A new Harley Quinn cartoon is coming to the DC Universe streaming service in 2019. As you can see in the first look video below, it is an adult cartoon version of the villain’s story featuring her friend Poison Ivy and we can also expect to see other appearances. The voice of Quinn will be provided by Kaley Cuoco (Big Bang Theory) who will also be an executive producer for the show. Warner Brothers Animation released the news and trailer at New York Comic Convention this year.
“The show, as dark as it is, it’s absolutely hilarious. The dialogue is hilarious. It starts out with her and Joker in this very crazy up and down relationship, and in the opening, they’re partners and once again Joker takes all the credit for all the mayhem, when she wants to be the biggest badass there is! She wants to be partners and Joker screws her over for the hundredth time. So finally, she gets the nerve to break up with him and she’s like, I’m done with this. I want to rule Gotham City. I want to do this. I want to be the badass queen. So, she gets her own team together, which is kind of the beginning of the series, getting her squad, getting this group behind her to help her kind of become the city’s worst nightmare. In a good way!”
Is how Cuoco describes the show in an IGN article, she also made the announcement on her Instagram.
There is some casting information from the Birds of Prey movie that is set to be released February 7, 2020. According to The Wrap, the actresses playing the roles of The Huntress, Black Canary, and Renee Montoya have been announced.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead courtesy of IMDb
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) will play The Huntress a vigilante former mafia princess.
Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Photo by Todd Williamson- Image courtesy of IMDb
Black Canary a skilled martial artist with an ultrasonic “Canary Cry” superpower will be played by Jurnee Smollett-Bell (True Blood).
The openly gay Gotham City Police Detective Renee Montoya will see Rosie Perez (Rise) taking that role. Rosie Perez posted the news on her Instagram page
We now also know the villain that will wreak havoc in the movie, Black Mask will be making his first on-screen debut. Black Mask is a drug kingpin in Gotham, who is obsessed with masks and is an enemy of Batman’s, it is unsure of his connection to the group of women.
“After splitting up with The Joker, Harley Quinn and three other female superheroes — Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya — come together to save the life of a little girl (Cassandra Cain) from an evil crime lord”
The Birds of Prey comic was created by Jordan B. Gorfinkel and Chuck Dixon and released in 1995; the first one was called “Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey.”
What are your thoughts about the casting? Let us know in the comments below!
Season one of Bad Blood was based on the 2015 book ‘Business or Blood: Mafia Boss Vito Rizzuto’s Last War’ by Antonio Nicaso and Peter Edwards. Giving a look at the Montreal, Quebec Canada Rizzuto crime family, including their rise and ending with their deaths. Through that journey, we meet Declan Gardiner (Kim Coates), Vito’s right-hand man and enforcer until there were problems in the family that made him take matters into his own hands.
If you haven’t seen the first episode of season two yet I would stop reading here. There will be spoilers from this point on.
In the season two premier titled “Who Are You”, it has been five years since the death of Vito Rizzuto, Declan is in sole control of the Montreal drug scene and is as ruthless as ever to keep it that way. It begins with a soliloquy from Declan about finding who you are.
“Who are you? Have you ever really asked yourself that? Chances are no. Because the world just tells you.”
He goes to Mexico to meet with Jorge Ramirez (Pedro Miguel Arce), a powerful and feared cartel boss to inquire about buying drugs directly through him. Declan is not doing this for more money, he is doing this because he does not want to answer to anyone. Ramirez, who only sells directly to a select few he can trust, says while doing research on Declan it was discovered that Ramirez’s cousin was stealing from him. After killing his cousin in front of Declan they reach a deal with a warning from Ramirez about how they do not make family suffer and Declan, is not family. As he drives away you hear his over voice.
“Who am I? I’m a gangster”
In Hamilton, Ontario Detective Bullock (Lisa Berry) and Ken Tucker (Eric Hicks) are in a car taking photographs and filming the Cosoleto family as they enter an Italian Club for a meeting. All of a sudden, another vehicle pulls up and two people get out and head into the building, Detective Bullock does not know who they are, as it is usually family only allowed to these meetings.
