Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Charles Murphy

  • ‘God of War’ Series Greenlit at Amazon

    ‘God of War’ Series Greenlit at Amazon

    Amazon Studios is all in on bringing video game adaptations to Amazon Prime. In a major announcement, the studio revealed it is moving forward on an adaptation of Playstation’s award-winning franchise God of War. The streaming series is being written by Mark Fergus and Hawk Otsby with Rafe Judkins serving as showrunner.

    Amazon Studios’ head of global television, Vernon Sanders, released an official statement announcing the development of the series.

    God of War is a compelling, character-driven franchise that we believe will captivate our global customers as much with its expansive and immersive worlds as its rich storytelling. We are honored to share in the adventure of exploring the God of War mythology in such a momentous way with Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions and [game developer] Santa Monica Studio.

    Vernon Sanders

    Amazon is partnering with Sony on the project, which has been in development since March 2022, and Sony Pictures TV president Katherine Pope shared her excitement for the partnership.

    We are so proud and excited to be working with our friends at Amazon Studios and our partners at PlayStation Productions to adapt this beautiful and heartbreaking game into a premium live-action series. Rafe, Mark and Hawk are crafting a transportive series that charts a path through the ancient mythological journey of Kratos.

    Katherine Pope

    Once thought to be a lost cause, interest in video game adaptations is now at an all-time high as studios look to find potential cinematic franchises. Amazon is already developing Fallout to series and with HBO Max’s adaptation of The Last of Us right around the corner, the future seems bright for the adaptation of successful video game franchises.

    Source: THR

  • James Gunn Quickly Debunks Battinson Rumors

    James Gunn Quickly Debunks Battinson Rumors

    James Gunn is nothing if not consistent. Much to the fear of online leakers and scoopers, Gunn never hesitates to correct misinformation about his projects. Now that he is co-chair of DC Studios, a lot of projects have become “his projects” as he now oversees what he hopes to build into a massive inter-connected cinematic universe.

    True to form, Gunn took to social media just hours after a report from Variety indicated that he and co-chair Peter Safran were considering making Robert Pattinson’s Batman and Matt Reeves‘ Gotham-verse part of that larger connected cinematic universe. Gunn wasted no time in dismissing the report, calling it “entirely untrue.”

    The debunk by Gunn comes as a bit of a relief as it means Reeves won’t have to compromise his vision of the character in order to fit other characters into his growing universe. It also means that as Gunn and Safran start the process of building a new DC Universe, presumably, from scratch, they’ll have a chance to bring creators in who won’t feel the need to match Reeves’ vision. It’s a win-win.

  • DC Studios Reportedly Considering Battinson as THE Batman in Their New Shared Universe

    DC Studios Reportedly Considering Battinson as THE Batman in Their New Shared Universe

    As James Gunn and Peter Safran continue their transition into the newly incorporated DC Studios, rumors and reports of the inner workings of the new company are all the rave. Last week’s news of Wonder Woman 3 and Man of Steel 2 being on the chopping block is still reverberating throughout Hollywood and now a new report has popped up that might cause an even bigger stir. According to Variety, DC Studios is considering finding a way to tie Matt Reeves‘ The Batman into the new, larger universe they are looking to build.

    The Batman was a financial success for Warner Bros. Discovery in March 2022, raking in $770M, making it the fifth highest-grossing movie of the year despite releasing when audiences weren’t yet completely comfortable returning to theaters amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While not necessarily a critical darling, the film was generally well-received by critics and audiences gave it an A- Cinemascore. In the months since its release, a sequel and several spinoffs that look to build out Gotham have been announced. Under the previous regime, it seemed that Reeves’ Gotham-verse was going to be its own, standalone branch, so the news that Gunn and Safran might look to tie their new vision to it is interesting.

    Of course, as Gunn himself said recently, there are more questions than answers about the future of DC Studios at this point. The interest in tying into Reeves’ very successful The Batman is logical as it’s one of the only IPs greenlit under the old regime that seems safe moving forward. On the other hand, there’s the question of just how easily other heroes and other stories might tie into what Reeves has and continues to develop. Until official word comes from Gunn and Safran, we’re all left to debate amongst ourselves.

