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  • Connecting Imaginary Dots: A ‘SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY’ Actor May Be Appearing in ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’

    Connecting Imaginary Dots: A ‘SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY’ Actor May Be Appearing in ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’

    For those of you unfamiliar with the Connecting the Imaginary Dots articles on Murphys Multiverse, basically this is for stuff we find, that is not officially confirmed, but are more speculative pieces based on other information and “proof” we are putting together to make our conclusions.

    One of the things I enjoy about being on social media, following and reporting on these shows, is the interaction with other fans. And they are often the ones paying closest attention to what their favorite actors and actresses are getting up to and sharing it.

    One such fan got in contact with me through Instagram yesterday with some very interesting information observed about actress Erin Kellyman, who you may remember as Enfys Nest in Solo: A Star Wars Story. The person asked to remain anonymous but here is their first DM sent to me below.

    Hmm…. interesting. Right?

    Now, I am no naive dummy. I know not to just take what a random person who DMs me says at face value. So I, like any decent detective, go hunting for “proof.” Unfortunately, due to Instagram stories usually being temporary if not saved, I was not able to corroborate some key assertions my new anonymous friend makes. Such as, Erin being in Prague and Atlanta while The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was filming. However this tipster did share the saved Instagram stories post by Erin’s friend, Dayna Browning, from about 9 weeks ago, in which she mentions Erin being “in two of the biggest franchises ever.”

    So… Star Wars and… ??

    One quick check on who Erin herself was following and followed by on Instagram, revealed some other interesting supporting evidence.

    Desmond Chiam is definitely in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and he is mutual follower with Erin. He also follows her brand spanking new Twitter account. (See below)

    Next we look at Indya Bussey, also mutually following Erin. You may remember a recent Connecting the Imaginary Dots Charles wrote up which mentioned her being in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and she was definitely in Prague when they were filming there in March. She probably would have met Erin then if not earlier.

    The other two mutual follows with Erin listed there are stunt people who are definitely working on, you can probably guess it, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. They are not listed in IMDb yet, but I’ve been following the stunt people enough to know they are part of that series team. And both of them were in Prague with the rest of the stunt team for off time when not filming.

    Now let’s have a closer look at stuntwoman Hannah Scott in particular. She and Erin follow each other and it doesn’t appear to be from previous work. Erin also liked a few pertinent posts of Hannah’s: a sightseeing picture from when she was in Prague working on the series, and very important to note that Erin liked Hannah’s post of the Superbowl trailer for the 3 Marvel Disney plus shows. Coincidence? Possibly. But all together evidence is mounting to support my anonymous contributor’s claim.

    And just one more little thing about that, whenever I’m trying to figure out who a stand in or stunt double might be doubling for, I look at heights to see if they’re close. Erin is 5′ 6″ while Hannah is 5’5 1/2″. Pretty close right? It might even be that Hannah hasn’t listed herself on IMDb yet because she is stunt doubling for Erin who hasn’t been officially announced yet! A stretch? Maybe, but it seems logical to me.

    ‘But who is Erin playing?’, you might be scratching your head asking about now. Well, as with this revelation that Erin Kellyman might very well be appearing in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, nothing is confirmed officially yet. But I believe we uncovered some intriguing evidence for what her role might be in another article which included set videos and images from the series a few months back.

    An excerpt from Charles Murphy’s article:

    “Brilliantly bright, long red curly hair”

    Anyone else thinking what I’m thinking? Because I’m thinking that Erin just might be our red headed badass teaming up with those other seemingly suped up lady thugs, causing trouble for Bucky Barnes, and trading blows with John Walker in those videos that were provided in the previously linked article.

    In a previous Connecting the Imaginary Dots segment, Charles speculated that Songbird, aka Melissa Gold, or Diamondback, aka Rachel Leighton, may be in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as well, based on some set images. This doesn’t seem to match up exactly with other evidence I’ve sited that Erin is in the series too. However it is to be considered along with another suggestion by Charles as we were discussing this. He speculates that perhaps she could be playing Sharon Ventura. She has ties to the Grapplers, who we suspect are the group of female assailants, as well as having connections to Ben Grimm in Fantastic Four, Ms. Marvel, and even She-Hulk. Sharon seems as likely a character as any to add to the mix.

    So what do you think? Are we correct about Erin Kellyman being in the series? And what MCU character do you think she will play?

    In closing, thank you again to my anonymous contributor for the heads up on this, and thank you to everyone who sends me tips and articles to check out and share with everyone else. Please feel free to DM me on either Instagram or Twitter if you ever have set images or other MCU newsworthy information to share and I will check it out. It is greatly appreciated.

