Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Charles Murphy

  • Marvel Studios 2026 Release Slate Begins Taking Shape

    Marvel Studios 2026 Release Slate Begins Taking Shape

    In the simplest terms, MCU fans would be best served by forgetting Marvel Studios 2022 SDCC and D23 presentations ever took place. Just over two years later, the studio’s plans for their Multiverse Saga have been turned upside down and inside out. However, after going through an unprecedented rough patch, Marvel has begun to emerge and, it seems, learned and evolved and righted the ship.

    As part of the unexpected struggles, many of Marvel’s previously announced and planned projects have been delayed while others face an uncertain future. However, with a new path to the end of the saga outlined, the studio has been able to begin roughing out the supporting pieces that will flesh out the story around the two Avengers centerpieces.

    With the studio’s 2025 projects all seemingly moving along as expected, the Parliament has turned its attention to its 2026 slate and it has started to come together quickly. Though nothing has been officially announced by the studio, it’s beginning to look like 2026 will shape up as follows:

    • Blade (February 13, 2026)
    • Avengers: Doomsday (May 1, 2026)
    • Spider-Man 4 (July 24, 2026)
    • Doctor Strange 3 (November 6, 2026)

    To be clear, as of now only Avengers: Doomsday, set to be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, has been announced by the studio. However, Destin Daniel Cretton recently boarded Spider-Man 4, choosing to direct it rather than a Shang-Chi sequel, and Sam Raimi is reportedly nearing a deal that would see him back at the helm of the Doctor Strange franchise. And yes, even Blade, which has been searching for the proper creative mix for over five years is reportedly still working toward eventually hitting the big screen.

    Caveat emptor certainly applies heavily here as the studio has never faced a more uncertain time than now; however, it is clear the powers that be have been working toward putting together a 2026 slate and have made some legitimate progress. And for a studio trying to scale back its output, 2026 is shaping up to be one of its biggest years ever.

  • DC Studios Lands ‘Penny Dreadful’, ‘Doctor Who’ Director to Helm ‘Lanterns’ Openers

    DC Studios Lands ‘Penny Dreadful’, ‘Doctor Who’ Director to Helm ‘Lanterns’ Openers

    DC Studios’ first live-action streaming series, Lanterns, continues to evolve into a n impressive construct worthy of its two lead ring bearers. Led by what DC Studios’ co-chair James Gunn labeled as a crack team of writers, the project has begun to sound more and more like a potential prestige series for HBO. After nabbing Kyle Chandler to portray Hal Jordan, the studio has narrowed the search for an actor for co-lead John Stewart to the impressive pair of Aaron Pierce and Stephan James. And now it’s being reported a director for the first two episodes has also been found.

    According to THR, James Hawes has agreed to direct the first two episodes of Lanterns. Over a career that has spanned three decades, Hawes has directed episodes of sci-fi staple Doctor Who, Penny Dreadful and, most recently, AMC’s Snowpiercer and Apple TV’s Slow Horses.

    John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and Lanterns brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with Superman.

    Though previous reports had the studio targeting HBO’s Watchmen director Stephen Williams to helm the pilot, THR’s report would seem to indicate that either Williams passed or could be working on another part of the series.

    Described by DC Studios’ co-chair Peter Safran as a “terrestrial-based investigation story” in the vein of HBO’s True Detective, the series will be focused on Green Lantern Corps members Hal Jordan and John Stewart who “find this ancient horror on Earth, and these guys are supercops on “Precinct Earth” which will play “a really big role leading us into the main story” of the studio’s initial shared narrative.

    Source: THR

  • Marvel Studios Reportedly (Third)Eyeing MCU Veteran Director for ‘Doctor Strange 3’

    Marvel Studios Reportedly (Third)Eyeing MCU Veteran Director for ‘Doctor Strange 3’

    Marvel Studios took a very focused approach to the 2024 summer convention circuit. Rather than present an updated future slate full of projects tied to dates they might never meet, the studio chose instead to focus on the short term, showing off 2025 projects such as Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Fantastic Four: First Steps, Daredevil: Born Again and Ironheart. Sure, the revelation that Robert Downey Jr. was returning to the MCU to play Doctor Doom for a pair of Avengers films was a wonderful surprise and a tease of what’s to come but overall, SDCC and D23 felt very different than prior cons in which the studio let fans peer 3 or 4 years into the future.

