Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Disney+ Expanding With Ad-Supported Subscription

    Disney+ Expanding With Ad-Supported Subscription

    Subscriber numbers are the game for streaming services. Netflix has built an empire with its offering that gave people the opportunity to stream their favorite films or TV series without a care in the world. One big aspect was that it’s ad-free, which was a big selling point for many and also the reason for some of the pricing out there. Yet, with massive competition, the market is forced to change. Disney+ has now announced that their service will provide an ad-supported subscription model in the US in late 2022.

    There are also plans to expand internationally in 2023, which will make it the first ad-based in many markets worldwide. While the advertising industry might rejoice at this development, it’s definitely something that’ll be met with a mixed reception. The lower pricing will make it enticing for those not willing to pay the full price. Yet, some European countries might be concerned about the use of their personal information, especially with local laws like the GDPR in effect.

    This isn’t new for Disney, as they’ve done something similar with ESPN+ and Hulu, who was the first ad-supported streaming offering on the market. Yet, it was only in the US so far and it’ll be interesting to see how the reception is international. According to Disney, they believe that it’s a building block to hit their long-term target of 230 to 260M subscribers by the fiscal year of 2024.

  • Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Offer Full Look at Firefly’s Costume

    Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Offer Full Look at Firefly’s Costume

    Just recently, we got our first look at Brendan Fraser‘s costume as Firefly in HBO Max’s Batgirl film. Yet, it was missing quite a few parts. Luckily, it seems that they have finally assembled the full costume, as a new batch of leaked set photos has found their way online offering our best look yet at the iconic DC villain with his full gear on. What is interesting is that this design seems to skip his wings completely. As such, the arsonist might be grounded throughout the film.

    The set photo does offer a great look, and the design has this really enticing steampunk aesthetic. There always is a chance that his costume may evolve throughout the film’s runtime, especially as he is seemingly the only villain that Batgirl might face in the film. The previous set of photos did tease her chasing down Firefly on a firetruck. So, perhaps he has a team working for him.

    We don’t know if Firefly is a villain through and through, as there might be more to this story. He still seems like he has his arsonist tendencies from the comics, but they always change things in these projects. There’s still some time before the film finds its way unto HBO Max, and who knows what other set photos might find their way online that reveal more.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Loki’s Head Writer on Creating a Dialogue-Heavy Marvel Series

    ‘Loki’s Head Writer on Creating a Dialogue-Heavy Marvel Series

    Loki is quite a different kind of series from previous entries in the franchise. While there is some action to enjoy, it is mostly a dialogue-heavy storyline. We spend a lot of time with Loki, Sylvia, Morbius, and everyone else talking as the story unravels. Aided by the unique atmosphere, it offered a very different take on what you’d expect from a Marvel series and that was something head writer Michael Waldron intended to do.

    During a panel discussion with the rest of the Loki cast and team, he talked about how their dialogue-heavy focus was intentional to focus on what the trickster god is known for. As such, they wanted to show him trying to haggle his way out of conversations, which did lead to some delightful moments throughout the series run. As he points out:

    One of Loki’s superpowers is his ability to talk his way out of any situation, talk his way into any situation. You want to watch Superman fly, so I wanted to watch Loki talk. And so because this was a show — because we had six hours — that was the most exciting thing to me. We get to take a villain from an action movie franchise and have these dialogue-heavy scenes that feel like prestige television.

    Michael Waldron

    That is also a reason why they had quite a few long takes on the project. Tom Hiddleston pointed out that Owen Wilson approached him comparing the project to a play. Director Kate Herron added that the scale of this project felt like three Marvel films being tackled due to how much content they could put together in its six-hour runtime. They certainly delivered and offered a very unique take on what it means to be a Marvel series.

    Source: Variety

  • Tom Hiddleston Talks About the Opportunity With ‘Loki’ Season 2’s New Direction

    Tom Hiddleston Talks About the Opportunity With ‘Loki’ Season 2’s New Direction

    We’re still anticipating any news on what the second season of Loki has in store for us. Tom Hiddleston will return as the trickster god after landing in what may be a new version of the Time Variance Authority, as no one seems to remember him. He was forced to leave his multiversal Variant Sylvie, played amazingly by Sophia Di Martino, behind who ended up unleashing the multiverse. During a panel hosted by the Royal Television Society, he and the rest of the Disney+ series cast got a chance to look back at the series, where Hiddleston briefly talked about being “a temporary torchbearer” for the role, as he went on to say:

    I’ve always thought that. It’s a great role. It’s an archetype, the trickster god, the agent of chaos. I’m just here interpreting that for the time being. Loki has been here for centuries and will be here for centuries more and I’m just stepping into that silhouette for now.