  • ‘WANDAVISION’: “Wanda Changes Her Mind”

    ‘WANDAVISION’: “Wanda Changes Her Mind”

    I, like many MCU fans, cannot wait for Phase 4 to get started. We’ve got so many amazing productions coming along; Black Widow, Eternals, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, etc. But today, we’re going to be discussing a show I’ve been looking forward to since it was first announced back at SDCC 2019:

    Now, this show has been described as Part sitcom and part Marvel Studios spectacle. I think Charles Murphy wrote it best in What to Expect When it Comes to WandaVision and When to Expect it. However, just to give you all a small reminder, let’s take a look at the official synopsis for the show:

    Marvel Studios’ “WandaVision” blends the style of classic sitcoms with the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany)—two super-powered beings living their ideal suburban lives—begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.

    Now I have many theories when it comes to this show, but for this article, I’m going to be focusing on 1 of the titular characters for this theory:

    WANDA MAXIMOFF AKA SCARLET WITCH*

    *NOT YET.

    Now, I’ve talked about Wanda Maximoff before on my first article here on Murphy’s Multiverse regarding the Theory of Evolution (How Mutants can join the MCU), and I really explained Wanda’s Trajectory since her debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron. So, I’m just going to give you a refresher as to what we know about Wanda’s journey because I really went into detail there.

    HER JOURNEY

    Wanda Maximoff with Vision in Avengers: Infinity War.

    So as I’ve mentioned before, since her debut back in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Wanda’s gone through a lot of different changes over the last few MCU films. She has shown growth in both characterization and power, but that growth has been marked by a great amount of pain and suffering that she has had to go through in her life:

    • Her parents died when she was very young, long before the events of AoU.
    • She was experimented on by HYDRA with the mind stone.
    • Her brother, Quicksilver, died during the Battle of Sokovia.
    • Thousands of her people in Sokovia died.
    • Her home country was destroyed.
    • The people of the world hold her accountable for the deaths of dozens of citizens in Lagos, which triggered the Sokovia Accords and thus the events of Captain America: Civil War.
    • The outcome of the previous point forced her into hiding for 2 years until the events of Infinity War took place where she was forced to sacrifice Vision to save the universe, only to watch him be brought back so she could see him die a second time.
    • And then she herself died at the hands of Thanos’ snap.

    The last time we saw Wanda Maximoff in action was during the final battle in Avengers: Endgame and at Tony Stark’s funeral with talking with Hawkeye. Speaking of Avengers: Endgame, the official Concept Art book: Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame – The Art of the Movie”, actually had this concept art image on the last page of the book:

    Now there wasn’t any official description to what this image was about, but we can assume that Wanda is using her powers on Vision, her aura mainly focusing on the mind stone. It is important to show because sometimes, Marvel designs these concept arts that are necessarily used for one movie, but can be used for other projects later on (I.E. Zemo’s face mask from Civil War Concept Art). And it reminds us of the source of Wanda’s powers:

    THE MIND STONE

    Now, before Thanos managed to destroy the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Endgame, the Mind Stone was one of the six Infinity Stones with the power to alter a person’s mind and thoughts. We know from the films that Wanda’s powers are derived from the Mind stone and that her powers can alter not just people’s minds, but can also affect the Mind Stone itself.Because she was able to destroy the Mind Stone on her own the first time during Infinity War, one can assume that she might be as equally if not slightly more powerful than the Mind Stone. Point is, the Mind Stone was destroyed…Right?

    Anyone who saw my Twitter last week may have noticed this tweet:

    https://twitter.com/SuperheroTheor1/status/1301697416484335616?s=20

    So, after a week of organizing my thoughts together, we can finally discuss my Eureka! moment. So, with that being said let’s take a look at these two shots of Vision in the ‘Disney+ Big Game Spot Trailer’.

    Notice anything important in these two shots? (Apart from the fact that Vision is alive after he died in Infinity War?)

    If the Mind Stone was destroyed during Avengers: Endgame, then how is it back in vision’s forehead for wandavision?

    Really makes you think no? This premise leads me into my first theory for WandaVision:

    THEORY: WANDAVISION WILL OCCUR WITHIN WANDA’S MIND

    Remember how Wanda’s power managed to alter what a person’s mind could see? Well, I predict that the next person on the receiving end of Wanda’s Mind-Altering powers would be Wanda Maximoff herself. A vast majority of what we will see in this show (mainly the sitcom portions) will occur within Wanda’s mind. She will attempt to escape reality, unable to cope with the fact that Vision indeed did die and that there is no happy ending to her story. She will get so involved with her story in her mind that she might get lost with what’s real and what isn’t. This is something that has already been explored before in the House of M comic run.

    Something that helps me believe in this is mainly Vision’s form in this show. Wanda wouldn’t know that the mind stone was destroyed because she was erased from existence before the Snap. So, if she created her own reality in her head, then she would envision Vision as to how she saw him last, with the mind stone in his head. Which leads me to believe that this Vision we see during the sitcom portion of the show will be fake, as are her children and the reality around her.

