The_Daily_Bugle_(web_series)

<i>The Daily Bugle</i> (web series)

The Daily Bugle (web series)

Faux news web series


The Daily Bugle (formerly TheDailyBugle.net) is an American faux current affairs digital series serving as the center of several viral marketing campaigns created by Sony Pictures. Based on the fictional newspaper agency of the same name appearing in several Marvel Comics publications—the YouTube videos initially began as marketing for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Spider-Man: Far From Home, and deal with major events depicted in the MCU and later the Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) films, with the second and third seasons primarily airing on TikTok.

Quick Facts The Daily Bugle, Genre ...

The first season of the news program features J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, reprising his role from the MCU films and Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. Several other actors reprise their roles from the films, while archival footage of others is also used. The initial videos were released from October to November 2019, focusing on the immediate aftermath of Spider-Man: Far From Home. A second season, leading up to the events of the sequel Spider-Man: No Way Home and featuring Angourie Rice reprising her role as Betty Brant, began in November 2021. A third season, leading up to the events of the SSU film Morbius and featuring Nicque Marina as a fictionalized version of herself, released in March 2022, separately from the No Way Home videos.

The videos are accompanied by additional marketing materials, such as in-universe web articles and social media posts. The series has been received positively, seen as better than average viral marketing campaigns, and as a fun and insightful expansion of the MCU for fans of the franchise.

Spider-Man: Far From Home campaign (2019)

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Spider-Man: No Way Home campaign (2021–2022)

Episodes six through eight and eleven are Burning Questions with Betty Brant episodes. The campaign released additional videos as a bonus feature with Spider-Man: No Way Home's (2021) digital release in March 2022, with further episodes being released in April.

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Morbius campaign (2022)

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Cast and characters

Also reprising their roles from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films are Tony Revolori as social media influencer Eugene "Flash" Thompson, Hannibal Buress as Midtown High gym teacher Coach Wilson, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds,[6] and Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, with Jake Gyllenhaal appearing as Quentin Beck / Mysterio via archive footage from Spider-Man: Far From Home.[7] In the third season, footage of Jared Leto and Adria Arjona as Dr. Michael Morbius and Martine Bancroft from the Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) film Morbius is used.

Production

From 2002 to 2007, the character of J. Jonah Jameson was featured in a trilogy of live-action films directed by Sam Raimi, serving as a major source of comic relief throughout the series, retaining a dislike for Spider-Man and taking delight in anything that might discredit or defame him, but remains a good man at his core. After reprising the role in numerous animated projects, Simmons expressed interest in reprising the role in live-action in Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man duology in April 2014, should the studio offer him the role.[8]

Simmons ultimately reprised his role as a re-imagined alternate reality version of J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man: Far From Home, released in the United States on July 2, 2019,[9] making him the first live-action character to be portrayed by the same actor in two different franchises, also reprising the role as the same incarnation of the character in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. Contrastingly to his original depiction, J. Jonah Jameson appears as the host of TheDailyBugle.net, a sensationalist "InfoWars-type video platform."[10] Director Jon Watts noted that Simmons' performance was over-the-top in Raimi's films, but now that same performance has real-world comparisons,[11] such as Alex Jones. According to Kevin Feige, the changes in the real world also meant that moving the character from a newspaper editor to a "radical right news journalist that kind of scream[s] in front of the camera" made more sense.[12] Simmons said he and Watts did not see "eye to eye" on the film's contemporary portrayal of the character versus his performance in Raimi's films.[13]

Simmons announced that he has signed on to play J. Jonah Jameson for more films in the MCU and the SSU;[14] following the home media release of Spider-Man: Far From Home by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on digital on September 17, 2019, and on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 1,[15] a viral marketing series of shorts starring Simmons, expanding upon his role in and set immediately after the events of Far From Home running the faux news program TheDailyBugle.net, including an in-character Twitter account.[16][17] Footage of Simmons as Jameson, implied to be part the Spider-Man: No Way Home promotional campaign, appears in the mid-credits scene of the 2021 SSU film Venom: Let There Be Carnage;[18][19] this was officially released as part of the No Way Home campaign on YouTube, named "Web of Lies!", in April 2022.

