Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Charles Murphy

  • First Teaser Trailer, Synopsis Arrive for Lucasfilm’s ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’

    First Teaser Trailer, Synopsis Arrive for Lucasfilm’s ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’

    A new age of theatrical Star Wars projects is set to launch next May when Din Djarin and his foundling, Grogu, jump to the big screen in The Mandalorian and Grogu.

    With 8 months to go until release, Lucasfilm has unveiled the first trailer for the project as well as the first official synopsis.

    The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.

    Directed by Jon Favreau, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu also stars Sigourney Weaver and is produced by Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce,  with music composed by Ludwig Göransson.

    Updating…

  • ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Leak Provides First Look at Marvel Movie’s Main Cast in Costume

    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Leak Provides First Look at Marvel Movie’s Main Cast in Costume

    With Marvel Studios recently having completed principal photography on Avengers: Doomsday (though plans include “a healthy dose of additional photography down the road”), directors Anthony and Joe Russo will begin post-production work on the film while also prepping for production on Avengers: Secret Wars. Incredibly, despite filming for five-and-a-half months, true leaks from the set were scarce, leaving fans with only a few bread crumbs about what might be going down in Avengers: Doomsday; however, thanks to one of the film’s hair and makeup artists, the first looks at the new costumes of the entire main cast has made its way online.

    Via her IG story, hair and makeup artist Giovanna Ponci has revealed art of 28 characters confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. While the most notable costume changes belong to the Fox X-Men, there’s plenty from the artwork to dissect.
    • Top row (L to R): Doctor Doom, Reed Richards, Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova (partially obscured), Magneto (partially obscured), Beast (partially obscured) and Ghost
    • Second row (L to R): Thor, Sue Storm, Shuri, Red Guardian, Charles Xavier, Cyclops and Falcon
    • Third row (L to R): Captain America, Thing, Shang-Chi, M’Baku, Gambit, Nightcrawler and Sentry
    • Bottom row (L to R): Ant-Man, Johnny Storm, Loki, Namor, Mystique, John Walker and Franklin Richards

    The art reveals that James Marsden‘s Cyclops will be sporting a comic-accurate, Jim Lee-inspired blue and gold suit, confirming previous rumors, and Rebecca Romijn‘s Mystique will be wearing a white dress, per her classic look.

    Yelena Belova and her New Avengers are all featured in the artwork and while their Avengers: Doomsday costumes were revealed in the Thunderbolts* tag, it’s worth pointing out that Lewis Pullman is in full Sentry mode, something that could certainly change the course of the film in more than one way.

    Wakandans Shuri and M’Baku are both sporting new looks while their new ally, Namor, is wearing collared costume that looks to be comic-inspired as well.

    Finally, the Fantastic Four all appear to have slightly altered costumes while Doctor Doom’s look seems to match the promotional art of the character shared at a Shanghai marketing expo in early September.

  • ‘Luke Cage’s Star Mike Colter All But Confirms Return to the Role for ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    ‘Luke Cage’s Star Mike Colter All But Confirms Return to the Role for ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum recently confirmed that the studio has given the green light to a third season of Daredevil: Born Again and it’s looking increasingly likely that another of hero from Netflix’s Defenders-verse will be making the jump to D+.

    But now that some time has passed, now that we actually see how well-integrated the stories are, I personally, Brad Winderbaum, will confidently say that they are part of the Sacred Timeline.

    -Brad Winderbaum

    Though it was originally developed without ties to the Netflix series, Daredevil: Born Again underwent a major creative overhaul that ultimately canonized 13 seasons and 161 nearly hour-long episodes and added them to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline. The first season of the revival brought Jon Bernthal, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Ayelet Zurer and Wilson Bethel across the bridge and into the MCU and in May it was revealed that Krysten Ritter had joined the cast of the second season, reprising her role as hard-drinking PI Jessica Jones. And it continue to look like she won’t be the last Netflix star to join Marvel Television’s flagship streaming series.

