Superhero Bits: Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Reviews, Penguin Series Casting & More
(Superhero Bits is a collection of stories, updates, and videos about anything and everything inspired by the comics of Marvel, DC, and more. For comic book movies, TV shows, merchandise, events, and whatever catches our eye, this is the place to find anything that falls through the cracks.)
In this edition of Superhero Bits:
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The "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" Rotten Tomatoes score.
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HBO Max's "Penguin" series adds some cast members.
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"Captain America: New World Order" begins filming soon.
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Hot Toys brings the 1989 "Batman" Batmobile to life.
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All that and more!
New Gotham Knights trailer focuses on Harvey Dent
The CW isn't quite done with its small screen DC universe just yet, as "Gotham Knights" is set to premiere on the network next month. The show centers on the Bat-family in the aftermath of Bruce Wayne's death. The above trailer focuses heavily on Harvey Dent, played by "Supernatural" alum Misha Collins in the show. Are we actually going to see him as Two-Face down the line? Maybe! Check out the trailer above and look for the series premiere on March 14.
Shazam! will go by The Captain in DC Comics now, apparently
Thanks to the 2019's "Shazam!" movie, most people know the superhero from the pages of DC Comics by that name, but he was actually originally called Captain Marvel. Over the years that changed, and Marvel Comics has their own Captain Marvel. It's complicated. But now, in the pages of DC Comics, the hero will be going by a new name: The Captain. This according to writer Mark Waid, who is launching a new "Shazam!" comic this summer. In a recent interview with The Comics Cube, the writer explained the odd change.
"I'll just call him Captain. We don't call him Captain Marvel in the book, but I will never not be able to call him Captain Marvel when I'm just relaxed. So in the book, he's just called the Captain, and that is the other kids' name for him... We just do a one-panel thing where we showed there was a maritime accident, Captain Marvel was soaking wet somehow, the others, you know, Mary laughing at him and saluting him, and they start calling him Captain, just as a joke and the name sticks. In the same way that The Doctor sticks when it's Doctor Who. He doesn't go around calling himself The Captain, but when people ask him point blank, he's got to say something."
That certainly is ... a choice. We'll see if it sticks, and for how long. "Shazam!" #1 is set to hit shelves in June.
The most shocking Amazing Spider-Man story in 50 years is coming
In May, Marvel will publish issues #25 and #26 of "The Amazing Spider-Man." And it looks like these won't be run of the mill issues of the classic title, as Marvel is touting "The most shocking issue of 'Amazing Spider-Man' in 50 years." So, apparently, we have to go all the way back to the '70s for something more shocking in regards to Peter Parker's life. And it does seem that they are alluding to "The Night Gwen Stacy Died," which is an all-timer of a classic storyline in Marvel Comics. We'll see if these issues can possibly live up to that big claim this summer.
Baby Rocket and Groot with wings get Funko! Pop figures
Funko has unveiled several more Pop! figures that will be hitting shelves tied to the release of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3." Among them are baby Rocket, who we've seen in the trailers a fair amount, as well as a version of Groot with wings, which is pretty unique. Pre-order links, as of this writing, are not available on the retailer's website just yet but the items are listed, so they should be available to order very soon. So keep your eyes on Funko.com.
The Penguin series on HBO Max adds four members to its cast
The "Penguin" series is picking up steam on HBO Max. Not one, but four new cast members have boarded "The Batman" spin-off, which will feature Colin Ferrell reprising his role from the film. First up, Variety reports that Rhenzy Feliz ("Marvel's Runaways") has been added to the ensemble in an undisclosed role. Additionally, Deadline brings word that Michael Kelly ("House of Cards"), Shohreh Aghdashloo ("The Expanse"), and Deirdre O'Connell ("Outer Range") have also been added to the growing ensemble, which also includes Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone. No word yet on a release date for the series, but with filming set to begin soon, early 2024 seems likely.
The Batman '66 symbol Easter egg appears in The Flash trailer
The Super Bowl brought with it a new full-length trailer for "The Flash" movie, and it is a pretty wild, multiversal ride. There are several Batmans who appear in the footage and, at one point, we get a glimpse at Michael Keaton's Batcave, which is filled with various Bat-suits. Chris Weston, who worked as the Bat-suit designer on the film, recently took to Twitter to showcase the "Batman" '66 Easter egg he managed to sneak onto one of those suits, as a tribute to Adam West's version of the character. What other Easter eggs will we see when the film debuts on June 16? One can only imagine this is just the very tip of the iceberg.
Ant-Man and the Wasp debuts with middling Rotten Tomatoes score
The first reviews for "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" have arrived, and as it stands, the consensus is that this is a middling effort in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As of this writing, the third "Ant-Man" solo flick and the first Phase 5 MCU entry has a 58% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, meaning it is officially "rotten." 96 reviews have been counted thus far, and the score will certainly change in the lead-up to the release this weekend. /Film's Jeff Ewing gave it a mixed review, which you can read right here. As of now, it is second only to "Eternals" as far as the Tomatometer goes for a Marvel Studios movie. Certainly not what Marvel and Disney were hoping for to kick off this new era of the MCU, but what ultimately matters is the ticket sales and how audiences respond.
Captain America: New World Order begins filming next month
The era of Sam Wilson's Captain America is soon to be upon us. In a recent interview with Yahoo's Kevin Polowy, Anthony Mackie revealed that "Captain America: New World Order" is set to begin filming next month. Understandably, the actor can't say too much about the film just yet, but he did discuss the fact that his version of Cap doesn't have super powers, which helps set him apart, and that his "humanity" is his super power. The film, which will be directed by Julius Onah, is currently due to hit theaters on May 3, 2024.
The 1989 Batmobile from Hot Toys
Lastly, the folks at Hot Toys are celebrating the return of Michael Keaton's Batman in "The Flash" movie in style. The high-end toy company has revealed a new Batmobile based on Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman" movie, where Keaton made his debut as the Caped Crusader. The 1/6 scale collectible does, indeed, recapture the likeness of the vehicle in impressive detail. And yes, there will be a new Keaton Batman figure available as well (below). No word yet on pricing, and pre-orders are not yet live, but full details and specs can be found by clicking here.