Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Hunter Radesi

  • ‘Madame Web’ Film Scheduled For 2023

    ‘Madame Web’ Film Scheduled For 2023

    Morbius is still biting his way through theaters, but Sony is already looking ahead. The studio has set an official release date for Madame Web, revealing the title character will make her live-action debut on July 7th, 2023. This puts the premiere of the movie, which reportedly takes place within Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters, a solid seven months after that of its predecessor, J.C. Chandor‘s Kraven the Hunter. It also puts the project in competition with several other highly anticipated summer blockbusters, like Mission: Impossible 7 and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which release later that same month.

    Madame Web will adapt the story of Spider-Man’s one-time comic book spiritual guide. Although it has not been confirmed which version of the character will headline the plot, it has been reported that Sony is looking to make Madame Web their world’s version of Doctor Strange. S.J. Clarkson, known for her work on television shows like Dexter and House, will direct a script from frequent Sony collaborators Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. Up-and-coming actress Sydney Sweeney recently boarded the film to star alongside Dakota Johnson. It is not known who either of the thespians are portraying, but it’s likely the studio would want such popular talents as leading faces of their franchise.

    The move to give Madame Web a release date comes at the same time Sony revealed it would be delaying it’s sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. With so many upcoming projects based on their most iconic intellectual property, it’s at least nice to have a good idea when they will all arrive in theaters.

    Source: Twitter

  • Sony Delays Release of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ Sets Date For Sequel

    Sony Delays Release of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ Sets Date For Sequel

    It would seem fans are going to have to wait a while longer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. It’s being reported by Jeff Sneider that Sony has delayed the release of the highly anticipated sequel by around eight months. Originally set to debut on October 7th of this year, Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) will now hit theaters on June 2nd, 2023. On the bright side, the third installment in the popular animated franchise, which will presumably be titled Across the Spider-Verse (Part Two), now has an official release date. That adventure will swing through the big screen almost a year later on Mar. 29th, 2024.

    The news is somewhat shocking, considering that the production of the next Spider-Verse film seemed to be chugging along at full speed. No reason was given for the delay, but it could be anything from strategic marketing timing to the animators simply needing a little more time. Either way, the push back is probably a good thing, giving animators more time to work on the movie as needed. Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) will see Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jake Johnson return to their roles as multiversal Spider-People, only this time they’ll be joined by Oscar Isaac as Spider-Man 2099 and Issa Rae as Jessica Drew’s Spider-Woman.

    Not much is known about the plot, but the project’s first teaser revealed audiences would see Moore‘s Miles Morales dueling with Isaac‘s Miguel O’Hara. Unfortunately, the true reason for this won’t be known until the summer of 2023.

    Source: Twitter

  • The History of Thor’s Armor in the MCU

    The History of Thor’s Armor in the MCU

    After several long weeks of anticipation, fans have finally gotten their first look at Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder. The new adventure, from returning director Taika Waititi, will take the God of Thunder through the farthest reaches of the galaxy, and more importantly, put him in a wide variety of new suits. In the span of just one brief teaser, Chris Hemsworth‘s noble protagonist is shown wearing at least seven new outfits. This may be the highest quantity of costume changes we’ve ever seen a Marvel hero pull off in a single film, except for maybe Iron Man 3, and many of the looks appear to be a far cry from the style Thor had when audiences first met him.

    As such, it seems appropriate to take a walk back down memory lane and revisit every single armor the one-time Prince of Asgard has worn during his time in the MCU. From the first time, he raised the hammer in Thor to the last time he laid down the axe in Avengers: Endgame. Let’s get started:

    Thor (2011) – the Mighty Thor

    The armor that started it all. This look was heavily inspired by the suit designed for Thor’s 2007 comic reboot, created by Olivier Coipel, with chainmail sleeves covering Hemsworth‘s bulky arms and a striking red cape flowing down his back. At the time, it was the signature look associated with the character and made much more sense to adapt in live-action than Thor’s original over-the-top comic look. Kenneth Branagh made good use of the armor’s colored highlights, employing their vibrancy as a way of helping Thor stand out against golden backdrops and in the heat of Shakespearian conflicts. These exact threads have not been worn since his first movie outing, but they’re still some of the most iconic associated with the character.

