after this batch? All versions of Catwoman? The Riddler in all his outfits and swappable actors’ heads? Let us know in the comments.
Soldier Boy’s Shield Teased For ‘The Boys’ Season 3
Satirizing and twisting well-known comic book heroes can be done well in certain hands. On paper, it’s easy to pull off. Adapting that to a movie or show takes real skill. So far, The Boys has been banger after banger. I will admit, however, that some of the “current year” topical stuff in the second season was a tad groan-inducing. I chalk that up to us not being able to escape politics and social topics thanks to social media.
I am looking forward to seeing how Homelander contends to a character who may have better-established roots as a superhero than he does. Remember, Homelander’s ego and personal life took a huge blow in the latter part of season two. How will he recover if another hero comes and steals his PR power?
That character may be Soldier Boy. Jensen Ackles, who is also voicing Bruce/Batman in the adaptation of Batman: The Long Halloween, dropped a teaser of his character’s shield. Check it out below:
Every dent, every scratch, every mark tells a story. A story that ends with me, winning. 😏#SoldierBoy #SoldierBoyShield
Full character reveal tomorrow!!! 🤘🏼😎. @TheBoysTV @PrimeVideo @ljsupersuits @VoughtIntl pic.twitter.com/UYgousdSLL
— Jensen Ackles (@JensenAckles) June 6, 2021
Will we see more of the character soon? Maybe.
Real images of #soldierboy coming soon. 😉 https://t.co/5wcRf8fFa9
— Jensen Ackles (@JensenAckles) May 28, 2021
From the way the character has been mentioned in the show before, this version may be much different than his comic book counterpart. Much like Stormfront, expect Soldier Boy to be revamped a bit. It would be funny to see Soldier Boy ultimately turn out to be a coward, leaving Homelander to clean up his mess.
Soldier Boy is this show’s version of Captain America, much like how Homelander is a twisted and immoral version of Superman. Expect there to be a lot of heroic speeches followed up with backroom debauchery. Stories have floated about that a certain scene between the two won’t happen as it did in the comics, but knowing the show, the writers will find something equally offensive to take its place.
Not yet jumped into the gritty superheroes show? Start binging right now on Amazon.
What are your predictions for the third season? Will Homelander finally go full-on psycho like in the comics? Let us know in the comments.
MotU: Origins Eternian Royal Guard Is A Big Bad Toy Store Exclusive!
I’m getting worried that He-Man is losing his spot on retail shelves. Every time I go into the store, the pegs for the MotU SKUs are getting fewer and fewer. Will this line end up becoming online-only? Let’s hope not, even if the subject of today’s story is.
Did you missed out on the chance to have the Eternian Royal Guards during the MotU Classics line? If so, Mattel has you covered. However, you can only find this figure at one location, The Big Bad Toy Store.
It’s an exciting time to be a Masters of the Universe fan! For longtime fans and a new generation of kids who love adventure, now is the time to discover the thrilling action of He-Man, Skeletor, the secrets of Castle Grayskull and so much more! These 5.5-inch figures have several movable joints (up to 16 points of articulation!) for action scenes and power posing. MOTU fans and collectors will appreciate the authentic styling that mirrors the original 1980s MOTU characters while adding modern design elements.
This exclusive figure features removable armor and a clean shaven Man-at-Arms head sculpt!
This guy won’t break the bank, either. The royal guard is priced at $16.99, comparable to the other standard figures in the Masters of the Universe: Origins line.
Something I did notice is that this armor doesn’t have interchangeable chest plates. In the Classics release, there were battle-damaged inserts. It’s not a complaint, seeing that this figure is priced well. He already comes with quite a lot of stuff, and having those extra armor pieces means more mixing and matching among the other Masters.
If you want the guard sooner than later, you’ll need to order soon. Soon meaning TODAY!
Note: Pre-orders placed BEFORE 9:00 am CST on 6/7/2021 will have estimated arrival of September 2021
Pre-orders placed AFTER 9:00 am CST on 6/7/2021 will have estimated arrival of December 2021
Click here to get your pre-order started!
Christina Ricci Tapped To Join ‘The Matrix 4’
‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ star Christina Ricci has been cast in the upcoming science fiction sequel ‘The Matrix 4’ from director Lana Wachowski.
