Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Charles Murphy

  • Major Marvel Villain Reportedly Set to Debut in D+ Streaming Series

    Major Marvel Villain Reportedly Set to Debut in D+ Streaming Series

    As Marvel Studios struggled to string together consecutive hits from 2021 through 2023, fans not only believed those struggles signaled the end of the studio’s time on top was near but also began to embrace some disturbing revisionism. While fans and critics alike piled on their reprovals of Eternals, Thor: Love and Thunder, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumanaia, Secret Invasion and more, they bemoaned the loss of the good old days of the Infinity Saga, when Marvel didn’t miss…except that’s not exactly how it went down.

    The mind has a way of distorting memories of reality as time moves on and remembering the Infinity Saga as a perfect bundle of projects is a perfect example. Not only did Marvel Studios produce some duds during its first saga (Thor: The Dark World, The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2 still stand among the least-loved MCU films), but it also had an ongoing problem pitting its heroes against incredibly weak villains for the better part of an entire phase. “Marvel has a villain problem” was an ongoing criticism of Phase 2 in which the studio dropped the ball adapting some of Marvel Comics’ great baddies such as Malekith, Ronan the Accuser and Advanced Idea Mechanics. The studio heard the criticisms, addressed them behind the scenes and moved forward with an improved lineup of antagonists. In 2017, the studio’s capacity to challenge its heroes increased exponentially with an influx of available characters following the acquisition of the live-action rights of the sizeable stable of characters previously owned by Fox. Now, a new report reveals that the studio may finally have found the right project in which to unleash one of Marvel Comics greatest threats for his live-action debut.

    According to long-time MCU insider Daniel Richtman, the interdimensional nihilist Annihilus will serve as the primary antagonist of Marvel Television’s Nova.

    It’s been over half a decade since Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, called Marvel’s greatest cosmic hero, Nova, a character that had “immediate potential” to show up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Immediacy is relative, apparently. Despite Marvel Studios giving a Disney Plus Nova series the green light in March 2022, the project–written by Moon Knight scribe Sabir Pirzada—was rumored to be headed to the big screen before being unceremoniously shoved to the back burner as other projects took precedence. Earlier this year, Richtman reported that the studio had finalized plans to develop Nova as a streaming series and to have the original Human Rocket, Richard Rider, as the lead alongside a team of young Nova Corpsmen. Adding Annihilus to the mix would indicate the studio plans to pull no punches as it rightfully looks to set up Rider as its greatest Cosmic hero.

    Originally introduced as a Fantastic Four villain, Annihilus has grown in power over the years and has become a threat to the existence of the entire universe. The ruler of a pocket dimension known as the Negative Zone, Annihilus, with the power gifted to him by wielding the Cosmic Control Rod, set his sights on conquering Earth and then the entire “positive” galaxy. Thus, in 2006, Annihilus was the main antagonist of the Cosmic crossover event, Annihilation, in which he lead his Annihilation Wave out of the Negative Zone and wreaked havoc on the galaxy as he attempted to extinguish all life within it.

    Of course, any use of the Nova Corps would require some significant changes to the organization which was first introduced in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, especially if they are going to take on The Lord of the Negative Zone. Though it wasn’t seen on screen, Thanos likely provided the first steps in that direction when he took the Power Stone from Xandar before attacking Thor, Loki, Hulk and a shipful of Asgardians between the events of Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War.

    With production on Nova expected to begin in 2025 and Marvel Studios looking to reduce its output of streaming series to two per year, it seems reasonable that the series may not make its way to Disney Plus until 2027, making a full decade between the acquisition of the live-action rights to Annhilus and his MCU debut. Given the potential, however, for the First-born Son of Oblivion to be an ongoing threat for a new saga, it may end up having been worth the wait.

  • ‘What If ..?’ Season 3 Episode Titles Reveal a Few Big Surprises

    ‘What If ..?’ Season 3 Episode Titles Reveal a Few Big Surprises

    On December 22nd, the third and final season of Marvel Animation’s What If…? will get underway on Disney Plus. As was the case with Season 2, Marvel will debut one new episode a day with the series finale dropping on December 29th. Ahead of the season debuting next week, Marvel Studios has released an episode guide complete with the titles of the final eight episodes. And as you might expect, some are a little unexpected!

    While quite a few of the episodes have been prominently featured in the marketing for the series, quite a bit more can be gleaned about their premises now that titles have been revealed. For example, it’s been known for quite some time that an episode would feature Mech Avengers taking on Kaiju; however, knowing that they will also take on the Hulk certainly spices up the episode a bit.