    The Avengers (2012) – Ultimate Thor

    The next time we see Thor, in 2012’s monumental The Avengers, he’s wearing an armor notably similar to the one designed by Bryan Hitch for 2002’s The Ultimates. This look is a little sleeker than one may be accustomed to seeing in an Asgardian sport. It’s perhaps a little more “superhero-ish” than its predecessor, likely to help Thor fit in with his Earthly teammates. The suit removed the sleeves and cape and puts the focus on bulky wrist bands, darker red-streaked pants, and silver highlights. It even removes the famous discs from his torso in favor of flashier Asgardian details. Essentially leisure-wear for the God of Thunder.

    The Avengers (2012) – Avenging Asgardian

    Basically just an evolution of the earlier suit, this is the armor Thor wears after taking a beating from the Hulk and deciding he needs a little more protection for the incoming alien invasion. He summons his hammer and adds an extra layer to the Ultimate-inspired ensemble, bringing back the sleeves, cape, and discs, and adding a little more the wrist bracers. A cool mix of his 2011 and 2012 designs. Who knew hammers also double as a wardrobe summoning.

    Thor: The Dark World (2014) – Game of Thor

    2014’s Thor: The Dark World was received poorly by fans of the character, but it may have had one of the coolest Thor designs to date. Directed by Game of Thrones creative Alan Taylor, much of the costumes and sets created for the movie were reimagined to bring them away from the first film’s high-concept Shakespearean vibe and closer to the realm of gritty fantasy. As a result, Thor’s armor switched from glistening silver to stained gold, with a leather protective skirt, simplified braces, and added chainmail on the thighs. The color of his cape was also dimmed to match the Earth-colored backdrops of the installment. Other parts of the movie feature the armor without its sleeves or cape, but it’s otherwise the same look.

    Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – Ultimate Avenging Thor

    Avengers: Age of Ultron infamously took Thor on a somewhat confusing, sidetracked journey away from his Earthly compatriots. However, it did serve up some cool garments with a design that seems to be a mix of all the looks that came before it. Sleeveless like The Avengers, silver, and red like Thor, with the leather skirt from The Dark World to tie everything together. Aside from switching into a fancy party suit, Thor basically maintains this look for the whole movie. Weirdly, the first time he goes without chainmail for a final battle.

    Thor: Ragnarok (2017) – God of Thunder

    The initial, less-famous armor worn by Thor in the fan-favorite Thor: Ragnarok. It draws heavy inspiration from the suit designed by Essad Ribic for 2012’s Thor: God of Thunder comic, with a much simpler wardrobe combination than viewers had seen the character wear at that point in the MCU. It looks to be mostly just a leather torso piece, with basic wrapped bracelets and a dark brown belt and chest strap. Thor wearing this into a conflict against the Fire Demon Surtur and the Goddess of Death Hela says a lot about how difficult he thought the task at hand would be.

    Thor: Ragnarok (2017) – Sakaarian Gladiator

    For the rest of the movie, Thor wears this now-iconic look inspired by the colorful early Marvel designs of Jack Kirby and the 2006 Planet Hulk aesthetic created by Carlo Pagulayan and Aaron Lopresti. A mish-mash of armor jumbled together from items found on the junk planet Sakaar, thrown over the torso piece Thor was wearing earlier in the film. This look also gets super extra bonus points for actually including a version of the character’s famed helmet, which he hadn’t worn since the first Thor and had never been seen being used in a fight.

    Thor: Ragnarok (2017) & Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – Eyepatch Thor

    Debuting in the post-credits scene of Thor: Ragnarok before becoming his main look for most of Avengers: Infinity War, this design features the beloved hero in all-black and with an eye patch. He’s rocking the eye patch because, of course, he lost an eye in the fight against Hela. Plus, the cool, dark color scheme of his armor is a good indicator of things to come. Nothing good happens to Thor while he’s adorned in these threads, but its further exploration of the Ultimates style in the MCU is something to admire.