According to Deadline, Ricci was added to a growing list of actors and actresses including Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Henwick, Christina Ricci, Telma Hopkins, Eréndira Ibarra, Toby Onwumere, Max Riemelt, Brian J. Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith.
This will also be the first entry of ‘The Matrix’ franchise where the Wachowski siblings will not be working together for the production. Lily Wachowski will be working on the television series ‘Work In Progress’ while Lana Wachowski co-wrote ‘The Matrix 4’ with David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon.
“I like it when stories go out into the world and then come back to you in different ways,” Lana Wachowski told Slash Film. “I mean, that’s what storytelling is all about. I’m part of a bigger thing. I don’t have any ownership over stuff like that, so whatever story anybody wants to tell, I can’t wait to hear. I hope it’s better than the original.”
Despite many recurring actors returning for ‘The Matrix 4,’ including Reeves, Hugo Weaving will not be appearing due to scheduling conflicts with his stage performances in London.
“I thought we could have done my scenes in May, June and July; and we talked about money and we talked about — they were negotiating,” Weaving told Coming Soon. “And we were all pretty much sorted and agreed on dates and it was all fine, but then Lana decided she didn’t think it was going to work. So, she pulled the plug on the negotiations. That’s where it ended up. She basically didn’t feel that my commitment to the National Theatre was going to fit in with the dates that she had in mind for me.”
‘The Matrix 4’ is scheduled to be released on December 22, 2021 via HBO Max and in theaters.
Fan Favorite Major Bludd Joins G.I. JOE’s Classified Series
The G.I. Joe Classified line is a cool take on the classic Joe and Cobra characters. The 6″ size allows for more detail and better articulation, and it pays off most of the time. Some stylistic changes are odd, especially with Cobra Commander. However, other characters like Gung Ho hits all the right checkboxes.
The problems with the line as a whole? They’re friggin hard to find. I see lots of Roadblocks on the shelves, but never anyone else. I hope this will change as more SKUs hit the market. Speaking of which, according to Figures.com, five more figures are on the way.
The new wave includes two fan favorites include Timber and Cobra’s Major Bludd! In a break from the typical release, Breaker comes with a RAM cycle! Check them out below.
Snake Eyes & Timber
Heavy Artillery Roadblock
If you’ve been having difficulty finding these figures as I have, try Target and GameStop. I’d been hunting for my favorite Joe, Hung-Ho, for months before finally finding him at the troubled game store. Occasionally they’ll pop up at Walmart, but the couple of times that has happened, the G.I. Joe‘s box will be damaged. People of Walmart…
Those looking for other Joe and Cobra figures can also try Entertainment Earth before pre-orders are up for the IMHO misguided Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins figures. Some people don’t care about source material.
To wash the taste of remakes and reboots out of our mouths, let’s enjoy some classic Fensler Films G.I. Joe PSAs!
What do you think of the Classified series of action figures? Should Hasbro refocus on the smaller 3.75″ line? Should the Joes from the previous two live-action movies get their own figures in the line? Let us know in the comments.
[Source: Figures.com]
You’re All Invited To Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi-Moons Birthday Celebration
Usagi Tsukino and Chibiusa share a birthday on June 26th, and fans around the world are invited to join in on the fun!
The official Sailor Moon franchise website has announced that “USAGI BIRTHDAY Memorial Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Fan Meeting 2021″ will be held for online streaming at 19:00 (JST) / 03:00 (PST) on June 26, 2021. The special event to celebrate the birthdays of Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) and Chibiusa (Sailor Chibi-Moon) can also be viewed from overseas. And the Sailor Moon original manga author Naoko Takeuchi revealed a new key visual just for this special occasion.
There will be a “Oshioki Chibi Radio” talk section by Misato Fukuen (Eternal Sailor Chibi-Moon / Chibi-Usa in Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal The Movie) and Yukiyo Fujii (Eternal Sailor Saturn / Hotaru Tomoe). And there will be a singing section by Akiko Kosaka, ANZA (Eternal The movie ED theme), and Yoko Ishida.
