Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Charles Murphy

  • Marvel Studios Has Reportedly Found Its Wolverine

    Marvel Studios Has Reportedly Found Its Wolverine

    Even though what he does isn’t very nice, Wolverine is, of course, the best there is at what he does. And for two decades, Wolverine was the best there was at carrying Fox’s otherwise unremarkable X-Men franchise on his back with Hugh Jackman carving out an iconic place in film history as Weapon X. Though Jackman thought he’d bowed out of the role following 2017’s Logan, it turned out the actor had one more turn to take, bringing the character into the MCU in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine. It’s safe to say that despite the hard work to get back in shape for the role, it was a win for everyone as the film put Marvel Studios back on top at the box office and Jackman admittedly had a great time working with friends Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy on the film.

    With Deadpool & Wolverine serving as a farewell to the Fox universe and Marvel Studios preparing to move ahead with its own version of the X-Men, rumors have once again begun to fly about who will fill the role of Logan in the MCU. And as word about the roster of the MCU’s team of X-Men hits the web, there is reportedly a leader in the clubhouse to portray Logan…at least in the short term.

    According to MCU insider Daniel RPK, Marvel Studios is hopeful that Jackman will stay on as Wolverine, not only for Avengers: Secret Wars but potentially beyond.

    Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    The ending of Deadpool & Wolverine seemed to make it fairly clear that the heroic duo’s story had another chapter and rumors about Jackman staying on as Logan for Avengers: Secret Wars have been around for some time. The idea that the star, who is now 55 years old, might stay on beyond 2027 might be a tougher pill to swallow, though he’s seemingly found the fountain of youth. From a storytelling standpoint, having an older, grizzled, Multiverse-saving Logan eventually lead a young team of X-Men in a Wolverine and the X-Men film isn’t honestly as far-fetched as it seems…as long as Jackman is willing to get back in the weight room and don the mask once more.

  • Chaos! Marvel Studios Reportedly Shuffling Its Theatrical Slate to Make Room for Major New Project

    Chaos! Marvel Studios Reportedly Shuffling Its Theatrical Slate to Make Room for Major New Project

    Outside of a pair of Avengers films set to be helmed by the Anthony and Joe Russo, MCU fans have no information on what films to expect in 2026 and beyond. With Blade in limbo as it searches for a director, a sequel to 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings now pushed back with Destin Daniel Cretton taking on Spider-Man 4 and Armor Wars seemingly no longer a sure thing, the post-2025 path to the end of the Multiverse Saga is being almost entirely reshaped…and there’s only one entity in the MCU powerful enough to do such a thing.

    Marvel Studios used the 2024 summer convention season to highlight its 2025 slates of theatrical and streaming projects. Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps should combine to carry the studio to a very strong box office run next year; however, even with Avengers: Doomsday sure to be a billion dollar blockbuster, the studio’s 2026 slate is otherwise barren, with two as-yet-untitled films scheduled for February 13 and Novemer 6th (and yes, Spider-Man 4 will likely arrive in 2026 but not one one of those dates). With 2025 just around the corner and production dates needing to be set in order to assemble a cast, the studio has to get in gear, especially if it hopes to have a film ready for February 13, 2026…and according to a new report, things might be in motion for one long-anticipated project.

    According to Production Weekly (not a rock solid source by any means), Marvel Studios will fill one of those open 2026 dates with a Scarlet Witch solo film starring Elizabeth Olsen. PW reports that WandaVision and Agatha All Along architect Jac Schaeffer and The Marvels scribe Megan McDonnell have teamed up on the script for the untitled feature.

    Buzz about a possible Scarlet Witch solo project is hardly new. Once upon a time, it seemed as though the project was intended to get underway in 2023; however, as with so many of Marvel Studios Multiverse Saga plans, it seems to be taking a more circuitous route to the screen. Following Wanda’s heel turn in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, both Olsen and Marvel Studios Big Cheese, Kevin Feige, made it clear that there were more stories to tell about the Scarlet Witch with Olsen stating that “if they have a good story to tell [in a Scarlet Witch solo movie], I’ll be there.” Perhaps Schaeffer and McDonnell, who also worked on WandaVision, found that good story now.