    Episode 4, “What If…Howard the Duck Got Hitched”, will almost certainly be a follow up to Season 1’s “What If…Thor Were an Only Child?” which saw the Master of Quack-Fu fall in love with Darcy Lewis. An absurd idea, to be sure, but you know the old saying: first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Byrdie in a baby carriage.

    Though it seems as though 2021’s Eternals may never get a proper theatrical or streaming sequel, Episode 5, “What If…The Emergence Destroyed the Earth?”, will at least acknowledge the project and remind everyone it exists before Tiamut pops back up in Captain America: Brave New World.

    Featured heavily but without context in trailers and promo spots for Season 3 was Episode 6, featuring Hailee Steinfeld‘s Kate Bishop and Simu Liu‘s Shang-Chi. Inspired, it would seem, by the 2015 Secret Wars title, 1872, “What If…1872?” will explore the Old West similar to the way that Season 2’s “What If…The Avengers Assembled in 1602?” did with familiar characters in an unusual setting.

    Finally, as has been the case over the first two seasons, it is likely that Episode 7, “What If…The Watcher Disappeared?” will dovetail into Episode 8, “What If…What If?”. And though we’d hesitate to go too far out on a limb, it’s likely that over the course of those two final episodes, Captain Carter’s ongoing What If…? story will be picked back up and taken to its denouement.

    The final eight episodes of What If…? begin on Disney Plus on December 22nd!

  • What to Expect from the Future of the DCU and When To Expect It

    What to Expect from the Future of the DCU and When To Expect It

    Beginning in 2024, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios will launch the DC Universe. In an effort to make more cohesive shared universe, the DCU will connect streaming series, video games and films through narrative threads. Though Gunn and Safran are building a new, interconnected continuity, there will still be DC projects produced outside of this continuity (such as Matt Reeves Batman Epic Crime Saga) under the Elseworlds banner.

    What’s next for DC Studios? Who’s recently joined the cast of your most anticipated series or film? Where can you find the teasers and trailers? Look no further, true believers. Everything you need to know about the future of the DCU has been collected for you here. Click on each logo to learn what we currently know about the upcoming DCU projects.

    Chapter One: Gods and Monsters

    Elseworlds

    Projects set outside of the main DCU continuity, the Elseworld projects allow artists to tell stories without attempting to weave them into the DCU’s narrative tapestry.

  • Ryan Reynolds Addresses Deadpool’s MCU Future

    Ryan Reynolds Addresses Deadpool’s MCU Future

    On December 14, 2017, Bob Iger announced that Disney had acquired 21st Century Fox and explained that the company was “looking forward to expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe to include X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool.” Seven years later, an Marvel Studios X-Men film is only in the scripting stages and the Fantastic Four are still 8 months away from making their first MCU appearance. Somewhat astonishingly,  Deadpool–the character who at the time seemed the least likely to find his way into the MCU–has found himself at the center of Marvel Studios’ efforts to reclaim its pop culture crown.

    While it was not without its flaws, Deadpool & Wolverine accomplished exactly what Disney hoped it would: put butts in seats for a Marvel Studios movie. Heavily dosed in nostalgia, the third Deadpool film didn’t veer far from the same successful foul-mouthed formula that Ryan Reynolds put on display in the first two films, which were produced by Fox. And, of course, having Hugh Jackman along for the ride as Wolverine certainly didn’t hurt the film’s popularity. While rumors persist that Jackman will stay on as the MCU’s Wolverine for the near future, Reynolds has indicated that he isn’t in a huge hurry to suit up again anytime soon. Now, in a new interview, the star details his vision for the future of Deadpool and what it would take for him to return as the Merc with a Mouth.

    “I have some pitches and ideas, but none of them center on Deadpool,” said Reynolds during an extensive conversation with The Hollywood Reporter. “Centering Deadpool works best if you take everything away from him and put his back against the wall. I can’t really do that again. A fourth time feels a little iterative and redundant. That doesn’t mean sacrificing fun. There is still an arc for Deadpool which is fulfilling and powerful,” he teased. “He is a great supporting or ensemble player. And I would always want Deadpool and Wolverine to be paired in some way.” After seeing the duo take the box office by storm in Deadpool & Wolverine, it would stand to reason that Disney would like to keep them paired up in the future as well.

    .

