Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Charles Murphy

  • J.J. Abrams’ ‘Zatanna’ Looking for New Streaming Home

    J.J. Abrams’ ‘Zatanna’ Looking for New Streaming Home

    In 2019, HBO Max signed J.J. Abrams to a $250M deal to develop projects for the streamer. Among the highlights was the development of DC’s Justice League Dark franchise, which was to include projects such as Constantine, Madame X and Zatanna. The former two projects were recently cut from HBO Max’s budget as ongoing shifts at Warner Bros. continue to change the landscape at the streaming service. Now it seems that HBO Max has moved on from the latter as well as Zatanna is now looking for a new home.

    Amongst an incredible wealth of information in a report from THR’s Borys Kit came the news that Zatanna has joined Constantine on the scrap heap at HBO Max. According to Kit, however, while the shows are dead at HBO Max, Abrams is shopping them to other networks in hopes of keeping them alive. Constantine was the furthest along of all the Justice League Dark projects, having been set to film this Fall. Set to be 8-episodes, it was going to adapt the story of John Constantine’s fateful encounter with Astra Logue. Zatanna had been in development since early 2021 with Oscar-nominated director Emerald Fennel on the script.

    The moves happen as Warner Bros. and Discovery continue their merger and ahead of the two companies streaming services merging into one platform in 2023. For Abrams, it means that 3 years into his deal he has yet to deliver on the promise. In addition to the cancellation of his Justice League Dark projects, another project he developed, Demimonde, was scrapped. Abrams is set to produce the upcoming Constantine film starring Keanu Reeves and also working with Ta-Nehisi Coates on his Superman project, which is said to be set outside the DC Universe’s main continuity.

    Source: THR

  • WB Prepared to Move Ahead with a Sequel to ‘The Flash’

    WB Prepared to Move Ahead with a Sequel to ‘The Flash’

    Even as questions about star Ezra Miller continue to surround The Flash, news comes that WB remains incredibly committed to the property. While the first film won’t hit theaters until June 23, 2023, Borys Kit reports that the studio already has a script in place for a sequel should the first film be well-received.

    David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who penned the script for Aquaman, has put together the framework for a follow-up to The Flash, which is said to be an adaptation of the classic DC Comics story, Flashpoint. Just what the future holds for the franchise will first depend on what comes of recent events surrounding Miller, who has been arrested several times in the past year and recently pleaded not guilty to one charge. Common among fans is the theory that if WB decides they can no longer work with Miller, the Flashpoint nature of The Flash would easily allow for the role to be recast.

    The news of the potential sequel comes amidst a slew of news about the potential future of DC films. While Matt Reeves continues to build out the world of The Batman, James Gunn looks to be on board for multiple new projects and Henry Cavill is set to return in a new Superman project. As WB continues the search for the “Kevin Fiege” of their DC Universe, it seems that the good work of developing projects continues.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Fantastic Four’ Production Update

    ‘Fantastic Four’ Production Update

    It’s been over two years since Murphy’s Multiverse first shared the news that Marvel Studios had created a limited liability company under the name Solve Everything Productions for its Fantastic Four film. Since then, information on production has been slow coming as the project lost its original director Jon Watts. But with a new director on board, Matt Shakman, working with writers Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer, things seem to be gearing back up. With the new crew of creatives now together and a release date of February 14, 2025, now in place, it seems Marvel Studios has turned its attention to getting production underway.

    To that end, Marvel Studios has apparently locked down studio space in the UK for the production of Fantastic Four. While no dates have been made available yet, past scheduling precedent would indicate that Marvel Studios would be looking to get production underway in the Fall of 2023. With the film originally having been slated for a November 8, 2024 release, a Fall 2023 start of production would have been in line with a typical Marvel Studios production. By bumping the title’s release back 3 months, not much changes other than having some additional time to finish VFX.

    Of course, there’s still a lot of work to be done before Shakman and crew can start principal photography, most importantly, finding a cast. Rumors continue to swirl about dozens of actors involved in talks for all the main roles but while it’s certainly likely that Marvel Studios is in the process of casting, no official word has fallen on the results of that process. Then there’s the completion of the script, which given the title of the production company, may likely take heavy inspiration from writer Jonathan Hickman‘s take on Marvel Comics First Family.