Simmons returned as J. Jonah Jameson, with Tony Revolori also returning as Eugene "Flash" Thompson. Marvel partnered with Sony Pictures to produce the videos,[20] which follow the character in the immediate aftermath of Spider-Man: Far From Home, and the buildup to Spider-Man: No Way Home, while featuring numerous easter eggs to the MCU, including such events such as the criminal career and arrest of Adrian Toomes.[21] In addition to archive footage of Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal from the Spider-Man films, the videos also use original material, and footage showing the aftermath of Mysterio's attacks.[16] The second season, primarily released through TikTok and later YouTube, features Angourie Rice as Betty Brant alongside Simmons, depicted as a new (unpaid) intern at TheDailyBugle.net put in charge of its TikTok account. The third season, also released through TikTok and taking place in the SSU, features Nicque Marina as a fictionalized version of herself, depicted as a new social correspondent at The Daily Bugle reporting on the crime spree of Dr. Michael Morbius; the No Way Home videos are released in a non-chronological order relative to the events of the film.[4]

Release

The first season was made available on TheDailyBugle.net YouTube channel, with some of them debuting in publications such as Facebook and The Mary Sue.[16] TheDailyBugle.net videos also appear as bonus features on the Blu-ray release of Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019).[15] The second and third seasons were made available on TheDailyBugle.net TikTok channel, with the official website redirected to it.[4]

Supplementary material

Other content released for the viral marketing campaigns include ongoing posts on social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram,[16] as well as a real version of the fictional TheDailyBugle.net website. Inspired by real-world "conspiracy-pushing" websites such as that of Alex Jones, the website features Simmons reprising his role as Jameson in a video where he speaks out against Spider-Man and in support of Mysterio, before adding "Thanks for watching. Don't forget to like and subscribe!"[20] The website includes testimonials from supposed victims of "the Blip", including one complaining that they disappeared in a dangerous situation and were seriously injured when they reappeared. This contradicts a statement by Feige saying that anyone in such a situation would have reappeared safely.[22] Several days after this was pointed out, the website was updated to say this story was faked for an insurance claim;[23] with the launch of the Spider-Man No Way Home campaign in November 2021, the website was redirected to TheDailyBugle.net TikTok account.[4]

Reception

Critical response

Aaron Perine of ComicBook.com praised the decision to have Simmons return as the character, summarizing their appearance with the meme "When you own a role so much that the first reboot doesn't show your character and the second reboot straight up brings you back", accompanied by a photograph of Simmons from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 (2004) hysterically laughing.[24] Josh Weiss of Syfy Wire complimented the web series and accompanying website, saying that "Hopefully, this isn't just a one-off thing for the DVD and Blu-ray release, because Sony can milk this thing for all it's worth and ramp up excitement for the next entry."[25] Jessica Fisher of Geek Tyrant described Simmons' appearance as "awesome but not jaw-dropping" in reviewing the first episode.[26] Eric Diaz of Nerdist described Simmons' role as a "real delight", saying that "[e]ven though he was missing his signature flat top, fans were more than fine with his updated version of Jonah", further describing the tie-in website as a "clever marketing push", praising its "striking resemble to certain famous conspiracy blogs that shall remain nameless [InfoWars, with] the site's whole aesthetic [being] pretty much spot on."[27]

Accolades

The TikTok campaign for Spider-Man: No Way Home was nominated for a Shorty Awards in the entertainment category.[28]

Notes

  1. Footage from Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
  2. As depicted in Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
  3. As depicted in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
  4. As depicted in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
  5. Voice only
  6. Footage from Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
  7. Part of this episode was originally depicted in the mid-credits scene of the Sony's Spider-Man Universe film Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021).
  8. Originally released on March 15, 2022, as a bonus feature with the digital release of Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
  9. Footage from Morbius (2022)
  10. As depicted in Morbius (2022)

