2021 “THE BATMAN” Film Casts ZOE KRAVITZ to be CATWOMAN

The decision by Warner Bros. and DC Films to minimalize interconnectivity between films of the DC Extended Universe franchise following “Justice League” in 2017 seems to be shaping up to a good start. By not trying to toe a line like the Marvel Cinematic Universe does, later films like “Aquaman” and “Shazam!” have been able to tell their stories and tell them well. Warner has also gone to produce stuff like “Joker,” which is separate from the DCEU altogether. The same deal goes for “The Batman,” a new standalone film for the Dark Knight starring Robert Pattinson in the lead. And it looks like he just got his leading lady.

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MRT3 Getting First DALIAN TRAINS from 2015 this TUESDAY NIGHT

While residents of Metro Manila, despite grousing, are used to it by now, the National Capital Region’s public mass transport infrastructure has been famous – or infamous – to the rest of the country due to their tendency to epically break down. It can be something like an MRT train door opening during transit, or a breakdown between stations, or a fire breaking out and leaving an LRT line out of commission for a long time. But the Department of Transportation does exert its utmost to fix these problems, and upgrade when possible. Metro Railway Transit Line 3 is getting new trains this very night, after all.

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AMC Launching THEATERS ON DEMAND Digital RENT/SALE Service this TUESDAY

It seems every company dealing in media that could afford to do it, are now entering the digital domain and the expanding arena of online content-on-demand platforms. And sometimes the names of the businesses that are doing so can make people double-take. One major example recently is AMC Theatres, the multinational movie theater chain and arguably the biggest in the world. Many a moviegoer has gone to their cinemas to catch the newest and latest big-screen blockbusters. At first blush one might think AMC is too far from actually having business opening a digital service. But they are planning to.

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KAPUSO in KAPAMILYA Films Trend More with DENNIS TRILLO’s “HELLCOME HOME”

A good argument could be made by now that, despite documentation like exclusive contracts for this network or that agency or this label, in a way all Filipino showbiz talents are ABS-CBN talents. That is the impression on gets when looking at how many stars from, say, GMA7, no matter how long they have been identified in the public consciousness as Kapuso, will still gamely star in any film production from Star Cinema, the movie-making arm of the Kapamilya network. Dingdong Dantes, Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza have done it; now it is Dennis Trillo’s turn to tie the networks.

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DISNEY Teases MOVIES SHOWS DOCUMENTARIES Coming to DISNEY Streaming NOVEMBER

The clock is ticking, and there is less than a month left before Disney launches it online brainchild, the end result of dialing back content from general digital streaming platforms and making their own exclusive service. Disney+, one of many such exclusive platforms that have sprung up in the wake of mass content withdrawals from “common-ground” services like Netflix and Hulu, stands to become one of the biggest of the bunch, thanks to its massive library of films and shows, not just bearing the Disney label, but also from its major subsidiaries. And with the opening so near, the House of Mouse has decided to show off its true potential.

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CONTROVERSY in MIGEL MALVAR Historical Biopic as Descendant Criticizes Production and PACQUIAO in LEAD Role

It may be too soon to say, but films set in Philippine history do seem to be returning to the cinematic forefront. Only last year, Jerrold Tarog brought out his Gregorio del Pilar movie with Paolo Avelino, a sequel to his 2015 hit “Heneral Luna.” And then, later that year in Canada (and this past May here), Star Cinema released Matthew Rosen’s film of President Manuel L. Quezon (Raymond Bagatsing) and his decision to allow Jews escaping Nazi Germany to have sanctuary in the country. Apparently the next production in that vein is a biopic of Miguel Malvar, the last general to surrender to American authority, but already the project has been wracked with controversy.

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First Trailer Revealed for DISNEY’s “JUNGLE CRUISE” Coming in SUMMER 2020

Ever since the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie took audiences by storm way back in 2003, Disney has thought to capture lightning in a bottle anew. But the other movies based on theme park rides in Disneyland made little in the box office, and while sequels to the “Pirates” franchise were blockbusters, eventually they petered out as well. A new direction of Disney’s to adapt a videogame franchise in 2010’s “Prince of Persia” was only good for the one film. So now they have returned to making a movie out of a theme park ride with “Jungle Cruise,” the first trailer of which came out on Friday last week.