She has been following and working on taking down the Cosoleto family for many years as part of the organized crime department in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Inside the two newcomers who are introduced as Teresa Langana (Anna Hopkins) and Christian Langana (Johnny Falcone) from the head family in Italy and inform Domenic Cosoleto (Louis Ferreira) that they are here to help by doing three things, expand their territory, diversify their product and increase local profits. The only thing in their way stopping them from taking Montreal is Declan Gardiner.
Detective Bullock has been working on taking down the Cosoleto family for a while, so she has some confidential informants. One of her informants turns out to be Val (Melanie Scrofano), the wife of mob boss Nats Cosoleto (Dylan Taylor).
She wants Val to tell her what she knows about the newcomers and why they are here, but all Val has is their names. Tucker asks how she got Val to be her informant, Detective Bullock says she caught Val on tape cheating on her husband with a man from her son’s daycare.
Back in Montreal, Declan is trying to expand his points of entry to deliver his product, so he visits an old friend’s sister Rose Sunwind (Sharon Taylor) to make an offer. With their reserve, the Sunwind family have been moving contraband cigarettes for over a decade and is only listening to Declan’s offer because of their history. After a bit of negotiating, they come to a deal.
Teresa and her brother Christian go to the port of Montreal to talk and see if they can make a deal with them, but they are loyal to Declan and say no. Teresa calls Domenic to set up a meeting with Declan (this should be interesting). In that process another informant of Detective Bullock is shown, Gabriel a member of the biker motorcycle club calls with brief information about a new meet up.
Declan agrees to meet with the Langana twins to hear what they have to say. They make an offer and want Declan to work for them, his response.
“As long as I’m above ground, I don’t work for anyone, ever”
At the port of Montreal, you see the Langana twin’s bodyguard driving a big rig and with the help of a not so loyal port worker, he takes Declan’s shipment and drives off. When the head of the port calls Declan to tell him that the shipment left he is confused, his driver is not there and did not even have the pin code yet. Declan’s burner phone starts to ring and when he answers it, Teresa says that their offer is still available for 24 hours and that they will hold onto the shipment for him.
Are the Langana twins biting off more than they can handle going after Declan? How will Declan handle the new comers? Will this lead Detective Bullock to Declan?
Only time will tell.
You can watch Bad Blood Thursdays on CityTV.
If you missed it here is a look at the season two premiere episode from the Bad BloodTwitter page.
Stephen Amell has been having a massive amount of fun teasing fans about the upcoming DC Universe crossover event, called “Elseworlds”. His tweet showing his name on a chair card for The Flash certainly started speculation, but it’s his latest tweet that has everyone talking. It shows Barry and Oliver have traded places. In this Freaky Friday-esque switch, Barry is now the Green Arrow and Oliver is now the Flash.
Is this something that is actually going to happen or is Amell just messing with us? Guess we’ll be waiting for the crossover event to find out. It starts Sunday, December 9th at 8/7c.
Christopher Robin, the heartwarming Winnie-the-Pooh live-action film can be yours to own on November 6. Bring the magic home on Digital, Blu-Ray, or DVD and relive the adventure as Winnie the Pooh and his friends brave the world of mid-century London to help a new grown Christopher Robin rediscover the simple pleasures in life.
Parents who grew up with these characters can now enjoy this new take on the classic characters with their children. Bonus features include a deep dive into the creation of Christopher Robin with a look at actors’ strategies for working with stuffed animals, the artistry needed to bring these characters alive, and so much more.
Christopher Robin will be available in a variety of formats. Blu-Ray and Digital HD bonus features will include four behind the scenes looks with filmmakers, cast, voice actors, and a journey into the past as you discover how Walt Disney met Pooh.
Exclusive digital bonus content introduces viewers to the original teddy bear and his friends who inspired the tales of Winnie the Pooh for nearly a century.
Ruth Connell has launched her BeWitch campaign with Stands, benefiting My Hope Chest.
