Season two of Netflix’s horror anthology series that began with 2018’s The Haunting of Hill House will be The Haunting of Bly Manor. Netflix confirmed season two’s title and dropped a poster and batch of photos from the upcoming season.
This season involves a new home, a new family, and a new story. Not everyone from the season one cast will return for season two and those who do are playing different characters. Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Victoria Pedretti who played twins Luke and Nell Crain in season one are back for the new season. Henry Thomas is also seen in one of the just-released photos.
The cast also includes Amelie Bea Smith, Benjamin Ainsworth, Tahirah Sharif, T’Nia Miller, and Rahul Kohli.
The Haunting of Hill House was based on Shirley Jackson’s classic novel. The Haunting of Bly Manor is adapted from Henry James’ novella, The Turn of the Screw.
In an interview with Birth.Death.Movies, showrunner Mike Flanagan explained what viewers can expect from this adaption of Henry James’ work. “We’re looking at all the ghost stories of Henry James as the jumping-off point for the season, so it very much is a whole new deal. It’s a cool way to expand on some of the things I loved about season one, but within the framework of a new story, without having to be restrained by the decisions we made last time. For Henry James fans, it’s going to be pretty wild, and for people who aren’t familiar with his work, it’s going to be unbelievably scary. I already think it’s much scarier than season one, so I’m very excited about it,” explained Flanagan.
Flanagan said fans may pick up on some Easter eggs from Hill House during The Haunting of Bly Manor, however there isn’t a narrative connection. “There are definitely going to be things that will set off that little dopamine rush that those kind of connections create. But it’s not a direct connection from a story point of view,” said Flanagan in an interview with Vanity Fair.
Netflix has not set a premiere date for season two although the poster teases a fall release.
In the 1980s, drug kingpin Pablo Escobar illegally brought four African hippos into Colombia where they were an important addition to his exotic animal collection housed on his estate. In Smithsonian Channel’s The Hunt for Escobar’s Hippos, the impact of setting them free after he died is examined in detail.
There aren’t any natural predators in Colombia which resulted in the hippos multiplying and terrorizing villages. However, Colombians apparently don’t mind living with the threat of roaming hippopotamuses.
“This was a story we immediately knew we had to tell,” said executive producer for Smithsonian Channel, Tria Thalman. “Americans know Escobar’s legacy all too well but this invasion of hippos that now threatens Colombia’s wildlife is a remarkable, unexpected twist to the sordid tale of drugs and violence.”
Phil Fairclough, Ted Oakes, Sabine Holzer, Susanne Lummer, and David Royle also served as executive producers.
The Hunt for Escobar’s Hippos will premiere on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 8pm ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.
Shot of hippo at Hacienda Napoles taken by Escobar’s private photographer, Edgar Jimenez
The Hunt for Escobar’s Hippos Details, Courtesy of Smithsonian Channel:
Notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s brutal regime ended in a hail of bullets. His infamous reign of terror left Colombia with the legacy of a corrupt narco-state and something more bizarre: African hippos. In the 1980s, Escobar smuggled four hippos into Colombia to join his growing collection of exotic animals at his $63 million estate outside Medellin.
Left to fend for themselves in the wake of his death, these extremely dangerous beasts – responsible for more deaths in Africa than lions or crocodiles – broke out. Today, breeding at twice their typical rate and with no natural predators keeping them in check, more than 60 roam the Colombian wilds, wreaking havoc in villages at night and threatening the ecosystem that feeds into the Magdalena River, Colombia’s main watershed.
Surprisingly, Colombians adore their hippos despite the dangers, and it’s illegal to cull them. Left with no other option, Colombian veterinarian Dr. Gina Serna is tasked with capturing and sterilizing them – an operation extremely difficult to perform in the wild of Colombia. The situation of the Colombian hippopotamus is an ecological time bomb that urgently needs to be diffused. As the largest foreign invader in Colombia, these formidable creatures pose not only a serious threat to human life, but also to the country’s wildlife and native ecosystem. Aggressively frontal and territorial, the consequences could be catastrophic.
HBO Max just released a new trailer for the sci-fi action drama, Raised by Wolves. The new series is set to premiere on September 3, 2020 and follows life on a distant planet where androids raise human children.
