PHOTO REPORT: Epcot 9/8/16 (New Jasmine Costume, Gators & Crocs Still Missing, Dreamfinder, ETC.)

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

Our latest report brings us to Epcot where Food and Wine Festival prep is in full swing, Living with the Land is still missing a number of its reptilian residents, and Jasmine is covering up…

Welcome to Epcot

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The pin trading tables were packed. What year is it, 1999?

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A glass with both the Spaceship Earth and Journey Into Imagination art was released, $12.99 each.

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Really loving this new Rapunzel MagicBand,

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Traces of the Epcot 25th Anniversary exhibit linger behind closed doors inside Innoventions…

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Work continues to prepare for the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival which starts on Wednesday.

No Alligators or Crocodiles on Living with the Land

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Plants were placed where one crocodile was on Living with the Land, the other location had the mechanisms removed, so ti looks like they will not return.

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Meanwhile, the live Alligator habitat is sealed off, possibly not to ever return.

This and That

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Food and wine and food and wine and food and wine… (I’m excited)

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Rather than fix the wall under the No Climbing sign in Mexico, they just painted the damaged area.

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Supposedly, a new larger beer cart is being constructed for the Canada pavilion.

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The Mill Stage in Canada is once again vacant as Les Parfaits de Inconnus concluded recently.

If you missed the act, you can watch it below:

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So, bring back Off Kilter? I think this calls for another video…

Jasmine’s New Costume

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Jasmine received a rather controversial costume change over the last week.

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Gone is the exposed midriff and more revealing costume of the last 20 or so years.

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The American Dream

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I didn’t know this even existed, but Fife & Drum outside of the American Adventure sells something called the American Dream, which is two flavors of slush drink with vanilla ice cream sandwiched between…

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It sounded gross to me, but it was actually really good.

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Around the World

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The tiny Food & Wine Festival has already started for the villagers of the Germany train exhibit.

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A Frozen pressed penny machine was placed at the exit of Frozen Ever After. It is one of the new machines that takes credit cards or cash and requires no changed from the user.

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I don’t want to say goodbye to the Universe of Energy…

VIDEO: Nick Yells at Kids, We Preview Radio Free Disneyland, and A BIG Announcement on the Latest WDW News Tonight

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

Last night on WDW News Tonight…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJBCkYkiVLY]

Subscribe on iTunes

Hosted by radio veterans and life-long Disney fans Tom Corless and Nick LoCicero, WDW News Tonight is a live, weekly, audio and video program presented on AM 1520 WBZW in Orlando, Florida and online at WDWNewsTonight.com every Wednesday from 9-11pm EST. The show covers the Walt Disney World Resort and other Disney news. The show combines the latest headlines, comedy, trending vaction topics, call in games, and in-depth discussions to bring Disney fans a one-of-a-kind 2-hour program covering the Disney Parks. While the show is being live-streamed in both audio and video, listeners and viewers also interact via a live chat online. The show is also available on demand as an audio download, online audio stream and can be watched live or recorded on YouTube.

REVIEW: Flame Tree Barbecue at Animal Kingdom – The Most Overrated Counter Service at Disney World

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

For years, I’ve been told by hundreds of other Disney World guests that their favorite counter service restaurant at the resort is Flame Tree Barbecue at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Heck, it was the winner by the largest margin in “The Top 10” segment’s history on the WDW News Today Podcast back in the day (in voting to rank quick service options at the Vacation Kingdom of the World).

Now, I’ve been to the restaurant at least 4 times in the decade and I have never really had a positive experience. Twice, myself and others in the party got sick after dining here, and the other two times I was just truly underwhelmed.

Now, I fully expect the comments regarding this article to be hateful as I bash the beloved Animal Kingdom smokehouse, but I want you to understand that I tried. I visited twice in the last month in an attempt to give Flame Tree Barbecue a fair chance, and both times I was fairly unimpressed. That being said, this place isn’t all bad and I certainly found some redeeming qualities outside of the menu:

  • It is beautiful – the seating area is gorgeously themed (even if it is outside in the Florida heat) and offers breathtaking views of the park, as well as serene dining gazebos surrounded by trees and water features.
  • The spicy barbecue sauce makes anything better. Available at the condiment station, you are welcome tog et as much as you please.

Well, let’s get this over with, and then I will provide my address so the angry mob can find me…

Flame Tree Barbecue Menu

Flame Tree Barbecue Menu, Disney's Animal Kingdom

Flame Tree Barbecue Menu, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Flame Tree Barbecue Menu, Disney's Animal Kingdom

Flame Tree Barbecue Menu, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Flame Tree Barbecue Menu, Disney's Animal Kingdom

Flame Tree Barbecue Menu, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

French Fries with Pulled Pork and Cheese ($6.49)

French Fries with Pulled Pork and Cheese ($6.49)

French Fries with Pulled Pork and Cheese ($6.49)

These sounded so good that I was excited to eat here, but they did not meet any expectations. I HATE the Disney counter service french fries (check out my Plaza Restaurant review), and they are presented here with toppings that do nothing to enhance them. The pulled pork here is mostly flavorless and the cheese is probably the equivalent of melted Kraft American Cheese Singles.