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DEPARTMENT of TOURISM Partners with GOOGLE MY BUSINESS as TRUSTED VERIFIER

These days one cannot undersell just how much convenience and customer reach potential can be gotten from putting one’s business on the internet. And one of the many online services one can count on to get their business on the digital track is Google My Business (GMB), which provides options for business owners to control what business names will show up when looking in Google’s heavyweight search engine. But getting accreditation for one’s business to be verified on GMB can be a long process. Fortunately, Philippine business owners might have a leg up in that regard, if they happen to be accredited by the DOT.

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“JAY AND SILENT BOB REBOOT” by KEVIN SMITH Premiering this Week

Before Disney tried it with their (then-recent) acquisition Marvel, and then Warner Bros. with their own comic-book subsidiary DC, a certain filmmaker has already toyed with the concept of several different films that somehow share the same universal setting and is connected by a number of common characters appearing in all of them. That was Kevin Smith, and the characters are Jay and Silent Bob (played by Smith himself). Two hilarious drug dealers who have shown up from “Clerks” (1994) to “Chasing Amy” (1997) to their own self-title sequels and more, these characters created by Smith are set to return one last time in cinemas, to stop their own reboot.

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OLYMPICS-QUALIFIED Gymnast CARLOS YULO Wins FIRST RP GOLD for WORLDS

The next Summer Olympic Games is by now close to being around the corner, and so every athlete of note around the world is busy doing their best in every regional and international competition in order to secure an Olympic qualification. Even the soon-to-happen Southeast Asian Games have some aspiring Olympians among its competitors from the SEA nations. Meanwhile, the Philippines already got its own share of Olympic-qualified athletes. Early this month artistic gymnast Carlos Yulo advanced to the finals of the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and received an Olympic spot for Team Philippines from it. But he was not done yet in impressing.

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“FORTNITE” GOES DOWN For Likely MAJOR UPDATE; Player ACCOUNTS Assured Unaffected

It is amazing how far some videogame titles can go after a relatively short period of time. When Epic Games released “Fortnite,” originally a co-op third-person online action shooter in 2017, it was somewhat just one of many similar titles. But when it offered a PvP Battle Royale mode similar to the then-emerging “Battle Royale” genre set by “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds,” it became one of the pillars of that subset. In fact so many people played the games for lengthy periods that it was taken to court for being “addictive as drugs.” But now “Fortnite” players find themselves unable to get their “fix,” as it were, with the game being down.

The Verge reports that since the afternoon of Sunday, October 13, the millions of dedicated players of “Fortnite” by Epic Games have been down in a rut when the game servers were shut down. All that would greet regulars when firing up the game is the unchanging image of what seems to be a black hole in a dark screen. While this might be a source of frustration for some, at least the player community is sure that it is no error from the developers. After all, it seemed to be part of a script.

The “Fortnite” Battle Royale map as of the game’s “Season X” is notable for having what appears to be a meteor in an impact crater in the middle of the island. On Sunday, there was a visual display of activity in the meteor site, catching the attention of gamers actively playing at the time, just before it blew up and took the whole island with it at 2:00 PM, EST. Since that time all the “Fortnite” game has shown is that black hole image, making many players wonder how long the experience will stay down.

RIP Fortnite: Battle Royale

FULL LIVE REACTION TO THE END! pic.twitter.com/ifX4CJcnEK

— Jack “CouRage” Dunlop (@CouRageJD) October 13, 2019

At least patiently waiting “Fortnite” players will not be stuck with anything to do, if they are savvy gamers to the core. It has been discovered that entering the classic Konami game code at the black hole screen (Up, Up, Down, Down, etc.) will activate a mini-game that is reminiscent of another retro title, “Space Invaders.” Still, there are some “Fortniters” who are worried that the big update/reboot might wipe their character data and (more importantly) online purchases in their accounts. Sony PlayStation at least has assured their gamers that no such thing will happen. For now all any can do is wait until Epic Games has finished their changes.

