Welcome back to The Rundown, our daily breakdown on comic news stories we missed from the previous day. Have a link to share? Email our team at rundown@multiversitycomics.com.
In case you missed it, Marvel Comics announced a new five-part “Thunderbolts” miniseries by writer Jim Zub and artist Sean Izaakse.
– Writer Charles Soule and artist Ryan Browne, who previously collaborated on “Curse Words,” will launch a new eight-part miniseries called “Eight Billion Genies” at Image Comics in May, the publisher revealed, via Screen Rant. “Eight Billion Genies” sees the titular spirits arrive simultaneously, with one attached to every person on the planet, with the ability to grant each individual a single wish; carnage ensues upon the wishes being granted. Soule described the series as “a thoughtful book about all of us, our lives and desires, and this particular moment in history — but it’s absolutely drowning in genies, too.” Browne stated the series’ direction “shows us a lot about humanity and how we balance our personal desires with that of the greater good.” “Eight Billion Genies” #1 releases on May 11, with preview pages available here in the meantime.
– Simon and Schuster are set to publish a new OGN called “Wonder City” by writer Victor Fusté and artist Jared Cullum, the latter announced via Twitter. “Wonder City” will be set in the ’80s, and follow two teenage sisters as they try come to terms with the death of their father, only to uncover a host of supernatural connections to his death that threaten to overrun the entirety of New York City. The official description reads that it is a “love letter to the can-do attitude of young teenagers with guts beyond their years and an independent streak longer than their common sense,” that “captures the joyous, adventurous tones of Amblin era 1980s films.” “Wonder City” is scheduled for release on September 27, 2022. You can check out a collection of preview pages here.
– During Super Bowl LVI, Marvel aired new trailers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Moon Knight: you can view those, along with new artwork and imagery, respectively here and here. DC also released a ‘World Needs Heroes‘ trailer ahead of the event, featuring footage from all of this year’s theatrical releases (The Batman, Black Adam, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.) In particular, it gives us our first look at Justice Society members Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) in Black Adam, which releases on July 29.
– Deadline reported that Harbinger, the upcoming feature film adaptation of the Valiant Comics series, has found its director in Wes Ball (the Maze Runner franchise). In the Valiant series, Harbingers are humans who have evolved to have psionic powers; the film, which is being penned by Andrew Lanham (Shang-Chi), is set to see a group of Harbingers taking on an exploitative corporation. Ball is also set to produce the film, alongside Joe Hartwick Jr, Neal Moritz, Toby Jaffe, and Dan Mintz. The Harbingers were created by Jim Shooter and David Lapham. Paramount Pictures, the studio behind the adaptation, have not revealed the time frame for the film’s production.
– Marvel’s Netflix series, which includes Daredevil and Jessica Jones, are all set to leave the streaming service on March 1, according to reports. Whilst at first it appeared that only the aforementioned shows were to be leaving, Deadline confirmed that all of the Marvel/Netflix shows, which encompasses Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher as well, will be departing at the start of March. The plans for when and where the series will next be available has not been confirmed.
– Ray Stevenson (Vikings) joined the upcoming Disney+ series Ahsoka. His role, as like much of the show, has been kept largely under wraps, though we do know the series will see Rosario Dawson returning in the titular role and seeking out Grand Admiral Thrawn; THR‘s sources said that “[Stevenson] is a villain in the series and will play an admiral … although, not Thrawn.” Stevenson previously voiced the Mandalorian Gar Saxon in Star Wars Rebels and The Clone Wars. Air dates for Ahsoka are yet to be revealed ahead of the series entering production in the latter half of April.
Continued below– Daniella Pineda (Cowboy Bebop) became the latest actor to join the upcoming AMC anthology series, Tales of the Walking Dead. As with the other announced cast members, such as Terry Crews and Parker Posey, Pineda’s role has not been detailed. The series will consist of six episodes, each telling different stories within The Walking Dead Universe. Previous TWD universe characters are planned to be involved, though they and their respective cast members, have not yet been revealed. Tales of the Walking Dead is scheduled to premiere this summer.
– Marry Me, the film adaptation of Bobby Crosby and Remy “Eisu” Mokhtar’s webcomic of the same name, debuted in third place at the domestic box office on its opening weekend, behind Death on the Nile and Jackass Forever, taking $8 million in theaters, against an estimated $23 million budget. The film stars Jennifer Lopez as the global singing sensation, Kat, who chooses to marry a member of the audience, Charlie (Owen Wilson), at a huge live wedding ceremony after finding out her fiancé, Bastian (Maluma), has been unfaithful to her. Alongside its theatrical release, Marry Me debuted on Peacock, though statistics relating to its streaming viewership are not publicly known.
– Long-time Newsarama staff member Chris Arrant, who has most recently been the site’s Senior Editor, announced that he will be leaving the website on February 18. Arrant did not confirm what the “next step” in his career will be, and instead focused on thanking those who had given him the opportunities at the site over his 18+ year tenure, with his experiences all having “made me a better writer, a better editor, and a better person.”
– Finally, Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II director Ivan Reitman passed away on Saturday, February 12, aged 75. The cause of death was not given, but his family stated he died peacefully in his sleep. As well as Ghostbusters, Reitman directed the earlier Bill Murray and Harold Ramis films Meatballs and Stripes, and Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito in Twins, Kindergarten Cop, and Junior. Reitman directed and produced countless more films, including his son Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. He is survived by his wife Geneviève Robert, and their three children, Jason, Catherine, and Caroline.
