Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘The Batman’ is HBO Max’s Most-Watched DC Film in its First Week

    ‘The Batman’ is HBO Max’s Most-Watched DC Film in its First Week

    The Batman has seemingly set a new record for HBO Max when it joined the service back on April 18th. In its first week, Samba TV has analyzed that 4.1M households have watched the film. What makes this stand out is that it beat out many of the day-to-date releases from last year. It now has outpaced other recent DC releases The Suicide Squad (3.5M) and Wonder Woman 1984 (3.2M). Not only that, but it has also outpaced The Matrix Resurrections (3.2M) and Dune (2.3M) but still takes second place as Mortal Kombat remains at the top with 4.3M.

    Even in comparison to the original release, the film has managed to pass Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which managed to pull in 2.2M US households in its first week. It’s a big showcase of the new model, as not only did the film pull in $754M worldwide but became the service’s second most streamed film. It’ll be interesting to see if future releases will also enjoy a similar trend with the 45-day release window.

    Though, we have to keep in mind that this data is from an external analyst. They don’t include mobile views. So, the numbers could be quite a bit different and the placements may be different, but we’ll never know until the streaming services ever release the full numbers. Still, it offers us some insight into how these projects are performing and what may or may not break these newer models that are still going to dominate the market moving forward.

    Source: Deadline, Box Office Mojo

  • Latest ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Promo May Offer the First Look at the MCU’s Living Tribunal

    Latest ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Promo May Offer the First Look at the MCU’s Living Tribunal

    A new promo has just dropped for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. We’ve gotten a fair bit that continue to tease what the upcoming film has to offer. So far, most of the trailers included small teasers of new footage but nothing truly internet-breaking. Well, that may be until now as we get a new segment of America Chavez and Doctor Strange falling through the multiverse which includes a deep cut from the comics.

    If you look closely, you can see the Living Tribunal in the background. While it is only his head, it’s a surprising inclusion. As we’ve seen this segment in previous trailers, they might be falling through multiple multiverses and they are just a few seconds in the same realm as the Tribunal, but his inclusion highlights that the MCU is embracing the comic elements more and more.

    Surprisingly, this isn’t our first time getting a tease of the Living Tribunal, as the last time it was in the form of an Easter egg during Loki’s iconic fifth episode. The only difference was that it was a stone statue of the Tribunal’s head and the face was covered. So, it seems that Marvel Studios is busy setting up the grander mythology of their universe with the Celestials in Eternals and now the addition of the most powerful beings in the known multiverse.

    You can watch the full promo that was shared on Twitter here:

    Source: Twitter

  • REPORT: First ‘Twisted Metal’ Casting Details Teases Agent Stone

    REPORT: First ‘Twisted Metal’ Casting Details Teases Agent Stone

    Peacock has been busy developing a new series based on the popular PlayStation gaming series Twisted Metal. While it sadly hasn’t quite gotten any momentum in the current generation of consoles, it still was quite the cult favorite. Anthony Mackie is set to spearhead the project from the writing team behind Cobra Kai and Deadpool. In a new report by Illuminerdi, they may have uncovered two iconic characters joining the gaming franchise.

    According to them, they are currently casting two roles for the Peacock series. They are busy looking to cast the characters of Quiet and Agent Stone, who will be series regulars. As the first character’s name implies, they are someone who can’t speak due to growing up not being allowed to talk. Yet, it gave her the possibility to gain a very different insight. She is seemingly an original character.

    Agent Stone, on the other hand, is described as a brutal highway patrolman. It seems he is someone that fully embraced the apocalypse and adores his new lifestyle in the Divided States of America. Unlike Quiet, this character does have a history with the games and is the driver of the Crimson Fury. He was introduced in the original Twisted Metal game from 1995 but was a secret agent looking for an item. It wasn’t until Twisted Metal: Black that we got the version that is closer to the character description.

    It’ll be interesting to see what other familiar faces make their way into the Peacock series. As they are seemingly adding some original characters as well, they may focus on who best adds to the overarching narrative of the project. We still don’t know if Sweet Tooth will make his appearance, who is the most recognizable character from the gaming series.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Rating Teases Horror Elements

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Rating Teases Horror Elements

    The British Board of Film Classification has become an essential part of evaluating productions in the U.K. market. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has now seemingly received a 12A rating, but what stood out is that they also included some descriptions on which they base their rating. Even with this rating, it seems that Sam Raimi’s upcoming film will include quite a few horrific horror sequences as revealed by their description of why it got the rating that it did. It offers our first look at just how far the film will push the envelope for its horror elements.

    If you want to avoid any potential spoilers for the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel, then only continue at your own risk. You have been warned.

    There is one section that highlights injury details such as that one “dead body show some stages of decomposition” which is very likely the zombified Doctor Strange we saw in one of the trailers. That is not all, as one section titled “threat and horror” highlights even more aspects of what we can expect from the upcoming film, which offers some promising horror elements.

