Marvel Studios Reveals Title of Pedro Pascal’s “Fantastic Four” Reboot as “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”

Posted on July 29, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Pascal is taking his first steps…

Marvel Studios has revealed the official title of The Fantastic Four reboot, starring the 49-year-old Chilean actor, as The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The film’s name was announced during an action-packed Hall H San Diego Comic-Con panel on Saturday.

Director Matt Shakman made the reveal after previewing an early teaser reel, then surprising the audience with the introduction of cast members Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

Initially, he’d said the gang wouldn’t be making it, with production due to kick off in the UK this week.

Also revealed during the panel: the core Fantastic Four cast members will feature in the next two Avengers movies.

The teaser reel featured an early look at the four core cast members in astronaut outfits, the liftoff of an epic spacecraft, and one last stunning shot of the enormous supervillain Galactus hovering over the Earth.

Pascal said what he’s most enjoyed about joining the MCU is a sense of “new family.”

The actor shared how he and Shakman had the same manager and were once near-roommates, though the filmmaker was turned off by the place.

Moss-Bachrach said he was still processing putting on the superhero suit of Ben Grimm aka The Thing. “I got a nice text message from Mark Ruffalo. It just demystified the process of motion capture,” he said. The advice? “Make scenes like normal scene work.”

The panel didn’t go on too long, Feige said, as the cast “literally have to fly back [to the UK], but they have their own fantastic car which will hopefully take them back to UK quickly.” In a magical moment as he said this, an enormous blue space car floated onto the stage.

While the Fantastic Four film’s plot has thus far been kept under wraps, Pascal plays Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic), with Kirby as Sue Storm (aka the Invisible Woman), Quinn as Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch) and Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm (aka the Thing).

Paul Walter Hauser and Natasha Lyonne are on board in undisclosed roles, with Julia Garner set to play Shalla-Bal, a version of Silver Surfer, and Ralph Ineson to play big bad Galactus.

In a recent appearance on The Official Marvel Podcast, Marvel chief Kevin Feige called the project “a period film” and shared that filming will commence on the Monday after Comic-Con, July 29.

“I’m extremely excited because those characters are mainstays, are legendary pillars of the Marvel Universe that we’ve never gotten to play with or explore in any significant way apart from [Doctor Strange in the] Multiverse of Madness and a few fun teases before, in the way we’re doing that film,” said Feige. “So, I’m extremely excited.”

WandaVision‘s Shakman is directing The Fantastic Four: First Steps from a script by Eric Pearson, Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer. Peter Cameron has also done some writing on the project, produced by Feige for Marvel Studios, which is slated to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.

Marvel Studios Releases Trailer for Salma Hayek’s Superhero Film “Eternals”

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Salma Hayek’s burning an Eternals flame…

Marvel Studios has released the first trailer for Eternals, the epic superhero film starring the 54-year-old Mexican actress.

Hailing from Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao and based on the comics of the same name, the film follows a diverse group of heroes – technically aliens from an immortal race who have secretly lived on earth for thousands of years – who team up to protect humanity from a new threat.

In addition to Hayek, the film also stars Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Kit Harington and Angelina Jolie.

The film is one of the first in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is set after an unexpected tragedy following the events of Avengers: Endgame.

Stick around until the post-title of the trailer for a jokey tease about what we can expect from a post-Avengers world.

Disney has the film slated for release on November 5.

Zoe Saldana to Star in Fact-Based Thriller “Sabaya”

Posted on November 20, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldana is ready to thrill…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress will star in Sabaya, a fact-based thriller that Reed Morano will direct based on a William Monahan script about the unlikely circumstances that made possible a 2015 U.S. Special Forces raid that killed a top ISIS leader and started the downfall of the radical Islamic State.

Saldana will play a female CIAofficer who befriended a recently escaped ISIS sex slave, or “sabaya.” The 15-year-old Yazidi girl can neither read nor write, but as she works with the teen to piece together her harrowing odyssey out of Syria, the CIA officer finds that the abused girl has pinpointed the nerve center of the Caliphate. The subsequent dramatic raid on the site of the young woman’s captivity results in the capture of intelligence that would spell the end of the Islamic State.

The story comes from Spycraft Entertainment, a production company headed by Grant Verstandig and former CIA officers John Sipherand Jerry O’Shea, who work with retired members of the intelligence community to create and develop content based on their true stories.

“It is an honor to be a part of the telling of this story,” said Saldana. “This young woman’s journey is one for the books, and I am beyond grateful we will get to immortalize it on the silver screen.”

Morano has called Sabaya “a larger than life epic but it’s also an intimate, raw portrait of a young girl’s determination and the bond that forms between these two women. I’ve not seen such a mind-blowing adventure that is simultaneously so emotionally transcendent, from these perspectives before. I’m thrilled to be telling this powerful story with the incredible Bill and Zoe.”