    There really is so much more to explore. We still haven’t touched on many of her core storylines from the comics. I don’t know that we saw her under rubble? I saw a tower coming down, and a little red flash. I don’t know what that means.

    -Kevin Feige on the future of the Scarlet Witch in the MCU

    Though neither the studio nor the Hollywood trades have shared any news about a potential Scarlet Witch film, there might just be some circumstantial evidence to support its existence. After working on Agatha All Along, Schaeffer was dialed in on creating the studio’s Vision Quest series but left the project recently, turning over its development to Star Trek: Picard‘s Season 3 showrunner, Terry Matalas. One might wonder what would take Schaeffer–who created the Wanda/Vision corner of the MCU–away from another series that was her brain child and continued a story she began…and that answer may well be the long-awaited Scarlet Witch solo movie.

  • Marvel Studios Has Reportedly Settled on The Roster for Its ‘X-Men’ Reboot

    Marvel Studios Has Reportedly Settled on The Roster for Its ‘X-Men’ Reboot

    Before Marvel Studios’ live-action X-Men reboot hits the screen, the uncanny team of mutant heroes will already have some significant positive momentum. After Fox’s two-decade run of films went out with a whimper, X-Men ’97 led off the all-new, all-different Disney era with a bang, reminding audiences just how exceptional the characters can be with solid storytelling as the foundation. The successful streaming series was shortly followed up by Deadpool & Wolverine which not only brought the two leads into the Marvel Studios Multiverse but also resuscitated interest in seeing Channing Tatum as Gambit after the character’s solo film fell victim to the Disney-Fox merger.

    While those projects stood in the spotlight, Marvel Studios continued work on the X-Men project first teased by Kevin Feige at SDCC ’19. With writer Michael Lesslie putting together a script, the studio is closer than ever to putting their own Children of the Atom on screen. Now, a new rumor sheds some light on who will and won’t be on that team.

    According to trusted insider Daniel RPK, the first iteration of the MCU’s X-Men will closely resemble the team seen in X-Men ’97…with one notable exception.
    (L-R): Beast (voiced by George Buza), Roberto Da Costa (voiced by Gui Agustini), Jubilee (voiced by Holly Chou), Cyclops (voiced by Ray Chase), Jean Grey (voiced by Jennifer Hale), Morph (voiced by JP Karliak), and Wolverine (voiced by Cal Dodd) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL.

    While the report doesn’t expand upon which characters from the animated series fans can expect, it seems likely that the following characters would be all but sure bets, should the plan come to fruition.

    The POVs

    Just over a month ago, RPK shared the news that the MCU X-Men reboot would have two characters who have often been reported to be among Feige’s favorites leading the way. A month later, there’s no reason to believe that anything has changed which means Kitty Pryde and Jubilee should be front and center whenever the film hits the big screen.

    Original X-Men

    When the X-Men first appeared in the pages of Marvel Comics in 1963, Charles Xavier’s team consisted of Scott Sommers, Jean Grey, Hank McCoy, Bobby Drake and Warren Worthington III. Obviously, three of those heroes (Scott, Jean and Hank) were featured in X-Men ’97 and should be expected to lead the MCU’s team of mutant heroes.

    The Cameo Machine

    Kevin Sydney, aka Changeling, aka Morph, doesn’t have the illustrious comic book history that the other X-Men here have; however, as portrayed in X-Men ’97 he offers something no other character can: the potential for limitless cameos which equals the potential for limitless merchandise!

    The Giant-Size Additions

    In 1975, Len Wein and Dave Cockrum gave the X-Men new life with an all-new, all-different crew that featured Storm, Nightcrawler and Wolverine among others. While Storm and Wolverine are X-Men animated series mainstays, RPK’s report indicates that Wolverine isn’t expected to be part of the new team. That leaves Storm and Nightcrawler to do the heavy lifting which both characters are more than capable of doing.