French Fries with Pulled Pork and Cheese ($6.49)

French Fries with Pulled Pork and Cheese ($6.49)

Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich ($10.99)

Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich ($10.99)

Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich ($10.99)

I though the pulled pork sandwich would be a safe option… I was wrong. The bread was pretty standard and the pork itself flavorless. I did order this without the coleslaw as I am not a fan of it, but this felt like something I had ordered at Six Flags Great Adventure not too long ago. I expect more from Disney counter service.

1/2 Chicken ($13.99)

1/2 Chicken ($13.99)

1/2 Chicken ($13.99)

This particular dish was ordered by a peanut/tree nut allergy guest, so some of the sides have been altered to protect the innocent. The chicken itself is good, but requires a fair amount of work to get the meat off of the bones. Once you do, it may not feel like $13.99 worth of food. The coleslaw and beans are fine enough as sides.

1/2 Chicken ($13.99)

1/2 Chicken ($13.99)

Ribs, Chicken, and Pulled Pork Combo ($19.99)

Ribs, Chicken, and Pulled Pork Combo ($19.99)

Ribs, Chicken, and Pulled Pork Combo ($19.99)

Yes, there is a $20 entree at this counter service location, but is for sure big enough to share. I split this with another adult and we were both pretty full after. That being said, the chicken is the same from the 1/2 chicken dish, so I need no reiterate my feelings on it. Both the pulled pork and ribs were flavorless, and the ribs were fairly fatty. The spicy barbecue sauce I added from the condiments bar helped a lot, in fact, I would happily walk food over from any other location just to add that sauce to it. The jalapeno cornbread wasn’t bad, but paled in comparison to what you will find at Trail’s End, Boatwright’s, or similar establishments around the Walt Disney World Resort.

Overall

Flame Tree Barbecue is underwhelming in my opinion. I like barbecue, and I even like a fair amount of quick service barbecue joints outside of the theme parks. My review doesn’t come from adversity to the type of cuisine served here. I feel like this could be much better with little effort. I would very much like to see a menu revamp for Flame Tree in the not-too-distant future. Until then, I will likely not be returning to the Discovery Island eatery.

Overall Score for Flame Tree Barbecue – 2 out of 7

VIDEO: This Special Effects Video For “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Will Blow You Away!

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

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So you think that you’ve seen “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” so many times that you are pretty confident that you can tell what is CGI and what is not. Think again. Industrial Light & Magic has just released a brand new video showing us some of the magic that was used to bring the characters, the vehicles and even the worlds to life. Check it out:

From Industrial Light & Magic:

We are pleased to share a sample of the visual effects work created for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The history of ILM leads all the way back to 1975 and origins of Star Wars and The Force Awakens gave us the opportunity to once again push the boundaries of what is possible in character animation and visual effects while combining cutting edge practical effects and physical sets. ILM studios in San Francisco, Singapore, Vancouver and London each contributed to the film effects as did our partners Hybride, Base FX and Virtuos.
Source: ILMVisualFX

The Haunted Mansion Closing for Refurbishment in November/December 2016

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

The Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom will be closing for a short refurbishment in late November/early December 2016. It is unknown if the work is at all related to the facade and queue work that has going on at the attraction for a few weeks now.

Picture of the recent facade and queue work on The Haunted Mansion, Walt Disney World

Picture of the recent facade and queue work on The Haunted Mansion, Walt Disney World

The attraction will be closed November 28th, 2016 through December 1st, 2016.

TONIGHT on WDW News Tonight – Halloween Party Review, Food & Wine Preview, Josh of EasyWDW, Radio Free Disneyland

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

Tonight on WDW News Tonight, WDWNT: The Map Game returns, we interview Josh of EasyWDW.com, talk to the host of Radio Free Disneyland, and make another major announcement…

If you are in the Orlando area, you can tune in to AM 1520 WBZW at showtime. For those outside the Orlando area, the show can be heard (and now watched via video stream) at Listen.WDWNT.com on your computer or mobile device. The show also utilizes new interactive avenues for our audience, including a live chat, the ability to call-in to the show, and live polling. WDW News Tonight is hosted by Tom Corless and Nick LoCicero, but also features appearances by a number of other WDWNT correspondents.

