Daniel posted a casting list for She-Hulk which seems current. The important particulars:
Start Date: March 2021Logline: Follows the life of Bruce Banner's cousin, attorney Jennifer Walters, AKA She-Hulk.Cast: Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters/She-HulkRoles:[Jennifer Walters’ Parents] in their 60’s, Supporting roles.[Male Co-Worker] Late 20’s-30’s, sweet, earnest, handsome in a John Krasinski sort of way, leaning diverse but open to all ethnicities. Strong Supporting[Susie] Walters’ best friend, 30-ish, leaning Asian-American but definitely BIPOC, comedy chops are essential. Strong Supporting[Lucy] Female villain in her 30’s, a glamorous social media influencer, Kardashian-esque with a dark side. Five to ten episodes. Strong Supporting
This seemingly confirms Maslany's casting (a disappointment for representation, but it's not a category the MCU cares about--I've mentioned before how selective their diversity is); I assume 'Krasinski handsome' means boy-next-door; the list implies a ten-episode arc for the show. I suspect "Lucy" is a revamped She-Hulk villain (the description doesn't get me anywhere; Nebens guesses Titania or Ultima, but his only basis is that those are the two main villains of the IP). What's not here is the hook--what (other than the relationship with Bruce) is going to bring casual MCU fans to the show? The casting descriptions scream sitcom (like Ally McBeal), which is horrifying for someone who generally loathes the genre. I don't think Feige is naive enough to lean on the brand alone (unless Disney+ is a proving ground for his underlings). My guess is either Bruce Banner's role is bigger than imagined or there are revelations to come for who else will be in the show. I should point out that, much like Ms. Marvel, the leading actress will not draw in casual fans, so I'm looking for the 'wow' factor that's currently lacking (and remains lacking for Ms. Marvel).
One interesting soap opera that will soon end is who is playing Kate Bishop. There are conflicting reports about whether she's on-set for filming or not (from his Trumpian bunker Conrad says she is). I'm indifferent--I don't know the character or the actress--but given how insistent insiders have been about Hailee I'll experience a certain amount of schadenfreude to have it go to someone else (the odds say she has the role, however).
Murphy talks about the current state of Disney+ productions and what's notable is that several sources mention Ironheart is in the future (echoing what he said back in May). I've talked ad nauseum about the problems with successor characters, but Disney+ is the place to put risky IP. The idea of the MCU going this way was first seriously broached by Daniel last February (who undoubtedly is one of the 'sources' Murphy is referencing). What do I think? I think asking a teenage actress to step into Robert Downey Jr.'s shoes is a bad idea, but Marvel may find a way to avoid her comicbook struggles (to me the simplest solution is to have her take over from War Machine rather than Iron Man--particularly as RDJ is unlikely to want to be a voice in her head--it avoids almost all the baggage she brings with her).
I mentioned last time that I was puzzled by the Tenoch Huerta talks for Black Panther 2 because he's Latino and I had no idea who that could be from the IP (naming Namor off the cuff). I had forgotten, for good reason, that back in May the non-credible Joshua Munn (who claims to be one of Sutton's sources, something Sutton vehemently denies, calling him a 'serial liar') said Rodrigo Santoro had been cast as Namor. While the claim is clearly not true, I bring it up because it thematically synergizes with the potential Huerta casting. The question is, if this is for Namor, why is it a Hispanic actor when the character is either Caucasian or Asian? I feel like the change would satisfy two Marvel priorities: 1) maintain diversity, 2) the Chinese market. The usual default from scoopers is that we'll get an Asian Namor, but there are reasons why the MCU might not want to use an Asian Imperialist anti-hero who inevitably loses to Black Panther. Making the character Hispanic preserves diversity while avoiding potential issues with the Chinese market (it also synergizes better with the US-market, where there's an important Hispanic audience). This is, of course, a theory based on a theory about casting--castles in the sand--and it's likely Huerta is not Namor.
