This weekend Full Moon Features released its first-ever feature film in the Puppet Master franchise. Blade: The Iron Cross sees Charles Band enter the twelfth official entry in his popular Puppet Master horror franchise.

To support the movie’s release, we at ComicBookMovie have scheduled a number of exclusive interviews with the cast and crew such as Alan Maxson (Godzilla: King of the Monsters,) Tania Fox (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,) John Lechago (Feast of Fear,) Richard Band (Exorcism at 60,000 Feet,) Tom Devlin (The Evil Within,) Roy Abramsohn (Weeds,) and Vincent Cusimano (Weeds).

We’re going to kick things off with the latter, Vincent Cusimano, who is known for his acting roles in The Valley, Weeds, and more. In Blade: The Iron Cross, Cusimano stars as Detective Gray, and he’s revealed some interesting tidbits with us, including the fact that he wasn’t the first actor in line for his role!

Check out what Cusimano had to say below!

Joe: How did you initially become involved with Blade: The Iron Cross?

Vincent Cusimano: Well, I was brought in to tape an audition by the director, John Lechago. The role of Detective Gray was a bit older than me as initially written, but John wanted to get me on tape for maybe one of the other characters.

I didn’t get the part, but a few weeks later, I got a call from John and the original actor had dropped out at the last moment, so I was then offered the role, which I jumped at! What an incredible opportunity to work with the Full Moon family!

Joe: Were you a fan of the Puppet Master franchise before your involvement with this picture?

Vincent Cusimano: I would say I am a fan of the franchise as a whole, what it means to people. I haven’t seen every entry, but the first three are classics of any childhood.

I know this will sound cliché, but Puppet Master III is my favorite, mainly due to Richard Lynch’s performance. I love great performers, and Lynch is one of those 70s master character actors – he’s so bad he’s good.

Joe: Which of your other performances would you say best prepared you to work on Blade: The Iron Cross?

Vincent Cusimano: I’ve been working the last couple of years on a neo-noir web series called The Valley, in which I portray a mentally-ill detective. That role certainly put a “vibe” into my preparation for this picture, as well as studying those great Bogart and Cagney films.

Joe: Is there any trivia you can share with us about your time on Blade: The Iron Cross?

Vincent Cusimano: Here’s a good one; when I got to set on the very first day, we quickly discovered that the character’s hat was way too large for my head. I had a friend deliver my own personal fedora that I hoped would fit the time period. Well, it did, and that was the hat that I wore throughout the film.

The exciting thing about the hat is it was my grandfather’s hat from his youth. It was given to me when he passed away years ago. I never get any use out of it because I don’t wear hats, normally. So, it became a nice little salute to my Papa Mac.

Joe: Which of your other projects would you recommend for fans of this new film?

Vincent Cusimano: Oh, wow, that’s a tough one! Well, I’ve been in a few horror films over the years that I think would be exciting finds for some.

George: A Zombie Intervention was my first film and a real learning experience for me. It’s a comedy/horror and even has the legendary Lynn Lowry in a terrific role. I also met Tom Devlin on that film. He did all of the makeup effects on George: A Zombie Intervention, and we became fast friends. Tom, of course, is the artistry behind Blade and the makeup effects on this film.

I also have a revenge-horror picture that is currently in post-production. It’s called Into the Devil’s Reach. I play a small-town sheriff with a nasty secret, so definitely give that one a watch when it’s released.

Joe: Are there any actors you look to for inspiration when preparing to deliver lines?

Vincent Cusimano: I absolutely look to other actors for inspiration while preparing for roles. I couldn’t list all of them, though, it’d be too damn many. Just listing a few might be trouble because I will leave off some people.

The biggest inspirations for me, personally, come from Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Sean Penn, Al Pacino, and Michael Shannon. And John Cazale and Gene Hackman. And Richard Lynch, Paul Newman, Ray Liotta, Harry Dean Stanton, Bruce Dern, Jason Miller and about fifty other amazing actors. See, I can’t just list a couple!

Joe: Is there anything else you would like us to share with our readers?

