Daniel Craig almost joined the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Word coming from two different sources has Craig set to cameo but pulling out at the last minute because of COVID-19 concerns. The discrepancy in the reports is about which character he was supposed to play. Heavy Spoilers claim that the former James Bond was set to play Thor’s brother Balder the Brave, a character that had been rumored to be in the film for a while. While a senior editor over at Deadline, Justin Kroll, claims he was set to play Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four. When Craig dropped out he was replaced by another fan-favorite actor but I won’t say who incase you haven’t seen the film yet. Of the two reports, I feel Craig would’ve been a better Balder than Reed, but either way I’d love to see the actor join the MCU at some point in the future. 

The Neilsen’s released their numbers for streaming service viewing minutes for the week of May 30th through June 5th and the 4th season of Stranger Things set a record for 7.2 billion minutes viewed in that time. This is quite a bump from the previous highs as no show had ever broken 6 billion minutes before and only Tiger King and Ozark ever broke 5 billion. Now you have to keep in mind though that Netflix released seven episodes of the fourth season that week while the other shows on the list like Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Boys had only one or two episodes out in that time period. So, their 958 million and 919 million respectively are still very good weeks. In a way it’s comparing apples and oranges when you try to compare a show that is dropped weekly compared to one meant to be binge watched. This is not meant to take away the success of Stranger Things, but you divide that total number by 7 episodes and it’s in the same ballpark as the other shows as Kenobi had 1.3 billion views it’s first week. 

While it’s still a rare thing, it has happened a few times over the years that one network cancels a series and another swoops in and picks it up. Often times it’s a streaming service given a network series a couple more seasons, but this week we learned of a cancelled CBS series getting saved by NBC. The reboot of Magnum P.I. got a last-minute reprieve as NBC and USA Network made a deal for two seasons/twenty episodes just in time to keep the cast under contract. The show stars Jay Hernandez as the titular private detective with the Hawaiian shirts and Ferrari along with Perdita Weeks, Zachary Knighton, Stephen Hill, Tim Kang and Amy Hill. The initial cancellation came as a surprise after four seasons, but Universal Television quickly looked for a new home and NBC took the lead with only the budget slowing down talks among efforts to trim costs. The show has been in the top 25 in total viewers and was the highest rated show to get the ax this year. Most recently NBC did a similar thing for Brooklyn Nine-Nine after it was cancelled at FOX, the show got three more seasons after the deal was made. 

HBO Max has cancelled The Time Traveler’s Wife after just one season. The series, which came from Sherlock and Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat, was an adaptation of the Audrey Niffenegger novel of the same name. The series starred Rose Leslie, Theo James, Desmin Borges and Natasha Lopez and was released in six-parts running from May 15th through June 19th. David Nutter came in to direct the pilot episode and executive produce along with Moffat, Sue Vertue, Brian Minchin and Joseph E. Iberti. A spokesman for HBO said: “Though HBO will not be moving forward with a second season of The Time Traveler’s Wife, it was our privilege to partner with master storytellers Steven Moffat and David Nutter. We are so grateful for their passion, hard work and care for adapting this beloved book. We also thank Theo and Rose, and the rest of our brilliant cast for their heartfelt performances, which completely captivated audiences.” 

Taron Egerton may be in talks for a role of a lifetime. The actor from Rocketman, Kingsman: The Secret Service and Eddie the Eagle has said that he has had talks with Kevin Feige and other Marvel Studio executives about the possibility of playing the MCU’s version of Wolverine. Egerton told the New York Times about his desire to play one of the most popular characters in comics: “I don’t think it would be wrong to say that. I’d be excited but I’d be apprehensive as well, because Hugh is so associated with the role that I’d wonder if it’d be very difficult for someone else to do it. But hopefully if it does come around, they’ll give me a shot.” He is of course speaking of Hugh Jackman who first brought the character to life and has been synonymous with the role for the last two decades. Egerton co-starred with Jackman in the 2016 Eddie the Eagle film. Disney’s buyout of Fox returned the X-Men characters along with the Fantastic Four back to Marvel, but so far, the only use of those characters were appearances of Mr. Fantastic played by John Krasinski and Professor Xavier reprised by Patrick Stewart in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. 