    Tom Hiddleston

    Even if he talked about the temporary time with the character, he did offer a little tease of why they decided to leave viewers with that cliffhanger and what the direction may be going into the second season.

    This idea of somehow the [Time Variance Authority] confronting Loki with the shape-shifting nature of his identity and asking him ‘Who are you?’ I found it a new avenue to explore with this character I’ve been playing for a while. It felt original. It didn’t feel like we were repeating.

    Tom Hiddleston

    The ending certainly kept people on their toes and probably left quite the impression with viewers. Everyone he had built a connection with over time has now forgotten who he is. Sylvie is also left in a dark spot after stabbing He Who Remains, and we don’t know if she’ll find a way back to the TVA or remain there. It certainly is going to be a new direction for the series and here’s hoping the wait isn’t too much longer.

    Source: Variety

  • Charlie Cox Shares His Thoughts on a Potential PG ‘Daredevil’ Revival on Disney+

    Charlie Cox Shares His Thoughts on a Potential PG ‘Daredevil’ Revival on Disney+

    Disney+ didn’t waste any time to announce that the former Netflix shows created by Marvel TV were making their way to the streaming service. It was quite the announcement, as not only did it imply more adult-themed content for the streaming service, but also further pushed the return of these characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Daredevil’s Charlie Cox made his return in Spider-Man: No Way Home and was quite excited with the former Netflix series joining Disney+ with a cheeky comic reference in an interview with ComicBook.com.

    This was actually when this news that you talked about came out, I was texting with some of the guys from the show and the text I wrote was, ‘Born Again.’

    Charlie Cox

    He was also asked about the future of his character, such as a potential PG version of the character even after the darker take on Netflix. While he does point out that he’d prefer the darker stories and that his character isn’t the same as Spider-Man, he is still open to the idea and thinks Marvel could make it work.

    I wouldn’t put it past the folks at Marvel to be able to accomplish that. I’m such a fan of everything they’ve done so far, I wouldn’t underestimate them at all. So if they wanted to make a more PG version of Daredevil, I back them to find a way to do where it feels totally in keeping with everything we’ve done. And maybe there’s a little less blood, maybe there’s a little whatever, but I back them to do it.

    Charlie Cox

    Their next Disney+ series is offering a promising darker take within that universe while also sticking to a parental control-free rating with Moon Knight. While the series might not be as dark as the previous entries, it doesn’t seem like they are open to the possibility. Deadpool has also been confirmed to become an R-rated project, which might hint that Marvel Studios is exploring beyond their PG fare. For now, it’s just fun to speculate.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • Netflix Renews ‘The Cuphead Show’ for Season 2

    Netflix Renews ‘The Cuphead Show’ for Season 2

    The Cuphead Show was just recently released on Netflix, which introduced the world to an animated take on the video game inspired by Fleischer-era animated projects. Its iconic blend of modern and classic animation made it a standout on the service, and luckily Netflix saw the potential with the confirmation that Season 2 is on the horizon. Not only that, but it looks like they are already eyeing a release this summer, which hints that they’ve already been hard at work on the next batch of episodes for some time now.

    The game was revolutionary when it was first released, as it not only offered a challenging game but also wrapped it in a very iconic packaging. The boss rush style was perfect to include a variety of characters that bend and move as some might recall from old animated series like Betty Boop. An animated series seemed like a no-brainer at the time and it was great to see Netflix’s attempt not only pay tribute to it – even some of the jokes had that classic styling – but also add some modern flourishes.

    The cast was great, and while not binding itself down with an overarching narrative, there are some nice connecting episodes to keep your attention. It’ll be interesting to see how the second season builds on the end of the first, which did introduce the character of Chalice, who got Cuphead and Mugman into quite the heap of trouble. So, we’ll see how long their criminal record will truly stick with them.

    Source: Twitter

  • Mark Ruffalo Teases a Very Different Hulk in ‘She-Hulk’

    Mark Ruffalo Teases a Very Different Hulk in ‘She-Hulk’

    During the promotion of Netflix’s The Adam Project, actor Mark Ruffalo was interviewed on what we can expect from his return as Bruce Banner in the Disney+ series She-Hulk. While he didn’t give away any details he certainly promised we’ll see Hulk in a way that we’ve never seen before in the series, especially in how he interacts with people.

