Q:Congratulations on getting a role on the Punisher! That is awesome-sauce.
JM: Thank you so much.
Q:The character you’re playing, Curtis Hoyle, he has a longstanding history in the comic books.
JM: Yes he does, he’s definitely an established character in the comic books, which made it easy for my research.
Q:So you did do some research into the comics?
JM: Yes I did do some research into the comics, and I would say that even though they deviate a little bit from what’s in the comics, its in a very creative way. The show-runners seem to have taken a liking to this version of the character.
Q:Can you expound a bit upon how they deviated from the char as it is in the comics, or is that a spoiler?
JM: One major fact is that y’know, the character in the comics is white, and I’m black, so that’s one deviation.
Q:Hopefully in this day and age, that won’t matter!
JM: I don’t think it will matter either. Curtis Hoyle and Frank Castle are really good buddies, they’re both like ex-special forces, and they’re both trying to make their way in normal society. In terms of deviation I can’t reveal more because that really would be spoilers – we really want you guys to watch it and enjoy it.
Q: We are all very much anticipating watching the show! So without spoilers, what can fans of the Punisher expect to see from Curtis Hoyle in the first season? Do you know if Curtis is going to be in the second season, or is that also a spoiler? ‘Cuz you know Punisher is going to have to have a second season.
JM: Well, I sure hope so! It’d be great for the show to continue. I think the show is good and it’s gonna be here real soon. But what you would see first from Curtis, you’d see a guy who is trying to help others. I would say the show is tackling a major task, addressing how we as soldiers re-acclimate back into society. And dealing with PTSD, trying to help other soldiers do that, and just become functional citizens in society. That’s what you’ll be seeing from Curtis.
Q:That actually leads into my next question – you play a veteran support group leader in some pretty heavy scenes on the show, did you consult any military counselors, therapists, or actual veterans with PTSD in real life to kind of prepare for the role?
JM: Marvel Studios was really generous with helping us do the research, providing us with people I could really speak to. Talking with people who were soldiers, people who suffer from PTSD, and here’s the great thing, the thing you might not know – the people in those scenes are all from the military, one way or another, in real life. Army, Navy, real Military, actual Vets, here on set. All I need to do is ask them. They helped me out a lot, in terms of psychology of the soldier, and trying to understand all forms of PTSD, they really helped me in that capacity. We talk about these issues and we celebrate the Vets, on this show, a lot.
Q:That’s fantastic. Your character Curtis Hoyle could be interpreted as kind of Jiminy Cricket to Frank Castle, as it were. But in other scenes you’re kind of a devils advocate, how interesting was it for you to take on that kind of dual role?
JM: It’s good. As an actor, that’s the kind of stuff you want to do. You want to play complex characters, characters that have conflict, even within themselves, any kind of conflict is so important, because that’s what people bite into. That’s when you can really tell, the writer and the creators did some extra work. And so, working with Jon (Bernthal), it was a tremendous pleasure. I always tell him, he has great leadership qualities and he doesn’t even know it. (laughs) He’s not even aware of it, but he does. Our characters’ relationship is very dynamic. He’s like one of Curtis’ great friends, and we also butt heads. Which good friends do, good friends butt heads and have good times, laugh and do all that stuff together too.
Q:You butt heads, you make up, you maybe go out and have a beer and the occasional fistfight, y’know, what friends do!
JM: Absolutely. So look for some of that conflict in there, with Curtis and Frank, there should be enough of that.
Q: So Curtis Hoyle was in the service with Frank Castle, and they met during the Vietnam war. At least, in the comic books.
JM: We’re not that old, so that’s another one of the deviations from the comic books.
Q: Makes sense. It would actually take some mad skills on Curtis’ part to be able to impress The Punisher and y’know, make friends with him, especially around and during whatever war they happened to meet at. Do we actually get to see Curtis use any kind of physical fighting skills, for the first season, does he kick some ass somewhere? Does he have to?
JM: I’m not ruining anything for you. That is a spoiler question! He is a soldier, I will say that, that’s a big part of it.
Q:Is there anything you would like to allude to about the show, without giving actual spoilers? Maybe a teaser?
JM: I will say this – without spoiling anything, in terms of characters of The Punisher, I think more people have died in the first season of The Punisher than pretty much all the other shows combined. Cuz he’s The Punisher, so he has to do a lot of punishing.
Q:We all eagerly look forward to the show coming out on Netflix November 17, 2017!
JM: Not soon enough, I tell you! It’s two days before my birthday actually.
Q:Well, happy early birthday! You will definitely have to do something rocking to celebrate both your birthday and The Punisher coming out.
JM: I surely appreciate it, and will find something rocking to do.
Q: We all sincerely hope your character makes it to the highly anticipated second season of the Punisher. Any good “no sh*t there I was” stories from on the set of The Punisher?
JM: Plenty of those, but those moments are all full of spoilers! If I give you one thing, I’m telling you, it’s gonna ruin part of the experience for you! I really want people to get the full experience and the best value, from The Punisher.
Thank you so much for speaking with me!

