deerstalker
https://blacknerdproblems.com/why-kang-matters/
It’s A Wonderful World
We live in a wild time. Artificial Intelligence is (alive) and well, real-life geopolitics is as close to fiction as it’s ever been, cars are self-driving (and self-crashing) and we got to witness the largest bag fumble in recent Black history, the ousting of Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror. Not only is Majors as phenomenally talented as he is troubled, but it is also genuinely sad to not see him do this character justice; this should do nothing to undermine just how important Kang is to the Marvel Universe at large and the MCU itself.
To put this whole thing in perspective, please know that there’s a huge gap between the publication history of Marvel Comics and the media inspired by them. What we’ll need to do is scale the impact of Kang’s legacy so y’all see what we might miss out on if Kang is ripped out of the MCU.
The Wonder Years
An entire generation of self-professed geeks, nerds, Blerds, and everyone in between have had the experience of a decade of bangers that redefined genre as it exists and cinema itself. From 2008’s Iron Man through to 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, the ‘Infinity Saga’ had its foot on our collective necks from scene one. The whole world rallied behind it, and for a time, it was good. What made the ‘Infinity Saga’ so compelling was the consistent and shadowy presence of some villain behind the scenes, pulling the strings. That…Was Thanos. He was the ‘big bad’ for so long in the MCU that the character was thoroughly elevated in the zeitgeist. Thanos and ‘the snap’ became household names everywhere because of it. All of the fanfare, the prestige, the memes, and the merch – all of it, exists because those movies (and Josh Brolin’s performance) made him out to be one of the best villains ever.
The Supergoat
Kang is who people think Thanos is. On the other side of the pop culture strata, readers of comics know that Thanos is legitimately formidable in every way. Strong, tactical, scientifically minded, and arrogant as a Wall Street trader in the 80s, but he ain’t anywhere near as insidious, calculating, or omnipresent as Kang The(e) Conqueror.
Kang is really him. Kang is who people think Batman is. In the last twenty years or so, whenever the DC fandom cooks up a hypothetical involving Batman, it comes down to the same thing, “How much prep time does he get?” So, Batman’s defining trait is that given enough time he can prepare for ANYTHING. Add to that Batman’s deep-seated paranoia and trauma-based insomnia, and he’s got unlimited ‘time’. Meanwhile, Kang has ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD. Literally. So, in comparison, the question for Kang’s potential becomes, “What can’t he do with all that time?” Sway ain’t got the answers for this one either.
Valley of the Kangs
What folks don’t know is that Kang is time. With nothing but his brain and an insatiable need to be right, this man is one of the most diabolical, paradoxical, and fully realized characters in the Marvel Universe. For clarity, Kang is both the descendant of and is Nathaniel Richards. He’s if ‘the chicken or the egg’ was a person. Hailing from the 30th century, he finds the instruction manual for a time machine and travels throughout the boundless multiverse out of sheer boredom. He is the embodiment of two (million) things happening at once. He’s ‘the dude playing the dude, disguised as another dude.’ Kang’s whole deal is that he has gone back and forth through time so much that he’s created thousands of divergent timelines that then branched into thousands more. There are so many versions of him out there that he actually exists EVERYWHERE. [See almost every version below]
Let’s say you find a reality where Peter Parker is Black, lives in The Bronx, and has Timbs as a part of his costume. Kang is there somewhere, making a chopped cheese that tastes exactly like a bacon, egg, and cheese – and this sandwich will help him, somehow, rule the timeline.
Forever? Or Fornever?
Kang always has an agenda. As time goes on and writers design more and more lore – we find that Kang is the Kevin Bacon of this shit. Better yet, that Kang is the Kevin Bacon of his own existence. In 2021, the comics had him retcon [to change a previously established narrative ] his publication history, by having the oldest version of himself send the youngest version of himself through every major divergent version of his many identities. So now, he doesn’t only exist everywhere and everywhen – but all these versions know each other and can communicate! That’s game, set, match on anything. No one can honestly step to this man, because he cannot play fair. You know how the X-Men might (definitely will) jump you in a fight? Kang will jump you with different versions of himself at the designated time, at the designated place, and designate yo ass. And each version will leave you on the floor leaking on their way to the next scheme like nothing happened.
If Marvel Studios chooses not to recast Kang for the foreseeable future, we will have missed out on exploring one of the greatest literary villains in cinematic history. Here’s to hoping they recast and keep the legacy of Kang going.
(Shoutout to whoever can name the artist’s album titles I used for the headings!)
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram!
The post Why Kang Matters appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
It’s A Wonderful World
We live in a wild time. Artificial Intelligence is (alive) and well, real-life geopolitics is as close to fiction as it’s ever been, cars are self-driving (and self-crashing) and we got to witness the largest bag fumble in recent Black history, the ousting of Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror. Not only is Majors as phenomenally talented as he is troubled, but it is also genuinely sad to not see him do this character justice; this should do nothing to undermine just how important Kang is to the Marvel Universe at large and the MCU itself.
