Do we know what the next standalone Batman movie will be called? Find out more about what to expect from Doctor Strange. Set photos shed more light on a Doctor Who plot, and a rumor about a villain's return. Get a first look at Disney's Descendants! Plus a ton of details for True Blood's finale season. Spoilers now!
Top image: Star Wars rebels
Star Wars
Latino Review's sources deny the rumors that the villains for Episode VII are called "Jedi Hunters," but are confirming that Adam Driver and Lupito Nyong'o are playing villains:
The term more often used in Latino Review correspondence has been "mercenaries," but mostly as a way to talk about them as a group of villains who are vaguely aligned for the same purpose, being controlled by a master or a source of income.
Yes, Lupita Nyong'o and Adam Driver are in our villain cluster and there's something vaguely Sith about the way they operate. Remember the column where I said there was a female villain who may or may not be a Sith? That's because, like Making Star Wars mentions elsewhere in the piece, this isn't from a source that's read the script.
Latino Review also believes that there will be black stormtroopers, with a lot of design elements from Ralph McQuarrie's old concept art. This has some basis in the fact that we've already seen those designs being implemented in images from Star Wars Rebels, which may very well set the stage, world-building wise, for Episode VII. Plus, a recently unveiled Comic Con exclusive is a black-armoured stormtrooper called the "Shadow Stormtrooper." As for the Empire, Latino Review has this to say:
The more we get into Pinewood shooting, the more I'm hearing about shoots on a Star Destroyer set (because of the way the windows are shaped on the bridge) and various armors. If the New Republic doesn't exist, I'm not sure what government exists, but stuff from The Empire is still around even if it's aesthetically changed.
There's also this bit from The Force.net, which has done some voice comparison between the Rebels trailer and David Oyelowo and came to this conclusion:
I went back to the Star Wars Rebels minute-long trailer and listened to the brief clip of Imperial Agent Kallus contacting the Inquisitor. In the clip, Kallus says (0:53-0:56), "Inquisitor, I have encountered a rebel cell," and the Inquisitor replies (0:56-0:58), "You did well to call."
I compared both of these lines to various clips of David Oyelowo speaking, and I'm now convinced that, contrary to most reports about Oyelowo's Star Wars involvement, he is in fact playing Kallus, not the Inquisitor.
Doctor Strange
While dodging any plot or cast questions, director Scott Derrickson did talk to JoBlo about why he was so invested in making this film:
I think when you consider the work that I've done it makes sense that he'd be my favorite comic book character, at least in the Marvel universe. Probably the only comic character in that mainstream world that I'm suited to. I feel such an affinity for the character and the story and the ambition of those comics, especially the original Stan Lee and Steve Ditko "Strange Tales" - I think those are my favorite of all of them. The entire history of the comics is extraordinary.
... I wanted it really bad. More than any other project that I've gone after, I felt compelled to do everything in my power to get on that project. Genuinely felt like I was the right guy to do it.
[JoBlo]
Meanwhile, Jared Leto posted a selfie on Instagram which shows that he's shaved off his beard and is sporting a mustache that looks a lot like Doctor Strange's trademark facial hair — thus adding to speculation that he's up for the role. [Movie Pilot]
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Nickelodeon just unveiled the merchandise tie-ins for the upcoming film, and there are images of the action figures, which give us a better look at the character design for the movie. See more photos here. [images from Booyakasha News and the_real_slash via Idle Hands]
Batman v. Superman
So, we're all pretty much sure that Jason Momoa is playing Aquaman. But he's still in the stage where he can't confirm it, so here he is avoiding the question with Jimmy Kimmel. [Slashfilm]
There are also rumblings that the next standalone Batman film, scheduled for 2019, is tentatively titled The Batman. [Latino Review]
Transformers 4: Age of Extinction
Go here for a clip from the film with Mark Wahlberg figuring out what he's discovered (it's a Transfomer). [Fandango]
Here are two TV spots. [via Transformer Live Action Movie Blog]
Guardians of the Galaxy
We've already seen Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser, but here are the other images Marvel released with that one. [Marvel]
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
Here's a look at the theater art for the film. [IGN]
Doctor Who
We've seen some of these set photos before, which showed a smaller than usual TARDIS. Now it looks like the TARDIS is actively shrinking, with a new photo showing a TARDIS that fits into Clara's hands. Photo is by Phillipa Collins. [Doctor Who TV]
Plus here's a set video, also by Collins:
Rumors are once again surfacing that the new season will seek to bring back the Master for a big cliffhanger ending. Casting is supposedly happening now, with the show looking for a Hollywood name to take over the role. [The Daily Star]
True Blood
New this season is Riley Smith, who will play Keith starting in episode four, a vampire and drummer in James' band. Riley described him as a "hopeless romantic", and previous spoilers linked the character to Arlene. [True-Blood.net]
Head over to Entertainment Weekly for a clip featuring Sookie and Bill. [Entertainment Weekly]
And here's Joe Mangianello on where we'll find Alcide in the final season:
He is domesticated [and] living in society. He isn't the wild crazy wolf-guy anymore. [Sookie and Alcide] go to church on Sundays. He has to wear a blazer. He lives in gran's house. He's got a to-do list for the house. It's different life for him. But it is what he has always wanted. He finally got the girl and he got the life. Now the only problem is that there are these marauding Hep-V pyscho vampires destroying the world. There's gotta be something.
