Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Warner Bros. and Legendary recently pushed back their upcoming MonsterVerse magnum opus Godzilla vs. Kong to May 21, 2021 and while we’re likely still a few months away from an official trailer, some new packaging for an upcoming Playmates Toys figure has revealed a first look at the monster throwdown of a century. 

Additionally, the packaging featured a new plot description for the film which sufficiently hypes what’s to come: “Legends collide as Godzilla and Kong, the two most powerful forces of nature, clash in a spectacular battle for the ages! The monster war rages on the surface and deep within our world as the spectacular secret realm of the titans known as the Hollow Earth is revealed!“

Godzilla vs. Kong will be the fourth installment in the burgeoning MonsterVerse, following Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

Adam Wingard (Death Note) is directing with a screenplay from Terry Rossio (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl). The fensemble cast features Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Jessica Henwick, Julian Dennison, Kyle Chandler, Demián Bichir, Zhang Ziyi, Van Marten and Lance Reddick.

In a time when monsters walk the Earth, humanity’s fight for its future sets Godzilla and Kong on a collision course that will see the two most powerful forces of nature on the planet collide in a spectacular battle for the ages. As Monarch embarks on a perilous mission into uncharted terrain and unearths clues to the Titans’ origins, a human conspiracy threatens to wipe the creatures, both good and bad, from the face of the earth forever.

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Ahead of next week’s Comic Con at Home, USA Today has dropped a pretty major comic book scoop as they’ve unveiled a first look at BOOM! Studios’ BRZRKR, an upcoming 12-issue limited series from the one and only Keanu Reeves (John Wick; Speed; The Matrix). 

The official plot synopsis reads, “The man known only as Berzerker is half-mortal and half-God, cursed and compelled to violence…even at the sacrifice of his sanity. But after wandering the world for centuries, Berzerker may have finally found a refuge – working for the U.S. government to fight the battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else. In exchange, Berzerker will be granted the one thing he desires – the truth about his endless blood-soaked existence…and how to end it.“

Reeves initially met with BOOM! last year to discuss them possibly creating new material for live-action projects that he would presumably star in, but their meeting changed coursed when he pitched them his concept for what would eventually become BRZRKR.

It’s uncertain whether the series could become a live-action film down the line, but with BOOM! already having a first look deal in place with Netflix, it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility and it sounds like Reeves is more than onboard with the idea. He enthusiastically tells the newspaper, “I’d love to play Berzerker! It’s a really fun story so if it’s not me, hopefully someone can play it.”

BRZRKR will be rolled out monthly, starting October 7, and features New York Times bestseller Matt Kindt (Folklords, Bang!) as his co-writer with acclaimed artist Alessandro Vitti (Marvel’s Secret Warriors), colorist Bill Crabtree (BRPD), and letterer Clem Robins (Hellboy) also attached. 
 

KEANU REEVES, MATT KINDT & ALESSANDRO VITTI DEBUT BRZRKR WITH BOOM! STUDIOS

July 17, 2020

Discover the First-Ever Original Comic Book Series from the Star of ‘John Wick’ and ‘The Matrix’ in October 2020

BOOM! Studios is proud to announce BRZRKR, a twelve-issue limited series from the iconic Keanu Reeves in his Must Read comic book writing debut alongside New York Times bestselling co-writer Matt Kindt (Folklords, Bang!) and acclaimed artist Alessandro Vitti (Marvel’s Secret Warriors), colorist Bill Crabtree (BRPD), and letterer Clem Robins (Hellboy) in a brutally violent new series about one immortal warrior’s fight through the ages. BRZRKR #1 will debut in comic shops October 2020.

The man known only as Berzerker is half-mortal and half-God, cursed and compelled to violence…even at the sacrifice of his sanity. But after wandering the world for centuries, Berzerker may have finally found a refuge – working for the U.S. government to fight the battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else. In exchange, Berzerker will be granted the one thing he desires – the truth about his endless blood-soaked existence…and how to end it.

“I have loved comics since I was a young kid and they have been a significant influence on me artistically,” said Reeves. “To have the chance to create BRZRKR and collaborate with legends in the industry like writer Matt Kindt, artist Alessandro Vitti, color artist Bill Crabtree, letterer Clem Robins, and conceptual/cover artist Rafael Grampá – along with the great folks at BOOM! Studios – is a dream come true.”

Matt Kindt is the New York Times bestselling writer and artist of the comics and graphic novels Dept. H, Mind MGMT, Revolver, 3 Story, Super Spy, 2 Sisters, and Pistolwhip, as well as the writer of Folklords, Black Badge, and the Eisner Award-nominated Grass Kings with BOOM! Studios, Bang! and Ether with Dark Horse Comics, Justice League of America with DC Comics, Spider-Man with Marvel Comics, and Unity, Ninjak, Rai, and Divinity with Valiant Comics. He has won the PubWest book design award, been nominated for six Eisner Awards, and six Harvey Awards (and won once). His work has been published in French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Korean.

