Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Lisa Kudrow to Lead Taika Waititi’s Upcoming ‘Time Bandit’ Series

    Lisa Kudrow to Lead Taika Waititi’s Upcoming ‘Time Bandit’ Series

    It looks like Taika Waititi has found his time bandit in Lisa Kudrow, as the Friends star is set to lead his upcoming adaptation of the 1981 Terry Gilliam film. The series is currently in production for Apple TV+ and has also cast seven actors that include Charlyne Yi, Tadhg Murphy, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Rune Temte, Rachel House, Kiera Thompson, and Kal-El Tuck.

    The series has been in development since 2019 and was given the description of “a comedic journey through time and space with a ragtag group of thieves and their newest recruit: an 11-year-old history nerd.” Tuck will take on the role of the young nerd by the name of Kevin.

    Waititi is a co-writer and signed on to direct the first two episodes of the Apple TV+ series. He’s been quite busy with his TV ventures, as he’s seen quite the success with the FX series What We Do in the Shadows as well as Reservation Dogs. There’s also his HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death where he also plays the character of Blackbeard.

    Kudrow has been quite busy, as she appeared in Disney+’s Better Nate Than Ever, Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, and more. While she’s still famously remembered for her role on Friends, she’s gone to have quite the extensive TV and film career. So, it’ll be interesting to see what she brings to this new series.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • BREAKING: Hugh Jackman Returns as Wolverine in ‘Deadpool 3’, Gets September 2024 Release

    BREAKING: Hugh Jackman Returns as Wolverine in ‘Deadpool 3’, Gets September 2024 Release

    No, you read that correctly but it looks like Hugh Jackman isn’t quite done yet with his role as Wolverine. Ryan Reynolds shared a new video on his official Twitter account and suddenly dropped the news that Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine in the upcoming third Deadpool movie. Not only that but he also revealed that the film will premiere on September 6th, 2025.

    There’s a fun reference in regard to the film not being featured during D23 but this random drop is right up Reynold‘s usual marketing scheme for the character. Instead of being a part of the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe, they are still going to explore Deadpool as part of the original 20th Century Fox era of the X-Men. Perhaps this is meant to not only send off the character into the multiverse but also as a way to wrap up the trilogy, which has repeatedly mocked their relationship.

    We also got a new logo fitting for Wolverine’s return and includes the Marvel Studios logo.

    This is technically the first non-mainline MCU project to release throughout the Multiverse Saga and it seems fitting that they’d make use of some familiar elements. If they are still waiting for an opportunity to fully use some elements from the original before they start building their own. Who knows if this also opens up the possibility of Hugh Jackman reeturning in Avengers: Secret Wars. After him seemingly leaving the role behind, it’s crazy to think Wolverine is back in style and perhaps he hopefully gets to finally wear the iconic suit this time around.

    Source: Twitter

  • Netflix’s Jeffrey Dahmer Series Takes ‘Cobra Kai’s Top Spot with 196M Hours Viewed

    Netflix’s Jeffrey Dahmer Series Takes ‘Cobra Kai’s Top Spot with 196M Hours Viewed

    There’s been quite a few controversies surrounding Ryan Murphy‘s adaptaiton of the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Yet, it seemingly didn’t stop the series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story from reaching a rather impressive top spot with 196.2M hours of viewing after its September 21st premiere on Netflix. The series even managed to push Cobrai Kai‘s latest season off of the top spot and dominated the week.

    It actually ended up in the third spot as the September 16th premiere series Fate: The Winx Club took the second spot with 61M hours viewed in its first week. Still, the Karate Kid spinoff series managed to pull in 38.1MM hours viewed, which is still a substantial drop. The Crown still remained in the Top 10 listing and has been gaining quite a momentum since Queen Elizabeth II’s passing. It seems that the next season’s promotion was perfectly timed.

    Dahmer‘s growth in popularity has been a curious one even if crime dramas are always big pulls for any broadcaster or streamer. Still, some that had this lived experience actually shared their voices on the Netflix show recreating these moments. Also highlighting the fact that they weren’t involved and are living through some hardships with these dramatic depictions of lived experiences from the 1992 sentencing of Jeffrey Dahmer.