[TV Line]
The Strain
MTV's review of the new show reveals a bit more about the mystery that'll be unraveled in the show's first season:
As you've probably seen in the previews, it all starts with a plane. ... A doomed 777 lands in JFK with its lights off and doors sealed, and epidemiologist Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll, who stole season one of "House of Cards") heads on in to investigate — and what he finds, of course, is baffling. Two hundred corpses with no evident injuries or cause of death, and four very confused survivors. Things get even more confusing afterwards, when bodies start to disappear from the morgue and strange symptoms befall the survivors.
What's the difference between the actual dead and the increasingly vampiric survivors, and why were the four "chosen" over the 200 others in the plane? What sort of horrible fate might they eventually meet at the hands of the show's villain, or its central virus? Why did the villain choose to unleash this virus upon the good people of New York City? We don't really know, but the final scene of the pilot makes it clear that we're going to find out very soon.
They also say that the show blends mindless drone vampires with higher-ups that "drive the story," including the head honcho called "The Master." [MTV]
Go to MSN to see a behind-the-scenes video. [MSN]
Teen Wolf
The season premier has everyone heading to Mexico in search of someone, and when they try to buy their quarry back, it doesn't go as planned. Viewers will also see Lydia's Banshee abilities tested and explained. And, according to Buddy TV: "There's an attack, torture, escape, wolf-out action, and a rescue from a familiar face." Plus, Kate Argent is alive, and it's worrisome. [Buddy TV]
And Jeff Davis says that Tandy will be in this season a fair bit:
She's in nine of the 12 episodes. She's someone who's kind of on the moral fence … and she's actually hired by Peter and Derek to find Kate.
[TV Line]
Ravenswood
If you were saddened by this spinoff's cancellation, plans are under way for an episode of Pretty Little Liars to wrap up the show. Said Marlene King:
I stay in touch with all of those people, both the kids and the adults. They know we'd love to — I don't want to say 'tie up' the story — but at least give it some closure. More than we were allowed to, anyway. We were heading somewhere with that story and we want to let the fans know where that was.
[TV Line]
Witches of East End
James Marsters will guest star in the shows sophomore season as Tarkoff, "an old family friend of Joanna's (Julia Ormond) who comes back into her life." [TV Line]
Also popping up in season 2 will be Bianca Lawson, recurring as mysterious woman named Eva. [TV Line]
And here's the press release detailing the first four episodes of the season:
"WITCHES OF EAST END" Season Premiere!
The second season of Lifetime's thrilling series Witches of East End (#WitchesofEastEnd) returns this summer with an ensemble cast headlined by Emmy Award-winner Julia Ormond, Jenna Dewan Tatum, Rachel Boston, Mädchen Amick , Eric Winter and Daniel DiTomasso. Christian Cooke joins the cast as a new series regular this season.
Based on Melissa de la Cruz's New York Times best-selling novel, the series centers on the Beauchamp family, where in season one sisters Freya (Dewan Tatum) and Ingrid (Boston) discovered they are witches with ancient magical powers. With the help of their mother Joanna (Ormond) and Aunt Wendy (Amick), they learned how to cultivate their craft and work together to defeat unearthly enemies seeking revenge on their family, while keeping their abilities a secret from the town.
