Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Kevin Feige Teases New MCU Announcements “in the Coming Months”

    Kevin Feige Teases New MCU Announcements “in the Coming Months”

    There’s been a lot of questions about where the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe may be heading. Phase 4 has seemingly been the most disjointed, echoing the early days of Phase 1 and 2 where it seemed like these projects were a bit looser in connection. Yet, as the MCU’s Phase 4 is slowly coming to an end with its upcoming releases, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has teased that we’ll get to see more of the roadmap in the coming months. The time frame would match with San Diego Comic-Con, D23, and Disney+ Day on the horizon. His full quote is as follows:

    […] we’ll be a little more direct about that in the coming months, to set a plan, so audiences who want to see the bigger picture can see a tiny, tiny, tiny bit more of the roadmap.

    Kevin Feige

    It’s exciting to know that we’ll get a tease of what the future has in store, but it does seem like we shouldn’t expect any full-phase announcements. It does seem like Marvel Studios has generally moved away from that concept and with the new TV series also trying to build upon smaller announcements to further expand the franchise. So, who knows if Phase 4 truly will end or just continue to whenever thee story is getting a new kickstart into the next stages of the current Saga.

    Source: TotalFilm

  • ‘Lightyear’ Loses to ‘Jurassic World 3’ While ‘Top Gun’ Continues to Soar

    ‘Lightyear’ Loses to ‘Jurassic World 3’ While ‘Top Gun’ Continues to Soar

    The numbers are in and, as sadly expected, Lightyear isn’t going to set the box office in flames. The Toy Story spinoff which isn’t necessarily an actual spinoff of the original franchise, but rather a fictional film that takes place in that same universe, has opened to $51M over the weekend. With a wide release in 4,255 North American which is on par with many current releases but it does seem like family audiences aren’t quite ready yet to return to theaters as initially hoped. David A. Gross, who runs Franchisee Entertainment Research, shared the following statement on its release:

    This is a soft opening for a spin-off of one of the most successful animation series of all time. ‘Toy Story’ defied gravity at the box office during its 27 year run, each episode topping the last, the last two clearing a billion dollars worldwide. But like all spin-offs, the ‘Lightyear’ story is narrower now.

    David A. Gross

    The early expectations had the film at around $70M but it’s sadly now going to be one of Pixar’s least successful releases, especially with a high production cost of $200M. Lightyear isn’t a sign of Pixar losing its draw at the box office, but more a reflection of the pandemic’s influence on younger audiences and Disney+’s strategy of using one of its biggest franchises to boost subscription numbers. Internationally the film has also been a lukewarm release with $34.6M, which puts it at an international release of $85.6M, which is a far cry from its initial expected $135M+.

    Jurassic World Dominion kept its dominance at the box office, as it held on to the top spot, but did face a harsh 60% drop in its second weekend. It’s not too far from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ 67% and highlights how these franchise films operate. With a lower opening than the Marvel Studios project, it reflects how these drops normally operate, but the dinosaur epic still generated $58.6M which is a strong release and now stands at $259M domestically.

    It’s second-weekend highlights even more how much Top Gun Maverick is an exception than the rule, as the film has taken a massive $44M in its latest weekend which is just a 15% drop. As such, it is the second-highest fourth weekend with the only exception being Avatar. The film is likely going to pass a billion in just a few weeks as it already stands at $885M and will likely become the highest-grossing film of the year very soon. It sparked the box office in a big way and is a testament to just how sudden some projects can pull in viewers.

    Source: Variety

  • First Look at ‘Avatar’s LEGO Set Ahead of ‘The Way of the Water’s Release

    First Look at ‘Avatar’s LEGO Set Ahead of ‘The Way of the Water’s Release

    It may have taken way longer than anyone suspected, but a new LEGO set for Avatar has been unveiled. While the first entry of James Cameron‘s sci-fi epic was released back in 2009, the sequel The Way of the Water is only a few more months away from hitting theaters. Now, LEGO has unveiled its new Avatar-themed set during LEGO Con 2022. The set is titled “Toruk Makto & Tree of Souls” which will be made available to purchase on October 1st, 2022, as shared through Jay’s Brick Blog.

    They have also shared an image of what the set looks like built, highlighting the many figurines included in the model. It’s surprising that with the title of The Way of the Water, they wouldn’t include an aquatic set going in.

    LEGO sets have become a common tie-in to big blockbuster releases. So, it’s no surprise that they will do the same with the latest Avatar film. There’s a lot riding on its release, as not only will it kick off various others but it also has the legacy of the biggest movie release ever to compete with. Either the film will fall short of the original film’s overall box office, or it could even surpass it if the long wait between films has proven with the recent release Top Gun Maverick. It’ll be interesting to see what the box office has planned for a film entering its franchise stage.

    Source: Jay Bricks blog

  • Amazon Prime’s ‘Paper Girls’ Eyeing July Release, New Look at Cast

    Amazon Prime’s ‘Paper Girls’ Eyeing July Release, New Look at Cast

    It looks like the upcoming adaptation of Paper Girls has been steadily building up steam. Not only did we get a first look not too long ago, but now Amazon Prime released a close look at the team while also highlighting that the series is going to release on July 29th. It’s crazy to think how far the project has come that initially started shifting into gear back in October of 2020. The comic explores the story of a group of four young paper girls in 1988, who suddenly find themselves traveling through time.

