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.
– Netflix released an official teaser yesterday morning for their live-action adaptation of Tsugumi Ohba’s manga, "Death Note." The Netflix original film is directed by Adam Wingard (Blair Witch, The Guest) and stars the naturally creepy Willem Dafoe reviving his Green Goblin voice for Ryuk, Lakeith Stanfield with a less aloof L, and Nat Wolff as Light – looking completely unhinged, a far cry from the charismatic golden boy of the original. Wingard appears to be doing his own thing here, so don’t get your hopes up for a perfectly faithful retelling. Death Note is set for a Netflix exclusive premier on August 25th.
– A sigh of relief was heard round the world as Michael Peña announced he would actually be reprising his role as Luis in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp movie. Set to debut July 6, 2018, Peña will be joining Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, and Jeremy Renner, with Peyton Reed returning to direct.
– Reportedly, 20th Century Fox has a list of actors being considered for the role of Cable, and Michael Shannon is in the lead. David Harbour, of Stranger Things, is also on the list, and rumors are circulating that Brad Pitt might be too. Deadpool 2 will be directed by David Leitch with stars Ryan Reynolds, T.J. Miller, and Brianna Hildebrand returning. Fox is aiming for a 2018 release.
– Comics veteran, and Thor: Ragnarok writer, Chris Yost, was hired by Sony to develop a script for a Silver Sable and the Black Cat movie. The feature may continue Sony’s cinematic Spider-Man universe expansion after this year’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and 2018’s Venom.
– In Marvel’s June solicits, a Wolverine-like character is teased to appear in Cullen Bunn’s "X-Men: Blue." The character is pixelated just enough to reveal familiar claws, but the identity remains a mystery. The most likely candidate is Jimmy Hudson, Logan’s son from the Ultimate universe, whom Bunn wrote an origin story for. When confronted on Twitter with this prediction, Bunn feigned ignorance with a cheeky and telling "Who?" We’ll know for sure once "X-Men: Blue" #5 lands in June.
– As evidence of the upcoming Wonder Woman movie’s optimistic tone, the MPAA has given it a PG-13 rating "for sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive content." Though this isn’t surprising, as each theatrical release for the DC Extended Universe so far has received that rating. Gal Gadot, Connie Nielsen, and Robin Wright will star together as Wonder Woman hits theaters June 2, 2017.
– Spoilers for "Unworthy Thor" #5: After years of buildup, it was finally revealed what Fury whispered to Thor to make him unworthy. As long as you weren’t expecting some universe-shattering revelation, the effects of Fury’s message feel justified. And the pages surrounding the reveal do a good job in strengthening its impact. Some readers may feel disappointed, but that’s par for the course given something of this magnitude. In that same article, a new character is also revealed – again, be aware of spoilers.
– IDW is bringing Robert E. Howard’s “Kull of Atlantis: back to the shelves with writer Tom Waltz ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles") and artist Luca Pizzari (Marvel’s "Black Knight"). Launching in June, "Kull Eternal" intends to satisfy longtime fans with action, adventure, romance, time travel, and of course, Serpent Men.
– Over the years, Rocky & Bullwinkle comics have had a variety of different publishers, ranging from Marvel and IDW to Gold Key and Charlton. Now, after their last series in 2013, American Mythology is having a go with the property. Written by Todd Livingston with art by Jacob Greenawalt, the title promises to be a true return to form, featuring the entire cast from the original TV series. "Rocky & Bullwinkle Show" #1 will hit store shelves in June.
– In an ongoing celebration of Bernie Wrightson’s legacy, remnants of his art continue to surface in surprising ways. For instance, here is some of his work as a creature consultant for Ghostbusters in the early 1980s. While much of his concepts would not be utilized in the film, Wrightson’s design for the Terror Dogs and the Library Ghost were put to good use.
– 3 Rogues Studio has created a Kickstarter for "The Golden Guard", a new annual comic book magazine and tabletop RPG that tells the story of fourteen superheroes from the 1940s that are brought into the present day where they witness the death of the American dream. The first 48-page book, which is planned to debut this October, is being paired with a companion RPG that can be played using the Mutants & Masterminds game system. The plan is to have a Kickstarter every year to fund each annual issue and avoid going through any publisher. They are open to digital comic distribution, but have not been approached by comiXology or anyone similar. 9 days remain in the campaign, and they’ve hit $7k of their $12.5k goal.
