“Black Panther,” which grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide and is the second highest grossing film of 2018, is now available for rental on HOOQ, the largest Video on Demand service in South East Asia.
“Black Panther” is the 18th film released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has been acclaimed by critics the world over.
“HOOQ subscribers get access to one Transactional Video on the Demand (TVOD) movie of their choice every month, and any additional rental will be the usual price. The films will be some of the freshest picks from the biggest Hollywood studios,” said Sheila Paul, HOOQ Philippines Country Manager.
“Black Panther” tells the story of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) who is set to become the new King of Wakanda following the death of his father T’Chaka during the events of Captain America: Civil War. The movie is also the story of Wakanda, which has remained under the radar by choice because of its hidden treasure, which could lead to the world’s destruction at the hands of the wrong people. The film was released on February 15, 2018 internationally and on February 16, 2018 in the United States.
Fans can also now enjoy a Marvel marathon on HOOQ with Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity Wars, Marvel’s The Avengers, Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man, Thor, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and exclusives to HOOQ – Marvel’s Inhumans, Marvel’s Runaways and, coming soon, Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger!
“Cloak and Dagger is Marvel’s latest series to be released based on the Marvel Comics characters of the same name. Fans of Marvel can enjoy in the romantic exploration of Tandy Bowen / Dagger (Olivia Holt) and Tyrone Johnson / Cloak (Aubrey Joseph) as these teenagers discover their superpowers,” said HOOQ Philippines Content and Programming head Jeffrey Remigio.
“Cloak and Dagger” will be aired exclusively on the same day as the US telecast. The first two episodes will air live on June 8 with new episodes every Friday.
How to get HOOQ
It’s easy to get HOOQ’d. Customers can simply download the HOOQ app from Apple Store or Google Play, sign up or log in, to access HOOQ’s extensive library of Hollywood and Asian hits.
Find out more and sign up today for a complimentary trial at www.hooq.tv and pay for the subscription through credit card.
Hey MCU fans (or casual moviegoer who has never seen any Marvel film but wants to join the hype for Infinity War anyway)! We are only a few days away from the premiere of the biggest event in the history of cinema and my guess is that you don’t have enough time to re-watch all 18 MCU films (translate to: 38 hours and 19 minutes of movie marathon, no CR breaks included). But fret not, your “friendly neighborhood” is here to give you a recap of all the MCU films, including the post-credit scenes that you might have missed. Here’s everything that you should (and might) know before watching Avengers: Infinity War. Spoilers ahead! Obvi.
PHASE ONE
In 2008, MCU kicks off with the introduction of the genius, billionaire, playboy Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in Iron Man. After almost dying, thanks to the weapons of destruction he created, Stark builds himself an arc reactor to keep himself alive and an iron man suit to fight off his evil business partner Obadiah Stane who plans to exploit his technology and overtake his company. The film also introduces Stark’s friend James “Rhodey” Rhodes, his personal assistant Pepper Potts and his A.I. system Jarvis. Director Nick Fury pops up in the post-credits scene to explain the “Avengers Initiative” to Stark.
Next up is The Incredible Hulk – this is not to be confused with the earlier adaptations starring Eric Bana and Lou Ferrigno. A nuclear physicist and biochemist Dr. Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) inadvertently exposes himself to gamma radiation which causes him to transform into an enormous green monster (the “Hulk“) when agitated. He defeats the Abomination in a massive battle and learns that there is no permanent cure for his condition but only an antidote that can suppress each of his transformation. In a post-credit scene, Tony Stark approaches General Thunderbolt Ross and informs him that he’s assembling a team.
Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) steps on the ring in Iron Man 2 and works as an undercover assistant for Tony Stark. Stark builds a new triangular arc reactor for his chest and together with her and Rhodey/War Machine (Don Cheadle), they defeat Whiplash, a physicist who wants to exact vengeance on the Stark family. In a post-credits scene, agent Phil Coulson reports the discovery of a large hammer at the bottom of a crater.
Of course this hammer referred to is the enchanted Mjolnir in Thor. Exiled to Earth, the titular hero/prince of Asgard (Chris Hemsworth) proves himself worthy to reclaim the hammer and defeats the Destroyer. Thor’s father, Odin banishes his adoptive son Loki (Tom Hiddleston) for plotting to take the throne for himself. In a post-credit scene, Nick Fury asks Dr. Selvig to study a mysterious cube-shaped object.