Coming up on this week’s show:

  • A recap of the week’s news (with a WDWNT comedic twist)
  • Interview with Josh of EasyWDW.com, including a Food & Wine Festival 2016 preview
  • The Wonderful World of Psychotic Comments
  • A special preview of Radio Free Disneyland with host Deejay Middlebrow
  • A review of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2016
  • “WDWNT: The Map Game – Halloween Edition”, presented by Theme Park Connection
  • Who’s Hates Tom Now?
  • A major announcement from Tom Corless & a special guest
  • And more!

We hope that you will tune in tonight at 9PM ET for another episode of WDW News Tonight!

If you missed last week’s show, be sure to watch it:

PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 9/7/16 (Tower of Terror Farewell, Star Wars Land, AP Days, New Character Heads)

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

Conner Purzycki brings us a fairly news-heavy photo report from the Disneyland Resort on the first day of its transition from the Diamond Celebration into HalloweenTime. Heavy promotion has started for the Tower of Terror final check-in, Star Wars land continues to rise from the dirt, Mickey and Minnie are getting an entirely new look, and the popular AP Days promotion has returned. See, I told you there was a lot going on! Let’s get started, because there is so much to see:

Tower of Terror Final Check-In

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Banners around the resort promote HalloweenTime and the Tower of Terror send off events.

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Billboard by the tram station don’t even mention Halloween Time, it’s all Twilight Zone Tower of Terror promotion. Halloween Time is a pretty big deal at the Disneyland Resort, so giving Tower of Terror the headline billing for this season is kind of a big deal.

Star Wars Land Construction

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Construction of the Star Wars themed land continues in the back of Disneyland Park.

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While it may appear that this project is ahead in schedule compared to Hollywood Studios, this version of the land features more tunnels and an elaborate mountain range to separate the area from Frontierland and Critter Country.

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The Tower of Terror off in the distance, making this an interesting snapshot in Disneyland history.

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Some of the Paint the Night floats are visible just beyond the Star Wars site. The parade is set to return for the holiday season at the Disneyland Resort before the finale run of the Main Street Electrical Parade begins.

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The Diamond Celebration Slowly Vanishes

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Promotional signs for AP Days out in force at the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure.

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The Diamond Celebration still lingers at the Disneyland Resort, including the Diamond Days promotion, which is still going for some reason.

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Halloween Time and the Diamond celebration decorations clash on Main Street.

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Some work being done outside of the Disneyland Railroad station.

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Some tarps still up on the Market House, but Starbucks remains open through it.

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Some other Main Street facades are now also behind tarps.

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The hub Jack-O-Lanterns are back.

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While the “60” came down overnight, the rest of Sleeping Beauty Castle is still sporting the 60th decorations.

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New Mickey & Minnie Costumes Arrive

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The heavily discussed new look heads for Mickey and Minnie Mouse debuted at the Disneyland Resort yesterday.

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These style heads also appear in Mickey’s Royal Friendship Fair at the Magic Kingdom and at the Shanghai Disney Resort.

Rivers of America

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Work continues on the Rivers of America as it prepares for a Summer 2017 reopening, including a newly enhanced Fantasmic show.

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The Columbia is being re-rigged for a new segment in Fantasmic, themed to Pirates of the Caribbean.

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Haunted Mansion Holiday

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The Haunted Mansion is currently closed for its Haunted Mansion Holiday makeover.

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A new cemetery has been placed up on the hill in the queue, featuring some fo the more famous tombstones from the attraction lore.

The Halloween Tree

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The Halloween Tree honoring Ray Bradbury is back in Frontierland.

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Peter Pan Facade Refurbishment

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Even though it was worked on extensively in 2015, the Peter Pan’s Flight facade is once again behind tarps in Fantasyland. The attraction is open.

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Space Mountain – Ghost Galaxy

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Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy will be replacing Hyperspace Mountain until November. Hyperspace Mountain is expected to return and run until the opening of Star Wars land (only bowing our for Ghost Galaxy every year).

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Downtown Disney

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The new Starbucks in Downtown Disney is already getting a facade touch up, along with a Sprinkles location moving in next door.

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More Tower of Terror and Halloween Time banners going down to the Disneyland Hotel.

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Disney California Adventure

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Some work being done to the outside of Rushin’ River Outfitters.

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AP Days Return

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AP Days have returned to the resort for the fall season.

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A number of annual passholder exclusive items are available at the event.

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Specialty food and beverage offerings from around the resort are showcased.

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Trader Sam’s has a special Mahalloween mug this year celebrating The Haunted Mansion.

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The lines for the AP Days Showcase were pretty long.

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The now infamous Backlot Stage still remains, simply as it is more cost effective to leave it standing than remove it at this point.

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The Pete’s Dragon preview is gone, so the Sunset Showcase sits dormant.

PHOTOS, VIDEO: Cabins & Dining Take Shape at New DVC Copper Creek Villas, Wilderness Lodge

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

While no opening date is set yet, work continues at a blistering pace on the Copper Creek Cabins and Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, the latest Disney Vacation Club property announced by the company. I went to check out the construction site yesterday and found that many of the cabins are in place and the new dining establishment along the waterfront is pretty far along as well.

