Has Cate Blanchett’s Thor role finally been revealed? Tom Cruise is definitely joining The Mummy. Deadpool gets even more hilarious advertising. Plus, the first clip from Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, and new pictures from iZombie and The X-Files. To me, my Spoilers!
X-Men: Apocalypse
A huge amount of information has emerged as part of some set reports from the film. First, Bryan Singer tries to explain how this film fits into the X-Men movie timeline, and just how much Wolverine changed history in the last movie, to Collider:
It’s not leading necessarily toward exactly where we found Patrick Stewart and the ‘X-Men’ at the beginning of ‘X-Men 1,’ There are some things that lead in that general direction, that was part of the philosophy we had at the end of ‘Days of Future Past’ is that you can’t fully change the course or current of the river, but you can just divert it a little bit, and we diverted it a little bit. So some things will be surprises; people could die that were alive in ‘X-Men 1,’ ‘2' and ‘3,’ or people could survive that died during ‘1,’ ‘2' and ‘3.’
The idea that time is like a river. You can splash it and mess it up and throw rocks in it and shatter it but it eventually kind of coalesces and this is, again, quantum physics theory. It’s all based in quantum physics.
To /Film, Singer teased retelling elements of the famous Phoenix Saga with Sophie Turner’s young Jean Grey:
The full Phoenix story, I have no idea. I would have to re-explore that. If it’s already been explored, to re-explore and retell it. Plus the Phoenix story in the comic book has the Shi’ar Empire and the moon. As far as the idea of that brewing within [Jean Grey], without giving anything away I would say absolutely that interests me and you may find a piece of that in [’X-Men: Apocalypse’]. She’s trying to figure out her psychic powers, which are much more powerful than she realizes.
After describing Apocalypse as not having a true physical form but being an “energy”, Singer also teased the villain’s powerset to Collider:
One of them is to imbue other mutants and to heighten their powers and abilities beyond anything they ever imagined. Secondly, he can shield from psychic powers, he can form shields so that it makes it harder for a psychic like Xavier to tap in and get to them.
Bryan Singer teases the mall scene with Jean, Scott, Nightcrawler and Jubilee:
We have a scene where some of the mutants decide to play hooky while Xavier is off at the CIA. They steal one of his really nice cars – and an important thing about ’83 is it’s 10 years after the day that the world discovered mutants. So the world now embraces mutants and accepts them as part of society, so they can go to the mall. Obviously the instigator, Cyclops, who has only been there for like a day, convinces Nightcrawler, Jean, and Jubilee to play hooky, grab a car and go to the mall. It happens to be on a day that something bad happens…
[/Film]
Talking to JoBlo, Olivia Munn discusses Pyslocke’s personality:
She’s methodical and very loyal and she’s very calm and she’s fearless. Her aggression is below the surface, but it’s like, it’s bubbling ... It’s right there at any moment to access. She’s a very calm, easygoing, kind of person within this world of insanity, but she’s so powerful and strong.
Kodi Smit-McPhee discusses the swashbuckling side of Nightcrawler:
I believe we kind of get to see the side of Nightcrawler that we love so much in the comics. The more vulnerable, swashbuckling, joyous, random, personality that we love, but also so grounded in his faith at a young age as well, as we went with the choice to still have the designs.
And Lana Condor discusses Jubilee’s powers and background:
Her power in the comic books is fireworks. In this film, I can safely say that her power is more fire-plasmoid, electricity type.
She is a student at the X-Mansion and she’s been here for about 10 years, so she’s not new, unlike some of the other characters who have just arrived. She’s mostly with Scott, Jean, and Kodi. They’re like her good core friend group. And, I think in this film she serves as a timepiece, ‘cause you’ll never really forget that you’re, like, in the ‘80’s. Because if you’ve seen my costume, like I’m straight out of the ‘80’s, like, they literally took me out. And, she also serves as kind of comedic relief at times where things are-might be a little more tense and real S-H-I-T is going down.
[JoBlo]
And finally, back to /Film, where Singer discusses the romances in the film:
We rekindle romances, there’s three romances we start together. One that I didn’t really explore in Days of Future Past but I did when I wrote the story for First Class between Hank and Raven. We’ve got Jean and Scott. Suddenly Xavier and Moira start getting reconnected, so that’s all starting to happen.