“The best collaborations have each partner bringing something unique to the table. Wth BRZRKR we mixed a potent cocktail of all the things that we love: the tale of an immortal warrior laced with history, conspiracies, spirituality, and a gigantic helping of bonkers action and violence — all with intense purpose and ultimately a heartbreaking discovery.” said Kindt.

Alessandro Vitti is a comic book artist from Italy who is known for his work with publishers in Italy, France, and the United States. Vitti has worked on Brendon and Saguaro for Italian publisher Sergio Bonelli Editore. He was the artist for Secret Warriors with Jonathan Hickman and Iceman with Sina Grace, as well as several other hit series for Marvel Entertainment, Hardcore with Andy Diggle for Skybound, Suiciders: Kings of HelL.A. with Lee Bermejo for Vertigo, and Red Lanterns with Charles Soule for DC Comics. Vitti is also the co-creator of Red Dread with Matteo Strukul, published by Lateral Studio.

“I was visiting New York when BOOM! Studios reached out to me about BRZRKR and as soon as I saw that I would be working with Matt Kindt and Keanu Reeves, I was jumping with excitement because I knew that this would be an incredible experience,” said Vitti. “And I was right! This series has everything I love to draw, and I can’t wait for it to hit stores so we can share it with all of you!”

BRZRKR #1 features main cover art by superstar illustrator Rafael Grampá (Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child), as well as variant cover art by Vitti and artist Mark Brooks (Star Wars: Han Solo). Fans who attend the BOOM! Studios Discover Yours Panel on July 26, 11am PT, at Comic-Con@Home will get a very special preview of never-before-seen interior art as well as behind-the-scenes information about the series and what’s in store for readers! More details at www.comic-con.org/.

“Keanu is a creative force like no other and it’s been a once-in-a-lifetime experience collaborating on his first-ever comic book series,” said Matt Gagnon, Editor-in-Chief, BOOM! Studios. “The great Matt Kindt, one of my absolute favorite creators, is working hand in glove with Keanu on scripts, the brilliant Alessandro Vitti is illustrating this series in brutally exquisite detail, and the always-phenomenal Rafael Grampá is delivering searing covers. BRZRKR is a visceral, masterly crafted comic book epic.”

Print copies of BRZRKR #1, for Mature readers, will be available in October 2020 exclusively at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the one nearest you) or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers like comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Madefire.

  

  

 

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To celebrate the recent return of the Looney Tunes on HBO Max, Bugs Bunny’s upcoming 80th birthday on July 27, and the return of major league baseball next week, artist S. Preston has launched a stunning new series, MINIMALIST BASEBALL BUGS – MLB EDITION, which is now available from his website.

The art is officially commissioned by the MLB and features the fan-favorite wascally wabbit, star of HBO Max’s Looney Tunes Cartoons and Warner Bros.’ 1996 classic Space Jam, sporting the different caps for all thirty MLB teams. 

After an extended hiatus due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and much debate between the owners and the players union, MLB recently decided to move forward with their regular season, setting a 60-game season with a July 23rd start date and no fans in attendance.

Catch a preview of all thirty versions of the piece in the GIF below and/or head over to S.Preston Designs to find the print for your favorite ball club.

RENOWNED ARTIST S. PRESTON TEAMS UP WITH MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL™
AND CHUCK JONES GALLERY™ TO LAUNCH HIGHLY COLLECTABLE, ORIGINAL ARTWORK 

Sports and Classic Cartoons Collide with Minimalist Baseball Bugs – MLB Edition

Limited Edition Variants for All 30 MLB Teams Available July 16 

(July 16, 2020) – Anaheim, CA – S. Preston, a nationally known illustrator, is melding sports and classic cartoons with the debut of officially licensed MINIMALIST BASEBALL BUGS – MLB EDITIONprints, in collaboration with Chuck Jones Gallery™ and MLB™. Inspired by the Looney Tunes episode “Baseball Bugs,” these brand new, cross-licensed prints are available for purchase on July 16, featuring the iconic Bugs Bunny representing an MLB team as he winds up for the perfect pitch.

“There’s something magical about mashups – two of our favorite brands mixed into one. My childhood mashup was Saturday mornings with my cereal bowl and flipping back and forth between baseball and cartoons. This memory is such a distinct part of growing up that illustrating Baseball Bugs came naturally,” said S. Preston. “It’s incredibly gratifying to have two massive brands like MLB and Warner Bros come together to take a chance on my vision. I’m so proud to be able to bring this extremely unique artwork to my fans of baseball and pop culture.”

With illustrations available in any of the 30 MLB Clubs, baseball fans can show their pride with these Bugs Bunny variants, allowing them to align the character’s jersey color and cap with their favorite baseball team. Perfect for home or office decoration, the art, illustrated by S. Preston, comes with a certificate of authenticity, hand number and artist signature. 