The cast of Raised by Wolves includes Amanda Collin (A Conspiracy of Faith), Travis Fimmel (Vikings), Abubakar Salim (Fortitude), Winta McGrath (Red Dog: True Blue), and Niamh Algar (Calm With Horses). Jordan Loughran (Emerald City), Matias Varela (Point Break), Felix Jamieson (Game of Thrones), Ethan Hazzard (The Long Song), Aasiya Shah (Call the Midwife), and Ivy Wong (Star Wars: Rogue One) also star.
The season consists of 10 episodes, with Ridley Scott directing episodes one and two. Raised by Wolves marks the first time Scott has directed an American television series. Scott also serves as an executive producer along with David W. Zucker (The Man in the High Castle), Jordan Sheehan (The Terror), Adam Kolbrenner (Prisoners) and Mark Huffam (The Martian). Executive producer Aaron Guzikowski created the series and wrote the first season.
Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions produced Raised by Wolves.
Abubakar Salim and Amanda Collin in ‘Raised by Wolves’ (Photograph by Coco Van Oppens)
The Plot, Courtesy of HBO Max:
Raised by Wolves centers on two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious virgin planet. As the burgeoning colony of humans threatens to be torn apart by religious differences, the androids learn that controlling the beliefs of humans is a treacherous and difficult task.
Netflix picked up Cobra Kai from YouTube in June and finally there’s news as to when we can expect the much-anticipated third season to arrive. Netflix confirmed seasons one and two will stream on their platform beginning on August 28, 2020. Season three will premiere in 2021.
The follow-up to the Karate Kid film franchise finds Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) still at odds after facing off in the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. They’re joined in Cobra Kai by Courtney Henggeler (‘Amanda LaRusso’), Xolo Maridueña (‘Miguel Diaz’), Tanner Buchanan (‘Robby Keene’), Mary Mouser (‘Samantha LaRusso’), Jacob Bertrand (‘Hawk’), Gianni Decenzo (‘Demetri’), Vanessa Rubio (‘Carmen’), and Peyton List (‘Tory’). Martin Kove reprises his role from The Karate Kid as John Kreese.
Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg of Counterbalance Entertainment write and executive produce The Karate Kid sequel. Will Smith, James Lassiter, Caleeb Pinkett, and Susan Ekins also serve as executive producers. Series stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka are co-executive producers.
About Cobra Kai, Courtesy of Netflix:
Cobra Kai takes place 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, where a now-successful Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) struggles to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of Mr. Miyagi, and must face his previous adversary, down-and-out Johnny Lawrence (Zabka), who seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo.
BTS shattered the record for most-viewed music video in 24 hours in YouTube history with an incredible 101.1 million views, according to a spokesperson for YouTube. But that’s not the only YouTube record the group broke. The video also set a new all-time record for the biggest music video premiere with over 3 million peak concurrent viewers immediately upon release.
YouTube is not the only outlet BTS has conquered with their new smash single, “Dynamite.” The single went number one on iTunes in 104 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan. It also zoomed to first on Spotify’s “Global Top 50” chart, marking the first time ever for a Korean act. “Dynamite” debuted on Spotify with 12,638,540 streams, breaking the recorded for biggest debut in the platform’s history. Not stopping there, “Dynamite” also broke the record for the biggest debut in 2020 on the global Spotify chart with 7,778,950 streams. Taylor Swift previously held that title with her newest single, “Cardigan.”
BTS’ song “Dynamite” is described as a disco-pop track that marks the superstar group’s first-ever song completely in English. The group sings of joy and confidence, treasuring the little things that make life truly valuable and special. The song aims to bring a new surge of much-needed energy to reinvigorate the global community in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group thanked their fans for the amazing support of “Dynamite” and are encouraging fans to send in their lip sync videos for a chance to be in their “Lip Sync Party” video.
Up next for the global phenoms, BTS will be appearing on The Today Show for an interview on August 24, 2020 at 8am ET. And for the first time ever, BTS will be performing at the MTV VMAs on August 30th kicking off at 8pm ET. This will be the first-ever performance of their chart-topping single, “Dynamite.”
During their recent interview on MTV’s Fresh Out with host Kevan Kenny RM was tight-lipped about their VMAs performance, only offering up, “So, it’s very disco and it’s gonna be the first performance of ‘Dynamite.’ It’s going to be very catchy. And, you know, we’re nervous.”
The group is up for three awards at this year’s VMAs: Best Pop, Best Chorography, and Best K-pop.