    Given that the film is said to kick off Phase 6 of the Multiverse Saga, it wouldn’t be a…stretch…to imagine that it might take on one of Hickman’s wildest creations, The Interdimensional Council of Reeds, which was first introduced in Fantastic Four #570, ironically titled “Solve Everything: Part One.” Earth 616’s Reed Richards joined a multiversal collection of his other selves by using one of his inventions, The Bridge, which allowed him to observe and access other worlds.

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Star Tatiana Maslany Discusses a Potential ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Appearance

    ‘She-Hulk’ Star Tatiana Maslany Discusses a Potential ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Appearance

    Episode 8 of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law saw Charlie Cox guest star as both Matt Murdock and Daredevil and fans ate up both his performance and the chemistry between his character and Tatiana Maslany’s Jen Walters. Since the episode debuted, fans have been clamoring to see more of the two together and while they got a few seconds of screen time with one another in the finale of She-Hulk, it didn’t quite satisfy the need of fans nor, apparently, Maslany.

    In an interview with THR, Maslany joked that she’s been texting Cox daily, trying to find a way to guest star in Daredevil: Born Again, which is currently set to stream in 2024.

    I keep texting him being like, ‘Am I required for set today?’ And he says, ‘We’ll let you know by lunch.’ But he just keeps putting it off. I’ve been waiting outside the set in my She-Hulk costume, so just put me in, coach.

    Tatiana Maslany

    While fans wait for word on a potential second season of She-Hulk and what future the character has in store in the wider MCU, it’s wonderful to see Maslany campaigning to keep the fire hot between Jen and Matt!

    All 9 episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law are now streaming on Disney Plus.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ Seemingly Set to Introduce One of Marvel’s Most Beloved Couples

    ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ Seemingly Set to Introduce One of Marvel’s Most Beloved Couples

    When it was announced that Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha, who fans grew to love in 2021’s WandaVision, was returning to the role for her own solo series, fans were curious about the direction it might take. After taking a sound beating from the Scarlet Witch and having her powers drained, Agatha was punished by being turned back into the nosy neighbor version of her character and left behind in Westview. Even as the start of production on Agatha: Coven of Chaos draws near, word on the plot of the series has yet to hit the web, though some intriguing casting details have.

    In June, a casting leak indicated that the Agatha-centric series was looking for an actor, 17-20, to play a gay, lead character. The character was described as being “witty” and “astute” with a dark sense of humor and also being a “bit of a fanboy.” Fans of Marvel Comics readily identified this character as Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan, one of Wanda’s sons seen in WandaVision. Teenage Billy was so much of a fanboy that he originally called himself Asgardian and styled himself after Thor’s look when he first entered into superheroing. While all the dots might not connect as to how an older version of Billy might appear in Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Agatha’s interest in Wanda’s children as seen in WandaVision could be a plot point that would easily carry over into her series. And with Mephisto once again rumored to be headed to the MCU, it’s possible that the Master of the Realm of Lost Souls might have a hand in things somehow.

    While the appearance of an aged-up Billy likely means that his twin brother, Tommy, will appear as well, there’s one more Young Avenger who comes to mind when Billy is involved. Where is Teddy Altman? Fans have expected the character to turn up for the past couple of years now, but he’s never made his way into any of the projects he’s been rumored to appear in just yet. However, another casting call might just indicate that fans won’t have to wait much longer.

    In addition to the casting call above, a second casting call for an actor, 18-20, to play a gay male has made the rounds. The character is described as “a kind soul” with a “great sense of humor” who is totally in love with his boyfriend and has an athletic build. Could this be Teddy? With not much to go on in terms of descriptors, it’s impossible to say with certainty, but the descriptors that are given are very much in line with the way Teddy has always been characterized. However, connecting the dots back to the other description, which almost certainly is Billy, Teddy becomes a VERY logical guess.

    If Agatha: Coven of Chaos does introduce teen versions of Billy, Tommy and Teddy, it lays the groundwork for projects such as the Scarlet Witch solo series, The Children’s Crusade and, ultimately, the Young Avengers. Just the introduction of Teddy alone would also erase the strange concerns that Skaar would be replacing him in the MCU, allow for a connection to Secret Invasion and open up opportunities to tell more Kree-Skrull War stories down the road. With production on Agatha: Coven of Chaos set to begin early next year, casting announcements may soon reveal the true identity of these characters, giving fans something to look forward to in the somewhat near future.

