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Robert Downey Jr. is coming back into the MCU, but not as Tony Stark. He will come into the MCU as a different character, and this time as a villain. He’s taking on the iconic role of Doctor Doom.

This has seen mixed reactions from fans. After all, he’s already made his mark on the MCU. Well, he’s not the only actor to step back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe but as a different character. Here are 13 who have done it before him, and some of them may surprise you.

Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) © 2011 - Paramount Pictures Chris Evans as Johnny Storm and Captain America

The most obvious one, especially thanks to Deadpool & Wolverine, is Chris Evans. He initially stepped into the MCU as Johnny Storm, aka The Human Torch, in the first bunch of Fantastic Four movies as the MCU got off the ground.

When the first Iron Man movie skyrocketed the MCU, the fandom never thought that the cinematic universe would extend into a detailed experience that would be both entertaining and emotionally impactful. The MCU started off with lighthearted superhero stories where anyone rarely died, and characters had less traumatic stories. While the MCU has stayed somewhat true to the comics, it has also taken the liberty to add its own touch to these timeless stories.

Moral flexibility isn't Marvel's strongest suit, but some moments in the cinematic universe gave the viewers chills. Whether it was Tony Stark's fateful snap or heroes lost along the way, the MCU managed to pull darkness into its stories by adding tormenting scenes to influence the audience.

People Turning to Ash Instead of Disappearing After The Blip Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

In the comics, people simply vanish with many heroes wondering what happened immediately.

Avengers: Infinity War...

The following contains major spoilers for Grace Series 4, Episode 4, "Love You Dead," now streaming on BritBox. It also contains discussion of suicide.

Grace Series 4 comes to an end with "Love You Dead," an episode that feels exactly like a TV season finale. That's both its strength and its weakness. The installment captures why the ITV and BritBox series has found its place in British television, but it also falls into a couple of the most familiar crime drama tropes to get where it needs to go. The result is a season finale that's entertaining in spite of several points that the audience has seen before, thanks once again to an incredible cast.

Series 4, Episode 4, "Love You Dead" revolves around the murder of a New York-based CEO named Eric Klein, who is revealed to have deep connections to the Italian mafia. However, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace finds a connection between Eric's...

Marvel Studios has never explained why Ego is so different from the other Celestials seen in the MCU. One new theory suggests that Ego may have been created by the High Evolutionary, who may have been trying to build his own Celestial for several years. If he had built Ego, the High Evolutionary would be the most powerful villain in the entire MCU, and he could still return to wreak havoc in the future.

A wild new theory answers a burning, seven-year-old MCU mystery, while also changing the ending of Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy film series is one of the McU's most popular, and has explored the franchise's cosmos more than any other. Delving into the depths of space meant that Gunn had the opportunity to introduce some of Marvel's strangest, most powerful, and most otherworldly villains into the MCU,...

De-aging CGI has come a long way since the prologue to 2006's "X-Men: The Last Stand" turned Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen into abominations out of a Robert Zemeckis motion-capture nightmare. 2023's "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," for example, allowed an octogenarian Harrison Ford to shed several decades in a generally convincing manner for its own extended opening flashback. Yet, no matter how much the tech improves, this approach is always going to be hampered by the fact that our brains intuitively seek our flaws once we know something has been digitally-rendered (hence the uncanny valley effect). Going to the opposite extreme isn't necessarily the solution either, as practical makeup and effects aren't without similar limitations.

To quote one of the sacred texts of the internet: Why not both? That's exactly what "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" did for the opening scene in which the younger version...

Wanda uses chaos magic to silence the innocent victims trapped in Westview, cementing her inadvertent villain turn. Ego casually admits to placing the fatal tumor in Meredith Quill's brain, the most twisted moment in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The Illuminati heroes are gruesomely slaughtered by Wanda in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, making their sudden deaths even more disturbing.

Throughout the sprawling narrative of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the franchise has delivered several particularly twisted moments. The movies and TV shows of the MCU have built one of the most successful shared universes in all pop culture, weaving a huge and interconnected story across multiple releases. The franchise’s adaptations of the characters and stories of Marvel Comics have proved massively popular, dominating the box office with their fantastical action, high-stakes drama, and renowned use of levity. However, the MCU isn’t always purely lighthearted,...

