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EntertainmentThe WrapWill We Actually See a Poly, Bisexual Star-Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Star-Lord, a.k.a. Peter Quill is one of the biggest and most popular character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thanks to the big success of 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” and its 2017 sequel. But before those films, Star-Lord and his fellow Guardians were really something of a lesser-known team existing mainly in the cosmic side of the Marvel universe — and Quill in particular bore little resemblance to the version made famous by Chris Pratt.But the great thing about comics is that they’re able to take characters who have existed for many years and reinvent them as much as they like — as Marvel did after “Guardians” to make comics Peter more closely resemble movie Peter. And in many cases, since several-hundred-million-dollar budgets aren’t on the line, that means take some big chances that might not make it past the movie studio martinets.Case in point, in the comics Star-Lord just experienced one of the boldest changes yet: As seen in the latest issue of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” comic by Al Ewing and Juann Cabal, it turns out he is bisexual and polyamorous.Also Read: Chris Pratt on James Gunn Firing: 'It's Not an Easy Time' (Video)Here’s the background: Having been apparently killed in an explosion, it’s revealed that Peter survived and now exists in a parallel reality. He spends 144 years in that reality working with two aliens — a female named Aradia and a male named Mors — and eventually entered a relationship with them. While he at first shrugs off anything intimate (Peter’s main romantic relationship in the comics, like the MCU, is with Gamora), the more time he spends with them, the more he realizes he can’t deny his feelings. And the comic makes it clear that Peter has feelings for both Aradia and Mors that are the same level of intensity as his romantic and sexual feelings towards Gamora.Naturally, the first thought on most people’s minds was whether or not this character trait will ever end up being depicted in the MCU. After all, there’s still at least one more film planned for “Guardians of the Galaxy” and with the cosmic world becoming more integrated thanks to “Captain Marvel” and “Doctor Strange,” there’s definitely room for Peter Quill to grow. We obviously have no idea, but we should note that there are a few tricky things to consider before assuming one way or the other.The first has to do with Chris Pratt’s religious affiliation. He’s a member of a Los Angeles-area congregation affiliated with Hillsong, the Australia-based megachurch group known mainly for two reasons: multiple scandals involving corruption, abuse and opposition to LGBTQ equality; and for heavily recruiting among U.S.-based celebrities including Pratt and Justin Bieber.In 2019, after an appearance on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” in which talked about his church, he was called out by Elliot Page for belonging to a religious group that is “infamously anti lgbtq.” For his part, Pratt has never publicly expressed any anti-LGBTQ views and in a statement addressing Page’s criticism said “nothing could be further from the truth. I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone.”Also Read: Here's Why You Should Know Kamala Khan, The Lead of Disney+'s 'Ms. Marvel'Because of all that, plenty of fans are already assuming we won’t be seeing a queer Star-Lord in the MCU any time soon. For just one (of many) example, one fan joked, “How long until the headline ‘Chris Pratt Exits The Role of Star-Lord Citing “Creative Differences”‘ drops?”But that brings us to the second tricky thing — the (somewhat slow-moving) increase in queer characters in the MCU. It begins with “The Eternals,” which hits theaters in Nov. 2021 and will feature the first ever LGBTQ kiss. Next up is March 2021’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” which will feature the live-action debut of America Chavez, the first lesbian character to headline a Marvel comic. And then two months later, as actress Tess Thompson said at Comic-Con 2020, a major part of the plot of “Thor: Love and Thunder” will concern newly-crowned ruler of Asgard Valkyrie’s quest to find herself a queen.And the third thing? Given Star-Lord’s arc so far in the MCU, it might be difficult to incorporate Star-Lord’s comic book bisexuality without provoking justified accusations of queerbaiting — the cynical marketing technique where creators suggest, but don’t actually