Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Charles Murphy

  • New Set Videos May Reveal The Big Bad in ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’

    New Set Videos May Reveal The Big Bad in ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’

    Production on The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has been underway in Prague for the past few weeks and we’ve seen some impressive set videos make their way out already with last week’s brutal beating of Noah Mills’ character by John Walker topping the list. Today, thanks to Fandime Filmu, we have a fresh look at some set videos that might just give away the main antagonist of the series. Potential spoilers below, so read at your own risk.

    All the Marvel Shows Coming to the Disney+ Streaming Service | Time

    The Instagram video below shows what appears to be the changing of the guard of a paramilitary unit outside of the Monastery of St. Gabriel in Prague. According to the description, much of the filming done over the weekend saw Prague doubling as Switzerland and should this Monastery have been used for a fictional Swiss location, it’s very likely that the paramilitary unit guarding it is ULTIMATUM and that they are guarding their headquarters where their leader, Flag-Smasher, might be holed up.

    It may seem like quite a stretch, but we’ve seen rumors about ULTIMATUM being included in the show before and bread crumbs about Flag-Smasher appearing in the series have been pointed out by quite a few people, including our own Lizzie Hill. Given the influence of the Mark Gruenwald Captain America run on this series, having this team in Switzerland is the last straw to convince me that Flag-Smasher is in the series and likely being played by Noah Mills, who we saw take a major beating last week. In the comics, the first Flag-Smasher was Karl Morgenthau, an independently wealthy man who waged a campaign of terror in the name of anti-nationalism. Eventually Morgenthau created ULTIMATUM, the Underground Liberated Totally Integrated Mobile Army to Unite Mankind, and used them to wage his war on nationalism.

    While it’s certainly not a dead ringer, the grey gear worn by the unit in the set video could easily be the more grounded, less ridiculous looking version of ULTIMATUM’s comic book gear. While these locations and videos aren’t official confirmation, they point me in a direction I’ve been looking for a very long time as I believe that Flag-Smasher is THE perfect antagonist for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. We’ll all find out together when the series streams on Disney Plus (HOPEFULLY) in early 2021.

     

  • Murphy’s Law Podcast: Episode 68

    Murphy’s Law Podcast: Episode 68

    Charleses M. and V. try to sort through the myriad Spider-Man rumors of the past week, talk about Xochitl Gomez joining the MCU and more!

  • Chris Hemsworth Confirms a January Star for ‘THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER’

    Chris Hemsworth Confirms a January Star for ‘THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER’

  • Potential ‘SPIDER-MAN 3’ Audition Video Description Revealed

    Potential ‘SPIDER-MAN 3’ Audition Video Description Revealed

    On Friday evening an audition video was shared with me. Though it was labeled “Titans”, it became clear upon watching it that it was something very different than that. The now-deleted video was an audition for a Spider-Man project of some kind.

    Audition videos get posted on sites like Vimeo all the time. Sometimes they’re legitimate, other times they’re not. I have no way of discerning for you whether or not this one was, but I was able to watch it before it was taken down and I can describe for you what was in it. From there, you can decide for yourselves how/if it might fit the MCU’s Spidey narrative arc. This young actor was trying out for the role of “Daniel.” Marvel Studios always uses code names for their roles, so the actual identity of the character is unknown, but the audition video gave a few interesting tidbits that could help determine who he is playing.

    Before reading any further there are 2 things you need to keep in mind:

    1. The now-deleted audition video could have been for a fan film or something completely unrelated to Sony’s MCU-set Spider-Man films.
    2. The now-deleted audition video, were it truly for Spidey 3 and if its contents related to the actual script of Spidey 3, would possibly reveal a pretty heavy spoiler.

    The two-part video begins with a young African-American man out delivering food for what appeared to be his parents’ restaurant. The young man is stopped by the NYPD because he is wearing some sort of Spider-Man gear. When questioned by police, he states he’s a fan of Spidey but it’s clear that in whatever universe this takes place, being a fan of Spidey is NOT ok. This would certainly seem to be in line with where we’d think things would pick up in Spidey 3 following the events at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home.

    The second part of the video sees the young man first in a conversation with his father, then his cousin (?). When talking to the second person, a breaking news report airs on TV indicating that the costumed hero Spider-Man has been found dead at a museum.

    Flashback Friday: DEATH OF SPIDER-MAN - Freaksugar

    Now there are all kinds of possibilities spinning out of this video if, in fact, it’s legitimately for Sony’s third Spider-Man film. Could the young man in the video have been auditioning for the role of Miles Morales? Could this be a Spider-Man from a different, parallel Earth or is this the MCU’s Peter? Could Doctor Strange have cast some sort of illusion that could somehow allow Peter to return to some semblance of a normal life? Has someone else put on the Spider-Man costume and died? While I have a hard time believing that the big picture revolves around killing Tom Holland’s character, I can think of several ways “Spider-Man” could die and Holland could continue on in the role. As is often the case with these videos, we know very little because we don’t know the connection to the larger plot (assuming this is legit and there even is one), so it’s hard to determine very much but we do know that we’re talking about a universe where Spider-Man seems to be an enemy of the state and ends up dead and if that gives us any sort of insight into the plot of Spider-Man 3, then we know it’s going to be a wild ride and that Marvel Studios has chosen to go down a shocking path for the threequel.

  • ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLIDER’ Set Video Reveals Potential Major Spoiler

    ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLIDER’ Set Video Reveals Potential Major Spoiler

    With filming on The Falcon and The Winter Soldier moving to Prague and taking place outdoors, it was inevitable that some set video or photos would leak and today it did with the video revealing what might be considered a pretty major spoiler when taken in tandem with another piece of evidence. Read on at your own risk.

    U.S.Agent (Character) - Comic Vine

    A set video posted by the Instagram account Fandimeflimu shows Wyatt Russell’s John Walker/US Agent using Cap’s shield to pummel a fallen foe.

    Noah Mills, who was cast in the series late last year in an unknown role, posted a photo to his Instagram showing his “stand in.” The stand in is a dummy who appears on the other side of the monument/stairs from where the video was shot.

    Walker’s violent beating of the “stand in” certainly looks like it would prove catastrophic and, more importantly, is in line with Walker’s character arc in the comics and is something we’ve expected and talked about on the podcast in the past. Shortly after taking the mantle of Captain America in the comics, Walker’s inability to control his violent urges led to him murdering several members of the Watchdogs, an extremist terrorist group, and torturing a few others. This led to a confrontation between Walker and Steve Rogers and ended with Walker having being stripped of the legacy mantle of Captain America.

    This video indicates that we can likely imagine the series will follow a similar path, but with no Steve Rogers around, who will step into the boots of Captain America? Will it be Sam Wilson or Cap’s lifelong best friend, Bucky Barnes? Hopefully we all find out early in 2021!

  • Xochitl Gomez Joins ‘DOCTOR STRANGE’ Sequel

    Xochitl Gomez Joins ‘DOCTOR STRANGE’ Sequel

    Actress Xochitl Gomez has joined the cast of Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness, according to a trade report. Though the trade said her role was unrevaled, it’s almost certain that she has landed the prized role of America Chavez, an alien from the Utopian Parallel with the power to travel the multiverse! The Illuminerdi first broke the news that Chavez was set to appear in the sequel and now it would seem Marvel Studios has found their America!

    Though terms of the contract were not discussed, it’s a near certainty that Gomez will appear in Marvel Studios Young Avengers project, which has been rumored to be in development for some time now, after completing the Strange sequel. The 14-year old Gomez previously starred in the Netflix series The Babysitters Club and also on the Disney Channel series, Raven’s Home.

  • What I Heard This Week: Spider-Slayers in ‘SPIDER-MAN 3’

    What I Heard This Week: Spider-Slayers in ‘SPIDER-MAN 3’

    Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. For instance, on February 19th, I wrote this piece relaying some rumors I’d heard about Marvel Studios updating its Disney Plus slate; the next day, the news broke that a special Disney Plus event would be held in London on March 5th where it is expected that Marvel Studios and Star Wars slates will be updated. I also shared information about Peyton Reed directing episodes of season 2 of The Mandalorian months before he made it official. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been able to hear much of anything, so I’m excited to share this bit on info with you.

    Spider-Man: Whatever Happened to the Smythes and the Spider-Slayers?

    I was recently contacted and had some information shared with me that has led me down a pretty wild path of speculation to an end point that I think makes a ton of sense. The information, while nebulous, comes from a trusted source and I’ve spent some time trying to get a little more context and clear up what I’ve been told, but at this point that is hard to come by, so I’ve landed on the option that makes the most sense to me: Spider-Man 3 may well introduce one of the Wall-Crawler’s oldest villains, Dr. Spencer Smythe.

    Smythe first appeared in 1965’s The Amazing Spider-Man #25 and made a mess of things for Spidey at the behest of J. Jonah Jameson who, as you know, viewed the young hero as a MENACE! Without giving away some details I’ve been asked to keep quiet, Smythe was one of a handful of alliterative Spider-Man characters that I had to choose from based on the information at hand but he’s also the one that fits the best given the way the last film ended. While there’s currently no shortage of crazy Spidey rumors going around right now, it seems a certainty that the film will open with Peter dealing with the fallout from the revelation of his secret identity by Mysterio at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Of course that movie also brought J.K. Simmons‘ J. Jonah Jameson into the MCU and given his history with Smythe, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising to see the two team up at the beginning of this threequel. Smythe, of course, doesn’t pose much of a threat himself but he’s more than capable of causing Spidey problems by developing Spider-Slayers!

