Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘Deadpool 3’ Writer Talk Marvel Studios Being ‘Supportive’ of the Film’s R-Rating

    ‘Deadpool 3’ Writer Talk Marvel Studios Being ‘Supportive’ of the Film’s R-Rating

    There was a mixed feeling in the air when it was announced that a third Deadpool film was in development. On the one hand, we’re getting Ryan Reynolds back as the loveable fourth-wall-breaking mercenary but some believed that Marvel Studios’ usual PG-13 ratings wouldn’t allow for it to get added. Yet, it turns out that isn’t the case at all, as Marvel Studios President promised Deadpool 3 will be the MCU’s first R-rated project.

    Den of Geek got a chance to talk to the film’s writers, who are taking over from Bob’s Burgers Wendy Molyneaux and Lizzie Molyneau-Loeglin‘s first draft, after having written the previous two entries. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are thrilled to tackle the jokes that the MCU offers, and be back with Reynolds to bring the film to life. They are also joined by a new face as Shawn Levy is taking over directing duties for the project.

    It’s an absolute thrill to have the band back together, to have a new backdrop in the MCU with new characters, new villains, that kind of thing. You know, it’s never a marriage we necessarily saw coming—Fox and Disney, that was an external thing [separate] from our storytelling process. But we’re absolutely finding the serendipity and the gold in that situation, or we’re trying to.

    Rhett Reese

    They promise that “Deadpool is gonna be Deadpool” and highlight that Marvel Studios has been very supportive of embracing the character’s R-rated nature.

    Don’t worry about that. They’ve been very supportive with regard to that. Now when it comes to a particular joke, if we cross a line, maybe we’ll hear at some point, ‘Maybe not that joke.’ But I think they’ve been incredibly supportive of what we’re doing, because obviously we were doing it separate from them for a long time, and I think they’ve seen the success and they’ve had their own even greater success. So hopefully it’ll be a marriage made in heaven. But we’ve definitely got their support, and that’s a great thing to feel.

    Rhett Reese

    It’s great to see that they aren’t shying away from anything and will very likely keep the meta-jokes that’ll now focus a bit more on the MCU. The fact it’s the same character from the 20th Century Fox franchise also expands the way they tackle the character and how he may find himself in the new cinematic universe with his usual perchance of comedy.

    Source: Den of Geek

  • Kevin Feige Shares Why ‘Ms. Marvel’ Became a Disney+ Show

    Kevin Feige Shares Why ‘Ms. Marvel’ Became a Disney+ Show

    Disney+ has become a way for Marvel Studios to further explore different stories that they may otherwise not have had the chance to do so. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is expanding in interesting ways with new characters getting introduced to further expand the potential stories to tell on the small and big screen. Yet, we never fully know when and who gets the cinematic or streaming treatment.

    In the series’ official press event, Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige talks about why they generally decided to tackle Kamala Khan and how they’ve been asked to bring her to live-action ever since the initial comic was released.

    Why not I say! I mean, honestly, at Marvel, it is such a privileged, because not only are there reinterpretations every few years of existing wonderful characters. Every once in a while, almost every decade or so, there’s a new character that comes around that catches the audience’s imagination. This character clearly did that and as I said to some people on the red carpet last night: Almost form the first few issues, people started asking us in environments like this when is Kamala Khan coming.

    Kevin Feige

    He goes on to highlight that it was part of their plans to introduce her through Disney+ and set up an appearance in a feature film, which we now know is The Marvels. Not just that, but Feige also revealed what his true goal is with these series and introducing new characters to the franchise.

    So, t always seemed inevitable in a great way that we would be able to do it. When Disney+ came around, it really us the opportunity to do what we really wanted to do and tell her full story in six episodes and have her transition into a feature. [..] I am so proud of bringing new characters to the screen and not just telling reinterpretations of characters that people have seen for decades and decades. And I think that’s important. I want people who never even considered a Marvel Studios feature before to be excited and watch this show.