depict, LGBTQ relationships or characterizations.When we last saw Star-Lord, he was still very much in love with Gamora (Zoe Saldana), who was killed during the events of “Infinity War” only to be brought back, sort of, as a time travel duplicate during the time heist. New Gamora hadn’t experienced any of the character development the other version went through, which means she also never fell in love with Peter, and instead of sticking around she left earth for other parts of the galaxy to figure herself out. So it is that at the end of “Avengers: Endgame,” the Guardians (with Thor tagging along) set out to find out where she went, and that search will presumably make up much of the plot of 2023’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”Also Read: Who is America Chavez, The New Hero in 'Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness?'Point being, as Star-Lord and Gamora’s relationship is one of the core elements of the series, there isn’t really a lot of room also include a brand new same sex relationship for Quill. Which means any mention at all would have to be handled exactly right or it could end up attracting the kind of harsh criticism “Endgame” received when the first openly gay character in the MCU just showed up briefly during Captain America’s group therapy session.Even so, there’s a ton of opportunity here f0r Disney and Marvel. Hell, the matter of fact, earthy humor baked into the “Guardians of the Galaxy” makes it especially easy to get away with a simple reference to Peter’s open-ended sexual orientation, if the film decides to go there. That’s a pretty big if of course, and depends, like we said, on getting things exactly right. The main thing? Marvel confirming Star-Lord’s sexuality in the comics means that they’ve canonically give us gays in space. And that’s a great place to start any story.Read original story Will We Actually See a Poly, Bisexual Star-Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? At TheWrap
EntertainmentBGR NewsWe have Tom Holland to thank for the Disney-Sony ‘Spider-Man’ reconciliation
Before Sony and Disney announced their surprise reconciliation at the end of September regarding the future of the Spider-Man movie franchise, the two media companies were as far apart as they could be. The relationship, you'll recall, had fallen apart over money, with each side pointing fingers at the other. Indeed, a deal was so unlikely that sources say talks for a third Spider-Man movie at that point were "100% dead."That's according to The Hollywood Reporter, which on Wednesday afternoon issued a report revealing the surprise twist behind how the reversal. For that, folks, we apparently have Tom Holland himself to thank.The star himself reportedly engaged in some personal outreach directly with both Disney CEO Bob Iger and Sony film chairman Tom Rothman, urging them to not let the licensing and financial details of both companies' Spider-Man relationship get in the way of giving fans of the character more of what they want. Remember, the situation at that point was pretty bleak. Nevertheless, THR reports that the 23-year-old actor pleaded on multiple occasions for both movie executives to bury the hatchet and find a way to keep Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.It worked because, on September 27, the announcement came down that Marvel is producing Spider-Man 3, to be released in July of 2021. Holland's character, likewise, will appear in at least one more Marvel film. As we noted earlier on Wednesday, that additional film is most likely Avengers 5.Holland's behind-the-scenes diplomacy seems to have gotten underway in earnest post-D23. At that point, he began making entreaties to Rothman to reopen talks with Disney, in addition to reaching out directly to Iger. As THR notes, Holland was also able to show both executives how much loyalty is out there from fans of Spider-Man who were upset at the news of the character's future being in doubt, which seems to have broken the camel's back."I am thrilled that Spidey's journey in the MCU will continue, and I and all of us at Marvel Studios are very excited that we get to keep working on it," Marvel's Kevin Feige said in a statement about the Sony-Disney thaw. "Spider-Man is a powerful icon and hero whose story crosses all ages and audiences around the globe. He also happens to be the only hero with the superpower to cross cinematic universes, so as Sony continues to develop their own Spidey-verse you never know what surprises the future might hold."
EntertainmentThe Wrap‘Avengers: Endgame’ – Who Is That Random Kid at the End of the Movie?