    Source: Variety

  • Patty Jenkins Clarifies the Status of ‘Rogue Squadron’

    Patty Jenkins Clarifies the Status of ‘Rogue Squadron’

    During Disney’s 2020 Investor Day presentation, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy announced that Patty Jenkins had signed on to direct Rogue Squadron. At the time, the film was slated for a Christmas 2023 release but following a production delay in 2021, the film was removed from Lucasfilm’s slate in September 2022 leading fans to believe the film had been canceled. Now, in the wake of her departure from Wonder Woman 3, Jenkins has provided some clarity on the development of Rogue Squadron.

    In a statement released through her Twitter account, Jenkins detailed the interconnected nature of her work on Wonder Woman 3 and the production delay on Rogue Squadron. “I originally left Rogue Squadron after a long and productive development process when it became clear it couldn’t happen soon enough and I did not want to delay WW3 any further,” said Jenkins. “When I did, Lucasfilm asked me to consider coming back to RS after WW3, which I was honored to do, so I agreed,” added the director.

    Jenkins continued on to say that while Rogue Squadron has been bumped off the Lucasfilm release slate, the film is still in “active development” and that she is still very much a part of it.

    [Lucasfilm] made a new deal with me. In fact, I am still on [Rogue Sqauadron] and that project has been in active development ever since. I don’t know if it will happen or not. We never do until the development process is complete, but I look forward to its potential ahead.

    Patty Jenkins

    The last bit comes as a bit of a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. As Jenkins points out, the development process doesn’t always end in a film being released so don’t hold your breath waiting for this one to hit theaters.

  • John Krasinski Turns the Page on Mr. Fantastic

    John Krasinski Turns the Page on Mr. Fantastic

    From the moment Kevin Feige announced Marvel Studios Fantastic Four film at SDCC ’19, fans had John Krasinski at the top of their lists to play Reed Richards. Fantasy became reality when the actor cameoed as the Reed Richards of Earth-383 in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, giving fans a little taste of a very Hickman-esque version of the character. Richards was quickly and grotesquely dispatched by the Scarlet Witch but as time has gone on without a new actor being cast for the 2025 film, fans have held out hope that Krasinski’s Reed being turned to spaghetti won’t be the lasting image. According to Krasinski, it might be time to turn the page.

    While promoting Season 3 of Amazon’s Jack Ryan, Krasinski tried his best to put the rumors of his return as Reed to bed. “There aren’t any discussions at all,” said Krasinski of returning to the role. “The only discussion I had was actually in the second-to-last week of ‘Jack Ryan. Kevin Feige called and said would you ever fly to L.A. and play in our sandbox for a day?“, reaffirming reports that the cameo was a last-minute arrangement. “I was honored to do it,” he said, “I flew right from Budapest when we wrapped and went right to the ‘Doctor Strange’ set. I’m a big fan of all those characters and that world, so to get to play in that sandbox for one day was a real thrill.“

    Of course, there’s always the chance that Krasinski has joined the long and distinguished list of actors who have lied through their teeth to keep their Marvel Studios’ role a secret. And with time travel and Multiversal hijinks on the menu, there’s always a possibility that Krasinski does return to the role even if not as the 616 Reed. But for now, it seems pretty reasonable to assume that Fantastic Four director Matt Shakman will have some voice in who eventually ends up playing Mister Fantastic when the film hits theaters on Valentines’ Day 2025.

    Source: The Wrap

  • ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ Trailer Includes One of Spidey’s Most Ridiculous Suits

    ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ Trailer Includes One of Spidey’s Most Ridiculous Suits

    The new trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse revealed a whole mess of Spidey Variants all suited up in their own versions of Spidey suits. Some of those are more recognizable than others, but one stands out because of its absurd nature and its origin in the comics.

    There’s a lot going on in the trailer so you’d be excused if you missed it, but the Bombastic Bag-Man suit makes not one but two appearances during the scenes taking place what seems like a multiversal hub.

    Peter has donned the Bombastic Bag-Man suit a few times in the comics and the story behind it is just as silly as you might think. The first time Pete put the paper bag mask on his head was in Amazing Spider-Man #258 when he had to borrow a spare Fantastic Four costume and became The Amazing Bag-Man. Years later, Black Cat stole his suit while he was in the hospital, forcing Peter to use a paper bag to escape as The Bombastic Bag-Man.

    There are certainly plenty of other interesting looking suits in the trailer, but this one is sure to have hardcore comic fans smiling as they see it on screen.

  • ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ Film Looks Set to Obliterate the Foundations of the Marvel Universe

    ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ Film Looks Set to Obliterate the Foundations of the Marvel Universe

    Director Shawn Levy has forged a fascinating relationship with Ryan Reynolds over the past few years. The two paired up for Disney and 20th Century Studios Free Guy in 2021 and then again in Netflix’s The Adam Project in early 2022. Now the duo is back together for Marvel Studios’ upcoming and still untitled Deadpool and Wolverine film, which is slated for a November 8, 2024 release. Production on that film is slated to kick off next year, meaning Levy and Reynolds still to spice it up and according to Levy, it already sounds pretty spicy.

    In an interview with SYFY Wire, Levy talked about being the guy to finally bring Deadpool and Wolverine together on screen and the potential of the film.

    I’ll just say that to be developing and prepping this movie that has this iconic duo together in an entire movie for the first time — a pairing between Hugh and Ryan, Wolverine and Deadpool. [It’s] very much a pairing that the world has waited for for over a decade, [and] I’m the lucky son of a bitch who gets to tell a story about that pair. The potential is so rich and every day that we work on the screenplay, there are ideas that we didn’t anticipate that appear because you’re talking about the ultimate Marvel icon and the ultimate Marvel iconoclast.

    Shawn Levy

    The Emmy-nominated Levy, who also has work to do on Season 5 of Stranger Things and has a Star Wars film coming up, is sharp and seems to choose his words carefully in interviews. In that sense, choosing to refer to Deadpool as an “iconoclast” should be of note. One popular theory about the third film in the Deadpool series is that it will see Wade and Logan traveling the Multiverse to “kill off” prior iterations of the Fantastic Four, X-Men and other characters from properties made under the Fox banner. If that is in fact the premise of the film, it would see Deadpool destroying the “iconography” of those non-Marvel Studios Marvel properties, putting him firmly in the category of “iconoclast.” So while superficially Levy may not have had much to say, reading between the lines a bit might give a little better impression of what to expect from the project..

    Source: SYFY Wire

  • 5 Marvel Mainstays Who Could Show Up in ‘Captain America: New World Order’

    5 Marvel Mainstays Who Could Show Up in ‘Captain America: New World Order’

    Insider Daniel RPK has been keeping the news cycle going lately with a deluge of casting calls for several projects. Several such bits of info have come available for Daredevil: Born Again lately and now it seems it’s time for Captain America: New World Order to get some time in the spotlight.

    According to Daniel RPK, New World Order is going to include a male character described as a “Marvel mainstay.” That’s unfortunately not much to go on, but we thought we’d give it a shot anyway. Here are five “Marvel mainstays” who might show up in Captain America: New World Order.

    Rick Jones

    For hardcore comic book fans, it’s unthinkable that the MCU has gone on so long without Rick Jones. Throughout his 596 comic book appearances, Jones has been a key ally to Mar-Vell, the Hulk, Steve Rogers and the Avengers. He’s been part of some wacky cosmic adventures, found himself smack in the center of a Multiversal conflict known as the Destiny War in Kurt Busiek‘s Avengers Forever and found himself turned into a Gamma mutate known as A-Bomb. Jones is as close to the definition of a “mainstay” as there is in Marvel Comics and making his MCU debut in a Captain America movie that also features Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross and the Leader makes quite a bit of sense, especially since the latter two individuals were a part of his transformation into A-Bomb.

    Jim Hammond

    While Rick Jones may have more appearances in the pages of Marvel Comics, Jim Hammond, The Original Human Torch, predates Jones by over 20 years, having made his first appearance in 1939’s Marvel Comics #1. If you want a Marvel mainstay, Hammond is your guy. Technically, the character already exists within the MCU, having been “introduced” in Captain America: The First Avenger. The First of the Marvels, Hammond has been an Invader, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and a West Coast Avenger in the comics and could serve a very interesting purpose in a film that’s rumored to feature the Red Hulk. Red Hulk’s unique instability causes him to emit increasing amounts of Gamma as he becomes increasingly angry which causes him to “catch fire” before eventually exploding. Hammond’s android body comes complete with a couple of abilities that can counteract that including thermokinesis (the ability to increase or reduce the heat in other objects), the complete resistance to heat and the absorb and emit radiation of his own. In fact, it was the radiation from a nuclear bomb on a test site that “reactivated” the Torch in the pages of the comics. Finding a way to include Hammond would be both a fascinating callback to The First Avenger and give the world an unexpected weapon against the Red Hulk.

