Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘Andor’ Creator on the 3-Episode Premiere and How it Inspired Their Season 2 Approach

    ‘Andor’ Creator on the 3-Episode Premiere and How it Inspired Their Season 2 Approach

    We were caught off-guard when the first season of Andor was going to premiere in September with not one, not two but three episodes. While we’ve had a two-episode premiere in the past, this was quite the surprise for many when it was first revealed. Most assumed it might be to make way for what else is released on Disney+ throughout the rest of the year, but it seems that there is even a story reason for this decision.

    In an interview with Variety, Tony Gilroy revealed that the reason they decided to release three episodes is that they were written and directed by the same team. Not just that, but it also is a single story arc that unfolds throughout these three episodes. So, they purposefully didn’t want to break it up in its premiere which also became their base structure for how they attempt the second season. It is also why the first and second seasons each consist of 12 episodes, as three episodes would cover a certain amount of time in the next season.

    They want to explore five years in this story, but their original plan to have it unravel with one season per year just wouldn’t make it, as production would take too long. So, Andor‘s first season covers one year broken into story arcs while the second season will have three episodes cover a specific amount of time. So, it’ll be interesting to see how it balances multiple years in a single season with this same approach.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Andor’ Creator on Making a Star Wars Series About “Real People”

    ‘Andor’ Creator on Making a Star Wars Series About “Real People”

    Tony Gilroy has undertaken quite the challenge as he’s giving us a prequel to Rogue One focused on Diego Luna‘s Cassian Andor. Not only would it give us a more grounded storyline in the Star Wars universe, but it also has to compete with one of the franchise’s most visually compelling stories. As it turns out, Gilroy always had a very set idea on how to tackle it as he wanted to make this Disney+ series “about real people” as revealed in an interview with Variety.

    I wanted to do it about real people. They’ve made all this IP about the royal family, in essence. It’s been great. But there’s a billion, billion, billion other beings in the galaxy. There’s plumbers and cosmeticians. Journalists! What are their lives like? The revolution is affecting them just as much as anybody else. Why not use the ‘Star Wars’ canon as a host organism for absolutely realistic, passionate, dramatic storytelling?

    Ton Gilroy

    He goes on to highlight that he wants people to watch this show in a way that doesn’t require your knowledge from any previous entry in the franchise but still offers something for the hardcore Star Wars fans out there looking for those details that others might not notice.

    You should be able to watch the show and not give a shit about ‘Star Wars’ ever, or [have ever] seen any ‘Star Wars. The show should work on its own. The hope, the dream, is that the really hardcore ‘Star Wars’ community will embrace the show in a new way — that they’ll be thrilled to have someone come in and completely uncynically get down molecularly in their world and treat it like a real thing

    Tony Gilroy

    He also goes on to highlight that while Star Wars has mostly been about adventure, this new entry isn’t made for “9-year-olds” but is his attempt at the first real adult storyline in the franchise.

    I don’t think it’s a show for 9-year-olds, probably. Which is not to say the series doesn’t embrace its “Star Wars” roots. We are an adventure story. We are a thriller. And in a really abundant way, we’re creating a lot of IP. Some of it’s ground level: products and TV shows, all kinds of things. They’re all brand new.

    Tony Gilroy

    So, if you’ve been hoping to get something a bit more grounded and adult in the Star Wars franchise, Gilroy may be the one offering you exactly that.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Viewership on Par With ‘Hawkeye’ in First Four Days

    ‘She-Hulk’ Viewership on Par With ‘Hawkeye’ in First Four Days

    It looks like the numbers are in and She-Hulk, Attorney at Law has pulled in 1.5M U.S. households in its first four days. While some will likely make a false equivalence with the recent record-breaking numbers by House of the Dragon, these numbers are nothing to downplay. She-Hulk is currently on par with Hawkeye, which was at 1.5M as the lowest viewest show before Ms. Marvel was the first to premiere below the million mark at 775K; though had a much stronger demographic win in that regard.

    What should be pointed out is that those counted for the first five days of its release, which means She-Hulk could actually rival WandaVision‘s 1.6M and Moon Knight‘s 1.8M five-day total. It is strange though that there’s no consistency on the day count used for the data provided by Samba TV, who is a third-party provider.

