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05/09/14 @ 6:41 am EST
Ande Parks Talks The Lone Ranger at Bleeding Cool! As The Lone Ranger series from Dynamite hits issue #24, it seemed like a good time for Byron Brewer to check in with series writer Ande Parks to see what he has in store for the Masked Man and his companion Tonto.
BYRON BREWER: So Ande, was this your attempt to put into comic book form the 1994 runaway bus film Speed, except this is on a train? (lol)
ANDE PARKS: I actually didn’t think of Speed, but it is a good analogy. The train’s speed is out of our heroes’ control. It creates, I hope, a tension throughout the entire issue.
This issue came from me wanting to do something very high energy and action-packed. The confined spaces of a train seemed like a good setting. Plus, I will confess that the big action sequence at the end of the Lone Ranger movie stuck with me. It featured a train, so that was probably a factor.
BB: It is taking me sometime to realize the Ranger left Silver behind on this one!
AP: I had to do some real thinking to work out what to do with the horses! I knew I wanted to have Lone Ranger leap from his horse to the train, but then what? I have Lone Ranger mention that the horses will be along soon on the last page, the idea being that they’ve been running along the rails throughout the issue, playing catch-up. Poor horses. I guess they’re used to working long hours with little reward. They’re good like that.
BB: Esteve Polls’ renderings of a runaway Iron Horse in Lone Ranger #24 are just breath-taking! The pacing and the sense of urgency in the characters enhance your script greatly. Your thoughts?
AP: I’ve been really lucky to have had Esteve interpret so many of my scripts. He’s a wonderful storyteller, and he’s perfect for these Western stories. He gives everyone in the stories, good and bad, a unique personality that really comes through. He draws the quiet moments well and, as you noted, he really delivers with the action, as well. I knew he’d make the most out of this train issue.
BB: Is it hard to find comic book artists that can portray the Lone Ranger’s time period with the rugged Western realism needed for these stories?
AP: Somewhat, yeah? Like I said, we’ve been so lucky to have Esteve, and the same goes for our whole team, including letterer Simon Bowland and colorist Marc Rueda.
Esteve sets the tone by getting the settings right. He really creates a credible world for our people to move around in, and I think that adds something to our stories. He always nails the saddles, the guns, the clothes… all that stuff. In my opinion, the realistic world Esteve creates around our characters makes their heroic deeds that much more powerful.
BB: With all the innocents involved in such a closed environment, the pacing on this tale is certainly different than some Lone Ranger fare. Was it hard to pull off?
AP: Actually, it was a little easier than an average issue. I had a certain number of action sequences I wanted to include. When I plotted out the issue page-by-page, those action moments pretty much dictated the pace for the whole thing. There wasn’t much room left to worry about!
The challenge was trying to make sure that the villains were more than just cardboard bad guys. Yeah… we wanted to keep thing moving, but you still have to get to know the villains and understand their agendas. Without that, the whole thing in meaningless.
BB: Can you tell us anything about our “unkillable” foe?
AP: The villain for this issue was born when I re-watched Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary with my kids awhile back. It got me thinking about John Brown. He was an interesting figure… a man who did some horrible things (and died himself) in service to a noble goal; to end slavery. I started to think about a character with the same zeal, but with a different goal; the emancipation of oppressed Native Americans.
So, I had an idea for a villain who might have good intentions, but I wanted to make him more interesting. In the solicitation copy for this issue, I wrote something about the heroes fighting an “unkillable” foe. I didn’t really know what that meant when I wrote it. When it came time to tell the story, I just had to figure it out. I came up with a solution that, I hope, is unique but makes sense for the character.
BB: What makes Lone Ranger and Tonto characters you continue to enjoy writing about, and ones fans never seem to tire of reading about?
AP: I realized after writing more than a dozen scripts (including our Death of Zorro book) with these characters when I realized that every one of them was, in a way, about the same thing; why these two men have decided to do this together. What binds them so closely? Their friendship is the core of the book, I think.