    Scenes of horror include demonic beings attacking people; a decomposing corpse being reanimated; people being burned by magical powers, leaving charred remains; and multiple ‘jump scares’. There are also frequent scenes of threat, in which people are pursued by demonic entities and monsters, or threatened with magical torture.

    It sounds very promising that Raimi was given full reign to embrace as many horror elements as he could in the upcoming film. Plus, a concept like a multiverse gives them some creative ways of creating some iconic horror moments. The inclusion of jump scares also highlights that they will dabble in some clichés from the genre and hopefully also set up Marvel Studios to further explore horror stories moving forward.

    Source: BBFC

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’: Deborah Chow Debunks Darth Maul Rumors

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’: Deborah Chow Debunks Darth Maul Rumors

    Some time ago, a rumor hit the internet that Obi-Wan Kenobi was originally going to feature the return of Darth Maul. Yet, as production got ready, they seemingly have removed away from that concept to feature Darth Vader as its main antagonist alongside the connections to the animated series with the live-action debut of the Grand Inquisitor. Yet, showrunner Deborah Chow revealed in an interview with Total Film that this wasn’t the case since she’s been involved with the project.

    As long as I’ve been involved, we’ve never had Darth Maul in any of it. Dave [Filoni] did a beautiful job of telling that story already.

    Deborah Chow

    There could always be a potential discussion if these ideas were very early in the concept stage of the project. Lucasfilm has probably planned on exploring this era for quite some time, and a very early draft may have included Maul before Filoni used that concept in Star Wars: Rebels. They may still have plans for the character moving forward, especially after the tease of his return in Solo, but it’s unclear how exactly they are mapping out their projects.

    Lucasfilm hasn’t been very consistent with promoting their projects and we know very little about their future plans with the franchise. They are expanding with new TV series but we know very little about their theatrical release plans. We also have been seeing a strong focus on the post-Return of the Jedi era. Obi-Wan Kenobi will be the first live-action project to focus on an earlier point of the timeline with Andor following. There’s also the long-rumored High Republic series that may be completely disconnected form the rest.

    Source: Total Film

  • ‘The Batman’ Digital Release Ends ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Five-Week Dominance

    ‘The Batman’ Digital Release Ends ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Five-Week Dominance

    It looks like Spider-Man: No Way Home’s reign of the digital market has now also slowly come to an end. After dominating the top position for five weeks in a row, it has now been toppled to the third spot. The Batman has now taken the top spot of Vudu’s home entertainment chart, as shared by Fandango’s Erik Davis. There have been hints that the latest DC film has also been a massive player over at HBO Max, where the film landed not too long ago.

    It’s no surprise that the film would dominate as much as it did, especially with the fanfare it received upon its release. The 3-hour film is also perfect for those that wanted to break it up into pieces and were a bit shy about checking it out by spending that much time in a theater. Families with kids definitely used the chance to finally catch up on it, as they could also watch it in installments. It’ll be interesting to see how long it’ll hold on to that top spot moving forward.

    Dog joining at the second pot is an interesting addition, as the Channing Tatum film did manage to get quite an audience upon its release. Sing 2 is the only other film to hold on as long as Spider-Man did in the top ten. Jackass Forever is a fitting strong performer for home releases, especially with its level of absurdity being perfect for those not sure what to watch.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Nets $610M+ Profit, Highlights Importance of Theatrical Releases

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Nets $610M+ Profit, Highlights Importance of Theatrical Releases

    If you’ve ever wondered just how profitable Spider-Man: No Way Home was, it has now been reported by Deadline that the film managed to net a profit of $610M minus all ancillaries. This matches earlier reports from December of 2021, where this was the estimated income just based on the film’s impressive momentum. While it was just shy of $2 billion, it seemingly has reinstated some hope into the theatrical release. Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group president Josh Greenstein shared his thoughts on their belief in the theatrical release:

    Our theatrical model is driving our success and that is our core business. Our biggest movie ever had the longest window.

    Josh Greenstein

    No Way Home also had the longest theatrical window release of 88 days during the pandemic. They are the only studio that has no direct connection to a streaming service but mostly has made a smart move through pay-one TV deals with Netflix (an exclusive for 18 months) followed by Disney. It supposedly brought them up to $3 billion in profit. So, they can dominate streaming without the necessary investment to keep one service running.

    Streaming is additive to our business. It’s not our core business. We participate in the streaming economy strategically with certain films. We’ve licensed some films to streamers during Covid, but our long-term big business model will always be driven by theatrical

    Josh Greenstein

    As Netflix faced its first loss in subscribers with a harsher Q2 on the horizon, Sony’s strategy is pulling off. the only drawback is that films are now dependent on making the most money within a shorter window. Streaming might face a harsh development soon and the dependency on subscriber income will lead to a long-term investment that requires time. One streaming service taking a hit will affect others as well, as the uncertainty of the market remains. For now, it’s going to be quite interesting to see how things develop but the theatrical release will remain an essential aspect of any future strategy.

