Marvel Studios firing Jonathan Majors will undoubtedly have rippling effects moving forward, but the move also makes 2 MCU scenes from 2023 much more important in retrospect. Speculation has run rampant about what Disney and Marvel Studios would do ever since abuse and harassment allegations against Jonathan Majors surfaced in March 2023. Now that Majors has been found guilty of the aforementioned, his professional relationship with Marvel has been terminated. As of now, it's unclear if Kang will be recast or if the franchise will move in a different direction entirely.

Regardless of whether Kang is recast or not, it makes sense that Marvel Studios may want to close the narrative threads involving Majors' versions of the character. Fortunately, two scenes from 2023 MCU movies and TV make that a lot easier. These scenes may not have been written with the intention of moving away from Jonathan Majors, but they certainly seem a lot more important now.

Quantumania's Ending Reshoots Mean Kang The Conqueror Never Needs To Show Up Again

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania underwent reshoots, and set photos prove that the final few minutes of the movie are among the scenes that were revisited. It's impossible to say exactly what the original ending entailed, but reports indicate that the original draft had Kang beat Scott in their Quantum Realm brawl and escape out into the world. Regardless of whether that's accurate or not, the end of Quantumania may have been written to allow The Conqueror to return - but it also offered a perfectly serviceable ending for the Kang variant.

When Wasp arrives to rescue Ant-Man, she blasts Kang into his Quantum Engine. Scott previously survived a trip into the device, so it seems Kang was set up to do the same, but the MCU can now very easily move on and operate under the assumption that he died from the event. Regardless of whether Marvel moves on from Kang or recasts him, this scene becomes more important for explaining why this particular variant can be done and over with. Conversely, the bizarre physics of the Quantum Drive could explain an age change if Marvel goes with an older or younger actor for the part.

Loki Season 2 Gave A Perfect Explanation If The MCU Wants To Move On From Kang

Another scene that now seems much more important in hindsight is the ending of Loki season 2. As the season closes, TVA takes on a new task - tracking and dealing Kang variants who may threaten the multiverse. The episode alludes to Kang the Conqueror from Quantumania being taken care of, but the scene can now be used as justification for the Council of Kangs not showing up again if Marvel Studios so chooses. The TVA has proven its competence, and it's narratively reasonable for the group to succeed in nipping other Kang problems in the bud.

Will The MCU Move On From Kang Or Will The Studio Recast?

At this point, it's unclear if the MCU will simply recast Kang and continue on with his story as planned or pivot away from the character entirely to distance the franchise from Majors even further. Either way, change is clearly afoot. Avengers 5 has reportedly dropped "The Kang Dynasty" from its title internally at Marvel Studios as a new writer, Loki co-creator David Waldron, rewrites an earlier draft from Quantumania scribe Jeff Loveness. On one hand, this may indicate a significant change, but Waldron's history with a Kang-centric project may simply indicate a fresh take on the character.

However, pivoting from Kang would likely demand change in more than just The Avengers 5. Presumably, several other upcoming MCU movies include plot points meant to build to Kang's larger story, and those would need to be rewritten, too. There are still several years before the next Avengers project, but some significant rewrites may be needed across the MCU to lay the groundwork for a brand-new villain if that's the direction Marvel Studios goes. Regardless, the MCU is at a crossroads, and only time will tell how the franchise moves on from such an unfortunate situation.

 Jonathan Majors is officially out at Marvel Studios.

Due to an alleged incident that happened in March, Majors was recently brought to trial following allegations of domestic violence. On Monday, he was found guilty on charges of assault and harassment. After the verdict was announced, it was confirmed by a Marvel Studios representative that Majors will not return for any future MCU projects, per Deadline. Majors had recently appeared in the second season of Loki after debuting as Kang in the film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

While this isn't a great time for Majors, with the actor also potentially facing one year behind bars, he did get some good news in that he was found not guilty on additional charges of intentional assault and aggravated harassment in the second degree. His attorney, Priya Chaudhry, has also suggested that the legal battle isn't over just yet. Suggesting that there would be an appeal, she said in a statement after the verdict was announced that Majors "looks forward to fully clearing his name." She added, “Mr. Majors is grateful to God, his family, his friends, and his fans for their love and support during these harrowing eight months.”