Grace Randolph has proposed M'Baku and Shuri as Black Panthers who have to battle it out. I've gone over repeatedly how Randolph doesn't have Marvel sources, so her information is not credible, but that aside it's a poor premise anyway, as it echoes the plot of the first Black Panther. Sutton's objections to the idea unmask his push for Shuri, who he thinks "taps into the national zeitgeist of a black woman as Vice
President." The idea is absurd (no one cares who the VP is, not to mention that Biden/Harris did worse with minority and women voters than Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris was crushed during her bid for the Democratic nomination for her appalling record in office). Sutton can be forgiven for being impacted by symbolism rather than politics (and he may be virtue signaling--a safe choice in this particular community), but it suggests his theories for the MCU are impacted by beliefs like this (explaining, perhaps, his otherwise bizarre push for Blue Marvel among others).
This dovetails into something I find odd about current American discourse (which has crept into Canada and most of the English-speaking world). Everything in the US is bluntly ideological--uncompromising and dogmatic views on social issues combined with cross-ideological obeisance to corporations. The scoopers (as Conrad has painfully discovered) cannot accept any deviations from their dogma. It's no wonder he (however ineptly) tried to hide his own views. Whatever good intentions these people have (and I believe most of them are well-intentioned), their behaviour is toxic and hurts the cause they promote. Incidentally, after a month of silence, Conrad is posting on his website (rebranding it from MCU Cosmic to Manabyte)--he has not resumed his Patreon (but I expect him too), but did delete his old Youtube channel (likely to resume it with new branding). The only question is, will he go back to parroting a political line he doesn't believe in?
Thomas Polito (formerly of GWW, possibly still at The Cinema Spot, but writing for The Vulcan Reporter), whom I haven't discussed since he said Ironheart would film in 2021 (back in May, a prediction he'd like back), said something I want to discuss. Polito used to be fed information by Daniel while at GWW (possibly indirectly), but that's not the case any longer. What this means is that Polito is not much better informed than you or I, but he has a theory about what the plot of Spider-Man 3 will be and I thought it was worth looking into.
Polito believes the film will borrow from the 2005 Brian Michael Bendis story Breakout (specifically saying it won't be a Spider-Verse adaptation, which is what's popular in fan circles right now, because it would include the prior Spider-Men). The idea of Breakout is that someone (he suggests either evil Skrulls or J. Jonah Jameson) hires Electro to stage a prison break where Peter is locked up (making him a fugitive). This seems a bit like putting the cart before the horse, since he's presumably already a fugitive, but the basic idea could work if he's simply on the lamb and Electro is hired by someone to get him.
Polito's theory is based on what little is known about the film--ignoring (as he calls them) the 'non-trade scoopers' (which includes everyone from insider Wardell to random guys on 4chan). There's bitterness in the post that suggests a falling out with the community:
The Spider-Verse, which would include Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire reprising their roles as Spider-Man, has repeatedly been mentioned to feature in the film by various non-trade scoopers. This is something that had never been brought up before the involvement of Jamie Foxx and Doctor Strange in the film. Before that, the general scooper consensus was that Kraven the Hunter would be the antagonist, but that seems to have been forgotten with new trade information.
This is a good point, as it's long been clear to me how lacking in inside sources the scooper sphere is. Garfield's schedule, in light of filming Tick, Tick...Boom!, is another important note, although people supporting the Spider-Verse theory could get around that by claiming it's just a cameo.
It's a plausible theory, but there's simply not enough meat to support it (although I heartily agree with his idea of a smaller movie). I do think his points against the Spider-Verse are strong and as I pointed out when they first appeared, connecting Sony films to the MCU only benefits Sony--there's no 'win' for Feige unless a purchase of Sony is around the corner (something we've heard nothing about). For those wondering, as far as I can tell the first 'serious' scooper to propose the Spider-Verse idea was Sutton in May (someone I feel has a strong Sony slant), although he seems to be moving away from the idea of it being in Spider-Man 3 given what his buddy Lauder said recently (shifting the idea to Spider-Man 4).
- Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, Mordo, Wong and the Ancient One return. The new characters are Clea, Jericho Drumm, America Chavez, Cagliostro, Nightmare and Shuma-Gorath.
- Shuma-Gorath is an ancient entity that feeds off people’s fear and wants to use America Chavez, a young girl who can create portals between universes, as a vessel to spread madness and consume the Multiverse. Nightmare is Shuma-Gorath’s shapeshifting, mindbending enforcer who is sent to capture America [Chavez].