    After once stating that the role was in his “rear view mirror,” Luke Cage star Mike Colter has recently begun to tease a potential return as Harlem’s Hero. Colter is set to join Ritter, Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio at New York Comic Con, sparking speculation that an official announcement of his return to the role is imminent. Now, Colter has upped his tease game, all but confirming his return during an appearance at Edmonton Expo.

    “I don’t know why people keep asking me this. There’s no signs. It’s not like they’ve just recently revived one of the Marvel Netflix shows,” teased Colter when asked if he was set to return for as Cage in Daredevil: Born Again.

    Colter‘s comments certainly come across as confirmation of his return as Cage, though nothing is certain until the star shows up in an episode. If Colter is indeed “back”, the timing of the revelation would align with the star joining the cast for the third season, which will go into production in early 2026, though an appearance in Season 2 can’t be ruled out.

  • James Gunn Offers Discouraging Updates on The DCU’s Batman

    James Gunn Offers Discouraging Updates on The DCU’s Batman

    When James Gunn and Peter Safran pulled back the curtain on the first chapter of DC Studios’ planned slate, The Brave and the Bold…and nearly three years later, that’s proven to be the case as the project has struggled to gain any positive momentum.

    Inspired by Grant Morrison‘s Batman and Son arc from his epic run on Batman that began in 2006, The Brave and the Bold was described by Gunn as “a very strange sort of father-son story” featuring Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian, who Gunn referred to as “a little son of a bitch.”

    [The Brave and the Bold is] a story of Damian Wayne, who’s Batman’s actual son that he didn’t know existed for the first eight to ten years of his life. He was raised as a little murderer and assassin.

    -James Gunn

    Originally set to be directed by It and The Flash helmer Andy Muschetti, the film was also intended to introduce “other members of the extended Bat-Family” who Gunn explained had “been left out of the Batman stories in the theater for far too long.” With so many details available by mid-2023, it seemed likely that The Brave and the Bold would follow closely behind Superman and help build a solid foundation for the all-new DCU.

    However, by late 2024, progess on the film had seemingly stalled leading to Gunn explaining that the studio had “no set timeline for anything,” and that production on The Brave and the Bold–and any other DC Studios project–would not get made “until we have a screenplay that I’m totally happy with.” And now, as 2025 winds down into its final quarter, Gunn has provided a bit of a discouraging update on that screenplay.

    “The script isn’t done,” Gunn revealed in an interview with The Ringer-Verse. “I mean, we’ve got somebody writing a script, I think it’s really good,” he quickly clarified. And that wasn’t the only downer Gunn dropped.

    With it recently becoming crystal clear that Matt Reeves‘ Batman Epic Crime Saga is set outside the DCU’s main continuity and that Robert Pattinson will not be the DCU Batman, Gunn was asked if he had found his Batman yet. The short answer is no.

    “Do I have ideas about actors who could play Batman? Absolutely, I do. I have guys I like. I have guys that are top of the list for me, just like I had people that were at the top of the list for Superman,” Gunn said.

    “People can guess and maybe they’ll be right about certain things. We’d have to screen test, we’d have to do the whole thing. Okay, I see what you’re doing. ‘1923’, it’s a really good TV show, like I can’t believe how good that show was,” said Gunn, likely referring to rumors that Brandon Sklenar was in the mix for the DCU’ Dark Knight.

    Notably, Gunn’s comments about screen tests stand out as in the cases of both Superman and Supergirl, trades caught wind of the DC Studios’ short lists for Superman, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor and Supergirl. It’s safe to assume a role as big as Batman would catch the attention of the trades again. And while that means fans are no closer to finding out who will play Batman, Gunn does know someone who won’t… though he isn’t quite ready to share who that is.

    “One actor in particular, a pretty big star, wants to be Batman,” teased Gunn before saying, “we’ve talked about it, but I don’t think that’s the case,” he said.

    With so little seemingly working on the right direction and multiple other projects further along in development, it seems as though The Brave and the Bold won’t hit theaters until 2028 or later.

