Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Namor Was Considered as a Member of ‘Doctor Strange 2’s Illuminati, But Marvel Studios “Has Other Plans for Him”

    Namor Was Considered as a Member of ‘Doctor Strange 2’s Illuminati, But Marvel Studios “Has Other Plans for Him”

    There has been an ongoing wait for confirmation that Namor will make his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s been months since the first rumors hit the web that he’ll play an antagonistic role in the upcoming Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever. Yet, while there still hasn’t been an official statement, it seems that he may have also almost made his debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as part of the multiverse’s Illuminati.

    In an interview with Variety, the film’s writer Michael Waldron has revealed that they have considered including Namor in their line-up. He was a founding member in the comics, which makes him a fitting addition but it looks like the studio had “other plans” for the character anyway and that is why he wasn’t prioritized.

    [We] talked about him, because he’s certainly an original member of the Illuminati. But I think Marvel has other plans for him in the MCU. And so he didn’t make his way in this particular movie.

    Michael Waldron

    He does highlight that Kevin Feige had a big part in even making the castings possible and bringing the team together, as they developed the idea.

    That’s kind of a combination of us putting forth, “Well, what if we did this?” But also, Kevin’s as excited about this stuff as we are, so sometimes those ideas are coming from Kevin saying, “Well, what if we got so and so? I’m gonna do it! I’m gonna make the call!” So he’s as excited about all that stuff as any of us. It’s a big, geeky team effort to see what we can assemble for that team.

    Michael Waldron

    It’ll be interesting to see what my head our way and if the Illuminati even have a future beyond this film, especially given Strange’s encounter with them. Who knows if it also was meant to indirectly set up some elements moving forward but it does seem like a very self-contained element of the story to also poke fun at some of the fan requests of randomly adding characters. Still, the fact that we have further hints that Namor is going to appear somewhere else helps solidify his upcoming debut.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’s Writer Teases Wanda’s Fate After that Ending

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’s Writer Teases Wanda’s Fate After that Ending

    It’s crazy to think that after all that time, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has finally been released in theaters. Wanda Maxmioff continued down a darker path since she got her hands on the Darkhold but still found it in herself to try and make up for her actions after a confrontation with Doctor Strange and America Chavez. As the film came to a close, she did one last heroic move to ensure that no one else would ever fall victim to the evil that lurks within the Darkhold.

    Yet, it seemingly came at the cost of her life as the tower of worship came crumbling down upon her. We do briefly see a curious red flash that may indicate that she somehow made it out alive but nothing concrete. luckily, in an interview with Variety, Doctor Strange and Loki scribe Michael Waldron teased what her fate may have ended up being.

    I think that’s up for interpretation. She made some kind of sacrificial act that destroyed the Darkhold in every universe, which is protecting Wanda in every universe from being seduced by the Darkhold. Whether she’s dead or not remains to be seen. I know what it’s like to love characters and to not want them to be gone and to hate when they do bad things. But that’s that’s part of the fun of watching stuff and getting swept up in it.

    Michael Waldron

    He definitely makes a good point about the joys of seeing these characters evolve. It does seem likely that Wanda will return in the future, but the question is where her character will be. We may be entering her final redemption arc as she uncovers the truth behind her past and perhaps uncovers a new layer to the Scarlet Witch that wasn’t kept within the Darkhold’s pages. There’s a lot of potential and it certainly seems like Elizabeth Olsen is on board if they are planning any future projects.

    Source: Variety

  • REPORT: ‘Rogue One’s Death Troopers to Return in ‘Andor’ Disney+ Series

    REPORT: ‘Rogue One’s Death Troopers to Return in ‘Andor’ Disney+ Series

    All eyes are right now on Obi-Wan Kenobi, as the six-part limited series is about to release in just a few weeks. Of course, the excitement is big to see the return of Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen in their iconic roles. Yet, that’s not all heading our way this year, as we also have the Rogue One prequel series, Andor, heading our way and it seems some familiar Stormtrooper designs will make their grand return.

    According to Bespin Bulletin, we will not only see the Death Troopers return, but also Mudtroopers. The former will appear in a sequence alongside white officers, but there’s been no word if we might see the return of Ben Mendelsohn‘s Director Krennic. There’s a good chance that they are simply remaining consistent that the Death Troopers work for high-ranking officers of the Imperial Security Bureau. They are also supposedly joined by Mudtroopers, but no further details are offered.

    The Death Troopers may be one of the most iconic designs for the many iterations of Stormtroopers we’ve seen over the years. While it’s still a shame we aren’t exploring the life of a Stormtrooper in a series, perhaps we’ll see Cassian Andor infiltrating the Empire as a Stormtrooper, which leads to some interactions between him and others. We may also find out more about what exactly the function of Death Troopers is, as their name does give a big hint on what they’re most known for. We’re still waiting for a release date for the series, but it seems likely that it may follow once Ms. Marvel is released its finale on Disney+ going by the current release.