I also find The Ranger’s values appealing. He has been through tragedy, but he refuses to let the hardship darken his world view. He remains idealistic. Tonto is less so, and that makes the partnership more interesting.
BB: Is it hard to come up with new threats for the Ranger, locked in a period genre as it were? You certainly throw a ton of action his way in #24.
AP: It can be challenging, especially when telling single-issue stories as we have been recently. I just try to find something new for our characters to face. I start with a real world threat/theme that I find interesting, and try to add a little comic book jazz where I can.
I love the setting, and I try to mix in a little history whenever possible. It can’t be a history lesson, though. Yeah… we’re telling fairly realistic stories, but it’s still a comic book with good guys punching bad guys.
BB: Ande, any projects current or future you’d care to discuss?
AP: I’m writing a new thing for Dynamite. I don’t know how much they want to discuss that right now. I think I can say that crimes are committed. Lots of ‘em. So… keep an eye out for that. Thanks! 01/18/26 @ 2:23 pm EST
Fans are eager to see the upcoming Lanterns series on HBO and besides a still shot and a few seconds of footage, very little about the series is known at this point. We got our first comments about it from series star Kyle Chandler who will be playing one of the most well-known Green Lanterns, Hal Jordan. Chandler was being interviewed on the Today Show for his new film The RIP with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. During the interview he was asked about Lanterns and said, “I’ve never had as much fun shooting something as I did that. The people from the top to the bottom. I can’t say enough about Chris Mundy, and the producers, the DC folks. It was an excellent experience. I expect the show to be as good as the experience I had. Aaron Pierre, who I worked with, he and I had a great time.” The series is slated to be released later this year and comes from Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King. Joining Chandler and Pierre in the cast are Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner and then Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Jason Ritter, Poorna Jagannathan, and Paul Ben-Victor. There will be eight episodes and it is said to be mostly an Earth-based mystery set in the heartland of America with a True Detective vibe.  01/17/26 @ 12:41 pm EST
Netflix’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. has stirred plenty of speculation across Hollywood, but one message from the streamer’s leadership has been unusually clear: the theatrical experience isn’t going anywhere. In fact, if the sale closes, Netflix says it will strengthen Warner Bros.’ traditional theatrical model rather than shrink it. Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co‑CEO, has repeatedly emphasized that Warner Bros. films will continue to enjoy a 45‑day exclusive theatrical window—a stance that directly counters fears that Netflix would rush major releases to streaming. Sarandos described Warner Bros.’ theatrical distribution as a “phenomenal” engine that generates billions in revenue, insisting Netflix has no intention of putting that at risk. This commitment marks a notable shift in tone for Netflix, which historically prioritized streaming-first strategies. But after reviewing Warner Bros.’ financials, Sarandos acknowledged that the economics of theatrical releases are stronger than Netflix had previously modeled. He framed the 45‑day window not as a compromise but as a competitive strategy: Netflix wants to “win opening weekend” and “win box office,” embracing the same metrics that drive traditional studios. Industry observers have taken notice. While some feared the acquisition would accelerate the decline of theatrical exclusivity, Netflix’s public stance suggests a more balanced future—one where streaming power and box office ambition coexist. For now, at least, moviegoers can expect Warner Bros. films to keep lighting up big screens for a full month and a half before landing on Netflix’s platform.  01/17/26 @ 12:20 pm EST
The DCU is expanding with the casting of one of the universe’s biggest bads… Darkseid. While this seems to go against something co-studio head James Gunn has said previously about staying away from the cosmic threat, but this casting isn’t for Man of Tomorrow, but rather the upcoming Mister. Miracle animated series and you can’t really tell the story of Scott Free with mentioning his adopted daddy. Writer Tom King was on the Word Balloon podcast when he talked about the series that he is showrunning and said that they had cast Darkseid and Orion along with Mr. Miracle and Big Barda. If you’re not familiar with these characters, they are all part of the Fourth World Saga created by comic legend Jack Kirby during his short stint with DC