Image courtesy of Forbes

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JOLLIBEE Testing ADOBO RICE in MANHATTAN, NY Branch for Wider Introduction

Anyone who has browsed through YouTube will sooner or later run into those video reviews of Westerners who have gotten to try one of the Philippines’ biggest gastronomic exports: Jollibee. For all of those Americans and other foreigners documenting their reactions to Chickenjoy, Jolly Spaghetti, Halo-Halo and more, the prevailing opinion is that it all tastes good, and that explains both how Jollibee has staved off McDonald’s and KFC on Filipino turf, but also how the chain’s over 3,000 overseas branches have established themselves as new favorites. And in the word of Jollibee’s CEO, things are just getting more delicious with a new menu addition.

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KEVIN HART Finally TALKS About Car ACCIDENT, SURGERY and THERAPY

It has been over a month now since comedian and actor Kevin Hart dropped out of the public eye following his harrowing car accident. When he, his driver and a mutual acquaintance were involved in a car accident that led to Hart’s 1970 Plymouth Barracuda running off the road and into embankment, the “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” star was taken to a hospital and reported to have undergone surgery for some significant injuries to his back. Aside from statements delivered to the public by his wife, Hart himself has been rather scarce; at least until Thursday when he finally spoke up about September 1.

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MISS-U 2015 PIA WURTZBACH Debuting as AUTHOR with ABS-CBN BOOKS

Her time as the Queen, when she was Miss Universe from 2015 to 2016, has long passed at this point. But that has not stopped Pia Wurtzbach from taking on new challenges even if they are no longer done with spotlights constantly shining on her. While her primary duties right now are as the Asia-Pacific Goodwill Ambassador for the Joint United Nations Programme for HIV/AIDS, she has also leaped at the opportunity to return to one past passion of hers, given by her mother network ABS-CBN, particularly its publishing arm.

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DC UNIVERSE Launches POLL on JASON TODD’s Fate in “TITANS” S2

It probably is not so apparent for the most casual of “Batman” fans, especially those who only watched the movies, but in the original DC Comics his sidekick Robin has been many different persons being given the mantle in succession. The most famous movie Robin is the first, Dick Grayson (portrayed by Chris O’Donnel in the 90s films). His comic-book successor Jason Todd is no less famous (for fans primarily in that medium) because of how he was once killed by the Joker in the 80s as a result of a DC Comics telephone poll. And incredibly, that element of Jason’s publication history would be revisited for DC Universe’s “Titans.”

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ISETANN RECTO Promises Mall REOPENING, But Actual Date Not Confirmed

For longtime residents of Metro Manila, it might easy to recall almost every notable brand name of all retail operators within its boundaries. Aside from the obvious malls like SM or Robinson’s or Ayala, there are so many more chains to consider when looking for variety in shopping venues. There is for instance, Isetann Department Store which has had shopping centers in Manila and Quezon City since starting in 1980. Their crowning jewel however (and company headquarters) is the Isetann Cinerama Recto, which was order closed by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno this week for various offenses. But Isetann’s management has announced plans to reopen soon.

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NASA and SPACEX Announce Possible MANNED ISS Spaceflights NEXT YEAR

America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) definitely had seen better days in terms of in-house manned spaceflight capabilities. Ever since retiring its entire space shuttle fleet in 2011, NASA had to rely on other space agencies to either deliver its astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), or on commercial spaceflight companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX to deliver satellites and ISS resupplies. On that front, SpaceX is developing a manned crew delivery system for NASA, although recently both the company and the space agency have shown signs of conflict. But that was two weeks ago, and it seems they are back in track if their latest announcement holds true.