    Dat 90’s Couple, Sugah!

    For old-school X-fans, Scott and Jean are the power couple; however, X-Men: The Animated Series offered up a new possibility that has dominated the pages of the comics ever since. Given Channing Tatum‘s performance in Deadpool & Wolverine, it’s almost impossible to imagine that he won’t be back as Gambit. And while fans could debate all day about which character was done dirtiest in Fox’s X-Men movies, if Rogue isn’t near the top of that list, nobody’s listening anyway. These two deserve their time to shine in live-action and Feige may well give it to them.

  • Marvel and Sony’s ‘Spider-Man 4’ Plans Have Jeopardized a Highly Anticipated MCU Sequel

    Marvel and Sony’s ‘Spider-Man 4’ Plans Have Jeopardized a Highly Anticipated MCU Sequel

    With the Multiverse Saga still skating on thin ice with fans and the studio reworking its slate on the fly, Marvel Studios has shown no hesitation in making big moves to get fans back in theaters. Deadpool & Wolverine‘s record-breaking box office run showed that the studio does still indeed have a pulse but one big hit won’t convince fans they’re back. The return of Anthony and Joe Russo to direct the next two Avengers films with Robert Downey Jr. set to star in them as Victor Von Doom was certainly a fine next step, even if it wasn’t necessarily as well-received at the time as they had hoped.

    Nobody doubts that both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will rake in big bucks at the box office but if there’s one other hero that can be counted on to swing in and save the day, it’s Spider-Man. After some stops and starts, Spider-Man 4 seems to be gaining momentum for a 2025 start of production as Marvel Studios vet Destin Daniel Cretton has reportedly signed on to direct. But has Marvel Studios sacrificed the future of one hero to get the Webslinger back on the screen?

    The decision to turn to Cretton to helm the next installment of Sony and Marvel Studio’s Spidey franchise isn’t incredibly surprising. Marvel Studios’ Big Cheese, Kevin Feige, clearly has faith in Cretton’s ability to lead a major project such as Spider-Man 4. Cretton was the studio’s original choice to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty but as the studio’s vision of the future of the Multiverse Saga evolved, Cretton stepped away. The Kang Dynasty became Doomsday and Cretton went to work on the streaming series Wonder Man and his sequel to 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. And as recently as August 2024, it sounded as though things were progressing nicely on that front according to star Simu Liu. “A lot of it is above my pay grade but it’s definitely happening,” Liu told Press Trust of India. However, the news that Cretton will be sliding into the director’s chair for Spider-Man 4 may change all of that.

    Destin is an amazing collaborator who brought a unique perspective and skill to Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings. We had a fantastic time working together on the film and he has so many intriguing ideas for stories to bring to life on Disney+, so we’re thrilled to expand our relationship with him and can’t wait to get started.

    -Kevin Feige on Destin Daniel Cretton, December 2021

    Once believed to be an integral part of the Multiverse Saga, Shang-Chi may have been unceremoniously pushed out of the spotlight when Marvel Studios pivoted from Kang to Doctor Doom and Cretton‘s new gig may be the final nail in that coffin. Cretton’s decision to sign on for Spider-Man 4, while understandable on any and every level, pushes Shang-Chi 2 quite a way down the road and almost certainly into 2027 AT BEST.

    As rightfully concerned as Disney has been and may remain about the trajectory of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga plans, derailing the sequel to one of the Saga’s most well-received films must be called into question, even when it’s done to get Spider-Man 4 into the good and trusted hands of Cretton. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings stands as one of the studio’s most complete films in the past several years and provided Liu with an opportunity to break out which he has certainly done. As talented as Cretton is, there’s no shortage of other talented directors capable of shepherding the next Spidey film to the screen. Clearly Marvel Studios has MAJOR plans for Spider-Man 4; however, the fact that those plans will come to fruition at the expense of one of the MCU’s more exciting new characters is incredibly unfortunate and something that, for now, we’ll just have to hope the studio remedies.

