Whedon Says 'No More Hexes' for Scarlet Witch

Today, CBR Trailers posted a new short with Avengers: Age of Ultron director, Joss Whedon, talking about his two new featured characters, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. In it, Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Quicksilver) and Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) talk briefly about their characters and how they relate to each other. There are some spoilers regarding the twins' roles in moving the plot forward, so viewer beware.

During his interview, Whedon confirms that Scarlet Witch's powers do not use hexes that bend reality to her will. Rather, she will be using telekinesis and some sort of fear-based psi power. Could this be an adjustment to the universe altering power Wanda Maximoff has in the comic book universe so that one hero isn't completely overpowered, eventually making Thanos that much more of a threat? Will the coming Civil War be sparked by fears brought out by Scarlet Witch? And, the big question, where do their powers come from? Are they magical (hellooooooo Dr. Strange!) or derived from an alien race, such as the Kree (hellooooooo Inhumans!) Only Whedon and the MCU powers that be can provide answers. Certainly, you won't be seeing completely world altering consequences from three whispered words in the MCU, thankfully. At least, not from the Scarlet Witch.

-David Berck

Dark Horse Comics Brings Season 10 of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'

Cover Art by Rebekah Isaacs

Although Joss Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" left television in 2003, that doesn't mean the story was over. Beginning in 2007, Dark Horse Comics provided fans with an eighth and ninth season of the series in comic book form, with some Whedon-helmed stories to continue the saga of Sunnydale. Going to heights that couldn't physically or fiscally be reached during the television run, the Buffy comics took the Scoobies into all new territories.

On March 19, Dark Horse will be publishing the tenth season, which promises even more adventure. In a brief description from the "Buffy Zone" of the Dark Horse website, they reveal- "New season. New rules. The age-old battle of Slayer vs. vampire is the focus of Buffy’s life once again—it’s downright nostalgic! But with all the toying with magic she’s done lately, this girl should know it’s time for another game change . . . Shouldn’t she?"

The premiere issue ($3.50) is executive produced by Joss Whedon, written by Christos Gage and illustrated by Rebekah Isaacs. With all the familiar characters fans loved, hated, or even the ones we loved to hate, be sure to hit up your local comic book shop to find out what happens next!

-Nowal Massari

Check into 'Cabin in the Woods' at Universal Orlando this Halloween

This Halloween, Universal Orlando Resort is bringing the Joss Whedon meta-horror The Cabin in the Woods to life at Halloween Horror Nights.

The new attraction will be run from Sept. 20 to Nov. 2 for select nights. According to a press release, the collaboration between director and co-writer, Drew Goddard (Cloverfield) and Lionsgate will “deliver a movie-quality haunted house experience that’s authentic to the film and places guests in the middle of an ancient fight for survival.”

Produced by Joss Whedon (The Avengers), Cabin is about five friends looking for a fun weekend getaway that results in them becoming pawns in a horrific sacrificial situation to save the world.

Joss Whedon weighs in on politics - and zombies

We try not to get too involved in political discourse over here at Paranormal Pop Culture. As long as you vote PPC and allow us to assume our natural role as galactic overlords, we're just peachy. But occasionally politics inserts itself into our world, such as with this new Joss Whedon video.

A citizen concerned with the health of our country - and concerned with a zombie apocalypse - The Avengers director warns/endorses Mitt Romney for president because the Republican nominee will speed along the undead's rise.

Is Whedon right? Will Romney bring about zombie ruin? Is Whedon's next project going to be an Abraham Lincoln horror movie called Log Cabin in the Woods?

Watch and see for yourself.

-Aaron Sagers

'Justice League' vs. 'Avengers 2' Summer 2015?

Courtesy Cartoon Network

Despite lacking a filmmaker (Christopher Nolan declined the offer), Warner Brothers is hell-bent on getting their DC film Justice League released in the summer of 2015. This just happens to be the same year that Marvel plans on releasing Joss Whedon's super sequel The Avengers 2. Actually, the release date of The Avengers 2 is scheduled for May 1, 2015. Coincidence?

According to the L.A. Times, DC Comics' superheroes can have a cinematic team up after last week's legal victory "in its long-running fight over the rights to Superman." The studio is expected to accelerate development of a planned Justice League movie that would join Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and other characters, "according to a knowledgeable person not authorized to discuss the matter publicly."