To put this whole thing in perspective, please know that there’s a huge gap between the publication history of Marvel Comics and the media inspired by them. What we’ll need to do is scale the impact of Kang’s legacy so y’all see what we might miss out on if Kang is ripped out of the MCU.
The Wonder Years
An entire generation of self-professed geeks, nerds, Blerds, and everyone in between have had the experience of a decade of bangers that redefined genre as it exists and cinema itself. From 2008’s Iron Man through to 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, the ‘Infinity Saga’ had its foot on our collective necks from scene one. The whole world rallied behind it, and for a time, it was good. What made the ‘Infinity Saga’ so compelling was the consistent and shadowy presence of some villain behind the scenes, pulling the strings. That…Was Thanos. He was the ‘big bad’ for so long in the MCU that the character was thoroughly elevated in the zeitgeist. Thanos and ‘the snap’ became household names everywhere because of it. All of the fanfare, the prestige, the memes, and the merch – all of it, exists because those movies (and Josh Brolin’s performance) made him out to be one of the best villains ever.
The Supergoat
Kang is who people think Thanos is. On the other side of the pop culture strata, readers of comics know that Thanos is legitimately formidable in every way. Strong, tactical, scientifically minded, and arrogant as a Wall Street trader in the 80s, but he ain’t anywhere near as insidious, calculating, or omnipresent as Kang The(e) Conqueror.
Kang is really him. Kang is who people think Batman is. In the last twenty years or so, whenever the DC fandom cooks up a hypothetical involving Batman, it comes down to the same thing, “How much prep time does he get?” So, Batman’s defining trait is that given enough time he can prepare for ANYTHING. Add to that Batman’s deep-seated paranoia and trauma-based insomnia, and he’s got unlimited ‘time’. Meanwhile, Kang has ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD. Literally. So, in comparison, the question for Kang’s potential becomes, “What can’t he do with all that time?” Sway ain’t got the answers for this one either.
Valley of the Kangs
What folks don’t know is that Kang is time. With nothing but his brain and an insatiable need to be right, this man is one of the most diabolical, paradoxical, and fully realized characters in the Marvel Universe. For clarity, Kang is both the descendant of and is Nathaniel Richards. He’s if ‘the chicken or the egg’ was a person. Hailing from the 30th century, he finds the instruction manual for a time machine and travels throughout the boundless multiverse out of sheer boredom. He is the embodiment of two (million) things happening at once. He’s ‘the dude playing the dude, disguised as another dude.’ Kang’s whole deal is that he has gone back and forth through time so much that he’s created thousands of divergent timelines that then branched into thousands more. There are so many versions of him out there that he actually exists EVERYWHERE. [See almost every version below]
Let’s say you find a reality where Peter Parker is Black, lives in The Bronx, and has Timbs as a part of his costume. Kang is there somewhere, making a chopped cheese that tastes exactly like a bacon, egg, and cheese – and this sandwich will help him, somehow, rule the timeline.
Forever? Or Fornever?
Kang always has an agenda. As time goes on and writers design more and more lore – we find that Kang is the Kevin Bacon of this shit. Better yet, that Kang is the Kevin Bacon of his own existence. In 2021, the comics had him retcon [to change a previously established narrative ] his publication history, by having the oldest version of himself send the youngest version of himself through every major divergent version of his many identities. So now, he doesn’t only exist everywhere and everywhen – but all these versions know each other and can communicate! That’s game, set, match on anything. No one can honestly step to this man, because he cannot play fair. You know how the X-Men might (definitely will) jump you in a fight? Kang will jump you with different versions of himself at the designated time, at the designated place, and designate yo ass. And each version will leave you on the floor leaking on their way to the next scheme like nothing happened.
If Marvel Studios chooses not to recast Kang for the foreseeable future, we will have missed out on exploring one of the greatest literary villains in cinematic history. Here’s to hoping they recast and keep the legacy of Kang going.
(Shoutout to whoever can name the artist’s album titles I used for the headings!)
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram!
The post Why Kang Matters appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz got turned on its head with Gregory Maguire’s Wicked. The 1995 book put the spotlight on Elphaba and her life, often one full of hardship, until Dorothy kills her. Wicked became a Broadway musical in 2003 and has since become the fourth longest-running Broadway series. And this journey through Oz doesn’t stop with a musical: we’re getting a two-part film adaptation from director Jon M. Chu. The first Wicked trailer is here, showing off a beautifully cinematic version of Oz and the beginning of Elphaba and Glinda’s fateful and witchy friendship.
Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba and Ariana Grande plays Glinda. They meet as students at Shiz University and become close friends. Elphaba and Glinda could not have more different backgrounds. Those backgrounds definitely put a thorn in the side of the friendship. As Wicked‘s synopsis explains:
The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Wicked is an epic and long story. Is it a story that needs two movies? Only time will tell.