Thanos shed a tear when sacrificing his daughter for the Soul Stone, showing regret for his actions in the name of the universe. Star-Lord rejected his god-like powers to help others, proving that true heroism lies in making the right choices rather than relying on superpowers. Vision's sacrifice for the greater good was rendered pointless as Thanos effortlessly reversed it, highlighting the hopeless situation of Avengers: Infinity War.

When it comes to carrying out the duties of a superhero, tragic sacrifices are a dime a dozen; but there are a number in the MCU that cost some characters more than others. While making the "ultimate sacrifice" and laying down one's life for the betterment of earth, the universe, or the multiverse is perhaps the most cut-and-dry example, the MCU has a knack for upping the stakes and portraying sacrifices that can surpass even that. These sacrifices aren't too black-and-white to...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has housed many accomplished and diverse performances over the years from the talented actors that have graced its various movies and TV shows. That also includes the many performances from actors who played characters that were practically wasted as their storylines carried little to no significance to their movie and TV shows' respective plots. The Captain America: First Avenger film featured a couple of hidden talents who have since made careers for themselves. One of them was actress Jenna Coleman, who briefly appeared as Connie, Sebastian "Bucky" Barnes' date at the beginning of the film. Coleman then starred in BBC's Doctor Who as the Doctor's trusty companion, Clara Oswald. Then there's actress Laura Haddock, who appeared in Captain America as an autograph seeker but then went on to play a different character in the MCU as Peter Quill's mother, Meredith Quill, in Guardians of the Galaxy.

The Guardians of the Galaxy have often consisted of some of the most dangerous people in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That included selfish, murderous and downright mean individuals like Nebula, Gamora and Rocket Raccoon. But their charm came from the fact that even with their pasts, they learned to be a family and be better individuals to themselves and others. Nebula was always the first to come to mind considering she started as a villain, but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 proved that even Star-Lord had a dark side.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was unique in execution as it didn't have the team guarding the galaxy but rather doing what they could to protect one of their own. However, with a race against time and the life of a friend on the line, there was little time to mess around. This meant that even Star-Lord had to...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Guardians of the Galaxy isn't a completely faithful interpretation of the team or its characters. For example, Drax, in the movies, was always an alien rather than a human spirit placed in the body of The Destroyer. Also, the comics' High-Evolutionary never created Rocket Raccoon like he did in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. But perhaps the biggest change involved the parentage of Peter Quill and who his father really was.

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Star-Lord's father was revealed to be Ego the Living Planet, a Celestial that appeared benevolent but was instead a being hoping to spread himself across the galaxy. But doing this meant killing the hundreds of children he'd fathered until he found the perfect one who could harness his power. However, in the comics, Peter's father was a violent warlord named J'son of Spartax who led a powerful empire.

Even though Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was the end of the lovable ragtag Guardians of the Galaxy team as we know it, we know it's not the end for our favorite Guardian, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), A.K.A, the Star-Lord. In fact, when looking at one small Easter egg from the latest MCU film, Peter's journey may be just beginning and may become more significant than we had ever thought.

We see at the very end of Vol. 3 the words "The legendary Star-Lord will return," right after a short scene of Quill eating cereal with his grandpa Jason (Gregg Henry). Quill found his grandpa again, seeking his last living family on Earth after the original Guardians team members went their separate ways, splitting up like the classic bands they so loved. Grandfather and grandson are relaxing with each other, comfortable together after decades separated. But Grandpa Quill...

Out of all its many entries, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) is the Marvel Cinematic Universe's masterpiece. From the opening frame to the heartbreaking finale, it contains the franchise's best combination of excellent screenwriting, brilliant visual storytelling, musical integration, and character development in any of its features so far. The stakes are higher even than those in Infinity War/Endgame, the emotional impact is perfectly focused, and the narrative theme of found family weaves so perfectly throughout every scene that each line and shot of the film serves to commentate on the true message of the picture: that there is more beauty in simple everyday love than in all the power in the universe.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2's Soundtrack Is a Thematic Masterwork

Starting from the opening scene, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 wove the thematic core concept into place. As young Ego and Meredith Quill drive...