    Tatiana Maslany is freaking legendary as the She-Hulk. I’m passing the ‘banner’ onto her. Yeah, there’s some really good, funny, cool, long, long scenes between the Professor and her. We’ve never really seen the Hulk interact with people the way he does in that show. It will be really interesting.

    Mark Ruffalo

    He does use the wording “Professor” which implies that we’ll see a lot more of the version of the Hulk we saw during Avengers: Endgame. Makes sense, as he has showcased in the first teaser trailer in Marvel Studios 2021 featurette during Disney+ Day. Yet, when he mentions the Hulk “interact with people” it does seem like we might get his original Savage version back in the Disney+ series. She-Hulk‘s comedic focus would also offer a lot of scenarios for the Green Goliath to land in.

    Source: Twitter via The Direct

  • New ‘Batgirl’ Set Photo Offers First Look at Brendan Fraser’s Firefly Costume

    New ‘Batgirl’ Set Photo Offers First Look at Brendan Fraser’s Firefly Costume

    We’ve got our first look at Brendan Fraser on the set of Batgirl some time ago, but he was seemingly wearing civilian clothing while setting a building on fire. He certainly was staying true to the arsonist nature of his character during that shoot, but we’re all excited to see what his costume may look like. Luckily, a new set photo has found its way online which may have given us our first look at his Firefly costume for the HBO Max original film. It doesn’t reveal too much, especially as he is missing the iconic helmet, but it does seem like it’s taking inspiration from the comics with the giant fuel tank on his back and arm-mounted flamethrowers.

    The biggest missing aspect is the wings, but they may be something they add in through post-production. He may have also lost them during a fight with Batgirl, which left him with just a few more elements of his costume. Of course, there is probably a simpler solution in the form of that they are currently taking a break in this set photo and that is why he isn’t wearing everything. Though, a new video does hint that him standing on the firetruck is on purpose and we can see Batgirl chasing him down.

    Still, it’s great to finally get confirmation that he will wear the armor of some kind during his tenure as Firefly in the series. So far, he’s still the only confirmed villain to appear in the Batgirl film, but with a large rogue’s gallery-like Batman’s, you never know who else might show up. Given the story’s inspiration, it would be fun to see a live-action adaptation of Killer Moth, especially if they just have fun with the concept. When else would we get the chance to see him on screen?

    Source: Twitter

  • First Look at ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Defender Strange Funko

    First Look at ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Defender Strange Funko

    Earlier today, it seemed like the Funkos for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may have accidentally leaked early. It included most of the faces we’ve already seen in the first two trailers, but also included some new surprises like a Variant of Doctor Strange that was quite a bit different from the ones we saw in the trailers. Now, it seems that we finally got a first look at the Funko for the Defender Variant of Strange, as it was shared by @DrStrangeUpdate, which you can check out here:

    This design is still amazing in how accurate it adapts the iconic version of Doctor Strange from the comics. Even the name is in reference to his time as part of the Defenders, which many might connect to the Netflix version. His roe in the story still remains quite unclear but it does seem to imply something dark happening to the character given the strange Zombie version at the end looking quite similar to that Defender wears throughout the trailers.

    He also is noticeably absent during the meeting with the Illuminati that is teased in the trailer. Plus, we got a third – maybe even a fourth given the recent Funko reveals – Variant that has an unknown role. Here’s hoping we get to see all three in the same room. Benedict Cumberbatch probably had a lot of fun acting off of himself and give different perspectives on the same character.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Mr. Robot’ Creator Remaking Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’ as a Series

    ‘Mr. Robot’ Creator Remaking Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’ as a Series

    It looks like Sam Esmail, the creator behind the Mr. Robot series, has found his next project in remaking the iconic Fritz Lang film, Metropolis. The announcement comes via Apple TV+, which will become the new home for the remake of the 1927 look at a futuristic dystopia. The original script was written by Lang‘ wife Thea von Harbou and the film would go down in history as one of the first cult classics, even as it was originally met with mixed reviews.

    Universal Studio Group’s UCP will produce the project with Esmail set to serve as showrunner and director. Currently, there is no information on a potential cast with the project being in the early steps of development. It’s unclear how much of the original story will be carried over, but the social-political commentary is definitely something worth exploring in the modern age.

    This project comes fresh off of Esmail‘s work on the limited series Gaslit starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn. Most remember the director and writer for his work on Mr. Robot which he worked on from 2015 to 2019. While he mainly worked in TV, he has also directed a 2014 film titled Comet. It’ll be interesting to see how he brings this cinematic classic to life and what he may add to make it stand out from the modern take on futuristic dystopias.

    Source: Collider