Vincent Cusimano: I hope they all enjoy Blade: the Iron Cross as much as any entry in the Puppet Master Franchise. It was so much fun to make, and everyone worked extremely hard to capture the spirit of the early days. Everything about this shoot was infused with old school grit and determination to make it as good as possible. As I said, I hope all of the fans enjoy it!

For decades the fans have been clamoring for it, and now Full Moon delivers with the first standalone feature debut of one of its most beloved (and most frightful) characters; the hook-handed maniac puppet, BLADE!

Charles Band’s Puppet Master series continues as an unspeakable evil from Blade’s past emerges in the form of a murderous Nazi scientist named Dr. Hauser. As Hauser’s heinous crimes are discovered, the psychic war journalist, Elisa Ivanov, awakens Blade, and together the bloody journey of revenge begins. It’s Herr Hauser’s reanimated undead army versus a possessed doll and a beautiful vengeance-seeking clairvoyant!

Who will win, and how will it affect the Full Moon Universe? Find out in Blade: The Iron Cross!

Blade: The Iron Cross is now available with a subscription to https://www.fullmoonfeatures.com/Full Moon Features.

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Ahead of its July 31st premiere date, Netflix has released a brand new poster for the upcoming second season of The Umbrella Academy, featuring all seven members of the superpowered family sporting some very cool sunglasses that are literally more than meets the eye. 

While you’ll have to zoom in closely on the poster to make out what’s happening, the reflection of each character’s glasses features an Easter Egg that teases some of what’s to come in season two, which is expected to feature a ton of time traveling as the Hargreeves head to the ’60s and beyond. 

It’s uncertain when a trailer might arrive, but with this new poster, recent character posters and fresh stills, it seems like its arrival may be just around the corner.

The critically acclaimed series stars Ellen Page as Number Seven, Tom Hopper as Number One, David Castañeda as Number Two, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Number Three, Robert Sheehan as Number Four, Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, and Justin H. Min as Number Six. 

On the same day in 1989, forty-three infants are inexplicably born to random, unconnected women who showed no signs of pregnancy the day before. Seven are adopted by Sir Reginald Hargreeves, a billionaire industrialist, who creates The Umbrella Academy and prepares his “children” to save the world. But not everything went according to plan. In their teenage years, the family fractured and the team disbanded. Now, the six surviving thirty-something members reunite upon the news of Hargreeve’s passing. Luther, Diego, Allison, Klaus, Vanya and Number Five work together to solve a mystery surrounding their father’s death. But the estranged family once again begins to come apart due to their divergent personalities and abilities, not to mention the imminent threat of a global apocalypse.

The Umbrella Academy is based on the popular, Eisner award-winning comics and graphic novels created and written by Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance), illustrated by Gabriel Bá, and published by Dark Horse Comics. The live-action series stars Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, David Castañeda, Aidan Gallagher, Cameron Britton, and Mary J. Blige, and is produced by Universal Cable Productions for Netflix. Steve Blackman (Fargo, Altered Carbon) will serve as executive producer and showrunner, with additional executive producers Jeff F. King (Hand of God), Bluegrass Television, and Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg from Dark Horse Entertainment. Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá will serve as co-executive producers.

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During last night’s virtual BET Awards ceremony, Universal Pictures dropped a scary new TV spot for their upcoming horror sequel Candyman, offering bits and pieces of new footage as well as what sounds like Tony Todd (The Flash; Final Destination) reprising his role as the titular slasher icon.

Nia DaCosta (Little Woods; Top Boy) directed, utilizing a screenplay co-written by Jordan Peele (Get Out; Us), Win Rosenfeld (The Twilight Zone), and herself.

The film stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen; Aquaman), Teyonah Parris (WandaVision; Empire), Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Dracula; The Kid Who Would Be King) and Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead; Selma) in the main roles. While unconfirmed, original franchise star Tony Todd (The Flash; Final Destination) is also expected to appear in his iconic role as Daniel Robitaille, a.k.a. the Candyman.

Don’t say his name.

