Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Charles Murphy

  • EXCLUSIVE: Farhan Akhtar on Waleed’s Past

    EXCLUSIVE: Farhan Akhtar on Waleed’s Past

    The good news was that Marvel Studios cast Bollywood star Farhan Akhtar in a key role in Episode 4 of Ms. Marvel, “Seeing Red.” The bad news is that, barring a miracle, Akhtar’s Waleed doesn’t seem to have much of a future.

    However, Akhtar’s character made a big impression in a short time, giving Kamala Khan a bit of a history lesson on the Clandestine’s Noor Dimension and sacrificing himself to save her and Kareem. Akhtar inhabited Waleed with such gravitas and authority, however, that it was clear the actor knew much more about the character. In an exclusive interview, Akhtar credited the creative team behind Ms. Marvel with giving him everything he needed to know about the character’s past.

    Honestly, a lot of the hard work on this was done by the writers and by the creative producer. I mean they really came and gave me a really good sense of Waleed, explained to me Waleed’s past, where he probably met Aisha for the first time-since he refers to her, he knows about her-what experience he has with the bangle, how does he know the Clandestines, when did he first meet them, when did he first battle them, how did he get that scar on his face.

    Farhan Akhtar

    As the authority figure of the order of the Red Dagger, Waleed certainly gave off the impression that he had been through some things that a young hero like Kamala might not understand. There’s also the currently unanswered question of how he knew Kamala’s great-grandmother, Aisha, and why he didn’t seem to lump her into the same category as the villainous Clandestines. According to Akhtar, he simply tapped into the history of the character as given to him by the team.

    So we had all these conversations. So by the time we came into these scenes, I had all that history with me. I could tap into all that and I had that understanding of who this guy is. When he’s sharing stuff with Kamala, the kind of authority that he speaks with, that he’s had these experiences, that is something that the writers and producers shared with me and I’m very thankful for that.

    Farhan Akhtar

    Though Waleed certainly seems dead, there’s no reason we couldn’t see Akhtar in the role again, whether that be in the upcoming fifth episode or in another season of the show via flashbacks. Fans of the show would definitely welcome more of the character and given the way Akhtar has spoken about his time with the show, it seems he might too.

    Ms. Marvel is now streaming on Disney Plus.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Farhan Akhtar Explains What Drew Him to ‘Ms. Marvel’

    EXCLUSIVE: Farhan Akhtar Explains What Drew Him to ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Episode 4 of Ms. Marvel, “Seeing Red”, put a new spin on Kamala Khan’s ally, Kareem, making him one of an order of Red Daggers who serve to protect the people of Pakistan from unseen threats. In establishing the Red Daggers as an organization, Marvel Studios was able to give Kareem a mentor in the form of Waleed, played by Indian multi-hyphenate legend Farhan Akhtar.

    Akhtar stays unbelievably busy writing and producing, but seems fairly selective when it comes to acting. In an exclusive interview, Akhtar recalled how he came into the role of Waleed and why it was so important for him to be a part of Ms. Marvel.

    When my agent reached out and said that Marvel is looking to cast people from India for this new show that they are doing, I was immediately interested. Firstly, it’s Marvel which is a big deal, you know we are all fans of what they make. Their films are entertaining and are always made on this amazing scale that has something for everyone. So I was immediately interested.

    Farhan Akhtar

    Akhtar’s interest in the role grew when he found out that Marvel Studios was hoping to find a role for him in Ms. Marvel, a show Akhtar saw as groundbreaking. According to the actor, he had a feeling early on that he was joining a very special production.

    And then when we found out more, we realized it’s Ms. Marvel, it’s a show about the first Pakistani-Muslim girl superhero, it speaks about the Asian community in the U.S., it travels all the way to this part of the world, it taps into the culture of this place, the folklore of this place, the history of this place. So it immediately felt like Marvel was treading new ground here, you know, in doing something that hadn’t been done before. And then they had people like Sharmeen on board-like Sana as a creative producer, so it really seem like this was going to be special. That’s what it felt like. And I wanted it. So I just said, “Listen, please whatever it is just call me and I’m gonna do it.” And after that, of course, we discussed Waleed and we discussed that character and all that more.