    When discussing these numbers we always have to keep in mind that they don’t showcase the full picture surrounding these projects. the number is likely higher due to them only being able to pull their data from a settings panel. Plus, they also do not have any mobile data which could’ve worked in Ms. Marvel‘s favor given its younger audience focus. There’s still a lot we don’t know about what Disney+ considers a “success” for their Disney+ line-up. So, we can only theorize based on external data sources but luckily we have something to get an idea.

    Source: Twitter

  • Leaked ‘Furiosa’ Set Photos Offer First Look at Chris Hemsworth

    Leaked ‘Furiosa’ Set Photos Offer First Look at Chris Hemsworth

    While the Mad Max franchise will finally continue, its titular hero will have to take a backseat for Furiosa. After her introduction in Mad Max: Fury Road, the popularity of the character skyrocketed, a prequel was fasttracked. While many are disappointed that Charlize Theron is not returning in the role, now set to be played by Anya Taylor-Jo, the cast has been quite promising with Tom Burke, Angus Sampson, and even Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth.

    Now, a few set photos have found their way online offering our first look at Hemsworth‘s design in the upcoming film. While it’s unclear who exactly he is playing, there seems to be some Max inspiration in his design, such as having a leg brace.

    https://twitter.com/madmaxbible/status/1561988457769144320

    His design is quite curious. While he still remains super in shape, his physique is quite a bit different from what we saw in Thor: Love and Thunder. Though it seems he couldn’t quite give away who he might be playing or what role he has, the project will span a long period of time which makes it difficult to say if he has a major role throughout or maybe just a brief part in its highlights.

    Furiosa is the first prequel in this franchise that was on the stand until director George Miller revived it with Fury Road. It became an instant classic for many and it was surprising that there hasn’t been an actual sequel for a while. Perhaps Furiosa might once again add some fuel to the franchise’s fire that we’ll further explore the apocalypse.

    Source: Twitter

  • GAMESCOM: ‘Dead Island 2’ Eyeing February Release

    GAMESCOM: ‘Dead Island 2’ Eyeing February Release

    While it has somehow accidentally leaked before the Gamescom event, it’s now been confirmed that Dead Island 2 is happening and it looks like we won’t have to wait that much longer until it releases. Not only did we get an impressive new CG trailer but even some gameplay that promises the usual insanity from this franchisee. Dead Island 2 is going to release on February 3rd, 2023, and will offer six different playable characters.

    https://twitter.com/Nibellion/status/1562167422718803969

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Avatar’ Temporarily Removed from Disney+ for its Theatrical Return

    ‘Avatar’ Temporarily Removed from Disney+ for its Theatrical Return

    Here’s a surprise it seems that Disney+ has temporarily taken Avatar, James Cameron‘s sci-fi epic, down to promote the upcoming re-release in theaters. It is currently getting a new two-week release with 4K and high-dynamic range restoration. It seems they have quietly removed it ahead of the re-release and if you’re worried this is another HBO Max, the film will return before Avatar: Way of the Water‘s release in December. It’s still currently available on other platforms if you are looking for a way to check it out from home.

    It’s not the greatest move to quietly remove it, as we’ve seen in the past that theatrical availability doesn’t truly hamper its theatrical run. Especially if the plan is to also upload the 4K updated version. Of course, Disney sees a lot of potentials, and with the franchise already having multiple sequels already in some form of production, they will do everything they can to promote it as much as possible.

    Luckily, this isn’t a scenario like with HBO Max that it’s permanently removed but it is a shame that such practices might be the usual move when trying to get a re-release more attention while it is in theaters. We’ll see if this will truly last and it’ll return once the two weeks theatrical run is over or if we really have to wait until shortly before Way of the Water‘s release later this year.

    Source: Variety

  • GAMESCOM: ‘Killer Klowns from Outer Space’ Multiplayer Game in Development

    GAMESCOM: ‘Killer Klowns from Outer Space’ Multiplayer Game in Development

    The Killer Klowns from Outer Space are back. While we’re not getting a new film, it looks like the classic horror franchise is getting a new game as revealed during 2022’s GamesCom. It’ll be another horror multiplayer game like what we’ve seen with Evil Dead and Friday the 13th and is eyeing an early 2023 release. Teravision Games and Good Shephard are developing the game, who previously worked on the Friday the 13th game.