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Here we find the new dining establishment, just steps away from the existing pool bar at the Wilderness Lodge.

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

This looks to be an outdoor seating area adjacent to the new dining establishment.

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

We’re guessing that is the entrance to the establishment, believed to be an additional counter service location.

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Some of the cabins are in place already and many have their framework fully completed at this point. This project has moved a lot faster than we thought it would, possibly because Disney is anxious to move on the the Caribbean Beach project, followed by the 2nd Bay Lake Tower project.

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

The pool seems to be the one part of the project lagging behind, but pool construction is not such a time-consuming task.

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

Copper Creek Cabins & Villas Construction

We also have a video tour of the construction site to share with you today, which will give you a better feel for the scope of the project:

As always, stay tuned to WDWNT.com for the latest news and information on the Copper Creek Cabins and Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

9/20/16 Marvel News Mash-Up (Spider-Man Homecoming Villain, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, ETC.)

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

Chris Hemsworth And Tom Hiddleston Visit Children’s Hospital

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Looks like Thor and Loki have put aside their difference to bring some happiness into the lives of some of the children residing at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane Australia.

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While taking a break from filming “Thor Ragnarok”, Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor, and Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki, may not have been in their full costumes but they still displayed a more of a causal appearance of Thor and Loki. They also brought along Mlojnir with them too to find out if there were any who were worthy to lift the hammer.

Source: Juiced TV

Tom Holland In Spider-Man Costume Also Visits A Children’s Hospital

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Another super guy doing super things for super kids. Tom Holland paid a visit to Egleston Children’s Hospital in Atlanta to brighten up some children’s day.

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Holland went all out and donned his famous Spider-Man costume and made a lot of kids and adults very happy to spend some time with the worlds most famous web-slinger.

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Kudos to Tom Holland, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. Keep up the great work guys!

Source: TomHolland2013, 9GAG

Our First Look At Spider-Man’s Newest Villain, “The Shocker” In “Spider-Man: Homecoming”

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This could be our first look at actor Bokeem Woodbine as the newest villain that Spider-Man will face off against in the upcoming movie, “Spider-Man: Homecoming”.

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It sounds like The Vulture, played by Michael Keaton, will be the main villain but it looks like we will see Spidey going up against several villains in the movie.  I always worry about multiple villains in superhero movies ever since the disastrous Batman and Robin movie. Spider-Man 3 had Sandman, Venom and a Green Goblin wannabe.  Amazing Spider-Man 2 had Electro, Rhino and another Green Goblin wannabe. If history has shown us anything, too many villains means too many plot lines, which makes the story just inflated and overloaded. A lot of times more is less. Let’s hope they get Spider-Man right this time.

Source: About Tom Holland

Stunning Fan Art of What Brie Larson Will Could Like As “Captain Marvel”

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We still have a very long wait until we get to see “Captain Marvel” on the big screen but one artist has put together what we can only hope Marvel and their costume designers will mirror because in my eyes, this is perfection.

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Above is a version of “Captain Marvel” in mask and mohawk.

Source: BossLogic

First Look At “Ghost Rider” In “Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.”tumblr_inline_ode9hgbzty1tdxckh_1280

I never saw this coming and I’m not really sure if this is a good idea or not but we’ll see as “Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.” returns on September 20th adding and the legendary superhero “Ghost Rider” to the cast. This time around we will not see the Johnny Blaze version of The Ghost Rider, that has been seen in two not very successful solo movies, but Robbie Reyes, played by Gabriel Luna, will take over the mantel trading in his motorcycle for a 1969 Dodge Charger.

Source: Yahoo TV

The Final Poster For Marvel’s “Doctor Strange”

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Check out this beautiful poster of Benedict Cumberbatch as “Doctor Strange” as he travels through dimensions all throughout the world. This movie keeps getting closer and closer every day and before you know it, November 4th will be here!

Nice Closeup Of Spidey’s Web-shooters In “Spider-Man: Homecoming”

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Atlanta Filming got a beautiful closeup of Spidey’s web-shooters that he will be using in “Spider-Man: Homecoming”. I still wonder if all of those black sections were added to his suit for a reason. Maybe they connect the web cartridges from his belt to his web shooters. They do look pretty slick!

Source: Atlanta Filming

Fan Art Shows How Spider-Man’s “Civil War” Costume Would Look Like In The Comic Book

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Every day my love for Spidey’s “Civil War” costume grows and grows and this art work from jaopickstart just adds to it. What this artist did was pay homage to Amazing Spider-Man #546 using Spidey’s new MCU costume.

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This costume will also be shown in “Spider-Man Homecoming”.

Source: Jaopickstart @ Deviantart

That’s it for this time!