Members of the musical show “Kaguyahime no Koibito,” (Sailor Moon Musical), which is scheduled to be performed in September 2021, will also be on the stream. Riko Tanaka (Sailor Moon / Usagi Tsukino), Kanon Maekawa (Sailor Mercury / Ami Mizuno), Rei Kobayashi (Sailor Mars / Rei Hino), Kisara Matsumura (Sailor Jupiter / Makoto Kino), and Masuzu Aino (Sailor Venus / Minako Aino) are going to be giving a performance. And lastly, a mini fashion show “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Wedding Dress Collection” is planned.
Tickets are available to purchase on ZAIKO. The ticket price for general viewers is 2,000 yen (about 18.24 USD). However, if you join the Pretty Guardians official fan club before 11:59pm Japan time on June 18, you’ll only have to pay mere ¥500 (about $4.57) system fee.
The Birthday Invitation:
Source: CrunchyRoll
Check Out This Shadowy Peek at Eli Roth’s ‘Borderlands’ Cast
Yes, the Borderlands movie is a thing, and more and more proof has appeared that this isn’t a fever dream. Yes, it is being directed by Eli Roth. There’s no way of getting around it. This thing is happening.
All across Twitter, silhouetted images have been popping up, teasing the game’s characters as portrayed by some big-name actors. As of now, we’ve been able to see the following:
- Cate Blanchett as Lilith
- Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina
- Florian Munteanu as Krieg
- Kevin Hart as Roland
- Jamie Lee Curtis as Dr. Tannis
- Claptrap voiced by Jack Black.
Welcome to BORDERLANDS & a secret BTS shot I took of Lilith, our legendary heroine, psycho blasting, vault hunting vixen with a bad attitude.#cateblanchett
From the brilliant minds of @borderlandsfilm @therealeliroth@gearbox @picturestart @Lionsgate
Arad Productions pic.twitter.com/R193HTGBZj— Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) June 1, 2021
Dr. Patricia Tannis, in @borderlandsfilm who some call INSANE (LY) SMART emphasis on the first part! Well, the joke is on them because I'm an NPC and I'm #inthemovie
She's 'just friends' with EchoNet who is a #cheater @lionsgate@realeliroth@picturestart@GearboxOfficial pic.twitter.com/wsbsjXeIsi— Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) June 3, 2021
First look of @KevinHart4real as Roland in Borderlands. Photography by @jamieleecurtis on set. pic.twitter.com/iILNo9XFLL
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) June 3, 2021
First look of @ArianaG as Tiny Tina in Borderlands. Photography on set by @jamieleecurtis. pic.twitter.com/DUJTXEFNo6
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) June 3, 2021
First look of @big9nasty as Krieg in Borderlands. Photography on set by @jamieleecurtis. pic.twitter.com/mL5diqqgnr
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) June 3, 2021
Oh, and lest we forget, the great @jackblack as ClapTrap (photography on set by @jamieleecurtis): https://t.co/k0dNhjzKLe pic.twitter.com/kuxp7dtekD
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) June 3, 2021
BORDERLANDS#Squadgoals. LILITH, ROLAND, TINY TINA, KRIEG, TANNIS & CLAPTRAP.
They form a family band, psychos get fried, wounds open and heal and I promise you…YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT! @borderlandsfilm @DuvalMagic @realeliroth@gearbox
@lionsgste@picturestart pic.twitter.com/jErz5fCDD7— Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) June 4, 2021
The shots let us pick out some details that match the characters’ various appearances throughout the game series. Thankfully Claptrap looks like Claptrap and not some over-stylized monstrosity like the goombas in the Super Marion Bros. movie. I’m glad to see details like Lilith’s hairstyle are present. Even without seeing the accompanying info, it’s clear that it’s her.
When we see the characters in full is a mystery. With E3 just around the corner, expect to see something then. It would be cool to see the games’ voice actors VO some lines for the actors just for fun.
Regardless, there’s some serious talent in that cast. Will they match their video game counterparts, though? The art style and voice acting in the games gel quite well. That’s going to be tough to replicate on the big screen. Roth does have the ability to make outlandish stuff work on film, I must admit. If this thing goes balls-to-the-wall with zero f’s given, it may just work.
Don’t expect Borderlands to hit until 2022.
What are your thoughts on this adaptation of the game? Who would you have cast in these roles instead of the current roster? Since this film will not be directly tied to the established lore and timeline, who would play Handsome Jack? Let us know in the comments.