Comics. It tells the story of two warring factions, the New Gods and the planet Apokolips and a deal that was made in an attempt for peace. The leaders of the factions, High Father and Darkseid, would exchange children… this sent Scott Free to be raised on the oppressive planet while Orion was sent to the peaceful New Genesis. Scott would become and escape artist, finding a way off of Apokolips with the female warrior, Barda, and eventually come to Earth. Exactly what part of that history the series will focus on is unclear, but we do know that Darkseid and the others will be involved. Gunn also confirmed on social media that the series will be cannon to the DCU that includes the recent Superman movie, the Peacemaker series and the animated Creature Commandos. This means that whoever is voicing these characters in the series would also play them in live action in the future and King has said that the Mister Miracle series will have big ramifications on the DCU as a whole. No word on when the series will debut, but with the casting already made, we can expect an announcement in the near future.  ... 01/10/26 @ 11:52 am EST
Takashi Yamazaki’s follow-up to the 2023 Godzilla Minus One is set to hit North American theaters on November 6th, 2026, three days after its premier in Japan. The Academy Award winning film took in $11.4 million in the US on its opening weekend and $57 million total during its domestic box office run. Godzilla Minus Zero is the second film in the franchise from Gkids since taking Toho acquired the company in 2024. David Jesteadt, president of Gkids, said in a statement: “Gkids is proud to bring Godzilla Minus Zero to North American audiences, following the incredible global reception of Godzilla Minus One. This next chapter is sure to become another defining moment for the most colossal monster ever to dominate the screen. It is only fitting that this bold, new Godzilla event be experienced in its fullest theatrical glory, and we’re honored that Toho has entrusted us to carry this legacy forward.” 
01/10/26 @ 11:38 am EST
As we get closer to the start of production on Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part 2, the cast starts to take shape with the second MCU veteran being added to the cast. We heard of Scarlet Johansson’s casting earlier in December and now multiple sources are saying Sebastian Stan has come on board as well, with the Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision report claiming that the actor who plays Bucky Barnes will now take on the role of District Attorney Harvey Dent aka Two-Face. This lines up with the rumors that Johansson would be playing Gilda Dent and that the story may be following the Long Halloween, a popular comic arch by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. While the story does focus on the Dents, many of the other characters in the story have already appeared in The Batman and The Penguin and have already been eliminated. Plus, the setting of the sequel is said to be set around a week after The Penguin series ended, just before Christmas. How ever the characters are used, if Stan is in the film, it then puts the fate of his MCU character in question as The Batman Part 2 will be filming around the same time as Avengers: Secret Wars. While the casting of both Stan and Johansson have not been made official, neither have they been denied by Reeves, James Gunn or DC Studios.  01/03/26 @ 1:19 pm EST
Deadline is reporting that Mike Flanagan is working on a new adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. Flanagan said his plan is to adapt the beloved franchise into a five-season series that would then be capped off by two stand-alone movies. The acclaimed horror director recently told Empire Magazine, “We’ve got a lot of scripts done for it. It’s the first priority.” He also made it clear that he doesn’t want the 2017 Idris Elba/ Matthew McConaughey film to be the final word on the property. That adaptation has a 16% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Though Flanagan and Intrepid Pictures have a deal with Amazon, the rights to the Dark Tower were specifically carved out of their arrangement and could end up with another studio, but Amazon is also a possibility. Flanagan is known for his work on films like Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep and the Life of Chuck as well as series like The Fall of the House of Ushers, The Midnight Club and Midnight Mass. He also came up with the initial story and script for the upcoming Clayface movie that was so strong that James Gunn and Peter Safran has to greenlight a body horror film starring a B-level Batman villain as the third film released in their new DCU.  01/03/26 @ 12:45 pm EST
