Did You Hear? is a weekly examination of headlines in the entertainment industry and a take on what they could mean for the future of the industry and (often), the little geeky bubble that we occupy!
Warner Bros Announces Release Dates for “The Flash” and “Matrix 4”
A couple days ago Variety broke the geek internet wide open when Warner Bros Studios stomped in with a bunch of release dates for projects we are both excited for and weren’t entirely sure were still even going to happen!
Unfortunately, the live action Akira adaptation appears to have been unceremoniously yanked from the schedule with no real explanation (pre-pro and production is hard, readers!), but Ezra Millers The Flash spinoff from Justice League landed a July 1st, 2022 date after swirling rumours that the movie wasn’t happening any more combined with Grant Morrison is now writing the script. Matrix 4 also came out well receiving a May 21, 2021 release date.
Eagle-eyed fans will notice that Matrix has been slotted into what was previously supposed to be Akira’s slot. For a movie that feels like it’s only been in active production for six months the next installment in the Matrix franchise seems to be rocketing toward the Silver Screen. For myself, I think it bears remembering that Matrix 4 has been in some version of production Hell since Matrix Revolutions opened in 2003.
Variety points out that Matrix 4 will open against John Wick 4 – both pictures starring Keanu Reeves. I’ve written on social media extensively about the Keanaissance and if both movies end up opening on the same weekend then we are truly living in a Golden Age of Reeves!
Bye-Bye Marvel Television
Ever since Kevin Feige became what feels like the king of Marvel Studios it has felt inevitable that Jeph Loeb 
would be making an exit. Each project he was working on was shuttered (Cloak & Dagger, Marvel’s Runaways, everyone on Netflix), then he was announced to be stepping away, and now there is a bunch of corporate restructuring going on. This basically means a whole group of people are going to be losing their jobs and whole new crew of people is going to be hired.
See: Fox’s restructuring post-Disney acquisition
Per Variety:
Variety has learned that Marvel Television will no longer be developing any new series beyond the shows that are currently in production. According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, Marvel will eliminate a number of positions in the near future as a result of the cessation of development at the division. Karim Zreik, senior vice president of current programming and production and members of his team will now join the Marvel Studios group. Zreik will lead the current projects in production. Marvel TV head Jeph Loeb will remain with the division during the transition.
They also point out:
The only Marvel Television live-action show currently in the works is “Helstrom” at Hulu. Hulu had previously ordered a live-action “Ghost Rider” series starring Gabriel Luna as well, but that project was scrapped in September.
Fans may remember that approximately 100 years ago it was announced that Marvel Studios would be releasing original animated series via Hulu (owned by Disney, I will remind you!), including: Howard the Duck, Hit Monkey, Tigra & Dazzler, and M.O.D.O.K. – all of which still seem to be moving forward, leading to a parody crossover The Offenders. I’m not totally holding my breath for these because Tigra & Dazzler has scrapped all the work on it so far and hired a new showrunner to rebuild. This isn’t always a bad thing, but it isn’t always a good thing either – like reshoots!
One of the final casualties of Feige-cum-Marvel-Studios absorbing Marvel Television is, the previously mentioned, Marvel’s Runaways. The third – and final – season of the show debuts TODAY on Hulu:
Marvel’s Runaways: Season 3 – Trailer (Official) * A Hulu Original
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