Hello, dear readers. Welcome to today’s post-Super Bowl edition of The Monitor, WIRED’s culture news roundup. As you might imagine, this latest installment includes a few of the Big Game trailers that dropped during last night’s Super Bowl LIV. There’s also some other cool news about David Byrne and Disney+’s Loki show. Tune in.
The New James Bond No Time to Die Trailer Is a Metaphor
There isn’t a whole lot in the new trailer for No Time to Die that didn’t show up in the last trailer for the forthcoming James Bond film. There is, however, the opening bit where Bond (Daniel Craig) asks Nomi (Captain Marvel’s Lashana Lynch), “You ever flown one of these things before?” She responds, “Nope,” and the camera pulls out to reveal them both in a small plane about to be dropped out of a much bigger one. The plane (the small one) drops into the sky and she steers it into action. It’s a small moment, but it’s also possibly a metaphor. It’s been rumored that Nomi, a double-0 agent, could play a major role in the franchise going forward. No Time to Die will be Craig’s last turn as 007 and it’s possible that Lynch could replace him. If this trailer says anything, it’s that she’s ready.
Owen Wilson Is Coming to Disney+’s Loki
Former wedding crasher Owen Wilson is joining forces with the God of Mischief. The actor, known most prominently for his work with director Wes Anderson, is joining the cast of Loki, according to Variety. No word yet, though, on what character he’ll play. The Disney+ show, which will star Tom Hiddleston in the role that made him a Marvel fan fave, is scheduled for release in 2021.
Spike Lee Is Making a Film Version of David Byrne’s American Utopia
David Byrne’s American Utopia is coming to the big screen. Spike Lee is turning the Broadway production, which features Byrne and other musicians from around the world performing songs from the Talking Heads frontman’s catalog, into a film set for release later this year. The movie will capture the live performance, which has been playing at the Hudson Theater since October 2019 and will run through February 16, 2020. “This couldn’t have worked out better for this project,” Byrne said in a statement. “Spike Lee directing and Participant producing—two socially engaged teams, well, three if you count us in the band, coming together in what I feel will be something moving, important, and unlike anything anyone has seen before.”
Joaquin Phoenix Called Out Hollywood Racism at the BAFTAs
Yesterday, actor Joaquin Phoenix won the Leading Actor award for his performance in Joker at the BAFTAs. While accepting the trophy he took a moment—the whole speech, really—to address systemic racism in Hollywood, nodding to the fact that not a single person of color was nominated in any of the main acting categories this year. “I don’t think anybody wants a handout or preferential treatment, although that’s what we give ourselves every year. I think people just want to be acknowledged, appreciated and respected for their work,” Phoenix said. “This is not a self-righteous condemnation because I’m ashamed to say that I’m part of the problem. … We have to do the hard work to truly understand systemic racism. I think it is the obligation of the people that have created and perpetuate and benefit from a system of oppression to be the ones that dismantle it. So that’s on us.” Watch the full speech below.
Here’s the New Trailer for Black Widow
Speaking of Marvel, the studio released a new trailer for the forthcoming Black Widow standalone movie, which reunites Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) with her past. The movie hits theaters May 1.
And One for All the Disney+ Marvel Shows
Marvel didn’t stop its Super Bowl promotion machine with the Black Widow trailer, though. It also dropped a new trailer with teases for the forthcoming Disney+ shows The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, and the aforementioned Loki. Watch those below.
Oh, and a New Top Gun: Maverick Trailer, Too
Did you think Top Gun: Maverick was going to be all fun and sexy football? Well, it’s not, OK? It’s also super serious. Dark, even. Just watch this new trailer. It’ll show ya.
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