Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘The Acolyte’ Takes Place Long Before the Prequel Trilogy

    ‘The Acolyte’ Takes Place Long Before the Prequel Trilogy

    With the Star Wars Celebration on the horizon, a new piece by Vanity Fair has given us a plethora of information on what the future has in store for Star Wars fans, most notably updates on the mysterious The Acolyte Disney+ series. Showrunner Leslye Headland offered a tease of what and when the series will take place.

    In the Vanity Fair interview, she reveals that The Acolyte takes place around 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace. So, it looks like we’re about to enter a new era that hasn’t been explored yet in a live-action adaptation so far.

    A lot of those characters haven’t even been born yet. We’re taking a look at the political and personal and spiritual things that came up in a time period that we don’t know much about. My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like, ‘Well, how did things get to this point?’ How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?”

    Leslye Headland

    She goes on to highlight the series as a mystery thriller during what seems like a “peaceful era,” which she coins as the “Age of Enlightenment.”

    We actually use the term the Renaissance, or the Age of Enlightenment. The Jedi uniforms are gold and white, and it’s almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about. “The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that’s how little they’re getting into skirmishes.

    Leslye Headland

    It definitely sounds like we’re going to explore an era similar to the High Republic but one that is in the middle of shifting into a new era that has a dark foreboding future for the Jedi.

    Source: Vanity Fair

  • RUMOR: Live-Action ‘Captain Carter’ Project in Development

    RUMOR: Live-Action ‘Captain Carter’ Project in Development

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has given us a plethora of cameos that gave us a window into a different reality where the Avengers never formed but rather the Illuminati. Amongst its members were some heavy hitters from Marvel comics history, such as Black Bolt, Charles Xavier, and Mr. Fantastic. Yet, we also got the return of Captain Carter, a Variant we were first introduced to in What If…? with Haley Atwell returning to the role. While she pretty much headlined the first animated Marvel Studios animated series, it seems she might get a series or film of her own.

    As shared in The DisInsider Show‘s Rumor of the Week segment, Derek Cornell has unveiled some details regarding a potential Captain Carter series or film. While they seem to believe heavily in the former, they don’t rule out that a film could also result from her appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    Hot off of Doctor Strange 2 and What If…?, we are hearing not for sure if it’s a series, but we’re hearing a Captain Carter live-action series. Series or movie, but something is in the works, live-action will be coming.

    Derek Cornell

    If you’re wondering how she would return given she’s only half the woman she was before, it’s very likely they’d revisit the concept in another part of the multiverse. The animated version isn’t the same one we saw in Multiverse of Madness. As such, there are a lot of opportunities to revisit these characters in different versions across the multiverse, even if it might become quite confusing for viewers.

    Source: YouTube

  • Iman Vellani on How ‘Ms. Marvel’ is a “More Lighthearted” Marvel Studios Series

    Iman Vellani on How ‘Ms. Marvel’ is a “More Lighthearted” Marvel Studios Series

    When we got the first trailer for Ms. Marvel, it looked like the series was fully embracing its high school aesthetic. Teenagers facing their usual challenges but with the added bonus of Iman Vellani‘s Kamala Khan becoming a superhero and being a Pakistani-American. In a new interview with Zavvi, the young actress highlights their approach and teases a “more lighthearted” Marvel Studios series.

    It is John Hughes-esque mixed with Lady Bird and Scott Pilgrim. It’s a lot more lighthearted than the other shows. We showcase that being a teenager is awkward, corny, and weird.

    Iman Vellani

    She goes on to highlight that the series is going to be quite self-aware of the fact that it explores the challenges of “growing up” and when the smallest issues feel like the world is falling apart around you.

    We are self-aware of how cheesy the show gets sometimes, but when you are growing up everything is so heightened – your emotions, crushes, friendships – it all feels so new. Minor inconveniences also feel like the end of the world.

    Iman Vellani

    The Ms. Marvel creative team also wanted to ensure that they are as authentic as possible. To accomplish that very task, they’ve enlisted the help of the cast who are fresh out of high school to bring in their lived experiences of what it’s like being a modern teenager.

    The creators and directors have done a great job in working with the cast, asking us to share our experiences and bring ourselves to the characters. It was very collaborative. We are pretty young and just come out of high school, so that made the show as authentic as possible.

    Iman Vellani

    It definitely sounds like we’ll fully embrace the high school storytelling in this series, something we’ve gotten a glimpse of in Spider-Man: Homecoming as well. It’ll be interesting to see the difference between these projects as they showcase the different lived experiences of teenagers.

    Source: Zavvi

  • New ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Image May Have Offered a First Look at ‘Black Panther’s Bast

    New ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Image May Have Offered a First Look at ‘Black Panther’s Bast

    A new image has been making its way through the Internet featuring a new look at King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Mighty Thor (Natalie Portman). It’s unclear where they are but it does seem like some kind of meeting is taking place. What stands out, however, is a third character is included in the image. Everyone is sitting on a throne of some kind with our two main heroines sitting on one that seems to reflect where they are from. The Egyptian-inspired design and the cat ears on their helmet may be a signifier that this is our first look at the Goddess Bast, who we first met in Black Panther’s iconic opening as a giant panther.