Ruth Connell, known for her role as the powerful witch Rowena MacLeod on the show Supernatural, has recently launched a campaign titled “BeWitch” with Stands.
The off-the-shoulder top and T-shirts (available in women’s and unisex) feature a protection symbol in purple and silver with the word “BeWitch” in silver across it. The campaign also features a black hex bag with a silver scripted R, a stainless steel flask with the word “Brew” in purple, and a necklace with a pendant featuring the “Slay” design from Ruth’s first campaign and a tag pendant that says “The Witch is Back.”
Ruth’s campaign with Stands is to support My Hope Chest, a nonprofit that supports breast cancer survivors and helps with the costs of reconstructive surgery.
Ruth answered some questions for Nerds and Beyond about the campaign, her chosen charity, and reclaiming witchcraft. Check out our conversation below, and click here to join the campaign.
NERDS AND BEYOND: Why did you decide to do this campaign?
RUTH CONNELL: I support My Hope Chest. It’s a very small charity and a big thing that people can do to help is to follow them on social media and give them more of a presence online because that helps them get bigger sponsorship. So I can help raise awareness about My Hope Chest and we give a percentage and that’s what usually happens. So I think that’s important but I’m proud of the campaign because I like the top. We took time. This is something I would wear, and the hip flask and I love that, I love the idea of the brew brouhaha. I want the campaign to do well like as a business. I’m quite proud of it.
I’m interested in spreading the coolness of witches and I do this Wednesday Witch Wisdom that I’m trying to do as often as I can because I’m learning so much about where the definition of witch/witches came from and I think it’s in the last four or five years in popular culture that that really changed, and I’m really proud, like I have learned something about it because I play a witch.
I want the campaign to do well because I want Rowena to do well and the fans to do well. I love that the fandom responds, that they care about what I’m doing or Rowena. So to me it’s about a lot of different things as well as the charity. So yeah, Alaina (Huffman) and I talk about that, cause we live in America and it’s OK to be like…to want to do well. It’s not just about being a good person and giving something back. I want to contribute in different ways.
NERDS AND BEYOND: Why do you support My Hope Chest?
RUTH CONNELL:My Hope Chest is the only charity in America that does what it does, and it’s paid for about 50 different women’s reconstructions after breast cancer. What can happen is that you’re underinsured and also what can happen is you don’t make the decision quickly enough about having the reconstruction and then it’s too late. I just think dealing with cancer is one thing, dealing with the cost of cancer is another, dealing with the fact that you can’t afford, can’t have reconstruction or something that can help you heal. Not everyone wants it, but the thought of someone not being able to have breasts or implants or whatever it is that’s going to help them heal, the thought of them not being able to have that after going through the ordeal of cancer to me is really awful.
So [My Hope Chest] is a small charity and they have partnerships with different surgeons and they raise money slowly one by one; they pay for this person’s reconstruction, and you get to know the different individuals. So it’s not a big humongous charity, it’s run by someone who’s gone through it herself and who calls herself the “Lop-sided Showgirl,” because she had to go through losing one breast.
To me, it’s a woman’s charity, it’s something I can identify with, care about and where the results are tangible and practical. This thing about breast cancer awareness is there’s no such charity as breast cancer awareness. It’s a marketing ploy in that a lot of these things are contributing 1%. Either they’re selling a pink pen or something and they’re benefiting more than any charitable aspect to do with practically helping people.
NERDS AND BEYOND: What does the design itself mean to you?
RUTH CONNELL: I love off the shoulder things. I like to be comfortable so it’s not tight on your waist or form fitting, so you can let your belly hang out. This is the protection symbol and I asked the fans. I was like, I love the word glamour and like the way it’s spelled different ways and like magic and the way it’s spelled different ways. And I liked bewitch, you know to beguile, but I also like that it’s be witch, like be a witch and all the connotations. It’s like reclaiming the word boss or bossy. To me, there is a lot of different meanings and I love the purple and I think that’s affiliated with Rowena. I love the fact that she’s got these violet eyes. So there’s many different things, a lot of thought going into it.