    Farhan Akhtar

    Fans fell immediately in love with Akhtar’s Waleed who, unfortunately, seems to have met his end saving young heroes Kareem and Kamala. Whether we see Waleed again in the future or not, it’s safe to say Akhtar made his mark in his limited role and that his feeling he was going to be part of something special was spot on.

    The first four episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney Plus.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Aramis Knight on the Future of Red Dagger

    EXCLUSIVE: Aramis Knight on the Future of Red Dagger

    Aramis Knight’s Kareem stepped immediately into action in Episode 4 of Ms. Marvel and, for much of the episode, didn’t get a chance to slow down. The formidable Pakistani hero played a large role in Kamala’s trip to Pakistan, both in the books and in the series, but with the nearly non-stop action in the episode, the audience didn’t really come to know much about Kareem. In an exclusive interview, Knight talks about what he’d like explore about the character in the future and his budding relationship with Ms. Marvel.

    I would love to see Kareem’s training regimen. I just think that’d be super interesting. He comes in as a hero who is powerless so to be able to keep up with these people who do have powers he has to train every single day of his life and I think seeing parts of that-seeing things that he does to become the superhero that he is-I think that would be super interesting. I would also love for people to meet Kareem’s family.

    Aramis Knight

    Marvel Studios has certainly shown a willingness to go beyond the source material in developing the characters in their shared cinematic universe. They’ve already taken a step in that direction with Kareem by making him part of an order of Red Daggers, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they continued to do so if the character returns for another season. Though Kareem played a pretty major role in his time in the comics, he’s only had a few appearances so there’s room for the Ms. Marvel creative team to work. And according to Knight, he hopes that part of that work is taking on a mentor role with Kamala.

    Even more than that, I become a great ally for Kamala and, in a way, I become somewhat of a mentor in that she’s a newfound superhero to someone who’s kind of worked his whole life with this organization so there’s a lot for her to learn from him. And I think I do take on that mentor role a bit, although there’s also the banter, you know, the bit of flirtation, it kind of all plays into it, I think.

    Aramis Knight

    Fans are certainly hoping for a second season of the hit streaming series and given the path Kareem’s character follows in the comics, there is certainly room for him to return to help Kamala and complicate things a little for her as well.

    The first four episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney Plus with Episode 5 debuting Wednesday, July 6th.

  • Video Shows Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson Reuniting on Set for ‘Loki’ Season 2

    Video Shows Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson Reuniting on Set for ‘Loki’ Season 2

    Photos from the set of the second season of Loki seemed to indicate a movie theater would play a key role in scenes currently being filmed in London. Now, a behind-the-scenes set video has leaked out that confirms the importance of the theater and shows the series’ dynamic duo back together.

    Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson are filming a scene together at the theater and given the black suit and tie and fanfare seen in other set videos, it seems that Loki and Mobius are attending a movie premiere. The two came formed quite a bond in Season 1, but as the season ended and Loki made his way back to TVA headquarters, it was heartbreakingly revealed that the Mobius from an apparently new timeline had no knowledge of who Loki was or of the other Mobius’ friendship. Having to start over again leaves all kinds of room for interesting stories to develop and it looks like while the two are working together here, Loki’s hands may actually be restrained. We’ll have to wait for a better look to determine exactly what’s happening, but it’s great to see the two stars back together!

  • Leaked ‘Loki’ Season 2 Set Photos Tease 70’s Setting

    Leaked ‘Loki’ Season 2 Set Photos Tease 70’s Setting

    Season 2 of Loki, one of Marvel Studios’ most popular streaming series to date, is now in production in London and some intriguing set photos have now made their way online. The first season of the streamer shot in Atlanta and did so mostly in studio, meaning set leaks were extraordinarily rare. Getting a look at these set photos this early into production on Season 2 is extra exciting.

    It looks as though Loki Season 2 is shooting on location at London’s Noel Theater and, according to the movie posters put up for the shoot, it’s likely that this portion of the show is set in 1974 or 1975.

    As seen in pics, there’s a combination of real-life and in-universe films being advertised at the theaters. Herbie Rides Again, Airport 1975 and Earthquake all hit theaters in UK 1974, with Earthquake debuting in late November. The three other movie posters on display at the fictional Leopold Theater are wonderful Easter eggs. One is a film starring Kingo of the Eternals, another is for a film entitled Phone Ranger and the final two are for a horror film entitled Zaniac. Phone Ranger and Zaniac are among the deepest of DEEP cuts Marvel Studios has ever dropped in a production as both are incredibly obscure comic book characters.