    There was a leak that the character would be played by an actress named Akosia Sabet on Showcase. So, there’s a high chance that she might appear, especially if Gorr the God Butcher is making his god butchering grand tour. Still, it’s not a definite confirmation and only the design is a real hint at who this character might be. There’s a chance it could be someone completely different, but there are enough hints to make the connection. She’s had a humanoid form in the comics as well, and it wouldn’t be too surprising she could change between that and her giant Panther form in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well.

    Image

    The Egyptian design also hints at the connection due to Bast actually being part of the Egyptian pantheon. We’ve never fully explored her history and how she came in contact with the first man to become Black Panther and who would eventually found Wakanda. Perhaps we get a tease in the film in a conversation between her and Valkyrie. For now, it’s still speculation but it’s certainly interesting if she was indeed accidentally revealed with this new image. There’s also the question if this segment or shot makes it into the final cut.

  • Amber Heard Confirms Her Role as Mera Was “Reduced a Bunch” in ‘Aquaman 2’

    Amber Heard Confirms Her Role as Mera Was “Reduced a Bunch” in ‘Aquaman 2’

    There’s been a lot of discussions surrounding Amber Heard‘s role in the upcoming Aquaman sequel. As Johnny Depp had to leave the Fantastic Beasts sequel as production started, many were surprised that Heard was still on board for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. As it turns out, Warner Bros. didn’t want her on the production and she fought for joining.

    During the proceedings of their lawsuit, she was asked about her involvement with the Aquaman sequel, where she confirmed that she had to fight “really hard to stay in the movie.”

    I have. I fought really hard to stay in the movie. They didn’t want to include me in the film.

    Amber Heard

    While she managed to stay on board for the production, after all, it seems her role had been quite minimized. She goes on to highlight that her role was “very pared-down version” of the initial script as they reworked it throughout production.

    I was given a script. Then given new versions of the script that had taken away scenes that had action in it, that depicted my character and another character, without giving spoilers away, two characters fighting with one another. They basically took a bunch out of my role. They just removed a bunch.

    Amber Heard

    It definitely sounds like Warner Bros. was in a no-win situation if she fought for remaining in the film even as they tried to take a step back from Heard due to the allegations, especially the PR and the current legal battle. We’ll see just how much of her role made it into the film and what that may mean for the Aquaman sequel.

    Source: YouTube via Reddit

  • ‘Marvel’s Midnight Suns’ Gets Rating in South Korea, Hints at Release Soon

    ‘Marvel’s Midnight Suns’ Gets Rating in South Korea, Hints at Release Soon

    While most attention has been on Marvel’s Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy game as of late, the upcoming XCOM-inspired Midnight Suns has been a bit dormant. Due to some delays, it was unclear when we might expect the game to release, which will feature a wide variety of Marvel characters facing off against Lilith and the revived HYDRA. The player will take on the character only known as Hunter, who they can customize throughout the game’s playtime. A Redditor by the name of u/LongJonSllver has uncovered a rating in South Korea for the game, which may hint at a release date soon.

    Normally, rating boards are only assigned when a game is near completion and they are on their way to finalizing the project. There’s been no word if the game has gone gold yet, but it does add to the speculation that a new announcement may be on the horizon.

    Normally, rating boards are only assigned when a game is near completion and they are on their way to finalizing the project. There’s been no word if the game has gone gold yet, but it does add to the speculation that a new announcement may be on the horizon. XCOM developer Firaxis is working on the game, which started making the rounds ahead of last year’s E3 event. There are supposedly some unannounced characters for the game. So, we’ll see if they may also get their time in the spotlight once more details are revealed on its upcoming release.

    Source: Reddit via VGC

  • ‘The Marvel’s Composer Also Worked on ‘Ms. Marvel’s Score

    ‘The Marvel’s Composer Also Worked on ‘Ms. Marvel’s Score

    It looks like Laura Karpman has been quite busy, as Variety has just revealed that she composed the score for Ms. Marvel, which will make its debut in just a few weeks. The five-time Emmy winner has worked on a variety of projects such as HBO’s Lovecraft Country and also worked on the MCU projects What If…? and will be busy with next year’s The Marvels. Her working on both projects where Iman Vellani will take on the role of Kamala Khan is quite interesting and might add some nice connective tissue between them. She shares her enthusiasm for joining the project in the following statement:

    I am thrilled to be a part of a wonderfully diverse team that is bringing Kamala Khan off the pages of her comic book and into your homes this June. She is an epic superhero hailing from a rich musical heritage that was a joy to be immersed in.

