News

The American Film Institute is now accepting applicants for its storied AFI Dww+ program for the class of 2026-2027, as IndieWire exclusively shares.

The tuition-free, year-long directing workshop turns 51 this year and will again shepherd underrepresented and emerging filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film. Since launching, the program, which takes place in Los Angeles on the AFI campus, has trained more than 350 filmmakers and artists.

Alumni include “Coda” Best Picture winner Siân Heder, Ellen Burstyn, Dyan Cannon, Directors Guild of America president Lesli Linka Glatter, Lee Grant, Margot Kidder, “Wednesday” and “Agatha All Along” director Gandja Monteiro, Cicely Tyson, Anne Bancroft, “A Black Lady Sketch Show” director and executive producer Dime Davis. Check out the most recent class of 2026 here.

The program accepts up to eight filmmakers with “a passion for visual storytelling, the tenacity to pursue a directorial career, and a willingness to learn and grow,...

The Walking Dead: Dead City was one of three new spin-offs of The Walking Dead to debut once the original show ended its run. It followed The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and came before The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. While it appears as though The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live was intended to be a single six-episode resolution to the stories of Rick and Michonne, replacing the initial idea of a movie, both The Walking Dead: Dead City and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon have been renewed.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon already aired its second season and a third is confirmed. But The Walking Dead: Dead City aired its first season in June 2023 and was renewed for a second the month after, which is coming in May 2025. For now, fans can look back on the six-episode first season to recall the best moments and best episodes.

Marvel exec Brad Winderbaum gives fansa promising update for the future of Agatha All Along.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Winderbaum, Marvel's head of streaming, television, and animation, was asked about how the studio considered projects in terms of producing them as limited over linear series. When referencing Agatha All Along in this context specifically, Winderbaum noted, "I think it's 'linear series potential.' A show like Agatha, to me, is concept based." Winderbaum added. "Yes, a second season for sure is something that we would want to do, but let's not rush it. Let's get the right idea and then make it."

Related'Would I Be Born Again?': She-Hulk Star Talks Possible Return in New Daredevil Series

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law's Tatiana Maslany opens up about a potential return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the world of Daredevil: Born Again.

Although fans of the series will...

With Daredevil: Born Again set to debut on Disney+ soon, all eyes are on MarvelTelevision, specifically on what the future holds and if previously established series will return. Many of Marvel's Disney+ series were designed as miniseries, drawing criticism from fans who thought the shows felt more like movies awkwardly edited into six parts than episodic television. It also meant the fates of characters like She-Hulk and Moon Knight were left up in the air, as there was no clear indication of when fans would see them again. That said, it sounds like two Disney+ series might be returning for Season 2: Agatha All Along and Hawkeye.

Brad Winderbaum, the head of streaming, television, and animation at Marvel, spoke with Entertainment Weekly to discuss the future of Marvel Television. Despite series showrunner Jac Schaeffer reportedly turning down Marvel's request for Season 2, the studio still submitted Agatha All Along for series...

The following contains major spoilers for Agatha All Along, now streaming on Disney+.

Agatha Harkness lies a lot. But showrunner Jac Schaeffer loved the moment where Agatha All Along's protagonist was unusually honest.

Reflecting on the show's success with Den of Geek, Schaeffer pointed to one of Agatha's early conversations with Teen/William Kaplan (later revealed as Billy Maximoff) regarding the Witches' Road as her favorite scene because it sets up the plot by discouraging Billy from pursuing this goal. "That is one of the very few moments in the show where Kathryn is performing truth," Schaeffer pointed out, with the Road's true nature revealing itself throughout the series.

RelatedAn MCU Star Broke a Problematic Trend in a 5-Year-Old HBO Series

One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most powerful characters told a feminist story about freedom and embracing one's sexuality in 2019.

The showrunner also compared this innocuous frankness to Michael Mann's Heat,...

Plot: Set in a serene community inhabited by some of the world’s most prominent individuals. But this tranquility explodes when a shocking murder occurs, and a high-stakes investigation unfolds.

Review: You are not prepared for Paradise. Sure, the trailers make it out to be a somewhat run-of-the-mill political thriller about the murder of the President of the United States and his most trusted protector, who may be involved in a massive conspiracy. Still, it is so much more than that. Built as a serial drama with a fantastic ensemble cast, Paradise draws structurally from series like Lost and Yellowjackets by combining a contemporary timeline with flashbacks that fill in the gaps of how the characters got to where they are today but also manages to upend the conventions of what we expect from a series like this. Having seen the entire series (except for the finale), I have a lot of thoughts about Paradise,...

Jeffrey Dean Morgan recently discussed what it was like returning to the role of Negan in The Walking Dead: Dead City. The series is the first sequel to AMC's The Walking Dead television series.