The said mysterious relic is called the “Tesseract” that actually houses the “space infinity stone” inside. In Captain America: The First Avenger, we go back to 1942 when Johann Schmidt/Red Skull and Dr. Arnim Zola intend to use the artifact as an energy source for world domination. In the same timeline, skinny Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) enlists himself in the U.S. military, gets injected with a super-soldier serum and becomes the super-buff Captain America. Rogers infiltrates the fortress of Schmidt’s Hydra organization and defeats the Red Skull. His friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) presumably dies during the mission and Rogers, piloting a jet, crashes in the Arctic. He wakes up 70 years later and Nick Fury proposes him a new mission.
The first crossover of the franchise, Marvel’s The Avengers pits our core six heroes: Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hulk (now played by Mark Ruffalo) and newcomer Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) against Loki who takes the Tesseract and opens a wormhole to allow his Chitauri army to conquer Earth. The Other gives Loki a powerful scepter with the “mind stone” attached to it allowing him to control the minds of others. After the Avengers won the battle in New York city, S.H.I.E.L.D. takes custody of the scepter while Thor returns Loki and the Tesseract to Asgard. In a mid-credits scene, it is revealed that The Other is a personal servant to Thanos.
The time of reckoning has come. Opening in Philippine cinemas this April 25 is Avengers: Infinity War. The culmination of 10 years and 18 movies leads to this most gigantic and fatal crossover in the history of cinema. And what way to end this event of cosmic significance? With a big bang.
Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn said in his interview with Vanity Fair: “If Marvel is going to survive, they have to start allowing characters to die.” Likewise, Marvel president Kevin Feige has been vocal on pushing the narrative forward. It’s not even a question at this point. Heroes WILL DIE in Infinity War. I can only imagine the trauma that it will bring to me the kids. The superheroes we’ve grown to love over the years falling into the clutches of Mad Titan Bruce Willis Thanos. And yes, there will be heavy hitters.
Let’s head on and speculate the survival odds of each hero appearing in this installment. It must be noted that Infinity War is a two-part event and these predictions are extended to both parts.
*Spoilers from previous MCU films follow*
PROBABLY SAFE: Hawkeye/Clint Barton
Fans are much disappointed with the lack of Hawkeye’s presence in the trailers released but the Russo brothers assured that he will be in it, “Hawkeye is in his own personal mission.” We haven’t seen the final infinity stone yet (a.k.a. the soul stone) – could he be searching for that?
Now leaked set photos shows actor Jeremy Renner wearing Ronin’s leg armour. Revealing him in that costume might be the reason why Marvel won’t include him in the promotional materials. Anyway, if he’s set to take this darker persona in Avengers 4, he looks pretty safe.
PROBABLY SAFE: Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff After a long-running complaint from the fans, Marvel is finally pushing a stand-alone Black Widow movie with Jac Schaeffer penning the script. There’s no confirmation yet if it will be set on the events after Infinity War or if it is a prequel (perhaps they should finally touch on the Budapest mission she and Hawkeye have been talking about), but wouldn’t it be weird to focus on Natasha’s character right after killing her? Black Widow’s solo film spares her from Thanos’ wrath.
PROBABLY SAFE: Dr. Stephen Strange There’s no confirmation yet for a Doctor Strange sequel but it’s almost certain that it’s about to come. Being part of the new breed heroes introduced in Phase 3 gives him a guaranteed passage. He will act as the bridge for the heroes that are yet to be introduced in MCU. It should be noted he can harness the Time infinity stone’s power to turn back time (though Thanos will probably take it). That could play a factor in reversing the deaths in Infinity War.
MIGHT BE IN DANGER: Wong This won’t be the master of mystic arts’ first encounter with death. Wong was already killed by Kaecilius, only to be revived by Dr. Strange. In a sea of A-list heroes, he’s in the expendable category and he may be an early casualty.
PROBABLY WILL DIE: Vision Vision is toast for sure. Attached on his forehead is the mind infinity stone – the very thing that brought him into existence! Thanos needs that and he’ll be an underwhelming villain if his full powers won’t come into fruition. Sure enough, a shot from the trailer shows Vision in crippling pain as one of Thanos’ minions pry on his forehead. But, since he is a synthetic avenger, there’s a slim chance that Tony Stark can reconfigure his life back. That is, if Tony is still around…
Ryan Coogler’s superhero film Black Panther tells a socially-relevant story and breaks barriers at the same time.
Black Panther currently sits as the most critically-acclaimed superhero film of all time on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes with 97% (roughly tied with 2004’s The Incredibles) as of writing. Not to mention its current dominion on the global box office, let’s head on and discuss what Black Panther represents and the reasons why so many people flocked into this film.
1. Black pride
By now it is apparent that Black Panther brings the largest pool of African-American talent ever assembled in Hollywood, an industry once impenetrable for the race of color. We have an African-American director (Ryan Coogler), African-American casts, writers, musicians, crew down to its bit players. In the fullest sense, Black Panther is a revolution fueled with sheer determination against historical colonialism.