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“ROCKETEER” Animated Series Starts NOVEMBER on DISNEY JUNIOR and Others

Often, when an original medium with content for older audiences is retooled into a kiddie-friendly adaptation, the results are a mixed bag with a tendency to be subpar. When news came from 2018 that Disney was making a younger-ages spinoff series for their 1991 Touchstone Pictures film “The Rocketeer” (based on the comic-book character created by Dave Stevens), reactions were cautious at best. How does one “kiddify” a story about a pilot and his prototype jetpack fighting against the mob and Nazis? How about making the hero his daughter? That is how “The Rocketeer” for Disney Junior is being hyped.

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“RIVERDALE” SEASON 4 Starts with Epic SENDOFF for LUKE PERRY

When a cast member dies during the production of an ongoing TV series, his character usually gets written off as having died in the story as well, though the means of doing so is often not straightforward. “Riverdale” on The CW found itself having to tackle this delicate situation when Luke Perry, who plays main character Archie Andrews’ dad Fred, died in March this year while work on season 3 was still ongoing. Show-runner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa decided that a full write-off of Perry’s character (last appearance season 3, episode 19) be done as season 4’s premiere. And in a show that has been built on subversion, this death was not.

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GLOBE GCASH, BPI Electronic Services Going Temporarily OFFLINE for UPGRADES

Electronic transactions have for years and decades long been an integral part of the present-day lifestyle. When one gets to a certain age, they become entwined with regular activities, from withdrawing money from automated teller machines (ATMs) of banks, to making payments using electronic means such as mobile electronic wallets. Globe Telecom’s GCash is a prime example of splendid utility that comes from electronically-facilitated financial transactions. But what happens when these services are stopped? For some people they would be horribly inconvenienced. And it will be so this month for some companies, namely Globe’s GCash and BPI’s ATMs and services.

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Fourth Contestant UNMASKED on “THE MASKED SINGER” S2 on FOX

The time to start guessing has come to Fox once more as the third week of season 2 for “The Masked Singer” rolled into TV sets this past Wednesday night. At its conclusion, all of the 16 featured anonymous contestants have had their first turn on the stage, and with the elimination and unmasking of four (two in the season premiere) there are only a dozen of them left. Week one saw the reveal of a figure skater and e-sports/internet celebrity, while the second bid hello (and goodbye) to Muhammad Ali’s daughter. Who was unmasked this week? Please keep reading.

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DELAYED VINYL of ERASERHEADS’ “ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICPOP!” 25th Anniversary Reissue Coming NOVEMBER

There is no denying that OPM rock band the Eraserheads are one of the biggest and most influential artist groups ever to enliven the Philippine music industry. It was no wonder that fans of the originators of “Ang Huling El Bimbo” and other hits looked forward to the release of a re-mastered version of their 1993 breakout album “Ultraelectromagneticpop!” announced last year. Aside from the digital release of the re-master on Spotify and other platforms, there was also a planned limited-edition vinyl record pressing, the better to celebrate the album’s 25^th anniversary. But technical problems stalled this part of the release, at least until now.

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HAGIBIS Becomes LONGEST-LIVED 2019 SUPER TYPHOON; Hitting JAPAN this Weekend

A few months back it was an accepted fact that the Philippines was playing host to one weather disturbance after another, from tropical depressions to fully-formed typhoons. Many of this year’s batch of Pacific weather anomalies have done everything from making landfall and passing through parts of the country, to just traversing the Philippine Sea within the Area of Responsibility and moving on to Japan, Taiwan or mainland China. Now, the latest official typhoon of 2019 has bypassed the PAR completely, ironically despite having an international name familiar to Filipinos: Hagibis. It is instead barreling towards Japan, after becoming a super typhoon for the longest duration of all this year.

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ANDY RUBIN Teases Upcoming New SLIM SMARTPHONE from ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS

Android, the major open-source OS of choice for any mobile device that is not made by Apple, may have become as ubiquitous as it is now thanks to its main contributor and commercial marketer Google; but many who are in the know of Android’s history would agree that one man had the most influence in how the MOS came to be: Andy Rubin, co-founder and CEO of the startup that created Android and was acquired by Google in 2005. Since leaving Google in 2014 Rubin has been busy incubating other startups like Essential Products, which released its first Android smartphone in 2017. This week, he began teasing a new device.