This summer, Oscar® winner Jordan Peele unleashes a fresh take on the blood-chilling urban legend that your friend’s older sibling probably told you about at a sleepover: Candyman. Rising filmmaker Nia DaCosta (Little Woods) directs this contemporary incarnation of the cult classic.

For as long as residents can remember, the housing projects of Chicago’s Cabrini Green neighborhood were terrorized by a word-of-mouth ghost story about a supernatural killer with a hook for a hand, easily summoned by those daring to repeat his name five times into a mirror. In present day, a decade after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, visual artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II; HBO’s Watchmen, Us) and his girlfriend, gallery director Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris; If Beale Street Could Talk, The Photograph), move into a luxury loft condo in Cabrini, now gentrified beyond recognition and inhabited by upwardly mobile millennials.

With Anthony’s painting career on the brink of stalling, a chance encounter with a Cabrini Green old-timer (Colman Domingo; HBO’s Euphoria, Assassination Nation) exposes Anthony to the tragically horrific nature of the true story behind Candyman. Anxious to maintain his status in the Chicago art world, Anthony begins to explore these macabre details in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, unknowingly opening a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifyingly viral wave of violence that puts him on a collision course with destiny.

From Universal Pictures and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures, in association with BRON Creative, and Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld’s Monkeypaw Productions, Candyman is directed by DaCosta, and is produced by Ian Cooper (Us), Rosenfeld and Peele. The screenplay is by Peele & Rosenfeld and DaCosta. The film is based on the 1992 film Candyman, written by Bernard Rose, and the short story “The Forbidden” by Clive Barker. The film’s executive producers are David Kern, Aaron L. Gilbert and Jason Cloth.

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It looks like The Simpsons has finally decided to do the right thing.

In an official statement, the Disney-owned FOX announced yesterday, “Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters.”

Their decision comes in the wake of the recent #BlackLivesMatter protests and the subsequent call to action, which has seen countless organizations, including film and television productions, across the globe attempt to do better when it comes to racial sensitivity and inclusion. 

While Hank Azaria already decided to part with the role of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon in January, he will now also leave the role of Carl, Dr. Nick, Lou, Julio, and Bumblebee Man. behind. Harry Shearer will step down from voicing Dr. Hibbert, while Tress MacNeille will now longer provide the voices of Bernice, Manjula, and Cookie Kwan. 

Azaria, Shearer, and MacNeille will remain series regulars and will continue to voice their other popular characters.

The Simpsons is the latest – and easily most prominent – animated series to announce the decision to recast key non-white voice roles with actors of color, following Mike Henry stepping down as the voice of Cleveland Brown on fellow FOX series Family Guy, Jenny Slate deciding to no longer voice Missy on Netflix’s Big Mouth, and Kristen Bell leaving the role of Molly on Apple TV+’s Central Park.

The showrunners behind several prominent NBC series have also decided to remove and/or edit a number of past episodes for depictions of blackface. Three episodes of Scrubs (“My Fifteen Seconds;” “My Jiggly Ball;” “My Chopped Liver.”) were removed from Hulu at the request of series creator Bill Lawrence, four episodes of 30 Rock (“Believe in the Stars;” “Christmas Attack Zone;” “Live Show – East Coast”; “Live From Studio H”) were removed from streaming services and syndication at the request of series creator Tina Fey, and one episode of Community (“Advanced Dungeons & Dragons”) was removed from Netflix.

The Office also removed a blackface scene from the season nine episode “Dwight Christmas” at the request of series creator Greg Daniels, but left the rest of the episode intact.

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Following a big week that saw Netflix set a season five premiere date and officially renew the series for a sixth and final year, TV Line is now reporting that Supernatural veteran Rob Benedict is set to guest star in an upcoming episode of Lucifer.

However, while he may play the all-powerful God, a.k.a. Chuck Shurley, on the long-running CW series that stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, he’ll be playing someone considerably more human when he crosses paths with the Devil this fall. His character is named Vincent Le Mec, and is described as a hardened French Mercenary whose violent work brings him to Los Angeles – and into the crosshairs of Lucifer (Tom Ellis), Chloe Decker (Lauren German) and the LAPD.