  • Marvel Studios Reportedly Eyeing MCU Veteran Director to Helm ‘Spider-Man 4’

    Marvel Studios Reportedly Eyeing MCU Veteran Director to Helm ‘Spider-Man 4’

    Though development on the project was first announced by Kevin Feige in 2021, Spider-Man 4 has had a tough time getting off the ground. Despite star Tom Holland‘s willingness to continue as Peter Parker, the film, which was once believed to be slated to begin principal photography in late 2024, was recently reported to have undergone a major overhaul. Now it seems things are trending in the right direction as a pair of trade reports have indicated that Marvel and Sony have begun trying to lock down a director.

    The simple answer is that I’ll always want to do Spider-Man films. I owe my life and career to Spider-Man. So the simple answer is yes. I’ll always want to do more.

    -Tom Holland on his future as Spider-Man, April 2024
    Deadline and THR are reporting that Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is “in early talks” to direct the next installment of Marvel Studios and Sony’s uber-successful Spider-Man franchise.

    According to THR, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who have written 4 MCU adventures, including the first Spider-Man trilogy, have penned the newest Spidey adventure.

    Cretton, who also served as an executive producer on Marvel’s D+ streaming series Wonder Man, was originally chosen to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. However, as plans for that film evolved behind the scenes, Cretton stepped away in November 2023, leaving a void eventually filled by Anthony and Joe Russo. Cretton was believed to be diving into the Shang-Chi sequel but this news almost certainly means that film has been pushed down the road even further.

    Sources: Deadline, THR

  • James Gunn Confirms Which DC Studios Project Will Follow ‘Superman’

    James Gunn Confirms Which DC Studios Project Will Follow ‘Superman’

    DC Studios’ new shared cinematic universe is set to get off the ground with Creature Commandos, an animated streaming series set for a December release on HBO. Studio co-chair James Gunn recently explained that Creature Commandos will give fans “a little nibble” of what to expect from the DCU before it begins in earnest in 2025 with Superman. Since Gunn and Peter Safran revealed their plans for the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters in early 2022, some projects have leaped ahead of others causing some confusion about what’s up next for DC Studios after Superman. Thanks to Gunn, that won’t be a problem anymore.

    While responding to a fan on Threads, Gunn confirmed that Peacemaker Season 2 is on deck behind Superman and on track for a 2025 release.

    Before the extended work stoppages in Hollywood in 2023, another streaming series, Waller, was expected to follow Superman. However, Gunn revealed that the writers’ strike had slowed Waller’s development, causing the studio to rethink its streaming slate.

    Season 1 of the John Cena-led Max series, which Gunn created, caught fans by surprise. Production on Season 2 began while Gunn was still working on Superman, leading to some speculation that David Corenswet’s Man of Steel could appear in the streaming series. Given that Peacemaker is now confirmed to be the direct follow-up to Superman, it does seem increasingly likely that not only will there be some crossover between the two projects but it will be used to explain how Cena’s character comes to be active in the new DCU.

  • Andrew Garfield Finally Addresses His MCU Future

    Andrew Garfield Finally Addresses His MCU Future

    Andrew Garfield‘s return as Peter Parker/The Amazing Spider-Man in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home was one of the highlights of what is unarguably one of Marvel Studios’ best post-Infinity Saga projects. Garfield showed off his incredible growth as an actor since first taking up the role in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man by bringing a damaged and reflective Spidey to the screen.

    Possibly more enjoyable than his work in the film, however, was his work leading up to it. It was there that Garfield showed his true talents as an actor by denying he had any role in Spider-Man: No Way Home despite plenty of credible intel that he was. In doing so, Garfield joined a long and prestigious list of actors who vehemently denied their roles in Marvel Studios projects. Following the release of the film, Garfield explained that while “the company” made him keep up the lie, “it was kinda fun to do” although it “ruined his reputation” for telling the truth. Now, as rumors continue to swirl that the actor will make another MCU appearance in Spider-Man 4, Garfield is back at work and nobody knows how to take him.