    The previews certainly have teased quite the style for the project and it does seem like a trailer isn’t too far off with a July release. It is curious that they are taking the Netflix promotion route this time by having it showcased this close to its initial launch window. Either way, the adaptation looks quite promising and a time travel storyline is definitely something to grab people’s attention currently. We’ll see if the trailer can also tease the vibe that the comics offered and how they may bring it on Amazon Prime.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Lightyear’ Currently Underperforming, May Not Dethrone ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’

    ‘Lightyear’ Currently Underperforming, May Not Dethrone ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’

    It looks like Lightyear is struggling a bit to catch its legs at the box office, as the latest Pixar film may not beat Jurassic World: Dominion at the box office this weekend. Going in, the Pixar film was eyeing a potential $85M+ opening weekend but after a lukewarm Friday, it does seem like Dominion may keep its dominion (pun fully intended) over the box office domestically. The film opened to $20.7M on Friday, which includes the decent $5.2M preview screenings, yet the film is very likely to end at around $52M.

    There are many theories online on what exactly led to this opening. The biggest aspect is definitely the pandemic, as while Top Gun Maverick pulled audiences back into seats they likely haven’t visited in a long time, families are still a bit uncertain. They also released the last three films exclusively on Disney+ to push subscriptions but it may have shown its fangs on dragging that out while letting Marvel Studios roam free as of late.

    Luckily, the numbers would put it as one of the strongest family films since the pandemic started, but a $200M budgeted spinoff based on a toy from a film franchise is not an easy sell. It did get an A- CinemaScore, which hints at word-of-mouth being strong for the Pixar release. Lightyear may just not have the same selling effect that Pixar hoped for, as it doesn’t have the Toy Story branding, and outside of its main character, has no connection to the original.

    So, it’s a spinoff that is also an original film based on pre-existing characters without the original voice. Toy Story 4 opened to a powerful $120.9M in 2019, which was already a powerhouse year, but simply highlights that this is more a case of Solo: A Star Wars Story than

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ BTS Image Offers a Glimpse at Christian Bale’s Transformation into Gorr the God Butcher

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ BTS Image Offers a Glimpse at Christian Bale’s Transformation into Gorr the God Butcher

    Thor: Love and Thunder is only a few more weeks away and we’re anxiously awaiting the journey that Christian Bale is going to take us on with his take on Gorr the God Butcher. While we had to wait a bit for the first official reveal, the second trailer for Love and Thunder offered a look at a very different interpretation of the character. We’ve known very little about how his transformation came to be, but a new behind-the-scenes image shared offered some insight into how they brought him to life.

    While we don’t get a good look at his full make-up, it does reveal that Christian Bale has originally shaven his entire head to play the role of Gorr. Yet, very likely due to contractual reasons with another project, he wasn’t able to during reshoots and so they had to tackle a different way of making his bald head come to life. Bart Mixon shared a look at how they created a bald cap to make it seem like he had no hair at all.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CexS0GnDJ4t/

    Bale is the kind of actor that would go the extra mile to bring his character to life, but it’s interesting how they manage to still create a realistic-looking bald head. Karen Gillan talked bout how they were able to use a bald cap for her role as Nebula to avoid her constantly having to shave her head, even if she did it for her initial casting to prove how ready she was to take on the role.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ May Be Disney+’s Least Viewed Live-Action Marvel Series But It’s a Hit With Gen Z

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ May Be Disney+’s Least Viewed Live-Action Marvel Series But It’s a Hit With Gen Z

    There’s been a few discussions surrounding the viewership numbers of any Marvel Studios Disney+ series. We don’t truly understand what makes a Disney+ series a success or not, as we are strongly dependent on third-party analysis data. So, the announcement that Ms. Marvel has hit 775K US households, quite a bit lower than any other Disney+ series by Marvel Studios, it’ll get quite the attention. There is, however, one aspect that is swiftly overlooked by the easiest takes.

    Ms. Marvel may be far from the usual 1M+ households, the series has a very distinct target audience. It was quite the hit with Generation Z according to Samba TV, who has provided the analysis. Viewers between 20 to 24 watched it at the highest rate than any other MCU series and now has the most diverse viewing rate. As such, the series has done exactly what it targeted and that is impressive considering its diverse cast, and complete newcomer in the form of Iman Vellani.

    If you need a comparison, Samba TV has offered an extensive overview, but until now the lowest viewed Marvel Studios project was Hawkeye at 1.5M. Yet, we don’t know how diverse the viewership numbers have been, and Ms. Marvel is only the second series based on a non-existent previous entry. Moon Knight‘s big selling point was the star power of not only Oscar Isaac but also Ethan Hawke.

    It’s not surprising that the series was competing with WandaVision‘s viewership numbers and the latest release is holding strong against one of their most-watched Star Wars series in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Disney+ would be smart to spread out their releases more and it wouldn’t be too surprising if this was a test for the streamer; even if it was bad timing with such an important culturally-relevant project. We’ll see if the word-of-mouth, which is overwhelmingly positive, may pick up in later episodes. It should also be noted that once Disney+ enters the ad space, a target-focused offering is a perfect opportunity to diversity its audience moving forward.