Ryan Eggold hosts ‘Clear the Shelters’ (Photo Credit: Ryan Eggold)
New Amsterdam star Ryan Eggold will be handling hosting duties for NBC’s Clear the Shelters special which helps to find adoptable animals their forever homes. The half-hour special is set to air on August 28, 2020.
Ryan Eggold plays Dr. Max Goodwin on New Amsterdam and previously starred on NBC’s dramatic series, The Blacklist.
“I discovered Jody at a shelter 12 years ago and can’t imagine my life without her,” said rescue Pit Bull dad Eggold. “From beach runs to staying at home, especially now during the pandemic, Jody is always by my side. I look forward to celebrating this year’s ‘Clear The Shelters’ campaign with audiences everywhere, and to highlight the most amazing pet adoption stories from this year’s campaign.”
The annual nationwide adoption campaign unites NBCUniversal’s TV stations with local animal shelters and rescues to help get dogs, cats, and other pets out of shelters and into loving, permanent homes. According to NBC, more than 410,000 pets have found new homes since the nationwide “Clear the Shelters” campaign began in 2015.
The Clear The Shelters special will tell the amazing stories of people who are fostering and adopting animals during the pandemic, and what shelters/rescues are doing to care for animals during this unprecedented time. The show will also feature amazing stories from The Dodo series “Foster Diaries” and “Adopt Me.”
Returning for a sixth consecutive year as a month-long virtual campaign, the stations’ 2020 pet adoption initiative kicked off on August 1 and is helping individuals connect with shelters all across the country and meet pets through web/mobile platforms. The stations’ pet adoption campaign is also making it easy for people to donate online to participating shelters/rescues.
Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser in ‘Yellowstone’ season 3 episode 10 (Photo Courtesy of Paramount Network)
Buckle up and grab the tissues. Season three episode 10 of Paramount Network’s Yellowstone – the season finale – puts viewers through the emotional wringer.
Episode 10, “The World is Purple,” opens with Mia and Jimmy in bed, and Mia’s shocked Jimmy allowed himself to be branded. Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) kicks her out but first sends her over to fetch Laramie out of Walker’s bed.
Before the girls leave, they spot Teeter (Jennifer Landon) in the bathroom taking care of her new brand.
Jamie (Wes Bentley) is still over at his birth dad’s place when we catch up with him. He peppers Garrett (Will Patton) with questions about possible siblings and other relatives and learns there are a few scattered around, but no brothers or sisters. Garrett recalls coming home once to find Jamie screaming and starving…and sucking on a crack pipe’s tip like a nipple. His mom was busy servicing a stranger and that’s when he killed her.
“I took her life and gave up mine for you,” says Garrett. “Looking at you now I would say that’s probably the best choice I could have made.”
Garrett wonders whether John Dutton loves Jamie and admits he thinks John only loves his ranch. He declares himself the only family Jamie really has. Jamie confesses he’s going to lose everything. He claims he was raised to run the ranch and he’s the one who built it into what it is today. (He doesn’t acknowledge that Beth, Kayce, and his deceased brother Lee were also responsible for the ranch.)
Jamie can’t afford to buy it flat out and Garrett hints the only way to procure Yellowstone is by taking over the empire. And the only way to do that is by killing the king! Jamie doesn’t immediately respond but finally says he’s not a killer. Garrett looks him in the eye and can tell Jamie has killed before. It’s in his blood as a Randall.
Meanwhile, over at the ranch the rest of the family prepare for the day. Monica (Kelsey Asbille) reminds Kayce (Luke Grimes) she and Tate moved there to be closer to him, but he’s always at work. She smiles when she notes how much he likes his job, and Kayce concedes it means a lot to him to have someone to fight for – rather than some “thing” – as the Livestock Commissioner.
Willa Hayes (Karen Pittman) and Roarke (Josh Holloway) also prepare, separately, for a busy day. Willa’s at work watching stock market reports while Roarke’s placing another call to Wade Morrow. His calls keep going straight to voice mail…and always will, given dead men don’t answer their phones.
Over on the reservation, Angela Blue Thunder (Q’orianka Kilcher) joins Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) on the casino’s roof. He likes the view it affords him of the reservation while she likes the view of the parking lot better. Angela reveals she wishes she could go back in time and tell her people to sell their belongings, go to New York, and hire a huge law firm.
She warns Thomas he’ll ultimately be judged by whether he owns the land or loses the land – not how he got to that outcome.