Three new episodes of Marvel Studios Legends are thundering onto Disney+. The recap series, which briefly refreshes the events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its legendary heroes, will return ahead of Thor: Love and Thunder's July 8 premiere in theaters.

Premiering July 7 according to a listing on Disney+ DE, the next installments of Marvel Studios Legends will revisit the stories of Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) — now wielding Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor — as they team up to stop the vengeance of Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale).

Disney+ describes the series: "As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand, Marvel Studios LEGENDS celebrates and codifies what has come before. Revisit the epic heroes, villains, and moments from across the MCU in preparation for the highly anticipated stories still to come. Each dynamic segment feeds directly into the upcoming series premiering on Disney+ — setting the stage for future events. Marvel Studios LEGENDS weaves together the many threads that constitute the unparalleled Marvel Cinematic Universe."

In addition to the Thor-centric episodes of Marvel Studios Legends, new Marvel content coming to Disney+ this month includes the making-of Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, episodes of Spidey and His Amazing Friends, and Episodes 5 and 6 of Marvel Studios Original series Ms. Marvel. (via ComicBook.com)

Future Islands frontman Samuel T. Herring has been cast opposite LaKeith Stanfield in The Changeling, Apple TV+’s upcoming drama series based on Victor LaValle’s bestselling book of the same name. The role marks Herring’s acting debut. Adina Porter and Clark Backo also star in the drama from Annapurna and Apple Studios.

Written and adapted by Kelly Marcel (Cruella, Venom), The Changeling is a fairytale for grown-ups. A horror story, a parenthood fable and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed.

Stanfield stars as Apollo, a passionate rare book hunter. Herring plays William Wheeler, a man who befriends Stanfield’s Apollo in a quest to win back his wife and children. Porter plays Apollo’s mother, Lillian, and Backo is Emmy, Apollo’s wife.

In LaValle’s book, when Apollo and Emma have their baby, Brian, it feels like both a reward and a challenge for the new dad. Apollo, the son of a single mother, had been scraping by as a bookseller who hunts estate and garage sales for rare first editions, so even the unusual circumstance of Brian’s birth (on a stalled subway train) seems like a blessing, as does the way Apollo stumbles across a first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird (inscribed by Harper Lee to Truman Capote, no less) shortly thereafter. But after some young-parent squabbles and inexplicable images on their smartphones foreshadow trouble, the story turns nightmarish. (via Deadline)

BOOM! Studios, under license by Hasbro, Inc. and in partnership with Wizards of the Coast LLC, revealed today the main and variant covers for MAGIC: THE HIDDEN PLANESWALKER #4, the latest issue in the four-issue comic book series from comic book and screenwriter Mairghread Scott (Transformers, Guardians of the Galaxy), artists Fabiana Mascolo (Firefly: Brand New ‘Verse) and Jacques Salomon (Magic: Master of Metal), colorist Francesco Segala (All-New Firefly) with Gloria Martinelli, and letterer Ed Dukeshire, about the deadly Liliana Vess and the hidden planeswalker she discovers who will change the fate of the entire multiverse forever, available later in July.

In the stunning climax, Isona Maive, the recently released Hidden Planeswalker, plans a reckless mission in the most dangerous corner of the multiverse—hoping to save her home plane, even if it imperils the rest of the multiverse. With Liliana’s pupil at the mercy of Tezzeret’s poisonous and misleading whispers, will Liliana have the strength to be a hero, even if it makes her feel like a villain?

MAGIC: THE HIDDEN PLANESWALKER #4 features main and variant cover art by acclaimed artist Karen S. Darboe (Bloodline: the Daughter of Blade), Yanick Paquette (Wonder Woman) with Mat Lopes, Ario Anindito (Star Wars: The High Republic) with Nicola Righi, as well as a set of connecting variant cover art by award-winning illustrator Miguel Mercado (Mighty Morphin, Power Rangers).