    Source: Bespin Bulletin

  • Devon Sawa Returns to Syfy’s ‘Chucky’ Season 2 as a New Character

    Devon Sawa Returns to Syfy’s ‘Chucky’ Season 2 as a New Character

    If you thought Chucky was unkillable, it seems the same could be said of actor Devon Sawa. After being killed twice in the first season of the new Chucky Syfy series, he’ll return in the next entry as well. After playing the now dead twins, Logan and Lucas Wheeler, he will take on a new role in the second season. The actor shared a video where he read his invitation to return, which was written in a way that Chucky sent him the letter.

    I don’t usually make these videos but I just wanted to read this email from my costar, so you can see what I go through,” explains Sawa in the clip. “It says, ‘Dear Gavin Sawa, I hope this email finds you well, I just want you to know that the only reason that you’re here is because I allowed it. Have a great season 2. Love, Chucky. P.S. Just kidding, you suck.

    Gavin Sawa

    Sawa has quite a history with horror films, as he’s also appeared in Final Destination, Black Friday, and many more films. It also looks like he left quite an impression with show creator Don Mancini, the creator of the Chucky‘s main character. He’s had the habit of recasting actors in the past, such as Jennifer Tilly not only playing the doll’s girlfriend Tiffany Valentine but even a version of herself.

    Fiona Dourif, the daughter of Chucky voice actor Brad Dourif, also played Nica Pierce in the 2013 film Curse of Chucky but went on to appear in the first season as the human form of the original serial killer that would become Chucky, Charles Lee Ray. So, Mancini has his fun with bringing actors back in creative ways.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Michelle Yeoh is Joined by ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Co-Star in ‘American Born Chinese’

    Michelle Yeoh is Joined by ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Co-Star in ‘American Born Chinese’

    The cast of the new Disney+ series American Born Chinese continues to grow, as it has now added Stephanie Hsu in a guest-starring role. The series will reunite her with Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, who worked on the indie hit Everything Everywhere All at Once. The series will adapt the graphic novel of Gene Luen Yang, which explores the struggles of a teenager named Jin Wang (Ben Wang), as he tries to balance being at high school as an immigrant child. His meeting with foreign exchange student Weih-Chen, played by Jim Liu, will change his life as their worlds collide.

    Hsu will take on the role of the Goddess of Stones, Shiji Niangniang. She works in a jewelry shop with her magical doll. Yeoh is playing auntie Guanyin, who is trying to help her nephew navigate American school life, but also hiding the fact that she is the Buddhist bodhisattva of Compassion. Quan is taking on the role of Freddy Wong, who is a fictional character from a 1990s sitcom.

    The project is quite an exciting one, as it further explores some interesting concepts of identity and our place in the world. While it will include some mystical elements, the original graphic novel kept its strong focus on its two leads, as they explore what it’s like having similar backgrounds but different upbringings. It will be exciting to see how they also take elements from the original, as live-action adaptations still try to keep some visual flourishes from the things they are adapting.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Originally Included a Kang Reference

    ‘Moon Knight’ Originally Included a Kang Reference

    Loki set up the big bad of the multiversal conflict in He Who Remains, who is actually a Variant of Kang the Conqueror. We did get a good look at a statue of Jonathan Majors wearing the iconic look from the comics. We know he’ll make an appearance in the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp sequel but was surprisingly absent in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Though, it seems that he was originally going to be referenced in Moon Knight according to head writer Jeremy Slater.

    There was a line in the script, and I don’t know if it survived. I can’t remember. But there was a line where, I think Steven, is sort of rattling off some Egyptian history that he has locked away in his brain, and he did mention Rama-Tut. I don’t remember if that scene, if that line is still in the show or not. But it was that small, it was him mentioning a list of famous pharaohs or something like that. But that was Nick Pepin, one of our executives at Marvel, that was his idea to sort of slip that in there as a fun Easter egg.

    Jeremy Slater

    There was a visual reference that was still included that seemed like it was taken from the comics, but you don’t get a good enough look at what it is. The fact we may explore Kang’s time as Rama-Tut would be quite interesting, and hopefully, we’ll see a lot more of his many Variants in the future, as He Who Remains was only one of many. For now, we’ll have to wait but Kang’s future role in the MCU is definitely going to be an exciting one.

    Source: The Direct

  • Taika Waititi Praises Russell Crowe’s Zeus in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Taika Waititi Praises Russell Crowe’s Zeus in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Some time ago, Russell Crowe flat out talked about his role as Zeus in the upcoming Marvel Studios film, Thor: Love and Thunder. While the trailers are still keeping his face a secret, they did tease their take on the Greek’s God of Thunder. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Taika Waititi praised his friend and teased that the film will feature “a way you’ve never seen Russell before.” He goes on to highlight that:

    I consider Russell a friend, and I forget that there are some friends I have who are really incredible at what they do. [laugh] When I was on set with Russell, I was like, ‘Oh shit, that’s right! You’re Russell Crowe! You’re a really amazing actor.’