Getting fired by Marvel Studios comes after there had been reports that the company was already considering moving forward without Majors in light of his legal troubles. Other companies were also quicker to cut ties with Majors when the allegations were first made public. That included getting immediately dropped from an ad campaign for the U.S. Army that was imminently set to start airing. He was also dropped from multiple movies he had been attached to, and Disney recently pulled his upcoming film, Magazine Dreams, from its planned theatrical release in December.

Majors was on the rise in Hollywood when his legal troubles began. He had just appeared in two major motion pictures with key roles in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Creed III, and there were very big plans for him in the MCU, as he would've been the major antagonist in at least one of the upcoming Avengers films. Majors had also garnered acclaim with his upcoming film Magazine Dreams in its early reviews ahead of its release. The actor previously found praise with his role in HBO's Lovecraft Country and appeared in films like The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Da 5 Bloods, and Devotion.

With GTA 6 officially revealed, now games can shift their focus to when the open-world epic will be released. 

After years of working away in secrecy, renowned developer Rockstar Games finally pulled the curtain back on the sixth mainline entry into its vaunted sandbox gaming franchise known as Grand Theft Auto.

The debut trailer came after months of speculation, revealing a new main character for the series, the return to the beloved Vice City region, and stunning next-gen graphics never seen before in the series. 

But one thing that was missing was an exact release date. 

When Will GTA 6 Come Out?

Along with the new trailer for GTA 6 came the nebulous release year of 2025. 

While no exact day or month was given with the title's 2025 release window, there are a few hints out there indicating when gamers can expect GTA 6 to hit store shelves. 

GTA publisher Take-Two Interactive previously alluded to the highly-anticipated title coming at some point during fiscal year 2025. 

Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick teased in a 2023 quarterly earning press release that "fiscal 2025" would serve as an inflection point for the company.  He cited "several groundbreaking titles" coming to market that would result in "over $1 billion in Adjusted Unrestricted Operating Cash Flow," which likely includes GTA 6:

"Looking ahead, Fiscal 2025 is a highly anticipated year for our Company... For the last several years, we have been preparing our business to release an incredibly robust pipeline of projects that we believe will take our company to even greater levels of success. In Fiscal 2025, we expect to enter this new era by launching several groundbreaking titles that we believe will set new standards in our industry and enable us to achieve over $8 billion in Net Bookings and over $1 billion in Adjusted Unrestricted Operating Cash Flow. We expect to sustain this momentum by delivering even higher levels of operating results in Fiscal 2026 and beyond."

GTA's Release Date Comes With Controversy

Mark Wahlberg has some good news for Uncharted fans.

Wahlberg starred alongside Tom Holland (Nathan Drake) as Victor Sullivan, also known as Sully. The two are as thick as thieves - most times - both originally coming from the incredibly successful and beloved Uncharted gaming franchise from PlayStation.

While a proper sequel to the 2022 movie hasn't been confirmed, producer Charles Roven did say this past summer that the studio was "definitely looking to make another" film in the franchise, which isn't a surprise considering how Uncharted grossed $400 million worldwide on a reported $120 million budget. 

Uncharted 2 Script Now Written

In an exclusive interview with The Direct while promoting his upcoming film, The Family Plan, Mark Wahlberg confirmed that a sequel to Uncharted is in development and that a script has now been written.

When asked about the prospective sequel, Wahlberg shared that he's aware of different directions for its story before stating that Sully's mustache, which he donned in the first movie's post-credits scene, would make a comeback in the next film:

"I've heard lots of different ideas. I know somebody's written a script, and they're still working on it, and it would consist of having the mustache the whole entire time. Which completely makes sense; obviously, in that final scene, I have the mustache."

Wahlberg admitted that he spent some time growing out the facial hair during the 2020 production:

"I spent quite a bit of time growing it because, at one point, we tried to do it with a fake mustache, and, I don't know. I just don't have the confidence to pull it off. It just feels like there's a big piece of tape over my mouth, and I feel ridiculous. I admire actors who can wear wigs and prosthetics and makeup and all that stuff. I've successfully worn one prosthetic, but that was long ago..."

He concluded that "if we can make [the sequel] better than the first" movie (which earned a 40% critic approval score and Rotten Tomatoes), then he's "open" to committing to a return:

Four years later, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is finally paying off a major Hollow Earth reveal from Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The first full trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire reveals quite a lot about awaits the two pop culture icons when they make their next big-screen Monsterverse appearances. As the footage makes clear, the Hollow Earth world will be central to the story for both of the titular Titans.