Who do you think would win in and outside the box office? The Justice League may have an army consisting of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, The Flash and The Green Lantern ... but, the Avengers have a HULK! Which film are you most excited to see? Or do you think the more mighty heroes on screen in a summer, the merrier? We'll keep you posted on the news surrounding this epic battle!

-Larissa Mrykalo

'Dr. Horrible' to invade TV - like, actual TV!

Joss Whedon's musical production Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog will be premiering on The CW on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 9 p.m.

The awesome piece of pop culture starring Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day (not to mention, The Big Bang Theory's Simon Helberg) about a super villain in love just trying to make his way in the world.

We've already heard from Whedon that he plans on making a Horrible sequel (but not one that's horrible), so maybe getting the sing-along blog - which premiered via the Internet in three acts in 2008 - on TV is all part of the superstar director's master plan. Cue evil laugh ... now.

-Aaron Sagers

'Avengers' vindicates geek community

BY AARON SAGERS

So yeah, I loved The Avengers.

Let’s simmer on that word for a few: love. Love for a movie is a pretty significant emotion, and yet I stand by it. While not perfect (the gripes are ridiculously minor), the film was a pure joy. It delivered on the promise of a Marvel-ous adventure with Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and (finally) an awesome, Incredible Hulk.

But this isn’t a movie review.

Instead, it’s more of an “I told you so,” to Hollywood power brokers locked into the philosophy that audiences crave dark heroes and sober plot lines, and that the geeks who grew up loving the source material could not be trusted to make a blockbuster.

Nerd favorite writer and producer Joss Whedon assembled The Avengers, who stormed the box office last Friday. There was a sense by Sunday that everything had changed for superhero movies.

On Sunday night, Walt Disney Co., which owns the Marvel Comics characters, announced the new flick had debuted to $200.3 million (later updated to $207.4 million) – the largest all-time opening weekend for a movie (and yes, a sequel is coming). But for fanboys and comic geeks like me who had been tracking the super-group superhero movie, this was no big surprise.

OK, so it was a little bit of a surprise - a pleasant one - but we geeks had been waiting for this.

In fact, we’ve been debating, discussing and having fantasy casting sessions for the movie for years. Geeks have been so patient, waiting for a movie that could pit Earth's (and Asgard's) mightiest heroes against themselves before teaming them up to battle a common, villainous threat.

(Read more ...)

The big bad god: Tom Hiddleston brings mischief to 'The Avengers' as Loki

Hiddleston as Loki, Courtesy Marvel Studios

BY AARON SAGERS

Tom Hiddleston aims to misbehave. Unless you’ve been living under a rock in Asgard – or frozen in suspended animation – you know the English actor is reprising his role as villainous Loki in the biggest super hero flick ever, The Avengers.

Directed by Joss Whedon (who incidentally coined the “misbehave” line for Serenity), the new blockbuster pits four of the most iconic Marvel Comics heroes, along with help from three other well-known characters, against one god of mischief. Sure, Loki does get help from a few lackies, but in Hiddleston’s words, Avengers is a “solo villain” movie – and Hiddleston is more than ready to relish the fight.

So who is the man who can take on the superpowered supergroup of his half-brother Thor, Captain America, Hulk and Iron Man, as well as Nick Fury, Black Widow and Hawkeye? Born in Westminster, England, the 31-year-old actor is known more for chewing scenery in theatrical productions and dramas than for chewing up (and spitting out?) comic book legends.

Still, after director and Shakespearean buff Kenneth Branagh hired him as fallen prince Loki in the 2011 sci-fi/fantasy flick Thor, Hiddleston showed he could transform a two-dimensional funny page antagonist into a believable, sympathetic and just plain menacing three-dimensional baddie. The Thor performance was enough to convince fanboy favorite Whedon – who also penned  The Avengers – that Loki was enough to support an entire movie’s worth of conflict.

In a recent interview at the Disney offices in New York, Hiddleston spoke with Paranormal Pop Culture about the challenges of being the big bad in  The Avengers, as well as the evolution of his character, his work with Whedon and the giant group hug that was the Hollywood superstar cast. And in case he ever does need a super-villain group, Hiddleston reveals who he’d assemble for his own legion of doom. (after the jump)