Brew made me laugh, like in Scotland, you say “Ya, Irn Bru,” and that’s actually a drink, and witches with brouhaha and we still have “slay” and “The Witch is Back” because you know Rowena keeps coming back. So a lot of thought went into all the little bits and pieces. And the little hex bags, which you can put whatever you want in them, and the fact that they’re like $2.99, so everyone can have something from the campaign… So we’ve got all the different price points and the only thing we don’t have is a hoodie, but maybe we’ll keep that for when we do support something else or do a different thing.
NERDS AND BEYOND: How do you hope people feel when they wear something from the campaign?
RUTH CONNELL:I hope they feel fabulous and that’s a word that I improvised very early on with Rowena. In like my first speaking episode with (Supernatural executive producer) Bob Singer, he was like “Do you want a writing credit as well?” It’s one of the things I enjoy about Rowena, she’s not afraid to be fabulous and I think you know having an off-the-shoulder top or having something that says “BeWitch,” something that’s fun and I think it’s a good design, like I like the things. I don’t want like a… my taste is not to have something that’s just a logo slapped on. I hope people feel a little slinky, classy, sexy, fabulous, and I hope they feel part of it. I hope they feel in touch with their own bewitching abilities, their own magic. That’s the fun about witchcraft and reclaiming it and what it means to be a witch.
NERDS AND BEYOND: So you were pretty hands-on with the design?
RUTH CONNELL: I’m a pain in the ass, yeah. Actually when they would ask me something and then I would come back straight away with “That’s great,” they would be like “Are you okay?” Stands would ask, “Are you okay?” when I just said something was great, because I would be like “Can the R on the hex bag be a little bit bigger” and they would send me the same one and I was like “that’s great” and they’d said “It’s the same thing!” So I’m like pernickety…I couldn’t sell something I didn’t like. I wouldn’t do that or want to be associated with something like that. I like this so I’m happy to be associated, otherwise I don’t want to do it.
NERDS AND BEYOND: Other than the money raised, how do you think a campaign like this can affect change in the world or for people in general?
RUTH CONNELL:Growing up I didn’t have a lot of clothes and things, and not to be totally consumerist about it, but I use clothes and accessories now as an adult. I’m an actor, to me, I wear something, that’s like a costume, like I feel different according to what I wear and I do think it is like a badge, like I’m a part of this team or I’m part of this thing which is a big part of being in this family. So I hope it’s fun, I want to see pictures of people having taken the pendants and turn them into an earring or made them into bracelets, feeling good in their tops, or feeling like they’ve got the protection symbol, that they’re proud to be a witch. I hope it’s fun and empowering, in that way if it’s a tiny little change like a butterfly flap, wing flap ripple effect, then that’s good enough.
NERDS AND BEYOND: What are your hopes and goals for 2019 or the end of this year?
RUTH CONNELL: I’m excited. Our careers, when you’re freelance or self-employed, are so up and down and I work hard as everybody does all the time and sometimes you have a burst forward and then a stagnant period. And I just had some changes happen last week. Again it’s like do you talk things into existence or do you jinx it by saying, but I’m excited and I feel like I’ve got roots now in America and Los Angeles. I am developing, I work on myself constantly and with other people’s help. I’m riding ups and downs slightly better, I think, so I’m excited for that. I’m excited for my career, for what can be added, and I’m excited about feeling empowered in my own femininity and in the feminine, rather than femininity, and I’m tapping into my powers of magnetizing. So I’m excited in lots of different ways and I am also excited to even go home at Christmas for the New Year and connect with my family, go to my friend’s wedding. So I feel optimistic and I have to tell you, I don’t care how it looks, but my psychic lady was like this year has been about putting things in place, so things will come to fruition next year. So I’d rather be a silly optimist, than to be too pragmatic…maybe a tightrope is a bad analogy but there’s always like a middle path the way through and when you’re a sensitive type, you can be like “it’s terrible” or “it’s brilliant” and it is really there can be like finding this middle so the pendulum isn’t swinging crazy.
