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Latest Fantasy News: Netflix’s incoming fantasy offerings spur both excitement and uncertainty as the platform’s reputation weighs it down

I can't wait for shows like 'Nimona,' but Netflix's reputation gives me pause.

Image via Netflix

The biggest movers and shakers in the world of fantasy are on a bit of a break at the moment, leaving fans of the genre to lean on established hits while they wait for season three of The Witcher and the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender.

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There are plenty of upcoming projects to look forward to, but the next few weeks are looking pretty bare. Still, with stars like Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega to keep us distracted, and popular releases like Avatar: The Way of Water and The Little Mermaid available to view on streaming or in theaters, there’s plenty to keep fantasy fans happy. 

Jenna Ortega fights back against her ‘deadpan’ typecast

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Image via Netflix

Plenty of actors have suffered the typecast curse over the years, particularly those who found their start in a massive franchise. Harry Potter’s Emma Watson shared concerns over the potential during her early years in the franchise, and now Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega is experiencing the struggle for herself.

Ortega, who’s played a range of largely goth-styled, deadpan characters in recent years, is starting to become known as nothing but “the deadpan girl,” a label she hopes to eventually move past. While the young actress is grateful for the opportunities she’s received over the years, she’d like the world to know that she’s far more than her ability to deliver emotionless, flat characters. 

Halle Bailey fans see a future in Marvel after learning of her intense Little Mermaid prep

the little mermaid
via Disney

The Little Mermaid’s Halle Bailey is on the receiving end of widespread attention, thanks to her recent role in the Disney live-action remake, and so are her abs. 

The stunning star’s flawless stomach is garnering high praise from viewers, who simply can’t seem to take their eyes off her carefully toned abdomen. News of the rigorous training she underwent to become mermaid-ready is sparking rumors of a completely different media behemoth, also owned by Disney, as fans dream up a Marvel future. After all, Bailey’s already proven herself more than capable of taking on an iconic character, training and all, so why shouldn’t the MCU be her next major career move?

Despite its many failures, we’re still excited to see these Netflix fantasy offerings

avatar-the-last-airbender
Image via Nickelodeon

We’ve been burned by Netflix one too many times, as fantasy fans, but that doesn’t eliminate our excitement over upcoming projects. While each of these new shows and films come with a heaping dose of anxiety, with the knowledge that they could be canceled at any time, they’re still highly anticipated among viewers, some of whom have been keeping a close eye on them for years. Buckle up, fantasy fanatics, we’ve got a slew of stellar releases headed to Netflix through the year — now the only question is how long they’ll last. 

The Way of Water earns an utterly perfect description from the ‘woke mob’

avatar the way of water
via 20th Century Studios

Complaints about so-called “woke” releases have been littering the web for years now, but a recent whine-sesh got the perfect takedown on Twitter. Sharing a screenshot of a YouTube video claiming that “woke” projects fail, while “past entertainment” succeeds, a well-spoken Twitter user offered up the very best description of The Way of Water possible. After noting that the film landed in the non-woke “successful” category — opposite flicks like The Little Mermaid, She-Hulk, and Rings of Power, and alongside very sleepy “hits” like The Tomorrow War — they gleefully described the film’s plot as “whales and indigenous people kill Space Whitey with Gaia Magic,” and won the official internet award of the day.