    Interestingly enough, the first look at Loki, presented by Kevin Feige back in 2019, featured the God of Mischiefoutside of a movie theater in what appeared to by 1975 New York. That concept was never explored in Season One, but it looks like Season 2 will make good on it and that a movie will be premiering at the Leopold Theater. Whether or not Loki will be there and what he’ll get up to remains to be seen, but it’s worth noting that the end of Season 1 took place in a timeline where thing in the TVA were a little different and Loki didn’t seem to have any allies there, meaning we might see him hopping around a bit while on the run.

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Producer Teases How the Villains Tie into the Partition

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Producer Teases How the Villains Tie into the Partition

    If there’s one thing that the Marvel Studios series are good at it’s exploring strong themes. Moon Knight explored what it meant to explore what it means to be oneself while WandaVision focused on grief. Ms. Marvel takes a more historic look at one’s heritage and what it means to carry that torch. And it seems those themes were also considered throughout the series’ many elements.

    In an interview from Entertainment Weekly, Ms. Marvel’s co-creator and producer of the Disney+ series, Sana Amanat, offered some insight into how they wanted to tie the overall themes to its main antagonists, the Clandestine. As she highlights how it takes a unique exploration of identity throughout.

    I was like, “are people going to get that or no?” Ultimately, this is a story about identity. How do you understand your identity without understanding what home is and what home means to you? The Clandestines are an interesting foil in that regard, because you are talking about people being displaced, and then there are these people and here’s how they interpret their displacement. There’s a much larger metaphor there and I want to see what people think of it.

    Sana Amanat

    She also highlights that there may be more heading our way as we jump into the final two episodes that’ll fully explore the Partition, as well as what the future has in store for the Clandestine. Especially in how it parallels the modern-day with how Kamala Khan’s parents found their place in a new place.

    I’m really interested in the post wrap-up conversations about this entire show. Because it’s very layered, you’re talking about South Asian character, but you’re also talking about a Muslim character. So, I think we intentionally tried to tell a story of what it means when you lose your home and how you try to create a new one. I mean, it’s what Kamala’s parents did. They came to a new country, they created a home for themselves here. And yet, Kamala feels like she doesn’t understand what that means. So, there’s certainly a lot of parallels and very intentionally so.

    Sana Amanat

    It’s always great to see how they explore these themes and have many elements tie together to add just that little something extra. It’s unclear just how they’ll wrap it all together but if the series manages to pull in its finale, we may have one of Marvel Studios’ best.

    Source: EW

  • EXCLUSIVE: Aramis Knight on Revinenting Red Dagger for the MCU in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    EXCLUSIVE: Aramis Knight on Revinenting Red Dagger for the MCU in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Episode 4 of Ms. Marvel introduced one of Kamala’s earliest allies from the comics, Kareem, aka Red Dagger. The show didn’t wait long, however, to make it clear that the MCU’s version of Kareem was more than a street vigilante, making him a part of an ancient organization of Pakistani heroes who have guarded the people against unseen threats.

    Kareem, and his mentor Waleed, end up playing a major role in Kamala’s journey to Karachi, educating her about the Noor Dimension from the secret lair. It’s here where the audience becomes aware that the Red Daggers on screen have been upgraded significantly and could possibly play a much larger role in Kamala’s story than in the comics. In an exclusive interview, we asked Aramis Knight, who portrayed Kareem, about the changes to the character.

    I think we’re lucky to kind of be the baseline for who these characters are. Because the comics are quite new and there aren’t a lot of them, there’s not so much to go off of. Now, I kind of feel like these characters are being created by us, which gives us a lot of creative freedom.

    Aramis Knight

    Knight went on to explain how being on set and working with Farhan Akhtar to develop an idea of who the Red Daggers were informed how he portrayed the character.

    And you’re 100% right that Kareem is shaped by his background, everybody is, and his background is dedicating his life to this society. Being able to work with Farhan and being able to wear the costume and be in Red Dagger HQ, there was like a lot of physicality to it and it wasn’t difficult at all.