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 brings back its eponymous team for one last adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The tear-filled trilogy-ending film features fan-favorite characters like Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Mantis, Nebula, and more in what may very well be their last live-action appearance for the foreseeable future.Related: Rocket Raccoon's 10 Funniest Quotes In The MCUAs packed as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's star-studded cast may be, it was missing several characters. In fact, several cast members from the previous two Guardians of the Galaxy films didn't return for the big finale.

Charlie-27 – Ving Rhames

Ving Rhames has a cameo at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, appearing during Yondu's Ravager funeral. Rhames portrays Charlie-27, a member of Stakar Ogord's original Ravager crew, who now appears to be captain of his own team. One of the film's post-credit scenes promises this team's return in future films.

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3!Star-Lord's grandpa's name in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 might tease a shocking change to Peter Quill's backstory for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU has revealed plenty of information about Star-Lord's past throughout the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. His mother died when he was only eight years old, leading to him being abducted by Yondu, who was on orders to deliver Peter to Ego, his Celestial father. It was not until Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 that Star-Lord met his father and a bigger family tree became possible, leading to the revelation that Mantis is Peter's sister.

While Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is primarily focused on telling Rocket's story, including his tragic backstory, the film also does include some important development for Star-Lord. This includes his return to Earth in Guardians of...

Star-Lord’s controversial Avengers: Infinity War scene is still being debated to this day, but several things in the MCU may change how it’s viewed. The MCU is well past the Infinity Saga, with the main threat now being the multiverse and most of the consequences of the Blip being resolved. However, Star-Lord’s decision to punch Thanos in Infinity War still draws up debate about his role in the fate of the universe.

When the Avengers on Titan were fighting Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, there was a crucial Star-Lord moment that many debated cost the Avengers the battle. Peter Quill punches Thanos in a fit of rage after learning that the Mad Titan sacrificed Gamora for the Soul Stone, loosening Mantis’ grip and freeing Thanos. On first watch, Star-Lord’s moment of anger is what costs the team the Infinity Gauntlet and subsequently leads to the Snap.

As Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to culminate the Guardians series, here is every important story, character, and team detail that could be crucial to the story of the titular team's fourth mainline MCU outing. The Guardians first appeared in the MCU in 2014 as a ragtag group of outlaws who banded together to save the galaxy from the threat of Ronan. Since then, the team has become the second-most popular MCU team besides the Avengers, with each character having a broad story told between their introduction and Guardians Vol. 3.

From the mainline Guardians sequel of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 to the Marvel Studios Special Presentation of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, the team has evolved since 2014. Aside from these MCU entries, however, the Guardians have played roles in other projects like Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Thor: Love and Thunder. With Disney's...

Here is how Star-Lord and Mantis are siblings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe during Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise has always had a focus on family, specifically that of Peter Quill. The first movie revealed how Peter's journey to becoming Star-Lord began after he was kidnapped by Yondu shortly after his mother, Meredith Quill, died from cancer. While he did not know his father, Star-Lord first found a family with Yondu and the Ravagers. But, the formation of the Guardians of the Galaxy brought a new found family into his life thanks to the bond between him, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot.

It was not until Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 that Mantis entered the franchise and became part of Star-Lord's life. She was revealed to be working with Ego the Living Planet, who is Peter's biological father. This marked the beginning...

The Guardians of the Galaxy are some of the most popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and in addition to their own movies, they have teamed up with other MCU characters in some of this universe’s most significant battles. After introducing the Avengers and establishing that danger isn’t exclusive to Earth, the MCU began to expand with the exploration of its cosmic side and introduced a team of space misfits in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014. The Guardians quickly won over the hearts of the audience, and the success of their debut movie made way for not only two sequels but also appearances in other MCU movies.

Led by Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), the Guardians of the Galaxy have taken the audience to different planets and have come across an interesting variety of villains – from Kree warriors to a Celestial...