    Avengers: Infinity War (2018) & Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Stormbreaker

    A look that tells Thor fans something really cool is about to happen. Keeping with the all-black theme established in Infinity War, it’s a little heavier and battle-ready than the casual armor used for the galactic adventuring happening earlier in the movie. Even the iconic chainmail is turned black for Thor’s vengeful hunt for Thanos. It brings back the cape to show things are getting serious and features the hero wielding Stormbreaker for the first time. Those black discs light up blue as Thor achieves his full Godly potential for the Battle of Wakanda and the eventual death of his timeline’s Mad Titan.

    Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Quantum Suit

    The five-year time jump in Avengers: Endgame finds Thor depressed and having let himself go. He doesn’t wear any armor for a large chunk of the film, but he does put on the specialized Quantum Realm suit made for him by Tony Stark for interdimensional time travel. It acts as armor against the effects of the microscopic realm, so it gets the nod on this list.

    Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Viking Thor

    In the final battle for Earth, Thor puts on a new set of armor that more accurately reflects his new image. Looking like something of a Viking, the character’s new torso armor is rounded to fit his stomach, and flanked by warrior braids in both his hair and beard. It’s not that different from the black ensemble worn in the previous Avengers flick, just modified for the occasion. It still remains a memorable addition, especially as even in his condition he was keeping up quite the fight.

    Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Classic Thor

    It’s only a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance, but the trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder do show a teenage Thor dressed in the classic Kirby design from his original comic outings. It’s ripped straight from the comics, and it’s beautiful. Marvel Studios continues its trend in Phase 4 of bringing back some more comic-accurate designs.

    Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Norse God

    Another set of duds inspired by the legend Ribic, this is a sleeveless get-up Thor looks to be wearing in some sort of northern village. The fur around the shoulders is a nice touch to give the otherwise simple chest piece a bit of flare. This is presumably the look of a man who is learning that a bunch of other gods is being slaughtered. Maybe.

    Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Battle Armor

    Last but not least is this cool, brightly colored, gold, and blue fit that was previously leaked via concept art. It appears to be inspired by the character’s enchanted “Battle Armor” from 1987’s The Mighty Thor #378, designed by Sal Buscema. We here at Murphy’s Multiverse have our own theories about the armor’s MCU origins, but only time will tell if they’re correct.

    That completes our journey into the mystery. Oh wait, I meant to write a journey through Thor’s massive wardrobe. The character has had quite a few awesome outfits, and the trailer for Love and Thunder indicates he won’t stop outdoing his fellow Avengers anytime soon. Here’s hoping Thor’s MCU future continues to thrive, and fellow God of Thunder Jane Foster is able to keep up the tradition of battle-worthy attire.

  • Karyn Kusama-Jasmine Cephas Jones ‘Dracula’ Film Cancelled Weeks Before Production 

    Karyn Kusama-Jasmine Cephas Jones ‘Dracula’ Film Cancelled Weeks Before Production 

    It looks like the future of cinema will have one less Dracula film to look back on. In a surprising move, Blumhouse has pulled the plug on Mina Harker, a modern take on the vampiric mythos from veteran director Karyn Kusama. The movie would have told the story of its famous title character, played by Blindspotting’s Jasmine Cephas Jones, as she encountered Dracula on the streets of Los Angeles. Frequent Kusama collaborators Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi had written the script based on Bram Stoker’s original Dracula story. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film entered a freefall and ultimately met its end after Miramax Films, who had been set to produce, exited the project.

    Kusama is a cult favorite genre filmmaker, whose previous work includes sleeper hits like 2005’s Æon Flux and 2009’s Jennifer’s Body. She also regained recognition for her contributions to Showtime’s acclaimed series Yellowjackets. Fans of her work were thrilled when the Dracula concept movie was announced two years ago, and speculation was rampant as to how the creative would adapt such iconic source material. Unfortunately, with the project being killed only weeks before production was et to begin, this will seemingly amount to nothing but an all-time “what if” scenario.

