Tessa Thompson Makes Special Appearance in Final “The Marvels” Trailer

It’s a Marvels-ous moment for Tessa Thompson.

In the just-released final trailer before the premiere of The Marvels this Friday, the 40-year-old half-Afro-Panamanian and part-Mexican American actress makes a surprise appearance.

Tessa Thompson,Towards the end of the trailer, Thompson‘s Valkyrie makes an appearance talking to Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel and telling her, “You can stand tall without standing alone.”

Valkyrie first appeared in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. Thompson would later reprise her role and make appearances in Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).

Also, Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Chris EvansCaptain America make an appearance in flashbacks as the voiceover by Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury says, “Heroes, it’s an old fashioned notion, but the world can still use them.”

The Marvel Studios film follows Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel as she has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.”

The Marvels stars Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Seo-Jun Park, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Nia DaCosta directs, and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Mary Livanos and Matthew Jenkins serve as executive producers. The screenplay is by DaCosta, Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik.

The Marvels opens in theaters on Friday, Nov. 10.

First Trailer Released for Zoe Saldaña’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”

Zoe Saldaña is on guard

The first trailer has been released for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, starring the 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, which marks the end of an era for Marvel.

Zoe SaldañaThe film is the final adventure of this iteration of the cosmic team, and it is also a final Marvel bow for James Gunn, who has departed the MCU to take a job as a top executive at DC Studios, where he co-runs its film, television and animation efforts.\

In addition to Saldaña, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 also stars Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel, and introduces the character Adam Warlock, played by Will Poulter.

The first Guardians of the Galaxy was a game-changer for Marvel, which had already made $1 billion brands out of so-called “B-level” characters such as Iron Man.

But 2014’s Guardians took that formula to new heights, turning obscure characters into a global brand. The film, which earned $773.3 million internationally, ushered in an era in which quirky filmmakers such as Gunn put their own stamps on Marvel properties. A sequel followed in 2017, with the third eyed for 2020 before Gunn was fired from the property over old, offensive tweets before eventually being reinstated.

The Guardians, and the voice Gunn established, have been important to Marvel in between Vols. 2 and 3.

The characters appeared in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, released last month on Disney+.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens on May 5, 2023.

The new trailer is soundtracked by the 1996 top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit “In the Meantime,” by (appropriate to the intergalactic films) Spacehog.

The soundtracks to the first two installments in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, both of which were studded with carefully curated 1970s pop gems, were both big hits.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1, which featured such hits as Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling” and Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love,” topped the Billboard 200 for two consecutive weeks in August 2014

Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 2, which contained such hits as ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky” and Looking Glass’ “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl),” reached No. 4 in 2017.

Paul Calderón to Star on the Marvel Studios Disney+ Series “Ironheart”

Paul Calderón has ironed out details on his next project…

The 63-year-old Puerto Rican actor has joined the cast of the Marvel Studios Disney+ series Ironheart in an undisclosed role.

The 6-episode series, created by Chinaka Hodge, will star Dominique Thorne as Marvel character Riri Williams, a genius inventor and creator of the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.

Previously announced cast also includes Anthony RamosShakira Barrera, Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Shea Couleé, and Zoe Terakes.

Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes are directing, with Ryan Coogler’s Proximity among the production entities.

Coogler, Ironheart head writer Chinaka Hodge, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian serve as executive producers alongside Marvel StudiosKevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum and Zoie Nagelhout.

Calderón is a writer, actor, and director who most recently appeared in one of the final episodes of NBC’s This Is Us titled “Miguel,” which focused on the character of Miguel Rivas (Jon Huertas).

Additionally, Calderón starred in multiple seasons of Amazon’s Bosch in the role of Detective Jimmy Robertson.

His other notable TV credits include AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, HBO’s Boardwalk EmpireHostages for CBS, NBC’s Law & Order, and Miami Vice.