  • Edward Norton Almost Made His Return to the MCU in ‘She-Hulk’

    Edward Norton Almost Made His Return to the MCU in ‘She-Hulk’

    Episode 2 of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law took full advantage of the self-awareness of the series in order to crack wise about Mark Ruffalo replacing Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. As Jen finds herself working on Emil Blonsky’s case, she also finds herself conflicted given Blonsky’s past with her cousin. Smart Hulk gives her the all clear, however, telling her he is a “completely different person now, literally.” It was a great joke for those who caught it and it was never thought of again…until now.

    In an interview with The Direct, She-Hulk director Kat Coiro revealed that the show almost went one step further than the subtle nod to Norton’s time as the Hulk: they almost brought him back for a cameo.

    There was a lot of talk about the fact that the last time they were together a different actor was playing the Hulk. And Mark [Ruffalo] made quite a few jokes about that. And we did entertain the idea of swapping Mark out for Edward Norton. But that did not come to pass.

    Kat Coiro

    Obviously, it never got past the idea stage, but given the crazy nature of the ending, which saw She-Hulk in the writer’s room of her own show, talking to Marvel Studios K.E.V.I.N. and altering the plot of the finale, it would have fit and been a fantastic bit of fun. Of course, there’s no guarantee that Norton would have agreed to the appearance, but knowing that it’s been considered once could leave the door open for them to eventually approach the actor for a return in another project. With Avengers: Secret Wars on the way, anything is possible.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘Halloween Ends’ Originally Ended Much Differently

    ‘Halloween Ends’ Originally Ended Much Differently

    David Gordon Green’s Halloween Ends has proven to be incredibly divisive, sparking a great deal of internet debate about the creative choices of the final film in the director’s trilogy. On one side of the debate, fans expressed their frustrations at the lack of screen time for series’ boogeyman Michael Myers; on the other side, fans appreciated the choice to take the focus off the slasher and keep it on the impact the ongoing battle between Myers and Laurie Strode had on Haddonfeild.

    While both sides would probably agree that the film’s finale gave them the satisfactory conclusion to the Myers-Strode feud that they had been hoping for, it seems that the very cut-and-dried ending that made the final cut of Halloween Ends wasn’t always so cut-and-dried. According to Viewer Anon, the scripted ending played out much differently.

    https://twitter.com/ViewerAnon/status/1581780522900258817?t=v1qC7Ig3LLh90tqUAp76qw&s=19

    The full thread linked above claims that the film followed a different path with the “evil doesn’t die, it just changes shape” theme explored in the film. In the version that fans have seen, it seems that evil does in fact die with the deaths of Corey and Michael; however, the script apparently saw Laurie infected with the same evil, even after killing Michael in her kitchen. In the original version, that played out by having Laurie attempt to strangle her granddaughter before coming to her senses.

    Ultimately, what was put to film in the final cut worked really well as Laurie and the entire town of Haddonfield were able to collectively put their Boogeyman behind them. The trilogy explored the way that Myers’ evil infected every corner of the town where his rampage took place, impacting more than just those who lost people to his evil, so a denouement where they dispose of him and his legacy as a community works well as a definitive ending to THIS trilogy. Of course it’s hard to imagine there won’t be more Halloween films in the future, but Green’s work with Myers is done and taken as one long-form story, it’s a truly terrifying narrative on evil.

  • RUMOR: ‘Ironheart’ Adds Another Magic User and Ally of Doctor Strange

    RUMOR: ‘Ironheart’ Adds Another Magic User and Ally of Doctor Strange

    Marvel Studios upcoming Disney Plus streaming series Ironheart continues to shape up to be the MCU’s first really magic vs. tech battle. Kevin Feige announced Anthony Ramos as the series’ main antagonist, Parker Robbins, aka The Hood, at D23 and a recent rumor that Sacha Baron Cohen will appear as Mephisto continues to gain traction as more sources chime in on its legitimacy. With two major magic users in her way, it would stand to reason that Riri Williams might need some help understanding just what she’s up against and a new rumor might point in the direction of just that kind of ally.

    According to Geek Vibes Nation, actress Regan Aliyah, who joined the cast at the end of August, is set to play Zelma Stanton in Ironheart. Stanton is a relatively recent addition to the Marvel Comics’ universe, having been introduced in 2015 at the beginning of Jason Aaron’s run on Doctor Strange. Shortly after meeting Strange, Zelma agreed to work at the Sanctum Santorum as his librarian. More recently, Zelma has appeared in Strange Academy, a series in which Strange and some of the most powerful magicians in the Marvel Universe have opened a school for young magic users.

    https://twitter.com/GeekVibesNation/status/1581619861540986880?t=tR1vZCaIZRAdqr-l091W7Q&s=19

    At this point, we can only speculate as to what Zelma’s role in Ironheart might entail, but it does seem likely she will be assisting Riri as she learns about magic and takes on The Hood and the powerful demon Mephsito. As is often the case for characters adapted into the MCU from the comics, Zelma’s origin story might be changed a bit to allow for her to hop right into the action. Whatever the case, for a show featuring a tech genius, Ironheart is becoming very magic-heavy and very interesting.