Rip (Cole Hauser) has obviously had a long night when he joins Beth (Kelly Reilly) for breakfast. She jokes about who he killed the night before and he tells her not to ask him that. Beth realizes she hit a nerve and when he continues to refuse to say what happened, she reminds him they don’t get to keep secrets from each other anymore.
Rip doesn’t think he’s keeping a secret, he’s doing her a favor by not saying how many people he’s killed. Beth doggedly pursues an answer, continuing to probe Rip for an answer about his death toll. Rip says it’s a big ranch and their enemies don’t fight fair.
Beth ultimately allows him to keep this particular secret. She then grabs her phone and asks him to excuse her. “I’ve got to kill someone too,” she says as she walks out the door.
Beth and Rip arrive at the big house and she greets her dad with a kiss. After he asks if she’s ready for this, she replies, “They f**ked with the wrong bull, daddy.” John (Kevin Costner) chuckles and says, “They sure did.”
After Beth walks away, John and Rip have a cryptic conversation about Wade Morrow. Rip assures him he got what was John’s back and Wade will not be causing any further problems, ever.
Rip reveals Roarke is the person who hired Wade, and surprisingly John’s never heard of him. (It’s strange Beth never mentioned his name to her dad.)
Kayce’s getting ready to head to the office and John’s happy Kayce’s settling into the job. John planned this for his son all along, but it wouldn’t have happened if it also wasn’t Kayce’s dream. Kayce tells his dad to have a good day and John assures him he won’t. “I believe I’m all out of those,” says John.
Mia (Eden Brolin) and Laramie (Hassie Harrison) load up their horses and hit the road with Jimmy (Jefferson White). Mia still won’t let go of the fact Jimmy now wears the Yellowstone Ranch brand.
John, Beth, Thomas, Angela, Willa, Roarke, and assorted minions from Market Equities gather at Jamie’s office for a meeting to discuss the future of the valley. Governor Lynelle Perry (Wendy Moniz-Grillo) is the last to arrive and Jamie rises to greet her, noticeably avoiding shaking the extended hand of Willa Hayes.
Roarke shows the completed lease with the Forest Service and with other deals in place, Market Equities no longer needs state funding or for a bond to be placed on the ballot. As he’s speaking, Willa’s shown an article that just popped up accusing her of workplace harassment by “Jane Doe.”
Beth looks like the cat that ate the canary. Willa steps out but first assures them Roarke has the authority to speak for Market Equities. John perks up as that’s the first time Roarke’s name has been mentioned. Roarke confirms his identity and says, “Once you put a name to this face, you will never forget it.”
“I don’t believe I will,” replies John.
Josh Holloway and Kevin Costner in ‘Yellowstone’ season 3 episode 10 (Photo Courtesy of Paramount Network)
Roarke continues his presentation, laying out the added revenue this development will provide to Montana. He then turns his attention to John and points out on a map the land on Yellowstone Ranch most suitable for building an airport. Jamie inserts himself into the conversation, saying any land purchases of Yellowstone need to go through him. Beth corrects him and says she’s the one Roarke needs to discuss land purchasing issues with.
Beth claims Power of Attorney but Jamie points out Beth filed in Utah and Montana doesn’t recognize PoAs issued in other states. Jamie declares himself the legal authority and adds that he approves the sale of that tract of land.
John quickly responds, “Like hell you will,” and Jamie explains that if he doesn’t sell it, John will get paid only 1/10 of what it’s worth because the state will condemn it. Either way, he’ll lose the land and millions of dollars.
John suggests Jamie shouldn’t condemn the land since it’s his choice as Attorney General. Jamie shocks John by explaining it’s actually Governor Perry’s decision. John asks Perry what her choice will be, and she admits there aren’t any choices left – only options.
Thomas asks for the environmental impact report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife on the impact of an airport beside the river that supplies water to the oldest national park. Angela reveals that will be the basis of their class-action suit, citing how it will impact native land and park land. She will gather attorneys from the Sierra Club, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and others to take on Market Equities.
When Roarke wishes her luck, she reminds him her people were able to put an end to hunting wolves for a decade. “What do you think we’re going to do to an airport? We don’t need luck. See you in court,” says Angela.
Thomas and Angela prepare to leave the meeting, but first Thomas suggests John join them in this fight since it will impact the remainder of the Yellowstone Ranch. It won’t cost John anything to join their suit and he won’t even have to hire an attorney. The class-action suit will take care of all of that.
John doesn’t reply before Thomas and Angela leave. Once they’re gone, he acknowledges that’s a “curveball from the reservation.”
