After a Decade of Episodic Storytelling, Marvel Studios Finally Made Actual TV Episodes
A TV show signaling its ambition by comparing itself to a supersized movie is a time-honored trope. WandaVision, the new limited series on Disney+ that marks a major turning point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its complex relationship with the small screen, is just the latest to employ it. “I was like, ‘Oh, I thought we were doing a little show,’” actor Teyonah Parris told Entertainment Weekly in its November cover story spotlighting the production. “But no, it’s six Marvel movies packed into what they’re presenting as a sitcom.” Under typical circumstances, this analogy is frustrating, sure to earn an eye-roll from critics tired of explaining that “X-hour movie” is not the compliment most creatives seem to think it is. Beyond the implied condescension, there’s the fact that the distinction between movies and TV shows is on the verge of collapse, making comparisons almost meaningless. The same platforms often distribute both, including Disney+; every year brings more brain-teasers like Steve McQueen’s Small Axe, which have aspects of each category without neatly falling into either. You can only see so many iterations of The Hateful Eight: The Miniseries before throwing up your hands in defeat.
Marvel’s Moon Knight: Ethan Hawke To Play The Villain
Moon Knight isn’t a Marvel character who’s hit the screen before – for the uninitiated, his Marc Spector is akin to Batman, a crime-fighting vigilante with considerable cash reserves, though there’s a supernatural bent to Spector linked to the lunar cycle. He also has a series of different identities that he presents to the world and later in his comics run, he was established as being a conduit for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Most recently, the character was a consultant who dresses in all white and goes by the name Mr. Knight. The Hollywood Reporter didn’t specify exactly who Hawke will be playing, but Moon Knight’s most popular villain is Bushman, about whom you can find more here) and others are guessing he could be the Marvel universe’s Dracula…
The Flash season 7 casts Shadowhunters star as classic DC villain
The Flash season 7 has cast Shadowhunters star Jon Cor as a classic DC villain. According to TV Line, the actor will have a recurring guest role on the CW show as Mark Stevens, aka Chillblaine. The official character description states: “Scientist Mark Stevens is a charismatic bad boy obsessed with cryogenic technology. But when he’s not breaking into corporate safes, he’s busy breaking hearts with his irresistible charm and roguish style. “Armed with his own cold weapons, he’ll become a new thorn in the side of Team Flash as the DC Comics villain Chillblaine.” In the comics, Chillblaine often partnered with fellow villain Golden Glider, aka Lisa Snart. However, there are currently no plans for Peyton List to reprise her role from season 1. Chillblaine is the latest addition to the roster of villains for season 7 of The Flash, which premieres in the US on February 23.
The Umbrella Academy Reveals Casting of 7 Sparrows for Season 3
Get ready to meet the Umbrella Academy‘s timeline-triggered counterparts. Netflix has revealed the casting for the Sparrow Academy’s own seven very special “children,” who are poised to loom large in Season 3. For starters, it should come as no surprise that series vet Justin H. Min, who plays Ben, is now playing Sparrow #2 (as teased at the close of Season 2). “This is not the sweet Ben we know and love,” reads his teaser. “This Ben is a Machiavellian tactician, wrapped up in a pretty boy body with a rumbling inner-squid. Vicious, pragmatic, and hyper-vigilant, Ben is determined to gain his status as the leader at all costs.” As for the brand-new faces….