“Linda Jones Enterprises is delighted to work with artist S. Preston on this exciting project. The opportunity to bring the joy of the most famous Looney Tunes character, Bugs Bunny, to Baseball fans is thrilling and special to us,” Said Craig Kausen, President of the Chuck Jones Gallery.

S. Preston started illustrating for Chuck Jones Gallery in 2018, incorporating his unique style with the Warner Bros. brand. While MINIMALIST BASEBALL BUGS – MLB EDITION is the first Chuck Jones Gallery licensed print available for purchase, S. Preston has a larger collection of Minimalist Looney Tunes episodes on exhibit in art galleries across the country. 

With initial dreams of becoming a professional athlete, S. Preston blended his unique artistic talents with his passion for sports, doodling his way to beautiful minimalist art that would deeply connect with sports fanatics. Minimalist ballpark designs led off his success, and from there, he moved on to MLB mascots, moments, trophy designs and princesses dressed in local team gear, eventually achieving national recognition and becoming one of only four licensed MLB artists. 

In 2016, S. Preston’s artwork made the permanent archives of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY, and he is a lifetime member of the coveted institution. 

MINIMALIST BASEBALL BUGS – MLB EDITION will be available in limited quantities of 100 variants per team, with an MSRP of $80.00. For more information or to reserve your limited edition print early, visit https://sprestondesigns.com/collections/baseball-bugs-team-variants

LIMITED EDITION TEAM VARIANTS

Character: Bugs Bunny

• Digital print on museum-grade archival paper.
• Certificate of authenticity, embossed, hand-signed and numbered by the artist.
• Optional: black wood frame, white double mat and UV, anti-glare plexiglass. 

Medium Print – Limited Edition of 100

• Print size: 14×20 inches
• Image size: 12×18 inches (with white border)
• Frame size: 20×26 inches

Large Print – Limited Edition of 10

• Print size: 24×36 inches
• Image size: 20×30 inches (with white border)
• Frame size: 27×39 inches

###

About S. Preston

S. Preston is a nationally known illustrator born in Canada and now living in sunny California. Combining his two passions for sports and clean design, S. Preston defined himself with a unique perspective in the work of sports branding and graphic arts. Preston’s artwork has quickly gained popularity across North America, particularly his collection of minimalist stadiums and mascots. He is one of four licensed MLB artists and the only licensed NHL artist. S. Preston is a lifetime member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and his artwork was added to the permanent archives in Cooperstown in 2016.  

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20th Century Studios and Walt Disney Studios have shared three interesting new photos from Shawn Levy’s Free Guy, an upcoming sci-fi/action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool; Deadpool 2) in the lead role.

The plot centers around Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a non-player character working as a bank teller in a popular open world video game, who, thanks to a code developed by rogue programmers Milly (Jodie Comer) and Keys (Joe Keery), becomes self-aware and takes it upon himself to become the hero of his story and save his world from being shut down forever. 

In addition to Reynolds, the cast will feature Golden Globe-nominee and Primetime Emmy-winner Jodie Comer (Killing Eve; Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), Joe Keery (Stranger Things; Molly’s Game), Lil Rel Howery (Get Out; Uncle Drew), Utkarsh Ambudkar (Mulan; Brockmire), Camille Kostek (I Feel Pretty; Sports Illustrated Swimsuit) and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok; Thor: Love and Thunder).

 

In Twentieth Century Fox’s epic adventure-comedy “Free Guy,” a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story…one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way…before it is too late.

Free Guy hits theaters December 11

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While the film isn’t due out until early next year, Warner Bros. Pictures has released a fun new logo for Tom & Jerry, which offers a first look at the updated modern character designs for the classic cat and mouse duo.

The film will follow an original character named Kayla (Chloë Grace Moretz), a new employee at a posh hotel where Jerry takes up residence and subsequently threatens to ruin a glamorous wedding with his presence. To solve her problem, Kayla hires a broke alley cat named Tom to get rid of the mischievious mouse, but, of course, that doesn’t exactly go according to plan. The situation gets even worse when Kayla’s villainous boss (Michael Peña) enters the picture and looks to exterminate them both. 

While the titular heroes will be silent characters, the film’s human cast features Chloë Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass; Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising), Michael Peña (Ant-Man; Ant-Man and the Wasp), Colin Jost (Saturday Night Live; Staten Island Summer), Ken Jeong (The Hangover; Community), Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2; Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw), Pallavi Sharda (Lion; My Name is Khan), Jordan Bolger (Peaky Blinders; The 100), and Patsy Ferran (Darkest Hour; Jamestown). 

Tim Story (Fantastic Four; Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) is directing with a screenplay from Craig Wright, Katie Silberman, April Prosser, and Kevin Costello.

Tom & Jerry hits theaters March 5, 2021.

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