    The studio’s concentrated efforts on stage reflected changes behind the scenes that had come with the return of Bob Iger to the Disney throne. Following a string of projects that weren’t up to the standards of success expected by Marvel Studios, Iger mandated the studio slow down and seek to get things in order. Indeed each of the 2025 projects shown off at the summer cons was delayed from its original release date and that scale of delay will, of course, create a domino effect. However, despite the delays, the studio seemed intent on staying the course and wrapping up its Multiverse Saga by mid-2027. It’s a confusing calculus but after what amounted to a year’s worth of delays, the studio’s decision to keep the same fixed endpoint meant some projects simply were not going to make the cut and reading between the lines, one of the reasons SDCC and D23 were focused on 2025 was because Marvel Studios hadn’t quite figured out what they were doing next. However, that’s all started to change.

    In the past two months, the pieces of a potential 2026 MCU slate have started to fall into place. The studio is still seeking a new director for Blade, perhaps in hopes of having it in theaters in February 2026, ahead of Avengers: Doomsday which is still on track for a May 2026 release. Destin Daniel Cretton paused work on his Shang-Chi sequel to take on directorial duties on Spider-Man 4 which Sony is expected to schedule on July 24, 2026, a date recently abandoned by Marvel Studios. That leaves only one more film in 2026 and while fans have had plenty of ideas about what it might (or should) be, a new report has likely eliminated the need for guesswork and theorizing.

    According to Jeff (The In) Sneider, Marvel Studios is seeking to reteam with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi on the as-yet-untitled third installment in the Doctor Strange franchise.

    Should the studio close the deal with Raimi for Doctor Strange 3, it would very likely indicate a desire to have the film in theaters on November 6th, 2023, placing it between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars which is the studio’s first scheduled 2027 release.

    It was a fun challenge, and a little scary. Most of the work was done by [screenwriter] Michael Waldron, who is a really big fan of the Marvel Comics and has friends on the WandaVision writing staff, so we would communicate with each other, the WandaVision team and ours and the Spider Man: No Way Home team, and we would keep abreast of their changes. And even while we were shooting, they were shooting, and we’d be making changes based on changes that they made, because we really wanted this to be the next installment. We really wanted it to be a really good — not sequel, but a very logical next step for the fans.

    -Sam Raimi on directing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

    Following the departure of Scott Derrickson, Raimi took over as the director of the 2022 Doctor Strange sequel late in the game.Despite facing a series of challenges including the COVID pandemic what he called a “cascade of ideas” that resulted in the film’s script constantly evolving and the film being created “on the fly“, Raimi delivered a solid final product. Citing “complete creative freedom” within the bounds of “Marvel lore“, Raimi enjoyed working with Marvel Studios on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and was rumored to be among the directors the studio was considering to direct Avengers 5 and 6. Given a two-year lead time on Doctor Strange 3, it’s likely that Raimi can capture even more magic for the studio and give the franchise necessary momentum heading into the Multiverse Saga capstone, Avengers: Secret Wars.

    Source: The Insneider

  • Marvel Studios Reportedly Developing ‘Agatha All Along’ Spinoff

    Marvel Studios Reportedly Developing ‘Agatha All Along’ Spinoff

    Three and a half years after Marvel Studios’ first Disney + streaming series, WandaVision, took audiences by storm and led to a weekly deluge of theories and speculation, the studio’s latest series has followed a similar pattern. Through its first four episodes, Agatha All Along has been highly entertaining and despite being plagued by plot leaks, has managed to keep general audiences in its trance and keep them guessing. While the series’ biggest mysteries are yet to be revealed, Agatha All Along has further carved out space in its own corner of the MCU that’s being curated by series creator and WandaVision writer Jac Schaeffer. And it seems as though the studio is more than willing to let Schaeffer continue to work her own brand of magic.

    While Agatha All Along is the first project delivered by Schaeffer after signing a three-year overall deal with Marvel Studios and 20th Television it certainly won’t be the last. Already rumored to be developing a Scarlet Witch solo film, Schaeffer is quickly becoming one of the studio’s most valued creators which means she may find herself incredibly busy over the next few years.

    Jac is unbelievable. Any chance I get to walk around that woman’s imagination is like a gift. She’s an absolute genius storyteller. 

    -Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming, television and animation for Marvel Studios.

    Though the Scarlet Witch solo project is something Schaeffer is keen to make happen, it’s only a rumor at this point; however, it is worth noting that after developing a Vision-centric WandaVision follow-up series for some time, Schaeffer departed that project, handing it over to Star Trek: Picard Season 3 showrunner, Terry Matalas. It’s worth asking why Schaeffer would leave a project she had begun to develop and the simplest answer is because she needed more time to develop another project. And while the Scarlet Witch film may be that project, a new report by a Marvel Studios insider may provide another option.