On the big screen, he served as co-writer of Abel Ferrera’s Bad Lieutenant starring Harvey Keitel. Calderón also played a cop in the 1992 film. Film credits also include Sydney Pollack’s The Firm, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp FictionCop Land by James Mangold, Steven Soderbergh’s Out of Sight, and Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s 21 Grams.

The U.S. Army veteran who studied acting under the G.I. Bill went on to become a founding member of the LAByrinth Theater Company where he mentored Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Rockwell and Lauren Luna Velez, among others.

Shakira Barrera to Star in Marvel Studios’ “Ironheart

Shakira Barrera has ironed out her latest plans…

The Nicaraguan-American actress/dancer has joined the cast of Marvel Studios’ Ironheart as a series regular, according to Deadline.com.

Shakira BarreraThe six-episode series created by Chinaka Hodge will star Dominique Thorne as Marvel character Riri Williams, a genius inventor and creator of the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.

The previously announced members of the cast include Anthony Ramos, Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Shea Couleé and Zoe Terakes.

Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes are directing, with Ryan Coogler’s Proximity among the production entities.

Coogler, Ironheart head writer Chinaka Hodge, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian serve as executive producers alongside Marvel StudiosKevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum and Zoie Nagelhout.

Barrera can currently be seen as a series regular in the Freevee series Sprung opposite Garrett Dillahunt and Martha Plimpton. She also recently wrapped a recurring arc in OWN’s legal drama All Rise as part of the show’s third season.

She’s notably known for her portrayal of lady wrestler Yolanda in GLOW and Lulu in It’s Brunoboth for Netflix.

Her other TV credits include TNT’s Animal Kingdom, Showtime’s Shameless, and USA Network’s Queen of the South.

On the film side, she appeared in Daniela Garcia’s short film HuellaThe Collection opposite Alex Pettyfer, and The Knocking opposite Shiloh Fernandez.

Outside of acting, Barrera serves as a goodwill ambassador for organizations that specialize in humanitarian aid in Nicaragua.

Manny Montana to Star in Marvel Studios’ Disney+ Series “Ironheart”

Manny Montana is putting his (iron)heart into his work…

The 38-year-old Mexican American actor, who rose to acclaim on NBC’s Good Girls, will star as a series regular opposite Dominique Thorne in Marvel Studios’ Disney+ series Ironheart.

Manny MontanaDetails about his character are being kept under wraps.

Ironheart, which is now filming, stars Thorne as Riri Williams, a genius inventor and creator of the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.

In addition to Williams, Montana joins Anthony Ramos, with Lyric Ross believed to have a role in the series.

Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes are directing, with Ryan Coogler’s Proximity among the production entities. Coogler, Ironheart head writer Chinaka Hodge, Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian serve as executive producers alongside Marvel StudiosKevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, and Zoie Nagelhout.

Montana starred on NBC’s Good Girls for four seasons as one of the core series regulars. He’s recurring on the current season of FX’s Mayans M.C. and also recurs on the upcoming season of HBO’s Westworld.

Anthony Ramos to Reportedly Star in Marvel’s “Ironheart” Series for Disney+

Anthony Ramos is ready to marvel…

The 30-year-old Puerto Rican actor, singer and songwriter is reportedly entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a key role in Marvel’s Ironheart series for Disney+.

Anthony RamosIronheart will star Dominique Thorne as Marvel character Riri Williams, a genius inventor and creator of the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.

Chinaka Hodge was recently tapped as head writer on the series, first announced as being in development during Disney’s investor-day presentation in December 2020.

While details behind Ramos’ role remain unknown, sources say it will be similar to how Jonathan Majors was introduced as Kang the Conquer in Lokiwhere he’s expected to not only have a big role in this series but in future Marvel projects as well.

Reps for Marvel Studios declined to comment to Deadline.com.

Williams was first introduced in the Marvel comics in 2016, the creation of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mike Deodato. In the comics, she is a 15-year-old MIT student who reverse-engineers Iron Man’s armor in order to create armor of her own. Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, eventually took notice and gave her his encouragement to pursue the life of a superhero.