We live in different countries, hang out in different neighborhoods, go to separate churches and even schools at times, and the most accessible way to be submerged to an entirely different culture is through mainstream media. When we see ourselves being portrayed on the big screen, movies—for better or worse—can be potent catalysts for self-authentication. I can only imagine this in the case of an African-American kid watching this film for the first time and taking pride of his roots after.
Side note: T’Challa’s vibranium ninja suit makes Tony Stark’s armor look like a deep sea diver costume.
2. Visual feast of world building
Wakanda tangs of ironies and extremes. To one end, Wakanda conceals itself as a third world African country but beneath its electromagnetic barriers, it is actually a highly-advanced wonderland, thanks to its much-coveted reserves of vibranium. Wakanda leads on innovation, light years ahead of the status quo, but it never forgets its rituals and culture.
The arresting visuals on T’Challa’s dream sequences, the warrior falls, the royal palace, Shuri’s spiral staircase lab, the splendid wardrobe design deftly playing on African colors of red, green, black, and even the war rhinos, these are where Thor’s Asgard come up short. Both of them are fictional worlds but since Wakanda is grounded on real-life culture and tradition, it comes out as a fully realized world, not just a gorgeous Hollywood set where a bunch of paid actors hang out.
3. Hail the new king
As heroes are forged in the fires of tragedy, T’Challa is no different. Black Panther picks up from the events of Captain America: Civil War where T’Challa returns to Wakanda after the death of his father and assumes his role as the new king.
Chadwick Boseman’s portrayal has a good mix of humility and heroism – a character that can be perceived as a hero and a failure. But what’s best is despite having a strong central hero, the movie does not let its main character trample on the supporting casts.
4. The women of Wakanda
In his spirit journey, T’Challa’s father counsels this to him, “You’re going to struggle so surround yourself with people you trust.” Interestingly, T’Challa chooses to be surrounded by women: his regal mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett), his spear-wielding general Okoye (Danai Gurira), his old flame/covert agent Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), and of course his sarcastic tech prodigy sister Shuri (Letitia Wright). From the moment Shuri steps in sporting Princess Leia’s hair buns, I know she’s going to be my favorite character. (Is this a nod to Disney’s financial acquisition of Marvel?) Plus, let us not forget the moment when she expressed distaste for her brother’s choice of footwear via a Vine hit: *read in Shuri’s sassy voice* “What are thoooose?!”
A mother, a bodyguard, an ex-lover, a sister—it’s engaging to see how these relationships play out on screen. Marvel seldom uses its women to be the driving force of the plot. In here, there is a part of the film where the women completely took over. One of the best scenes is Okoye and Nakia questioning each other’s basis of loyalty.
5. Erik Killmonger
A common flaw for most Marvel films to date is the lack of a memorable or intriguing villain. Most of the time we are served with standard supervillains bursting with dreams of world domination (I’m pointing fingers at you: Malekith the dark elf, Ronan the accuser, and Hela goddess of death) but Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) stands out because his character motivations are rooted in real life problems. He can’t be blamed for the painful circumstances of his past, thus he has every right to be against the people who perpetuate the system of oppression (and eventually created people like him). However, his means are questionable. With his character arc, we can see that righteous anger can go sour and before we know it the oppressed becomes the oppressor.
6. Political undertones
Looking past the film’s milestone in black representation, Black Panther has a lot to say on a political level. What good is a nation if it does not uphold its values towards its neighboring countries in need? Can a nation really thrive in isolation in this modern world? These are not the type of questions one would normally ask after watching a superhero flick.
Black Panther’s central conflict revolves around vibranium – along with the wonders and dangers it can bring to humanity. Wakanda has the “great power” but it’s hesitant to take the “great responsibility.” But what is the “great responsibility” anyway? T’Challa, presumably having little experience in racism says that Wakanda should carry on with isolation and avoid risking the vibranium to be in the hands of the wrong person; Killmonger, having a lifetime of experience in oppression, claims that vibranium should be used to flip the scales and create a new world order for black people; Nakia, having traveled the continent during her espionage missions stands on a middle ground—that while Wakanda should remain in secrecy, it should still uphold its humanitarian responsibilities to the African-Americans all over the world. While some superhero films easily dismiss the conflicting sides as either good or evil, Black Panther makes a different point: black and white thinking does not work in a gray world.
Also noteworthy runners-up are the film’s natural sense of humor and the action set pieces that are better than the usual. The Bond-esque side-mission in Busan, South Korea will go down as one of my favorites.