    Now, this kind of power can be very dangerous, especially if left unchecked. And if her powers keep gradually increasing, they could eventually get out of hand and affect not just her reality but others’ as well. So, she may want to have someone who could help her control her powers (or mainly keep them in check). But that’s another theory for another time!

  • ‘BLACK WIDOW’: How ‘MULAN’ Might Alter Disney’s Release Strategy

    ‘BLACK WIDOW’: How ‘MULAN’ Might Alter Disney’s Release Strategy

    Well, this Labor Day weekend was certainly interesting to say the least. In case you haven’t been paying attention, let me bring you up to speed. During this Labor Day weekend, two motion pictures dropped across two vastly different formats: Mulan over on Disney+ via Premier Access and Tenet wherever theaters were open.

    Now, after weeks of speculation over what course of action the average movie-goer would take, we finally have our results!

    The Results:

    MULAN:

    Let’s start with the Disney+ Premier Access Experiment. So as of when this article is being written (Tuesday Night), Mulan’s official numbers have not yet been released by Disney. However, it is important to note 4 things that have been observed over the last few days:

    1. In a recent Yahoo! Finance report: “preliminary data shows that ‘Mulan’ at least prompted a 68% spike in Disney+ app downloads from Friday, Sept. 4 through Sunday, Sept. 6, compared to one weekend prior.” The report also states that “Consumer spending in the app also spiked 193%, which can obviously be attributed to customers paying the $30 ‘Mulan’ fee.”

    2. When the stock market opened on Tuesday following Labor Day Weekend, Disney Stocks rose back to February Levels prior to on a Streaming-Based Analyst Upgrade, amassing a 2% increase on it’s stock in 1 day. The report from Deadline describes how “Disney has made several moves to position itself for the overall shift to streaming…” where the article went on to describe multiple “key advantages” Disney had in its favor, including: “an inevitable shattering of today’s exclusive theatrical window…” which will “make room for new premium video-on-demand windows that enhance monetization of film studio output and add consumer utility to the Disney+ service.”

    3. On September 9th, The Walt Disney Company participated in a Citi 2020 Global Technology Conference, where they have stated that Disney was, quote, “very pleased with the initial Mulan numbers of the 4-day weekend and that it was the best way to release the film considering that California and New York were closed, as well as the statistics that showed very low interest on going to a cinema at the moment”

    4. Lastly, according to SambaTV, in an unofficial rundown of the numbers, about 1.12 million US households downloaded Mulan over the course of the 4 days (Friday until Monday), which would amass at least $33.5 million domestic for Mulan’s Opening Weekend. (Credit to @Great_Katzby)

    So as of right now, while the official numbers have yet to be released, this is a clear indication that things seem to be pointing in the right direction for Disney.

    TENET:

    Now, Tenet managed to amass a $20 million Domestic Box Office Opener across a 13-day period which includes early access screenings, Canada Box Office Numbers and the General US Domestic Box Office across Labor Day Weekend.

    Now, the $20 million opener can be viewed from two different perspectives:

    -Glass Half-Full: Considering the pandemic and the heavy limitations and restrictions going against it, Warner Bros. did its best and should be commended.

    -Glass Half-Empty: Warner Bros. did not amass as much money as they had hoped and the risk Warner Bros played did not pay off.

    It is important to note that globally (counting the domestic box office), Tenet made $150 million worldwide.

    SO WHAT DO THESE RESULTS ALL MEAN FOR THE RELEASE OF FUTURE FILMS? (SPECIFICALLY BLACK WIDOW)

    I know this is probably the thing you’ve been looking forward to for this whole article, so I think I can finally make a plausible theory. Before we get into my theory, let’s discuss two polls I placed on my Twitter, where I asked you guys what you would consider to be the better option for Black Widow’s release and if Marvel Studios released Black Widow this year, which format would you prefer/feel safe watching it? And here are those results:

    https://twitter.com/SuperheroTheor1/status/1302981943097782272?s=20

    https://twitter.com/SuperheroTheor1/status/1302984323365244930?s=20

    So, the final results indicate that 84% would want the film to be released in 2020 rather than a delay to 2021 (16%). And a 55% of you believe that a combination of both Disney+ Premium Access & Select Movie Theaters would be a feasible comprise for this film’s release.

