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Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness’ Xochitl Gomez Talks America Chavez’s Future, The Marvel Villain She Wants To Fight And More

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Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness’ Xochitl Gomez Talks America Chavez’s Future, The Marvel Villain She Wants To Fight And More

A lot of major Marvel characters have been brought into the Marvel Cinematic Universe during Phase 4, from Shang-Chi, the Eternals and the individual who cameoed in Thor: Love and Thunder’s mid-credits scene, to the forthcoming arrival of Namor the Sub-Mariner in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Then there’s Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez, who was introduced in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and, like her comic book counterpart, has the ability to punch open doorways to other realities. With Multiverse of Madness now available to buy on 4K, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital, as well Disney+ subscribers being able to stream it,  I had the opportunity to speak with Gomez about where we left off with America and the character’s future, including the Marvel villain the actress would like America to fight.

At the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, America Chavez was seen learning the mystic arts at Kamar-Taj training with the other sorcerers under Wong’s tutelage. So along with naturally being able to travel to other universes, America will soon be able to conjure the kind of spells that Doctor Strange frequently whips out, and Xochitl Gomez is excited about both that and the magical community she’s now part of. As the actress told me:

Yeah, I mean, I think it’s awesome that we got to see America at Kamar-Taj learning the mystic arts because it’s super cool. It’s so different from her actual powers, and I think she’ll learn lots of structure and discipline with Wong, and I’m glad she’s just spending time at a place that she can kind of feel like she belongs and feel like she can call home with other people who are learning and stuff.

As far as what the future holds in store for Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez, technically Marvel Studios hasn’t made an official announcement about her returning in anything. Still, considering her importance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, not to mention we’ve met this character who can travel to other universe in the middle of what we now know is the Multiverse Saga, it’s reasonable to assume we’ll be seeing more of her again. Regarding what she’d like to see from America going forward, Gomez said the following:

Honestly I’m down. Just like Captain America where he kind of had that moment where he was being the leader, honestly, I hope that America gets to be in a show or movie. Loki and Kang I feel could be really fun. It seems like [Kang’s] a really great villain and I’m super excited to see what he’s about to unleash, especially with the multiverse, I think that could be really fun. And hopefully America Chavez will get to be in a Kang-related project because I think that would be really cool. I think there’s lots of history there too.

After first appearing as Kang variant He Who Remains in the Loki Season 1 finale, Jonathan Majors will debut as the main Kang the Conqueror next year in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and with one of the Avengers movies in Phase 6 being called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (which will be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton), it’s abundantly clear now this character will become a Thanos-level villain for the MCU. So seeing America Chavez tangle with Kang in some capacity could indeed be a cool sight. During my conversation with Xochitl Gomez, I also brought up what she thought her version of America could bring to the Young Avengers, which is among the many teams the comics version of America has been affiliated with over the years. Gomez responded thusly:

I think she’d be a great leader. She’s very confident, and one thing that she’s got going for her is that she just keeps marching on when there’s things that are happening. Obviously we’ve seen [Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness], things are like literally coming after her and her life is falling apart. She just keeps going and she’s very optimistic, and I think that’s something that’s very important when it’s a leader.

While Marvel Studios hasn’t officially revealed if the Young Avengers will form in the MCU, there’s certainly been movement towards potentially seeing that, such as Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop being introduced in Hawkeye, and Cassie Lang, now being played by Kathryn Newton, joining the superhero game in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. As Xochitl Gomez sees it, America Chavez is a great fit to lead the MCU’s Young Avengers given her experiences and attitude while dealing with difficult circumstances. Whether she scores that gig if the team comes together, we’ll have to wait and see.

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CinemaBlend will share any news on what’s coming up for Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez, but for now, you can read our thoughts on what Marvel’s big Phase 5 and 6 news could mean for the MCU.

Interviews

Quentin Tarantino Reveals His Pick For ‘The Greatest Movie Ever Made’

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Quentin Tarantino Reveals His Pick For ‘The Greatest Movie Ever Made’

It may not feel like it sometimes, but any upcoming movie has the chance to be named “the greatest movie ever made” by someone out there. However, that honor does have some specific caveats if you’re someone like filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. Not only has the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood director chosen a Steven Spielberg classic for that very distinction, Tarantino also explained just why that title is very specific. 

In an upcoming interview with our in-house podcast ReelBlend, Quentin Tarantino made his fourth appearance to talk about all things movies; the first since the big live show at the New Beverly Cinema. Promoting his new co-hosting gig on The Video Archives Podcast, Tarantino had yet another spirited discussion about cinema, which led to his pick of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws as  the greatest “movie” ever made. That distinction is important, as the Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood director made that perfectly clear through the following remarks: 

I think Jaws is the greatest movie ever made. Maybe not the greatest film. But it’s the greatest movie ever made. And then there are other movies that can get in its rarefied air. But as far as a movie, there’s no making it better than Jaws. There’s no ‘better’ than Jaws. It is the best movie ever made. And it shows how badly timed most movies made before Jaws were.