To achieve global success, Marvel films need to be smarter, funnier and often bigger than your average superhero film. But for a Marvel film to ‘really work’, it needs to have a purpose beyond the firework spectacle. Black Panther manages to tell a socially-relevant story and break barriers at the same time. It channels intelligent themes without making it look complicated than it is. It goes beyond the task of telling T’Challa’s home origin and tackles subjects such as the legacy of colonialism, tradition vs. progress and patriotism vs. social conscience, etc.
Now Marvel, where’s our all-Asian cast superhero film?
The Lunar Year of the Dog? For now it’s more like a strong Year of the Panther, as Marvel Studios’ Black Panther lunged and clawed its victorious way to Philippine cinemas, posting a monumental opening weekend of Php 258.57-M (including sneaks) in five days (Feb 14 – 18).
With that smash figure, Filipino Marvel fans gave Black Panther the most successful February launch in industry history as well as the year’s biggest opening weekend to-date.
In comparison, the critically acclaimed super hero film about the young king of the fictional and tehnologically-advanced African country of Wakanda, surpassed the opening weekends of recent Marvel Studios titles led by Guardians of The Galaxy (+143%), Ant-Man (+ 97%), Doctor Strange (+92%), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (+62%) and Thor: Ragnarok (+62%).
Leading the cinema pack in box-office sales are SM Mall of Asia (P10.56-M), SM Megamall (P8.87-M) and SM North EDSA (P8.65-M).
Posting mighty grosses in the top ten are Trinoma (P5.41-M), SM Cebu, (P4.91-M), Uptown Place (P4.47-M), Glorietta 4 (P4.35-M), Power Plant (P4-M), Greenbelt 3 (P3.86-M) and SM Ckark (P3.75-M).
Completing the top twenty theaters are SM Aura (P3.64-M), Greenhills Promenade (P3.58-M), Fisher Mall (P3.55-M), Alabang Town Center (P3.52-M), Ayala Malls Cebu (P3.43-M), SM Southmall (P3.42-M), U.P. Town Center (P3.39-M), SM Seaside City Cebu (P3.36-M), Gateway Cineplex (P3.25-M) and Robinsons Magnolia (P3.22-M).
In the US, Black Panther opened to a super-heroic $235 million debut over the four-day President’s Day weekend.
It is the highest three-day debut ever for a February film and the fifth highest of all time. Black Panther has also demolished the record for the largest President’s Day weekend, blowing past Deadpool’s 2016 mark of $152 million.
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis.
Marvel Studio’s Black Panther is distributed in the Philippines by The Walt Disney Company.
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther opened Wednesday, Feb 14 in the Philippines and scored the year’s biggest first-day gross to-date with a staggering P45.10-M in box-office sales.
Comparatively, the Wakandan King outperformed the opening day numbers of recent Marvel titles, including 2015’s Ant-Man (by 235%), 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy (by 183%), 2016’s Doctor Strange (by 124%), 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Solidier (by 63%) and last year’s Thor: Ragnarok (by 41%).
Certainly looking like a blockbuster-in-the-making, Black Panther is expected to gain more momentum at the tills during the long, holiday weekend.
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
The film stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis.
The film is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole wrote the screenplay.
Marvel Studio’s Black Panther is distributed in the Philippines by The Walt Disney Company.
Due to popular demand, Marvel Studios’ Black Panther will have advanced screenings on Tuesday, February 13 starting at 7:00PM onwards in cinemas nationwide – one day before its grand opening Feb. 14.
Fans are advised to check with their favorite cinemas for exact screening hours. Tickets will be at regular admission prices.
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
The film stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis.
The film is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole wrote the screenplay.
Marvel Studio’s Black Panther is distributed in the Philippines by The Walt Disney Company.
Long live the King! Marvel Studios has just debuted the new trailer for the action-adventure Black Panther from director Ryan Coogler (Creed).
Check out the new trailer below and watch Black Panther in Philippine cinemas in February 2018.
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
The film is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole wrote the screenplay.
Marvel’s Black Panther will be distributed in the Philippines by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Marvel Studios has just revealed a new poster for Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” during the San Diego Comic-Con.
Check out the poster below and watch Black Panther in Philippine cinemas in February 16, 2018.
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
The film is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole wrote the screenplay.
Marvel’s Black Panther will be distributed in the Philippines by The Walt Disney Company (Philippines).
Marvel Studios has unleashed the first teaser poster for Black Panther which shows T’Challa (played by Chadwick Boseman) sitting upon the throne of the fictional Kingdom of Wakanda.
Check out the poster below and watch Black Panther in Philippine cinemas in February 2018.
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
The film is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole wrote the screenplay.
Marvel’s Black Panther will be distributed in the Philippines by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