- Doctor Strange and Wong rescue [Chavez] and assemble a team to protect her, formed by Scarlet Witch, Mordo, Clea and Drumm. Scarlet Witch is learning how to control her powers with Strange. Clea is the Ancient One’s estranged daughter born with a connection to the Dark Dimension. Drumm is a powerful voodoo witch doctor and former student at Kamar-Taj.
- Strange’s plan is to contact the spirit of Cagliostro, the sorcerer who originally defeated Shuma-Gorath, and learn how to reproduce his ritual. Mordo decides that Strange’s plan is too dangerous, goes rogue and sets out to kill [Chavez] before Shuma-Gorath can get to her.
- The final battle happens in Shuma-Gorath’s realm of dead universes populated by physical manifestations of people’s worst fears and nightmares.
- Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong and Tilda Swinton are returning. Xochitl Gomez is cast as America Chavez and Daveed Diggs is cast as Jericho Drumm. Bruce Campbell will play Doctor Druid, the sorcerer supreme of a parallel universe, in a small comedic role
- Jeremy Irons has been approached for Cagliostro. Charlize Theron passed on Clea, so Vanessa Kirby and Jodie Comer are the current frontrunners for Clea. Nicholas Hoult is in early talks for Nightmare after Adam Driver turned it down.
In what's becoming the norm for Sutton, he leans on Edward Lauder's Small Screen for news. The latter reports that Legion-actor Dan Stevens is being sought for a villain role in the MCU, which Sutton says could be for Magneto (admitting that Stevens hasn't actually been approached, so is simply on a list). As I've gone over before, the problem with using Lauder as a source is that he has no track record of success and, in the one case where he admits his source (the link), it isn't very good.
Lauder also claims that Jon Krasinski and Emily Blunt have entered talks with Marvel to play Reed Richards and Sue Storm. This idea is older than this blog and Sutton (who is echoing it) has long been on this train (he has been less committed to Blunt).
Sutton says no Daredevil in Spider-Man 3 (a primordial Conrad rumour), but says he will appear in a subsequent Spider-Man film as they face the Kingpin (he doesn't specify if it's a fourth or later film). He also repeats his old claim that the MCU wants Charlie Cox back in the role (for my issues with using the Netflix actors, go here), although he's been all over the place as to where.
K. C. Walsh, editor of GWW, offered a drunken AMA; before I go into it, it's important to note that Walsh is not a scooper. That said, he knows people who know things (which is to say, his former contributors were given info by Daniel), and he seems to be within the broader circle of scoopers. Here are his Marvel comments as summarized on Reddit (mine in pink):
- WandaVision: It's chronologically set before Spider-Man 3 and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness for a reason. He expects Mephisto to appear. [Note he says 'expects' not 'knows' or 'has heard', so all he's claiming is his own speculation]
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: The Power Broker is present in the series, or at least a power broker. [I recall the second reference, but can't find it so take my memory with a grain of salt]
- She-Hulk: Although he hasn't heard anything, he speculates that this series will likely be the first place that Daredevil could appear. [This is the old Conrad rumour from two years ago (see above)--Marvel has the rights back, but would not have had them during the script/casting process; once again he's saying this is his own speculation]
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: He states that America Chavez is in it and he expects Mephisto to be involved. He personally hopes that Shuma-Gorath may appear. [Nothing of note here]
- Thor: Love and Thunder: Describes it as "the next big cosmic event" and states that it will take place in multiple Realms. [Nothing of note here]
- Spider-Man 3: The Multiverse is involved and the film will culminate in a Sinister Six confrontation--teasing [67-year old] Alfred Molina and Doctor Octopus. He's "heard things" about Kraven and Scorpion being in the movie as well. He doesn't say that he's heard if Andrew Garfield or Tobey Maguire have signed in spite of mentioning that they've had talks previously, but he personally thinks that it'd be easier to convince Andrew to come back than Tobey, given that the former had enthusiasm for playing Spider-Man in spite of his frustration over how TASM2 was meddled with, and given that the latter was ass to work with on the set of his two sequels when it came to the actual Spider-Man costume and stunt work. He says that he'd probably still do it if he were paid well enough. [I hadn't heard Molina brought up before, but GWW reiterated it came from one Disney/Marvel 'insider'--only only 'insider' GWW has ever had is Daniel and his inside information is Production Weekly--but is there a casting grid with Molina on it? I don't think so]
