Latest news with #SpiderMan
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Interview with Pralav Dhyani, author of Hijacked
Pralav Dhyani was a 21-year-old cadet on his first sea duty on board the cargo ship MVRAK Afrikanawhen it was hijacked off the Horn of Africa by Somali pirates in 2010. Together with 23 shipmates, he was held hostage on board the ship in Somali waters before being ransomed 331 days later. It was a harrowing time, during which their redoubtable Captain nearly died of a stroke, and the ship's chief cook expired closer to their release. Dhyani recounts the ordeal in his book Hijacked (HarperCollins). Excerpts from an interview: Question: What inspired you to write this book so long after the event? Answer: During the COVID-19 lockdown, I noticed how many people were frustrated about staying indoors, even though it was for their own safety. What struck me was how little we appreciated the peace and rejuvenation that can exist within four walls. Despite the restrictions, we still had access to our families, loved ones, and the freedom to connect. It was a very different kind of lockdown I experienced in 2010 where isolation wasn't a choice, and freedom was truly out of reach. That is when I decided this survival story needs to be shared. Q: Clearly, you and others were held together by the courage and wisdom of your captain. Could you have survived the ordeal without him? A: The phrase 'With great power comes great responsibility' has stayed with me ever since I first heard it in 2002, watching Spider Man for the first time. During the 11 months starting April 2010, our captain embodied that principle better than anyone I've ever known. It was humbling and deeply moving to witness someone burdened with immense responsibility, carrying the weight of his own worries and a family waiting for him back home, placing the safety and survival of his team above himself. It wasn't just leadership; it was selflessness in its truest form. That kind of leadership leaves a mark that no words can fully capture. Q: How did you cope with a long incarceration seemingly without end? A: At the time, it was deeply disheartening and frustrating. Time slows down in the worst way. There was no clear timeline, no certainty, and that made it all the more difficult. But in the midst of that darkness, I realised how powerful hope can be. When it's combined with positive thoughts, it gives you the strength to endure. Survival, I've learned, isn't always loud or dramatic —sometimes, it's just quietly holding on, one moment at a time. Q: How do you rate your rescue by the Italian Navy? A: They were truly our saviours — without a doubt. But even they had protocols to follow. When we established radio communication with them, one of their first questions was whether we were in a position to self-abandon the ship. They did everything they could, in the safest and most secure way possible, to get us onboard their warship. Ultimately, the only way off a disabledRAKAfrikanawas through our own life rafts. The rescue had to be quick and safe from the moment we abandoned our ship. Q: Are you haunted by your experience? A: To be honest, no. Back then, yes, I was terrified every time a gun was put to my head and let's be real, if it ever happened again (God forbid), I'd probably feel the same. I made a conscious choice to only share the humorous side of the experience. And maybe that's what helped me move on, by turning the trauma into something lighter, something survivable. That's what helped me sail away from those memories. Q: Your book is forgiving to all, including the pirates. Were you always so forgiving? A: I believe that with time, and having lived through and overcome so much, I've become more forgiving. If you had asked me this in 2012 or 2013, my answer might have been very different — maybe more aggressive. But now, I see life as a series of challenges we must face and overcome to survive and grow. Life isn't meant to be perfect, and perhaps it shouldn't be, because perfection can lead us to take things for granted. Those 331 days taught me patience and calm — and that's what I carry with me the most from that experience. Q: Did you sail again after your release? A: I never returned to sailing after coming home in 2011. Building a career in the maritime industry after quitting sailing at such an early stage presented its own unique challenges. In 2017, I founded ARC Continental FZE, which focuses on commercial and ship management aspects of maritime vessels. Hijacked Pralav Dhyani HarperCollins ₹399 The writer teaches public policy and contemporary history at IISc-Bengaluru.
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Tom Holland's Spider-Man to team up with The Punisher in new MCU film?
Tom Holland's Spider-Man is getting back to basics. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed that the next film in the Spider-Man saga, titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day, will take a more grounded approach, bringing Peter Parker back to the streets of New York City, with a little help (or trouble) from Jon Bernthal's The Punisher. A report in Collider states that Feige, speaking during a roundtable for Fantastic Four, said this upcoming film will mark the beginning of a 'proper Spider-Man' era in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). 'I think there's a promise at the end of No Way Home, that for as sad as it is that Peter is forgotten by everyone in his life, we are seeing for the first time in the Tom Holland Spider-Man stories him being a proper Spider-Man," he said, as quoted by Collider. "Him being by himself, dedicated to saving the city, and dealing with — for lack of better terms — street-level crime, as opposed to world-ending events.' Feige also revealed that this street-level focus opens up exciting possibilities — including the long-awaited team-up between Spider-Man and The Punisher. 'Of course, I love that The Punisher started in a Spider-Man comic,' he said. 'Destin is doing an amazing job right now on that movie, which starts shooting very soon. And he's got eight or nine comic covers up on his wall in his art department that he is bringing to life in this movie, which is super cool.' While plot details remain under wraps, the title Brand New Day is a nod to the 2008 comic storyline in which Peter Parker resets his life after a deal with the demon Mephisto. The MCU version will likely skip the supernatural elements, but the core theme of starting over in anonymity remains. At the end of No Way Home, Peter made the heartbreaking decision to let MJ and Ned forget him, moving into a small apartment and sewing his own suit, signalling a fresh, solo start for the web-slinger. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is expected to hit theaters on July 31, 2026. The film is being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, best known for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Geek Culture
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Miles Morales Won't Join MCU - 'We've Been Told To Stay Away," Reveals Kevin Feige