    Source: Deadline, Deadilne

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Cinematographer In Talks For More MCU Projects

    ‘Moon Knight’ Cinematographer In Talks For More MCU Projects

    Moon Knight has left quite the imprint with fans, especially as the latest episode surprised many scratching their heads. It definitely looks like the team has also left an imprint with Marvel Studios, as the directing duo of Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson were chosen to spearhead the second season of Loki. Well, it seems they aren’t the only one as Moon Knight‘s Director of Photography Andrew Droz Palermo is also currently in talks to potentially join other Marvel projects in the future.

    I’ve been asked a few things. I can’t say what. The timing hasn’t been right for me yet. But I would love to do other Marvel stuff, I’d love to get the chance to do it again. For me, it’s always about the filmmaker who is who’s leading the ship and because those are the people that I’m with day in and day out for hours and hours on end. So I really need to be excited and inspired, and also like them personally. It’s really important to me.

    Andrew Droz Palermo

    It’s great to hear that they are in talks for multiple projects, and it’ll be exciting to see what project he may end up getting his hands on. There are a lot of projects that seemingly are in an early stage of development. While he only worked on two episodes, he certainly left quite an impression and going by his incredible work on The Green Knight and A Ghost Story, there’s a lot of potentials to add a unique visual flourish for any upcoming Marvel project.

    Source: Film Speak

  • Cosmo Spotted in ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Wrap Gift

    Cosmo Spotted in ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Wrap Gift

    While it seems that production on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is still going to go on for another week, as revealed by James Gunn in a recent tweet, it seems they had a separate wrap gift for the Disney+ Holiday Special. It includes some ornaments featuring all the members of the Guardians, but one particular member sticks out. It looks like one of the ornaments includes Cosmo the Spacedog wearing a reindeer outfit. We haven’t seen the character since his escape from the Collector’s collection in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film. So, this hopefully hints at his return in the upcoming special and maybe even Vol. 3.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1518602824703102976

    Of course, this isn’t a confirmation that he’ll definitely appear but it does add some likeliness considering he’s highlighted. Perhaps the Guardians make their way to Knowhere for a holiday celebration, or Cosmo ends up joining them for an adventure after meeting at a random planet. There are a lot of ways that the character could find his way and here’s hoping we get a lot more of him moving forward. Ever since his initial introduction, he sadly has been a bit absent throughout the MCU’s last few years.

    The first holiday special for Marvel Studios is definitely going to be something special, especially with Vol. 3 potentially ending the Guardians of the Galaxy‘s current line-up. James Gunn also has the talent to offer some real emotional gut punches and with rumors hinting at some time being spent on Earth. Perhaps Star-Lord gets one more chance to talk to his family before truly leaving his home planet behind to focus on his intergalactic family of misfits.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Ewan McGregor Was “Scared” Facing Off Against Darth Vader for the First Time

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Ewan McGregor Was “Scared” Facing Off Against Darth Vader for the First Time

    In just a few more weeks we’ll get the next Star Wars series on Disney+. While we take a break from The Mandalorian Universe, we take a look back at the pre-A New Hope era in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ewan McGregor returns to the iconic role, as he also will get one more time to face off against Hayden Christensen‘s Anakin Skywalker. This time around, however, he will return as the fully formed Darth Vader.

    In an interview with Total Film, the actor revealed just how surprising it was to face off against Darth Vader. It seems that it left quite an impression on him, especially because he never got to meet the character in the Prequel trilogy. He goes on to say:

    I’ve never met Darth Vader. I had rehearsed the scene with Vader, but not with the helmet on or anything like that. When we came to do the scene, when they shouted ‘action’, he had to come from behind me. I turned around, and fucking Darth Vader was coming at me. It was like I was six again. I’d never acted into Vader’s helmet. I’d never looked him in the eye.

    Ewan McGregor

    It’s great to see just how much of an impression the suit and design left with the actor. Reminds many of the first time they were faced with the imposing force that is Darth Vader and how scary he was for many of us when we saw the force of nature. He even highlighted that it was his first time working off a Stormtrooper as the Clone Troopers were CG at the time.

    It scared the shit out of me. I’m not joking. It gave me a proper jolt of absolute fear. I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s not acting. That’s real. I’m really, truly frightened right now.’ And the same thing would happen with the Stormtroopers. I’d worked with Clone troopers before, but so many of them were CGI. I never worked with Stormtroopers, and, again, I was like seven years old again. Because when you’re actually faced with a Stormtrooper, with a blaster, it’s like: ‘Fucking hell.’

    Ewan McGregor

    It shows how much has also changed in the productions, as while CG still remains an important part of modern filmmaking, more practical elements are being integrated into the projects. his excitement and “fear” to face off against Darth Vader may hopefully even find their way into the production, as it’ll be the first time that Obi-Wan realizes what happened to his former Padawan.

    Source: Total Film