    According to Daniel RPK, Marvel Studios is developing an Agatha All Along spinoff series that will feature the search for Tommy Maximoff.

    While it’s long been believed (and may still be true) that Tommy would have a role in the studio’s VisionQuest series, RPK’s report seems to indicate that this series is quite separate from the upcoming Paul Bettany-led spinoff. To be clear, the insider’s report does not indicate that Schaeffer is working on the project but given how Agatha All Along concludes, it’s very reasonable to assume that is the case.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Ghostbusters’ & ‘Walking Dead’ Actor Joins ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ in Totally Awesome Role

    ‘Ghostbusters’ & ‘Walking Dead’ Actor Joins ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ in Totally Awesome Role

    ‘

    After undergoing a significant post-production overhaul, Captain America: Brave New World debuted a thrilling trailer that had fans up in arms over Marvel Studios revealing Harrison Ford‘s President Thaddeus Ross as Red Hulk. Believing that the studio let the cat out of the bag too soon by revealing what many believed would be a surprise twist saved for the film’s third act, fans were mildly bewildered by Marvel’s decision. As it turns out, the studio may have another trick up its sleeve.

    According to a report by industry insider Daniel RPK, The Walking Dead: Dead City and Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire actor Logan Kim has joined the MCU as Amadeus Cho. And while I’m not willing to spoil any plot details, I’ve been able to confirm that Cho will make an appearance (and a very minor one at that) in Captain America: Brave New World.

    Introduced in the pages of Marvel Comics in 2005, Cho is one of the Marvel Universe’s smartest characters and was a child prodigy. In his earliest adventures, Cho befriended Hulk and became a sidekick of Hercules’. More recently, Cho absorbed the powers of Hulk from Bruce Banner and became the Totally Awesome Hulk. With ongoing rumors of Captain America: Brave New World potentially setting up a World War Hulks project, the appearance of Cho certainly seems more than a coincidence.

    Rumors of a World War Hulk(s) project date back to 2021 when Geeks World Wide first reported that Marvel Studios was developing a project. At one point, it was believed that the studio had regained the rights to distribute a Hulk solo film and that they were ready to begin production on the film in 2022. Obviously, that didn’t happen and MCU star Mark Ruffalo downplayed the notion that such a project was in the works. Though the addition of Cho to the MCU in no way guarantees the studio is finally ready to move on the World War Hulks project, it also feels like it might just push the (green) door open a bit more.

  • Shadow of the Bat: With Two Robins on the Way, the DCU’s Batman Won’t Be Far Behind

    Shadow of the Bat: With Two Robins on the Way, the DCU’s Batman Won’t Be Far Behind

    As James Gunn and Peter Safran work to build out their vision of the DCU, the DC Studios’ co-chairs have made it clear that the shared narrative will extend beyond the screen and into multiple other media. Live-action streaming series, animated streaming series and video games will all help create the all-new, all-different canon of the DCU and part of the plan to maintain a sense of continuity is to have one actor play a role across all the different medium.  As an example, Frank Grillo will enter the DCU as the voice of Rick Flag Sr. in the animated Creature Commandos and then reprise the role in live-action in Season 2 of Peacemaker.

    Television, movies and games all intertwine within the same universe. We’re going to cast actors that are going to be able to play the characters in this, as well as in other things, some of which we’ve already cast.

    -James Gunn

    According to Gunn, part of the reason that they’ll seek to maintain continuity between the different projects is to ensure that all DC Studios’ projects are in equal ground. “We don’t want the series to feel in any way like step-children or lesser than,” said Gunn in a 2023 interview. It’s an intriguing way to move forward as it may continue to allow, as is the case for Grillo, actors to enter the DCU first with their voice before physically embodying their character.

    With that notion in mind, the recently announced animated film, Dynamic Duo, could become the door through which the DCU’s Caped Crusader enters the chat.

    Animation will lead into live action and back into animation. It’s a way to tell stories that are gigantic and huge, but without spending, you now, $50 million an episode.

    -James Gunn

    As part of the initial reveal of DC Studios’ Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, The Brave and the Bold was announced and described by Gunn as “a very strange sort of father-son story.” As one of the first five movies to be announced, it was easy to assume that The Brave and the Bold would make its way to screens sooner rather than later but for a multitude of reasons, that’s not yet come to pass. And that brings us to the newly announced Dynamic Duo.

    It’s important to note that as of now, there’s no clarity on whether or not Dynamic Duo will be set within the DCU, only that despite Matt Reeves‘ 6th and Idaho producing the film, it is not set in Reeves‘ Batman Epic Crime Saga. Indeed earlier this year Gunn cautioned that not every DC Studios’ animated project would be set in the DCU and Dynamic Duo may be the first example of that; however, if it is not, then it seems extremely likely that a project which features two Robins would also include Batman. In fact, Reeves pretty clearly indicated it would.