    Kevin Feige

    Of course, he also jokingly adds for them to watch the others, which isn’t uncommon. There are people that find themselves introduced into the franchise through a specific new series, and that becomes their gateway to explore the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We learned back in May that an Egyptian director Mohamed Diab stated that his home country saw Moon Knight as their Black Panther, which highlights what Marvel Studios is currently accomplishing with these projects.

  • ‘Jurassic World’ Kicks Off Strong Internationally As ‘Top Gun Maverick’ Passes $200M in the US

    ‘Jurassic World’ Kicks Off Strong Internationally As ‘Top Gun Maverick’ Passes $200M in the US

    Top Gun Maverick will end the day passing $200M as it pulled in a powerful Wednesday with $14.8M, which is a 6% drop. An incredible weekday takes and highlights the power this film has on the word-of-mouth side. It already passed the original’s domestic box office, which stood at $180.2M, and Mission: Impossible‘s $180.9M. Internationally, the film is already on its way towards $400M and may even pass $500M by Sunday. So, it’ll definitely be a contender for the top release for the summer.

    The film has seen a younger draw, which is great in addition to the older main crowd, and is now enjoying the fact that 46% of schools closed and 88% of colleges went on break. Its only main competitor that might take a big chunk out of its box office will be the upcoming Jurassic World: Dominion. Speaking of, the film has already pulled in $16.7M on Thursday and is on its way to potentially pull in $50M+ over the weekend internationally.

    It’s only available in a few markets and will release in 44 more once June 10th rolls around. It had a huge opening over in South Korea, and the film is likely to be a big competitor this year. Surprisingly, the only European market it released in was Italy, where it is 75% ahead of Fallen Kingdom. Top Gun is still performing strong internationally, but it may take a bite once it truly releases fully next week. It’s going to be quite interesting to see two giant releases once again compete for the market, which hasn’t been seen at this size since before the pandemic.

    Source: Deadline (Top Gun), Twitter, Deadline (Jurassic World)

  • Marvel Studios Kevin Feige Almost Went to DC After Ike Perlmutter Dispute

    Marvel Studios Kevin Feige Almost Went to DC After Ike Perlmutter Dispute

    Here’s an interesting surprise it looks like the conflict between Kevin Feige, the CEO of Marvel Studios, and Ike Perlmutter, the CEO and Chairman of Marvel, almost led to the MCU producer joining Warner Bros.’ DC department. In a new piece by Puck, they reveal he entered discussions around the mid-2010 as he was facing some issues with Perlmutter, which were quite famously documented. This may have also led to a promotion in 2015 to work with Alan Horn. He would eventually become Marvel Entertainment’s Chief Creative Officer as well while supervising Marvel Studios.

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe definitely wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for Feige’s leading hand, and he’s quite a passionate person about telling these stories. Disney may have faced quite the challenge if he decided to leave, as there aren’t many in the industry that could’ve taken over the vision that was set out. He’s famous for planning in advance where their franchise is heading, and his imprint is definitely on these projects.

    Of course, it’s always strange to think about what could’ve been, and DC may have been very different if he did indeed take over the project. There have been many reports on Ike Perlmutter‘s infamous frugality that has led to many issues. He also established the creative council that led the original projects and strongly restricted what Feige could do, especially when it came to embracing more diverse characters. If you’ve ever wondered why it took so long for a Black Widow film to get going, he’s the one that wouldn’t even let them release toys based on the character.

    Source: Puck via The Direct

  • RUMOR: Amber Heard’s Scenes in ‘Aquaman 2’ May Have been Cut

    RUMOR: Amber Heard’s Scenes in ‘Aquaman 2’ May Have been Cut

    Amber Heard and Johnny Depp‘s trial has been in the news for quite some time. During, there were many reveals regarding her role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, as well as Depp talking about what would’ve been his last Pirates of the Caribbean film. Yet, as Heard didn’t want out of her contract as hoped by Warner Bros., it seems that they may have decided to delete all her scenes in the upcoming Aquaman sequel after all.