    Source: Variety, Insider

  • ‘Werewolf by Night’ Director Teases “Fun Horror” But Promises Plenty of Scares

    ‘Werewolf by Night’ Director Teases “Fun Horror” But Promises Plenty of Scares

    While a lot of eyes are on the upcoming release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the current Disney+ series She-Hulk, Attorney at Law, we also have a Halloween Disney+ special on the horizon. Werewolf by Night will offer something very new, as Marvel Studios ventures out into its new Special Presentation territory and promises a Hammer-inspired black-and-white horror spectacular.

    Early reviews have been very positive and that is quite exciting for Michael Giacchino, as this project marks his first true directorial debut. He’s seemingly been quite interested in tackling the character and was even approached by Kevin Feige on if there was a character he’d love to bring to life, which led to him tackling a character he dearly loves. In an interview with Empire, he highlights how he grew up with the character’s comics and teases how the idea evolved to become a “love letter to monsters and the humanity behind them.”

    I still have the comics that I bought when I was a kid. Kevin and I kept talking about it, and it’s evolved into this love letter to monsters and the humanity behind them.

    Michael Giacchino

    He’s also teased that this will be a “fun horror” adaptation of the popular character. He does highlight that this is still a horror story and jokingly reveals that his nephew couldn’t sleep the night he was able to watch it. So, it seems we’ll get that MCU story that can take a bigger bite out of the R-rated territory; something we’ve seen growing ever since Moon Knight offered us a small tease of what they might do.

    Source: Empire

  • Marvel Studios President Opens Up on Not Recasting the MCU’s T’Challa

    Marvel Studios President Opens Up on Not Recasting the MCU’s T’Challa

    The death of Chadwick Boseman was a heavy one; for many it was unexpected. Not only was it a tragic loss of amazing talent, but it also was a hardship his many friends, family, and more had to endure. His legacy lives on in many ways, such as his memorable take as T’Challa throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, it wasn’t an easy decision after his passing for Marvel Studios and director Ryan Coogler to figure out if they’d continue to tell the stories of T’Challa in Black Panther.

    While it’s uncertain still who exactly will carry over the mantle, there’s been a lot of discussions on if this was the right decision. Of course, while many want to see the stories of T’Challa continue in the MCU, there’s also the weight it puts on any actor having to take over that role and the heavy weight it would be for the cast and crew simply replacing a close friend. In an interview with Empire, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige offers some insight on why they decided to not recast.

    It just felt like it was much too soon to recast. Stan Lee always said that Marvel represents the world outside your window. And we had talked about how, as extraordinary and fantastical as our characters and stories are, there’s a relatable and human element to everything we do. The world is still processing the loss of Chad. And Ryan poured that into the story.

    Kevin Feige

    Of course, he highlighted that the big aspect was also them taking their decision and questioning how they continue. One thing was to keep that legacy that Chadwick Boseman left alive while tackling the sequel.

    What do we do next?’ And how could the legacy of Chadwick – and what he had done to help Wakanda and the Black Panther become these incredible, aspirational, iconic ideas – continue? That’s what it was all about.

    Kevin Feige

    No matter where one stands, there was never truly going to be a “right” answer. The first trailer definitely felt like our first glimpse into the weight this project will hold. For now, we still can only theorize how exactly they handle it but November isn’t that far away anymore.

    Source: Empire

  • First ‘Black Panther’s Post-Credit Almost Included Namor

    First ‘Black Panther’s Post-Credit Almost Included Namor

    It’s no secret that the upcoming sequel of Black Panther will introduce the world to Namor the Submariner, played by Tenoch Huerta. We’ve heard news throughout the last few years that there were many times they thought of including him, such as a member of the Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Yet, it turns out the earliest we could’ve seen him was all the way back when the first Black Panther film hit theaters.

    In a new piece from Empire, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige reveals that they initially had plans for a post-credit sequence that would set up the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s take on the character. It seems director Ryan Coogler initially pitched it as a tag, which means this sequel’s main story has been on his mind since he started work on the very first entry.

    Ryan had a pitch for a tag at the end of Black Panther. The camera would push through the palace in Wakanda, and then we’d see wet footprints leading up to the throne.