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“THE FLASH” S6 Premiere Uses QUEEN’s “FLASH GORDON” Theme for Shout-Out

The CW has teased it for so many months now, and fans of their DC superhero TV lineup known as the “Arrow”-verse just cannot wait any more for their Holiday crossover event, “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” But first, the various series that constitute the “Arrow”-verse have to start off with their latest seasons, or in the case of “Batwoman,” premiere as a new series. The second show of the franchise, “The Flash,” just started its sixth season this Tuesday with an incredible initial threat that the Fastest Man Alive must face. And he does so with an old “Queen” song that has been connected via meme to his character too.

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FILIPINO Radiographer in UK Uses LEGO to Assuage Patient Fears for MRI Scans; Vying to Make Idea an OFFICIAL SET

One of the biggest breakthroughs in medical examination technology has been the development, in the 1970s and 80s, of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This medical imaging technique by means of magnetic fields, gradients and radio waves, has been producing clear visual representations of the human body’s interior and has been extremely helpful in numerous clinical diagnoses. Nevertheless, for all its value a number of medical patients who can benefit from an MRI-informed examination are often leery of the apparatuses used in the procedure, which normally triggers anxieties due to the confined space when the patient lies prone for the scan.

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DAVEED DIGGS Being Tapped for SEBASTIAN in DISNEY’S “LITTLE MERMAID” Remake

Disney is still a ways away from kicking up their planned live-action adaptation of their “inaugural” Disney Renaissance-period animated masterpiece “The Little Mermaid,” but that only means they still have time to fill out their main cast, which has already suffered a major offer turn-down for the male lead, and from a promising prospect to boot. At the moment, roles have been filled for main character Ariel, her antagonist Ursula, her fish companion Flounder and kooky “surface advisor” Scuttle. But the spots are still empty for the likes Prince Eric and Sebastian. At least the latter part now has a star in negotiations to play.

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CAVITE Initiates SANGLEY POINT AIRPORT Project with JOINT PROPOSAL Offer

Our readers on Morgan Magazine can recall our previous articles regarding the New Manila International Airport, alternatively the Bulacan Airport. This facility is to be developed as a new air transport hub for Metro Manila and nearby provinces of Luzon, the better to further decongest air traffic in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). The project awarded to San Miguel Holdings Corporation, with groundbreaking at the site in Bulacan to start by December. But it is not the only airport project percolating in Luzon, which seems to be caught in the beginning of frenzy in building them. Another airport location is being conceptualized in Cavite.

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New Specs INFO Revealed on SONY PLAYSTATION 5, Due Late 2020

The thing about videogame consoles is that they are lucky to be considered historically successful if they can remain in production and market availability for a decade at average. Sooner or later however, advances in technology will result in the rise of superior machines than any existing console can manage beyond its product life. With Sony which began as a sound chip provider for Nintendo’s Super NES, their game console history started with the first PlayStation in 1994. That and its four successor devices lasted over ten years apiece. Now, with the PS4 over half a decade old, Sony is gearing to unleash the fifth.

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GLORIA DIAZ Talks About Guest Role on NETFLIX’s “INSATIABLE” S2

Last year, streaming giant Netflix released a black comedy original series that, while quite funny as advertised, also did not sit well some audiences and critics. “Insatiable,” starring Debby Ryan and Dallas Roberts, is about a formerly fat high-school girl who, following a liquid diet to become slim, plots bloody vengeance on her tormentors while taking to the pageant circuit with her lawyer/coach. Despite middling reviews and “fat shaming accusations,” the series was renewed for season 2 premiering this month. One of its guest stars is Filipina beauty queen and veteran actress Gloria Diaz who plays a pastiche of herself.

