Castle Comics & Collectibles

Hours after Warner Bros. moved Denis Villeneuve’s Dune to October 1, 2021; the studio has now unsurprisingly pushed back Matt Reeves’ highly anticipated The Batman to March 4, 2022. 

They’ve also announced a number of other changes to their upcoming DC lineup as Andy Muschietti’s The Flash has moved back a few months to November 4, 2022; David F. Sandberg’s Shazam: Fury of the Gods has moved nearly an entire year to June 2, 2023 and Jaume Collet-Serra’s Black Adam has been (temporarily) removed from their release calendar entirely. 

However, it’s not all bad news as Lana Wachowski’s The Matrix 4 has been moved up to December 22, 2021. 

Story is developing…

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In “Rumor Mill,” we share the hard to buy rumours that don’t come from reliable sources like the trades, but are still more believable (just) than what you might find on Reddit. 

It was recently revealed that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 star Jamie Foxx will reprise the role of Electro in Spider-Man 3. The two franchises are obviously set in different worlds (with different versions of the web-slinger), and it’s unclear if the Oscar-winner is set to play the same Electro or a rebooted one.

Either way, fans are convinced that Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures are teaming up for some sort of “Spider-Verse” event; a move that might make sense after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Now, it’s being reported that Kirsten Dunst and Dane DeHaan are also being eyed to reprise the roles of MJ and Harry Osborn from their respective Spider-Man franchises! Apparently, this isn’t necessarily for Spider-Man 3, either, so it could be that the Sorcerer Supreme visits their worlds in the Doctor Strange sequel. 

Seeing more of Dunst is likely to be welcomed (especially if she’s joined by Tobey Maguire’s web-slinger), but it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to see more of DeHaan’s dreadful interpretation of the Green Goblin.

This rumor feels like an example of an online scooper throwing some guesses at the wall to see what sticks, so don’t bank on it happening – unless the three big screen Spider-Men really are being lined up to take on a threat so big that it requires their combined radioactive powers!

Click HERE for more Spider-Man 3 news from CBM!

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Marvel Comics has revealed plans for the “Stormbreakers” program which promises to recognize and spotlight the industry’s top rising artists from around the globe. 

Each of Marvel’s “Stormbreakers” class will run for two years, showcasing their talent, artistry, and skill to the world through new and exclusive work at Marvel Comics. Some incredible names have been selected, including Patrick Gleason (Amazing Spider-Man) and R.B. Silva (Fantastic Four, Powers of X). 

“This year’s Stormbreakers embody pure talent and creativity that, time and time again, have shown us all there are no limits to what visual storytelling can do. We are continuously blown away by their innovative styles and by the power in how they capture the heart, humor, and humanity of our characters,” says Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski.

The full press release drops more details about what this will entail and how it will affect fans, but Marvel Comics could do with highlighting more talented artists and this group definitely fits the bill.

Click HERE for more Marvel Comics news from CBM!
 

New York, NY — October 5, 2020 — Marvel Comics has announced the debut of MARVEL’S STORMBREAKERS, its latest preeminent talent distinction program to spotlight the next generation of elite artists in the industry. Launching today, the inaugural class selected for their groundbreaking portfolio work and achievements include Josh Cassara (X-Force), Patrick Gleason (Amazing Spider-Man), Peach Momoko (known for her best-selling covers), Natacha Bustos (Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur), Iban Coello (Venom), Carmen Carnero (Hellions), Juann Cabal (Guardians of the Galaxy), and R.B. Silva (Fantastic Four, Powers of X).

As revealed by Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski and EVP, Creative Director Joe Quesada, the 2020 Class of MARVEL’S STORMBREAKERS feature talent from around the world, pushing artistic limits in every story they tell. As a group, they are already responsible for leading some of Marvel’s most popular titles, including Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Venom and many more, shaping Marvel’s vast tapestry of storytelling. Over the next two years, fans will see the prominence of these eight artists grow even higher in the world of Marvel Comics as they unleash their abilities and creative visions within the pages of Marvel’s biggest titles and storylines, along with exclusive new opportunities across Marvel’s publishing line.