References

  1. Bonomolo, Cameron (July 12, 2019). "Original Spider-Man Director Sam Raimi Approves SPOILER's Spider-Man: Far From Home Cameo". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on October 31, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  2. Holmes, Adam (September 25, 2019). "Watch J.K. Simmons' J. Jonah Jameson Tear Into Spider-Man In Far From Home Video". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  3. Chang, Tom (September 27, 2019). ""Spider-Man: Far From Home": Viral Daily Bugle Site Goes Live". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  4. Al-Heeti, Abrar (November 24, 2021). "Spider-Man: No Way Home joins TikTok with an account for The Daily Bugle". CNET. Archived from the original on November 25, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  5. Micajah, CL (November 25, 2021). "Spider-Man: Watch J. Jonah Jameson Returns as The Daily Bugle Now Has its Own TikTok Channel". Fan Fest. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  6. Burwick, Kevin (July 20, 2018). "Spider-Man Cast Celebrates Spider-Man: Far From Home Reunion on Instagram". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020.
  7. Woerner, Meredith (July 12, 2019). "'Spider-Man' Writers Break Down What Really Happened During the Marvel Blip". Variety. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  8. Topel, Fred (July 30, 2012). "J.K. Simmons is Open to Playing J. Jonah Jameson in Amazing Spider-Man 2". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on April 22, 2014. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  9. Owen, Phil (July 3, 2019). "Yes, That Was Who You Thought It Was at the End of 'Spider-Man: Far From Home'". TheWrap. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  10. Britt, Ryan (July 5, 2019). "The Spider-Man: Far From Home Mid- and Post-Credits Scenes, Explained". Vulture. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  11. Erbland, Kate (July 7, 2019). "'Spider-Man' Director Explains Those Post-Credits Scenes and What They Mean for the MCU". IndieWire. Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  12. Dumaraog, Ana (July 7, 2019). "Kevin Feige Explains Spider-Man: Far From Home's Iconic Post-Credits Cameo". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  13. Lawrence, Gregory (September 21, 2020). "J.K. Simmons' 'Spider-Man: Far from Home' Cameo Led to Some Creative Disputes". Collider. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  14. Aquilina, Tyler (May 30, 2020). "J.K. Simmons recalls his Spider-Man audition, teases his future in the MCU". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  15. Bonomolo, Cameron (August 29, 2019). "Spider-Man: Far From Home Blu-ray Special Features and Digital HD Release Date Revealed". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  16. Leishman, Rachel (October 31, 2019). "Behold, the Scariest Thing of All: The Daily Bugle Twitter Account". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  17. Brace, Samuel (September 23, 2020). "J.K. Simmons is "very optimistic" about more J. Jonah Jameson appearances in the MCU". Flickering Myth. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  18. Vary, Adam B. (October 2, 2021). "Does 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' Reshape Sony's Marvel Universe? And More Burning Questions". Variety. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  19. Couch, Aaron (October 19, 2021). "Marvel's Kevin Feige Talks 'Eternals' Ambition and That 'Venom' Surprise". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  20. Jaworski, Michelle (September 26, 2019). "The Daily Bugle's website from 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' is now real". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  21. Welk, Brian (September 26, 2019). "JK Simmons' J Jonah Jameson Labels Spider-Man a 'Miscreant' on New Daily Bugle Website (Video)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  22. Chichizola, Corey (September 26, 2019). "Spider-Man: Far From Home's Daily Bugle Website Contradicts Kevin Feige On The Blip". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  23. Lovett, Jamie (September 28, 2019). "Spider-Man Website Updated to No Longer Contradict Kevin Feige After Marvel and Sony Deal". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  24. Perine, Aaron (October 3, 2019). "Spider-Man Meme Perfectly Sums Up JK Simmons Return as J. Jonah Jameson". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  25. Weiss, Josh (September 25, 2019). "J. Jonah Jameson Headlines Fake Daily Bugle Website To Promote Spider-Man: Far From Home Blu-Ray". Syfy Wire. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  26. Fisher, Jessica (November 1, 2019). "Watch the Full Daily Bugle News Report From Spider-Man: Far From Home's Mid-Credits Scene". Geek Tyrant. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  27. Diaz, Eric (September 26, 2019). "Spider-Man's Daily Bugle Is Now A Real Website". Nerdist. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  28. "@THEDAILYBUGLEOFFICIAL TIKTOK". Shorty Awards. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2022.

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