Soapbox: 20 Abandoned Comic Book TV Shows That Almost Happened

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Which isn’t to say they should have happened, either…

Since the dawn of television, network executives have been in desperate need of new content to fill their broadcast schedules. Comic books have certainly helped in this regard, providing inspiration for several popular TV shows over the past 60 years.

From the classic Adventures of Superman series in the 1950s, through to Marvel Studios’ recent Netflix output, numerous superhero properties have been translated to the small screen. Even comics not centered around costumed adventurers have served as the basis for TV shows, including horror phenomenon The Walking Dead.

That’s just the live-action side of things – when animated outings are taken into account, the number of comic book-based TV programmes skyrockets. Not only have these shows proven a hit with audiences over the years, but many are also held in high regard by critics, with shows like Batman: The Animated Series considered a high watermark for the medium.

Not every comic book TV show gets the green-light from networks. Indeed, a surprising number of comics-inspired series were abandoned very late in the day – often after substantial pre-production work had been undertaken or a full-blown pilot produced!

With this in mind, here are 20 Comic Book TV Shows That Almost Happened.

This post was written exclusively for Screen Rant – click here to read the full article

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Soapbox: 20 Abandoned Comic Book TV Shows That Almost Happened

Soapbox: 15 Superheroes And Villains Marvel Still Can’t Use In The MCU

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Get ready to read about a LOT of Spider-Man-related characters…

Trying to make sense of the licensing and distribution rights surrounding Marvel Comics’ stable of characters can quickly become confusing. This is because – prior to the establishment of Marvel Studios – the publisher sold off the film rights to its most popular characters.

Once Marvel was in a position to produce and release movies on its own, reacquiring these rights became a problem – with rights-holders unwilling to relinquish what were now highly lucrative properties.

Fortunately for Marvel Cinematic Universe fans, many of these character rights have since reverted to the studio, allowing for additional heroes and villains to be integrated into its ever-expanding franchise.

Even icons like Spider-Man and the X-Men are now back in the fold, thanks to a licensing deal between Marvel and Sony, and Disney’s upcoming acquisition of Fox, respectively.

Nevertheless, Marvel still doesn’t have exclusive rights to feature all the characters it publishes in the MCU. Looking wider afield, there are also other comic book properties it does or did publish that it doesn’t have permission to adapt for the big screen – foregoing millions at the box office as a result!

For clarity’s sake, here are 15 Superheroes And Villains Marvel Still Can’t Use In The MCU.

This post was written exclusively for Screen Rant – click here to read the full article

Soapbox: 15 Superheroes And Villains Marvel Still Can’t Use In The MCU

Soapbox: 15 Things That Make No Sense About The MCU’s Timeline

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These guys are sworn to protect everything except the MCU timeline, apparently

With the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios did the unthinkable: it recreated the shared continuity of superhero comics on the big screen. Just like in the source material upon which it’s based, the MCU feels like a cohesive reality, complete with a rich history.

Unfortunately, the MCU also has something else in common with the comics: namely, the timeline is a bit of a mess. It’s easy to see how this has happened – thanks to the growing number of films and TV shows in the franchise, it’s virtually impossible to make these competing stories fit together neatly.

Of course, for most viewers, this isn’t much of an issue – all they’re interested in is watching an entertaining story. This stance is shared by the studio itself, which – as illustrated by the Phase Three slate of movies – is clearly interested in storytelling first, and accurate time-keeping second.

While this is the right approach to take, part of the MCU’s appeal is its interconnected nature. When the overall sequence of events in the franchise doesn’t add-up, it’s a bit disappointing.

With this in mind, here are 15 Things That Make No Sense About The MCU’s Timeline.

This post was written exclusively for Screen Rant – click here to read the full article

Soapbox: 15 Things That Make No Sense About The MCU’s Timeline

Soapbox: 10 Last-Minute Changes That Saved Movies (And 6 That Ruined Them)

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Who’d have guessed both of these characters doing less fighting would be a good thing?

It takes years of planning to make a typical Hollywood film – and this can even stretch to decades, particularly where big budget blockbusters are concerned. As you’d expect, an incredible amount of decision-making is involved along the way, all to ensure that the best possible story ultimately finds its way into cinemas.