It's no surprise, of course, that the Hollow Earth will be paramount to what's ahead for the Monsterverse. Over the years, Godzilla and Kong's cinematic universe has gradually increased its importance to the lore. Legendary laid out the general concept in Kong: Skull Island, worked it into the wider world of the Titans in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and allowed for a glimpse into this hidden corner of the Monsterverse in Godzilla vs. Kong. It only made sense that the next step would be for the sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, to dive deep into the Hollow Earth, showing off the denizens of this world and explaining some of its most pressing mysteries.

Godzilla X Kong Confirms Humans Still Live In The Hollow Earth

One of the areas Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is gearing up to explore seemingly pertains to a key reveal from 2019's King of the Monsters. After following Godzilla into his underwater lair, Monarch came to the startling realization that thousands of years ago, humans dwelled within the Hollow Earth tunnels and worshipped the Titans as gods. The idea of humans occupying a place inside the Hollow Earth was a fascinating discovery to say the least; however, it's not one that Godzilla vs Kong followed up on when it took the characters down into that once-unseen world. Godzilla x Kong, on the other hand, looks to be heading in another direction, as the trailer teases the continued existence of Hollow Earth humans.

In the trailer, human characters can be shown brandishing spears and aiming them at the protagonists. What this implies is that when the main characters begin their exploration of the Hollow Earth, they'll come across people who live there and perhaps see them as invaders from the surface. This ties in perfectly with King of the Monsters, the movie that dropped this shocking reveal about the Hollow Earth having humans in the first place. Godzilla x Kong is now taking it to another level by revealing that not only did people live deep underground, but there's still some down there.

Monsterverse Has Already Teased The Identity Of The Hollow Earth Humans

As for who the Hollow Earth humans in Godzilla x Kong really are, it looks like the Monsterverse may already have a working explanation for this. In the Godzilla vs. Kong novelization, it was revealed that the Iwi tribe in Kong: Skull Island were descendants of a human civilization who existed alongside the Kongs in the Hollow Earth. Apparently, their people relocated to Skull Island with the Kongs after the Titan War. Of course, because these details never made it to the screen, they could technically be retconned. But, the connection does make sense nonetheless, given that it's known the Kongs came from the Hollow Earth.

With that in mind, it's certainly plausible that the Iwi tribe originated from the Hollow Earth. That goes hand-in-hand with the decision to bring Jia, a surviving member of the Iwi, back for Godzilla x Kong. If the Hollow Earth humans are indeed related to the Iwi, they'd have a connection to Jia which the main characters can use to their advantage.

Godzilla X Kong's Hollow Earth Humans Can Finally Solve The Monsterverse's Biggest Mysteries

The decision to bring the Hollow Earth humans into the picture in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is massive for the Monsterverse. Their presence there grants the Monsterverse opportunities that weren't available in previous installments. After all, that's only so much audiences can learn about the Monstervere's ancient history from statues, carvings, paintings and skeletons. These provide fun Easter eggs, hints about the past, but only a few concrete answers. If the Monsterverse wants to fully solve its biggest mysteries, one of the easiest ways it can do that is through human characters who already possess this information.

Presumably, they'll speak a different language, but if that barrier can be broken, Godzilla x Kong's cast can make some important breakthroughs. For a while now, there's been a great lack of clarity regarding why the Monsterverse's ancient Titan War happened, why Kong's kind wound up on Skull Island, and why the Kongs had access to Godzilla's power in their temple. Plus, there's the matter of the new mysteries posed by Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, such as the history of the Scar King and the nature of Godzilla's new form. If these questions are brought to the Hollow Earth humans, the Monsterverse can use this chance to provide a much-needed history lesson, and in turn set up some new mysteries for future movies to explore.

WhatsApp has added another chat security element, with a new lock code option that users can enact to keep others out of their chats in the app.

As you can see in this example, you can now apply a unique code to any of your chats, so that nobody else can access them on your device.

“With a secret code you’ll now be able to set a unique password different from what you use to unlock your phone to give your locked chats an extra layer of privacy. You’ll have the option to hide the Locked Chats folder from your chatlist so that they can only be discovered by typing your secret code in the search bar.”

The new option is an expansion of WhatsApp’s Chat Lock, which it rolled out back in May. Chat Lock is primarily designed to help those who share their phone with others, like family members, which is not common practice everywhere, but is fairly usual in some regions. In developing markets like India, for example, lower-middle class families often only have one device that’s shared by the family, with parents and siblings splitting time.