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First “BOND25” / “NO TIME TO DIE” Poster Fails to Impress

When British actor Daniel Craig first appeared on the big screen as James Bond in 2006, audiences were initially skeptical. For a few things he did not quite look like past Agent 007s, being blond and shorter than the average. But he won critics over with his emotional depth despite playing a reboot of the character that was not yet quite the suave lady-killer superspy. Fans got to see his evolution from “Casino Royale” to 2015’s “Spectre.” But all good things come to an end, with Craig reprising Bond one last time in the franchise’s 25^th film which has its official title known to all.

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E-SPORTS Foundation Being Discussed by SEA Nations Ahead of GAMES

For this coming 30^th Southeast Asian Games, the organizers have decided to take a bold step in introducing a new competitive event in the ensemble. What is interesting about the new event is that, while intensely competitive in itself, it does not involve athletic abilities in the strictest sense. But their practitioners in other dedicated competitions approach it with a mindset of serious business. This new SEA Games event is E-sports, competing via multiplayer videogames. And with its prominent inclusion, the member nations of the region are considering the formation of a foundation to push the envelope of E-sports development.

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TEASER Out for “THE LITTLE MERMAID LIVE!” ABC Musical November

This year is the thirtieth anniversary of something that began a wonderful period of animated movie masterpieces. That period we are talking about is the Disney Renaissance, when the iconic studios animated films were once again not only audio-visual experiences but also box-office blockbusters and award magnets. The Renaissance is said to have been sparked by Disney’s 1989 animated “canon” entry, “The Little Mermaid” which premiered in November of that year. As expected. Disney is already working on a live-action adaptation for the big screen. What was not so expected was the announcement of a live musical version airing on ABC, of which the first trailer was released this week.

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MAJA SALVADOR Awarded BEST ACTRESS in FIRST ASIAN CONTENTS AWARDS, Busan

It always should be a cause for celebration with fans of the Philippine entertainment industry whenever one of its many talents receives an accolade from abroad. And in addition to the fandom of the lucky award-winning star, it is their respective agencies, or better yet their mother networks that count the showbiz personality in question as part of their artists’ stable, that would be pleased at the added glory to their branding. For instance, GMA7 artist Alden Richards in August was feted in the 2019 Seoul International Drama Awards. It was a win of sorts for the Kapuso network, but the Kapamilyas have their own 2019 Korean award-winner as well.

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NETFLIX Announces Start of “COWBOW BEBOP” Production with EIN Casting Reveal

Netflix, the world’s most well-known streaming content platform, has quite the stake of anime viewership in its ranks of binge-watchers. Not only does it stream popular anime series but also carries exclusive original productions that can only be seen in their online library. This includes live-action adaptations of some anime, though the quality and reception for these are hit-and-miss. For example, Netflix in 2017 released a film adaptation of “Death Note” that Americanized the setting and characters, which got mixed reactions from audiences. It has not deterred the streaming giant as they have started work on a live-action version of “Cowboy Bebop,” which they teased with a cute little video.

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SOCIAL MEDIA STORM Over NBA Tweets Regarding HONG KONG Protests

Western media producers and providers have learned one thing in at least this decade: China is a big market for their content. They also learned that China is a finicky market that is partly steered by the Communist government that has absolute say over what overseas media sees the light of day in their cinemas and TV. Anything Chinese censors deem to reflect negatively on the government gets either a censor or a ban, and condemnation from their public as a result. When an NBA team manager spoke of support for the anti-Beijing protests in Hong Kong, Chinese backlash led to the league issuing an apology that rubbed Americans wrong.

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RICHARD GUTIERREZ and SARAH LAHBATI Announce MARCH 2020 WEDDING DATE

Both were once part of the talent stable of GMA7, before moving to ABS-CBN in this decade. One simply let his contract run out and went freelance for a time. The other transitioned from Kapuso to Kapamilya under more conflicted circumstances. What matters now is that in the years that followed, Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati are both ABS-CBN stalwarts and well-practiced in family life after their first child was born in 2013. They have been engaged since 2017, but have not made any announcements for the wedding until just this Sunday. Now, fans of the showbiz couple can mark their calendars for next year.