    (L-R): Director Shawn Levy, Ryan Reynolds, and Hugh Jackman on the set of Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Even as Reynolds shared that he does have a vision for how Deadpool can continue in the MCU, it sounds as though the next chapter in his story won’t be told anytime too soon. “There are no updates to share just yet,” Reynolds said. “But I trust Kevin and Lou D’Esposito with my life. The character trait I love most about Deadpool is that he’s a fanboy. His enthusiasm and longing to be part of a team is really endearing to me. It’s his overarching wish-fulfillment story. But I don’t think he should ever be an Avenger or an X-Man,” Reynolds explained. “If he becomes either, we’re at the end.“

    However, that doesn’t mean Reynolds would fight to keep Deadpool out of either of Marvel Studios’ upcoming Avengers films or their X-Men reboot. “Just the opposite!” he told THR. “I think Deadpool works so well appearing with the X-Men and Avengers, but he always needs to stay an outsider. His ultimate dream is to be accepted and appreciated. But he can’t be accepted.”His coping mechanism of deflecting shame through humor works only when used to pave over his many inadequacies. If and when he does become an Avenger or X-Man, we’re at the end of his journey.”

    Reynolds is a clever guy and has always been a wordsmith so while he explained that there are no updates “to share just yet”, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t know what’s next. Plenty of rumors have placed both Deadpool and Jackman‘s Wolverine in the mix for 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars and given where their stories were left at the conclusion of Deadpool & Wolverine, those rumors certainly track. However, with the start of production on Secret Wars nearly a year away, it may be quite some time before we find out if there’s any truth to any of those rumors.

    Deadpool & Wolverine is now streaming on Disney Plus.

    Source: THR

  • Another Infinity Saga Star Reportedly Returning for ‘Avengers; Doomsday’

    Another Infinity Saga Star Reportedly Returning for ‘Avengers; Doomsday’

    At one point during its development, Avengers: Endgame was titled Avengers: Infinity War-Part 2. Five years later, given the talent that is being assembled for the next Avengers films, Avengers: Doomsday, it may be fair to consider changing its title to Avengers: Infinity War-Part 3. In an effort to ensure the Multiverse Saga ends on a high note, Marvel Studios has been dipping into the Infinity Saga well by bringing back talent on both sides of the camera.

    By reteaming with the brothers Russo and writer Stephen McFeely for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, Kevin Feige and his Marvel Parliament were able to lure Robert Downey Jr. back into the fold to suit up as Doctor Doom. Whether as a result of those moves or by coincidence, the studio was also able to reel Chris Evans back in, reportedly as Nomad, to pair with Downey in Avengers: Doomsday. And now, they’ve brought back his dance partner.

    According to Deadline, Haley Atwell, who has played several Variants of Peggy Carter in live-action and animation since 2011, has agreed to return in the role for Avengers: Doomsday.

    As with Evans, the true nature of Atwell‘s character will likely remain a mystery for the time being. The Sacred Timeline Variant of Carter passed away at 95 years old in Captain America: Civil War. The final moments of Avengers: Endgame saw Steve Rogers travel to 1949 where he lived a full life with a Variant of Peggy in an alternate reality. Yet another Variant of the character, Captain Carter, has served as a main character over three seasons of Marvel Animation’s What If…? and a alternate reality Variant of that character appeared as a member of the Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    The world has changed, and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best. And sometimes… the best that we can do is to start over.

    While the most likely scenario involves Evans‘ Nomad pairing with Atwell‘s Carter in some way, plot details for Avengers: Doomsday have not yet been disclosed and, in a Multiverse, anything is possible.

    Avengers: Doomsday is set to begin production next year in advance of its scheduled May 1, 2026 release.

    Source: Deadline

  • DC Studios Updates Its 2026 Theatrical Release Slate

    DC Studios Updates Its 2026 Theatrical Release Slate

    As the one-year anniversary of the announcement DC Studios’ initial slate draws near, it’s becoming increasingly clear that there’s much more to Chapter One: Gods and Monsters than initially revealed. With Creature Commandos making a solid first impression for the new studio and an enormous amount of attention being given to a discussion about when the first look at Superman may or may not arrive, other projects have quietly made progress behind the scenes.

    One such project, a solo film featuring the Batman villain Clayface was just reported by Deadline to be moving ahead with a script by Mike Flanagan having pleased DC Studios powers that be. Though the report indicated the studio was still searching for a director, the belief was that an official announcement was imminent. And indeed it was.

    After being officially announced by DC Studios’ co-CEO James Gunn, Clayface has been slated for theatrical release on September 11, 2026.

    Clayface will reportedly be a small-budget ($40M) horror-tragedy set within the all-new DCU and may take inspiration from Batman: The Animated Series version of the character.