While a premiere date for the series is still to be determined, insiders say Williams is expected to make her debut in the MCU in the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverwhich bows in November.

Since his breakout role as one of the original cast members of HamiltonRamos’ star has been on the rise with Bradley Cooper tapping him for a role his A Star Is Born remake. He then topped the ensemble cast in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, which bowed last summer.

Ramos will also star in the latest Transformers film Transformers: Rise of the Beastswhich is set to debut on June 9, 2023.

Victoria Alonso to Speak at NALIP Media Summit

There’s a little moderation in Victoria Alonso’s future…

The three-day 2021 virtual edition of the NALIP Media Summit will feature a conversation with the 55-year-old  Marvel Studios’ executive producer moderated by Variety’s Marc Malkin.

Victoria Alonso

The three-day event will feature diverse creative leaders from the Latinx community that will connect with attendees through a series of sessions, workshops, exclusive screenings and mentorship opportunities.

The 22nd annual event will be held July 19-21. Additional speakers and sessions will be announced soon.

Alonso has been working in the industry for over 25 years. She began her career working in visual effects and quickly rose as an award-winning VFX producer at Digital Domain. After joining Marvel as EVP of visual effects and post-production in 2005, she worked as a co-producer on the studio’s early hits such as Iron Man, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Assuming her current position in 2015, she has served as an executive on every Marvel Cinematic Universe film and television show since 2012’s The Avengers.

Alonso’s talk will stream live on July 20 followed by a signature conversation with Starz president and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch. Other speakers include actors Isabela Merced and Frankie Rodriguez.

Pedro Pascal to Star in Disney+’s Live-Action Star Wars Series “The Mandalorian”

May the Force be with Pedro Pascal

The 43-year-old Chilean actor is joining the Jedi universe, portraying the title character in The Mandalorian, the live-action Star Wars series that will be a flagship program for Disney+, the ambitious streaming service launching in 2019.

Pedro Pascal

Pascal is in final negotiations to star in the series, which chronicles the lone-wolf odyssey of a character who hails from the planet Mandalore, which Star Wars fans know as the homeworld of the notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett and Jango Fett.

Pascal memorably portrayed the passionate warrior Oberyn Martell, aka the Red Viper, on the fourth season of the HBO series Game of ThronesHe also played DEA agent Javier Peña on three seasons of Narcos, when the Netflix series centered on the cocaine cartels of Colombia. Pascal also played Agent Whiskey in the Foxfeature film Kingsmen: The Golden Circle in 2017.

The Mandalorian is written and executive produced by Jon Favreau, the director of Jungle BookIron Man as well as the upcoming reinterpretation of The Lion King. Favreau’s official description of the show: “After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. We follow the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.”

The events depicted in the series are set after the events of Return of the Jedi, which concluded with the fiery funeral of Darth Vader on the forest moon of Endor.

The first episode of the series will be directed by Dave Filoni (Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Also on board to direct early episodes are Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Deborah Chow (Jessica Jones) and actress Bryce Dallas Howard, whose previous directorial work has been limited to short films.

MTV Renews Baquero’s “The Shannara Chronicles” for a Second Season

Ivana Baquero will have more to chronicle in the near future…

MTV has ordered a second season of The Shannara Chronicles, starring the 21-year-old Spanish actress.

Ivana Baquero

An adaptation of the international best-selling fantasy novels by Terry Brooks, the fantasy series hails from Smallville and Into the Badlands creators Al Gough and Miles Millar and Iron Man and Jungle Book director Jon Favreau.

It had a modestly-rated premiere run on linear television but did well in young demos, delayed and multi-platform viewing as well as on social media.

The series averaged a 0.98 L+3 rating in MTV’s core P12-34 demo, ranking as MTV’s top-rated new series this year.

Shannara also saw the highest average L+7 lift (+106%) for a freshman series in MTV history. A strong digital performer, the series pulled in 16.6 million streams across all MTV’s digital properties and ranks as the highest grossing digital download for a single season on MTV ever.