NERDS AND BEYOND: Finally, what would your lightsaber color be if you were in Star Wars?
RUTH CONNELL: It would be like a violet purple and I also think that’s, it’s one of the chakra colors, this one here [points to her forehead], so like purple, ultraviolet yeah. Not quite like Rowena’s eyes, which I just, I can’t believe I got that color, I don’t think anyone else has had that color….so like that ultraviolet, kinda purple-y blue, that “you’re not actually sure what it is” color, cause it’s okay for it to be a mysterious color you can’t quite name.
Matt Cohen dropped some big news today – he’s launching a crowdfunding campaign through Indiegogo to direct a short film, titled Mama Bear! We got the opportunity to sit down with Matt and he told us all about it!
The short was written by Lee Ehlers and Matt will direct it. The short, as Matt told us, has a female main character that, “has 24 hours to save her four year old and find him a liver transplant, and the only viable donor is the ex-kingpin/drug lord/piece of s*** boyfriend of hers.” Matt talked about wanting to see a kick-ass female on screen, and wanting it to feel like, “the female Punisher in a sense.” It’s slated to be a short film, which he hopes will eventually turn into a feature-length film.
Mama Bear will star Matt’s wife, the incredibly talented Mandy Musgrave (South of Nowhere, Kings of Con) as the title character. He told us that he was excited to showcase Mandy’s return back to acting. He could not rave about her enough, and we’re so excited to see Mandy’s return!
Other familiar names will appear in the short that you may know, including Rob Benedict, Richard Speight, Jr., Kim Rhodes, Briana Buckmaster, Jason Manns, Jim Beaver, and Adam Fergus.
Matt hopes to keep the campaign open through production, so he can update perks from filming. He also wants to provide video diaries to take fans through the process of the project. As of now, his plans are to shoot the short in four days, with production hopefully wrapping in mid-November.
He stated that this is the result of all of the fans, and that, “this is something I get to do with you guys…I’ve sat in many meet and greets, talked about directing, and fans have looked at me and gone, ‘okay, so go and do it. When are you going to do it?’ Now. I’m gonna do it right now.” Matt goes on to state, “the fans have kept our hearts pumping for years now.”
This is Matt’s dream, and he’s sharing it with all of us. One thing is for sure, we’ll all be here to help him achieve it.
Find out more about the Indiegogo campaign here, and let’s support Matt!
For the past few months, Briana Buckmaster has been teasing her voice-over work on a cartoon, and we just learned which show it was for! Briana is the voice of Lil Mama in the Canadian cartoon, Chip and Potato.
Photo courtesy of Family Jr.
Buckmaster announced the name of the show and gave a few details at one of her panels at the Supernatural convention in Cleveland along with sharing the news via Twitter. The tweet even includes the opening theme song of Chip and Potato where you can hear a little snippet of Briana singing if you listen closely.
You can now see me as ‘Lil Mama’ in Chip and Potato everyweek on @Family_Channel Junior here in Canada. Available internationally on Netflix early 2019. 💛💛💛 pic.twitter.com/NfPZs2YLkg
— B R I A N A B U C K M A S T E R (@OfficialBrianaB) October 15, 2018
According to Family Jr, the cartoon is about a little pug named Chip and her best friend, Potato, who everyone thinks is a toy but is actually a mouse! The adorable duo is always side by side as they start kindergarten and take on all-new challenges of growing up. Other characters include Lil Papa (Chip’s father), Spud (Chip’s brother), and Niko (a friend).
A press release from CBS8 shared the schedule for the airing of new episodes. Chip and Potato‘s first episode airs on Family Channel Jr. in Canada on October 15th. More episodes are being released nightly from October 15-19, and then weekly on Mondays at 7pm ET.
Sadly, the cartoon is only available in Canada right now, but will be released on Netflix in early 2019 based on Briana’s tweet.