    Source: The Ringer-Verse

  • Marvel Wraps ‘Avengers: Doomsday’; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ On Deck

    Marvel Wraps ‘Avengers: Doomsday’; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ On Deck

    After filming for roughly five-and-a-half months, principal photography on Avengers: Doomsday has wrapped, according to THR. The trade report confirms suspicions stemming from multiple social media posts from crew members but comes with one caveat: with 15 months until the film’s December 18, 2026 release date, the studio already has plans for “a healthy dose of additional photography down the road.”

    With Avengers: Doomsday simmering until additional photography begins, directors Anthony and Joe Russo can begin to turn at least some of their collective attention to Avengers: Secret Wars, the capstone to the Multiverse Saga which will land in theaters on December 17, 2027.

    Stephen McFeely is writing the script. We are right in the middle of the writing process. We’ve always worked very closely with Markus and McFeely through all the work that we’ve done together. It’s a little bit like getting back on a bike. We have a really codified process that we all work together through… It’s very complicated to iron out a story of this scale.

    -Joe Russo

    “It’ll be similar [to the process of filming Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame], but we’ll have a larger break in between the two movies than we did,” Joe Russo explained in October 2024. According to his brother, Anthony, that “break” will consist of “a year or so,” allowing the brothers time to do some post-production work on Doomsday while also preparing for Secret Wars, which will be written by Infinity War and Endgame co-writer Stephen McFeely.

    Doctor Doom has officially arrived in the MCU. This villain, a master of cutting-edge science and powerful magic, will unleash a cascading crisis across the entire multiverse.

    -First synopsis for Avengers: Doomsday

    With production taking place largely at the UK’s Pinewood Studios, details about Avengers: Doomsday have proven tough to find, though a recent marketing expo did provide a first look at Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom and his comic-accurate power set. Outside of that, a cast reveal in March has been the only official word on the film, which looks to feature the OG Fox X-Men taking on the heroes of Earth-616 as an incursion threatens both their worlds.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Officially Renewed for Season 3

    ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Officially Renewed for Season 3

    During an August appearance at Galaxy Con, Charlie Cox struck a nerve among the rabid Daredevil fan base when he called the upcoming second season of the series the “final” season. Though co-star Vincent D’Onofrio quickly chimed in to say there was a “good chance” of a third season, fans still worried that the beloved show might be coming to an end, though Cox’s statement was incongruent with Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum‘s earlier statements about long-term plans for the series. Now, Winderbaum has left nothing open to debate.

    …there’s something that we do in this final season that doesn’t exist in the comics. So it is unique to our show and so I’m pretty excited about that.

    -Charlie Cox

    “In terms of Daredevil, yeah, we are greenlit for Season 3 and we start shooting next year,” said Winderbaum in ain interview with IGN.

    Interestingly enough, Winderbaum‘s confirmation comes just weeks before a planned Marvel Television panel at New York Comic Con where the studio will “provide a look” at its upcoming slate. With Daredevil: Born Again stars Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll and Krysten Ritter all scheduled to be in attendance in New York City, as well as Luke Cage star Mike Colter, it’s possible the studio is planning a larger reveal about the third season.

    Source: IGN

  • Matt Reeves Calls ‘The Batman-Part II’ a Bruce Wayne Story, Teases Film’s Villain

    Matt Reeves Calls ‘The Batman-Part II’ a Bruce Wayne Story, Teases Film’s Villain

    In 2022, producer Dylan Clark promised that the sequel to The Batman would make it to theaters much quicker than the original, which took five years to finish. While that won’t be the case, it is beginning to sound like The Batman-Part II, which will begin principal photography in April 2026, will be worth the wait.

    I will go on record and say it will be less than five years.

    -Dylan Clark

    Director Matt Reeves recently went on record to state his belief that the sequel–on track for an October 1st, 2027 release–will be based on the best possible script and “will be better than the last.” Part of that, according to Reeves, is keeping star Robert Pattinson at the heart of the story rather than diverting too much attention to the new project’s villain–though the director did have some exciting news on that front.

    “There is an exploration to be had, and one of the explorations for me was to do something that pushes even further into the character of Bruce Wayne,” Reeves told Josh Horowitz.