In addition to Erivo and Grande, the cast for Wicked includes: Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero; Ethan Slater as Boq; Marissa Bode as Nessarose; and Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz. Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, and Keala Settle also star. Most recently we learned that Peter Dinklage would Dr. Dillamond, a goat with the ability to speak. You can see more first-looks from the movie, below.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo insisted on singing live when filming #Wicked, says director Jon M. Chu.
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) March 21, 2024
“When we were shooting it, those girls were like, ‘F—k the pre-records. We’re going live.’”: https://t.co/IJpREEjocR pic.twitter.com/mbo3CcYGqK
Wicked arrives in theaters on November 27, 2024. Wicked Part Two will follow on November 26, 2025.
Originally published on February 12, 2024.
Featured Image: Universal
.youtube-embed{padding-bottom:56.25%!important;position:relative;overflow:hidden}.youtube-embed a,.youtube-embed iframe{display:block;width:100%;height:100%;position:absolute}.youtube-embed iframe{border:0}.youtube-embed img.youtube-cover{-o-object-fit:cover;object-fit:cover;height:100%;width:100%;cursor:pointer}.youtube-embed img.play-button{width:66px;position:absolute;left:46%;top:0;bottom:0;margin:auto;cursor:pointer}@media only screen and (max-width:499px){.youtube-embed img.play-button{left:45%;width:60px}}@media only screen and (max-width:425px){.youtube-embed img.play-button{left:44%;width:60px}}@media only screen and (max-width:375px){.youtube-embed img.play-button{left:43%;width:56px}}@media only screen and (max-width:345px){.youtube-embed img.play-button{left:42%;width:50px}}.youtube-embed .progressive-img{-webkit-filter:blur(10px);filter:blur(10px)}.youtube-embed .progressive-img.loaded{-webkit-filter:none;filter:none;-webkit-transition:-webkit-filter 1s ease-out;transition:-webkit-filter 1s ease-out;-o-transition:filter 1s ease-out;-moz-transition:filter 1s ease-out;transition:filter 1s ease-out;transition:filter 1s ease-out,-webkit-filter 1s ease-out}.youtube-embed .kskdDiv{display:none!important}The post WICKED Trailer Brings a Beautiful Oz to the Screen appeared first on Nerdist.
This year’s CinemaCon contained an exciting slate from Warner Bros pictures including some teasers that were revealed before the panel started. Including some celebrity appearances.
Warner Bros introduces Jeff Goldstein and Andrew Cripps president of distribution and both were dressed as the famous film character Beetlejuice. Which is fitting since Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice is one of the most highly anticipated films from the studio. Wonka, Dune: Part Two have each grossed over $600 million dollars at the box office respectively. And who knows, maybe Timothee Chalamet provided a sweet start for Warner Bros for the 2024 calendar year.
Co-chair and CEO Pamela Abdey and Mike Deluca graced the stage to discuss the upcoming slate for Warner Bros. Anya Taylor-Joy Chris Hemsworth and George Miller joined the executives onstage to discuss the film.
Chris Hemsworth describes his character as a a twisted cruel character with a hint of charisma.
Ishana Night Shyamalan, the daughter of M. Night Shyamalan presents her debut feature film Watchers, a story anchored in Celtic folklore. James Gunn could not be at CinemaCon as he is currently filming Superman in Atlanta. The film premieres in theaters July 11th 2025. He thanked audiences virtually the support of his previous film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. Peter Safran, Gunn’s producer partner, was at CinemaCon to present the DC studios slate the the CinemaCon audience.
Superman/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story makes its trailer debut at CinemaCon, the film also premiered at Sundance to critical acclaim. Kevin Costner’s Western epic Horizon An American Saga I & II was also shown and Kevin Costner himself was there to talk about the film. Costner wants audiences to binge the theater when they see his films. There were 92 musicians who put their effort into this film according to Costner.
Kevin Costner also received the CinemaCon Visionary Award honoring his life’s work in cinema.
Bong Joon Ho was welcomed to the stage to chat about his film Mickey 17. The number 17 represents the number of times Mickey dies in the film. It’s about a simple man who save the world but its a strange hero’s journey according to the director.
Robert Pattinson joined Bong Joon Ho to discuss this funny, bizarre sci-fi film. Mickey 17 has the lowest expectations of his life, and the world keeps pushing those expectations according to Pattinson.
M Night Shyamalan presents Trap where Josh Harnett plays a villain who is setup to be trapped by law enforcement.
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice cast comes to the stage including Tim Burton and Mr. Michael Keaton himself! Tim says he identified with the Lydia character and audiences will see three generations of the Deetz women. He describes it as a weird family reunion. Catherine O’ Hara was concerned if she was going to be in the sequel and she was delighted when she got the call directly from Tim Burton. There was a spirit of improvisation on the set of the movie according to Burton.
Todd Phillips joined the stage to present his follow up film to Joker, Joker: Folie à Deux. Phillips says he and Joaquin Phoenix always wanted to do a sequel when filming Joker. When discussing whether this film is a musical, Phillps says that the music is more of an essential element.
CinemaCon runs this week until April 11th.