    Also seemingly lost in Deadline’s report on Clayface’s release date is that DC Studios has a third theatrical release date scheduled for 2026. The trade reports that May 29, 2026 has been set aside by Warner Bros. for a currently unknown project. While it shouldn’t be taken as confirmation, a recent Production Weekly listing indicated that DC Studios’ Teen Titans, written by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow scribe Ana Nogueira, may be ready to go into production next year.

    Taken in combination with the recent insider report that the studio had settled on the roster of heroes set to make up the Teen Titans, it’s worth monitoring the situation over thecnext few months. Whatever the mystery May project is, production on it would have to get underway in the next 5-6 months or so in order for it to make it to theaters on time.

    Should all dates hold, DC Studios 2026 theatrical release slate would be compromised of:

    May 29, 2026: Untitled DC Studios film

    June 26, 2026: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

    September 11, 2026: Clayface

    Source: Deadline

  • Chris Evans’ ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Role Reportedly Revealed

    Chris Evans’ ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Role Reportedly Revealed

    After years of reports, rumors and speculation about his return to the Marvel, Chris Evans finally made his way back in Deadpool & Wolverine…just not in the way anyone was expecting. Evans‘ appearance as Johnny Storm, who he originally played in 2005’s Fantastic Four, was part of an homage to Marvel heroes who hit the big screen before the inception of the MCU. As memorable as his profanity-laced post-credit tirade was, it didn’t scratch the particular itch that most fans had.

    While Evans‘ casting as Steve Rogers was initially derided by fans, his nearly-decade long performance as Captain America certainly changed minds. By the time Steve  completed his MCU journey by finally danced with Peggy in the closing moments of Avengers: Endgame, fans began asking for more. Now, with a newly announced role in Avengers: Doomsday, Evans once again has the opportunity to return to the screen as Steve Rogers and it sounds as though that may well happen…sort of.

    According to YouTuber Jeff “The In” Sneider, Evans won’t be appearing in Avengers: Doomsday as Captain America but rather as Nomad, an alternate identity the character once adopted in the pages of Marvel Comics…and on that should sound familiar to this who have followed the MCU closely.

    As we first reported in 2020, a project  named “Marvel Studios Nomad” went into development. Nomad remained in development for nearly three years until, as we recently reported, it was abandoned earlier this year. While thecstudio has never acknowledged the development of  Nomad, it is possible that they have folded part of the story from that project into Avengers: Doomsday in order to reunite two of its most beloved and marketable stars in Evans and Robert Downey Jr.

    In Captain America #180, Steve Rogers changed up his look and took on the mantle of Nomad after learning the U.S. Government to which he has devoted his life is run by the Secret Empire. An adaptation of this version of Rogers appeared in Avengers: Infinity War. It is unclear if the Doomsday version of Nomad will be the Sacred Timeline’s Rogers picked up by the TVA, whether it be from Infinity War or, perhaps, when he returned the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Endgame.

    Over the years, several other characters went by the name of Nomad, including the character Jack Monroe who went on to appear in dozens of issues of Captain America, lead his own solo title and join the Thunderbolts. Even so, it seems far less likely that Evans would return to play one of those characters and far more likely it’s some version of Steve Rogers.

    Source: The Hot Mic

  • Disney Reveals Its Next Live-Action Reimagining

    Disney Reveals Its Next Live-Action Reimagining

    Though Disney’s efforts to reimagine its library of classic animated films into live-action have been a bit uneven, it seems the studio remains committed to the process. Despite mixed reviews for 2019’s The Lion King, the studio moved forward with an original prequel in Mufasa: The Lion King, which will close out what has been a huge year at the box office for Disney. The House of Mouse’s hopes for another successful year in 2025 will, in part, rest on the shoulders of a pair of reimaginings in Lilo & Stitch and Snow White; and 2026 will see the Rock bring Maui back to theaters in the live-action iteration of Moana on the 10 year anniversary of the animated original.

    Disney, of course, has plans to continue to add to the robust lineup with new versions of Hercules, Robin Hood, Bambi and The Aristocats all at different stages of development but it looks like another project has moved to the front of the queue.

    According to a trade report, Disney has entered into talks with director Michael Gracey to helm a live-action reimagining of 2010’s Tangled.

    Should Gracey–who directed Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Zac Efron in 2017’s The Greatest Showman–sign on, he’d be working from a script by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who worked with Disney-owned Marvel Studios on Thor: Love and Thunder.