In situations like this, having the capacity to lock down certain chats could be a big benefit, and could provide more privacy for WhatsApp users.

And now, you’ll be able to add another level of privacy, with manual codes to keep people out of your chats.

Though remembering more codes is less than ideal, but if you really want to keep your chats private…

WhatsApp also notes that you can now long press on a chat to lock it, rather than visiting the chat’s settings.

The option adds another level of data privacy and security, which is what WhatsApp hangs its hat on, and as such, it makes sense to give users more options on this front.

Loki head writer Eric Martin confirmed a fan theory about the MCU show's Season 2 ending on Disney+.

Tom Hiddleston's titular antihero made the biggest sacrifice of his 12-year MCU tenure in the Loki Season 2 finale, taking on the duty of guarding the Sacred Timeline to keep He Who Remains at bay.

Hiddleston even admitted that his character's moment in the finale "was wholly appropriate and...very moving," with Loki now holding a place as one of the most important figures across the entire Multiverse with this new job.

Loki Writer Confirms Season 2 Ending Idea

Loki Season 2 head writer Eric Martin compared the conclusion of Loki's story in the latest season of his Disney+ show to that of the legendary Greek figure, Atlas.

Martin told Esquire that the idea for Season 2 was to have Loki evolve "from a lowercase-g god, to a capital-G God," powering up his "wisdom and knowledge" while giving him a new responsibility that allows the Multiverse's inhabitants to live:

"The big idea was taking Loki from a lowercase-g god, to a capital-G God, powering him up to that place where he gets his throne—but it’s not a throne he wants anymore. This is a duty. He’s doing this so everyone else can have their lives. He’s giving up the thing that he wants most so that everyone else can have their free will… We wanted to power up his abilities, but also his wisdom and knowledge."

Martin also made it clear that the last shot of Loki sitting on his new thrown is "meant to be ambiguous" about him possibly suffering, comparing him to the Greek Titan Atlas for those familiar with mythology and legends:

"I leave that up to interpretation. That final image is meant to be ambiguous. So I’ll let people make up their own minds there. If you look into mythology, someone like Atlas is an interesting person to look at with that."

In Greek mythology, Atlas was condemned to hold up the heavens for all eternity after a decade-long battle between the Titans and the Olympians - two separate generations of gods living on Mount Olympus. He at one point turned Perseus into stone, and another legend saw him attempt to get Hercules to take over his punishment of holding the universe up.

Portraying a single character over a decade is challenging, but Robert Downey Jr. managed just that – successfully bringing Tony Stark/Iron Man to life in 10 films.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Joe and Anthony Russo, who directed Downey in three of his Marvel Cinematic Universe appearances, explained how the actor kept the character fresh for so long. "When he'll come back to set, Robert is famous for throwing the plan out the window and climbing on top of the couch and whatever, sort of going off-book," Joe said. "He does this because he likes to surprise himself. He likes to keep things fresh. He lights up for that."

"There's no other way that he could have played that character for 10 movies unless he was doing that," Anthony added. "Robert has certainly lived a complicated life. He understands the stakes, he understands loss, he understands the turns life can take between ups and downs. He's always looking for that level of depth, that level of complexity. I think he knows that's what we all come to movies for in the first place."

Marvel Studios Firmly Shuts Down Iron Man's Return

During the same interview, dubbed "Robert Downey Jr.'s Third Act," Kevin Feige debunked rumors that Marvel Studios was considering bringing Stark back into the multiverse storyline. "We are going to keep [Iron Man's death] and not touch that moment again," Feige explained. "We all worked very hard for many years to get to that. We would never want to magically undo it in any way," he added, referencing Tony Stark's character growth over the years.

"We'd already said tearful goodbyes on the last day of shooting. Everybody had moved on emotionally," Joe Russo added. "We promised him it would be the last time we made him do it ever." Iron Man met his demise in Avengers: Endgame, giving up his life to thwart Thanos and avert the villain's plan to obliterate half of all life once more. However, with recent MCU releases failing to capture the magic of the Infinity Saga, speculation about Iron Man's return has been rife.

When Robert Downey Jr. was initially cast as Tony Stark in 2008, it was an unexpected choice, and the studio had explored other options before finalizing the decision. Among the considered actors was Tom Cruise, who Feige says was in contention for the role during the mid-2000s. However, financial considerations proved to be a hurdle, as Cruise's asking fee at the time exceeded what studios were willing to risk on an untested superhero property. Interestingly, Cruise dismissed speculation about playing Iron Man and commended Downey for his exceptional portrayal of the superhero.