    Laura Karpman

    It definitely seems like they want to keep some connectivity between these projects, especially with Ms. Marvel potentially building into the upcoming MCU film. It’ll b interesting to see how they might also differentiate between each other, but given the fact, Captain Marvel plays a key role in the young Pakistani-American’s growing role into a superhero, it wouldn’t be surprising if we get the newest rendition of her theme song in the film. So, we’ll get a tase of what’s to come in June luckily.

    Source: Variety

  • RUMOR: ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Almost Featured Ghost Rider, Magneto, and More

    RUMOR: ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Almost Featured Ghost Rider, Magneto, and More

    At this point, it’s hard to say who hasn’t been rumored to appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While it has been pointed out in the past that some rumored cameos weren’t ever truly on the board outside of early talks, most notably Tom Cruise as Iron Man, a new rumor is adding some more fuel to the fire to what may have been left on the cutting room floor throughout the film#s production. The Weekly Planet podcast’s James Clement has reportedly shared a few more members of the Marvel multiverse that may have appeared.

    So somebody sent me a list of five characters that were going to be in this movie that were cut… So apparently, yeah, the Wanda killing MCU Mordo, that was real. That was going to happen. Michael Fassbender was going to turn up as Magneto… I said [to my source], ‘Were any of these filmed?’ And this person said, ‘Filmed but ultimately cut from the theatrical version,’ which is what my source relates… Balder the Brave as mentioned, though not given a name… Ghost Rider, which is very interesting as a member of the Illuminati.

    James Clement

    He goes on to highlight that he was going to fight Wanda as well, but even he couldn’t truly survive the onslaught that is Wanda’s fury in Multiverse of Madness. There’s no word, however, if this would’ve been Nicolas Cage reprising his role as Ghost Rider. The mention of Balder the Great was hinted at being the role that Daniel Craig originally was going to tackle. He also goes on to highlight that Deadpool was going to be part of a post-credit sequence.

    He was going to fight Wanda and probably die… and Deadpool was going to be in the post-credits scene.

    James Clement

    So, it’s a little hard to chew that they would film entire sequences but end up just leaving it on the cutting room floor, especially if they managed to get Michael Fassbender to film sequences as Magneto. It also seems unlikely that they would film these sequences and not include them, but the wording could hint at a bonus for the digital release, or perhaps even for an additional theatrical release to give the film the last push to reach a billion. For now, we’ll have to see if anything about this rumor is true.

    Source: YouTube via The Direct

  • David Tennant Spotted in Newly Leaked ‘Doctor Who’ Set Photos

    David Tennant Spotted in Newly Leaked ‘Doctor Who’ Set Photos

    Shortly after the announcement dropped that not only will David Tennant return to Doctor Who alongside Catherine Tate, we’ve already gotten our first look at his Doctor on the set for the new season. What stands out is that we see him alongside the 13th’s TARDIS, which may hint at it possibly being the 10th Doctor catching up with Jodie Whitaker’s version or he may actually be an in-between regeneration before Ncuti Gatwa takes on the role. The photos are shared by Twitter user @_PigginTeaBreak.

    There’s also another shot featuring Tennant in a new coat, or it may just be a better close-up of the one he was wearing, which was obscured due to the distance the photos were taken, as shared by @BadWolfArchives.

    https://twitter.com/BadWolfArchives/status/1526235014664527873

    There’s a lot we don’t know yet about what the new season of Doctor Who will have in store for us. It almost seems like it’ll be a crossover of multiple versions of the Doctor meeting each other, similar to the 50th anniversary. yet, they could also take it into a different direction and Tennant becomes an in-between version where he returns to an identity of an older version of himself. While it’s not something that has been done before, it would create a unique position for this new generation of Doctor to switch between older versoins of himself.

    Source: Twitter

  • 3 New ‘Silent Hill’ Titles in Development

    3 New ‘Silent Hill’ Titles in Development

    Just recently, we shared leaked photos from what is supposedly the new mainline Silent Hill revival. It’s been quite a long time since the last entry in the franchise, which was Silent Hill: Downfall back in 2012. So, many have been hoping to see one of the most influential horror franchises make a grand return, and it seems that Konami is cooking up quite a bit for the franchise’s revival.

    According to Video Game Chronicles, there are currently not one but three games in development. This adds to recent leaks by journalist Jeff Grubb and influencer NateTheHate adding to the possibility of these projects in development. It seems that Bloober is the one working actively on one of the new Silent Hill entries. This may be a remake of Silent Hill 2 is in some form of development, which will feature “reworked AI, animations, puzzles and several new endings” with a PlayStation exclusive release planned for a limited time.

    In addition, we have a new mainline game and an episodic series of “short stories” in some form of development. It seems Until Dawn’s Supermassive might have been in talks before creating the concept for the Dark Pictures anthology. Annapurna Interactive may now be the one involved with the new episode project, but there have seemingly been many in some form of discussion. For now, there’s hope we could see something later this year.

    Source: VGC