    Kevin Feige

    It definitely would’ve made for an imposing tease though open many questions on how he got past the Dora Milaje. Still, it would be the perfect way to tease the character without giving away any details, which would’ve led to casual audiences having to question who exactly the person might be. Coogler having that character in mind so early on also makes us wonder if he generally mapped out a full trilogy for the franchise and if he’ll follow through with those initial plans if he kept Namor in his back pocket up until now.

    Source: Empire

  • ‘Black Panther 2’ Actor Confirms Namor’s Mutant Status

    ‘Black Panther 2’ Actor Confirms Namor’s Mutant Status

    Many have wondered with the recent build-up to the mutant’s introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe if they are sticking to the comics for some characters. We are getting teases and hints of famous mutant characters but outside of an audio cue in Ms. Marvel, there hasn’t been a confirmation. Now that changes, as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s Tenoch Huerta has confirmed that he is indeed a mutant in the upcoming Black Panther sequel.

    He highlighted that this is the aspect that is carrying over from the comics, as they are taking a different approach with their version of Atlantis. It is now called Talocan and is fully inspired by Mesoamerican culture; something the initial trailers have definitely put a large focus on and made sure to highlight.

    You can take Atlantis from Greek myth, or you can adapt from a real culture.

    Tenoch Huerta

    It’s impressive how they took that cultural identity and made it work so well while also including some great comic-accurate costume elements from his early days in the comics. We’ll see just how deep they explored the Mesoamerican cultural impact on the character when the film releases in November, but so far it has been quite impressive and it’ll be exciting to see what else they might have planned for the character.

    Source: Empire

  • How ‘She-Hulk”s Intelligencia Sets Up’ Captain America: 4’s True Main Threat

    How ‘She-Hulk”s Intelligencia Sets Up’ Captain America: 4’s True Main Threat

    The latest episode of She-Hulk, Attorney at Law has premiered not too long ago and introduced (or rather re-introduced) Iintelligencia into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We first learn about them through a simple mention on Ulysses Klaue’s portfolio confirming he was once a member but we never really find out who exactly they are. As it turns out, it’s pretty much the MCU’s equivalent to a Reddit server with obvious connections to modern political discourse. On top of it all, they seem to have their own operation eyeing Jennifer Walter’s blood for some nefarious purpose.

    There’s been a curious trend of She-Hulk openly calling out or rather predicting quite correctly how certain sub-groups of the Internet react to these projects. We’ve seen it time and time again since Captain Marvel’s release in 2019 and it continued to fester to this day. “Fandom Menace” has become a rather depressing word used for a subset of fans putting a lot of pressure on these projects, and it’s not too surprising to see a project reflect that as well.

    These reactions aren’t exclusive to female-led projects as showcased with the discussions surrounding Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson taking on the role of Captain America. Thee entire of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier explored the weight of that shield placed upon an African-American, which has been continuously highlighted to still being denied even after we took time to explore his journey of accepting that title. Yet, there are still statements like “Steve Rogers is Captain America” being floated around each time it comes up.

    In a way, it seems safe to say that the set-up for Intelligencia in She-Hulk was made to lead to Captain America: New World Order. Any Captain America project didn’t shy away from exploring political discussions in the United States and given the current climate, Sam Wilson’s own struggle makes for the best set-up to explore the current climate left in a post-Trump and Qanon world. Hell, one could make the argument that the latter is potentially being echoed to some extent. It’s even in the title as many were concerned given its ties to conspiracy theories online from white supremacists that used those three words to spread anti-semitic topics across the web.

    The confirmed return of Tim Blake Nelson as the Samuel Sterns, who is better known as the Leader, also potentially leads to how they’re setting up his return. We don’t know how they’ll tackle his design or even return, but when we first met him back in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, the character was communicating through chat rooms. So, it seems fitting if his time is hidden away in SHIELD’s prisons he’s been using a different strategy to build his own empire. His goal is very likely still to get his hands on Hulk and he’ll use any means necessary.

    As much as commentaries on “woke” Hollywood have scattered across the web, they are politically stirred on every side and it makes sense for the new Captain America to explore that very divide. Steve Rogers had a similar challenge when it came to standing up for what is right, and we know that Wilson has been a mediator for most of his pre-heroic career. So, there’s something fitting for him to take on that very role, he’s not a super soldier but has his own strengths to stand by what he believes is right.