Continuity is the bane of shared universe stories. Comic creators and fans have long wrestled with the difficulties of maintaining a single ongoing story told by hundreds of different collaborators over a series of decades. DC Comics has used multiple crises to explain why Batman is sometimes a lone creature of the night and sometimes a member of the very public Justice League, before finally embracing Hypertime and insisting that it’s all canon. Under the reign of editor Stan Lee, Marvel adopted the No-Prize, handing out an empty envelope to anyone who could provide a compelling reason for Spider-Man complaining about his empty bank account in one issue and then splurging on a pizza in the next.

But as shared universe storytelling makes its way into live-action television and film, the MCU has another tool available: post-production editing. That tool was on display when fans noted a difference between...

Restart the clock on the 104 days of summer vacation: Phineas and Ferb is returning to Disney.

Co-creator Dan Povenmire has signed an overall deal with Disney Branded Television. As part of the deal, he’ll deliver two more seasons of Phineas and Ferb — totaling 40 episodes — and a second season of Hamster & Gretel, which debuted on Disney Channel in August 2022. He’ll also develop other projects.

“Dan is renowned for his ability to create universally beloved stories and characters with both heart and humor,” said Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis in a statement. “We couldn’t be happier to continue our collaboration with him and bring back the iconic Phineas and Ferb in a big way.”

Phineas and Ferb, created by Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, officially premiered on Disney Channel in 2008 (after a pair of teaser episodes in summer 2007) and became the highest-rated series among kids 6-11 and...

A revival of “Phineas and Ferb” from original series creator Dan Povenmire has been ordered under Povenmire’s new overall deal with Disney Branded Television.

40 new episodes of the iconic animated series will be produced, which will be split up into two seasons. The announcement was made by Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, during the Television Critics Association winter press tour. Under the deal, Povenmire’s most recent show “Hamster & Gretel” will also return for a second season.

“Dan is renowned for his ability to create universally beloved stories and characters with both heart and humor,” said Davis. “We couldn’t be happier to continue our collaboration with him and bring back the iconic ‘Phineas and Ferb’ in a big way.”

Per the official logline, “‘Phineas and Ferb’ depicts two resourceful stepbrothers who conquer boredom and make every day of summer vacation count, often to the chagrin of their sister Candace.

The Recruit features an up-and-coming star in an action-packed role, along with a strong cast of old and new faces. An eight-episode spy thriller, The Recruit can be described as "Jack Ryan meets James Bond," with the main character Owen Hendricks having to step up for a deadly mission despite not having the experience or the skills. Owen's journey involves reluctant allies, potential traitors, and long-time friends in a relatively large set of characters.

The newest Netflix action show may feel slower at the beginning, but just like Jack Ryan goes from an accountant to a special agent in Jack Ryan season 1, Owen Hendricks goes from a recently graduated lawyer to an agent responsible for avoiding an internal crisis within the CIA. With a mixture of action, comedy, and romance, Netflix's The Recruit is different enough from similar shows in the genre. From long-time Netflix collaborators to new talent, here's The Recruit's cast guide.

Plot: Owen Hendricks is a young CIA lawyer whose first week on the job turns upside down when he discovers a threatening letter by former asset Max Meladze, who plans to expose the agency unless they exonerate her of a serious crime. Owen quickly becomes entangled in a dangerous and often absurd world of power politics and mischievous players, as he travels the world in hopes of completing his assignment and making a mark at the CIA.

Review: It seems like a risky move for Netflix to premiere their new spy series just a week before Prime Video debuts the third season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. The Recruit and the John Krasinski-led thriller center on CIA employees with military backgrounds who get pulled from their regular duties to become field operatives. The most significant difference between the two series is The Recruit has a much lighter tone...

Warning! Contains spoilers for the Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special!

Marvel's original plan for Guardians of the Galaxy would have made J'son of Spartax Star-Lord's dad. Teased as "a being composed of pure light" by Star-Lord's mother Meredith, the mystery of Star-Lord's father was heightened by Star-Lord's ability to survive the power of the Infinity Stone at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy. This was og course because Star-Lord's father is Ego, a celestial and living planet. The original script, however, would have revealed J'son, the emperor of Spartax, to be Star-Lord's father in the first movie.