    A separate Dracula adaptation from Blumhouse, Renfield starring Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage, has recently completed filming and is still going forward for release. Hopefully, that project can still be allowed to live up to its hype.

    Source: THR

  • Exploring Jake Lockley’s Potential Suit in ‘Moon Knight’

    Exploring Jake Lockley’s Potential Suit in ‘Moon Knight’

    As with any MCU adaptation, Moon Knight has not been a perfect match with the comics. This is, of course, not automatically a bad thing. When bringing the complicated subject matter to life, it’s often necessary to simplify a few elements for the sake of flow and time. One such example of this would be Moon Knight’s many alters. Typically, the character has at least three personalities living in his body at any given moment. Marc Spector and Steven Grant, who is currently learning to co-exist in the series, are usually accompanied by a third alter named Jake Lockley.

    Though he hasn’t made his debut on Disney+ just yet, there have been plenty of hints that he could be on the way. If, or when, Lockley finally pops up on the screen, there will be quite a few lingering questions for him to answer. Viewers will likely wonder where he’s been all this time, what sort of life he leads, and whether or not he’s the one who mysteriously killed all those guys in Egypt. Most importantly, however, is a quandary that many may not even think to ponder. Assuming Lockley is able to summon the power of Khonshu in the same vein as Grant and Spector, what might his version of the iconic suit look like?

    Moon Knight surprised longtime fans of the comics when its early marketing revealed that Mr. Knight would play a role in the show. The character is a newer alter in the books, having made his first appearance in 2014 as a variation of the Moon Knight identity who is a little less brutish and a little more sociable. Marvel Studios’ take on the character differs from this, instead of presenting the ‘Mr. Knight” appearance is a version of Khonshu’s Moon Knight armor tailored to fit Steven Grant’s personality. The white, three-piece suit has most of the same abilities as the classic outfit worn by Marc Spector, albeit with different weapons, and its presence is simply used to signify when Steven is the one in control.

    So, the standard being set is that each one of the alters would ostensibly have its own Moon Knight design. Marc wears the classic, hooded vigilante suit and Steven dons the formal “Mr. Knight” attire. The outfits match their personalities, which might actually help in deducing what Jake’s official anti-hero look could be when the time comes. Moon Knight has been featured wearing a shockingly diverse set of threads over the course of his existence, so there are quite a bit of pre-existing designs the show has the ability to pull from. Yet, the first of the options presented in this article has never actually been drawn in the comics at all. Let’s dig in.

    Jacke Lockley, Private Eye

    It’s possible Jake Lockley has been under our noses the whole time. Early in the advertising process for Moon Knight, Marvel fans were shown three character posters featuring star Oscar Isaac. At first glance, they appeared to give the first glimpse of Marc Spector and his two superhero suits all in one place. However, now that audiences know Mr. Knight is actually Steven Grant and Moon Knight is Spector, the trio of images takes on a whole new meaning. What if Marvel actually gave the world its first look at all three avatars of Khonshu, and everyone simply failed to notice?

    Jake Lockley has always been portrayed as the “man on the street” in the dynamic between alters. Where Spector is the skilled fighter and mercenary, while Grant is the intelligent one, Lockley is the private eye with his nose to the ground and street smarts up the wazoo. The series seems to be embracing the idea that Lockley is a violent, no-nonsense alter, emerging primarily when his specific skill set is needed and nothing much more. A flashy suit wouldn’t exactly help in extracting information with a low profile, so it tracks that Lockley’s preferred outfit would be something a little more unassuming and “street-level”, like the white hoodie and jacket in the poster above. Recent episodes of Moon Knight have had Marc and Steven wearing a remarkably similar outfits. So, this theory could already be shot. Though maybe the clothes were something picked by Jake off-screen, and he’s somewhere inside that psyche ready to pop the hood and get to work.