For the Emperor! So Many Warhammer Games Are On The Way!
Warhammer is one versatile property. From Age of Sigmar to 40k, nearly every type of video game can wear a Warhammer skin. We’ve seen FPS, RTS, TBS, and even card games delve into the worlds created by Games Workshop. That isn’t going to stop any time soon.
I’m not kidding. So many video games based on the various Warhammer game systems are about to hit the market.
With it, the Warhammer Skulls event has come with the announcement of many new games set within the Warhammer universe.
Over on the official XBOX website, there’s a recap of what was revealed during Skulls. There are new titles, expansions, and sequels. I wasn’t expecting so much to be announced, honestly. It’s a lot to budget for. Some of the titles have just launched, too!
The titles that appeared in Warhammer Skulls were the following:
- Warhammer 40,000: Lost Crusade
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 – Chaos Wastes
- Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
- Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground
- Necromunda: Hired Gun
- Blood Bowl 3
- Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector
- Warhammer: Chaos & Conquest
- Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soul Arena
- Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower
- Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood, Teef
- Talisman: Digital Edition
Ready to see the teasers, trailers, and gameplay videos? Here ya go!
New games aren’t the only things announced. Several existing Warhammer games will be getting expansions. The franchise will also make an appearance in a few non-Warhammer games:
- Space Hulk: Tactics – New Genestealer Skins
- Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Skulls In-game Event
- Warhammer Combat Cards – New to Windows PC
- World of Tanks: Blitz – Space Marine Tanks
- World of Warships – 40k Chaos & Imperium Ship Skins
No sequel or remaster of Space Marine, though. I love that game. It’s simple, bloody, and so much fun to replay.
Coinciding with all these announcements, XBOX is having a massive sale on Games Workshop titles. Click here to see all the deep discounts.
The Importance of Being Ernest Documentary on Kickstarter
An upcoming documentary will finally tell the definitive story of actor/comedian Jim Varney and his most iconic character, the lovable know-it-all Ernest P. Worrell.
On May 25, 2021, The Importance of Being Ernest launched its Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a feature-length documentary that will explore the life of Jim Varney and the evolution of Ernest P. Worrell. Originally conceived as a commercial pitchman in 1980, the Ernest character launched Varney to national fame as the star of a film series and an Emmy-award-winning TV show bearing his name.
New York filmmaker David Pagano has teamed up with Daniel Butler (veteran writer and actor of the Ernest film series) and writer Justin Lloyd (Varney’s nephew and author of the biography of the same name) for this new film venture. Using their intimate connections to Varney’s private and professional life, they will craft a celebration of the late performer’s work and the lasting legacy of the Ernest character—a legacy that continues more than 40 years after the character’s inception and 20 years after Varney’s untimely passing.
Jim Varney and Justin Lloyd circa 1983.
Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.
The documentary will feature archival footage, cast and crew interviews, and never-before-seen material to tell the full story of Jim Varney and Ernest on screen and serve as a definitive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Ernest franchise and Varney’s career. Additionally, the filmmakers are working to preserve fragile archival footage, interviews, and other Jim Varney media to safeguard the memory of this beloved American icon for future generations of fans.
Pagano’s motivation to make the film comes from the duality of the classically trained, highly-intelligent Varney and the bumbling, eccentric Ernest whom he so masterfully portrayed. “Jim Varney lived and breathed acting. For as goofy of a character as Ernest was, Jim still played him with depth and consideration, and his talent made the world believe Ernest was a real person.”
For Daniel Butler, the film is an opportunity to learn more about his friend and coworker.
“There is so much that we are learning about Jim Varney and Ernest P. Worrell in the research for this documentary. It’s just amazing how much I didn’t know about a man I worked with for 15 years.”
-David Butler
The Importance of Being Ernest is currently in pre-production, and the Kickstarter fundraising campaign for the documentary runs through June 25, 2021. If you would like to support the Kickstarter campaign, click here. You can also watch the Kickstarter video on YouTube.
This love letter to a tremendously talented actor looks as though it will be a great watch. I very much look forward to seeing it. He was a staple in our house and he always made us laugh! Know what I mean?
Did you grow up watching Jim Varney as Ernest? Do you have any fond memories?
Source: Kickstarter & Being Ernest Film Website
