Comics
Reynolds & Miller Officially Back For ‘Deadpool 2’
Not that we didn’t rightfully assume that they would be, but star Ryan Reynolds and director Tim Miller have officially been confirmed as returning for Deadpool 2. As reported by THR, Fox confirmed their attachment today during a presentation at CinemaCon. Rumor has it that the sequel might be shooting as early as this fall, but you can guarantee that no matter when it rolls, Fox is probably eyeing a 2018 release for it.
Deadpool as a project limped along with nothing more than a prayer and the enthusiasm of fans and Reynolds himself for years. After the creative (and to a lesser degree, financial) disappointment that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, all hope for a spin-off for the Merc with a Mouth seemed lost until fans went wild for a leaked pitch video a couple years back. That and a regime change at Fox were enough to get this irreverent take on the X-Men franchise off the ground.
It might have seemed like a risk initially and something that would be too niche for general audiences, but the masses proved that wrong earlier this year. As of now, Deadpool is the highest grossing entry in the X-Men Cinematic Universe today, even when inflation is factored in. The R-rated comedic actioner has managed to pull in almost $756 million worldwide (off a budget of less than $60 million), assuring its place as one of the most successful films of 2016.
Little is known about plans for the sequel, aside from the fact that the same creative team will be in place for it, including producers Simon Kinberg and Lauren Shuler-Donner. Writers Paul Wernick & Rhett Reese have already been hard at work on a screenplay for the follow-up, which at this time is expected to include the gun-toting, time-traveling mutant Cable. The original film carried a post-credits tagged that joked that the studio was looking at casting Mel Gibson, Dolph Lundgren, or Keira Knightley in the role. While the latter is highly unlikely, I honestly wouldn’t be too surprised if the first two were serious suggestions, along with Stephen Lang. Whoever is lucky enough to grab that role will likely continue in it for the also in-development X-Force, so fingers crossed that a fan favorite scores the gig.
As we wait for Deadpool 2 to arrive, we still have plenty of X-Men fun coming our way. Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Apocalypse arrives in theaters near the end of May, James Mangold’s Wolverine 3 is currently ramping up to shoot soon (and is reportedly based on the “Old Man Logan” run), and Josh Boone’s New Mutants is currently casting. On top of all that, we have the TV series “Legion” arriving on FX this fall, courtesy of Noah Hawley (“Fargo“). Long story short, it’s a good time to be an X-Men fan.
Comics
‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics
Witchblade, the popular comic series that initially ran from 1995 to 2015 and launched a TV series, is getting resurrected in a new comic series from Top Cow and Image Comics. It’s set to unleash heavy metal, black magic and blood this summer.
Look for the new Witchblade series to launch on July 17, 2024.
In Witchblade #1, “New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life was forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power, or will she be consumed by it?”
The series is penned by NYT Best-Selling writer Marguerite Bennett (Animosity, Batwoman, DC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide Squad, Power Rangers, Red Sonja). The creative duo is working with original co-creator Marc Silvestri, who is the CEO of Top Cow Productions Inc. and one of the founders of Image Comics. They are set to reintroduce the series to Witchblade’s enduring fans with “a reimagined origin with contemporary takes on familiar characters and new story arcs that will hook new readers and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the 90’s Image Revolution that shaped generations of top creators.”
Bennett said in a statement, “The ability to tell a ferocious story full of monsters, sexuality, vision, and history was irresistible.” She adds, “Our saga is sleek, vicious, ferocious, and has a lot to say about power in the 21st century and will be the first time that we are stopping the roller coaster to let more people on. I’ve loved Witchblade since I was a child, and there is truly no other heroine like Sara with such an iconic legacy and such a rich, brutal relationship to her own body.”
“The Witchblade universe is being modernized to reflect how Marguerite beautifully explores the extreme sides of Sara through memories, her personal thoughts, like desire and hunger, in her solitude and when she is possessed by the Witchblade. So, I had to visually intersect a noir True Detective-like world with a supernatural, horror world that is a fantastic mix between Berserk and Zodiac,” Cafaro stated.
Marc Silvestri notes, “This is brand new mythology around Sara, and I can’t wait for you to fall in love with her and all the twists and turns. Discover Witchblade reimagined this summer, and join us as we bring all the fun of the 90s to the modern age and see how exciting comics can be. I can’t wait for you to read this new series.”
Witchblade#1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 17th, for $4.99 for 48 pages. And it’ll come with multiple cover variants.
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Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover
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Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)
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Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)
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Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)
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Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)
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Cover H (1/250): Line art by Marc. Virgin Cover, Inks (B/W)
Witchblade #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.
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