How are you hanging in there Fandom Fans? This week you may have been preoccupied with the world of politics or preparing for Valentine’s Day. I know both have kept me busy. While we sit in the middle of history and consider our flower options, the world of fandom is experiencing an influx of breaking news! You may have seen some of it, but in case you missed anything, you know we got you. So put down that Edible Arrangement catalog and let’s read some news!
The Borderlands Film Makes Cast Announcements
We already know that the hit game Borderlands is getting the feature film treatment, helmed by Eli Roth. Just a few months ago it was announced that Kevin Hart (Roland) and Cate Blanchett (Lilith) had joined the cast. This week two more stars have joined the highly anticipated film. Actor and Comedian Jack Black will be voicing the character ClapTrap. Iconic actress Jamie Lee Curtis was also announced to be playing Tannis. We still don’t have a date for the film but this all-star cast has definitely gotten us excited.
Buffy Actresses Share Their Own Experiences with Joss Whedon
Justice League actor Ray Fisher has received support from two actresses from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as they shared their experiences with Joss Whedon. Charisma Carpenter released a series of tweets with the caption #MyTruth accusing the director of harassment and abuse of power, including calling the actress “fat” when she was 4 months pregnant. Fellow Buffy actress Amber Benson tweeted her support for her former costar. Benson described the Buffy set as “toxic” and said, “there was a lot of damage done during that time.” Joss Whedon has not made any statement at this time.
Gina Carano is Dropped by Disney and Talent Agency due to Instagram Post
Many of you know Gina Carano for her roles in fandom favorites The Mandalorian and Deadpool. Others may know her for her online comments about being a Trump supporter and her actions against the trans community, as well as anti-mask sentiments. On February 11, 2021, the former MMA fighter shared a post on her Instagram stories comparing Republicans today to Jews during the Holocaust. After an online campaign dubbed #FireGinaCarano, Lucasfilm/Disney announced that Carano no longer works with them and likely will not in the future. Later that same day, Carano was dropped from her talent agency UTA. In response to her firing, fans of the actress started their own online campaign, #CancelDisneyPlus. The campaign is calling for her supporters to unsubscribe to the streaming service. Carano has made no statement as of yet.
The Last of Us adds the Best of Us to its Cast
We are going to see a lot more video games getting live-action adaptations. The horror survival game The Last of Us is headed to HBO for a TV series. On Wednesday, it was revealed who would be playing the game’s two leads, Joel and Ellie. Game of Thrones standout actress Bella Ramsey will play the foul-mouthed Ellie. Papa Mando himself, Pedro Pascal will continue to showcase his excellent parental skills as Joel.
The Master of Fear is also the Master of Kindness
Prolific horror and suspense writer Stephen King made some elementary school students’ dreams come true! King donated $6,500 to the students of Farwell Elementary School, located in Lewiston, Maine, so the students in its Author Studies Program can publish the two books they’ve written. The children created two books- an original, a sequel, and a 290-page manuscript. Now, the books are ready for publication, and with the help of King’s donation, they’ll be sent to a publishing company and available for purchase.
Blue’s Clues and You’s New Alphabet Song Aims to Teach Inclusion
If you are a fandom fan of a certain age or now a parent, you may be familiar with the adorable blue dog named Blue. Her new series Blue’s Clues and You debuted a new ABCs song and it has many parents championing it for being so inclusive. When the song gets to the letter “E” it is for equality and features people of many skin tones, shapes, and sizes. The letter “P” represents pride and is shown with the many flags attributed to the LGBTQ+ community. This isn’t Nickelodeon’s first step to be more inclusive with its programming and social media; for Pride 2020, the network shared characters from their shows that were LGBTQ+ which included SpongeBob SquarePants and Korra from the Legend of Korra.
Megan Can’t Talk Right Now, She’s Doing Hot Girl Sh**
Megan Thee Stallion may be known for her rap skills, good grades, and femme fatale fashion. Her real fans know that she is pretty nerdy. Megan regularly expresses her love of comics, anime, manga, and video games, so it’s only fitting that “Hot Girl” would livestream playing Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate on February 11, 2021. The event was hosted by Fiona Nova and could be watched on Twitch and on YouTube. You can rewatch the stream on Mortal Kombat’s YouTube channel.
Black Widow Still Headed for Theaters
According to reports, Disney and Marvel Entertainment are still planning to release the Black Widow solo film in theaters. The release date for the film is May 7, 2021. It was scheduled to be released last year but was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. This comes to many as a surprise as Disney has premiered some of its recent major releases on streaming service Disney+. Some films had to be purchased for $29.99 through its premiere access, including Disney’s live-action Mulan and the new animated film Raya and the Last Dragon. Mulan was later available on the app for free after several months. Does Disney believe that COVID-19 will be gone by May or do they feel enough people will be vaccinated by then?
Congratulations! You made it to the end of our roundup. This week was very video game-oriented. Let us know what story stood out to you in the comments and online. Stay Safe and Enjoy your weekend! We’ll see you next Friday for more Fandom News.