Now that we’re in 2026, we need to keep an ear out for casting news for the two big DC Studios films shooting this year, Man of Tomorrow and The Batman Part 2. The Superman follow-up is the one going first and we already got the casting announcement for the main villain, Brainiac with the addition of German actor Lars Eidinger to the cast. There have been rumors that there was a female role being cast for a potential hero that many have assumed was going to be this universe’s Wonder Woman, and while that has not been confirmed, John Rocha of the Hot Mic podcast says his sources confirm that James Gunn is looking to cast the Amazon warrior for the film. That would make sense with the idea that DC is pushing Wonder Woman for a new film with Supergirl scribe Ann Nogueira said to be working on the script. This still falls into the rumor category, but Gunn has not debunked the story as of yet. With the film expected to begin production in the spring, more casting news is expected in the next few weeks/months, and we know that if the “scoopers” have it right, DC likes to get the news out their themselves as they did with Eidinger. So I wouldn’t trust any of the rumored castings as of now.  12/20/25 @ 12:26 pm EST
James Gunn took to social media this morning to welcome Lars Eidinger to the DCU and Man of Tomorrow in the role of Brainiac. Eidinger, while not a household name, is best known for his roles in Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper but also appeared in the recent Netflix film Jay Kelly. Gunn talked about a worldwide search for the iconic Superman villain led to Eidinger rising to the top. He will join David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult and Rachel Brosnahan as the film is expected to begin shooting in the spring of 2026 for a release in July of 2027. There have been multiple attempts to use Brainiac in a Superman film, but each attempt has fallen to the wayside, and his only live-action appearance so far was in the short-lived SciFi series Krypton where he was played by Blake Ritson. 
12/20/25 @ 11:25 am EST
After having begun production in August of this year, director Destin Daniel Cretton revealed that Spider-Man: Brand New Day has wrapped filming as of Friday. The film, which is set to premiere July 31st, 2026, features the return of Tom Holland as Peter Parker and is the first in the MCU franchise to not be directed by Jon Watts. Cretton wrote on Instagram, “I’m so deeply grateful for the people who walked with me through the biggest, most rewarding film I’ve ever been a part of. To our amazing cast, for breathing so much life into these beloved characters and moving us every day. To our unbelievable crew, who worked tirelessly with unmatched creativity and craftsmanship, who made me laugh so hard my stomach never stopped hurting. I love you all so much and can’t wait for the world to see your stunning work on the big screen. And of course, to @tomholland2013, for your kind, generous leadership on and off screen, for your relentless work ethic, your fearless performances, and for your friendship. That’s a wrap on Spider-Man: Brand New Day!” This is Cretton’s second MCU film after having helmed Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He has also produced the Wonder Man series set to debut on Disney+ next month.  12/06/25 @ 2:03 pm EST
Scarlett Johansson is said to be in negotiations to join the cast of the highly anticipated sequel, The Batman Part 2. While Warner Bros. has not officially revealed which character Johansson would portray, speculation is rife across social media and film forums. Many fans are hoping she will take on the role of a major antagonist or perhaps bring a new dimension to an existing character from the Batman lore. Johansson’s acclaimed work in action and drama—especially her iconic run as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—positions her as a compelling choice for a complex role in Gotham’s shadowy streets. The Batman Part 2 is currently in pre-production, with filming scheduled to commence in May of next year. The film is targeted for a theatrical release in 2026, although official dates may be subject to change. Director Matt Reeves returns to helm the sequel, ensuring continuity in the vision and tone that made the first installment a critical and box office success. Johansson’s addition is expected to boost the already stellar lineup led by Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Within hours of the announcement, social media platforms lit up with enthusiastic posts and trending hashtags. Speculation is running rampant with guesses of her role ranging from villains like Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn to love interests like Silver St. Cloud and Vickie Vale. One of the more popular suggestions is that Johansson could be playing Andrea Beaumont, a love interest and antagonist from the hit animated film Mask of the Phantasm. The casting has not been confirmed and neither the studio nor Reeves has commented since the story broke. 
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