    The Fist of Khonshu

    This next theory is essentially the exact opposite of the last one. If Jake does in fact choose to wear some actual armor, there is one other iconic Moon Knight look that still needs to be covered in live-action. The character is famous for wearing all-white, but many of his suits throughout history have actually been predominantly black with white highlights. Even Moon Knight’s first-ever appearance had him wearing a darker color scheme than fans are accustomed to seeing, and it’s a look that’s made several notable comebacks in the decades since he was introduced. If the costumes worn by the alters in the show are meant to reflect their personalities, then what better way to display the darker nature of Jake Lockley than a suit that’s more black than white?

    A version of the black suit was also used heavily in Jeff Lemire and Greg Smallwood‘s famous run on the character, which the show draws from heavily. It would be fairly cool to see all three looks from that stretch of the character’s history used in the same adaptation. Also, if Lockley plans on utilizing Khonshu’s armor when brutalizing his foes, his more “down-to-Earth” persona might come up with a suit that’s more tech-based in design than the supernatural wrappings of Marc Spector or the pretentious leisure-wear of Steven Grant.

    Earth X

    Now that The Punisher is on Disney+, maybe Marvel will stun us all and turn Jake Lockley’s Moon Knight into their next most efficient killer. A good way to do this would be to use a variation of the Earth X universe attire, which already resembles the MCU’s base suit for the character. The main thing separating this design from the original Marc Spector persona is a pair of semi-automatic Uzi pistols that this universe’s Moon Knight prefers to use over traditional Egyptian weaponry. Outfitting Lockley’s Khonshu avatar with heavy firepower may potentially feel out of place, but it would be in line with the alters trademark violence and do wonders to set him apart from Spector and Grant.

    Ultimate

    This one might be a long shot, but it’s still fun speculation. The Ultimate Moon Knight design has a little bit of everything, including the aforementioned concept of mixing black with white. It sort of comes off as a fun cross between Marc’s Moon Knight and Steven’s Mr. Knight, although it may be a bit too extravagant for the Jake Lockley alter to double down on. It’s mostly included here for two reasons: Marvel Studios has a long history of using the Ultimate comics as inspiration, and the Ultimate version of Moon Knight has an alarmingly aggressive personality that feels right at home with everything analyzed thus far. For example, he once threatened to cut Spider-Man’s throat out and really meant it. Yikes.

    In the end, it’s important to remember this is all just fun speculation. Though his arrival feels imminent, Jake Lockley has yet to be confirmed by anyone involved with Moon Knight and may not end up being part of the project at all. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean fans can’t have a little fun playing guessing games with the future. If he does indeed make the cut, one can only hope he looks as good as his two bodily brothers.

  • Kang Easter Egg Confirmed in Latest ‘Moon Knight’ Episode

    Kang Easter Egg Confirmed in Latest ‘Moon Knight’ Episode

    Kang the Conqueror is ever-present, and Moon Knight is apparently no exception. So far, the show has been notable for its lack of Easter eggs and references to the greater MCU. Where many Marvel projects have been stuffed with verbal and visual nods to other Marvel projects, Moon Knight has gotten away with a simple Madripoor namedrop and nothing more. At least, that’s what fans thought until a new video from YouTuber Erik Voss seemingly confirmed another major Marvel tease was carefully hidden within the runtime of the series’ latest episode.

    During the opening sequence of “The Friendly Type”, mercenary Marc Spector is chasing down a group of thugs with allegiance to the villainous Arthur Harrow. He eventually catches up to them, engages in combat, and attempts to question the young survivor of the scuffle. It doesn’t go as planned, but just before his target meets his end, fans can catch a brief glimpse of an image painted on the back of his jean jacket. The art displays a faceless pharaoh with a familiar headdress, highlighted by an equally familiar teal and purple color scheme.

    As explained by Voss, this is a reference to Kang the Conquerer’s time as the pharaoh Rama-Tut. While it may appear to be a coincidence, the Easter egg has supposedly been confirmed as intentional by Moon Knight crew members. This is incredibly interesting, and raises the question as to whether or not Rama-Tut actually existed as a pharaoh in MCU canon. Was the now-deceased young man just having a little fun with his fashion, or was he a fan of Marvel’s most powerful Egyptian ruler? We’ll have to wait to find out.