Monahan called Sabaya “the best material for an emotionally powerful theatrical war film that I have seen in ages and I don’t say that lightly. It’s a story of doing the right thing against desperate odds, and if you think about it, no film that’s any good is about anything else whatsoever. Sabaya is what the big screen is for, and this dream team we’ve got is all out for [it].”

Saldana’s previous credits include the Guardians of the Galaxy/ the Avengers franchise films, the Avatar franchise, and the Star Trek franchise films.

Messi: The Top-Ranking Latino on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 List

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is a Latino at the top of the global earnings game…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star has earned the No. 13 spot on Forbes’ Celebrity 100, the list of the world’s highest-paid superstars of 2015.

Messi, the highest-ranking Latino on the list of the highest paid entertainers on the planet had earnings of $74 million during the reporting period.

In 2014, Spanish club Barcelona awarded Messi, a four-time FIFA player of the year, with a $9 million a year raise in his seventh contract since 2005, bringing his take home pay to $50 million a year through 2018. Messi holds records for most goals in Barca competitions, most goals in La Liga competitions, most goals scored in a calendar year and most hat tricks scored. That incredible talent is why sponsor Samsung cast him as superhero Iron Man in their ad to promote the Avengers film. It’s also why his main sponsor Adidas launched a Messi icon line of shoes and apparel, which has exceeded company sales expectations, including in the U.S.

He recently ranked as the top-ranking Latino on Forbes’ 2015 list of the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes, coming in at No. 4.

Meanwhile, Gisele Bündchen has earned the distinction of highest-ranking Latina on this year’s list.

The 34-year-old Brazilian supermodel, who has been the highest-paid model in the world since 2004, comes in at No. 46 with earnings of $44 million.

Bündchen, the world’s highest-paid model in 2014, continues to out-earn her younger counterparts. Despite rumors that she was retiring from the runway, Bündchen’s earnings have not suffered. She continues to land lucrative fragrance and beauty contracts with Carolina Herrera and Chanel, supplementing those deals with high fashion campaigns for Emilio Pucci and Balenciaga. Her Under Armour advertisement, which showed her attacking a punching bag while social media commentary blared in the background, was one of the most impactful this year. Bündchen has turned her name into a brand: she gets a cut of sales from the jelly sandals she designs for Brazilian shoemaker Grendene, while her line of Hope lingerie – Gisele Bündchen Intimates – also pumps up her paycheck.

Coming in at No. 52 is Bruno Mars, with earnings of $40 million.

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s recent collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk,” spent 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It was only one of many reasons Mars solidified his place on the Celebrity 100. After being the featured musician in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Class of 2014, Mars continued to make a name for himself by completing his Moonshine Jungle tour. He’s currently working on his next album, and if it is anything like his previous studio effort, Mars can expect the awards and dollars to keep rolling in.

In all, 10 Latino/a celebrities made this year’s list, including tennis star Rafael Nadal, soccer phenom Neymar and multi-hyphenate extraordinaire Jennifer Lopez.

Here’s the complete list of Latino superstars on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list:

No. 13 Lionel Messi, $74 million
No. 46 Gisele Bündchen, $44 million
No. 52 Bruno Mars, $40 million
No. 63 Fernando Alonso, $35.5 million
No. 76 Rafael Nadal, $32.5 million
No. 82 Neymar, $31 million
No. 86 Carmelo Anthony, $30.5 million
No. 89 James Rodriguez, $29 million
No. 95 Jennifer Lopez, $28.5 million
No. 95 Sofia Vergara, $28.5 million

Messi: The Highest-Ranking Latino on Forbes’ World’s Highest-Paid Athletes List

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is rolling in the deep dough…

The 27-year-old Argentine soccer star is the highest-ranking Latino on Forbes magazine’s 2015 list of the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes with $73.8 million in salary/winnings and endorsements.

Last year, FC Barcelona awarded their record four-time Ballon d’Or, FIFA’s Player of the Year, winner with a $9 million a year raise in his seventh contract since 2005 to bring his take home pay to $50 million a year through 2018.

Messi now holds the records for all-time all-game goals for Barcelona, most goals in La Liga competitions, most goals scored in a calendar year and most hat tricks scored.

Messi’s superhuman talent is why sponsor Samsung cast him as superhero Iron Man in their ad to promote the Avengers film. It’s also why his main sponsor Adidas launched a Messi icon line of shoes and apparel, which has exceeded company sales expectations, including in the U.S. In all, he earned $22 million in endorsements.

But Messi isn’t the only Latino athlete to make the list.

Fernando Alonso ranks No. 17 on Forbes’ world’s highest-paid athletes roster with combined earnings of $35.5 million.

The 33-year-old Spanish Formula One driver and a two-time World Champion secured another massive payday when he negotiated a return to McLaren-Honda, where he raced during the 2007 season. The two-year deal is worth more than $30 million annually.