    So, moment of truth. After all of this, and taking into consideration every factor possible, here’s my theory:

    THEORY: IT MIGHT RELEASE ON BOTH

    Now hear me out. I was on the fence regarding how Black Widow might be released, but after seeing the indicators in Disney’s stock rise and their unprecedented move to make a boost in streaming, it all seems to indicate that Disney is certainly working on pushing these films for a sort of hybrid release for not just Black Widow, but for other films going forward. Having Deadline describe Disney’s move this weekend as “an inevitable shattering of today’s exclusive theatrical window…” which will “make room for new premium video-on-demand windows that enhance monetization of film studio output and add consumer utility to the Disney+ service”, as was stated earlier in the article, pretty much tells me that Disney plans to make more “Premier Access” releases on Disney+, but that they could also make the move to release films in select theaters. Not only that, but their Citi Conference Call clearly shows Disney was heavily pleased with the results of the Premier Access Experiment.

    The biggest factor affecting the movie industry right now is the COVID-19 pandemic. If anything, it showed studios that people are still not ready to go to indoor movie theaters, risking their lives and the lives of their loved ones to go watch a movie.

    So as of right now, where we stand, and if the pandemic rate in the US remains constant or worsens, chances are we might see a PVoD + Theater hybrid option for upcoming films.

  • New Video Emerges as ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Resumes Production

    New Video Emerges as ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Resumes Production

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has finally resumed filming the series after taking a very long break due to COVID-19 related shut downs back in March. The past few days several images and videos popped up indicating they were indeed getting ready and very close to resuming, if not filming already. Proof finally arrived Wednesday night as they filmed in the form of some eagle eyed Instagrammers (@theappgod and @nitefader)

    See below for the NEW videos of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier filming in Atlanta!

    Video by @theappgod on Instagram
    Video by @theappgod on Instagram
    Video by @nitefader on Instagram
    Video by @nitefader on Instagram

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier production returning to filming and, fingers crossed, finishing the series has been greatly anticipated by Marvel fans. Here’s hoping they can still get it streaming before the end of 2020!

  • NEW Video Reveals a Closer Look at ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Set

    NEW Video Reveals a Closer Look at ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Set

    A new video by Noticias Geek TV on YouTube was published yesterday giving us an early glimpse at the subterranean set where The Falcon and the Winter Soldier crew has been preparing to resume filming. The set looks familiar because back in early March, we shared some photos of the set before COVID shut everything down. There’s nothing too spoilery revealed there, I’d say, but interesting to think about what they have planned to film here.

    Check it out!

  • NEW 2021 Funko Pops list includes ‘FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER,’ ‘WANDAVISION,’ ‘ETERNALS,’ and MILES MORALES game

    NEW 2021 Funko Pops list includes ‘FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER,’ ‘WANDAVISION,’ ‘ETERNALS,’ and MILES MORALES game

    A new 2021 Funko Pop listing courtesy of dis.pops on Instagram revealed some pretty exciting additions for Marvel fans. Both Disney plus Marvel shows, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and WandaVision now have at least 11 Pops coming early next year. A black and white Pop and a black and white chase Pop for WandaVision is clearly a wink to the old black and white tv shows being referenced in the series.

    Spidey fans will also be happy to see a bunch of Miles Morales pops on the way from the game.

    More Eternals Pops are also great to see even if it’s not detailed what they are yet. See the full list below.

  • Marvel Brazil/LATAM Announce “Black Widow Virtual Run”

    Marvel Brazil/LATAM Announce “Black Widow Virtual Run”

    It seems Marvel is starting to ramp things up and kick it back into high gear.

    Today, the official twitter account for the Latin American branch of Marvel Entertainment announced the first-ever virtual edition of the “Marvel Run”, inspired by the upcoming “Black Widow” film.

    Now, basically, Marvel Run is a Marvel-themed marathon where people can choose to run either a 5k/10k race, as a way to exercise themselves and promote a worthy cause. Now, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this Marvel Run has become a virtual one, where people can run the distance they’d like so long as the person is able to take the safety measures necessary to participate healthily.

    Now, what is interesting about this year’s Marvel run is based on the upcoming Black Widow film, set to release in November. And with that Marvel Run announcement, came some new promo arts and videos along with an unlisted, updated version of the Final Trailer for Black Widow, uploaded on August 18th of this year from the official Brazil Marvel Entertainment Youtube channel. (All listed below)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQDxQFJzemo

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghPyx-K59Yo&feature=emb_title

    Sources:

    https://www.marvelrun.com.br/

    https://www.tmxteam.com/marvelrunblackwidow/

  • EXCLUSIVE: Working Title of ‘DOCTOR STRANGE’ Sequel Revealed

    EXCLUSIVE: Working Title of ‘DOCTOR STRANGE’ Sequel Revealed

    Murphy’s Multiverse has learned that the working title of Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness is “Stellar Vortex.” As reported by Murphy’s Multiverse yesterday,  the Doctor Strange sequel is planning to begin filming this November in the UK.