  • A Look at Marvel Studios’ 10-Year Page-to-Screen Rule

    A Look at Marvel Studios’ 10-Year Page-to-Screen Rule

    New York Comic Con hasn’t really been known to be the kind of event where fans should expect huge reveals from Marvel Studios. Traditionally, it’s been a place for Marvel TV and Marvel Comics to take center stage and NYCC ’22 was comic-heavy. Jonathan Hickman revealed some of Valerio Schiti’s artwork from their mysterious new comic series, the 2022-23 event slate was revealed, including the Fall of X and numerous non-event series were teased or introduced. All in all, a great weekend for Marvel Comics.

    However, during their Next Big Thing panel, Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski dropped an interesting nugget of information about the relationship between Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios, both of which are now overseen by Marvel’s One Above All, Kevin Feige. According to Cebulski, Marvel Comics works to stay about “10 years” ahead of Marvel Studios. In essence, that means comic arc that are being told wouldn’t make their way into the narrative fabric of the MCU until 2032. On the flipside, it could also mean that Marvel Studios currently announced slate of projects is looking to draw on comic arcs from 2012.

    Though it’s clear and expected that not every project in 2022 is based on stories from 2012, interestingly enough, some of that flipside lines up. The end of 2021 saw Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye, which was published in 2012, adapted into a Disney Plus streaming series. Incursions, which were introduced to the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, first appeared in issue #3 of Jonathan Hickman’s New Avengers in January of 2013. The idea of Wakanda at war with Atlantis, which is central to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s plot, came from the pages of the Avengers vs. X-Men event, which ran for most of 2012. Kamala Khan first hit the pages of a comic in 2013. Jason Aaron’s epic run on Thor, which introduced Gorr and Jane Foster as the Mighty Thor, characters seen in Thor: Love and Thunder, began in, you guessed it, 2012. It’s by no means a perfect predictor, but for the past year, there are enough hits to make one take the time to look at how the next (about) ten years of Marvel Studios projects could be shaped by the last (about) ten years of Marvel Comics.

    2023

    Riri Williams will make her debut in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever before her solo series, Ironheart, streams on Disney Plus. The character first appeared in the comics in 2016, so this series is 7 years post. That’s not exactly 10, but it might prove informative later.

    2024

    Captain America: New World Order will hit theaters in 2024. Ten years earlier, Sam Wilson: Captain America hit newsstands. The Nick Spencer book could hold some clues as to what fans can expect in the film.

    A version of the Thunderbolts featuring Bucky Barnes appeared in the comics in 2016. Bucky and the Thunderbolts are headed for the big screen in 2024.

    Deadpool 3 hits theaters in 2024 and while nobody knows exactly what to make of the Ryan Reynolds/Hugh Jackman team-up, one theory is that it could adapt Marvel Comics Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe, which came out in 2012.

    Fantastic Four. Announced in 2019, it’s taken a while to get made and is going to take a while longer. Whenever fans see it, it is likely to be heavily influenced by Hickman’s run on the characters which started in 2010.

    2025 and 2026

    Marvel has plans for two Avengers films over these two years. If you’re wondering who might be on the team, Marvel Comics All-New, All-Different Avengers, first published in November 2015, might be a decent resource.

    Beginning with 2022’s Werewolf By Night, monsters are now historically part of the MCU and more are on the way. In 2015, Marvel Comics published The Howling Commandoes of S.H.I.E.L.D.

    A Nova project continues to be in the works and The Human Rocket is likely to land on one of the dates slated for D+ in 2025 or 2026. A Nova comic series, featuring Sam Alexander, launched in 2013.

    In July, a pair of trademarks were filed for what are believed to be MCU solo projects for Hercules: Rise of the Gods and Black Knight: Origins. in 2015, comic series featuring both of those characters brought them back into the spotlight after some time away. Black Knight dove into the cursed nature of the Ebony Blade while Hercules told the story of the Greek godling making his way through the modern world. Both of these ideas are adaptable in the MCU given where the characters were left in their introductions in Eternals and Thor: Love and Thunder, respectively.