    Doc Samson

    Like Hammond, Samson has already been introduced in the MCU. Ty Burrell played a very boring and laid-back version of Samson in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, a movie that many questioned the canonicity of until recently. With Ross, Emil Blonsky and know Samuel Sterns all back and part of the ongoing narrative in the MCU, bringing back Samson would fit the pattern. As a psychiatrist, Samson played a major role in Bruce Banner’s ongoing personality struggles. He also factored heavily into Red Hulk’s introductory arc and was a member of the Thunderbolts. It’s easy to see how Samson could fit in and, hopefully, transition into the green-haired, Gamma-powered Doc Samson fans have loved over his 322 comic book appearances. As for why there’s a casting call, that’s simple: Burrell may well have chosen not to return in the role forcing Marvel Studios to go a-lookin’.

    Dr. Walter Langkowski

    While Doctor Langkowski may seem like less of a mainstay than Doc Samson, the character has actually appeared 333 times in the pages of Marvel Comics, just edging out his doctoral counterpart. Unlike the rest of the characters on this list, Langkowski PROBABLY wasn’t available for use by Marvel Studios until 2019 (the assumption is that his live-action rights were controlled by Fox) but like Samson, he’d be a great fit for any story involving Gamma. Langkowski experimented with gamma and found himself mutated into a creature he himself dubbed Sasquatch. As Sasquatch, Langkowski served Canada through the Gamma Flight, Beta Flight and finally Alpha Fight programs through Department H. His presence would potentially portend interesting things down the road, but he’d also fit in nicely to a project with a potential new Hulk.

    Dennis Dunphy

    He’s not exactly a mainstay. Most people don’t even know who he is. But this is a Sam Wilson movie and Dennis Dunphy has routinely worked closely with Sam in the comics over the last decade. Let’s give the Detroit native a shot in the MCU! He’s only had 95 appearances, but he’s been in the big leagues as a member of the Avengers and there’s a good Daredevil costume gag waiting to happen now that the gold suit is canon.

    Let us know what other characters you think might fit the bill for the “Marvel mainstay” the studio is looking to include in Captain America: New World Order!

  • Live-Action ‘My Hero Academia’ Adaptation a Go at Netflix

    Live-Action ‘My Hero Academia’ Adaptation a Go at Netflix

    Netflix and Legendary Entertainment are partnering to adapt the incredibly popular manga property, My Hero Academia, into a live-action film. The project, which is being written by Obi-Wan Kenobi scribe Joby Harlold, will be directed Shinsuke Sato.

    Legendary acquired the rights to produce a live-action version of the property in 2018 and have been searching for a partner since and Sato has been on board all along. The popularity of My Hero Academia has been growing rapidly and in 2019, Kohei Horikoshi, who has written and illustrated the manga, won a Harvey Award for his work.

    Though the project has been in development, THR reports there is no cast in place at present.

    Source: THR

  • First Synopsis for DC’s ‘Blue Beetle’ Revealed

    First Synopsis for DC’s ‘Blue Beetle’ Revealed

    Amidst all the talk of cancellations and reboots of varying rigidity as James Gunn and Peter Safran ascend to the DC Studios throne, some properties seem to remain on track despite the changes. One such project is 2023’s Blue Beetle, starring Cobra Kai‘s Xolo Mariduena and helmed by Angel Manuel Soto. Warner Bros. Discovery recently rolled out a new poster for the film reaffirming its August 18, 2023 theatrical release and now, via WB’s 2023 slate preview, the first synopsis for the film has been revealed.

    The film will focus on Mariduena’s Jamie Reyes, who is canonically the third character to have gone by Blue Beetle in the comics but became widely popular after appearing in the animated series Young Justice. While the most well-known Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, is absent from the synopsis, rumors suggest Kord’s existence is acknowledged and certainly play a key role in the film.

    Recent college grad Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armour capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero Blue Beetle.

    So far only set photos of Reyes’ Blue Beetle suit have made their way online and those were met mostly with high praise. A first look at the film should be forthcoming in the first quarter of 2023, perhaps with Shazam! Fury of the Gods.