    We all came with our own history and with our own relationship to the character in our own films. I think what really was wonderful, and how it unfolded very early on, was Tobey and I felt very aligned and very clear about what our intentions were for being there. Ultimately, it was to serve Tom as an actor and, as characters, serving Tom’s Peter Parker. I think from that place, everything flowed. It enabled Tobey and me to have a bit more fun maybe than we would’ve had if we were the ones fully carrying the story.

    -Andrew Garfield on his role in Spider-Man: No Way Home via Marvel.com

    During an interview with Indie Wire, Garfield was asked about his potential involvement with Spider-Man 4, which is still in development. “I mean, like the internet is a big place,” Garfield said. “I think there’s a lot of people who will just say anything to get clicks. So you might have been duped, I’m afraid.” Have fans been duped? Or is Garfield once again throwing out the company line?

    While the actor’s involvement in Spider-Man 4 is possible, especially given the reception to his return as Spidey in No Way Home, it does seem more likely that he’d return for one or both of the studio’s next two Avengers projects, 2026’s Doomsday and 2027’s Secret Wars. Of course, even set photos of Garfield didn’t convince fans of his role in No Way Home, so until whatever project he’s returning in hits theaters, the actor will be able to continue to have fun deceiving fans.

    Sources: Indie Wire, Marvel.com , The View

  • Marvel Studios ‘Vision’ Series Casts Todd Stashwick as Mysterious Assassin

    Marvel Studios ‘Vision’ Series Casts Todd Stashwick as Mysterious Assassin

    Ahead of an expected January 2025 start of principal photography, Marvel Studios’ upcoming streaming series, currently referred to as Vision Quest, has begun building out its cast around star Paul Bettany. While there’s still next to nothing known about the project, it’s starting to seem as though the ghostly white rebuilt Vision will have his work cut out for him as he attempts to find his place in a change world.

    Just a couple of weeks after it was reported that James Spader had signed on to return to the role of Vision’s daddy robot, Ultron, THR has learned that the synthezoid will also have another villain on his tail in the streaming series. According to Borys Kit, TV vet Todd Stashwick has boarded the project as “an assassin who is on the trail of android and the technology he possesses.“

    Stashwick has worked with new Vision showrunner Terry Matalas on both Star Trek: Picard and the SyFy series 12 Monkeys which likely means Matalas wrote the part of the mysterious villain with the actor in mind. Stashwick’s resume as a TV actor extends into the previous century and includes work on series such as Heroes, Justified, FX’s The Riches and Fox’s Gotham, where he played Richard Sionis, aka The Mask.

    After being destroyed by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, Vision’s shell was confiscated by S.W.O.R.D.. Under the supervision of Marvel Studios’ worst villain ever, Tyler Hayward, Vision was reassembled and reactivated as part of Project Cataract in the streaming series WandaVision. After interacting with Wanda’s Hex version of Vision, the new White Vision left Westview and the next chapter of his story will be told when the Vision Quest series hits Disney Plus, presumably in 2026.

    Source: THR

  • Marvel TV Head Honcho Teases Future Plans for Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha

    Marvel TV Head Honcho Teases Future Plans for Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha

    Even before WandaVision debuted on Disney Plus in January 2021, MCU fans had already fallen in love with Kathryn Hahn‘s Agnes. Over the course of the 9-episode series, Agnes evolved from a nosy neighbor to a major nuisance and was eventually revealed to be Agatha Harkness, a power-hungry witch who had been alive for over 300 years. Hahn’s performance created a demand for more MCU-set Agatha adventures and the WandaVision finale left the door open for them. It didn’t take long for an Agatha-centric spinoff to go into development and after a half dozen or so name changes, the debut of Agatha All Along is right around the corner. And even before it debuts, fans have already begun clamoring for more of the wicked witch.