John declares he’s the only person who can sell that land. It’s his. Roarke suggests John say that as much as he can now because soon it won’t be true. John stands inches from Roarke as he warns Roarke he doesn’t even know the rules of this particular game. John continues with his warning, explaining he will teach Roarke the rules.
Beth and John are next to leave the meeting. John pauses at the door, observing Jamie never says hello or goodbye to him. Beth suggests Jamie has nothing to say and when he claims he has lots to say, she tells him to speak up. He doesn’t. Beth wins this battle with barely a shot fired.
Roarke claims not to be concerned about the lawsuit. He reminds them they put a pipeline through the reservation. Plus, Market Equities is too big to fail. (Apparently, Roarke learned nothing from the big banks.)
It’s only Governor Perry and Jamie in the room when she reveals she believes John will ultimately realize Jamie did this for him. Jamie corrects her and says he didn’t. What he does now is just for him, not his family.
Elsewhere, as Mia prepares to enter the arena she’s still upset about the brand. Jimmy admits he’s thinking of quitting the rodeo and confesses he doesn’t want to end up in a wheelchair. Mia shows him a rider entering the arena right that minute who is paralyzed from the waist down. That rider always wins.
Mia reminds him how happy he was while he was rodeoing. If he goes back to it, she’ll stick with him. If he doesn’t, she’s done.
Jimmy confesses he’s scared and Mia admits they all are. They all cowboy up. If he wants to belong to something, it should be to her. They can hit the road and rodeo across the country. She doesn’t want him to be one of John’s cattle.
Jimmy says okay and they kiss, but it doesn’t look like he’s sure of his decision.
During the drive home, Angela reveals now is Thomas’ chance to free the land of John without even having to look like the person who did it. Thomas assures her he’s not a criminal, but Angela believes it’s not a crime by their laws – only the laws of white people. For Thomas, this should be a duty to protect the land and preserve their way of life.
Angela reminds him the United States always breaks their treaties, including ones with Native Americans. “They take what they want and then they make rules to keep you from taking it back,” says Angela. “They make rules for the slave and they make rules for the masters. You’re following the slave rules.”
She believes Thomas should kill John and get the land back. Angela speaks directly to Mo Brings Plenty who’s driving and listening in. She suggests he do it – that he go and make war – without asking permission.
Kayce shows up at work and meets with the heads of the Stock Growers Association. They explain Governor Perry will be out of office in two years and they want to back Kayce to run. He laughs, reminding them he’s not a politician. But they believe he’s what Montana wants and needs.
They think the fact he killed a cattle thief will get him the backing of those who actually turn out to vote, not the student protestors and people who tweet but don’t actually show up at the polls. It’s ranchers and farmers who decide the elections, and they’ll back Kayce.
Kayce doesn’t say yes…but he also doesn’t say no.
Ellis Steele (John Emmet Tracy) and Willa Hayes try and handle the sexual harassment claim which Willa knows is all Beth’s doing. Roarke arrives and suggests Willa should have hired not fired Beth. When Willa tells Roarke he needs to start playing dirty, he assures her he has been doing just that.
Neither believe this feels like an oil deal in Montana and Willa says it’s more like an oil deal in Yemen. (They must have done something illegal there that she wants to be replicated here.) Roarke confirms he can handle it.
John’s driving back to the ranch when he stops to help a mother and child with a flat. She doesn’t have a cell signal and doesn’t know if she has a spare because it’s a rental. John locates the spare and she explains she doesn’t have any money to pay him. He asks where she’s from and she says California. John explains here in Montana they do things because they’re the right thing to do, not just for money.
John volunteers to teach the young boy how to change a tire.
Rip visits his mother’s grave and has her coffin brought up. The embalmer did a good job and as Rip kneels next to her, he explains he’s in love. He wants to give Beth his mom’s ring rather than a store-bought ring. He gently removes it from his mom’s hand and says through it he hopes she may be able to know Beth. He says he loves her and thanks her before closing the lid.
Jimmy returns to Yellowstone and enters the ring with a horse. He’s alone as he climbs into the saddle. The horse immediately bucks him around and Jimmy is able to hang on for a short while. Unfortunately, he’s tossed off and lands hard on his stomach. He doesn’t move and appears to be knocked out.
Beth returns to her office at Schwartz & Meyer to pack up. She’s being petty as she asks for everything including pens, pencils, and paper to be boxed up. “We’re taking everything. I want it all,” she says.
