MarvelBlog News for February 11th, 2024
Unless you count the latest absolute final definitely for sure Fantastic Four casting leak (?), this week’s stories are unique.
We’ve got several items to cover quickly in the latest MarvelBlog News update.
A Hero Rises
Source: Marvel Studios
I want to begin with a potentially uplifting story unfolding behind the scenes at Marvel.
Jeremy Renner, who almost died last year, recently returned to acting.
After overcoming a life-threatening, bone-shattering accident, Renner is currently filming on the set of Mayor of Kingstown.
Photo: Disney+
Marvel fans can guess what that means. Yes, Renner has indicated that he’s ready to return to the MCU!
The actor joked that he’s doing his stretches, which is both a real-life thing he must do and a play on some of his previous performances.
If you don’t get the reference, you should watch Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol!
Hawkeye at the Battle of New York. Photo: Marvel Studios
Anyway, Renner tells ComicBook.com that he’ll be back as Hawkeye as soon as Kevin Feige finds a project for him.
When that happens, I can assure you that it’ll be one of the most popular Marvel stories in recent memory.
Tragedy Strikes
Source: Marvel
I hate everything about this next story, and it’ll bother me even more because of the Hollywood strikes.
As we know, Wonder Man was far along in filming when the strikes forced a shutdown on the project.
Ultimately, Hollywood producers gave the actors and writers most of what they wanted, which could have happened before then.
Source: Marvel
If the producers had settled before the strikes began, someone would be alive today.
I say this because Marvel had to close the Wonder Man set for a time. Now that it’s filming again, tragedy has occurred.
Juan “Spike” Osorio, a 41-year-old crew member, died on the set of Wonder Man this past week.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Osorio died after falling from a catwalk.
Details remain scarce. We know that the show wasn’t filming that day, but the crew was setting up for a future stunt.
Osorio’s union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, posted a loving tribute.
Photo: Disney
“He was the most wonderful, thoughtful, and loving husband, a caring son, a wise brother, a strong friend, a brave veteran, a euphorbia enthusiast, a meticulous lighting technician, and a stickler for safety at work.”
So, this sounds like a terrible loss for a lot of people.
More Fantastic Four Nonsense
Source: Marvel
Yes, I recently stated that I wouldn’t talk about Fantastic Four casting again until we had something concrete.
Well, some nonsense has forced me to walk back my position here. And this one’s utterly ridiculous.
In a move that some are describing as calculated, SAG-AFTRA posted an update that confirms previous casting rumors.
Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison), the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) in ‘The Mandalorian’ Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
According to Pedro Pascal’s listing on the site, he will portray Reed Richards in Fantastic Four, which is reportedly filming soon.
Here’s the important part: “Pascal recently wrapped production on Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated GLADIATOR 2 and will soon begin production on Marvel Studios’ FANTASTIC FOUR.”
Source: Marvel
Actually, the page no longer says that because some Marvel officials were reportedly apoplectic over this reveal.
In fact, some are going so far as to say that the plans may have been less than finite.
So, this publication unintentionally (?) forced Marvel’s hand here.
Source: Marvel
As I type this, Marvel still hasn’t commented either way about the report’s accuracy.
Why is Marvel taking such a mysterious approach with everything Fantastic Four-related?
That’s a mystery for the ages, and I suspect we’re gonna hear some excellent stories about behind-the-scenes turmoil after the fact.
A New Marvel Game…Or Universe?
Source: Marvel/ Epic Games
In case you missed the big news this week, Disney paid $1.5 billion to purchase an ownership stake in Epic Games.
What does this have to do with Marvel? Well, Disney owns Marvel and plans to set up a Fortnite-adjacent realm soon.
Epic will use some of the digital assets from Fortnite and the Unreal Engine to create several Disney realms.
Source: Marvel
Imagine a Fortnite game composed solely of Disney characters. That’s what we’re discussing here.
In fact, the layers of details might be even greater than that. Here’s the trailer:
That clip hints at distinct realms for Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar, and other Disney intellectual properties.
So, we could get Fortnite with Marvel characters…or something much grander in scope.
Source: Marvel and Epic Games
Nobody knows for sure yet, as Disney only recently announced the deal. But it sounds like it could be epic.
Marvel Miscellany
Source: Marvel Studios
Daredevil: Reborn is still casting even as it films.
Most recently, the series hired Genneya Walton of Candy Cane Lane and Never Have I Ever for an unknown role.
There’s ample online speculation about the role, with most assuming you’ll play a character related to the late Ben Urich.
Photo: Marvel Comics
As usual, Disney isn’t confirming anything, though.
Also, we’ve got another Madame Web trailer of questionable quality. Enjoy?
In much more exciting news, James Brolin had the entire internet up in arms.
For no apparent reason, the actor let it be known that “I hear kind of like through the grapevine, that they’re gonna bring him back.”
Source: Marvel/ D23
The “him” in this scenario is Thanos, whom Brolin notes has died more than any other Marvel comic book character.
Ergo, a movie death, no matter how dramatic, may not be final.
From Marvel’s perspective, that probably is the cleanest solution to solving the Kang problem.
Photo: Screenrant.com
Also, in case you’re wondering, Brolin also directly addresses What If…? in the discussion.
That’s definitely not what he’s referring to with the alleged return of Thanos.
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Featured image: Marvel