(Below you’ll find some pretty massive spoilers for “Avengers: Endgame”)“Avengers: Endgame” is the biggest earner ever at the box office, and it had a budget to match — it’s easily the most expensive movie to date in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Which is actually kind of curious, because despite also being the longest MCU film it really has significantly less action than the three other “Avengers” films.It’s likely that we can chalk up that higher budget/fewer set pieces discrepancy to the price of assembling such an enormous cast full of big stars. Sometimes it felt like every major character who has ever appeared in the MCU showed up at some point or other, and it’s not cheap to get so many big names together at the same time.But “Avengers: Endgame” didn’t just bring back the big stars. A bunch of minor characters also got to return in some surprising ways. But maybe none were more surprising than this one character who appeared for only a brief moment at the very end of the movie.Also Read: Here's Why Black Widow Didn't Get a Memorial At the End of 'Avengers: Endgame'The character in question is a teenage boy who appears with all the other mourners at the funeral of Tony Stark. In this shot the camera pans across a bunch of people after Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) sent the original mini arc reactor that Tony crafted back in “Iron Man” into the lake. For the most part all the people we see are major characters who have shown up in the MCU recently, except for this one kid who’s standing there alone looking at the ground.You’ll be forgiven if you don’t recognize this guy, because he looked a lot different the last time he appeared in the MCU. That character is Harley Keener, played by Ty Simpkins, who you’ll remember from “Iron Man 3” as the kid from Tennessee who helps Tony (Robert Downey Jr) recharge his suit while he investigates a mysterious death. “Iron Man 3” came out way back in 2013, and Simpkins was just a kid at the time, and he’s grown up a bunch since then.Here’s what the character Harley Keener looked like in “Iron Man 3”:So, yeah, no shame in not being sure about that one — Simpkins looks completely different now than he did back then.Also Read: 'Avengers: Endgame' - What Happened With Loki and the Tesseract?It’s very interesting also that they would bring him back at all — a character that has not been mentioned at all since that movie six years ago. Is Harley Keener coming back to the MCU? I guess we’ll find out.Read original story ‘Avengers: Endgame’ – Who Is That Random Kid at the End of the Movie? At TheWrap
EntertainmentIndiewireSpider-Man Leaves the MCU: Kevin Feige Says Deal ‘Never Meant to Last Forever’
Amid the breakup between Sony and Marvel, star Tom Holland also weighed in on the future of the web-slinger.
EntertainmentThe Wrap‘Game of Thrones’ Star Kit Harington to Join Marvel Cinematic Universe
“Games of Thrones” star Kit Harington will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in his next on-screen role, an insider with knowledge of the situation tells TheWrap.Details about which Marvel project Harington will join is not currently known. Disney is holding its annual D23 Expo in Anaheim this weekend, where it is expected to announce new Marvel projects, possibly including Harington’s.Harington, best known for playing Jon Snow on the show, would follow his fellow “Game of Thrones” co-star Ricard Madden into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Madden will play Icarus opposite Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, and Kumail Nanjiani in “The Eternals,” which focuses on an ancient evolutionary offshoot of humanity whose long lives and colorful adventures inspired legends and myths over millennia.Also Read: 'Game of Thrones: The Last Watch' Reveals Kit Harington's Emotional Reaction to Daenerys' Fate (Video)“The Rider” director Chloe Zhao will direct the film. Matthew and Ryan Firpo (“Ruin”) are writing the script. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige is producing. TheWrap also first reported South Korean actor Ma Dong-seok, also known as Don Lee, will make his American film debut in the film. Created by comic legend Jack Kirby in 1976, the Eternals are a race of ancient human beings created a million years ago by the cosmic entities known as the Celestials.The HBO documentary “Game of Thrones: The Last Watch” documents some of Harington’s experiences making the show’s final season. One particularly emotional moment occurs during a table read, when cameras captured Harington visibly tearing up as he learned that his character, Jon Snow, would ultimately murder Queen Daenerys in the finale episode.Harington later told Jimmy Fallon: “I was very shocked and surprised at certain events and then I blubbed my eyes out. I cried.”Harington is repped by CAA.Deadline first reported the news.Read original story ‘Game of Thrones’ Star Kit Harington to Join Marvel Cinematic Universe At TheWrap
EntertainmentPeopleBrie Larson Wields Thor's Hammer in Funny Picture: 'Told You I Could Lift It'
Brie Larson Wields Thor's Hammer in Funny Picture
EntertainmentYahoo Movies'Spider-Man' shake-up: Sony and Marvel Studios part ways leaving the wall-crawler's MCU future in doubt
Due to disputes between Sony and Disney over revenue sharing from films starring the web-slinging superhero, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige will no longer be involved with future Spider-Man movies.