    “The first story is so much about The Batman. I always wanted in the movies, and let’s say we get to make three—I have no idea—that I always wanted the movies to be focused on his character. A lot of the other films, which I love, once you get past the origin tale, then you start telling the rogues’ gallery story and that character’s arc,” explained Reeves, referencing prior Batman projects in which villains such as Catwoman and the Joker, among others, served essentially as co-leads.

    “I never wanted to lose Rob at the center of these stories, so that is what we really set our aim on.” he said. “Picking the right villain that digs into what that does and goes into his past and his life, that was what drove that discussion,” before revealing that the “right villain” is one that has yet to be featured in previous Batman films.

    We’re super excited about it, and I will say, it’s never really been done in a movie before.

    -Matt Reeves

    Though that quote from Reeves isn’t too revealing, it does keep Batman villain Hush in play. Fans of The Batman have long theorized that the baddie, created by Jeph Loeb in 2022, was set up in the first film. Given Hush’s connections to Wayne’s past, he does seem to fit if the film is going to explore the billionaire more than the Bat.

    Source: Happy Sad Confused

  • Marvel to Unveil Upcoming Streaming Slate at NYCC

    Marvel to Unveil Upcoming Streaming Slate at NYCC

    Since Bob Iger‘s mandate to reduce the number of projects in production became public, Marvel Studios has laid fairly low when it comes to slate updates at conventions. On the studio side, updates have come in small, sporadic tidbits rather than splashy and spectacular Hall H-style presentations, with Marvel even sitting out  of the Disney panel at this year’s Destination D23.

    Streaming updates have been even harder to come by, somehow. Indeed, the news that a trio of streaming projects were being shelved was the first time fans learned that two of those projects were in development. Strangely, even projects such as Wonder Man and Vision haven’t been given a big push by the studio, though it seems likely that will change soon.

    According to Marcel.com, Marvel Television and Marvel Animation will provide a look at their respective upcoming slates during an hour-long panel on October 11th as part of New York Comic Con.

    Join special guests for a look behind the scenes at some of Marvel’s most anticipated upcoming Disney+ shows from both Marvel Television and Marvel Animation.

    With only Wonder Man left to stream in 2025, it’s possible that the first trailer for the project, set to debut in December, might be rolled out during the panel. Beyond that, Marvel Television only has two other known projects on the schedule: Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 and Vision, both of which are slated for 2026 releases.

    In August, the official New York Comic Con account confirmed that Daredevil: Born Again stars Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll and Krysten Ritter are all scheduled to be in attendance on both October 11th and 12th and will be joined by Luke Cage star Mike Colter, sparking renewed hope that Harlem’s Hero is joining the series for its sophomore season.

    Vision star Paul Bettany is not currently scheduled to be in New York (though he will be joining other Marvel Studios stars in Los Angeles for LA Comic Con September 26-28) but with the series recently having completed principal photography, it’s likely the studio would show off some footage or even just clear up the uncertainty around what the name of the series will be given none of Marvel or Disney’s official sites even list it.

    With only 30 minutes or so to work, assuming an even split of the 60-minute slot, that might be about all for Marvel Television, though perhaps a recent rumor about Vision showrunner Terry Matalas potentially taking the reigns of the long-gestating Nova project could provide an opportunity to peer further into the future.

    We will have a Spider-Man season every year if I have anything to say about it. What usually happens, as you know, in animation, is that there’s a bigger gap between Season 1 and Season 2 than in subsequent seasons, and that’ll be similar in Friendly. We will have to wait a little bit more than a year for Season 2, but then after that, it should come out on an annual cadence, hopefully.

    -Brad Winderbaum

    With Marvel Zombies hitting D+ on September 24th, Marvel Animation’s portion of the panel will be fully-focused on 2026. Marvel TV chief Brad Winderbaum already confirmed that second seasons of both X-Men ’97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man are planned to hit D+ at some point in 2026 and it’s possible third seasons for both series could be discussed as well. Winderbaum has made it clear that “creating a seasonal cadence that people can rely on,” is a priority for the TV studios and both series were incredibly well-received, making longer runs all but guaranteed.