Amazingly, though, it’s often the last-minute changes made by filmmakers that determine whether a movie is a massive success or a bitter disappointment. Sometimes, these edits are made after the director has a “Eureka!” moment, realizing just in time what elements need to be amended for the final cut to truly soar.

In other cases, the circumstances are motivated less by artistic considerations and more by the commercial bottom line. Here, the studio financing the production will mandate alterations intended to maximize box office revenue – often based on feedback from test screenings.

Regardless of the rationale behind these edits, what makes them remarkable is just how late they’re implemented. Seriously: we were only weeks away from seeing very different versions of some of the most popular films of all time!

With this in mind, here are 10 Last-Minute Changes That Saved Movies (And 6 That Ruined Them).

This post was written exclusively for Screen Rant – click here to read the full article

Soapbox: 10 Last-Minute Changes That Saved Movies (And 6 That Ruined Them)

Noticeboard: April 2018

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It’s pretty much business as usual at The Pop Culture Studio this April, so I’ll keep this month’s update short and sweet.

As “business as usual” for the Studio means a steady stream of film, TV and comic book-related posts, that’s what you can expect – so I hope you enjoy what’s in store between now and May.

Noticeboard: April 2018

Soapbox: 8 Movie Theories That Are Actually True (And 8 That Definitely Aren’t)

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Unfortunately, there’s no crazy theory that links Frozen to James Bond…yet

For almost as long as there have been movies, there have been crazy fan theories to go along with them. The internet has only given rise to this phenomenon, with a seemingly endless stream of out-there hypotheses cropping up that claim to put a whole new spin on new and classic films.

Some of these theories are taken very seriously by their proponents. These viewers genuinely believe that – by picking up subtle clues missed by the wider audience – they have unearthed hidden storytelling elements hidden by the filmmakers.

Conversely, other lines of conjecture were only ever intended in jest. These theories are designed simply to entertain, and those involved don’t really believe they hold any factual merit. Sometimes, it’s just plain fun to dream up hilarious alternate readings of blockbusters and innocent family outings.

Regardless of whether they are intended to be earnestly informative or side-splitting, these outlandish theories are typically dismissed by film critics, cinema buffs or even the filmmakers themselves. After all, they couldn’t possibly be true – or could they? As it turns out, sometimes, the answer is actually “yes”!

Here’s a round-up of 8 Crazy Movie Theories That Are Actually True (And 8 That Definitely Aren’t).

This post was written exclusively for Screen Rant – click here to read the full article

Soapbox: 8 Movie Theories That Are Actually True (And 8 That Definitely Aren’t)

Soapbox: Harry Potter – 15 Wizards More Powerful Than Dumbledore

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Dumbledore was a magical Jack of All Trades – but was he a master of all of them?

In the Harry Potter universe, Albus Dumbledore is widely regarded as the greatest wizard of the modern era – and rightly so. The Hogwarts headmaster was an exceptionally intelligent and extraordinarily talented sorcerer who mastered virtually every field of magic there is.

Dumbledore’s magical skills were so great he was able to defeat legendary Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald, despite the latter possessing the supposedly unbeatable Elder Wand. Even Lord Voldemort – history’s all-time greatest Dark Wizard – was rumored to fear going wand-to-wand with Albus, which indicates just how impressive his spellcasting prowess truly was.

But was Dumbledore the most powerful wizard who ever lived? Or were there witches and wizards whose magical abilities eclipsed his own? Certainly, there are a couple of candidates from across the centuries who could have given the old professor a run for his money!

Then there are those who – while not necessarily in Dumbledore’s league overall – far surpass his gifts in a particular magical discipline. After all, just because you’re a generally an expert when it comes to any kind of magic, that doesn’t mean you’re quite as good as an actual specialist.

Read on, as we shine the spotlight on 15 Wizards More Powerful Than Dumbledore.

This post was written exclusively for Screen Rant – click here to read the full article

Soapbox: Harry Potter – 15 Wizards More Powerful Than Dumbledore