Thor: Ragnarok
Geek.com claims that Cate Blanchett, who’s been heavily hinted as having joined the film
Doctor Strange
The film has cast Stephen Strange’s manservant from the comics, Wong—he’ll be played by The Martian’s Benedict Wong. In the comics, Wong aids Strange in the set up of his occult activities and is a trained martial artist, defending his physical body when Strange transcended to the astral plane. [THR]
The Mummy
Following recent rumors, it’s been confirmed that Tom Cruise will join the movie. Sofia Boutella will play the title role, and the film will now release on June 9th, 2017. [Coming Soon]
Avengers: Infinity War
Charlie Cox discusses a potential role in this film as his Netflix hero, Daredevil.
Somehow, this has managed to spark wild speculation that Marvel is considering recasting Daredevil for the film—but Cox is simply speculating rather than confirming anything specific on that front, as he doesn’t know much about the situation with Infinity War.
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
The usefulness of carrion flies in the zombie apocalypse becomes readily apparent in the first clip from the film.
Deadpool
Here’s another chance to relish Ryan Reynold’s complete commitment to the Deadpool role, in a viral video celebrating Australia Day.
Legends of Tomorrow
Producer Phil Klemmer discusses the flexibility of the team, saying members can come and go, and other DC heroes can make cameo appearances:
There is definitely room. This season is meant to be a chapter in the anthology. We have no idea where we want to leave things after this season. Our team can have new members. It can have missing members. It can have people who switch sides. That’s the great thing about this show. Season 2 is not meant to be a pressing of the reset button. We want to burn through all of the possible story we can here. We want to make sure that we can never go home again, that the dynamics of this season will be irrevocably changed. Our team for Season 2, if not in the [physical] makeup of the team, will be changed in the way that [the characters] will be different [people]. Season 1 is meant to be standalone. We want to leave everything on the field and figure Season 2 out later.
[TV Guide]
Martin Donovan has been cast in the show as Rip Hunter’s Time Master mentor Druce, a “seasoned Time Master who is accustomed with mediating conflicts throughout history”. Druce will appear in the show’s fourth episode, attempting to convince Rip that his quest to stop Vandal Savage is futile. [IGN]
Here’s an episode synopsis for “White Knights”:
When Vandal Savage (guest star Casper Crump) retreats behind the Iron Curtain in the early 1980s, a string of nuclear scientists begins to mysteriously disappear. The team follows Vandal’s trail straight into the heart of the Soviet Union in an attempt to find his next target. Ray (Brandon Routh) tries to bond with a beautiful Soviet scientist, Valentina Vostock (guest star Stephanie Corneliussen), in the hopes of finding out Vandal’s next move. When Valentina rejects him, it’s Snart (Wentworth Miller) to the rescue. Stein (Victor Garber) pushes Jax (Franz Drameh) to be better, which frustrates Jax and ultimately threatens the Firestorm matrix. Rip (Arthur Darvill) asks Sara (Caity Lotz) to train Kendra (Ciara Renée).
[CBR]
iZombie
A synopsis and gallery of images for “Physician, Heal They Selfie” have been released—more at the link. [Spoiler TV]
Detective Babineaux (Malcolm Goodwin) and Liv (Rose McIver) are investigating a triple homicide, and Liv is shocked to learn that the victims’ bodies are missing their heads. A very hungry Liv is forced to consume the brain of an unfortunate social media hungry soul who was recently run over by a bus. Meanwhile, Peyton (guest star Aly Michalka) leans on Ravi (Rahul Kohl) for support, and things get interesting when Blaine’s (David Anders) worlds start to collide.
Salem
Singer Marilyn Manson will guest star as Thomas Dinley, a grisly barber/surgeon, on the show. [Coming Soon]
The 100
Here’s a very brief synopsis for season 3's fourth episode, “Watch the Thrones”.
Clarke (Eliza Taylor) discovers the mastermind behind a devious plan. Kane (Henry Ian Cusack) struggles to keep the peace. Meanwhile, Jasper’s (Devon Bostick) grief drives him to reckless behavior.
[Ksite TV]
The X-Files
And finally, here’s a few pictures from “Founders Mutation”—more at the link. [Ksite TV]
Additional reporting by Gordon Jackson and Charlie Jane Anders. Image: X-Men: Apocalypse.