    The vortex part of the working title certainly sounds like it would ring true for something called “Multiverse of Madness.” The stellar part is even more interesting, however, as it might hint at a certain Young Avenger’s super powers and may point to there being a bigger part for Miss America Chavez in the film than first expected.

    Last but certainly not least, here’s a shout out and big thank you to Twitter user @sky_waller  for their assistance with this information.

  • Phase 4 Theory: The Thunderbolts Initiative

    Phase 4 Theory: The Thunderbolts Initiative

    “I found something 40 years in the army never taught me: Perspective.”

    -Secretary Ross

    This quote is particularly importan for where the Marvel Cinematic Universe heads to in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame. Not necessarily because it’s a cryptic line that could potentially set up the things Secretary Ross has been doing in the shadow of the MCU for many years, but because it’s really telling of how Marvel Studios operates in terms of storytelling. When you think about it, it’s always about keeping a “perspective” in the belief that all their individual stories eventually condense and fit into the structure of a larger plot. So, in their own way, Marvel Studios tells their stories exactly as the comics would even if the beats differ. They have their own individual characters with their own individual stories which then set up elements and plot points that will eventually interweave with other characters in a larger event. Now that the “The Infinity Saga” concluded back in 2019, many fans are left to wonder exactly how Marvel Studios will move forward heading into Phase 4 and Phase 5 in terms of the stories they’ll tell next, and we believe that the answer actually dates all the way back to 2008. You remember 2008, right? It is when a little-known Marvel Studios introduced the MCU with Iron Man.

    Now, the first film of the MCU’s Phase 4 is Black Widow, and while the film might be chronologically set in the “Infinity Saga Timeline”, we must acknowledge that this film will be hoping to accomplish the equivalent of what Iron Man did back in 2008. This film will kick off a brand-new story that will eventually build up towards a larger plot down the line. I have reason to believe that Black Widow will set the seeds for the possible introduction of the Thunderbolts in the MCU the same way Iron Man set the seeds for the Avengers Initiative all the way back in 2008. Before I get into that discussion, let’s delve into some background info.

    “Who are the Thunderbolts?”

    01

    In the comics, the best way to describe the Thunderbolts is essentially a group of “reformed villains with the best intentions”. Think Marvel’s Suicide Squad, and General Ross is their Amanda Waller. Don’t get it twisted: there have been heroes that have been a part of the Thunderbolts (i.e. Hawkeye, Luke Cage, Elektra), but the members of this infamous group have been mostly villains. Now there have been different groups with the same mantle but they have had different leaders (most notably; Baron Zemo, Norman Osborn and Red Hulk).

    With the Avengers sort of disbanded following Avengers: Endgame, there might be some who may want to capitalize on the opportunity to become the next enhanced superteam. So now that you have a basic understanding of who and what the Thunderbolts are…

    “Let’s discuss the Thunderbolts Initiative”

    Avengers_Initiative

    There are many possible teams inside Marvel Comics lore that could “replace” the Avengers in the MCU but, right now, the Thunderbolts seem like the most plausible choice as the next superteam to take center stage, mainly because some of its seeds have already been planted way back in 2016.

    “Enter Secretary THUNDERBOLT Ross”

    null

    Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross was brought back into the MCU in 2016 after his last appearance in The Incredible Hulk back in 2008. During his absence, he became the Secretary of State and has served as a sort of secondary antagonist in Captain America: Civil War. I, for one, don’t necessarily believe in coincidences, especially when it comes to Marvel movies. Nearly everything Marvel Studios does in their films, whether it’s the introduction of a new character, an easter egg, or something as subtle as a name drop, has a payoff in some way or form. Now sometimes, that payoff can come in the short-term or it can be long-term. Secretary Ross’s recent appearances in the MCU, and especially his upcoming role in Black Widow, seems like it could be one of these long-term payoffs.

    Now, don’t be fooled. Just because Thaddeus’ nickname is “Thunderbolt” and he led the Thunderbolts at one point in the comics, it doesn’t mean that that’s where the Thunderbolts got their name. (In comic lore, the group received their name from Baron Zemo, who organized the first Thunderbolts). Though ironically enough, given his position of power as Secretary of State & with the Avengers out of the way, I could see Secretary Ross capitalizing on the opportunity and he could very well become the “Nick Fury” for this new phase of the MCU, mainly organizing/running the Thunderbolts from a position of power. Who could become a part of these Thunderbolts?

    Well, I have a list of possible candidates

    :

    “CANDIDATE #1: TASKMASTER”

    9cf6039801b1c43def06ebcc7d6b80f3

    With his introduction coming up in the upcoming Black Widow movie, Taskmaster could potentially be a viable candidate to join the Thunderbolts. His comic counterpart has an interesting ability, which is he possess a photographic memory and reflexes, where he’s able to duplicate nearly any physical act he sees after seeing it done by someone else only once. Based on what we’ve seen from the trailers, he may very well possess this ability, where he imitated the movements from Black Panther, Black Widow, Captain America with his shield, and Hawkeye with his bow and arrow. Someone with this ability, in my view, is far too interesting of a character simply write as a one-off, so I’m willing to bet that Taskmaster may continue in the MCU following his appearance in Black Widow.