Speaking with Collider, Morgan talked about the upcoming second season of Dead City and fans' excitement to see Negan reunited with Lucille -- the wooden baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire that Negan uses to kill his enemies. "Well, I freaked out. I didn’t realize how much I missed her, not only as Negan, but as myself," Morgan said. "Just getting to hold that damn bat again adds something to that character and the swagger and the confidence and the humor that Negan has. It’s been sorely missed."

Related Shrinking Co-Creator Explains How the Show Honored Michael J. Fox

Shrinking Season 2 has a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score.

Morgan went on to talk about...

Warning! Spoilers for all MCU content released in 2024

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen some dramatic death scenes throughout 2024, with a few particularly shocking ends being met by various characters. Compared to previous years, 2024 has been quite light on Marvel releases, with only a single feature film, Deadpool & Wolverine, gracing theaters under the red banner thanks to a variety of delays. Other than that, spin-off series like Agatha All Along, Echo, and X-Men '97 have been the only source of Marvel deaths for the year.

Despite how few projects the MCU released in 2024, the year was still plenty bloody, with a higher-than-average fatality rate across what releases did premiere. While not too many long-running characters from previous phases met their demise in 2024, that's not to say that the deaths of newly-introduced players weren't significant in the grand scheme of the series. Be they genuinely tragic or played for laughs, the...

After delivering one of their highest-rated MCU shows to date on the platform, production plans have now been revealed for the next season of the popular Disney+ Marvel series, Agatha All Along.

According to a new report from Production Bulletin, Season 2 appears to be confirmed, thanks to newly released production information. This coincides with recent rumors that Season 2 is very close to being greenlit. According to the new report, Agatha All Along, a spinoff of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) WandaVision series, is reportedly set to begin production on Season 2 in the fall of 2025, nearly one year after the premiere of its first season on Disney+. This may surprise many fans, as it comes after months of waiting for an official announcement from Marvel Studios following the final episode of the first season on October 30, 2024.

Related Kraven the Hunter's Audience Score Gives Sony's Maligned Marvel Movie Some Good...

Wednesday's filming update suggests the series might return at a perfect time next year. Season 1 of the Netflix hit series that stars Jenna Ortega as the titular character and Emma Myers as Enid Sinclair aired in November 2022. Though the series was a huge success, due to Covid-19, writers' strikes and other roadblocks, production for Wednesday season 2 didn't start until May 2024.

According to WhatsonNetflix's official X account, Wednesday has wrapped filming for season 2, which seems to indicate the perfect timing for the series' return. Season 1 of the hit Netflix series wrapped production on March 30, 2022, but the series wasn't released until eight months late in November. With post-production taking a while, it's likely the series won't return until fall next year, which means Wednesday season 2 might just be in time for the spooky season.

Late last week, it was confirmed that Wednesday season 2 had finished filming! pic.twitter.com/T10JRePL1m...

In the penultimate episode of Agatha All Along, Agatha Harkness, Billy Maximoff, and Jennifer Kale reach the end of the Witches' Road. The latter regains her powers, while Billy - who unknowingly created the Road with his Scarlet Witch-like powers - manages to find a new body for Tommy Maximoff.

He does so with a helping hand from Agatha, of course, but is horrified at the prospect that his spell might have killed the boy whose body now holds Tommy's soul. Whatever the case might be, it's clear Billy didn't find his twin an ideal home.

Talking to Entertainment Weekly, Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer elaborated on Tommy's resurrection and how it might be revisited in future stories.

"The intention is that, yes, he got what he was missing in that he successfully put Tommy's soul into a body of that young man who was the victim of a teen prank,...

Agatha All Along ended with the titular witch dying and returning as a ghost. However, series creator Jac Schaeffer says the show was about so much more than that.

"It wasn't about killing off the character," Schaeffer told Marvel.com. "It was about the evolution of this character What is her next phase? I still feel like there's more road to explore with Agatha as a ghost. Get ready." The creative choice aligns with a plot point from Marvel Comics in which Agatha is killed by the Scarlet Witch for erasing her memories of her lost children. Agatha eventually returns as a ghost to guide and mentor Wanda, appearing with valuable advice at critical moments in her life.

Related Hulk Hogan Explains Why His Netflix Biopic Was Scrapped

The former WWE superstar says a missed deadline led to the project getting dropped.

According to Schaeffer, the show was meant to explore...

Gandja Monteiro helmed the last two episodes of Agatha All Along, and the director has now taken to Instagram to share some revealing new behind-the-scenes photos and video of some key moments from the finale.

If you haven't watched yet, major spoilers follow.

After getting a power recharge from Wiccan (Joe Locke) in episode 8, Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) selfishly decides to leave the "Teen" to his fate, but when he asks about her late son, Nicholas Scratch, the witch has a change of heart and takes Billy Maximoff's place by kissing Rio Vidal, aka Death, (Aubrey Plaza) thus giving her life for his.