    The news comes from Geeks Worldwide’s KC Walsh who shared the tidbit on his Twitter. Of course, there are no details but it does seem like they may have decided to move away from her entirely after already minimizing her role to some extent. It’s unclear how they may write around her absence, but we could see some reshoots in the future if this turns out to be true.

    If they had a meeting, it is very likely in response to the trial and worries from the corporation to draw in any more negative attention. Amber Heard has been the focus of coverage for this trial, especially on Social Media. For now, there’s no official word by Warner Bros. Discovery, which is going through quite a bit of change. So, we’ll see if they will even make an official announcement if this decision has truly been made.

    Source: Twitter

  • Tahar Rahim Joins Dakota Johnson-Led ‘Madame Web’ Cast

    Tahar Rahim Joins Dakota Johnson-Led ‘Madame Web’ Cast

    Sony is moving fast with their upcoming adaptation of the Spider-Man character of Madame Web. After casting Dakota Johnson in the titular role, they swiftly added Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor. Now, the film directed by S.J. Clarkson has added The Serpent‘s Tahar Rahim.

    There’s no word on who exactly he may playing, as we know very little about the way they’ll adapt this character’s comic history. Madame Web is normally an elderly woman that was kept alive through a device that looked like a spider’s web. She had power over the Spider-Verse and became a constant mentor figure for Spidey’s more out-there adventures.

    It seems Sony wants to make her their version of Doctor Strange, but it’ll be interesting to see how they manage to adapt it. There’s a lot of potentials to create an interesting original story around the character, and it seems we shouldn’t expect your typical hero vs. villain structure.

    Sony has been obsessed with building its own Spider-Man universe even as it starts tacking elements from MCU’s playbook due to their Home-themed Spider-Man franchise. No Way Home confirmed that Sony won’t be playing in the same toolbox as them, but it’s also unsure who exactly would carry this franchise potentially.

    Tom Holland remains in his own universe, which is very likely to have a fourth entry on the horizon. So, we can only speculate for now what the future has in store and which Spider-Man this group of anti-heroes may potentially join or fight. As of now, we have no clue how exactly it may fit together just yet.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’s Directors Reveal the Inner Thought Animations Weren’t Part of the Initial Scripts

    ‘Ms. Marvel’s Directors Reveal the Inner Thought Animations Weren’t Part of the Initial Scripts

    There was a lot of excitement when the first trailer dropped for Ms. Marvel, as it seemingly promised what may be Disney+’s most inventive series by Marvel Studios yet. With a fun atmosphere of a young heroine trying to find her place in the world and as a superhero, we also got some creative visualizations that bring her inner thoughts to life. It turns out, this wasn’t part of the initial script.

    Directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah revealed how they had the idea during the Disney+ show’s red carpet premiere. They added the animation as they had the idea to use it as a way to highlight the character’s inner thoughts and further emphasize that she’s a daydreamer.

    We needed to set her up right. That’s why we wanted to add animation to it. It was not in the script, we wanted to get into her head, into her fantasy. We wanted to have an endearing and charming character. And have someone that Muslim girls all over the world can relate to, but also tell that universal story everybondy can feel a connection with.

    Adil El Arbi

    They definitely stood out in the initial trailer and highlight the influences it takes from films like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It would be interesting if they also make their way into future appearances for the character, something that someone like Deadpool might notice and reference. We know she’ll also appear in next year’s The Marvels, which could further build upon her inner thoughts as she’s among the Avengers she’s been idolizing for so long.

    Source: Twitter

  • New ‘Black Adam’ Promo Art Teases a Showdown With Hawkman

    New ‘Black Adam’ Promo Art Teases a Showdown With Hawkman

    It looks like some more promo art for Black Adam has found its way online highlighting the members of the Justice Society of America. Not only that, but it also highlights Black Adam as part of the team. While he seems like an unlikely candidate to join any kind of team, the new promotional images offer a good look at the members of the team, which we previously saw through Funko Pops that don’t highlight every detail these characters will bring to the table. The images were shared by @DCversio1.

    https://twitter.com/dcverso1/status/1532739808031801346?s=21&t=ujGwSqgSnbxre1_IQlFv6Q