Joss Whedon and James Gunn both disliked the character of J'son of Spartax, so the decision was made to leave Peter Quill's father a mystery during the first movie. In the comics, J'son is the merciless ruler of the Spartax Empire and wishes for his son to join him.

As calls for diversity and gender parity in entertainment are reshaping the industry, animation continues to promote and represent women in game-changing roles, for executives and creative leaders.

Jennifer Lee leads Walt Disney Animation Studios. Kristine Belson runs Sony Animation. Karen Toliver heads Netflix’s toon arm. Ramsey Naito oversees Nickelodeon. Margie Cohn tops DreamWorks. And of course there are a many more.

“I think it was initially maybe 10 or 15 years ago, it was an area where women could get into a leadership role, somewhere on the ladder of say series production as a production executive, or studio executive in a junior way,” says Meredith Roberts, executive vice president, TV animation, Disney branded television.

“Over time they’ve had success and they’ve climbed the ladder and become much higher caliber, top producers, a senior studio level people, and along the way, because they were afforded those opportunities, they’ve...

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Marvel Studios has rounded out Phase Four of the MCU with another poignant meditation on grief. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever focuses on the collective national mourning following the passing of King T’Challa, but T’Challa isn’t the only character with a tragic death in the movie. His mother, Queen Ramonda, is drowned by Namor in front of his already grief-stricken sister Shuri.

After Tony Stark, Aunt May, Yondu, and her own husband T’Chaka, Ramonda is the latest loving parent to die horrifically in a Marvel movie.

Frigga (Thor: The Dark World)

For the most part, Thor: The Dark World is criticized for rigidly following the Marvel formula and allowing very little room for real emotional connection. But there is one scene that tugs on the heartstrings: Frigga’s death.

Both Thor and Loki are devastated when they lose their mother.

Screenwriter Pamela Ribon has entered into a first look-agreement with Disney Television Animation.

The first project under the deal from Ribon — who wrote Disney’s “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and “Moana” and Sony Animation Studio’s “Smurfs: The Lost Village” — with Disney Branded Television and multiple Emmy Award-winning Baobab Studios is the animated sitcom “Intercats.”

Told through the big reflective eyes of cats, “Intercats” is a four-quadrant animated workplace comedy about the felines who produce viral videos on the Internet. It follows a ragtag team of cats aspiring for independence, who must navigate internal relationships and build upon their success as the premiere studio for viral cat videos.

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“We’re fortunate to be partnering with Baobab for a second time and to be working with Pam whose smart, sly, sophisticated and inspiring humor ensures...

Disney Branded Television is developing an animated workplace sitcom with Pamela Ribon and Baobab Studios.

Currently titled “Intercats,” the series is said to be “about the cats who produce the hysterical cat videos that go viral on the Internet. It features a ragtag team of cats aspiring to get what all cats want: their independence. But to do so, they must first learn to navigate their own internal relationships and build upon their success as the premiere studio for viral cat videos.”

Eric Darnell is the creator and executive producer of “Intercats.” Darnell is Baobab’s co-founder and chief creative officer as well as the writer and director of “Baba Yaga,” “Madagascar” and “Antz.” Gary Marsh is also an executive producer. Jony Chandra will direct.

Ribon will be heavily involved with the development on “Intercats” under a new first-look deal she has signed with Disney Branded Television’s animation studio,...

Disney Branded Television is developing Intercats, an animated cat workplace comedy for Disney+ from Baobab Studios (The Witchverse), screenwriter Pamela Ribon and Disney Television Animation, where Ribon has recently entered into a first-look deal. The project is Ribon’s first under the pact.

Here’s the logline: Told through the big reflective eyes of cats, Intercats is a four-quadrant animated workplace comedy about the cats who produce the hysterical cat videos that go viral on the Internet. It features a ragtag team of cats aspiring to get what all cats want: their independence. But, to do so, they must first learn to navigate their own internal relationships and build upon their success as the premiere studio for viral cat videos. Intercats reflects the heroic lengths we will all go to find and secure our own place in the world.

Baobab Studios co-founder and chief creative officer Eric Darnell is the creator and executive producer of Intercats. Gary Marsh is also an executive producer. Jony Chandra will direct. Disney Television Animation is working closely with Baobab Studios on the project.