In a recent interview with a small group of journalists, Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, revealed details on Marvel Studios' future and plans for the next seven years (via Variety). Among other revelations about the reduced output from Marvel Studios to focus more on quality over quantity, as well as talk about recasting the X-Men and other prominent Avengers after the release of Avengers: Secret Wars (2027), Feige also spoke definitively about the future of the highly anticipated character, Miles Morales. Kevin Feige / Getty Images Given that fans had been clamouring for Miles Morales to appear in the MCU soon, Feige sought to quash rumours, stating outright that the progress of that 'is nowhere'. According to Feige, until Sony Pictures, to which the character rights belong, completes Morales' three-run journey in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse , Marvel Studios has 'been told to stay away'. Even so, that will not be anytime soon. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is due for a 2027 theatrical release. However, despite its original release date of 4 June 2027, it has since been pushed back by three weeks to 25 June 2027. The rationale for the delay is due to Sony having determined that it would be a more strategic choice to push it back to 25 June, when 100 percent of schools in the United States would be on summer break, as opposed to a mere 65 percent on 4 June. This, therefore, allows Sony to capitalise more on their school-aged moviegoing demographic. Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023) Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is the third instalment of the trilogy that began in 2018 with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse , followed by 2023's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse . It will be the highly anticipated conclusion to the popular animated web-slinging franchise that stars Shameik Moore ( Wu-Tang: An American Saga ) as Miles Morales, Hailee Steinfeld ( Sinners , Hawkeye ) as an alternate universe version of Gwen Stacy, and Jake Johnson ( New Girl, Tag ) as Peter B. Parker. At CinemaCon in March, the introductory premise of the third instalment was disclosed to have protagonist Miles as a fugitive as he desperately evades every other Spider-Man variant in the multiverse, in a precarious situation where even Gwen and his other friends will be unable to aid him in saving his family, that has consistently been the foundation of his core. With the conclusion of the trilogy, it remains possible that Miles Morales will eventually join the MCU, though it will not be any time soon. In the meantime, to see the end of his character arc, fans will have to patiently endure the arduous wait until 25 June 2027. Conversation with Ting Wei is like chatting with a weird AI bot programmed only with One Piece lore and theories, sitcom quotes and other miscellaneous pop culture references. When he's not sleeping, he's highly likely reading manga. In fact, the only thing he reads more than manga is the Bible, and it's honestly pretty close.
Geek Tyrant
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
The Punisher's Role in SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY Teased by Kevin Feige — GeekTyrant
When Marvel first introduced The Piunisher antihero on the cover of Amazing Spider-Man #129 back in 1974, it came with the the introduction, 'He's different! He's deadly! He's — THE PUNISHER!' Co-created by Gerry Conway, Ross Andru, and John Romita, the character was initially a hired gun working for the Jackal, tasked with taking down Spider-Man over a murder he didn't commit. From the very beginning, Frank Castle was a lethal wildcard, and while he eventually realized Spidey wasn't his real enemy, their relationship has always been… complicated. Now, more than 50 years later, the Punisher is coming full circle and coming back to Spider-Man's world, but this time on the big screen. And according to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, this team-up (or clash?) is going to be something fans have never seen before. After Spider-Man: No Way Home left Peter Parker (Tom Holland) erased from everyone's memory, he's finally living as the 'proper Spider-Man' Feige has always envisioned… alone, broke, and patrolling the streets without the Avengers on speed dial. '[As] sad as it is that Peter is forgotten by everyone in his life, we are seeing, for the first time in the Tom Holland Spider-Man stories, him being a proper Spider-Man. 'Him being by himself, dedicated to saving the city, and dealing with, for lack of a better term, street-level crime, as opposed to world-ending events that he faced when working with the other characters.' This is where Spider-Man: Brand New Day comes in. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film will lean heavily into the street-level side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and that means new faces, including Frank Castle. Feige explained: 'When you do that, you say, 'Okay, who are the other street-level characters that we've never seen him interact with?' And of course, I love that Punisher started in a Spider-Man comic, and that great cover.' Jon Bernthal's Punisher, who made his MCU return in Daredevil: Born Again , is officially stepping into Spider-Man's world. This marks the first time the character will appear in a Spider-Man feature film, a move that feels long overdue considering their comic book history. Feige wouldn't say too much, but he couldn't help teasing how excited he is for what's coming: 'I don't want to say too much, but Destin, I will say too much, Destin is doing an amazing job right now on that movie. That starts shooting very soon, and he's got eight or nine comic covers up on his wall in his art department that he is bringing to life in this movie, which is super cool.' Details are still under wraps regarding the story, but rumors point to appearances from major crime-centric villains like Scorpion, Boomerang, and Tombstone, which are characters that should make any Spidey fan's ears perk up. Considering Punisher's war on organized crime, his involvement feels like a natural fit. The big question is… will Frank Castle be hunting Spider-Man like in the comics, or will they begrudgingly team up to take down a bigger threat? Given Spider-Man's 'wanted man' history after Far From Home and the Punisher's brutal sense of justice, there's a strong chance their first encounter won't exactly be friendly. But as history shows from Amazing Spider-Man #135 to countless crossovers since, these two have a way of finding common ground when the city needs saving. Sony Pictures has locked in Spider-Man: Brand New Day for July 31, 2026, giving fans plenty of time to speculate about how this partnership will play out. Whether Punisher ends up being an ally, an adversary, or something in between, one thing is clear, this is going to be a awesome Spider-Man story unlike any we've seen in the MCU. Via: CB
The Verge
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Spider-Verse, Spider-Verse, another delay for the next Spider-Verse.
Spider-Verse, Spider-Verse, another delay for the next Spider-Verse. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was slated to his theaters on June 4th 2027, but The Wrap reports that Sony has pushed the film's debut back by a few weeks to June 25th.