    I have wanted to make a film with Arthur and Swaybox for many years, and for that film to be Dynamic Duo, an incredibly special and unique Batman and Robin story for families, is a dream.

    With a script by Coco and Lightyear scribe Matthew Aldrich already in the works and a director on board, work could begin on the project at any time which means casting could get underway imminently. When that happens, will Gunn be searching for the voice of (and eventually the face of) the DCU’s Batman? Hopefully, given his social media presence, that question is answered by Gunn before long.

    Sources: CBR, Cartoon Brew, Deadline

  • Rumored ‘Spider-Man 4’ Subtitle Supports Leaks of Super Symbiote Team Up

    Rumored ‘Spider-Man 4’ Subtitle Supports Leaks of Super Symbiote Team Up

    As Tom Hardy prepares for one last dance as Venom and recent reports have Tom Holland preparing for a very busy 2025, there’s been increasing buzz that the two stars will team up in an unprecedented studio crossover event film. Recent rumors have indicated that Knull, the big bad in Sony’s Venom: The Last Dance, will survive the film and crossover into the MCU for future projects. Now, a new rumor lends some support to that possibility.

    Scooper Cryptic HD Quality, who has been quite reliable in the past, took to Twitter to share that he’d heard a potential subtitle for the fourth installment in Sony and Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man franchise. And if what he’s heard is true (note that even he is skeptical of the rumor) it cements Knull entering the MCU.

    Cryptic HD Quality shared that the as-yet-undated film could be titled Spider-Man: The King in Black.

    For those unfamiliar with the Marvel Comics character, Knull is an Eldritch god who created the symbiote race. Long after being imprisoned and losing his connection to them, Knull broke free and slaughtered billions during a cosmos-wide rampage of terror in which he attempted to once again control every symbiote and their hosts. Eventually, Knull’s search brought him to Earth where he faced off with Venom and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in a 5-issue event titled The King in Black.

    Given that Tom Hardy‘s Eddie Brock left a piece of his symbiote behind after visiting Earth-616, all the necessary ground work for Knull to enter the MCU has already been done. The rumors also line up with recent reports that before hiring Destin Daniel Cretton to direct the film, Marvel Studios and Sony overhauled the script for Spider-Man 4 which once featured Spidey and Daredevil teaming up against Wilson Fisk in a street-level Civil War. With production on Spider-Man 4 reportedly getting underway in the first half of 2025, it’s likely that we’ll gain some clarity on these rumors over the next few months.

  • Marvel Studios May Be Planning Unprecedented Crossover Event

    Marvel Studios May Be Planning Unprecedented Crossover Event

    For forty years, Marvel Comics’ crossover events have brought characters from every corner of the Marvel Universe to tell stories larger in scale and scope than could be done on the pages of any individual series. While not every event has been well-received, many of the arcs stand as some of the genre’s most exciting. Jim Starlin‘s Infinity Trilogy, Mark Millar‘s Civil War and Brian Michael Bendis‘ Secret Invasion have already been adapted by Marvel Studios which will next turn to an adaptation of Marvel’s first crossover event, Secret Wars, as the capstone to the Multiverse Saga. While fans wait to see just how that project comes together, new reports indicate that the studio may also have plans for a different type of crossover that would involve an unprecedented level of collaboration.

    As Sony prepares to take its Venom franchise for one last spin around the dance floor, rumors and reports have begun to emerge that suggest that the story of Tom Hardy‘s Eddie Brock may continue in the MCU.

    After revealing that Knull, the terrifying villain of Venom: The Last Dance, was portrayed via motion capture by Andy Serkis, industry insider Daniel RPK shared the news that the character was set to appear in future projects down the road. WIth Sony having confirmed that the upcoming film will be the final installment in the Venom franchise, that has led to speculation that the character may be making the jump to the MCU.

    While it’s purely speculative at this point, there’s enough circumstantial evidence to allow for the possibility to be considered. Knull, also known in the comics as the King in Black, is an incredibly complex character but what’s important for the context of this potential crossover is that he is an eldritch god who created the symbiote race of which Venom is a part. After losing his connection to them for a time, Knull sought to regain control of them and take over the cosmos. As seen in trailers for Venom: The Last Dance, Knull is sending creatures to Earth in search of symbiotes and it could be assumed that he’s doing so to bring all of his “children” back to him. With a piece of the Venom symbiote having been left behind in the MCU, it’s not too hard to imagine that Knull could be making his way there soon.