Movie
No Question Mark Box Here; Super Mario Delivers a 1-Up in Theaters

If you were born in the ’80s, ’90s, or literally ANY decade after those, you know about Super Mario. A cultural phenomenon was brought to life on the big screen this last weekend. One that has not only stood the test of time but reinvented itself time and time again. This wasn’t even the first time it’s been made into a movie but, well, let’s be honest.. some of us choose not to acknowledge the LIVE action adaptation of the beloved game from 30 years ago.
It was pretty bad… But this was animation. ILLUMINATION animation at that. The Universal company that brought us Gru and his Minions, showed us the Secret Life of Pets, and gave us a reason to SING! Still, I had my reservations and even some concerns, especially when the casting was announced.
Eyebrows were raised. As big of stars as they were on paper, could they really deliver on voicing characters from a staple of our childhood? They did.
Chris Pratt and Charlie Day may not be Italian, and Jack Black may not be a King or Turtle creature from the Mushroom Kingdom, but they make the characters their own all while paying homage to the lore of a video game.
From the jump, the story reintroduces us to the brothers that just want to save Brooklyn one clogged sink at a time. We feel an instant connection and relate to these “underdogs of the plumbing world”. The movie is riddled with easter eggs, each of which tugs on the heartstrings of every generation of Mario fandom. And the soundtrack was beautifully put together to not only make us feel like we’re taking a walkthrough of the game but like an experience all its own with some familiar favorites thrown in.
Every word in the movie is pure eye candy for both those that are casual fans, and those analyzing every frame to see what they’ll catch next. Bowser’s ship, the Mushroom Kingdom, Kong’s arena, and the Rainbow Road.. They’re all meant to give us just enough of a “new” look at these amazing worlds, but stay true to how we remember them.
The movie itself moves along at the perfect pace. Although, if you don’t really know ANYTHING about the Super Mario Bros, you may have gotten a little lost and felt left behind in the green tunnel. But that’s ok! It’s an adventure of the imagination and a classic story of a boy that meets a girl and tries to save the world from a monster that wants to destroy it.
What’s funny is that you could easily say this is a story about two characters who couldn’t be more opposite if they tried, battling to win the heart of a princess. Who would’ve thought that the King of the Koopas was just trying to impress his crush?
And that song? Ohhh THAT song! It’s my new ringtone and deserves the Oscar for Best Original Song.
Back to the movie.
Universal and Illumination clearly understood the assignment. Is it missing some things or could things have been done differently or even better? Absolutely! We’re the worst critics of the things we hold nearest and dearest to our hearts. But if you’re up for going on a 90-minute adventure through amazing worlds, with awesome music, and characters that’ll make you smile and laugh, then this is the perfect movie to spring you into that warm summer feeling.
Plus there’s the whole part with karts and shells, and banana peels and oh my goodness how amazing was that?? It’s enough to make you want to stand up and cheer, then go home and destroy your friends and family on your favorite track haha.
The bottom line, it pays homage in all the right ways to the little guy with the mustache, while giving us something new and exciting. Take the kids and go see Super Mario Bros. You’ll be glad you did!
Events
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns to WonderCon 2023


Justice League x RWBY: Superheroes & Hunters Opening Act Saturday, March 25 at 1:30 p.m. on North 200A. Talent confirmed so far to participate in the post-screening panel is Natalie Alyn Lind (Big Sky, The Goldbergs, Gotham) as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and longtime RWBY cast member Lindsay Jones (Camp Camp) as Ruby, Kara Eberle ( RWBY: Ice Queendom) as Weiss, Arryn Zech (Detective Now Dead) as Blake and Barbara Dunkelman (Blood Fest) as Yang – along with Jeannie Tirado (Soul, Saints Row) as Green Lantern and Tru Valentino (The Rookie, The Cuphead Show!) as a cyborg. Also attending the panel will be producer/director Kerry Shawcross (series RWBY) and writer Meghan Fitzmartin (Supernatural, Justice Society: World War II).

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns to WonderCon 2023 with the big screen debut from DC Animated Films: highlights this year include the world premieres of the highly anticipated Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham and Justice League x RWBY: Superheroes & Hunters Part One the weekend of March 24-26 in Anaheim, California. Both screenings will be followed by panel discussions with actors and creators. Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham premieres at The Arena on Friday, March 24 at 6 p.m. Tati Gabrielle (Kaleidoscope, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Uncharted) as Kai Li Cain, Christopher Gorham (The Lincoln Lawyer, Insatiable) as Oliver Queen, David Dastmalchian (Dune, Suicide Squad, Ant-Man) as Grendon, producer/co-director Sam Liu (The Death and the Return of Superman), co-director Christopher Berkeley (Young Justice) and screenwriter Jase Ricci (Teen Titans Go! and DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem Across the Multiverse).
Both films will have encore screenings in the Arena on Sunday, March 26. Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One will screen at 12:15pm, followed by Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham at 2:00pm