    Given that animated projects are easier to keep under wraps–the announcement of Eyes of Wakanda, for example, caught nearly everyone by surprise–it’s possible additional seasons of current series could be announced or even a new project or two. Of course, in all instances, the best bet is to expect very little and with Marvel having trended in that direction for some time now, that’s probably what we’ll get.

    Source: Marvel.com

  • Following “Great” MCU Debut, ‘Vision’ Showrunner Reportedly Lining Up a Second Project

    Following “Great” MCU Debut, ‘Vision’ Showrunner Reportedly Lining Up a Second Project

    Marvel Television’s Paul Bettany-led Vision series has rarely been discussed by the studio but that hasn’t stopped hype from building for the series.

    Originally developed by WandaVision and Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer, Vision was passed off to Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas in May 2024. Matalas wasted no time rebuilding the show according to his new…vision…and from what can be gleaned by going through the confirmed cast–which includes Ultron voice actor James Spader and Foundation star T’Nia Miller as his bride, Jocasta–and team of directors, Vision may end up being a tense psychological thriller with notes of existential crisis…and it sounds as though it’s pretty good, too.

    During a recent podcast, Jeff “The In” Sneider shared what he’d heard about the show–and it’s showrunner–and it’s all very positive.

    “I’ve heard that Vision is great,” Sneider said before adding an additional tidbit. “The showrunner, Terry Matalas, may end up working on Nova and that he may get like an overall deal at Marvel.”

    Setting aside the short but sweet news that Vision, which is set to stream in 2026, is already generating positive buzz, Sneider’s information on Matalas potentially taking the helm of Nova is the first word on that subject since the project was reportedly shelved shortly after Ed Bernero agreed to become the showrunner of Marvel Television’s Cosmic streaming series.

    If Matalas were to take over the series, it’s unclear how much of the previous work done by Bernero would be used or if Matalas, a Star Trek vet, would start from scratch. Previous rumors indicated the project would feature Richard Rider rebuilding the Nova Corps in the wake of Thanos’ destruction of Xandar in search of the Power Stone just prior to the events of Avengers: Infinity War.

  • ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Digital and Physical Media Release Dates Officially Announced

    ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Digital and Physical Media Release Dates Officially Announced

    The Fantastic Four: First Steps was a critical and financial success for Marvel Studios this summer. The film, which introduced Marvel’s First Family into the MCU, reportedly took in $517M globally, making it the highest-grossing of the studio’s three 2025 films and the highest-grossing Fantastic Four film yet. Now, as it’s box office run wraps up, the studio is officially ready to launch the next phase.

    According to EW, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be available in digital platforms on September 23rd with physical media, such as 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD, available to purchase on October 14th.
    Credit: EW

    According to EW, “Collectors will have the option to purchase more commemorative SteelBook editions, including an Amazon exclusive that comes with a custom magnet-front variant cover, five collector cards, and an issue of The Fantastic Four: First Steps #1 comic.”

    Credit: EW

    Additionally, a “Walmart exclusive pop-up Blu-ray package, which comes with a slipcover and pop-up display featuring the Fantastic Four riding in the Fantasticar,” will be available.

    EW also revealed a gag reel, multiple featurettes and deleted scenes will be available on both digital and physical copies.

    Featurette: Meet The First Family

    The creation of the Fantastic Four saved Marvel Comics in 1961 and has only flourished as years have passed. Matt Shakman and the cast explain how they found themselves gravitating toward each role and creating the ultimate family.

    Featurette: Fantastic Futurism

    The filmmakers discuss the process of immersing the cast and crew in the film’s retro-futuristic aesthetic. Join Matt Shakman and crew as they discuss the experience of shooting in gigantic mid-century New York sets and stepping into an otherworldly era.

    Featurette: From Beyond and Below

    The team explores bringing complex characters from the page to the screen, including a larger-than-life Galactus, grounded Harvey Elder/Mole Man, and an emotionally rich Silver Surfer.

    Deleted Scenes

    • Thanksgiving Soup Kitchen
    • Fantastic Four Day
    • Subterranea
    • Birthday Sweater
    • Taking Turns

    Source: Entertainment Weekly