    Intelligencia and the white supremacist ties of NWO could be the way Marvel introduces the Serpent Society; the once joke title for Civil War. A modern twist on that group would be fitting and further pull into the backlash we see in the real world over a fictional character. You don’t look far for those kinds of discussions like with The Little Mermaid remake, which became the focus of its own online drama. And all these reactions to fictional characters are also reflections of real-world issues; something we’ve been continuously reminded of throughout the last few years.

    There likely won’t be an end to such backlash and if they further explore Intelligencia in that project, there’s likely going to be even more reactionary tales for this entry. As highlighted by She-Hulk, there’s a certain predictability to the online chatter and further exploring the dark corners of the world in a project with a lead that reflects the lived experiences creates a strong meta-commentary. It’s no longer a man from World War One stuck who is stuck in a different time. This is someone whose lived experience is very different in a modern context. As such, his threats are fittingly going to be more modern and reflect the current political climate.

  • ‘Werewolf by Night’ Producer Teases More Monsters in the MCU’s Future

    ‘Werewolf by Night’ Producer Teases More Monsters in the MCU’s Future

    We’re only a few weeks away from the release of Werewolf by Night, Marvel Studios’ first exploration of the horror and will pay tribute to the classic Universal monster era. It being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe opens up the possibility that we’ll see even more from that corner of the world, especially with Blade on the horizon. Luckily, The Direct got a chance in an interview executive producer Brian Gay, who teased that we’ve not seen the last of these beastly creatures.

    I think one of the very cool things about the special is it’s just peeling back the corner of monsters in the MCU, right? So there’s not just the monsters that are part of Werewolf by Night, but the ones that were up on the wall, there’s some of that artwork as well. What all this lends to is the idea that for centuries there have been monsters within the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and they’ve been being tracked or hunted or kept at bay by these hunters.

    Brian Gay

    It interestingly opens up the possibility that perhaps the events of this special could unleash the beasts upon the MCU as the hunters face their biggest threat yet. Perhaps even Blade is not a vampire hunter in the traditional sense but generally acts as a monster hunter in the MCU.

    And I think, well, we don’t know exactly where they’ll pop up next, the idea is that, with this wide swath of different species and types, they’re going to pop up again. You’re going to see these guys in different ways, of course.

    Brian Gay

    It’ll be interesting to see how they further explore this part of the MCU and how it might even potentially tie into the Multiverse Saga. Of course, they may be purposefully setting up concepts and ideas that don’t become relevant until future phases but it does seem curious how they are tackling this project and what it might mean for just how crazy the MCU becomes.

    Source: The Direct

  • TUDUM: ‘One Piece’ Segment May Have Teased a First Glimpse at the Series’ Score

    TUDUM: ‘One Piece’ Segment May Have Teased a First Glimpse at the Series’ Score

    TUDUM was quite the event for everything that Netflix has planned to release throughout the following months. Sadly, there was a noticeable absence of One Piece during the Global event as it seems they aren’t ready yet to release more information. Yet, there was at least a small tease during the TUDUM Japan segment that highlighted the series is still in production.

    Given how big One Piece is in Japan, it makes sense it would still get a reveal during that segment but it didn’t include any real news outside of highlighting its main cast once more. There is however a rather interesting score being used while showcasing some segments from the manga alongside the cast video that was released when they were initially confirmed to be playing the East Blue crew, as shared by @newworldartur.

    There’s something quite cheerful about this music and it would definitely seem like a fitting score for an adventure that Monkey D. Luffy would set out on. There hasn’t been an official confirmation of who exactly is involved with the score, but speculation online has hinted towards it being The Witcher‘s Sonya Belousova. The talented researchers from @OPLAfandom released their theory early in August and the composer has released a piece that almost sounds like it would perfectly fit into the franchise.

    It would’ve been great to get some details out of TUDUM but it was a project mostly focused on current projects that have at least a set release date with only a few teases of what’s to come. So, we can only speculate if the music piece used is from the actual work from this project or is simply something they’ve chosen cause it seemed fitting. Still, if it even is just a tease of the style of the theme we can expect, it definitely feels like a perfect choice for this pirate adventure.

    Source: Twitter