“We’re fortunate to be partnering with Baobab for a second time and to be working with Pam whose smart, sly, sophisticated and inspiring humor ensures that Intercats will provide wild fun, rich characterizations and accessible entry points for every part of the Disney+ audience,” said Meredith Roberts, EVP TV Animation, Disney Branded Television. “We’re thrilled to have her on this project — and to expand the relationship to include an overall deal with our Disney TV Animation studio.”

Ribon, recipient of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival’s 2022 Cristal Award, wrote two of Disney’s Oscar-nominated and Annie Award-winning films, Ralph Breaks the Internet and Moana, and Sony Animation Studio’s Smurfs: The Lost Village. In addition to screenwriting, Ribon is a best-selling novelist, including Going in Circles and Why Girls Are Weird, inspired by her website, pamie.com, and a comic book writer. She also wrote an animated short for FX, My Year of Dicks, which this year won recognition at the Annecy International Film Festival, SXSW, the Brooklyn Film Festival, the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival and the Ottawa International Film Festival. Ribon is repped by CAA, Atlas Literary, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher, Llp.

Nine-time Emmy-winning Baobab Studios, founded in 2015 by Maureen Fan, Darnell and Larry Cutler, has released eight projects to date — Invasion!, Asteroids!, Jack, Crow: The Legend, Bonfire, Baba Yaga, Paper Birds, and Namoo.

Pamela Ribon is represented by CAA, Atlas Literary, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher, Llp.

T'Challa becomes Star-Lord in the What If..? animated series, providing fans with an intriguing new perspective on the character. Though no such analog exists in Marvel Comics, fans know that the character's history is rich and complex, holding many possible clues to the character's future both in live-action and animated entries in the MCU.

Star-Lord took a long and circuitous route to becoming an icon in the Marvel Universe, debuting in a magazine before transitioning into the comics proper. He only joined the Guardians of the Galaxy in the 21st century, leading to his meteoric rise in stature. But much more exists in the comics for the MCU to explore beyond his recent adventures.

Updated November 30, 2022, by Darby Harn:

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special checked in with Star-Lord and the other beloved members of the interstellar crew. The Disney+ special also offered another opportunity for live-action to delve...

The MCU introduced Star-Lord and the Guardians of the Galaxy as a fun-loving, ragtag team of beings from all over the galaxy led by Peter Quill of Earth. While the movies stayed true to the group on the surface, they missed out on a lot of the depth of their inner dynamics. Star-Lord in particular took a heavy hit with his role in the grand scheme of things in the MCU, becoming the subject of a lot of jokes aimed at him throughout the films. Compared to his treatment in the MCU, his comic counterpart is getting dealt a much better hand and has improved a lot over the years. The Guardians have recently begun to highlight his worth and their respect for him in the new series Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind #1.

Star-Lord was originally introduced in Thanos #8 by Keith Giffen, Ron Lim, Al Milgrom, Christie Scheele, and Dave Sharpe.

The fourth and final season of FX’s “Atlanta” has set a premiere date for September, with episodes streaming on Hulu the following day after air.

Starring series creator Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, Lakeith Stanfield and Zazie Beetz, the forthcoming season finds Earn, Alfred, Darius and Van back in their hometown of Atlanta after their Season 3 journey across Europe, with the overarching theme of the new season pondering whether the city has changed or if they have.

The teaser highlights many references from the show’s 31-episode run to date, including the invisible car from Season 1 episode “The Club” and an appearance from fan-favorite side character Zan, played by Freddie Kuguru. The third season featured the main cast traveling throughout Europe in just more than half of its ten episodes with the other episodes shifting back to Atlanta, containing anthology stories focused on new characters.

Glover executive produces “Atlanta...

Disney Television Animation, the animation wing of Disney Branded Television, has upped Douglas Bensimon and Edward Mejia to Vice President of Current Series.

In their new roles, the executives will continue reporting to Khaki Jones, Senior Vice President of Current Series.