    Overall, the costumes look great, and it’ll be interesting to see if we get a full showdown between the heroes with the newfound ally that has his own understanding of what it means to represent justice. ‘One of the promotional material seems to imply that there will be a battle with Hawkman at least.

    https://twitter.com/DCverso1/status/1532740366037835777

    The visual of having the members be highlighted with diamonds while Black Adam is a lightning bolt highlights that he may be among other heroes, he definitely stands out on his own terms. We see a continued highlight of Doctor Fate’s unique mask that seems split down the middle with one side reflecting order and possibly chaos, something our very own John Sabato has noted in the past. Or, he just took a punch from the almighty wielder of the power of Shazam that left quite a sizeable dent in his helmet.

    The introduction of the JSA is also a big moment for DC movies and may highlight there’s more than just the Justice League. We’re still anticipating a trailer that offers us a better look at these heroes in action. Maybe the first trailer teases that very battle for supremacy included in the promo art.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Beats Out ‘Hawkeye’s Overall Viewership on Disney+

    ‘Moon Knight’ Beats Out ‘Hawkeye’s Overall Viewership on Disney+

    There have been some curious statements in the past in regards to Moon Knight‘s overall viewership on Disney+. As SambaTV has not released the numbers for the final episode, many took this as a showcase that the show didn’t quite end on a high note. Yet, Nielsen ratings have revealed that Moon Knight managed to pull in its best viewing in its finale, which is a showcase of how different streaming services develop in comparison to traditional TV.

    The six-episode series took in 715 million minutes from May 2nd to 8th which was the week of its finale. It grew from 681 million in its previous week, and the only small dip it faced was in its fourth week, otherwise, the show has continued to grow in viewership over its six-episode run. Normally, linear TV sees a recurring decrease in viewership over its total run, which may be due to long season formats and ongoing breaks in-between.

    In total, the series pulled in 3.7 billion minutes watched, which puts it between Hawkeye (3.46B) and The Falcon and Winter Soldier (4.15B). The show managed to take in the third spot and beat out competition like Prime Video’s new Outer Range, Bullsh*t: The Game Show, and more. Netflix’s Ozark however was the champion that week. Outer Range took in the fourth spot but was a fair bit behind with 425M viewers, but not a bad performance.

    Moon Knight‘s numbers aren’t something to just scoff at given that the character is the first newly introduced member of the MCU family with little to no connections to the rest. So, it beating out Hawkeye, which already posted some strong numbers is no small feat. The Mandalorian and Loki remain the strongest performers on the app, but we also don’t know if there are other success factors that haven’t been taken into account yet. Still, it seems Marvel Studios is still quite successful with what they produced so far.

    Source: THR

  • New ‘Nope’ Trailer Offers First Look at Alien Ship

    New ‘Nope’ Trailer Offers First Look at Alien Ship

    It looks like a new trailer has dropped for Jorden Peele’s third film, Nope. With a surprisingly simple title, it has left many wondering what exactly it is going to be about as we’ve already seen him tackle some curious out-there concepts. Yet, it looks like theories are being confirmed more and more, as a new trailer seemingly dropped during the NBA finals, which featured the first look at an alien ship from the film, as shared by Fandango’s @ErikDavis.

    The flying saucer looks closer to the cliché version we’ve seen in Hollywood throughout the years. Many theorized that it’ll very likely feature aliens of some kind, as the first trailer included some curious details that hinted at their inclusion. Yet, the trailer was purposefully vague to not give away what exactly is about.

    The new trailer has now yet found its way online. So, we might have to wait a little longer before it gets revealed but it does seem like they are still actively working on it. There were rumors hinting that it may get delayed, as it already has in some select countries. So, we’ll have to wait and see if we get an official announcement.

    The first trailer offered a small glimpse of what might be the alien creatures, but this is our first look at a sequence that was heavily hinted at. We saw Daniel Kaluuya‘s character racing off on his horse with a giant shadow hanging behind him. Now we know what exactly that shadow truly was.

    Source: Twitter