The final episode focuses on Agatha's backstory and the deal she made with Death to give Nicholas a few years of life. At the end, we return to the present day, with Harkness' ghost appearing to Billy and taking on the role of his "spirit guide...

Agatha All Along creator and showrunner Jac Schaeffer discusses the one Marvel Cinematic Universe icon she didn't get to summon to the Witches' Road.

In an interview for The Ringer-Verse (per ComicBookMovie.com), Schaeffer recently revealed that she had originally hoped to bring She-Hulk: Attorney at Law breakout star Patty Guggenheim's Madisynn King along for the journey down the Witches' Road. She said, "[We wanted] to get Madisynn on the Witches' Road, but it just didn't work. It was shoehorning."

Related Agatha All Along Showrunner Reveals Why Finale Broke Major Marvel Tradition

Jac Schaeffer reveals the real reason why Agatha All Along broke a major MCU tradition with the final episode.

Introduced on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Madisynn King was introduced as the unfortunate victim of would-be Master of the Mystic Arts Donny Blaze, who accidentally sent her to a realm of torment and hellfire after she volunteered to...

Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer opens up about the leaks that revealed two iconic characters' true identities early.

Speaking to Collider, Schaeffer was asked about the Funko Pop reveals of the true identities of Joe Locke's Teen and Aubrey Plaza's Rio. "That was a tough one," Schaeffer responded. "All respect to every individual that works on these shows, both on the actual production, and marketing and merch and parks, and everything. The number of people who touch this show, I love them all and Im grateful to them all. That one was tough to take."

Related Does Agatha All Along Have a Post-Credits Scene? The Hit MCU Series' Ending Explained

The post-credits scene is a staple of the MCU, so does Agatha All Along have one? What did the ending of the series mean for its characters?

Schaeffer continued, "I knew that people would suspect Billy. I was ready for that.

Spoiler Alert! This post contains major details from the final two episodes of Agatha All Along.

Agatha All Along‘s epic conclusion came with an unexpected turn on the Witches Road.

The final two episodes revealed that, in fact, the Road never existed at all. The idea of it was conjured by Agatha, via a song that her son Nicholas came up with, to con witches into allowing Agatha to siphon their power. So, then, how were they on a physical Road, trials and all?

They’ve got Wiccan to thank for that.

In the interview below, showrunner Jac Schaeffer dives deep into the final episodes of Agatha All Along, Billy and Agatha’s “weird, spectral” relationship, and more. For a refresher, here’s Deadline’s recaps of Episode 8 and Episode 9.

Deadline: How did you approach these last two episodes? There’s so much in them, I’m just wondering...

Major Spoilers Ahead for Agatha All Along

Quick Links Agatha's Death in the Agatha All Along Finale One Door Closes, Another One Opens in Agatha All Along What This Means for the MCU Moving Forward

What a grand finale for a grand witch. With as many twists and turns that have unfolded throughout the 9-episode series, Agatha All Along left Marvel fans with one last magic trick in the two-episode finale. The wicked conclusion was filled with shocking revelations and heartfelt moments that tugged on your heartstrings. In true Agatha form, the show confirmed several fan theories while raising questions about where the story could go from here.

It's safe to say that no one saw that ending for Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) coming. The deliciously naughty witch's heart grew two sizes and refused to let history repeat itself. She sacrifices herself to save Billy Maximoff (Joe Locke) from Lady Death,...

We're just hours away from a new instalment of Agatha All Along and Marvel Studios has released the first clip and stills from the penultimate episode ahead of next Tuesday's two-part finale.

In this sneak peek, Lilia Calderu prepares to divine Billy Maximoff's path through cards, explaining how they work and exactly what the layout of the table means. This is his trial and each of the show's leads is decked out to look like famous witches.

"Jac is so clever in how she can lay in the puzzle and then resolve it," Patti LuPone tells Entertainment Weekly. "I didn't connect the dots when I first read all of the episodes. In 7, as Lilia's powers are awakening, she's tying up all of these events that we've seen in the previous episodes. There's an explanation to it."

Discussing the scene below, the actor said, "That layout, for lack of a better word,...

At New York Comic Con, a Wednesday cosplayer is blowing away the competition.

In footage captured by Instragram user lorenaparkour, one cosplayer's dancing tricks are dominating the convention. Check it out below:

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Lorena Abreu (@lorenaparkour)

The cosplayer is dressed as Wednesday Addams and is knocking out incredible moves while maintaining Wednesday's stern demeanor.

Developing...

Source: lorenaparkour / Instagram

Wednesday 8/10

Netflixs Addams Family series takes place at Nevermore Academy, a school that nurtures outcasts, freaks, and monsters. The Tim Burton-directed series follows Wednesday Addams as she tries to master her emerging psychic powers and solve the supernatural mystery surrounding her family history. Jenna Ortega stars in the popular series, which originally aired on Netflix on November 23, 2022.