Leave it to Quentin Tarantino to separate his tastes in movies into those two separate, important camps: “movies” and “films.” In this case, the designation of a movie almost sounds like it’s shorthand for the blockbuster opuses that Steven Spielberg made a name for himself with. Which means that “films” are presumably more of the independent/art house titles that have higher pedigrees, and usually end up on the lists of best picture nominees every year.

Strangely enough, Jaws is one of six horror movies to have Best Picture nominations, so the line could blur just a bit in that respect. Putting aside the “movies” versus “films” debate, Quentin Tarantino isn’t using that separation to be a snob. Later on in the conversation, he explained how spectacles such as this are their own form of art, and how Steven Spielberg came to be someone who perfected it: 

What I meant by that, to one degree or another, is that Spielberg and a lot of his cohorts grew up seeing those kinds of movies in the theater. Henry Levin’s Journey to Center of the Earth, he’s gonna run to go and see that. Richard Fleischer’s Fantastic Voyage. He’s going to run and go see it. Gordon Douglas’s Them! He’s going to run and go see. Now… most of them weren’t directed that well. They were assignments given to journeyman directors who did their best with them. That was how we were used to seeing comic book — that kind of movie experience. As opposed to a Spielberg, who was like, ‘No, this is exactly the kind of movie he likes. This is exactly the kind of movies he was put on earth to make. And he’s going to make it, within an inch of his life, as effective as it possibly can be. And, you know, Michael Anderson, isn’t putting that kind of work in Logan’s Run.

Spielberg, and “cohorts” like George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, and Francis Ford Copolla all latched onto genres that were pulpier entertainments in their childhood, only to make them into something new. Through films like Jaws, Star Wars, Taxi Driver, and The Godfather, we saw a generation of directors taking movies they loved and reviving them through their own personal lenses. Which is exactly what Quentin Tarantino would do when he stepped onto the scene with Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction; and it’s also why he’s such a staunch supporter of the cinematic experience. 

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If this conversation boils down to anything, it’s game recognizing game. Much as Steven Spielberg idolized the movies that helped make Jaws, Quentin Tarantino has reverence for the bearded director and his dedication to making the movies that sparked his love of cinema. Though considering the history his collaborator Samuel L. Jackson has had with sharks, you have to wonder if this has already sparked any sort of humorous conversations between the two?

You’ll be able to watch, and listen, to Quentin Tarantino’s latest appearance on ReelBlend, as it’s set to hit YouTube tomorrow. Meanwhile, Tarantino may not have his tenth and final film in the works just yet, but you can still enjoy the man’s gift for words in two very cool ways. 

Tarantino’s Video Archives podcast, which he co-hosts with friend and collaborator Roger Avery, is currently streaming wherever you find fine listening material. However, if you also want to read the man’s thoughts on ‘70s filmmaking in his upcoming book Cinema Speculation, which you can currently preorder on Amazon (opens in new tab); or any other fine bookseller.

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‘Prey’ Interviews With Amber Midthunder, Dan Trachtenberg And More!

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The stars of “Prey,” Amber Midthunder (“Naru”), Dakota Bevers (“Taabe”), Dane DiLiegro (“The Predator”), director Dan Trachtenberg and producer Jhane Myers discuss their new “Predator” movie in this interview with CinemaBlend at San Diego Comic-Con 2022. They discuss the “Prey” audition moment that landed Amber Midthunder her role and more!

You can stream “Prey” on Hulu on August 5.

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‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ | Marvel Comic-Con Interviews with Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan & More

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‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ | Marvel Comic-Con Interviews with Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan & More

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” stars Chris Pratt (Peter Quill / Star-Lord), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Will Poulter (Adam Warlock), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Sean Gunn (Kraglin / On-Set Rocket), Chukwudi Iwuji (The High Evolutionary) and writer Director James Gunn discuss their upcoming Marvel film and conclusion of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy in this post-Hall H interview with CinemaBlend at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.

Video Chapters

  • 00:00 – Chris Pratt on Finding “Your Side”
  • 00:35 – Chris Pratt Teases What’s Ahead For Star-Lord and Gamora In GOTG 3
  • 01:24 – Karen Gillan LOVES ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Fan Reactions
  • 02:00 – Karen Gillan Weighs In On Nebula Unaliving Nebula in ‘Endgame’
  • 02:32 – James Gunn Teases a “Darker” ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Movie
  • 03:20 – Sean Gunn on Baby Rocket’s Difficult Backstory
  • 04:30 –  Pom Klementieff on Welcoming New Marvel Actors to the ‘Guardians’ Family
  • 05:15 – Pom Klementieff Teases A More Badass Mantis In ‘Guardians 3’
  • 05:35 – Will Poulter Teases Adam Warlock Origins in ‘GOTG 3’ 
  • 06:32 – Chukwudi Iwuji on The High Evolutionary and His Motivations
  • 07:20 – Chukwudi Iwugi Praises James Gunn’s Dialogue
  • 08:15 – Chris Pratt Recalls His Last Day of Filming the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Trilogy
  • 08:55 – James Gunn Is Literally Always Writing and Rewriting Scripts
  • 09:49 – Will Poulter Wants to Play Adam Warlock Again “If Marvel Will Have Me”

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