Bensimon currently heads up a team that oversees Disney Television Animation’s serialized properties for Disney Channel and Disney+. He also works with Marvel Studios on content geared towards families and kids aged 6-14. Bensimon has been a member of the Disney Television Animation department since 2012, when he got his start as a Current Series assistant and worked his way up through the positions of coordinator, manager and director. He was tapped as executive director of Current Series in 2021, leading projects such as Marvel’s “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” for Disney+ and Disney Channel’s “The Ghost and Molly McGee” and “Amphibia.”

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Veteran Disney execs Douglas Bensimon and Edward Mejia have been promoted to vice president of Current Series, Disney Television Animation, the animation studio within Disney Branded Television.

Bensimon leads a team concentrated primarily on the studio’s serialized properties for Disney+ and Disney Channel and works closely with Marvel on its branded content for kids 6-14 and families.

Meanwhile, Mejia leads a team that focuses on Disney Television Animation’s titles borne from Disney heritage characters and stories for Disney+ and Disney Channel.

Both Bensimon and Mejia continue to report to Khaki Jones, senior vice president of Current Series, Disney Television Animation.

“One of our guiding principles is to prepare high-potential team members for greater levels of responsibility and to recognize the contributions of innovative, diverse, ready-to-lead executives”, said Meredith Roberts, executive vice president of TV Animation. “As a result of their sheer talent, solid experience and Khaki’s mentorship,...

Disney will unveil a raft of new animated series productions Wednesday at the Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival, and show sneak peeks of the upcoming slate of new original animated shows to air on Disney+ and other Disney-owned platforms in 2023 and beyond.

Highlights include second season greenlights for hit Disney+ series “Monsters at Work” and “Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life,” and seasons three for “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends” and “Mickey Mouse Funhouse.”

Additional episode orders for some of Disney Television Animation’s upcoming series, including “Hamster & Gretel,” “Kiff,” “Hailey’s On It” and “Primos” will also be announced.

“The announcements out of Annecy today further cement Disney as the leader in animation,” said Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television. “These new series represent the very best from our teams at Disney Television Animation and Disney Junior. They build upon Disney Branded Television’s commitment to work with incredible storytellers,...

Disney Branded Television has promoted Meredith Roberts to executive vice president of TV animation, the studio said Monday.

The promotion comes for Roberts following “outstanding creative and operational oversight of the Disney Television Animation studio during a period of significant growth,” per Disney Branded TV.

Most recently senior vice president/general manager of Television Animation at Disney Branded TV, Roberts has managed the division since 2018, overseeing development and current animated content and production for kids 6-14 and families, including traditional 2D and CG series, movies and shorts distributed on Disney+ and Disney Channel.

The studio has 1,200 half-hours of animated content currently in production for Disney’s streaming and linear platforms, and during Roberts’ tenure in 2020, Disney Television Animation earned more Daytime Emmy Award nods than at any other point in its 38-year history.

“A leader of incredible vision and a true champion of artistic talent, Meredith has set a new bar for Disney Television Animation,...

Disney Branded Television has promoted Meredith Roberts to Executive Vice President, TV Animation.

Roberts was previously the senior vice president/general manager for Television Animation, Disney Branded Television. Prior to that, she was the general manager of Disneytoon Studios which launched the Planes and Tinker Bell/Fairies franchise titles. From 2004 to 2007, Roberts served as the president of Creative Affairs, Walt Disney Television Animation.

Disney Branded Entertainment President Ayo Davis announced the promotion today at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

“A leader of incredible vision and a true champion of artistic talent, Meredith has set a new bar for Disney Television Animation, building upon the single greatest animation legacy in the world to lead a team that is creating the most innovative, magical animated storytelling in the business,” said Davis. “This well-deserved promotion is in recognition of not only her tremendous leadership and creativity but her ongoing commitment to advancing diverse,...

Burbank, Calif., July 11, 2017 — This August, Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the blockbuster sequel featuring the world’s favorite band of intergalactic misfits, blasts into homes digitally in HD, 4K Ultra HD™ and Disney Movies Anywhere on Aug. 8 and physically on 4K Ultra HD,™ Blu-ray and DVD on Aug. 22.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” marks the Studios first in-home title to release in stunning 4K Ultra HD format, providing consumers with the ultimate home entertainment experience with next-generation high dynamic range visuals and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. 4K Ultra HD provides four times sharper resolution of HD with exceptional Hdr which produces brighter brights, deeper blacks and richer colors than ever before. The galaxy has never looked so good!