Cast Joy Sunday, Emma Myers, Hunter Doohan, Luis Guzman, Gwendoline Christie, Jenna Ortega, Jamie McShane, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Riki Lindhome, Christina RicciRelease Date November 16, 2022Seasons 1Genres Supernatural, Comedy,...

Comic book fans have known from the start that Joe Locke's Teen was likely Billy Maximoff/Wiccan, and his true identity was finally revealed in last week's fifth episode of Agatha All Along, "Darkest Hour / Wake Thy Power."

Revealing that he secretly has powers, Billy seemingly killed Agatha Harkness, Lilia Calderu, and Jennifer Hale after Alice Wu-Gulliver's death at the hands of the title character.

However, in this newly released midseason trailer, we see that Agatha manages to survive after rising from the ground to ask, "What does Billy Maximoff want at the end of the Road?"

If we had to hazard a guess, it's probably his mother, Wanda! The Scarlet Witch seemingly died at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Billy is bound to have some questions for her...including the location of his father, Vision, and brother, Tommy, we'd bet.

The sneak...

Comic book fans have known from the start that Joe Locke's Teen was likely Billy Maximoff/Wiccan, and his true identity was finally revealed in last week's fifth episode of Agatha All Along, "Darkest Hour / Wake Thy Power."

Revealing that he secretly has powers, Billy seemingly killed Agatha Harkness, Lilia Calderu, and Jennifer Hale after Alice Wu-Gulliver's death at the hands of the title character.

However, in this newly released midseason trailer, we see that Agatha manages to survive after rising from the ground to ask, "What does Billy Maximoff want at the end of the Road?"

If we had to hazard a guess, it's probably his mother, Wanda! The Scarlet Witch seemingly died at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Billy is bound to have some questions for her...including the location of his father, Vision, and brother, Tommy, we'd bet.

The sneak...

With the first five episodes now streaming, Disney+ has revealed the new Agatha All Along midseason trailer and key art. Four episodes of the live-action series are left (the final two episodes will be released on October 30).

In the popular series, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell.

Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven and set off down, down, down The Road…

The Agatha All Along cast includes Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Okwui Okpokwasili, with Debra Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza.

Having debuted...

The latest episode of Agatha All Along, "If I Can't Reach You/Let My Song Teach You," provided some clarification about Teen's identity and a potentially major Easter Egg for comic book fans.

As the coven sits around the campfire discussing their battle scars, Agatha Harkness shows off an injury on her elbow which see says came courtesy of a knitting needle following a run-in with the Daughters of Liberty.

Before we go any further, it's worth noting that the real-life Daughters of Liberty was the formal female association formed in 1765 to protest the Stamp Act, and later the Townshend Acts, and was a general term for women who identified themselves as fighting for liberty during the American Revolution.

And yes, they were known for knitting.

However, there's also a superhero team with that name and surely nothing in the MCU is said by accident? The other witches admit they've...

The latest episode of Agatha All Along, "If I Can't Reach You/Let My Song Teach You," provided some clarification about Teen's identity and a potentially major Easter Egg for comic book fans.

As the coven sits around the campfire discussing their battle scars, Agatha Harkness shows off an injury on her elbow which see says came courtesy of a knitting needle following a run-in with the Daughters of Liberty.

Before we go any further, it's worth noting that the real-life Daughters of Liberty was the formal female association formed in 1765 to protest the Stamp Act, and later the Townshend Acts, and was a general term for women who identified themselves as fighting for liberty during the American Revolution.

And yes, they were known for knitting.

However, there's also a superhero team with that name and surely nothing in the MCU is said by accident? The other witches admit they've...

Agatha All Along Costume Designer Daniel Selon recently shared (and later deleted) some new concept art from the series, and it contains some major spoilers for the Disney+ series.

For starters, we see that Agatha Harkness, Alice Wu-Gulliver, and Teen will all gain powers after heading down the Witches' Road. The blue glow emanating from the latter's hands all but confirms that he's Wiccan as the young Billy had the same abilities in WandaVision (Wiccan also uses blue magic in the comics).

We also get a closer look at Rio Vidal's costume and it drops some big hints about her true identity. The hood is a dead giveaway as is the black colour scheme.

We're talking a little speculatively in this post in case some of you are still avoiding major spoilers; however, the identities of both Joe Locke and Aubrey Plaza's characters were recently confirmed by a merchandise leak.

Agatha All Along creator and showrunner Jac Schaeffer recently discussed the series, revealing how she and Kathryn Hahn brought Agatha Harkness to life for the Disney+ series. The WandaVision head scribe helped create Hahn's iteration of the character for the original show before assuming full responsibility for Agatha's MCU progression.