Source: Vanity Fair

Kevin Feige has confirmed whether or not Iron Man will be returning in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Robert Downey Jr. originated the MCU version of the character in 2008's Iron Man, the movie that kicked off the franchise which has now expanded to include 33 movies and eight Disney+ shows, with many more on the way. Downey Jr. reprised his role in nine MCU movies before his character's death in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.

Vanity Fair recently ran a cover story on Robert Downey Jr. in which they spoke to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige about the possibility of a future Iron Man MCU return. Feige said that they are planning to "not touch that moment again." He shared that bringing Iron Man's story to a close took years of hard work, and they do not intend to "magically undo it." Check out his full quote below:

We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again. We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.

Iron Man's MCU Legacy Looms Large

Telangana Assembly Election Results 2023: As the Indian National Congress (Congress) sweeps a triumphant win in the Telangana Assembly Elections 2023 one key state party leader has taken centre stage – A Revanth Reddy.

The Congress' road to victory in Telanga comes at the cost of upsetting incumbent BRS' and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's (KCR) plans for a hattrick government run in the state. And the one gaining the most praise for the reversal is Reddy.

Who is A Revanth Reddy?

A Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha from Congress, Reddy represents the Malkajgiri Constituency.

During his student days at Osmania University, he engaged with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Stepping into politics early on, he secured a position as a Minister of the Legislative Council (MLC) in 2007 as an independent candidate.

Subsequently, he was affiliated with the Telugu Desam Party (TDS). During this time he was a two-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in 2009 and 2014. He then transitioned to the Telangana Assembly from 2014 to 2018, representing the Kodangal Constituency.

In 2014, Reddy clinched victory in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections from the Kodangal seat, amassing a significant 46.45 percent of the votes. Repeating his success in the same seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he garnered a vote share of 39.06 percent.

In what became a significant move, Reddy shifted allegiance from the TDP to Congress in 2017. He faced defeat in the 2019 Telangana Assembly elections, losing the Kodangal constituency. However, he rebounded strongly by securing the Malkajgiri seat in the 2019 general elections, becoming an MP with a margin of 10,919 votes.

Rise to Prominence

Reddy's political acumen and influence led to his appointment as the president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee in June 2021, taking over from his predecessor N Uttam Kumar Reddy.

Reddy has demonstrated a strong presence in various electoral battles. His contested seats in this election include Kamareddy, where he is leading against incumbent CM KCR, and in his stronghold Kodangal. The success sparked celebrations among state Congress party workers, with jubilant scenes witnessed at his residence and the party's state headquarters.

Despite facing criticism within the Congress for altering their leadership style as the state chief, Reddy received the backing of the party's high command. And his ascent within the Congress ranks was notable, with his emergence as a top contender for the chief minister's post in Telangana.

Revanth Reddy to be the new CM?

After the exit polls, TPCC president Revanth Reddy, who has been the face of the campaign, said the high command would decide who the CM would be, but he did not rule out running himself, as per various media reports.

Responding to reporters on the possibility of Reddy becoming Telangana's new CM, ex-PCC chief, and senior Congress leader Uttam Kumar Reddy said "it is not the right time to comment", adding, "We will wait for high command and then we will take action."

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar who is in Telangana as an AICC observer also responded to a similar question, stating, "He (Revanth Reddy) is the PCC president. He is the team leader. Our party will take the decision. The election was fought on collective leadership. I do not want to comment on K Chandrashekar Rao or KT Rama Rao, the people of Telangana have given them an answer."

Road to 2024 Lok Sabha Election win?

Uttam Reddy told reporters the party's success in Telangana can also be attributed to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

The outcome of the Telangana elections holds significance for the Congress party as it gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Securing victories in Karnataka and Telangana would solidify its influence in the Southern regions.

Not long ago, the Congress party seemed to have been disregarded entirely. However, a resurgence appears underway, attributed to various factors. These include perceived dissatisfaction among constituencies towards BRS MLAs, heightened enthusiasm stemming from the Karnataka triumph among party leaders and members, a decline in BJP's standing post the removal of Bandi Sanjay as Telangana unit chief, and a perception of collaboration between BRS, AIMIM, and BJP.

As per the EC website, BJP is leading in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, while Congress is way ahead of BRS in Telangana.

source: Livemint