DC ExtraTime: The Lohan Beach Club and Marvel Cinematic Universe Unite

BY DC CUEVA                        

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Brie Larson as Captain Marvel

Many years ago, the most iconic animated TV series of our time, The Simpsons, envisioned a world where 20th Century Fox would once become owned by The Walt Disney Company when it combined the searchlight logo of the former with a tagline of the ladder in one now memorable screencap. That pipe dream became a reality this week when Mickey Mouse's ambition of taking over one of his studios' rivals was realized when Disney completed the company's $71 billion takeover of much of 21st Century Fox, including its movie studio, TV production arm and other assets... creating a powerful media super conglomerate.
   This news came at the most opportune time for those who follow the movies just ahead of the summer blockbuster season that kicks off in over a month from now. The now combined Disney/Fox operation -- which turned Hollywood's major film studios into the Big Five -- now distributes films not only from their two main film studio units, but also the iconic family animated films by Disney Animation and Pixar - including Toy Story, the Star Wars franchise, and titles from Marvel Studios. All of these assets will provide the ammunition for Disney to take on Netflix for world domination in the streaming sphere, which includes the top-grossing film of this spring.
   When the Disney/21st Century Fox merger became official late Tuesday night, those who avidly follow Marvel Comic movies began to discuss the seemingly inevitable prospects of all of their favorite characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe being under one roof, with crossovers now all but certain. Think of that as the fantasies coming true for everyone connected to this world the same way Challenge fans imagine having all of their favorite Challengers competing in one mega-season. The Universe is miles ahead of all other movie franchises in having grossed over $17.5 billion at the box office, part of a $28 billion business when merchandise sales and other related things are factored in.

Earlier this month saw the release of the 21st film in an MCU saga that dates back to Iron Man over a decade ago, and last year produced the year's two biggest films as measured by the cash flowing in at the box office: Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther. The new film is Captain Marvel, which strategically dropped on International Women's Day, March 8th, and is the first of its kind in the Marvel franchise where a woman is playing its lead role: Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson playing superhero Carol Danvers, a comic book character who bears the movie's title. Anna Boden and filmmaking partner Ryan Fleck co-wrote & directed a movie set in 1995, which sees Carol become Captain Marvel when the world finds itself in between two alien worlds in conflict.

Clark Gregg playing
Agent Coulson

   Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Bendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Annette Bening and Gemma Chan join Bree on the cast, as is someone whose lineage in the MCU goes all the way back to the beginning. Agent Philip Coulson appeared in Iron Man eleven years ago, along with its 2010 sequel, Thor and The Avengers, and is the lead character on ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson serves as a high-ranking member of the espionage agency, and has been featured in comics, a digital series and other media. Captain Marvel sees the Agent back when he was a rookie on the police force... and the role itself -- the longest lineage of anyone who's appeared in the MCU --  is portrayed by Clark Gregg, who's also done voice work for Marvel's animated series, and pre-Marvel appeared on The West Wing, Will & Grace and The New Adventures of Old Christine.
   It would seem a strange segueway from a spring blockbuster movie that‘s garnered over $800 million at the global box office to an MTV Reality series, but there is one link... thanks in part to the kind of link-up that can only happen when you live down in the land of the stars: Hollywood.

When Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club in Mykonos needed to add more VIP's to its roster when the nine hosts who comprised our cast when they began the summer were slacking in offering their very best work to a boss lady who demands 110% from them, most everyone including Challenge fans like you were focused on Kailah Casillas and her epic entrance to Greece. But amidst the excitement in the 4-time new generation vet and a Real World alum coming in to eventually go against the ultimate Mean Girl, there were two other arrivals who no doubt got lost in all the buzz... but who deserve to get the spotlight, too.

Alex (left) and Kyle (right)

   A week before the season's biggest arrival, L.A. bartender Alex Moffitt became the first latecomer to come over from America on short notice. He holds the unique standing of having known one of the VIP's beforehand, working with Mike Mulderrig at the world famous Abbey on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood - where Ex On The Beach 2 exes Murray Swanby and Cory Zwierzynski also work at. For Alex, he shares common Greek roots as Aristotle Polites, and who used his strong native familiarity and work ethic to impress Panos and Lindsay. Like Mike, Alex had a tough upbringing and struggling with his sexuality before coming out to his family... and while the house dynamic was unraveling, he took advantage of some off time to visit his Greek-based family.
   The other newcomer -- and the one who tagged along with Kailah  -- is Kyle Marve, a high-end bartender in New York City. He considers himself a rolling stone having moved around the world as part of a military family, and it's being used to this globetrotting, not being in one place for much time and being in the Big Apple that LiLo sought his services in Mykonos. He was mindful that he should give his A-game to impress the boss, plus taking advantage of being able to help her brand and the team ethic behind the scenes. Kyle is one who prefers to not get involved in drama over small issues, but he has no problem with laying down the law should lines ever get crossed... and if a sneak peek at this coming week's finale is an indication, he might as well bring that tough side of him to Europe that he exhibited on the rugby pitch.

Twitter @KyleMarve

If you live in Los Angeles, Hollywood or anywhere around the Southland, chances are that you might run into a celebrity just about anywhere you go. Of course, so many movie & TV stars, musicians, and reality TV personalities are among the nearly 19 million people who live in the Southern California region. That also includes the countless millions of celeb wannabes who have moved out there to pursue their dreams in the entertainment industry with thousands of large and small operations willing to make the road to stardom possible.
   This past week as he was working out at a Los Angeles gym, Kyle got to run into Clark Gregg while shooting hoops there, as the former needed some time to prepare for a potential throwdown on that season finale with the season's resident pot-stirrer - Vegas club promoter Brent Marks, and the ladder some alone time amidst Captain Marvel mania. Kyle posted on his Twitter and Instagram story, "Since Captain Marvel just came out, I figured I’d let y’all know Agent Colson is my boy. #therealavengers"  The gentle giant of the cast standing at over 6 feet, Billy Estevez, wrote below, "That’s a skrull" in referring to the extraterrestrial shape-shifters who make an appearance in Captain Marvel... and Kyle appropriately added to the title of the pic, "Captain Marvé and the Skrulls."
   His gig of playing a younger version of himself in Captain Marvel (the older version of him was killed in The Avengers movie years ago) isn't the only item on Gregg's docket this month: he also appears this weekend on the penultimate episode of Showtime's SMILF, which will be axed by the premium network after reports surfaced of misconduct by cast and crew on set. And as for what awaits Kyle and the rest of his fellow VIP's, there's only a handful of spots waiting for them to continue working for Lindsay at the Lohan Beach Club... the season finale airs Monday, and DCBLOG will have the 'Pulse of this week's episode to come shortly.

Since Captain Marvel just came out, I figured I’d let y’all know Agent Colson is my boy. #therealavengers pic.twitter.com/ykY24r2rbf

— Kyle (@kylemarve) March 20, 2019

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