“This year’s Stormbreakers embody pure talent and creativity that, time and time again, have shown us all there are no limits to what visual storytelling can do. We are continuously blown away by their innovative styles and by the power in how they capture the heart, humor, and humanity of our characters,” said Cebulski. “These eight artists have proven their unrivaled talent and passion for storytelling, and much like Beta Ray Bill, they are truly worthy of taking up the mantle as one of Marvel’s Stormbreakers, the next generation of elite artists. We can’t wait to show you all what’s next. And to all our Stormbreakers – take up your hammer!”

In Marvel’s history, the mythical Stormbreaker is an iconic symbol that debuted during one of many trailblazing eras of the Marvel Universe – bringing change within the pages of Thor, for legendary creators like Walter Simonson, and for Marvel fans everywhere. During this era, Marvel grew to embrace bold new initiatives, deeper character-driven stories, and unique new art styles. Comics began to unlock the potential of artists like never before through new prestige formats, new printing technology, and new ways for artists to tell – and share – their stories. And that electric drive forward continues with MARVEL’S STORMBREAKERS.

“There’s a special skill set you need to have in order to draw comics at the highest level,” said Quesada. “Like the finest illustrators, you must be able to draw anything and everything at any given moment, have the keen storytelling eye of a master film director, the ability to convey emotion in characters like the world’s greatest performers, and the imagination of the greatest storytellers in history. But to be a Marvel comic artist, you need all of that as well as the ability to make your characters and stories jump off the page. They need to be larger than life, yet grounded enough that we all see ourselves within them. We’re thrilled to bring together Marvel’s Stormbreakers, a team of super up-and-coming talents who will continue that legacy.”

MARVEL’S STORMBREAKERS is the next evolution of Marvel’s Young Guns program. Over the past 15 years, Marvel selected and recognized 36 up-and-coming artists who went on to draw some of Marvel’s greatest events, iconic series, and beyond, solidifying their place as luminaries in the industry including Steve McNiven, Jim Cheung, Sara Pichelli, Ryan Stegman, and more. MARVEL’S STORMBREAKERS continues the tradition Marvel’s Young Guns set forth and recognizes its alumni today as honorary Stormbreakers in addition to their work as Young Guns.

Congratulations to the 2020 Class of Marvel’s Stormbreakers! Check out Marvel.com/Stormbreakers to see all the latest exclusive interviews, articles, and artwork from these future comic book superstars. And stay tuned for more Marvel’s Stormbreakers news, special art series, and more in the coming weeks and months.
 

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House of the Dragon has found its King Viserys Targaryen! HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series has cast renowned British actor Paddy Considine as the kind-hearted monarch, who was the distant ancestor of Daenerys Stormborn (Emilia Clarke).

Unlike certain other Targaryens who would go on to share his name, Viserys was said to be an honourable man and a wise, beloved ruler, and it sounds like his small screen counterpart will follow suit.

“Viserys was chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal,” reads the official character description.“A warm, kind, and decent man, Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy, but as we’ve learned from Game of Thrones, good men do not necessarily make for great kings.”

Considine is probably best known for playing the unhinged Richard in Shane Meadows’ Dead Man’s Shoes, but he’s also made impressions in the likes of In America, Hot Fuzz and Peaky Blinders. More recently, he appeared in HBO’s Stephen King adaptation, The Outsider.

EW has also shared descriptions for some of the other key roles we can expect to see filled over the next few weeks:

—Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen: King Viserys’ chosen heir, a dragon rider who grew up expecting to become the first ruling Queen of Westeros.

—Queen Alicent Hightower: Viserys’ ambitious second wife and Rhaenyra’s stepmother, who had three children of her own with the king.

—Aegon II Targaryen: Princess Rhaenyra’s younger half-brother who challenges Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne, igniting a civil war.

—Prince Daemon Targaryen: Rhaenyra’s uncle, an experienced warrior.

House of the Dragon is being developed as a 10-episode first season, co-created by George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal (Colony). Condal also wrote the script with Sara Lee Hess, and will serve as co-showrunner alongside Miguel Sapochnik. The latter will direct the pilot and additional episodes.

The show is on track for a 2022 premiere.

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The first season of The Witcher drew mixed reviews for its often confusing approach to storytelling, but now the multiple timelines have all synced up, season two should be a lot easier to follow. 

Thanks to COVID-19, the series is unlikely to premiere on Netflix until next year, but after that first look from Henry Cavill earlier today, we now have a synopsis shedding more light on what to expect.