    Aramis Knight

    Though we only saw Waleed for a short time and Kareem for just a bit more, it’s safe to say that the adaptation of the character from the comics, while significantly different, was well-thought-out and well-executed in the series. What role, if any, Kareem will have over there rest of the season remains to be seen, but he’s certainly fulfilled his role as a protector of the people. Episode 5 of Ms. Marvel will stream next Wednesday on Disney Plus.

  • Merch Confirms Mark 1 Ironheart Armor for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    Merch Confirms Mark 1 Ironheart Armor for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    Once again, Marvel Studios has allowed first looks and teases for their upcoming projects to leak via official merchandising with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever serving as the latest example. A first look at Attuma made its way online earlier and now an interesting look at some Ironheart-inspired designs that may indicate Riri Williams armor could have a Wakandan connection.

    Courtesy of MCU Facility, fans can see a “Mark 1” logo among a plethora of other logos, including the iconic panther head associated with Wakanda adorned in the red and gold colors of Iron Man. Overall, the idea seems to be that Riri will be using some of Iron Man’s spare parts to assemble her own armor…in Wakanda?

    Just why Riri might be in Wakanda in the first place is interesting enough in and of itself, but for now it looks like fans will see Ironheart suit up well ahead of her first appearance, which is still undated. Ironheart is now in production and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to hit theaters on November 11th.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Aramis Knight on South Asian Representation in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    EXCLUSIVE: Aramis Knight on South Asian Representation in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    The Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Ms. Marvel has opened a window into Pakistani culture, giving viewers a look at one of mainstream media’s most underrepresented communities. The cast is full of actors and actresses of South Asian origin or heritage, including Aramis Knight, who was introduced as the Red Dagger Kareem in Episode 4.

    In an exclusive interview, Knight, who is of Pakistani descent, talked about what it meant to him to be part of a show that brings South Asian culture to the masses in an unprecedented way.

    It was amazing. You know growing up I never really had a hero that I looked up to who I felt looked like me who sounded like me who was like me at all. So to be kind of able to be the first is incredible. I have family back home who are just over-the-moon-excited to see me in this show-to see me involved in this at all. Representation is so important and I’m really thankful to kind of be a pioneer of that. It’s the first time in mainstream television that you’re seeing South Asian representation. We’re super thankful for it. Honoring my grandmother in the best way I could think.

    Aramis Knight

    As director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy expressed to us in a separate interview, Ms. Marvel presents audiences with the opportunity to experience South Asian culture through experiences with Kamala Khan and her family, something that, as Knight points out, is uncommon in pop culture. Given the audience response to the show so far, those experiences have served to make the series one of Marvel Studios’ most beloved…and one that fans hope gets a second season renewal sooner rather than later.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Aramis Knight on Working Alongside MCU Superfan Iman Vellani in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    EXCLUSIVE: Aramis Knight on Working Alongside MCU Superfan Iman Vellani in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Episode 4 of Ms. Marvel marked the MCU debut of Aramis Knight, who portrayed Kareem, one of an ancient order of Red Daggers who protect the people of Pakistan. The 22-year old Knight is another of several young actors working alongside star Iman Vellani in the show, all of whom have grown up in a world where the MCU has been front and center in mainstream entertainment.

    Knight’s role as Kareem meant that he spent a significant amount of his time on set with Vellani, who fans have learned is an absolute MCU superfan. In an exclusive interview, we asked Knight if, having grown up surrounded by the MCU, he was on Vellani’s level as a fan. “No, definitely not. I’d be lying if I said I was“, said Knight. “But also, there’s few people in the world who are on Iman’s level of MCU fan, so it’s a tough act to follow, but she definitely taught me a lot about the universe.“

    Knight went on to praise his co-star’s complete grasp of not only her role but also the MCU and the character’s place within it.

    I’m really happy to be involved and also have her there because she, like, creatively, understands the show so much. Honestly, at this point, she should just be a producer as well because she is so well-versed in the universe. She completely understands the role that Kamala plays and she really just is Kamala. It’s absolutely amazing and I cannot imagine anyone else playing the role at all.

    Aramis Knight

    Through 4 episodes, Ms. Marvel has continued to receive high praise from both fans and critics and Vellani has been at the center of it all. Marvel Studios President Kevin Fiege has also mentioned how well-versed Vellani is in the MCU and, according to Knight, her presence in the series is also helping to raise everyone else’s game as well. As Knight says, it’s hard to imagine anyone else inhabiting the role now that fans have seen Vellani in it.