She pauses to watch a news report about Willa Hayes being placed on leave until the investigation is over. Her assistant asks if she wants a box addressed to her put in her car. Beth has no idea what it is and the assistant describes it as a box within a box as she’s opening it. Beth tries to get her to stop when the bomb inside goes off!
The explosion is massive. Windows are blown out and parts of the building fall into the street. Cars screech to a halt as the dust cloud and debris surround them.
Kayce’s on the phone with Monica discussing the possibility of running for governor when he hears crashing and gunshots from the lobby. He immediately springs into action, pushing over his desk to use it as a barrier between him and the bullets. An armed man breaks through Kayce’s door and immediately begins shooting.
Monica screams Kayce’s name over and over again as she hears the sound of gunfire through the phone.
John’s still stopped on the side of the road helping the stranger as his family is being hunted down. He’s sent the little boy off to look for the lug nuts when a van stops on the side of the road. John attempts to motion it to leave, signaling they’re okay. He approaches it to thank them and as they’re about to drive away the driver asks, “You’re John Dutton, aren’t you?”
When John confirms it, the van’s back doors spring open and a gunman riddles John with bullets.
The van backs up to pursue the fleeing woman who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. After shooting her the van screeches away.
Rip can’t reach Beth, Kayce, or John and finally calls Jamie. Jamie doesn’t sound concerned as he replies, “Rip, I don’t think you should call me anymore.”
Rip, confused, hangs up. He immediately spots a downed horse in the field and pulls over. The horse is on its side but not yet dead and Rip puts it out of its misery. “I’d rather kill a thousand men than shoot another horse,” says Rip.
Rip notices vultures circling in the sky not far away. Death is in the air.
John has been shot but isn’t dead. He clutches his abdomen as he’s seated leaning against a tire. He manages to pull out his cell phone. He glances at it and says, “Doesn’t that f**king figure.” He looks toward the sky as the episode ends.
NOOOOOOOOO! Do not tell me that’s it for season three! I can’t believe we’re going to have to wait to find out the fates of John, Kayce, and Beth. Oh, and also Jimmy who’s unconscious in the arena without a soul in sight.
That ending was intense and terrifying, leaving so many questions to be answered. Did Jamie follow his birth dad’s instructions and kill the king? Was it Roarke acting on Willa’s orders to be ruthless? Or did Angela convince Thomas and/or Mo to go to war with the Duttons? If I were a betting woman, I’d go with Roarke only because I have to believe Jamie slaughtering his own kin is a bridge too far even for that slimeball. But then what about his final phone call with Rip?
Thomas is an honorable man and I truly don’t see this being the moment when he crosses that line and pulls the trigger. I can’t accept that Thomas would ever go after John’s children. Ever. It has to be Roarke, Willa, and Market Equities behind the attempted murders. Roarke flat out stated he’d do anything to get this deal done and he doesn’t appear to have a moral bone in his body.
Episode 10, “The World is Purple,” was a traumatic, gut-wrenching end to an absolutely terrific season. Season four can’t arrive soon enough.
The first teaser trailer for Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Batman debuted during the film’s DC FanDome panel. Starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, this latest take on the iconic superhero character had to shut down production because of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, even though only 25% of the film’s been shot this teaser provides a good idea of the film’s tone, production design, and how central The Riddler is to the story.
The teaser also provides an opportunity to hear Pattinson speak in character. (He’s going for a Christian Bale vibe.)
In addition to Robert Pattinson, the cast of The Batman includes Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle, Paul Dano as Edward Nashton, Jeffrey Wright as the GCPD’s James Gordon, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone. Peter Sarsgaard is Gotham D.A. Gil Colson, Jayme Lawson plays mayoral candidate Bella Reál, Andy Serkis is Alfred, and Colin Farrell stars as Oswald Cobblepot.
Robert Pattinson opened the panel with a special recorded message to the fans saying that he couldn’t reveal anything about the film but that he was anxious to get back to portraying the awesome character. He then turned it over to the director of the film, Matt Reeves.
Filmmaker Matt Reeves talked about why he chose to direct a movie about the Caped Crusader, revealing he’s always loved the character since he was a kid. He confirmed the film is not an origin story but instead focuses on the early days of Batman’s fight against crime and learning to become the inspiration to Gotham and its citizens.
The Batman is set in Year 2 of the character being a vigilante and opens revealing a whole new world of corruption in Gotham City. “There’s an epic history of corruption in Gotham,” said Reeves.