    An Illuminati project has been reportedly in the works at Marvel Studios for a few years now. In 2015, Marvel Comics published The Illuminati, featuring Parker Robbins, who will make his debut in Ironheart, Titania, who debuted in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and the Enchantress, Sylvie Lushton, who seems to have a lot in common with Loki’s Sylvie.

    Avengers: Secret Wars was originally planned for 2025. While there have been multiple iterations of the story, it’s believed that with Michael Waldron writing it, it will be strongly influenced by Hickman’s version of the story.

    2026-2032

    Years back, Marvel Studios was looking for a pitch for a Secret Warriors project. While the first volume in the comics hit shelves in 2008, a second volume featuring Kamala Khan was released in 2017.

    Quite a bit of buzz continues to persist around Marvel Studios bringing the Midnight Sons to the MCU and a trademark was filed. In 2017, a Spirits of Vengeance mini-series was launched that featured many of the characters you’d associate with Midnight Sons in a war at the gates of hell.

    Marvel Studios trademarked Avengers: Eternity Wars. Marvel Comics published an Eternity War event in the pages of The Ultimates in 2017.

    With the X-Men not quite set to appear in the MCU for some time, the 2018 event Hunt for Wolverine might make a good adaptation at some point in the late 2020s, once the X-Men have become established.

    War of the Realms is one of the finer events Marvel Comics has produced in years. While it doesn’t seem like on the surface like a story that could be told in the MCU, remember the multiverse is in play and anything is possible, including giving Malekith a fair shake.

    Another property that could potentially take inspiration from Jonathan Hickman is an adaptation of Dawn of X. Hickman’s redefining take on mutants kicked off in 2019, meaning it could hit the low end of what Marvel considers about 10 years if an adaptation were to hit the MCU around 2026 or later, which actually seems about right.

    This is nowhere near comprehensive as there are so many unknowns about what projects are in development and nearing a green light, which are still slogging through and which have been shuffled to the back of the pile. However, it does give us a better idea of what about “10 years” means. It looks like characters and stories are fair game if they were about 7-12 years before the project is intended to release. Obviously, that window can expand either way and it is a lot more likely to expand on the side of more than 12 years than less than 7 years, but it provides a window through which we can potentially peer into Marvel Studios’ plans.

  • A Fun New Rumor Suggests a Much Talked About Character Will Debut in ‘Ironheart’

    A Fun New Rumor Suggests a Much Talked About Character Will Debut in ‘Ironheart’

    Marvel Studios Ironheart will introduce one of Marvel Comics’ most ruthless villains to the MCU: Parker Robbins, aka The Hood. Anthony Ramos will be playing Robbins and was introduced at D23 by Kevin Feige, though little was revealed about his origins or motivations. Footage from Ironheart did, however, show a very comic-accurate-looking cloak on The Hood and a new rumor indicates that its origins may be a bit less comic-accurate.

    According to My Time to Shine Hello, Robbins’ cloak, which is the source of many of the magical powers he wields in the comics, will be connected to the demon Mephisto. In the comics, the cloak originally belonged to Dormammu, who used it to possess Robbins at one point. With Mephisto filling the role, it’s likely that Ironheart will feature Mephisto, the Great Corrupter, sinking his claws into Robbins and making a deal for his soul, as he does.

    Fans have believed Mephisto was going to appear in every Marvel Studios’ project for the last several years and no doubt some of them will pound their chests to tell you that they were right; however, finally introducing the Master of Malice to the MCU opens up a wealth of new stories that can be told, including the long-gestating Ghost Rider project and a comic-accurate origin for the Silver Surfer!

    An additional rumor suggests that the actor bringing the Dread Persuader to life in the MCU will be Sacha Baron Cohen. While Cohen is most well-known as his wild antics Borat, Ali G. and others, he recently received praise for more serious work in Netflix’s The Spy and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in The Trial of the Chicago 7, his third nomination as he was also nominated for the screenplay of both Borat films.

    https://twitter.com/MStudiosNews/status/1581268062497800193

    Cohen’s versatility as a performer makes him a fascinating choice for Mephisto, should the rumor prove to be true. A deal to play Mephisto would likely keep the Cohen busy for quite some time because, as comic fans know, Mephisto has found himself in just about everyones’ business at one time or another.