Delivering the ultimate in-home experience is the Ultimate Cinematic Universe Edition (which includes a collectible poster while supplies last) comes packaged to include a 4K Ultra HD version of the film,...

This is no ordinary superhero story. Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 follows the unlikely band of heroes' latest adventures as they explore the outer reaches of the cosmos. In the sequel, the group must learn how to stand united while trying unravel the mystery of Star-Lord/Peter Quill's heritage.  Writer and director James Gunn's blockbuster movie boasts an all-star cast that includes Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha, Tommy Flanagan as Tullk, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Sean Gunn as Kraglin, Laura Haddock as Meredith Quill, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Michael Rooker as Yondu, Kurt Russell as Ego, Zoe Saldana as...

One of the best casting additions made to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has to be Sylvester Stallone, but ever since the Rocky actor was spotted on the Atlanta set of the sequel, we’ve had no idea who he’ll be playing. Well, that’s finally changed today thanks to some official production notes for the movie.

Before we get to that, though, it’s also been revealed that Laura Haddock will be reprising the role of Meredith Quill in the upcoming blockbuster. She’ll more than likely be appearing in flashbacks revealing how Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) was conceived, as that’s something the first movie only teased us with in the opening.

Going back to Stallone though, and it’s indeed been confirmed that he’ll be suiting up as Stakar, a character that fans of the comic books will probably best know as Starhawk. He has...

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was among the most talked-about movies at Comic-Con last month, with the first trailer revealing one of the sequel's biggest secrets, that Star-Lord's father (Chris Pratt) is Ego the Living Planet (Kurt Russell). There are still plenty of other secrets to be uncovered as we continue the countdown towards the May 5, 2017 release, including the identity of Sylvester Stallone's character, what will be featured in the mysterious post credit scene and more. Today, director James Gunn has offered up a new mystery for fans to dissect, teasing that there almost was another new character who joined the Guardians team.

As he often does, James Gunn hosted a Facebook Q&A over the weekend, where a fan asked if there were any characters from the Marvel Comics that he wanted to include in the movie, but simply didn't make the cut. The filmmaker teased that...

When Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn began assembling the soundtrack for his Marvel superhero flick, he wanted familiar hits but not overplayed radio staples. In the movie, now officially the biggest film of the year, these songs would connect lead character Peter "Star-Lord" Quill – who was abducted by aliens just after his mother's death in 1988 – to his old life and the era his mother grew up in.

"The tape is really the character of Quill's mother," Gunn tells Rolling Stone. "The Walkman and the compilation tape inside of...

Warning: This article contains spoilers that some readers may wish to avoid.

James Gunn has already begun to tease Guardians of the Galaxy 2.

The director has revealed that the mystery of Star-Lord's (Chris Pratt) father will be addressed in the Marvel Studios sequel.

"It's definitely not the character who it is in the comics, I'll say that much," he told Empire.

In Marvel Comics continuity, Peter Quill is the son of a human woman, Meredith Quill, and J'son of Spartax, the emperor of an alien race.

In the film, Star-Lord's dying mother (Laura Haddock) describes his father as an "angel" made out of light. The conclusion of the film reveals that the hero has a mysterious and powerful alien heritage.

"There have been a lot of documents passed around about who Peter Quill's father is, and things like that, between a select two or three of us," said Gunn.

"That's...

James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy may be Marvel's biggest and boldest exploration of their cosmic universe, but the upcoming space epic adventure will of course spend a minute or two on earth where we'll first meet Peter Quill, pre-Star-Lord, as well as his mother Meredith Quill, who is played Laura Haddock. The English actress, who's probably the only actor to play two different roles within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently spoke with Assignment X about the filming for her brief, but piviotal scenes. “Yes, that was amazing!” said Haddock of Guardians of the Galaxy. “I got to go up and work on that film with James Gunn, and he’s great to work with. He’s working on this huge sci-fi film and a lot of the time, he’s having to play scenes with actors who are working on a green screen, so they’re creating their own reality,...