In an interview with Marvel.com, Schaeffer discussed being impressed by Hahn's preparation and approach to portraying Agatha. "It wasn't really about seeing her do it. It was the early conversations, when we first started," she said. "Im familiar enough with her impressive body of work to know how funny she is and how ballsy and brassy and all of that. But I loved the questions that she asked and the way she unpacked the core of this woman." Though Agatha possesses many facets, which Hahn ably portrays, the showrunner wanted to focus on the witch's ferocity and savagery.

Related...

This article contains mild spoilers for Agatha All Along Episode 3.

Marvel fans have finally been given their first mention of a villain in the MCU several years after they were first certain he would appear. Agatha All Along has released its third episode on Disney+, and in the midst of the magical hijinks, fans heard the first mention of the name they have been anticipating since the arrival of WandaVision back in 2020; Mephisto.

The Marvel Comics devil has been on the tongues of fans for a long time. However, he has not only failed to materialize, but has never even been mentioned in any MCU project despite growing rumors of his imminent arrival. Thanks to the latest Marvel Television series, that has all changed and Mephistos existence in the franchise has finally been confirmed quietly but definitely.

During the latest episode of Agatha All Along, the mystery of what happened to Agathas son,...

Like WandaVision before it, Agatha All Along is one of those MCU TV shows that's bound to generate new fan theories on a weekly basis. Some of those will pan out, while others are sure to end with disappointment; today, two of the biggest mysteries have just been solved courtesy of Funko Pop packaging.

Speculation has been running rampant about the identity of Joe Locke's Teen since he was first cast. All signs have pointed to him being Billy Maximoff/Billy Kaplan, though there are those who are convinced it's all a misdirect and that he'll eventually be outed as Nicholas Scratch, Agatha Harkness' son.

Well, it's now 100% confirmed - thanks to the back of a Funko Pop box posted by UK retailer Smyths - that Locke is indeed playing Wiccan. We also have a first look at his comic-accurate costume along with a headband that's clearly meant to pay homage to his mother,...

There's a huge amount of excitement for Agatha All Along's upcoming third episode after those thrilling opening chapters and a new Roku trailer reveals some intriguing never-before-seen footage from future episodes.

While much of it is familiar, there's a very telling shot in this low-res sneak peek of Teen using magic. Blue energy radiates from his hands and the comic book fans among you will surely recognise who that's likely a nod to: Billy Kaplan, a.k.a. Wiccan.

On the one hand, it feels like Teen's true identity is all but confirmed; on the other, it's worth bearing in mind that this could be a total misdirect similar to what we saw with WandaVision and all those Mephisto teases.

Who else could Teen be if not Billy? There are already theories swirling that he could be Nicholas Scratch, the son of Agatha Harkness...

New trailer for #AgathaAllAlong has been released,...

Like WandaVision, Agatha All Along is a series which promises to get fans talking each week. Two episodes dropped on Disney+ last Wednesday and, if you kept your eyes peeled, chances are you noticed an interesting Westview detail in the second instalment.

The town's "Welcome" sign reveals that Westview's current population is 2,251; that's quite a decline from the 3,892 who lived there three years ago during the events of WandaVision. So, what happened to everyone?

Well, we wouldn't blame the townspeople for fleeing after being trapped in the Scarlet Witch's Hex, an experience we know was akin to torture for them. Talking to TV Line, showrunner Jac Schaeffer said, "Don’t take this as canon, but we did have a lot of conversations about, 'What is Westview like after the hex comes down?'"

"We don’t show a lot of that, but the general vibe is that [the hex] was a traumatizing experience,...

The following contains spoilers for Agatha All Along, Episode 1, "Seekest Thou The Road," now streaming on Disney+.

Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer touched upon why Wanda Maximoff's face was never shown in the pilot episode during the dead body scenes. Before this, Elizabeth Olsen praised the "incredibly fun" Agatha All Along cast.

Schaeffer brought this subject up while giving an interview to TVLine, avowing, "It was never the plan to show her face both stylistically, and because this show isn't her story." She went on to further note that the segment "was really about [how] when the body is turned over, the camera's on [Agatha Harkness'] face. Thats really where our attention is, and where the focus of the show is."

Related 'Not a Green Screen in Sight': Agatha All Along EP Hypes the MCU Show's Practical Effects

Agatha All Along's special effects embrace the practical techniques of classic fantasy films and sitcoms.

Wednesday season 2 is officially bringing back one of my favorite things about the first outing, and this makes me even more excited about the return of Jenna Ortega's Netflix show. Wednesday season 1 was a huge success upon its 2022 release, and I'm eager to see where the next outing takes the titular heroine's story. We can expect Ortega's character to return to Nevermore Academy during the show's sophomore season, and it sounds like its story will lean more heavily into the supernatural horror elements from the previous outing.