The Shannara Chronicles follows a trio of heroes who’ve embarked on a quest to stop a demon army bent on destroying humanity’s world. It stars Poppy Drayton as Amberle, an Elvin Princess; Baquero as Eretria, a Human Rover; Austin Butler as Wil, a Half-Elf, Half-Human, and Aaron Jakubenko as Ander.

In the season finale, Baquero’s character stays behind in Safehold to give the others time to escape from the Trolls following them. It is revealed that Eretria has been captured by Trolls; and she recognizes one of her captors .

The Shannara Chronicles is co-produced by MTV, Sonar Entertainment and Farah Films.

“This dream team delivered a beautiful, ground breaking show with compelling stories and character journeys which brought in new viewers,” said Mina Lefevre, EVP and Head of Scripted Development at MTV.

Messi: The Top-Ranking Latino on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 List

Lionel Messi is a Latino at the top of the global earnings game…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star has earned the No. 13 spot on ForbesCelebrity 100, the list of the world’s highest-paid superstars of 2015.

Lionel Messi

Messi, the highest-ranking Latino on the list of the highest paid entertainers on the planet had earnings of $74 million during the reporting period.

In 2014, Spanish club Barcelona awarded Messi, a four-time FIFA player of the year, with a $9 million a year raise in his seventh contract since 2005, bringing his take home pay to $50 million a year through 2018. Messi holds records for most goals in Barca competitions, most goals in La Liga competitions, most goals scored in a calendar year and most hat tricks scored. That incredible talent is why sponsor Samsung cast him as superhero Iron Man in their ad to promote the Avengers film. It’s also why his main sponsor Adidas launched a Messi icon line of shoes and apparel, which has exceeded company sales expectations, including in the U.S.

He recently ranked as the top-ranking Latino on Forbes’ 2015 list of the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes, coming in at No. 4.

Meanwhile, Gisele Bündchen has earned the distinction of highest-ranking Latina on this year’s list.

The 34-year-old Brazilian supermodel, who has been the highest-paid model in the world since 2004, comes in at No. 46 with earnings of $44 million.

Bündchen, the world’s highest-paid model in 2014, continues to out-earn her younger counterparts. Despite rumors that she was retiring from the runway, Bündchen’s earnings have not suffered. She continues to land lucrative fragrance and beauty contracts with Carolina Herrera and Chanel, supplementing those deals with high fashion campaigns for Emilio Pucci and Balenciaga. Her Under Armour advertisement, which showed her attacking a punching bag while social media commentary blared in the background, was one of the most impactful this year. Bündchen has turned her name into a brand: she gets a cut of sales from the jelly sandals she designs for Brazilian shoemaker Grendene, while her line of Hope lingerie – Gisele Bündchen Intimates – also pumps up her paycheck.

Coming in at No. 52 is Bruno Mars, with earnings of $40 million.

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s recent collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk,” spent 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It was only one of many reasons Mars solidified his place on the Celebrity 100. After being the featured musician in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Class of 2014, Mars continued to make a name for himself by completing his Moonshine Jungle tour. He’s currently working on his next album, and if it is anything like his previous studio effort, Mars can expect the awards and dollars to keep rolling in.

In all, 10 Latino/a celebrities made this year’s list, including tennis star Rafael Nadal, soccer phenom Neymar and multi-hyphenate extraordinaire Jennifer Lopez.

Here’s the complete list of Latino superstars on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list:

No. 13 Lionel Messi, $74 million
No. 46 Gisele Bündchen, $44 million
No. 52 Bruno Mars, $40 million
No. 63 Fernando Alonso, $35.5 million
No. 76 Rafael Nadal, $32.5 million
No. 82 Neymar, $31 million
No. 86 Carmelo Anthony, $30.5 million
No. 89 James Rodriguez, $29 million
No. 95 Jennifer Lopez, $28.5 million
No. 95 Sofia Vergara, $28.5 million