EntertainmentThe WrapHere’s Why Black Widow Didn’t Get a Memorial at the End of ‘Avengers: Endgame’
(Major spoilers ahead for “Avengers: Endgame” and the whole situation with Black Widow, aka Natasha Romanoff, but you probably already knew that given the headline)Even though Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) didn’t get a movie with her name on it in the first decade of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she’s been just as central to the franchise as anybody. She was introduced back in “Iron Man 2” and has been instrumental in so many major events. So it’s puzzling that “Avengers: Endgame” didn’t really spend any time memorializing her at the end of the movie, which spends so much time saying goodbye to Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) and Captain America (Chris Evans).It’s puzzling also just within the context of the movie — Natasha’s sacrifice made everything that came after, including Tony’s own sacrifice, possible.If Black Widow hadn’t killed herself on Vormir so that Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) could return to the present with the Soul Stone, then they wouldn’t have been able to save all those people Thanos snapped, and then Tony Stark’s snap to wipe out all of Thanos’s forces wouldn’t have been possible. Her sacrifice mattered just as much as Tony’s did. Indeed, Tony’s sacrifice wouldn’t have been possible at all had Natasha not made her sacrifice first.Also Read: 'Avengers: Endgame' - That Last Scene Makes No SenseBut when we get to the end of the movie, we get a big memorial for Iron Man with a huge number of famous heroes showing up to pay their respects, while Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) hang out in the corner having their own private mourning ceremony for Natasha and Vision, who apparently nobody other than them — and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), I guess — cared about.It would have been a great moment to elevate a character who always operated from the shadows, never getting the acclaim that Tony always received. The one time Black Widow stepped into the spotlight was at the end of “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” when a US Senate committee threatened to put her on trial. The people of the MCU finally had a chance to give Natasha the respect she was due, and they just didn’t.On the commentary track on the home video release of “Avengers: Endgame,” co-director Joe Russo addressed this concern, and blamed next year’s “Black Widow” movie for the lack of a memorial for Natasha.Also Read: 'Avengers: Endgame' - Who Is That Random Kid At the End of the Movie?“People have asked why Natasha didn’t get the same amount of screen time post-death as Tony did,” Joe Russo said. “Well, Tony does not have another movie. Tony is done. And Natasha has another film. And Marvel Universe obviously does not have to move forward linearly anymore. But that character still has more screen time coming.”So there’s your answer — Natasha Romanoff didn’t get a big memorial in “Endgame” because of the prequel movie coming out next May, whereas Tony Stark is not gonna be in the MCU again for the foreseeable future. Though they didn’t mention Vision specifically, there’s probably a similar reason for the lack of love for him after he died in “Infinity War,” since he’ll be back somehow in the “WandaVision” Disney+ show in 2021.There is an interesting sentence in that answer, though, that caused a big exclamation point to pop up over my head, though: “And Marvel Universe obviously does not have to move forward linearly anymore.” Since the MCU has done multiple prequel movies that didn’t involve time travel, including the first “Captain America” movie that was the fourth film overall in this franchise, it seems incorrect to say that the MCU ever “had to” move forward linearly.Also Read: 'Avengers: Endgame' - What Happened With Loki and the Tesseract?To me, this implies that the “Black Widow” movie will be more than just another prequel like “Captain America: The First Avenger” or “Captain Marvel,” which took us to the past to set up heroes that would have an impact on the present. To me, the implication is something I have long suspected about “Black Widow”: that it will involve characters from the MCU’s post-“Endgame” present somehow.But Marvel still has yet to confirm anything along those lines about that film. When they presented footage from the film at Comic-Con a couple weeks ago there was no indication that it would be anything other than a straight prequel — one that likely will set up a new player for future movies, like probably Florence Pugh’s Yelena.We’ve got a while to wait before we find anything out about what the “Black Widow” movie really has in store for us. It’s nine months until the movie comes out, and it’ll probably be December at the earliest before we get a proper trailer. So sit tight.Read original story Here’s Why Black Widow Didn’t Get a Memorial at the End of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ At TheWrap
EntertainmentYahoo MoviesScarlett Johansson says 'Endgame' death wasn't easy to deal with despite 'Black Widow' spinoff: 'I felt overwhelmingly sad about it'
Scarlett Johansson felt "overwhelmingly sad" about Black Widow's death in "Avengers: Endgame," despite having "Black Widow" prequel on the way.
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Mindy Kaling says Marvel is interested in bringing Ms. Marvel to the screen
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NewsYahoo Movies UKElizabeth Olsen Bewitched Chris Evans At The Captain America: Civil War Premiere
The stars were out in force for the UK premiere of ‘Captain America: Civil War’, in cinemas Friday, but it was Elizabeth Olsen who stole the show with her plunging neckline that seemed to catch the attention of Cap himself.
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