    “CANDIDATE #2: BLACK WIDOW (YELENA BELOVA)”

    db8b0035a2dbc93737d3f149e8faf860

    Also being introduced in the upcoming Black Widow movie is none other than fellow Black Widow, and Natasha’s sister, Yelena Belova. While in the trailers we’re shown a sort of sibling bond/rivalry between the two, Yelena has served her time as an antagonist to Natasha and the Avengers in the comics: we have witnessed her joining forces with the likes of AIM and even being in the ranks of the Thunderbolts. Now, Yelena’s fate in this film is something I have previously discussed here on Murphy’s Multiverse (POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THAT ARTICLE SO BEWARE), but ultimately, considering that this film is supposed to be a passing of the torch from Natasha to Yelena, I could see Yelena being a part of the Thunderbolts down the line following her debut in Black Widow.

    “CANDIDATE #3: BARON ZEMO”

    IMG_20191112_215649-1152x759

    What team would be complete without a leader? And who better to lead the Thunderbolts than the man who single-handedly manipulated the Avengers into their disbandment in Civil War? Baron Zemo is a well-trained soldier and a dastardly mastermind with an incredible “will and patience”. His upcoming appearance in the Disney+ show; The Falcon and The Winter Soldier could set up Zemo to eventually gather the attention of Secretary Ross and have him work under the radar as the leader of the Thunderbolts, similar to how Zemo operated in the comics with the original Thunderbolts. It wouldn’t be a surprise to me for Zemo to take up this role and join the Thunderbolts in this fashion.

    “CANDIDATE #4: GHOST”Ant-Man-and-the-Wasp-Ghost-concept-art

    Introduced as one of the antagonists in Ant-Man and the Wasp, Ghost is an interesting character with an interesting background. Her powers of quantum intangibility were a result of a Quantum accident involving her parents, which resulted in their deaths. Since being adopted by Bill Foster, S.H.I.E.L.D. had taken advantage of Ava and her powers, training her as a stealth operative that would carry out covert missions on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D. prior to their fall in 2014. Since then, she’s been presumably in hiding until 2018 when the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp took place, where she was forced into hiding once again after those events. We don’t necessarily know what happened to Ava following Avengers: Infinity War (2018) & Avengers: Endgame (2019). If Ghost was snapped, then she would probably still be alive and in the state where she left when the snap occurred. If she wasn’t, then she wouldn’t have received her quantum healing molecules that helped keep her stable since Ant-Man was trapped in the Quantum Realm for five years and everyone else was snapped. That might be a cause for concern since she might believe that everyone abandoned her again, and this might push her to the becoming a villain once more.

    HOWEVER, in an interview, Hannah John-Kamen (the actress) had mentioned “that Ghost didn’t die” and that we could see her again in the MCU. If I had to bet, we could probably see Ghost return as a member of the Thunderbolts.

    “CANDIDATE #5: ABOMINATION”

    The-Incredible-Hulk-Abomination

    Remember Emil Blonsky from The Incredible Hulk? Well, last time we heard from The Abomination was in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where Agent Coulson casually mentioned that Blosnky was in a cryo-cell in Alaska at a secret facility known as The Vault: this facility was under “then-General, now-Secretary” Ross’ supervision, as explained by Coulson in Marvel’s One Shot: “The Consultant”. The World Security Council, along with General Ross, had even considered putting Abomination on the Avengers Initiative program before Agents Coulson & Sitwell, along with Stark, forced Ross to disagree with the decision and keep Blonsky in cryo-sleep.

    Now this detail is really important because if Ross wanted to have Blonsky be a part of the Avengers, his “new perspective” could be to eventually develop his own Avengers-esque team, starting with Emil Blonsky. Back then, the Avengers themselves stood in the way of his plan, but by having the Avengers out of the way, his plan can now come full-circle.

    “CANDIDATE #6: JUSTIN HAMMER”

    Justin-Hammer-e1519524688383

    We all remember Sam Rockwell’s interpretation of Justin Hammer from Iron Man 2 (2010). He was one of my favorite things about the film. The quirkiness, the smugness, the many ways he tried to imitate Tony Stark. The last time we saw him was at Seagate Prison during the Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King. Now, the reason why I mention him is that he is essentially the anti-Tony Stark and he actually had a connection with “then-General” Ross. Since Tony Stark is dead following the events of Avengers: Endgame, one might assume that Ross might pull some strings to get Hammer Industries to work in developing weapons for the Thunderbolts.