    Casting has not gotten underway for Tangled but it is expected to film in the UK sometime in 2025.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Creature Commandos’ Episode 3 Teases the DCU’s First Superteam

    ‘Creature Commandos’ Episode 3 Teases the DCU’s First Superteam

    DC Studios’ Creature Commandos opened with two strong, action-packed episodes that introduced Task Force M and an all-new DCU rich with history and the sort of lived-in vibe that allows for other stories to exist in just about any corner. By setting stories in a universe where Eric Frankenstein has been stalking The Bride for a century, James Gunn has provided room for other character’s stories to have existed as well. And in Episode 3, “Cheers to the Tin Man”, Gunn took advantage of another long-lived character’s story to potentially set the stage for the DCU’s first super team.

    Used to convey the history of G.I. Robot, the third episode of Creature Commandos introduced Doctor Will Magnus into the DCU continuity. Twenty years after the end of World War II, G. I. Robot finds himself in the possession of Magnus, a self-described AI specialist who hopes to study the robot in an effort to build the next wave of automatons. As the flashback to this time period comes to a close, Magnus is shown looking at a chalkboard that includes a set of symbols familiar to fans of DC Comics: the Metal Men.

    Created in 1962 by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru, DC’s Metal Men first appeared in 1962’s Showcase #37 and have evolved and survived throughout all the publishing houses new initiatives. Named after the metals from which they were built, Gold, Iron, Lead, Mercury, Platinum, and Tin also embodied the properties of the elements from which they were created. The team has served as heroes since the Silver Age of DC Comics and now can exist as such in the all-new DC Universe.

    Though there’s been no indication from DC Studios’ co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran that a Metal Men project is in the works, one doesn’t necessarily have to be in order for the team to play a role in the DCU. While there’s no need for Magnus to have survived into the present day, his automatons could have and could show up in any number of upcoming projects.

    As set photos from Superman have established, the DCU is already full of heroes who h whom the public is familiar. In a world where Hawkgirl, Metamorpho and a Guy Gardner are already active, it wouldn’t be shocking to learn that in-universe inhabitants are already familiar with the Metal Men. Of course, given their own rich comic book history, should someone present Gunn and Safran with a solid pitch, a Metal Men project could easily be used to flesh out the history of any number of years between the 1960s and 2020s. And therin lies the power of Gunn’s decree to tell stories for the sake of stories rather than for an overarching shared narrative. Given the success of Creature Commandos, an animated Metal Men streaming series would most likely be greeted warmly by fans.

    The first three episodes of Creature Commandos are now streaming on Max.

  • DC Studios Set to Move Forward with First Horror Movie

    DC Studios Set to Move Forward with First Horror Movie

    In recent weeks, James Gunn made it clear that one fundamental difference between the all-new DCU and the MCU, in which he worked for nearly a decade, will be be an emphasis on world building over story building. Whereas Marvel Studios builds Phases and Sagas around “big bads” such as Thanos, Kang and Doctor Doom, and weaves those characters and their stories into multiple projects, one goal of his at DC Studios is to make sure that each new DCU project can be enjoyed on its own merits.

    “These are interconnected stories but people are always going to be [saying], ‘Who’s the big bad?’,” Gunn explained to Josh Horowitz. “Are there big bads for connected films? Yes. But is this all about, ‘Hey, I’m telling this one story about this big bad’? No.”

    This is about a connected universe. We’re world building. We’re not story building. We’re not writing one story that has a beginning, middle, and end. We’re creating a universe in which people can go and join into this universe and experience it. It is much more like Star Wars than Marvel in that respect.

    -James Gunn on the narrative structure of the DCU

    What Gunn‘s goal helps DC Studios accomplish is to open additional avenues for talented creators who have ideas for original stories that wouldn’t necessarily mesh with larger, universe-defining narratives. Mike Flanagan, the creator behind Netflix’s horror series The Haunting of Hill House and its subsequent follow-ups, reportedly pitched one such project to Gunn in 2023: a Clayface solo film. Recent reports indicated that the project was among those the studio was preparing to move forward with soon. Now, a trade report has confirmed the project was given the green light.

    According to Deadline and Variety, production on Flanagan’s Clayface film will get underway in early 2025. Though Flanagan wrote the script for the project, he will not direct it.

    Though Clayface will be produced by Matt Reeves‘ 6th & Idaho Productions, it is expected to be part of the main DCU continuity rather than Reeves’ more grounded and practical Batman Epic Crime Saga. The character is set to make his DCU debut soon in Creature Commandos.

    Flanagan‘s history with horror projects could mean Clayface will mix and match elements from various iterations of the character that have appeared in DC Comics over last 80+ years. With an official announcement reportedly imminent, perhaps Gunn will shed some light on the direction of the project.

    Sources: Deadline, Variety, YouTube