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WINDOWS 10X Revealed for MICROSOFT DualScreen Devices Like SURFACE NEO

When Microsoft released their Windows 10 operating system back in 2015, they raised some eyebrows by proclaiming it to be the last version of Windows. That was due to their introduction of a new system wherein regular updates are introduced to the OS in the form of builds, gradually adding and improving the operational experience without having to conceptualize a new version from scratch. That has been the way things have gone in the years since. But when Microsoft revealed its new Surface devices last week, they also mentioned a new OS called Windows 10X running for the dual-screen Surface Neo. Or is it new?

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Legendary Actress AMALIA FUENTES Dead at 79; Showbiz Industry Mourns

It is a sad fact of life that, as time goes on the old but memorable must go while the new take their place. Famous names in say, the entertainment industry, that stand the test of time would eventually fade away with their stars. Such is the case this past weekend with Amalia Amador Mulach, better known as Amalia Fuentes. A legend of the silver screen in decades past, she is known as the first and iconic model for Lux soap, and hailed as the “Elizabeth Taylor” of the Philippines. And last Saturday, her star finally winked out after a lifetime of success and adulation.

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“JOKER”: A Study of a Broken Mind in a Crazy World

Just as there have been multiple interpretations of the most popular (or best-selling) superhero character in DC Comics – Batman – to be found in multiple types of media from mere audiovisual to interactive (videogames), there is too, now plenty of versions to be found of the Dark Knight’s iconic nemesis, the Joker. Whether he is Cesar Romero’s Clown Prince of Crime opposite Adam West’s campy-fun 1960s Batman, to Jack Nicholson’s psychotic clown-themed crime boss against Michael Keaton’s 1989 Batman, to the hammy super-villain voiced by Mark Hamill versus Kevin Conroy’s gravelly animated Batman of the 90s, to the malevolent agent of chaos portrayed by the late Heath Ledger against Christian Bale’s grim Dark Knight, there is a Joker for any occasion.

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JAMES REID, MOMOLAND NANCY Starring in Upcoming ABS-CBN DREAMSCAPE Teleserye

Much can be said about sticking with a team that you like working with. Singer-actor James Reid held true to that notion by confirming his affiliation to ABS-CBN this Friday with a new contract. Said contract is for a new TV series that he will star in on the Kapamilya network, but the beauty part about it is who Reid will costar with: some major overseas star power. As an added bonus, Filipino fans already know this leading lady from South Korea, particularly because she is also a dead ringer for another ABS-CBN talent. Get ready for a James-Nancy tandem.

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CAR COLLECTION of Late "FAST AND FURIOUS" Star PAUL WALKER to Go to AUCTION 2020

Talk of Universal Pictures’ long-running automobile action movie series “Fast and Furious” and you are bound to discuss the members of its ensemble cast. Of course, most focus will likely go to the faces of the franchise, namely Vin Diesel and, in a fashion, Dwayne Johnson. But there had been a time when Diesel was part of a face tandem, back from the first “Fast” film when he was the antagonist to the protagonist portrayed by Paul Walker, who died during production of “Fast 7” in 2013. A real-life car enthusiast, Walker had quite the fleet of personal high-performance automobiles, the lot of which is soon to be auctioned off.

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Operations SUSPENDED Indefinitely for LRT 2 Following Thursday Electrical FIRE

Considering the near-impossibility of negotiating traffic in Metro Manila, it is very fortunate that there is an extensive network of mass public transportation to bypass the snail’s pace that local road vehicles often have the misfortune to be in. But the setup is not perfect in itself, with the urban rail systems of the LRT and MRT having proven to be prone to some malfunction or other at the worst possible times. Case in point, this week the Light Rail Transit 2 sparked in its power supply transformers, resulting in a fire that cancelled trips in the line. As of week’s end, the suspension remains.

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DC UNIVERSE HARLEY QUINN Mature ANIMATED SERIES Premiering NEXT MONTH

While she was only originally conceived as a limited-use supporting character for the Joker in 1992’s “Batman the Animated Series,” the minor super-villain Harley Quinn immediately broke out to massive popularity with the DC fandom. This however was hampered by criticism over her emotional dependency and loyalty to the Joker despite his propensity to abuse her in their relationship. The 2011 DC Comics re-launch saw Harleen Quinzel finally begin to shine as her own antiheroic character, later seeing her adaptation into the DCEU film franchise played by Margot Robbie. But while her latest film will not be until 2020, she is already hitting streaming market on a mature animated series.