    Plus, Sam Rockwell had actually shown interest in reprising his role as Justin Hammer last year during a Reddit AMA.

    “CANDIDATE #7: SONGBIRD”

    SONGBIRD

    Melissa Gold aka Songbird has yet to be introduced into the MCU. However, our very own Charles Murphy had actually made a “Connecting Imaginary Dots” article where we can see from some interesting set photos from The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and we ALSO see a character donning a purple mohawk, similar to what Songbird dons in the comics. That article does a really good job in describing who/what Songbird is, but the most important thing we need to know about her is she has “acoustikinetic abilities” (she can use her vocals to generate her powers) and she has an interesting relationship to both the Thunderbolts and Baron Zemo.

    “WHY THESE CHARACTERS AND WHY NOW?”

    thunderbolts

    Like I said earlier, nothing Marvel does is done by pure coincidence. All of these characters, in some shape or form, have been a part of the Thunderbolts. And with potentially 5 of these characters already having a major presence in both the Black Widow movie and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Disney+ show, the chances of something bigger being developed are certainly high.

    Besides, following the events of Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home and considering that:

    • Tony Stark aka Iron Man is dead.
    • Steve Rogers passed the mantle of Captain America on to Sam Wilson aka Falcon.
    • Thor is now off-world with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
    • Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow is dead.
    • Bruce Banner is seemingly out of commission due to his snap.
    • Hawkeye is with his family.
    • Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes are both still wanted criminals by the Sokovia Accords.
    • Spider-Man has been branded a criminal.

    The world might no longer trust the Avengers, but the world also recognizes that there will always be threats that normal law enforcement alone will not be able to stop. So, by the time Phase 4 kicks into high gear, it might be time to introduce a new team of “heroes” to the MCU. And who better than some of Marvel’s best villains?

  • Box Office Battle: Mulan vs Tenet

    Box Office Battle: Mulan vs Tenet

    Just 2 days from now, on September 4th, we will be witness to what is perhaps one of the most important weekends for the film industry, movie critics, directors, producers, and general audiences overall. This Labor Day weekend, two major motion pictures will be released simultaneously in the United States across two vastly different platforms. Now usually, this would be your typical competition between two major studios, except, it’s actually not. The stakes in this “Box Office Battle”, as I like to call it, are actually much greater than any previous box office encounter for two major studios. Very few people realize the importance of this coming weekend and it’s that the outcome of this contest could very well determine how the film industry moves forward in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the result could even affect the future of cinema as we knew it then. So let’s get right into it.

     

    THE CONTENDERS:

    Judging by the title, I’m certain that you know the two films going head to head this weekend. But let’s break them down so you know how we got here.

     

    CONTENDER #1: Disney’s MULAN

    Mulan

    Disney’s Live-Action Adaptation of the famous Chinese folk tale was meant to portray a more “accurate” telling of the story of Hua Mulan. Directed by the incredible filmmaker “Niki Caro”, Disney’s “Mulan” tells a story in which “a fearless young woman risks everything out of love for her family and her country to become one of the greatest warriors China has ever known. When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation…and a proud father.”

     

    The film stars Yifei Liu as Mulan, along with Tzi Ma, Yoson An, Gong Li, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Ron Yuan, & Jet Li for an incredible assortment of actors and actresses of high caliber.

     

    The film was originally meant to release in theaters on March 9th of this year, but the global pandemic has since delayed the release of the film to a new release date, 6 months later.

     

    CONTENDER #2: TENET

    PITT_Hero_MLP_1440_v2 copyThe highly anticipated sci-fi/spy thriller from the acclaimed director; Christopher Nolan, “Tenet” tells a story unlike any explored before, one that can only be explored from such a director. “Armed with only one word—Tenet—and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real-time. Not time travel. Inversion.”

     

    The film stars John David Washington as the new Protagonist, along with the likes of Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Martin Donovan, Fiona Dourif, Yuri Kolokolnikov, Himesh Patel, Clémence Poésy, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, with Michael Caine and Kenneth Branagh for an incredibly powerful and diverse cast.

     

    Originally scheduled for a July 17, 2020 release in IMAX theaters, the film was pushed back several times before finally deciding on a September 4 release date.

     

    What makes this Box Office Contest so important?

    Unlike previous premieres, the way these two films will compete in the Box Office is vastly different.

    MULWhile Tenet will be debuting in theaters the traditional way, Mulan will be taking a different approach and will be releasing the film via their Disney+ streaming service under a new brand titled “Premier Access”, something we have discussed thoroughly on this platform. Now, the way “Premier Access” works is:

     

    “Starting September 4, with Premier Access, you can watch Mulan before it’s available to all Disney+ subscribers. Disney+ will offer Premier Access to Mulan for $29.99 on disneyplus.com and select platforms, including Apple, Google, and Roku. Once you have Premier Access to Mulan, you can watch as many times as you want on any platform where Disney+ is available. Your access to Mulan will continue as long as you are an active Disney+ subscriber.”