    Source: Twitter

  • Yasmeen Fletcher Initially Didn’t Get the Part of Nakia in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Yasmeen Fletcher Initially Didn’t Get the Part of Nakia in ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Ms. Marvel is a special kind of series that not only represents something important to a community but also adds a little something special to a franchise. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going on for quite some time now, but they still find ways to reinvigorate the world and offer something to its audience. That was one of the appeals to Yasmeen Fletcher, who plays Nakia in Ms. Marvel, as she reveals in an interview with WWD.

    I think the first Marvel movie I watched in theaters was ‘Guardians of the Galaxy. And I’d seen a couple at home before then, but ever since then, I was looking forward to every movie on the edge of my seat, trying to theorize, connect different things. I’ve been a huge fan, so this was the dream call, basically

    Yasmeen Fletcher

    She also shares how she got the role of Ms. Marvel, especially highlighting that it was a friend of hers that got her into the original comics before she tried to get an audition with the help of her manager.

    A friend of mine who’s a huge Marvel fan was, like, ‘There’s this comic series that I think you would really like. I think it’s something that you’d relate to. Then when the rumor for the show came out, I sped to my computer to email my manager and be, like, ‘If there’s any possibility of me being a part of this in any way, please, I would love to be a part of this.

    Yasmeen Fletcher

    In a surprising twist, it seems that even after auditioning she didn’t initially get the role. Her manager had to tell her that they passed on her only for two weeks later to get the call where they decided for her to take on the role after all.

    After doing the test, I texted my manager and told her how it went and the next day she called me and was, like, ‘So bad news. You actually didn’t get the part. It’s not going for you, they’re still looking, I’m so sorry.’ And that was world ending, devastating,” she says. “So for two weeks, I was completely convinced that I didn’t get the part and it wasn’t going [to] me, and then out of the blue, I got a call from my manager again, saying, like, ‘Hey, in a really strange turn of events, it’s coming right back for you.’

    Yasmeen Fletcher

    It definitely sounds like it was a rollercoaster to join the Marvel project, but she highlights how much it meant to her to take on this role in the past. It’ll be interesting to see how her character’s story unfolds in the series as we get a clearer look throughout the next few episodes and how Nakia’s own pursuits may stand out throughout the season.

    Source: WWD

  • James Gunn Teases “Absolutely Ridiculous”Guardians of the Galaxy’ Holiday Special

    James Gunn Teases “Absolutely Ridiculous”Guardians of the Galaxy’ Holiday Special

    We’ve all wondered how the upcoming The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special might turn out. It’s very different from what Marvel has done before and we’ve already gotten a tease of a more lighthearted storyline with projects like Hawkeye. Its Christmas setting did offer something fun and if James Gunn is anything to go by, it seems that the next Guardians of the Galaxy special will be much of the same.

    He talks about the upcoming series in an interview with Deadline, where he reveals that we can expect a “very light and bubbly and fun” Disney+ special. Yet, what truly stands out is that he even describes it as “ridiculous.” So, it looks like he had a blast making it and we might get something very special that makes even the Guardians franchise stand out once again as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Yes, the Holiday Special is very light and bubbly and fun and just absolutely ridiculous, so I think that’s great.

    James Gunn

    It’s definitely going to be interesting just how James Gunn interprets a Holiday Special and just how insane it might get with a cast as the Guardians films have. He’s teased some new faces will also appear, and it’s unclear how it might lead into the third part, but it definitely feels like we’ll have a blast watching whatever he and his crew have put together. Who knows if he may accidentally redefine what makes a Holiday Special the way it is.

    Source: Deadline

  • James Gunn Will Tackle ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 After Wrapping Up ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

    James Gunn Will Tackle ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 After Wrapping Up ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

    We’ve all wondered when James Gunn may tackle the next season of Peacemaker. The director has been quite busy not only working on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 but also has the Holiday Special heading to Disney+ on the horizon. He’s also been teasing quite a few other DC properties that he is currently developing. So, it’s no joke when one says that the director is quite busy.

    In an interview with Deadline, the director not only teased the upcoming Disney+ special based around the Guardians of the Galaxy but also confirmed that once he’s wrapped up work on these projects, he’ll tackle the second season of Peacemaker. He doesn’t offer a specific timeframe but it does seem like he may tackle the project once he’s wrapped up most of the work on the franchise, which is eyeing a May release next year.

    Yes, the Holiday Special is very light and bubbly and fun and just absolutely ridiculous, so I think that’s great. And then we’re going on to do Peacemaker Season 2.

    James Gunn

    With a character like Peacemaker, Gunn has all the freedom he needs to create a story that can go in any direction. After saving the world, the former villain may be riding high and has no idea that a new assignment is just on the horizon. He’s haunted by the ghost of his past actions and who knows how that may play into his story moving forward. So, we’ll see what the future has in store for the character once cameras start rolling on the project.

    Source: Deadline