    It’s interesting that the news comes just ahead of the release of Venom: The Last Dance and as Sony and Marvel Studios begin to prepare for production on Spider-Man 4. After recently undergoing a major overhaul, the fourth installment in the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man franchise has reportedly shifted from featuring a “street-level Civil War” to potentially featuring a Multiversal story that could tie directly into Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Holland is reportedly set to play a leading role in both Avengers films and a meeting with Hardy’s Eddie Brock and a battle with Knull could work to put his Peter Parker in the black symbiote suit that first debuted in Jim Shooter‘s 1984 crossover event, Secret Wars, just in time for the 2027 MCU film of the same name.

    The level of collaboration between the two studios that would be required to make this sort of studio crossover is unprecedented but also carries some potentially incredible implications. While Marvel Studios recently had major characters from non-Marvel Studios’ produced films appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, the studio had regained the right to all of those characters. In the imagined scenario where Venom and Knull appear in a film set within the MCU, the studio would be using characters solely owned by Sony and would have no choice but to adhere to the prior storytelling that brought them to where they are. Of course, with the Multiverse Saga in its back half, it is now or never for such an opportunity.

    Venom: The Last Dance hits theaters on October 25th.

  • DC Studios Developing Animated Robins Film ‘Dynamic Duo’

    DC Studios Developing Animated Robins Film ‘Dynamic Duo’

    When DC Studios’ co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran revealed the initial plans for the DCU in January 2022, they made it clear that animation would play a central role in the shared narrative. True to their word, the co-chairs are launching the DCU this December with an animated series, Creature Commandos, and now Gunn has shared news of another animated project in development.

    Via Instagram, Gunn revealed that the studio has greenlit Dynamic Duo, which will tell the origin stories of two of Batman’s most well-known Robins, Dick Grayson and Jason Todd.

    Written by Coco and Lightyear scribe Matthew Aldrich, Dynamic Duo will tell the story of “the early days of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd aka the Robins. The duo call themselves the Dynamic Duo. They’re orphan thieves, best friends who share dreams of a better life, but their friendship will be tested by competing visions of a future out of which will come a new Dynamic Duo.“

    DC Studios will be working with Swaybox, a new and innovative animation studio that uses a “Momo animation” process that Deadline described as “a cross between CGI animation, practical elements of stop-motion, and live-action real-time performance.”

    The Batman Epic Crime Saga creator, Matt Reeves, will produce the film through his 6th and Idaho production company though according to Deadline the project is not part of Reeves’ Elseworlds narrative. Swaybox co-founder Arthur Mintz is set to direct the project.

    I have wanted to make a film with Arthur and Swaybox for many years, and for that film to be Dynamic Duo, an incredibly special and unique Batman and Robin story for families, is a dream.

    -Matt Reeves

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Thunderbolts*’ Adds ‘True Blood’ Star to Its Ensemble Cast

    ‘Thunderbolts*’ Adds ‘True Blood’ Star to Its Ensemble Cast

    It’s still too early to tell, but Thunderbolts* may well be the poster child for Bob Iger‘s successful return to Disney when it’s all said and done. Though it hadn’t quite fallen from grace, Marvel Studios was on thin ice following a string of projects like The Marvels that either weren’t doing big business at the box office or projects that were simply subpar efforts like Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Secret Invasion.

    It seemed that in the studio’s rush to flood the market with Marvel content, quality was taking a back seat and that was something Iger wasn’t willing to allow to continue. Among the projects targeted by Iger was Thunderbolts* which underwent a series of script rewrites that reportedly reworked the film into something quite worthwhile despite its inauspicious start as a sequel to Black Widow. Of course, the success of any film is partially dependent on the work of its cast and Thunderbolts* has a collection of stars at its center with Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, Sebastian Stan and David Harbour leading the way. And now comes word that an actor from one of HBO’s most beloved series also has a role in the film.

    According to an official project profile for Thunderbolts*, True Blood star Chris Bauer landed a role in the 2025 film.

    Bauer, who played Bon Temps Sheriff Andy Bellefleur for 81 episodes over True Blood‘s seven seasons, has been a staple of serial television for 25 years with major roles in The Wire, Third Watch, The Deuce, and recently as Wild Bill Hancock in Starz’s Heels, created by Marvel Studios’ writer Michael Waldron. It’s unknown what the nature of Bauer’s role in Thunderbolts* is and he joins Jack Ryan star Wendell Pierce as a surprise addition to the cast.

    Thunderbolts* will be in theaters on May 2, 2025.