This season, with the portal to Asgard open, what comes through will forever change the lives of the Beauchamps. Darkness surrounds East End as a new stranger (Cooke) arrives. Joanna is still weak with poison in her blood as the Beauchamps search desperately for a cure. With the death of Penelope (Virginia Madsen), Killian (DiTomasso) and Dash's (Winter) warlock powers return.
A MOVEABLE BEAST (#201)
Airs Sunday, July 6 at 9:00PM-10:01PM (ET)
All the Beauchamp witches have trouble remembering exactly what happened after the portal opened and fear a mystical presence crossed over to their world. Victor helps Joanna fight what seems to be a losing battle with her argentum poisoning. Ingrid develops a dangerous sleep walking habit while Freya has visions of Killian in danger.
THE SON ALSO RISES (#202)
Airs Sunday, July 13 at 9:00PM-10:01PM (ET)
Joanna is thrilled with Frederick's (Christian Cooke) return, while Wendy remains suspicious of his behavior. Killian discovers he has a lot in common with new love Eva. Dash reluctantly deals with his blackmailer.
THE OLD MAN AND THE KEY (#203)
Airs Sunday, July 20 at 9:00PM-10:01PM (ET)
Ingrid prepares to move out while Freya tracks down Killian. Dash discovers the identity of his blackmailer and plans revenge. Wendy and Joanna follow Frederick to figure out what his motives are since reconnecting with the family.
THE BROTHERS GRIMOIRE (#204)
Airs Sunday, July 27 at 9:00PM-10:01PM (ET)
Wendy and Tommy (Ignacio Serricchio) have a disastrous series of meetings. Old friends of Frederick's from Asgard make an unwelcome visit to Fair Haven. Dash and Killian receive their inheritance which yields interesting results.
Descendants
Here's a shot of Kristin Chenoweth's Maleficent. [Entertainment Weekly]
Emerald City
Here are character descriptions for NBC's take on The Wizard of Oz:
DOROTHY GALE | A natural, and not waify, beauty scarred by past experiences, Dorothy has patched a life together for herself despite the fact that she sells herself short. Outward insecurity and lack of self-awareness hide the savior survivor that she will discover she truly is.
WEST | This 30something femme is a corruptive — and fearsome — force of nature, a drugged-out virtuoso filled with self-loathing. She's equal parts compelling and unsettling.
NORTH | In her 30s or 40s, this Type-A manipulative perfectionist has a bit of a "big sister" relationship to West.
HENRY | The series' male romantic lead, this handsome and well-built gent presents a seemingly open nature that belies a bit of a past. #Denry
THE WIZARD | On the exterior, this 40something male is a charismatic and politically astute leader, earnest in his beliefs and intentions but also an "ends justify the means" sort. His showmanship however conceals a dangerous, and perhaps deadly, seriousness.
EAMONN | The Wizard's righthand man is unquestioningly loyal. A strong, silent type.
TIP | All of 15 and harboring a secret past, this lass is undergoing the discomfort of discovering her sexuality.
JACK | Tip's neighbor and closest friend, an adventurous and energetic teen.
OJO | A member of the Munja'kin, a primitive and isolated cross-pollinated culture, this stoic and fearsome man (mid-30s to early 40s) is rather unsympathetic to Dorothy's plight.
SYLVIA | A "good mimic" is sought to play this odd, feral and haunted 10-year-old.
[TV Line]
Under the Dome
Here's a video called "Inside Chester's Mill":
Beauty and the Beast
Here's the synopsis for the season finale:
"Déjà Vu" — (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET) (TV-14, LV) (HDTV)
CAT FACES A TOUGH DECISION — Cat (Kristin Kreuk) searches for a way to thwart Gabe (Sendhil Ramamurthy) and finds her answer in an unexpected place: the journal of her ancestor, which makes Cat fear the only way to stop Gabe is by killing Vincent (Jay Ryan). Nina Lisandrello and Austin Basis also star. Stuart Gillard directed the episode written by Brad Kern and Roger Grant (#222).
Additional reporting by Charlie Jane Anders and Madeleine Monson-Rosen