    Taika Waititi

    It’s definitely great to see him enjoy his work with his friends and it definitely was Waititi’s connections that probably convinced Croew to give the film a shot. It’s unclear what exactly his future is going to be in the MCU, especially if he appeared as a god in a film that features Gorr the God Butcher. Though, hopefully, we get to enjoy the confrontation between Thor and Zeus, who both wield lightning and thunder. It wouldn’t be too surprising if they try to one-up each other while they share the screen.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Taika Waititi Describes ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ as a “Midlife Crisis Film”

    Taika Waititi Describes ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ as a “Midlife Crisis Film”

    Thor: Love and Thunder‘s trailer promised a very different kind of film, as Taika Waititi takes Thor down a more personal story. Even as he travels the galaxy with the Guardians, he’s slowly losing his warrior spirit and is trying to take a step back. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the director talks about how the film stands out from his last entry, Thor: Ragnarok.

    Ragnarok felt a bit like a party. It was quite festive. This one is still fun, and it’s got moments of being over the top, but thematically, it’s about something a bit deeper than the last film. It’s not a serious film, and it’s not a drama, but we do deal with ideas that I think a lot of humans deal with — universal themes about love and loss and our place in the world. Everyone sort of asks this question in the film: What is your purpose? What is the reason that you’re a hero, and what do you do when you have these powers.

    Taika Waititi

    Waititi goes on to highlight how different his approach was towards Thor: Love and Thunder, as he views it as a “midlife crisis film” for Thor, which was hinted at in the trailer.

    It’s sort of like a midlife crisis film, really. That’s the question we ask everyone: Are we doing the right thing, and are we doing all we can in the world? I think right now, while the world is still healing from this pandemic, it’s a good question to ask. It’s like, well, are we doing enough to look after each other and to look after ourselves.

    Taika Waititi

    It’ll certainly be an interesting idea for a storyline, especially as we already explored PTSD with Iron Man 3. A story about a hero facing his midlife crisis, especially one that also further explores a romantic outing for that hero, could make for a very different style of story. The trailer already hints at it being a very different kind of Marvel film, which continues Phase 4’s re-exploration of its heroes in a post-Endgame world. Here’s hoping the next trailer offers a better look.

    Source: EW

  • ‘West Side Story’s Ariana DeBose Joins ‘Westworld’ Season 4

    ‘West Side Story’s Ariana DeBose Joins ‘Westworld’ Season 4

    Westworld has hit the jackpot, as they have added West Side Story actress and Oscar winner Ariana DeBose in the fourth season. The actress has been on a hot streak after winning a Golden Globa, a SAG Award, and an Oscar for her performance as Anita in the Steven Spielberg remake of the classic musical. So, it’s no wonder that any project is trying to get her to join and it seems Westworld won out.

    Sadly, details on her character remained undisclosed, but she will have a recurring guest star role throughout the series’ upcoming season. The news is also perfectly timed, as we just got the teaser trailer for the fourth season, which is given a vague description as “a dark odyssey about the fate of sentient life on earth.” The trailers highlight just how far the series came from its initial season of a robot-filled Western holiday park.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-0MwZPWKD4&feature=emb_title

    DeBose is a fantastic addition and it’ll be interesting to see how her character plays into the story. She joins an already stacked cast that includes Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Aaron Paul, Angela Sarafyan, Luke Hemsworth, and Thandiwe Newton. We’ll see if we get more teases and cast additions as the show continues to build up to its upcoming season’s release.

    Source: THR, YouTube

  • John Krasinski-led ‘Jack Ryan’ Series to End With Season 4, Spinoff in Development

    John Krasinski-led ‘Jack Ryan’ Series to End With Season 4, Spinoff in Development

    Here’s a surprise, it looks like the popular adaptation of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan will come to an end with its fourth season on Amazon Prime. John Krasinski was leading the series and also is an executive producer role, as he continues work on the final season that is currently being filmed. While it will end the series that Paramount TV Studios, Skydance TV, and Amazon Studios have been working on for a while, they are currently already eyeing a spinoff series.

    It seems that the character of Domingo “Ding” Chavez, who will be played by Michael Peña, will get his own series to further continue the Tom Clancy franchise. He’ll be introduced in the season finale of Season 3 and become a full-time cast member in its final season. It seems that these won’t release for some time and it is the reason that the third season hasn’t received a release date just yet. According to Deadline, it seems that we shouldn’t expect a new season by 2023.

    The interesting surprise comes from the fact that Krasinski has seemingly signed on for four seasons from the get-go. So, they may have mapped out this upcoming season as its end for some time now. There have been many Jack Ryan’s in the past, who was played by Chris Pine, Ben Affleck, Harrison Ford, and Alec Baldwin. While it was a big role to step in, Krasinski also took on a bigger role throughout his work on the series, as he also took on a showrunner-esque role in the latter seasons. For now, we can only continue to wait for more details as they continue to work on the series.

    Source: Deadline