    Spider-Slayer Mark V | Marvel Database | Fandom

    The Spider-Slayers were a series of robots developed by Smythe with the original model even bearing the face of J. Jonah himself. An appearance by the Smythe and the Spider-Slayer(s) could prove for some incredible shots of Spidey swinging through NYC with the Slayers in pursuit as well as making Jameson a true antagonist in the MCU while bringing a classic Spidey villain to the screen for the first time. It’s also worth noting that Smythe’s son, Alistair, played by BJ Novak, made an appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and we know that Feige has no problem reinventing characters from the previous Spidey franchises at this point with both Simmons and Jamie Foxx reprising their roles in the MCU, so Novak’s Alistair, who was a part of the series of events that saw Foxx’s Max Dillon become Electro, could make his way into this shared universe as well.

    Again there are so many wild rumors out there right now that it’s hard to tell what to believe and hard to get a good idea of just what this movie is about, but adding Smythe and his Spider-Slayers to the film is certainly in line with where things left off last time we saw Spidey! Hopefully, we’ll see where things end up for Peter and company and if I made the right choice in my deductions sooner than later as filming is set to kick off soon and Spider-Man 3 is due in theaters on December 16, 2021!

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’ Production Headed to SF, Home of the Agents of Atlas

    ‘SHANG-CHI’ Production Headed to SF, Home of the Agents of Atlas

    Production on the Marvel Studios film Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings will shift stateside next week with scenes being filmed in San Francisco. Production on the film has been ongoing in Australia for the past couple of months and may still continue there even as stunt crews begin work in California this week in preparation for some stunt sequences that will be filmed next week.

    The MCU is no stranger to filming in the 415 as scenes were filmed in the San Francisco Bay Area for both Ant-Man and Ant-Man and The Wasp, opening the door for a possible connection between the two franchises, perhaps via Jimmy Woo whose comic book counterpart leads the Agents of Atlas from their secret base, the Temple of Atlas, located in caverns beneath the city. Earlier this year, it was rumored that Marvel Studios was developing Agents of Atlas as a Disney Plus series, and given the team’s recent resurgence in the comics, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them join the MCU at some point.

    Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is currently set to hit theaters July 9, 2021.

     

     

  • Connecting Imaginary Dots: Tyler Dean Flores Joins the Cast of ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’

    Connecting Imaginary Dots: Tyler Dean Flores Joins the Cast of ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’

    CONNECTING IMAGINARY DOTS ARE PIECES WE WRITE HERE THAT ALLOW US TO BE WHAT WE ALL TRULY ARE: FANS. THESE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS SCOOPS, EXCLUSIVES OR FACTS; JUST SPECULATION ABOUT THE THINGS FOR WHICH WE ALL SHARE A GREAT PASSION.

    Much of the cast of the Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has been working in Prague for the past week or so and evidence suggests that we might be able to add one more to their number in the person of actor Tyler Dean Flores. An up and comer with under a dozen film or TV appearances, Flores might actually be the answer to a question I’ve been working on for nearly a year! Let’s take a look at the evidence and get into how he might be the missing puzzle piece I’ve been searching for.

    Tyler Dean Flores

    Last night, an Instagram follower first alerted me to the possibility of Flores having joined the cast by sharing some recent Instagram photos that seemed to indicate that Flores was spending some time with Erin Kellyman, an actress whose now confirmed role in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier was first revealed by Murphy’s Multiverse in a Connecting Imaginary Dots feature, and some other cast members.

    A quick check of Twitter showed that the same information had been noticed by Screen Rant’s Cooper Hood. Some further investigation of Flores’ social media turned up another solid piece of evidence when the actor revealed he was, in fact, working in Prague, though he would not reveal the project.

    I’d say on it’s own the cumulative social media evidence presents a pretty solid case for the Harlem native having joined the cast but there’s one more dot to connect here and, in doing so, it solves one of my longest standing mysteries around the series. Late last Fall/early last Winter, a casting call was shared for me that indicated Marvel Studios was searching for an Hispanic/Latinx actor to play a supporting role in the series. I couldn’t dig up the communications to find the date, but I know it was around the time we broke the news that Adepero Oduye has joined the series. I know that some other “scoopers” and one Hollywood trade were also in possession of the info and trying to find out who had landed to role as well. Seeing Flores hanging out in Prague with the rest of the cast gives me at least a small level of confidence that he is the actor who landed the role and, if the sizes of the roles of some of the other actors he has been working with are anything to go by, Flores’ role might extend beyond this series…perhaps as a member of the Thunderbolts. Of course none of this is confirmed at this point, so the evidence has to speak for itself, but in this case, I think it makes a pretty compelling case.

    The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is currently filming and is now expected to stream on Disney Plus sometime in early 2021.

  • Murphy’s Law Podcast: Episode 67

    Murphy’s Law Podcast: Episode 67

    Charles and Charles are back with a review of the season finale of The Boys and to chat about what Doctor Strange might be up to in Spidey 3, the Green Lantern series and more!