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OGIE ALCASID Stars for FIRST TIME in Upcoming “MMK” Episode

It has been quite some time already since Ogie Alcasid joined the largest stable of Philippine entertainment talent as part of ABS-CBN. Since then he has been a prominent presence on the variety scene, particularly on ASAP where he and wife Regine Velasquez are part of the powerhouse ensemble of singer-presenters that dominate Sunday noontime on Filipino TVs. He has also served as a Judge on a number of Kapamilya competition programs. But there is one ABS-CBN gig he has yet to get into: playing a role in long-running drama anthology series “MMK.” This coming weekend, that item will be crossed off Ogie’s to-do list.

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TRAILER Out for ROOSTER TEETH Hit Series “RWBY” Season 7

With regards to streaming animated web series, there are none perhaps that elicit so much fandom excitement these days as Rooster Teeth’s anime-inspired urban fantasy adventure “RWBY.” From seasons of short adventure snippets the creation of the late Monty Oum has grown into a lengthy-episode series and general franchise, with a devoted base of followers around the world. It has also, through scheduling, become something else to look forward to during the Holidays. Just as it had been since Volume 3 (2015-16) until 6 (2018-19) Season 7 is getting ready to hit the Rooster Teeth site and YouTube, with its first trailer dropping this week.

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STEVEN SPIELBERG Wraps Filming on "WEST SIDE STORY" for 2020

Hailed as the first big modern spin on the story of “Romeo and Juliet,” the Broadway musical “West Side Story” has thrilled audiences with its original 1957 theatrical form by Stephen Sondheim and the 1961 musical film by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins for United Artists. Last year, filmmaking legend Steven Spielberg began casting for a remake in a 20^th Century Fox and Amblin Entertainment co-production for distribution by Disney. Our previous and only update on the movie thus far, from last year, saw Spielberg cast Ansel Elgort (“Baby Driver”), with principal photography happening in summer of this year. Said filming period is now complete.

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DISNEY Pushes Expected OSCAR Nominations for “AVENGERS: ENDGAME” in 2020

Superhero movies have never been one for being seriously considered in the premier categories of many film awards; but Marvel Studios, and by extension their parent company Disney, are looking at pushing the crowning moment of the MCU movie franchise thus far in as many categories as possible for next year’s Academy Awards. It was originally perceived as a move of supreme arrogance in 2018 when Disney-Marvel proposed a score of Oscar nominations for “Black Panther,” and while they only succeeded in netting (and winning) some technical categories, the film also got a surprise nomination spot for Best Picture. What more, then, for “Avengers: Endgame”?

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Ceremonial SEA GAMES Flame Changes Hands from MALAYSIA to PHILIPPINES

The road of preparations to the 30^th Southeast Asian Games, held this year in the Philippines, continues apace. Already tickets for the opening ceremony and several sporting events to be held in Metro Manila and Clark Zone, with more admissions to be opened in the coming days. Speaking of Clark, the newly-built sports facilities there are ready to be competed in. But there are other formalities that needed attending to as the start of the SEA Games draws near. For one, there is still a ceremonial handover that needed to be done between the Philippines and last year’s host, Malaysia.

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Third Singer UNMASKED on FOX’s “THE MASKED SINGER” Season 2

A week ago, on the last Wednesday of September 2019, Fox once again put American reality singing competition audiences in a guessing mood when the second season of their very unorthodox contest “The Masked Singer” premiered. With the network a bit more confident that the premise of unmasking anonymous singers when they are eliminated will draw viewers, the number of contestants has been upped from 12 to 16, while the September 25 premiere saw a double-length start with two eliminations at once. This Wednesday, the guessing games continue as four more masked singers went onstage, and a third was ousted.

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