MAGIC is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; Proctor Valley Road by Grant Morrison, Alex Child, and Naomi Franquiz; We Only Find Them When They’re Dead by Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo; Seven Secrets by Tom Taylor and Daniele Di Nicuolo; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; Once & Future by Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora; The Many Deaths of Laila Starr by Ram V and Filipe Andrade; Eve by Victor LaValle and Jo Mi-Gyeong; Alice Ever After by Dan Panosian and Giorgio Spalletta; Grim by Stephanie Phillips and Flaviano; and the upcoming Briar by Christopher Cantwell and Germán García. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties, including Dune: House Atreides from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Dev Pramanik; Mighty Morphin and Power Rangers from Ryan Parrott, Marco Renna, and Francesco Mortarino; and Magic from Jed McKay and Ig Guara.

Print copies of MAGIC: THE HIDDEN PLANESWALKER #4 will be available for sale on July 27, exclusively at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one) or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.

Apparently, this is the season for dolls, and it’s almost time to play. At least, that's what the season 2 teaser for American Horror Stories suggests.

Although Chucky would likely be tempted to cross over for a visit, no one would dare advise Barbie or Ken to trek over to this particular dollhouse (or die-o-rama) to make friends. In the season 2 teaser titled Die-O-Rama, viewers see plastic humanoids going about their daily lives like their human counterparts, only with a slight twist. Who can be offended by someone for applying makeup to a face that has an out-of-socket eyeball or because they have grotesquely distorted bodies? Obviously, these ladies are not living dull lives. A spooky mix of The Chordettes’ “Mir. Sandman” plays in the background and the video ends with the song lyrics, “Being bad has never felt so good.” Do tell.

It is hard to know exactly what to expect from the series since there does not appear to be any actual footage from season 2 episodes. However, on the show’s IMDb pages there is a list of episode titles to ponder. The first episode is titled Dollhouse, which makes sense judging from the teaser. The next nine episodes, in order, are titled: Necro, Aura, Drive, Bloody Mary, Facelift, Milkmaids, Cellulite, and Lake. Bloody Mary sounds absolutely terrifying, and Facelift and Cellulite set off some nurse Ratchett vibes. (via MovieWeb)

American Horror Stories Season 2 returns on July 21 on FX on Hulu.

Teaser trailer: https://youtu.be/w1V141mjQ3E

Illumination and Universal’s July 4th event movie Minions: The Rise of Gru began landing in select North American theaters Thursday afternoon, grossing an excellent $10.8 million in previews from 3,350 locations.

Today, the family animated pic will be playing in approximately 4,400 theaters in the U.S and Canada. The movie — which saw its release delayed by more than a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic — will test the strength of the family box office just weeks after Pixar and Disney’s Lightyear failed to soar into the stratosphere.

The Rise of Gru is a sequel to 2015’s Minions and is the fifth entry in the Despicable Me franchise, which is the top-grossing animated series in history, not adjusted for inflation.

Tracking suggests that Minions 2 will open in the $70 million to $80 million range for the four-day holiday, but the strength of previews means it could well come in higher. It is also making a major push overseas.

The pic scored the biggest preview number of the pandemic era for an animated film or a live-action/CGI hybrid such as Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which earned $6.3 million in previews on its way to a strong domestic debut of $72.1 million in April of this year. (via THR)

We’ve barely recovered from "Herogasm" and Season 3 of The Boys still has two more episodes to air, but star Karl Urban has already revealed that The Boys Season 4 is set to start shooting soon.

In an interview with Collider, Urban, who portrays Billy Butcher, shared when The Boys will be getting back together.

“Yeah, we're starting, I think, August 22nd, we're going to be starting season four," Urbam said. "So I'm getting back, getting my Butcher back on, and I can't wait. It's a fun gang to play with, we work hard and play hard, and I can't wait to see where they take the characters from where we leave them at the end of this season.”

Fans are excited to learn what comes next for the team; however, Urban still hasn’t even touched the scripts for The Boys Season 4.

As he explained: "We're about two months away from filming, and I have no idea. So that'll tell you something, but yeah, not too far away. I mean, I expect that we'll... I'm actually going to be seeing [Eric Kripke, The Boys showrunner] next week and I expect conversations will start to happen about what he's got in store. I like to give them the respect of being able to do their writing process and not be harassed by actors going, "What are we doing?" But I can't wait. They always come up with insane stuff, so yeah, it's going to be fun."