    Source: New Rockstars

  • Bryce Dallas Howard Says ‘The Clone Wars’ Fans Will Be Rewarded in ‘Ahsoka,’ Likely Directing 

    Bryce Dallas Howard Says ‘The Clone Wars’ Fans Will Be Rewarded in ‘Ahsoka,’ Likely Directing 

    Bryce Dallas Howard continues to gush about a galaxy far, far away, and she’s got a bit of news for fans of Ahsoka Tano. The actress-turned-director spoke about the future of Star Wars during a recent interview with Romper. After the interviewer mentioned that the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars was among their favorite shows, Howard, who has spent the past few years helming acclaimed episodes of both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, had a curious response to the name drop moment:

    Without giving anything away, you are going to love the Ahsoka show that’s coming up. I cannot tell you anything, but what I can say is that you being a fan of the Clone Wars will be greatly rewarded.

    Bryce Dallas Howard

    Bryce Dallas Howard and her father, longtime Hollywood staple Ron Howard, have each spent time behind the camera for Lucasfilm. As such, it’s possible that the Jurassic World star simply knows something about Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka series through a professional association. However, it almost seems more likely that Howard could be directing an episode of the Disney+ series. Bespin Bulletin already reported that she would be returning to work on the upcoming third season of The Mandalorian, and the director’s previous outings have been hits with fans of the show. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse filmmaker Peter Ramsey is officially directing at least one episode of Ahsoka, and it’s expected the character’s creator Dave Filoni will participate as well, but that still leaves plenty of room for Howard to slip in and contribute herself.

    Ahsoka begins filming later this month, with the aforementioned Dawson, Ray Stevenson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ivanna Sakhno, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, and a returning Hayden Christensen set to round out the cast.

    Source: Bespin Bulletin

  • ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ Series Moving Forward at HBO Max 

    ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ Series Moving Forward at HBO Max 

    DC comics continue to find a home with HBO Max. The major streaming service has decided to move forward with a new series based on Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner’s Dead Boy Detectives. Set to be adapted by The Flight Attendant creator Steve Yockey, the show is described as “a fresh take on a ghost story that explores loss, grief, and death through the lens of [the undead] Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland… and their very alive friend, Crystal Palace. It’s a lot like a vintage detective series — only darker and on acid.” The title characters will be portrayed by George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri, with Kassius Nelson playing Crystal. Yuyu Kitamura, Jenn Lyon, and Briana Cuoco are also part of the cast, with Ruth Connell reprising her role as Night Nurse from Doom Patrol.

    Dead Boy Detectives will be produced by Berlanti Productions, their second collaboration with Yockey. The showrunner had the following to say in regards to the series getting the go-ahead:

    I’ve been obsessed with this comic for a long time, so it’s a true passion project. And Jeremy, Berlanti Productions, DC, WBTV, HBO Max — they’re all encouraging me to run with every wild, bizarre, and unsettling choice. The result is going to be really dark fun.

    Steve Yockey

    HBO Max’s head of original content, Sarah Aubrey, added:

    We are excited to be expanding further into the DC Universe with Steve, Jeremy [Carver] and the Berlanti team with this thrilling new spin on a detective series. We were fascinated by the world of the Dead Boy Detectives that Steve and Jeremy first introduced in Doom Patrol and cannot wait to follow the supernatural sleuths in the lurid mysteries to come.

    Sarah Aubrey

    As stated in the quotes, the Dead Boy Detectives characters previously made their live-action debuts in HBO’s fan favorite series Doom Patrol. Here’s hoping the new show finds just as much success as it’s predecessor.

    Source: THR

  • Marvel Emmy Submission Casts Doubt on ‘Hawkeye’ and ‘Moon Knight’ Season 2 

    Marvel Emmy Submission Casts Doubt on ‘Hawkeye’ and ‘Moon Knight’ Season 2 

    Marvel fans have been eager to learn what the future might hold for Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop, and a recent development has revealed it may not include a second season of Hawkeye. The studio is hard at work campaigning for its slate of Disney+ shows for the next awards season, with series like Loki, Moon Knight, and the aforementioned Hawkeye all up for nominations. What’s interesting is that while Loki, which has a confirmed second season on the way, was submitted in the “Drama” category, both Hawkeye and Moon Knight were only entered into the “Limited Series” field. This has added fuel to the fire of speculation that neither show will receive a second season, an honor that has thus far only been bestowed upon Loki and Marvel’s animated What If…?.