Alonso finished second in the F1 standings in 2012 and 2013, but dropped to sixth last year in his final year with Ferrari. Alonso failed to secure a single point in the first five races of the 2015 F1 season. Alonso partnered with UAE sport investment firm Novo last year to establish a professional cycling team in the future.

Next on the list, Rafael Nadal, who comes in at No. 22 with earnings of $32.5 million.

The 29-year-old Spanish tennis star, who has struggled with injuries after a colossal 2013 season, saw his prize money drop by $10 million to $4.5 million in the latest 12 months.

He was the No. 1 player in the world as recently as June 2014, but sits at No. 10 a year later. He even lost at the French Open in the semifinals after winning 66 of his previous 67 matches and nine titles at Roland Garros.

Nadal did sign two new endorsements deals, with Tommy Hilfiger and Spanish communications giant Telefonica. Kia Motors also renewed its contract with Nadal in May for five years through 2020. They first partnered in 2004.

Nadal’s $73 million in career prize money ranks third all-time behind Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Other Latino athletes making the Top 30 on Forbes’ list are soccer phenom Neymar at No. 23, NBA star Carmelo Anthony at No. 25 and World Cup standout and Google god James Rodriguez at No. 27.

Here’s a look at the Latino athletes who made this year’s list:

No. 4 Lionel Messi, Soccer, Argentine, $73.8 Million
No. 17 Fernando Alonso, Racing, Spanish, $35.5 Million
No. 22 Rafael Nadal, Tennis, Spanish, #32.5 Million
No. 23 Neymar, Soccer, Brazilian, $31 Million
No. 25 Carmelo Anthony, Basketball, Half-Puerto Rican, $30.5 Million
No. 27 James Rodriguez, Soccer, Colombian, $29 Million
No. 30 Robinson Cano, Baseball, Dominican, $27.6 Million
No. 38 Radamel Falcao, Soccer, Colombian, $25.9 Million
No. 38 Albert Pujols, Baseball, Dominican, $25.9 Million
No. 43 Miguel Cabrera, Baseball, Venezuelan, $25.1 Million
No. 45 Sergio Aguero, Soccer, Argentine, $24.9 Million
No. 60 Felix Hernandez, Baseball, Venezuelan, $22.9 Million
No. 67 Tony Romo, Football, Mexican American, $22 Million
No. 69 Adrian Gonzalez, Baseball, Mexican American, $21.5 Million
No. 73 Luis Suarez, Soccer, Uruguayan, $21 Million
No. 79 Cesc Fabregas, Soccer, Spanish, $20.3 Million
No. 79 Hanley Ramirez, Baseball, Dominican, $20.3 Million
No. 87 David Ortiz, Baseball, Dominican, $19.7 Million

Click here for the complete list.

Hernandez to Star Opposite Benicio del Toro in Border Drama “Sicario”

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Maximiliano Hernandez is making a run for the border.

The 41-year-old Latino actor has been cast in director Denis Villeneuve’s border film Sicario.

Starring Benicio del Toro, Emily Blunt and Josh Brolin, the drama centers on a female FBI agent assigned to work with two Delta Force operators to take down a Mexican cartel boss.

Hernandez, who has starred as Jasper Sitwell in the blockbuster films Thor, Avengers, and Captain America: Winter Soldier on television in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., will play Silvio, a hard-drinking drug smuggling cop in Mexico.

He currently stars on the new TNT drama series The Last Ship and recently appeared in Amazon’s pilot Hand of God, directed by Marc Forster.

Richards Cast in Joss Whedon’s “S.H.I.E.L.D” Series Pilot

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

J. August Richards may soon have a super(power) role on television…

The 39-year-old Afro-Panamanian-American actor and former Angel star has reportedly been cast in Joss Whedon’s in ABC’s Avengers spinoff series S.H.I.E.L.D., according to TVLine.com.

Richards has been reportedly cast in a “super top-secret role,” but no further details are available at this time.

The “S.H.I.E.L.D.” pilot completed shooting in February, which means Richards may have been secretly involved throughout the production, was brought in to film pickups or reshoots after production wrapped, or has already been contracted to appear in future episodes if and when the show inevitably earns a full-season pick-up from ABC (likely around the network’s annual upfront presentation to advertisers in mid-May).

He’ll join Clark Gregg as Marvel movie mainstay Agent Phil Coulson, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons, a master in biology and chemistry; Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, a technology and weapons guru; Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, an expert pilot; Chloe Bennet as the “witty and charming” Skye and Brett Dalton as “cool under fire” Agent Grant Ward.

Despite the show’s place in the Marvel universe, Whedon is on record as stressing the need for “S.H.I.E.L.D.” to feature new characters.

“It needs to be its own thing,” said Whedon. “It needs to be adjacent [to the MCU] but you don’t want to do a show where you’re constantly going, ‘Iron Man just left, but he was totally here a minute ago.'”

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