With a couple of exceptions, Wednesday's main cast will also be back for season 2 and the behind-the-scenes talent is returning as well. The Netflix series is even bringing back one of my favorite elements of the first outing: Tim Burton's directing. The iconic director worked on several season 1 episodes, and creators Al Gough and Miles Millar confirmed Burton will direct...

In 2021, WandaVision became the very first Marvel Studios TV show to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and though it's still widely regarded as one of the best, the disconnect between expectations and execution left a bad taste in my mouth - one that carries over into its spiritual successor, Agatha All Along. WandaVision was an excellently constructed TV show, and though it fell apart a bit in the final episodes, it was a compelling exploration of Wanda Maximoff as she became the Scarlet Witch. However, much of the discussion around the show was about its impact on the MCU, and would it introduce Mephisto?

Agatha All Along

Cast Joe Locke, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Emma Caulfield, Aubrey Plaza, Maria Dizzia, Debra Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone, Kathryn HahnRelease Date September 18, 2024Seasons 1Genres Superhero, Comedy, ActionStreaming Service(s) Disney PlusFranchise(s) Marvel Cinematic UniverseWriters Jac SchaefferDirectors Rachel Goldberg, Gandja Monteiro, Jac SchaefferNumber...

Update: Agatha All Along is now "Certified Fresh" at 79%, tying it with She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

As we write this, more than 50 verdicts for Agatha All Along have been counted on Rotten Tomatoes and that means an all-important Tomatometer score has been generated by the review aggregator.

Despite receiving overwhelmingly positive social media reactions, critics appear a tad more divided as the WandaVision follow-up sits at an okay 69%. Interestingly, more than 500 fans have chimed in on the "Popcornmeter" and given Agatha All Along a much higher 78% score.

With 69%, the latest Marvel Television series to hit Disney+ finds itself sandwiched between Secret Invasion (52%) and Echo (70%).

In contrast, WandaVision has 92% and remains one of the McU's highest-rated streaming offerings, beaten only by Ms. Marvel (98%) and X-Men '97 (99%).

With Agatha All Along planned as a standalone limited series, neither reviews nor viewership are likely to have a major impact on Marvel Studios' future plans.

The critics have spoken, and the reviews for Agatha All Along are skewing favorably on the positive side on Rotten Tomatoes. Better yet for the WandaVision spinoff is that the audience score is about the same.

Currently, Agatha All Along is holding a score of 70 percent on the Tomatometer following the debut of its first two episodes on Disney+. The number on the Popcornmeter, which refers to the audience score, is just slightly higher at 77 percent. Both of these numbers may fluctuate as reviews continue to come in with more critics and MCU fans watching the show, but skewing more positive is definitely a great sign that the new series isn't going to be dead on arrival.

Related I Was So Invested: Agatha All Along Star Recalls 6-Month-Long Audition Process

Agatha All Along star Joe Locke recalls his audition process for the Teen, which includes going through more than seven auditions.

Agatha All Along star Joe Locke opened up about his lengthy audition process to become one of the lead characters in the Kathryn Hahn-led WandaVision spinoff. In the Disney+ series, Locke will be playing the role of the Teen, whose real identity and name has been the subject of many fan theories online.

During a recent interview with GamesRadar+, Locke revealed that he had to go through multiple auditions throughout the course of six months before he officially got the lead role in the Agatha All Along series. "It was either seven, eight, or nine auditions - I didnt actually count them," he shared. "But it was a lot of auditions. It was over a six-month period, so it wasnt too bad. Every audition Id get further in, and they would tell me more about the character, or they would send me a script, so by the end of it,...

Wednesday fans are going to get the same amount of Tim Burton in Season 2 as they did in Season 1. Co-creator Alfred Gough has confirmed how many episodes Burton will direct for the Netflix show's sophomore season.

Gough recently sat down with Collider to discuss Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which he scripted with Wednesday's other co-creator Miles Millar, and the forthcoming second season of Wednesday. When asked how many episodes Burton was directing in Season 2, Gough confirmed that he would once again be "doing four. He's doing half the season like he did in Season 1." However, the co-creator did not reveal which exact episodes Burton would be helming. In Season 1, he directed the first four episodes, while Gandja Monteiro (Episodes 5 & 6) and James Marshall (Episodes 7 & 8) helmed the remainder.

Related Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Unveils Glow in the Dark 4K Blu-ray Steelbook

Warner Bros. is wasting no time letting fans know that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will eventually receive...

The review embargo for Agatha All Along lifts this evening and we'll be bringing you our verdict on the first four episodes soon (you'll want to check back here at 6pm Pt/9pm Et).