- Other Marvel-Sony Stuff: He expects that both companies will find ways to keep working with each other after the current deal expires. However, he's not sure how Norman Osborn fits into either company's plans (particularly since a Thunderbolts project is happening eventually and that may take precedence over a Dark Avengers adaptation), but there is definitely room for him to appear in future projects. [The expectation is shared across the scooper sphere, as indeed it must to continue to fuel the unending Sony tie-ins that are imagined; the Dark Avengers speculation was hot in early 2019 (cf), but has gone radio silent since]
- Other Marvel Stuff: He keeps hinting that a Secret Wars adaptation years from now seems to be a logical direction that the MCU is headed in with all this Multiverse stuff. Also seems to be excited about the possibility of a Nova adaptation. [Nothing of note here]
Much of what he discusses feels dated, making me wonder if, like Polito above, he no longer receives info directly from Daniel (scoops that used to appear in GWW are now in The Direct after spending some time at The Illuminerdi).
Speaking of rumours, Daniel claims Ryan Reynolds is getting everything he wants from Feige--creative freedom, the R-rating, a big paycheque, and more. If memory serves, I believe Bog Iger guaranteed the rating as part of his pitch to purchase Fox, but that aside, I think this is hogwash. If there's one thing we know about Kevin Feige, he doesn't give up creative control. I have seen stories like this floating around from less reputable people and over the last couple of months Daniel has started to copy/paste spicy items for whatever reason (perhaps he did this in his DC salad days, I have no idea).
I've mentioned before that there seemed to be no follow-up to the Joss Whedon complaints from Ray Fisher and it's now apparent why that was. For whatever reason, WB did not start their investigation until just a few weeks ago--since then Whedon has walked from his HBO Max series The Nevers claiming "exhaustion" and wanting to spend more time with his family (this holds as much water as when he stepped away from Batgirl because he couldn't come up with a story--which is to say, I don't buy it). Fisher believes he stepped down because of the investigation, and although we only have his word for it, I believe him. Fisher made similar claims against Geoff Johns, who is producing a Green Lantern show for HBO Max, but this has had no notable impact as yet (nor has the media covered that element of his accusations as much).
I think it's worth mentioning that the Kamala Khan-lead, Square Enix-produced Avengers game has
lost money and is failing as a live-service vehicle. This isn't a stain on the lead character or a failure at raising her profile, simply that the game could not sustain itself on the power of the Avengers-brand alone. This is an age-old issue for video games based on movie IP, but worth noting given how much hyperbole the fan community employs when these games appear (whether Miles Morales will suffer the same fate for Sony remains to be seen--just like Avengers it's had the same "Wow initial sales were incredible!" stuff written for it--time will tell).
Speaking of hyperbole, Andre (Midnight's Edge) has been predicting the end of theaters for awhile now--his logic: a Christopher Nolan film failed at the box office, therefore cinema is dead forever. I've ignored Andre's theory because I think it's clickbait--I don't think he's that naive. While the pandemic may kill specific theater companies, it is not going to kill the public's desire for theaters anymore than the similar situation for sports meant its end. Why am I bringing this up? Daniel is now echoing this saying Feige is switching his focus to streaming and may put the next Avengers there. This is ridiculous. There's no way to recoup the cost of an Avengers film with streaming, nor could you swing investors for it the same way. I'm not saying that down the road how consumers consume media won't change--it will--but that's not right now. What's missed here (and again, I don't think Andre or Daniel believe this) is that the few films that have been released during the pandemic have all been either niche or terrible. No big, highly anticipated blockbuster has tested the waters because the biggest movie market (the US) is a basketcase. That situation will not last forever and once it changes, films will be released as usual (this reality is made clear by the Black Widow push--if Disney really thought these were the end times for theaters they'd pull the plug and put it on Disney+).
This article is written by Peter Levi (@eyeonthesens)
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