The year is screaming by, and a tonne of good film and TV gossip has dropped throughout the month of April. Don’t worry if you’ve missed it though, we’ve kept an ear close to the ground so we can sum up some of the biggest news from the big and small screens for you.
Marvel
It’s been a massive month for the folks at Marvel Studios, and first up we managed to get our first trailer for the upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Shot primarily in Sydney, this martial arts extravaganza is planned for a September release.
Another Marvel blockbuster being made close to home, Thor: Love and Thunder has added another God to its roster. Though his role has not yet been officially announced, in a recent radio interview Russell Crowe has let it slip that he will be playing Zeus in the upcoming Thor film alongside Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Christian Bale.
THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER SPOILER: The recent The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series on Disney+ finally saw Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson don the persona of Captain America after the shield was passed to him by Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame. Now reports are that he will be helming his own feature film, with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman set to co-write and develop what will be the MCU’s fourth Captain America outing.
It has been rumoured for months, but now actor Alfred Molina has officially confirmed that he is indeed returning to the role of Doctor Otto Octavius a.k.a. Doc Ock in the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home. In a recent interview, he described it “as the worst kept secret in Hollywood”. Molina has also revealed that they will be planning to digitally de-age him in the film to keep his appearance in line with his 2004 turn in the role.
With many of her Game of Thrones co-stars having already made their way across to the Marvel Universe, Emilia Clarke is the latest face from Westeros looking to enter the MCU. Reports are that Clarke is currently in negotiations to join the cast of the upcoming Secret Invasion series alongside Samuel L Jackson’s Nick Fury.
Hawkeye’s Jeremy Renner has let the world know that filming of his upcoming Disney+ series, which will see him hand the torch to Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop, has wrapped production. However, another behind the scenes photo shared on his account suggests that this series may not be the last we see of Clint Barton, as in his own words “this is not goodbye, but a see you soon.”
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A new trailer has been released for Marvel’s adult stop-motion series MODOK. Featuring the voice of Patton Oswalt as MODOK, the series will premiere in Australia via the Star feature on Disney+ from May 21. Check out the trailer here (language warning).
DC
The first trailer for the two-part animated Batman: The Long Halloween has dropped online. Featuring Supernatural’s Jensen Ackles as the voice of Bruce Wayne, this latest animated outing is an adaptation of one of the best and most well-known Batman comic arcs set in the earlier years of Batman’s career as a vigilante crime fighter.
Director Andy Muschietti has celebrated the first day of filming on The Flash by revealing the film’s official logo. As if that is not exciting enough, Michael Keaton’s return to the role of Batman has been officially confirmed by his management, quashing more recent rumours that scheduling conflicts would force him out of the film.
Special announcement from filmmaker Andy Muschietti on his Instagram: Here we go!!! THE FLASH Day 1. #TheFlashMovie pic.twitter.com/QjHnAJNHFB
— Warner Bros. Pictures (@wbpictures) April 19, 2021
Another DC film now officially underway, Black Adam was confirmed to begin filming earlier this month by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Also joining the cast is none other than James Bond himself, Pierce Brosnan who will be tackling the role of Doctor Fate.
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The CW Arrowverse’s version of The Flash is gaining a new cast member in the form of Jordan Fisher (To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You), who will be playing Barry and Iris’ teenage son Bart Allen.
Also on the Arrowverse, Dominic Purcell who plays Mick Rory AKA Heatwave on Legends of Tomorrow has confirmed he will be exiting the show after next year’s season seven.
Mad Max
The hotly anticipated prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, dubbed Furiosa, has not only added Chris Hemsworth to the cast, but a recent announcement is touting it as the largest film production ever to be made in Australia. Joining Hemsworth is The Queen’s Gambit Anya Taylor-Joy, who will be playing a younger version of Charlize Theron’s character in Fury Road.
Dexter
Everyone’s favourite serial killer, Dexter Morgan, is set to return to our screens later this year and a new teaser is promising a return to Dexter’s old habits ten years after the events of the original finale.
Nature is calling. #Dexter pic.twitter.com/tX92KWHZLI
— Dexter on Showtime (@SHO_Dexter) April 22, 2021
Powerpuff Girls
The CW Network has released the first official look at its upcoming, live-action Powerpuff Girls series which will now see the three disenfranchised superheroes in their 20s and attempting to come to terms with a childhood they now resent. The series stars Descendants’ Dove Cameron as Bubbles, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Chloe Bennet as Blossom, and Yana Perrault as Buttercup.
Star Wars
The upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series has reportedly added another cast member in the form of Maya Erskine, star and creator of the comedy series PEN15. Erskine joins returning Star Wars prequel cast members Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse.
New set photos from Andor have revealed the return of the beloved Y-Wing starfighter in the upcoming series. Filming in the UK has previously been delayed due to COVID-19, but is now back up to full speed.
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Indiana Jones
Production on the upcoming fifth instalment in the Indiana Jones franchise is beginning to heat up with a series of new casting announcements. Joining Harrison Ford in what is expected to be his final turn in the role is Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Hannibal’s Mads Mikkelsen and Avengers: Age of Ultron’s Thomas Kretschmann.