In the meantime, a new promo for the Disney+ series has just dropped which features some early praise from critics - presumably based on social media or post-screening reactions - and our biggest hint yet at the identity of Joe Locke's Teen.

As you can see below, his unnamed character is shown powering up in a blue pentagram almost exactly like the one Billy Kaplan/Wiccan uses in the comic books.

On the page, Billy is openly gay and will be portrayed as such in the MCU. Sasheer Zamata, who plays Jennifer Kale, recently talked to Variety about Agatha All Along's LGBTQ representation, saying she agrees with the description of the show being "the gayest project Marvel has ever done.

A red carpet launch event for “Agatha All Along” was held at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on Monday, September 16. Gold Derby associate editor Latasha Ford was there to chat with stars Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, additional cast members and artisans behind the Disney+ series.

Watch each short video by clicking their name below.

Kathryn Hahn, actress (Agatha Harkness)

Joe Locke, actor (Teen)

Sasheer Zamata, actress (Jennifer Kale)

Daniel Selon, costume designer (exclusive backstage interview)

Debra Jo Rupp, actress (Sharon Davis)

David Payton, actor (John Collins/”Herb”)

Miles Gutierrez-Riley, actor (Eddie)

Maria Dizzia, actress (Rebecca Kaplan)

Gandja Monteiro, director

Rachel Goldberg, director

Christophe Beck and Michael Paraskevas, composers

John Collins, production designer

In Marvel Studios’ “Agatha All Along,” the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs...

Marvel Studios held a launch event for Marvel Television's Agatha All Along at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood last night, and Disney+ has now shared some photos and video from the purple carpet.

Stars Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, Debra Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone, Aubrey Plaza, Emma Caulfield, David Anthony Payton and Elizabeth Anweis were all in attendance, along with creator, showrunner, director and executive producer Jac Schaeffer, executive producers Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum and Mary Livanos, directors Rachel Goldberg and Gandja Monteiro.

Special guests Amy Poehler and Adam Scott also joined Hahn and Plaza for a Parks and Recreation reunion.

The first reactions to the WandaVision spin-off have been mostly very positive (more later), and you can find out what I made of the first four episodes below.

Members of the Pawnee Parks & Rec Department have...

The Agatha All Along premiere takes place later today and, with just a couple of days left before the two-episode premiere, we have another new look at the series highlighting the mysterious Salem's Seven.

In the comics, the Salem's Seven are Agatha Harkness' grandchildren. The children of Nicholas Scratch targeted Agatha when she decided to leave their coven to try and live a normal life as the nanny of Franklin Richards, son of the Fantastic Four's Reed and Sue Richards.

We've previously heard that the plan is for this version of the characters to be the descendants of the witches we saw Agatha kill in WandaVision, so it should be interesting to see how they're handled in Agatha All Along.

Marvel Television recently confirmed that the show will conclude with a two-episode finale on October 30, right in time for this year's Halloween. The social media embargo also lifts later...

Jac Schaeffer, the former showrunner of WandaVision, who is now lending her talents to the latest MCU series, Agatha All Along, has slowly gotten used to dealing with fan theories. But, when she oversaw the McU's first full foray into television, they were a great source of anxiety. The new series sees Kathryn Hahn return as Agatha Harkness, now leading her own solo series. Much like the McU's first Disney+ series, WandaVision, Agatha All Along is set to be filled with twists and turns, constantly throwing audiences off the scent. But, the expectation of twists also comes with a tidal wave of fan theories.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Jac Schaeffer reflected on her Marvel career, and remembered a time when fan theories would completely unnerve her. Before the release of WandaVision, fans had worked themselves into a frenzy, theorizing that Mephisto would make his MCU debut in the series,...

With Agatha All Along less than a week away from hitting Disney+, Marvel Television has just dropped another minute-long teaser for the Disney+ TV series along with some fun character posters.

Something tells us each of those likely has a deeper meaning and we'd imagine the unexpected visuals in them will factor heavily into the story of Agatha Harkness and her new coven heading down the Witches' Road.

Talking to The Hollywood Reporter recently, Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer explained the importance of secrecy for the WandaVision follow-up.

"At the time, with WandaVision, I took the fan theories a little personally, and I feel like I’ve changed since then after walking through the WandaVision experience," she explained. "Everyone at Marvel during WandaVision was so relaxed about the fan theories, and I now understand that there are always going to be theories."

"You just have to do your work...

After stealing the show in WandaVision, the Agatha Harkness spin-off show, Agatha All Along, is one of the most intriguing releases in the upcoming MCU roster. Kathryn Hahn's character was initially introduced as Wanda's neighbor Agnes in Westview, only to reveal that she is actually the witch Agatha Harkness. Though she is a magic user who has been alive for centuries, Agatha meets her match with Wanda, who truly becomes the Scarlet Witch for the first time in the MCU to defeat her. However, as the upcoming Agatha Harkness spinoff show reveals, the villain is not yet done in the MCU timeline.