Benedict will appear in episode fifteen, which will be Season 5’s penultimate hour. He completed shooting just days before production on the series was ordered to shut down due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The fan-favorite series is fronted by Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar, with a supporting cast consisting of Lauren German (Det. Chloe Decker), Kevin Alejandro (Det. Dan Espinoza), D.B. Woodside (Amenadiel), Lesley-Ann Brandt (Mazikeen), Scarlett Estevez (Trixie Espinoza), Rachael Harris (Dr. Linda Martin), and Aimee Garcia (Ella Lopez).

Dennis Haysbert (24; Brooklyn Nine-Nine) will also recur this season, playing the show’s version of God.

The first eight episodes of Lucifer season five will premiere on Friday, August 21; with the second half debuting sometime later in 2020.

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Thanks to her stellar work on The Mandalorian, Deborah Chow has been put on the map in a big way, and it’s really no great surprise that Lucasfilm decided she should take the helm of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series coming to Disney+. Very little is known about The Jedi Master’s solo adventure – especially after the studio went back to the drawing board to remove similarities to The Mandalorian – but Chow has been given a rare opportunity to work on both shows. 

During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Chow was asked about the difference between directing two different Star Wars properties, despite them both being set in the same Galaxy Far, Far Away.

“It’s definitely going to be different, just in terms of the sheer workload, obviously, of doing the whole thing,” Chow explained to the trade. “But in some ways, I’m going to miss having a team, and having people who are there to bounce ideas off of. But then obviously the flip side is, it is nice to have a coherent voice and know what you’re doing from beginning to end.”

Having been given the chance to collaborate with other directors on The Mandalorian, it will obviously be a big shift for Chow to now be in charge of Obi-Wan Kenobi. There are big expectations on her to deliver, too, especially as calling this series highly anticipated would be an understatement. 

Production on Obi-Wan Kenobi is expected to begin next year and Ewan McGregor will, of course, reprise the role of the Jedi Knight as we explore his time in isolation on Tatooine. 

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Despite being killed off in Deadpool 2, Wade Wilson’s use of time-travel brought his fiancee Vanessa back to life, and that obviously leaves the door open for the character to return in the planned third film being developed by Marvel Studios (where we could finally see her finally discover her mutant powers and become Copycat). 

Unfortunately, during an interview with Entertainment Weekly, actress Morena Baccarin confirmed that she’s yet to hear anything about the third instalment of the Deadpool franchise. 

“I have no idea,” she admitted when asked if she has a bigger role in Deadpool 3. “Apparently, they’re still writing it. I genuinely don’t know. I have not been asked, or approached. There’s been no conversations yet, so I’m waiting with bated breath.”

Baccarin added that she hopes her role is “as big as possible” while noting that Ryan Reynolds “will always be the lead,” but that, “I would love to be right by his side.”

After barely appearing in Deadpool 2, the actress pointed out that working on the first movie was, “one of the best times of my life. It was so fun to be on that set, and it was creative, and fulfilling, and enjoyable all around. [Reynolds] is the best person to work with, and so sweet, and so damn funny it hurts.”

Are you hoping to see Baccarin make her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

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After Mjolnir’s arrival on Earth was teased at the end of Iron Man 2, the God of Thunder made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut the following year with 2011’s Thor. Chris Hemsworth suited up as the character, but when the casting process was still taking place, many fans (on this very site, believe it or not) wanted WWE Superstar Triple H to play the character!

While it’s unlikely Marvel Studios ever considered casting “The Game,” you can (coincidentally) sort of see him in this very early design for the iconic hero before Chris Hemsworth was chosen. 

It’s a cool, slightly more Viking take on the Asgardian hero, and definitely a badass design. Thor even has some tattoos, while his hammer looks more like a mallet than the Mjolnir from the comics. This could have worked in live-action, but Marvel Studios ultimately ended up embracing the source material.

Check out the artwork – along with Park’s comments – below:
 

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