    It definitely wasn’t on my bingo card that we’d ever see the return of Killer Klowns from Outer Space as a game. While definitely considered a cult classic, it may be quite the obscure franchise to revive in this format. Yet, it’s a perfect addition for something out there that’ll likely draw in new faces to check out what in the world these creepy-looking clowns are all about. Plus, Stranger Things has brought back a new nostalgia wave and who knows if the franchise might make a return on the silver screen.

    Source: Twitter

  • GAMESCOM: ‘Dune’ Open-World MMO Revealed

    GAMESCOM: ‘Dune’ Open-World MMO Revealed

    Dune is getting another game but this time around it’s going to be an open-world survivor MMO. At this year’s GamesCom, we got a first-look trailer at the new game. While it’s unclear just how it’ll be played and how the MMO elements will work, Dune Awakening does look quite promising and might be a great addition for fans of the franchise.

    Source: Twitter

  • New Japanese ‘Sonic Frontiers’ Trailer Hints at November Release

    New Japanese ‘Sonic Frontiers’ Trailer Hints at November Release

    Many have been wondering when we can expect the release of Sonic Frontiers. After a bit of a backlash of the game looking unfinished early on in its previews, many wondered if we might see it get delayed. Well, a new trailer ahead of Gamescom may have accidentally leaked that the game is eyeing a November 8th release.

    As shared by Twitter user @Nibellion, the Japanese trailer included the release date in November but was swiftly taken down later. So, it does add a bit of weight that this may have accidentally gone online earlier than intended especially with Gamescom’s opening night promising quite a few new trailers and reveals.

    https://twitter.com/nibellion/status/1562010814093180929?s=21&t=J2Q6gIQGMi1_EaiGMU6JcQ

    We’ll see what else might be heading our way with this game, especially if they made some tweaks to make it stand out more. While the open-world concept works well with Sonic the Hedgehog, it does seem oddly fixed on how you get around and especially with the combat showcased. Here’s hoping that a new trailer could build up some anticipation once it officially gets a release date.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘The Rise of Skywalker’s John Boyega Has No Interest in Returning to ‘Star Wars’

    ‘The Rise of Skywalker’s John Boyega Has No Interest in Returning to ‘Star Wars’

    It looks like we may have seen the last of Finn in live-action Star Wars, as actor John Boyega has revealed in an interview with Variety that he has no real interest moving forward. He feels his work on The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker “was good” for him as he moves on to try his hands at a more diverse line-up of projects.

    At this point, I’m cool off it. I’m good off it. I think Finn is at a good confirmation point where you can just enjoy him in other things, the games, the animation. But I feel like ‘[Episode] VII’ to ‘[Episode] IX’ was good for me. To be fair, [with] the allies that I’ve found within Joel Taylor and Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris, Viola Davis, all these people I’ve been working with… versatility is my path.

    John Boyega

    It’s no wonder that he may have not had any active interest anymore, as he had faced quite a bit of racist backlash for his initial casting. When it was hinted that he may become the face of the franchise and the next Jedi, there was a massive movement online. The prequel trilogy even led to the creation of the so-called “Fandom Menace” that has shown its fangs recently with Moses Ingram’s addition to the franchise in Obi-Wan Kenobi. He even reflects on how different the reaction to the backlash was towards Ingram in comparison to his time with the franchise.

    It doesn’t make me feel bitter at all. It makes me feel like sometimes you are that guy. And my dad taught me that. Sometimes you’re not the guy to get the blessing and sometimes you are Moses, you know, you lead the people to the mountain, but you see the destination. You don’t get to go in, you get others to go in. And that’s where you get your happiness from. And for me to see other people accepted, and then at the same time to see that the studios now are like, ‘Okay, cool. This is not an elephant in the room conversation. We need to support our Black client.’ It’s fantastic.

    John Boyega

    It’s a shame that we’ll likely not see Finn’s character return, as the potential of exploring a former Stormtrooper turning good was such a compelling storyline when the initial trilogy was started.

    Source: Variety