    Agatha All Along will see Hahn’s depowered witch break free from Wanda’s spell, collect a coven and head down the Witches’ Road to regain what she’s lost. And while there’s no guarantee Agatha or any of her crew will survive, Marvel TV’s head honcho, Brad Winderbaum, is already teasing her next MCU project.

    In Marvel Studios’ Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…

    -Official synopsis for Agatha All Along
    Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    In an interview with Screen Rant’s Joe Deckelmeir, Winderbaum revealed that Agatha will next be seen performing a “giant musical number” in the third season of Marvel Studio’s canonical animated series, What If…?.

    “When you have an icon like Kathryn Hahn [and what she] has brought to the screen with Agatha, you just want to see more of her,” said Winderbaum responding to a question about the future of Agatha. “So yes, there will be more Agatha in the future [of] the MCU, yes,” he added before revealing her appearance in the animated project’s third season. “She is in an episode of What If…? season 3 – I shouldn’t say more, but it’s one of my favorite episodes ever done, and and it may involve the giant musical number, and she’s just incredible, and we all want to see more of her.”

    A considerable amount of hype has already been built around Season 3 of What If…? and the inclusion of a musical number by Agatha will do nothing to calm it down. In fact, Hahn‘s participation in the series is rather likely to attract a number of fans who fell in love with the character during her time on WandaVision.

    While there’s no release date yet set aside for Season 3 of What If…?, Agatha All Along will debut with a two-episode premiere on September 18th on Disney Plus.

    Source: Screen Rant

  • ‘Creature Commandos’: James Gunn Reveals Animated Series Release Date, Teases Its Place in the DCU

    ‘Creature Commandos’: James Gunn Reveals Animated Series Release Date, Teases Its Place in the DCU

    James Gunn and Peter Safran set themselves the titanic task of creating an all-new, all-different DCU from the rumble of the previous iteration. To do so, the DC Studios co-chairs had to ensure that their projects looked and felt as different as possible from their predecessor…and by launching the new shared universe with a canonical animated series, they’ve done just that.

    Written by Gunn, the seven-episode streaming series Creature Commandos will provide what he calls “a little nibble” of what to expect from the DCU, allowing fans to “see what it tastes like.” Now fans finally know when they can expect the hors d’oeuvres.

    Gunn took to social media to reveal that Creature Commandos will debut on Max on December 5th.

    In an interview with EW, Gunn explained that part of what drew him to Creature Commandos was how far removed it was from the “mainstream” DC Comics series that most folks know and love.

    The thing I’ve always loved about DC Comics was that you had your mainstream comics that always ran, but they also had these tonally different comics like Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns and All-Star Superman. It was different from Marvel in that way. That’s something that I really want to retain within the studio, that every project is going to bring a different vision by the artists who are creating it.

    -James Gunn, EW, September 2024

    And for Gunn, dealing with “different” has proven to be his wheelhouse in superhero fare so far. While working with Marvel Studios, Gunn bravely launched a Guardians of the Galaxy franchise full of misfit comic book characters that general audiences had never heard of before and turned them into household names. While fans might see some similarities between the Guardians and the Commandos, Gunn cautions that this isn’t just an animated Guardians redux. “I’m used to dealing with oddballs and irregular types and weirdos,” said Gunn. “That’s what Guardians is, and Creature Commandos is kind of like Guardians without the sentimentality. The Guardians are all really good characters at their heart, and that just isn’t necessarily the case with the creatures.“

    While kicking off an all-new, all-different shared universe with an animated series filled with characters that only hardcore fans of DC Comics will know and that may not prove as loveable and Rocket and Groot might seem risky, Gunn is confident that Creature Commandos will effectively set the table for the DCU. “Superman is the true start of everything, it’s a humongous epic. This is a way for people to just take a little nibble and see what it tastes like,” Gunn says. “There are a ton of fun references to other DC stuff, a bunch of hints for things that are coming. So I think it’s just an extraordinarily fun way to start.“

    Source: EW