“Convinced Yennefer’s life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Rivia brings Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen,” it reveals. “While the Continent’s kings, elves, humans and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, he must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside.”

It’s been clear for a while now that we’ll be visiting Kaer Morhen based on some of the casting additions that have been made, and it sounds like Yennefer will be M.I.A. for a little while at least. Ciri’s training is likely to be a big part of season two of The Witcher as well, and fans of the books and video games will be all too aware that this isn’t the easiest of journeys for Geralt. 

Are you excited for The Witcher‘s return on Netflix?

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This past Friday’s episode of The Boys featured the somewhat shocking (not so much if you’ve read the comics) death of Lamplighter (Shawn Ashmore), who committed suicide by self-immolation after first helping Hughie break into the Vought building in an attempt to rescue Starlight.

Even though we were only properly introduced to the former Seven member in the previous episode, his death came as a surprise because fans assumed he’d stick around until at least the end of the season, possibly getting something approaching a redemption arc before buying the farm.

During an interview with TV Line, Ashmore revealed that he was told that his character was going to be killed off from “the get-go,” and was happy with how Lamplighter chose to check out.

“The way that I look at death scenes is if you’re gonna go out on a show or in a film, it better be good,” said the X-Men star. “And it better be impactful. Otherwise, I feel like it’s a waste. I feel like it was a perfect ending to Lamplighter, and it puts Hughie in such a crazy situation.”

“He walks into his home, the [Vought] tower, where he thinks he belongs or wants to belong, and the last remnants of who he was or what made him important or what his identity was as a supe is gone, and he’s been replaced. It was a bummer to be gone because I love the character, and I would have loved to continue playing him, but I thought it was a very, very important scene, and it was the right way for Lamplighter to go. It was an intense scene, but I was really happy with it.”

Lamplighter’s death was certainly impactful… but meaningful? You could argue that his flaming corpse setting off the fire alarms caused a distraction which allowed Hughie to get past the guards, but something tells us that wasn’t exactly his intention.

In the comics, Lamplighter actually survives what appears to be a certain death at the hands of Butcher and the others and is kept in a near zombified state in a cell beneath Vought, so there’s always a chance his small screen counterpart will suffer the same fate. For his sake, let’s hope he really is brown bread!

What did you guys make of Lamplighter’s death? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to tune in for the Season 2 finale of The Boys this Friday.

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There’s more bad news for theaters thanks to COVID-19, as Cineworld, one of the UK’s biggest theater chains and owner of U.S. chain Regal Cinemas, has announced plans to close its venues in both countries. This comes almost immediately after the news that No Time to Die has been pushed back from this November to next April. 

According to Variety, the company’s theaters in The UK, Ireland and The U.S. will close as soon as this week, though staff in the UK – over 5500 of them – only learned of the news via stories like this one. 

Cineworld is reportedly writing to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to explain that the exhibition sector is now “unviable” due to a lack of new releases and the fact that customers are avoiding cinemas due to safety concerns caused by on the ongoing pandemic. 

A reopening date hasn’t been set yet, but it’s likely these theaters will remain closed until next year, and that’s not good news for upcoming December releases like Dune and Wonder Woman 1984. Many believe they will also be delayed, especially with cases on the rise across the U.S. and Europe. 

Whether Cineworld will be able to survive these closures remains to be seen, and it’s likely other chains will soon follow; after all, there’s only so many times people will be willing to pay to see Tenet and The New Mutants! It will also be interesting to see how these closures affect the way studios release tentpoles in future, as it’s clear something might have to change.

For now, though, our thoughts go out to those who find themselves jobless ahead of Christmas. 

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In “Rumor Mill,” we share the hard to buy rumours that don’t come from reliable sources like the trades, but are still more believable (just) than what you might find on Reddit. 

Fans are desperate to know what the future holds in store for Deadpool in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and even though Ryan Reynolds has visited Marvel Studios, the actor maintains that he knows nothing of what comes next for the Merc with the Mouth on the silver screen. 

The casting of J.K. Simmons and Jamie Foxx in the Spider-Man franchise as new versions of characters they played in different, non-Marvel Studios properties has given fans hope, however, and it’s possible Reynolds could return as a new take on Deadpool minus the baggage that comes with his Fox counterpart. That would likely lead to a lot of funny, fourth-wall breaking jokes about his time in the X-Men Universe, too.