Agatha Harkness is also the one who brings Wanda and the Darkhold together, setting in motion the events that eventually led to Scarlet Witch's death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. After Agatha's defeat in WandaVision, Wanda traps Agatha in the Agnes persona that Agatha assumed while infiltrating Westview.

If you're a comic book reader, then chances are you'll have already figured out that Joe Locke is almost certainly playing Billy Kaplan/Billy Maximoff/Wiccan in Marvel Television's Agatha All Along.

Now, that appears to have been confirmed by subtitles for international versions of the show's trailer. As you can see below, Locke is credited as "Billy," meaning one of Marvel Studios' worst-kept secrets is finally out of the bag.

Why Locke's character has been labelled "Teen" is hard to say; some might argue that Agatha All Along is trying too hard to create a sense of mystery similar to the one surrounding WandaVision, though it's important to remember that many of the people watching this show will be casual fans/viewers.

"One of the things I love about Marvel is you keep all these secrets that are really frustrating at first, especially when you’re doing things...

It's no secret that "Teen" (widely believed to be Billy Maximoff) will be the one who frees Agatha Harkness in Agatha All Along so they can travel down the Witches' Road together, but how long has the witch been trapped in her sitcom persona?

In a new promo, we learn it's been three years!

We once again hear that the Scarlet Witch - who was responsible for putting Agatha in a mental prison - is "gone" and not dead, a strong indication that Marvel Studios is keeping its options open when it comes to Wanda's fate.

Talking to SFX, Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer shared her take on how Agatha perceived her rival witch in WandaVision (a series she was also in charge of as Head Writer).

"What got me the most excited was right at the end [of WandaVision], when she finally faces off with Wanda," Schaeffer told the publication.

Jenna Ortega confirms that Wednesday season 2 will bring back one key aspect of her character. Netflix's first attempt at the Addams Family spinoff show was released back in 2022, becoming a near-instant success. The show saw Ortega in the leading role, in a part that earned her her first Emmy nomination. Wednesday season 2 has now been confirmed, with a returning cast that includes Ortega, Emma Myers, Fred Armisen, and Joy Sunday, and new players that include Steve Buscemi, Thandiwe Newton, Haley Joel Osment, and Heather Matarazzo.

In a Harper's Bazaar interview on her press tour for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Ortega speaks about one key element of Wednesday season 2.

In the clip, she referenced that she "pulled a good portion of [her] hair out." The actor said that the cello piece has been shot, and that she and the Wednesday team are now "moving on to the next one." Check out the full...

Marvel Studios has released a new featurette for Agatha All Along which offers a glimpse at what's down the Witches' Road. Along the way, we hear from cast, see new footage from the series, and even get a glimpse behind the scenes.

Like WandaVision before it, it seems a lot of clues, Easter Eggs, and misdirects have been seeded throughout the show to get fans talking as each new episode drops.

Of course, one of the biggest Agatha All Along mysteries is what the deal is with Joe Locke's "Teen," a character most fans are convinced is really Billy Maximoff, a.k.a. Wiccan. The trailers have dropped some visual hints and it's apparent Marvel Studios wants to keep us guessing.

Entertainment Weekly recently caught up with Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer and got her take on the theories that there's more to "Teen" than meets the eye...

Marvel Studios has just shared five new posters for Agatha All Along, but can you spot the references to other movies and TV shows? The most obvious of the bunch pays homage to HBO's True Detective, while another tips its hat to The Rocky Horror Picture Show!

While Deadpool & Wolverine is still finding success at the box office, it will be dethroned by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice this weekend and news on a Blu-ray release is surely imminent.

We mention that because Disney has now shifted focus from promoting that to building excitement for Agatha All Along ahead of its September 18 premiere. Recently, showrunner Jac Schaeffer sat down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss the Scarlet Witch's impact on the series.

Admitting there was "a lot of consideration" about how big of a shadow Wanda Maximoff would cast, she added, "That's a great way of articulating it: her shadow. Agatha is not a...

Marvel Studios has just shared five new posters for Agatha All Along, but can you spot the references to other movies and TV shows? The most obvious of the bunch pays homage to HBO's True Detective, while another tips its hat to The Rocky Horror Picture Show!

While Deadpool & Wolverine is still finding success at the box office, it will be dethroned by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice this weekend and news on a Blu-ray release is surely imminent.

We mention that because Disney has now shifted focus from promoting that to building excitement for Agatha All Along ahead of its September 18 premiere. Recently, showrunner Jac Schaeffer sat down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss the Scarlet Witch's impact on the series.

Admitting there was "a lot of consideration" about how big of a shadow Wanda Maximoff would cast, she added, "That's a great way of articulating it: her shadow. Agatha is not a...