We look forward to seeing and hearing Briana Buckmaster as the lovable Lil Mama in her new show.
Louden Swain, Jason Manns and Briana Buckmaster are set to play in Georgia in December at Eddie’s Attic, and they have now rolled out a fun new option – to have brunch with them!
We’re back with another fandom photographer spotlight! This spotlight is on Megan of Stardust and Melancholy! Read below to see her answers, as well as some of her amazing photos!
Nerds and Beyond: How long have you been doing photography and how did you get started?
Megan: I really started doing photography a bit in high school, but then I didn’t go forward with it at university, which I really regret. It wasn’t until I started going to conventions that I started photography again, and it all went from there.
Nerds and Beyond: What originally inspired you to start doing fandom (cons, concerts, etc.) photography?
Megan: I think I just wanted a record of being there to begin with, then I found it became this challenge for me to try to capture it in a unique way. It’s actually a lot more complicated than I think people believe, especially to really put your stamp on it.
Nerds and Beyond: What fandoms are you most known for photographing?
Megan: Supernatural. I’ve done some multi-cons here in Australia and I would love to photograph some of the big ones in the US like San Diego Comic Con, but I haven’t done that yet.
Nerds and Beyond: What equipment are you usually using?
Megan: I use a Canon 5D Mk III and for cons I usually use my 70-300mm lens. For portraits I’ll use a prime lens like an 85mm, or a 24-70mm. If I want to try new lenses and equipment I try to rent them, because photography is expensive!
Nerds and Beyond: Which events are typically your favorite to photograph?
Megan: The Louden Swain Saturday Night Special is a lot of fun to photograph; it’s very raw and emotional. I used to love shooting Karaoke too, because it was so frenetic and gave you a chance to try weirder framing. I love anything that looks like it can’t possibly be contained in a frame – lots of people on photo critic Facebook groups etc will talk about rule of thirds, and weighted composition etc. And those things are good to know, of course they are! Photography does have rules but it can be a lot of fun to break them. Portraits are a huge challenge for me that I’m trying to improve on. I love doing them so much, I just wish I was better at it!
Nerds and Beyond: What would you say right now, is your favorite photo you’ve ever taken?
Megan: I’m a terrible critic of myself, so I honestly don’t know. There are some that I’m proud of and know I worked hard to get, and then there are some that seem quite throwaway and you come back to them later and think, oh, why did I ignore this? It’s really difficult though, because I often have a very set image in my head especially with portraits, and I never feel like I measure up to it when I physically do it.
Nerds and Beyond: If given the opportunity are there any celebrities that you’d like to work with?
Megan: I’d like to photograph everyone I’ve photographed again. And Chris Pine.
Nerds and Beyond: Are there any other photographers who personally inspire you or whose work inspires you?
Megan: There’s so many. Chris Schmelke is a big influence on me not just his work but his whole ethos around being generous and open with other photographers. That’s a huge deal. Celebrity photographers like Maarten de Boer, Victoria Will, Nino Muñoz. Wildlife photographers like Marina Cano and Randal Ford. Political photographers like Pete Souza.
Nerds and Beyond: Do you have any advice, tips, tricks or words of wisdom for other photographers/aspiring photographers?
Megan: It can be so, so easy to feel like you’re not getting anywhere. You have peaks and troughs with photography like any other art form. And it can feel really bad, but as long as you still love it even when you hate it you definitely shouldn’t give up. No one else sees the world or the people and creatures in it the same way that you do. That’s your superpower.
Nerds and Beyond: Do you have an online store or website where we can see more of your work?
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![Interview: Matt Cohen Talks Directing and Launching Indiegogo Campaign for Short Film ‘Mama Bear’ [EXCLUSIVE]](https://i0.wp.com/www.nerdsandbeyond.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Screen-Shot-2018-10-13-at-8.34.16-PM.png?fit=696%2C369&ssl=1 "Interview: Matt Cohen Talks Directing and Launching Indiegogo Campaign for Short Film ‘Mama Bear’ [EXCLUSIVE]")