    Actor Oscar Isaac recently caused a stir when he revealed he was not signed up for any further appearances as Marc Spector after the completion of Moon Knight. Similarly, the lack of any sort of progress on another installment of Hawkeye has caused concern that the show might have been a one-and-done. Obviously, even if standard second seasons never occur, the Marvel formula would likely still allow for the protagonists’ stories to continue in other projects and spin-offs, like the upcoming Hawkeye by-product Echo.

    Of course, this doesn’t completely rule out the possibility of continuations for the programs. Marvel apparently attempted to submit Loki as a “Limited Series” before the second season announcement forced the studio to place it elsewhere. The remaining choices for Marvel Studios were to categorize the Tom Hiddleston series as either “Drama” or “Comedy,” with the former being a less competitive field. It’s still entirely feasible that Hawkeye and Moon Knight eventually get their episodic sequels, this news just seems to imply that Marvel Studios has no plans for second seasons in the near future. 

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Hawkeye’ and ‘Eternals’ Officially Recognized For Authentic Representation of Disability

    ‘Hawkeye’ and ‘Eternals’ Officially Recognized For Authentic Representation of Disability

    Marvel Studios continues to earn accolades for its work, and the latest honor bestowed on the company is pretty unique. Hawkeye, the hit Disney+ series which aired over the holiday season, and Eternals, the blockbuster film from Chloé Zhao, have been given the Seal of Authentic Representation from the Ruderman Family Foundation. The award is intended to advocate for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in society. It is only given out to movies and television shows that feature actors with disabilities in roles with at least five lines of dialogue. Other projects included in this year’s recipients are Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building and HBO Max’s And Just Like That, which also had deaf characters in major roles.

    Eternals star Lauren Ridloff, who portrayed the lovable speedster Makkari, became the MCU’s first deaf superhero last November. She quickly became a fan favorite from the film, and it’s likely she’s yet to make her last appearance in the franchise. Casting director Sarah Finn released a statement on the matter:

    Not only was [Ridloff] overly qualified to join an already high-level cast, she elevated the ensemble with her unique spirit, talents and charisma. It’s been a privilege getting to know her through the process and seeing what a real-life hero she has become to so many.

    Sarah Finn

    Hawkeye introduced the world to Alaqua Cox, who brought the deaf assassin Echo to life to critical praise. The actress, who is also an amputee, is set to reprise her role in her own solo series on Disney+. Finn continued:

    Alaqua Cox’s character, Maya Lopez/Echo, is based off an existing Marvel character who is deaf and Native American. In casting the role, we wanted to celebrate and honor both Deaf and Native American cultures. We couldn’t be more delighted by Alaqua Cox’s performance. She is phenomenal and part of a new culture in film and television, where authentic representation not only matters but is paramount to the kind of stories we want to tell and how we shape them.

    Sarah Finn

    Ruderman Foundation president Jay Ruderman also spoke highly of this year’s recipients, finishing things off by saying:

    …These practices are increasingly becoming the norm in Hollywood, with the authentic casting of Lauren Ridloff in Eternals and Alaqua Cox in Hawkeye marking a particularly high-profile and momentous milestone for Marvel and the entire entertainment industry. Each time a casting director or other executive makes such a decision, it facilitates the industry’s broader journey towards fulfilling its full potential as a beacon of all forms of diversity and social justice.

    Jay Ruderman

    Marvel Studios has been dedicated to ensuring that everyone can see themselves reflected on the silver screen and even on their television. As such, they’ve started to push for more diversity in their offerings and have used their unique position as one of the biggest blockbuster studios to consistently draw in audiences with each film.

    Source: THR