Today, The Direct is reporting that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige is interested in signing Reynolds to the “biggest” deal in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

It’s assumed that means the actor will be signed up to star in more Marvel Studios films than any other actor, a sign, perhaps, that there are indeed huge plans for Deadpool in future despite the notable radio silence from Feige on the matter. 

Click HERE for more Deadpool 3 news from CBM!

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IGN has shared an exclusive teaser trailer for Paul W.S. Anderson’s upcoming sci-fi action blockbuster Monster Hunter. An adaptation of Capcom’s video game franchise about slaying massive monsters, the teaser gives us our first look at Diablos, one of the game’s signature enemies.

Although the trailer cuts away right as Lt. Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her unit (TI Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta) begin to open fire on Diablos, we already know their weapons will be no match for the monster. Luckily for Artemis and her squad, they’ll receive the help of a mysterious man known as The Hunter (Tony Jaa). Presumably, he will supply them with more effective weapons, like the Giant Jawblade great sword and the Great Hunter’s Bow, which we’ve seen previously in one of the movie’s posters.

Adaptations of popular video games are often hit or miss, and it’s clear, based on the synopsis for the film, that Anderson has taken some creative liberties with the source material. He did the same with the Resident Evil franchise. But while the story of Monster Hunter will clearly depart from that of the game, Anderson’s adaptation at least seems to feature a faithful recreation of the large, bipedal wyvern.

Behind our world, there is another: a world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly ferocity. When an unexpected sandstorm transports Lt. Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her unit (TI Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta) to a new world, the soldiers are shocked to discover that this hostile and unknown environment is home to enormous and terrifying monsters immune to their firepower. In their desperate battle for survival, the unit encounters the mysterious Hunter (Tony Jaa), whose unique skills allow him to stay one step ahead of the powerful creatures. As Artemis and Hunter slowly build trust, she discovers that he is part of a team led by the Admiral (Ron Perlman). Facing a danger so great it could threaten to destroy their world, the brave warriors combine their unique abilities to band together for the ultimate showdown. Monster Hunter, directed by Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil’s Paul W.S. Anderson, is based on the global video game series phenomenon.

The teaser promises Monster Hunter will be in theaters this December but with no end in sight with the coronavirus pandemic, and film’s getting pushed back left and right because of it, a 2020 release seems unlikely. The date is also in contrast with what Anderson previously told Syfy Wire that the movie was pushed to April 2021.

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Entertainment Weekly is reporting that DC’s Legends of Tomorrow has finally promoted Adam Tsekhman to series regular for the upcoming sixth season, which is expected to premiere in early 2021.

Tsekhman has recurred as the mild-mannered Gary Green since the third season premiere, always doing his best to help the Legends (well, not so much the year he was evil) even though they weren’t actually keen on him joining their ranks. However, with the team down a few key members – and temporarily without a captain – it looks like season six will finally see Gary get his wish, as EW has confirmed that he will indeed become a full-fledged member of the team.

Fans will also get a chance to further delve into Green’s past, as the season promises to tell his origin story. The official character description from The CW reads, “He’s also not the mild-mannered goofball that our team of superheroes have taken him for all these years. Season 6 will explore Gary’s origin story. It’s even more bizarre than you would imagine…“

We know that aliens will be next season’s big bads, so it’s probably fair to wonder whether Gary will be revealed as an E.T., especially considering his many eccentricities.  

Having spent last season trying to track down the Loom of Fate in order to bring back their slain comrades, the Legends must now save history from a foe like none they’ve encountered in the past or future. Co-captains of the time-ship Waverider Sara Lance and Ava Sharpe have dealt with monsters, time anomalies, and most recently, villains from Hell, but this season they will face something even more challenging and bizarre … space aliens! After one of their own is abducted by a ruthless alien, this new mission becomes personal. It will take more than the combined powers of a dark magician, John Constantine; a semi-reformed arsonist, Mick Rory; historian who transforms into steel, Nate Heywood; and a brother-sister wind-totem-wielding duo, Zara Tarazi and Behrad Tarazi to save the world for a sixth time. They must recruit a new Legend, a woman who was abducted by aliens when she was a child and supposedly imbued with powers that will help the team defeat their intergalactic foes. Either that or she’s just crazy…

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