     

    Now, these are two relatively different business models. One offers people the ability to watch a motion picture from the safety & comfort of their homes for a fee, while the other offers audiences the more traditional way of seeing films, albeit the immediate health risk wherever theaters are still open. With any business model, there are it’s pros and it’s cons.

     

    DISNEY+ PROS/CONS:

    Disney+_Logo_Final

    The Pro: As previously mentioned, is that you can watch Mulan from the safety and comfort of your own home without having to expose yourself to the health hazards of the outside world. And with over 60 million subscribers and more on the way with the eventual launch of Disney+ in Latin America in November, if this business model is successful with Mulan and theater restrictions continue in the US & around the world, we could see more blockbuster films eventually released under this brand, mainly Disney’s Soul & Marvel Studios’ highly-anticipated Black Widow.

     

    The Con: However, by making it available only to Disney+, it limits itself in only making it available in countries where Disney+ is available, which is currently United States, Canda, Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Europe. Also, some subscribers of the platform have expressed their dislike for Disney’s new business model as they find the need to pay a $30 fee to see the film early is something unnecessary in their view. Disney has described the move in a Q3 earnings report, as a “one-off”, (though our own personal investigations have said otherwise).

     

    TRADITIONAL THEATER PROS/CONS:

    merlin_2810069.0

    The Pro: Now I personally love the theater. The smell of popcorn, the ambiance, it’s supposed to allow us to escape our reality for a few hours and immerse ourselves in a world of fiction. Going to Drive-In theaters can be a wonderful experience to escape the 4 walls we’ve been forced to live in for the past few months.

     

    The Con: However, I must also state the massive con Tenet has going against it, which is that right now, we are in a pandemic that has forced many to quarantine themselves and has forced the shutdown of many indoor theaters. While a large number of people may not plan on going so as to not risk any contagion, those who plan on going to see the film also face another potential disadvantage which is that they have to find a drive-in theater that will showcase Tenet and even if your drive-in theater is open, Warner Bros. plans to release Tenet only in “Select Drive-In Theaters”, “mandating that “Tenet” can only play in outdoor venues if indoor theaters in that particular market are open”, which in itself, limits even further the revenue that Tenet can accumulate on opening weekend.

     

    SO WHO WINS? (MY PREDICTION)

    MULAN VS TENET

    There are multiple key factors that play in here when determining which motion picture might snag the opening weekend win, or better put, who would “break even” first. Mainly:

    • Location Accessibility
    • Reviews
    • Revenue to “Break Even”

    Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” will be available to the general public via traditional theater format only, meaning it limits itself to locations where both outdoor venues & indoor theaters are open. However, the film has some generally great reviews about how the film’s originality and use of mindbending VFX to convey a fantastic production, which boosts its popularity among audiences, but with that incredible amount of production, comes a price. In order to break even, Tenet would need to pull in around $450 million. (Which in my view, is an extremely high price to pay for such a risky move).

     

    Disney’s Mulan” however, tells a different story. By releasing on a PVOD format, the film will be available to all 60.5 million subscribers around the world where Disney+ is available. While there aren’t many reviews available for the film, the popularity of Disney is so widespread that people are bound to know about this film already. Lastly, in order for Disney to break even, Mulan would need to generate $300 million in revenue. (Something that is entirely possible given the amount of subscribers Disney+ has and that the demographic for this film is users that have families and small kids.)

     

    So, if I had to pick a scenario of how Labor Day Weekend might play out…

     

    MULAN ULTIMATELY TAKES THE WIN FIRST.

    mulan__2020__japaneses_poster_textless_by_mintmovi3_ddruacu (2)

    I see Mulan potentially breaking even first, and possibly generating even more than what they have invested in this film during their first week, given the amount of subscribers the platform has. In my own personal opinion, it is the safest way to go see a film given the circumstances.

    Now, this does not mean that Tenet does not have a chance at breaking even. Tenet could break even, but at a much slower rate than Mulan given the circumstances of the release. For it’s international release weekend, the epic spy/sci-fi thriller managed to achieve a $53 million debut despite the ongoing pandemic. HOWEVER, while Tenet may be an absolute masterpiece from the brilliant mind of Christopher Nolan, I don’t see a scenario where many people might go to drive-in theaters (sometimes traveling large distances), limited in the way Warner Bros. has done for this film. Not only that, but people might not take the risk of exposing themselves to the virus.

    But, no one knows for sure. Only time will tell what the audiences will do next week.