Reeves also talked about the cast of the film, revealing Paul Dano portrays the villain The Riddler in a way no one has ever seen before and Zoe Kravitz who portrays Selina Kyle is not Catwoman…yet. Reeves praised Jeffrey Wright’s work as Jim Gordon saying he’s also putting a different spin on the classic character.
When Reeves was asked by a fan about the production and design of the Batsuit and Batmobile, he said it took about a year to design both and that they are “grounded versions and look like something Bruce Wayne built himself.”
Reeves also revealed why he cast Robert Pattinson in the role of the Dark Knight. “Rob is a chameleon and an incredible actor,” explained Reeves, adding that it didn’t hurt Pattinson is a passionate fan of Batman.
Reeves revealed he treated this Batman story as though it could really happen. When asked what films inspired the feel and tone of this version of Batman, Reeves said the 1974 film Chinatown starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway was a big influence. That level and span of corruption in a big city and a character discovering it is very similar to Batman’s journey. He also added The French Connection and Taxi Driver as inspirations.
Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Batman is set to hit theaters on October 1, 2021.
Cast members of The CW’s The Flash including Grant Gustin (“Barry Allen”), Candice Patton (“Iris West-Allen”), Danielle Panabaker (“Caitlin Snow”/”Frost”), Carlos Valdes (“Cisco Ramon”), Danielle Nicolet (“Cecile Horton”), Kayla Compton (“Allegra Garcia”), Brandon McKnight (“Chester Runk”) joined showrunner Eric Wallace for a DC FanDome panel to discuss season six and to tease what fans can look forward to in season seven.
All the cast agreed that splitting season six into two parts and having two different major villains reinvigorated them and their performances. Carlos Valdes said that in order for the show and their characters to grow, the change was necessary and welcomed. Candice Patton admitted she was happy about her character, Iris, finally having her own storyline in the second half and becoming the determined investigative journalist and newswoman that had been hinted at since the first season.
Danielle Panabaker talked about the growth of her character, Frost (she dropped “Killer” from her name after Crisis), who was given a chance to actually experience life while her alter ego Caitlin took a back seat. “It was great to see Frost actually experience emotions and to become more a part of the team and a person rather than someone who just comes out to fight and then disappears.”
Danielle Nicolet told fans that although she enjoys Cecile having powers and becoming a defense attorney to represent metas, she has been suggesting to Eric Wallace that her character should become a little evil. However, she doubts that will happen.
Showrunner Eric Wallace talked about how they had to shut down early due to Covid-19 and that the first few episodes of season seven will close out the storyline of Eva McCulloch (played by Efrat Dor), the new Mirror Master. The first few episodes will also see Iris escape the mirror dimension she’s been trapped in for most of the second half of season six.
In a big reveal, Wallace said the character Godspeed will return and be a major villain for season seven. Wallace said he wanted the kids who are reading the current The Flash comics to see the villains they are reading about as part of the show rather than villains from the Silver era of the comics.
Just before closing out the panel, the new teaser trailer for season seven was revealed. After watching it Wallace told fans that even though most of the scenes are from one episode, there are many spoilers – if you pay attention.
Season seven of The Flash is set to premiere in January 2021. The season six DVD and Blu-ray will be released on August 25th.
There’s no mistaking the teaser trailer for Zack Snyder’s Justice League director’s cut for the trailers supporting the original cut. This official teaser is two and a half minutes of pure Zack Snyder which means the vibe’s dark and intense.
The trailer was released as part of the Zack Snyder’s Justice League panel during DC FanDome. Snyder assured fans during the panel that his cut will include much more of Ezra Miller as The Flash as well as more of Ray Fisher’s Cyborg, two characters who got short shrift in the original cut. Plus, Snyder promised, “You’re going to see something with Flash you’ve never seen before.”
During the DC FanDome panel Snyder confirmed Justice League will air in four one-hour parts. HBO Max hasn’t announced a premiere date other than to say it will arrive in 2021. The original cut hit theaters November 17, 2017.
In addition to Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher, the cast includes Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ben Affleck as Batman, and Jason Momoa as Aquaman. Chris Terrio wrote the screenplay and Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder produced. Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Jim Rowe, Ben Affleck, Wesley Coller, Curtis Kanemoto, and Chris Terrio executive produced.
The Justice League Plot:
In Justice League, fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes — Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash — it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
