You know that a franchise – be it in film or television – has made it big when its fans and even the cast themselves ask for another helping. That’s the case with the two titles in our news roundup today.
Three “Arcane” Spin-off Shows Confirmed
“Arcane” may be over and done with, but it won’t be the last we see of Runeterra. Following the season 2 finale of the critically-acclaimed animated series, it was confirmed that its creative team is already working on three more spin-offs set in various locations in the League of Legends universe.
In an interview with a Twitch streamer, Necrit94, showrunner Christian Linke explained in length what they have in mind for the future of the series, and what the “next steps into this cinematic universe” are.
“We are investing quite a bit in Noxus, Ionia, Demacia […] We start, really, with character stories. But I’m very confident that we’re investing in the right stories […] We have a lot of data, we know which characters our audience likes and plays a lot,” said Linke.
For those who are unfamiliar with the aforementioned regions, much like Zaun and Piltover in the first two seasons of “Arcane,” Ionia, Demacia, and Noxus have a deep and “frankly” bitter past with one another. To keep a long story short: Noxus, the homeland of Ambessa and Mel from the series, is a militaristic empire known for its brutal wars and campaigns; as a result, it is one of the largest nations in the world. Because of its size, however, it often comes into conflict with its neighbour, Demacia, another militaristic nation that has banned all forms of magic. Ionia, on the other hand, is a far-off nation that Noxus attempted to invade and conquer for resources but failed.
It has not been confirmed which of the three nations we will see first, if they will feature each region individually, or if they will feature all of them simultaneously. However, Linke did explain the reasoning behind this creative decision. He said that they chose these nations because they are home to the more popular and beloved characters in the lore, though he did emphasise that they are looking at other countries as well.
Obviously, animation is such a painstaking process, especially if it’s done with the same polish as “Arcane.” Which is why the project has already been in development for about a year. With that in mind, hopefully, the next installment to this amazing series will come sooner and without delays, unlike season 2.
Angelina Jolie Wants To Reprise Maleficent For Third Time
Let’s not kid ourselves; when it comes to entertaining villains we love to hate, no one does it better than Disney. From Scar to Ursula and even to Dr. Facilier, there is something captivating and mesmerising about their depiction on screen and how, for lack of a better word, unapologetically evil they can be. Though they can be one-dimensional, we can’t help but glue our eyes on them whenever they make their appearance.
In recent years, Disney has embraced reimagining their classic villains with much more depth. One of the more popular reimaginings is Maleficent, the wicked fairy from Disney’s 1959 film “Sleeping Beauty.” This cold-hearted “Mistress of All Evil” was brought to life by Angelina Jolie back in 2014 in the live-action “Maleficent” movie.
Suffice to say, if it wasn’t for Jolie’s depiction, along with other remakes at the time, we would not be experiencing this wave of live-action remakes; whether that’s a good or bad thing is up for debate. Regardless, Jolie expressed her enthusiasm to reprise the villainess for a third time in an interview with Deadline. Though there has been no word of a third installment in the works, the veteran actress’s interview answers suggest that it might be in development. If it is not, she’s made it clear that she’s open to continuing the franchise.
Jolie clearly loves the part, and her comeback might infuse Disney’s live-action slate with new energy. Another Maleficent movie might cement the franchise’s reputation as home to one of the greatest female movie villains, especially since viewers are demanding deeper, more complex narratives.
Sources: Screen Rant, Gosu Gamers
