Welcome back to The Beat Digest, a twice-weekly round-up of the biggest comics-related news stories we’ve missed every Tuesday and Friday. Is there a story out there you think we should cover? Be sure to let us know in the comments.
§ A teaser trailer for Look Back, the live-action film version of Tatsuki Fujimoto‘s tear-inducing manga, directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, was released. The film stars Natsuki Deguchi and Aju Makita as Fujino and Kyomoto, two girls who bond over their love of making manga, and their emotional reunion years later as adults. The movie will premiere in Japan later this year, and has been acquired for US distribution by GKIDS. You can also take a look at new posters for the film here.
§ The new Masters of the Universe movie opened in second place domestically, only grossing $29.3 million, behind the new Scary Movie (which made $55 mil). So far, the film, which cost $170 mil to produce, has grossed $54.3 mil worldwide. Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM’s domestic distribution chief, responded, “This opening is exactly the kind of critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy — building awareness and engagement that will carry well beyond the theatrical window.” Ironically, the new He-Man movie boasts a 66 percent review score on Rotten Tomatoes, while Scary Movie (6)’s is only 24 percent.
§ Via IGN, Image announced Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen‘s new dark fantasy series Crowbound will begin on September 2. The ongoing comic, which was originally set to debut earlier this year, is set in a totalitarian world, where a woman’s daughter is kidnapped by the government. Desperate, the woman turns to the creature known as the Scarecrow Queen, who offers her help in exchange for her soul.
§ Via ScreenRant, Marvel revealed the third Fantastic Four: First Foes one-shot will be Dragon Man, and that its creative team includes writer Greg Pak, and artist Mark Buckingham. Out this September, the book will introduce the android Dragon Man into the world of the First Steps movie (aka Earth-828). The second First Foes comic, Buckingham and Charles Soule‘s Silver Surfer spotlight Shalla-Bal, will arrive in stores beforehand on July 8.
§ Netflix marked Ghostbusters Day (June 6) by revealing their upcoming animated series is titled Ghostbusters: Night Shift, and that it will premiere next year. The show’s executive producers consist of showrunners Ben Hibon & Elliott Kalan, Afterlife and Frozen Empire directors Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan, franchise co-producer Amie Karp, and Dan Aykroyd himself. A preview will be screened at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival later this month.
§ Finally, British actor Anthony Head died on Monday, June 1, following a battle with pneumonia. He was 72 years old. Best known for playing Rupert Giles, the title character’s mentor on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Head also starred on Little Britain, Merlin, Dominion, and Ted Lasso, and appeared in Doctor Who, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, Bridgerton, Jack Ryan, Adventure Time: Distant Lands, and Warehouse 13.
Head’s partner, animal welfare campaigner Sarah Fisher, died last year, and he is survived by their two daughters, actresses Emily and Daisy Head, as well as a brother, singer and actor Murray Head. Sarah Michelle Gellar was among several Buffyverse actors who paid tribute to him, quoting the show by saying, “‘Tell Giles I figured it out and I’m OK.’ Well I don’t have it figured out and I’m not OK. But I know I’m the lucky one because I knew you.”
