Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ Finale Beats Out ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2 Finale Viewership

    ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ Finale Beats Out ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2 Finale Viewership

    The numbers are in and it looks like eh final episode of The Book of Boba Fett may have beat out its predecessor’s final numbers. Deadline has just shared the first analysis from Samb TV – Disney+ still refuses to release its numbers – that reveals the final episode was watched by 1.5M U.S. households from Wednesday to Sunday. That is 36% higher than the 5-day total from The Mandalorian‘s Season 2.

    Robert Rodriguez‘ directed the episode “In the Name of Honor” was not far from its pilot episode, which opened with 1.7M over the course of five days. It’s pretty in line with what other series have faced, such as Hawkeye dropping from 1.5M in its premiere to 1.3M in its finale. It’s actually quite a stronghold for viewership numbers that may be a benefit from its low episode number. Though the last Marvel show also opened with two episodes, it seems this has been Disney+’s usual trend.

    We still have to keep in mind that this is a 3rd party analysis and doesn’t reflect the exact performance of these series but offers an estimate based on their internal panel. To this day, Loki still holds the best performance on the platform with 1.9M viewers for its finale after also getting the biggest season premiere at 2.5M. Moon Knight recently has been outpacing most Marvel Studios series and could be the next contender for the top spot if it keeps it up until its release on March 30th.

    Source: Deadline

  • Fox Reviving Berkeley Breathed’s ‘Bloom County’ as an Animated Series

    Fox Reviving Berkeley Breathed’s ‘Bloom County’ as an Animated Series

    It looks like the classic comic strip Bloom County by Berkeley Breathed is making a return, but this time as an animated TV series. The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Fox is currently working on the project to revive the 1980s classic. It’ll see the return of Steve Dallas, Bill the Cat, Opus the Penguin, and many more characters from the iconic comic strip with the reclusive creator co-writing and executive producing the project alongside Fox Entertainment, Bento Box Entertainment, Miramax, Spyglass MediaGroup, and Project X Entertainment. The announcement also includes the following description for the series:

    Bloom County centers on a collapsed lawyer, a lobotomized cat and a penguin in briefs and fruit headwear living in the world’s last boarding house in the world’s most forgotten place deep in the dandelion wilds of FlyWayWayOver country. To wit, today’s America at a glance

    Keep in mind, this project has not been renewed yet but would end up joining Family Guy and The Simpsons on Fox’s Sunday animated line-up. It seems like a fitting addition that might also mix things up on what they have to offer given its take on satire. It’s great to see them give the classic franchise a revival in this form and it’ll be interesting to see how they tackle his iconic art style in this new adaptation.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Warner Bros. Working on a New ‘I Am Legend’ Project

    Warner Bros. Working on a New ‘I Am Legend’ Project

    Sometimes there are some fun surprises hidden away in corners of articles about something completely unrelated. In a new piece by The Hollywood Reporter on an ongoing legal battle between Village Roadshow and Warner Bros. on the future of their franchises. In it, they reveal that a new I Am Legend adaptation is seemingly in development, as the article talks about films currently in development involving both parties.

    Sadly there is no mention of how far the project is moving along, but it seems to imply it’ll be released as a film. It’s just a short mention alongside other projects currently in development co-owned by Village. The reason this is highlighted is that the company is seeking the rights to co-invest and co-own projects they share the rights with Warner Bros. This has become a prevalent issue with their goals of further promoting HBO Max by releasing half their film slate on the streaming platform, which may also include this release.

    I Am Legend has been adapted quite a few times in the past, and it would be interesting to see how they’d update a new take. For some, the version including Will Smith might be the version most remember, as he tries to survive a post-apocalyptic world with his trusty dog by his side. It was an emotional story that is sure to connect with many viewers and given the current situation might’ve garnered even more relevance.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘The Batman’s Matt Reeves Want to Tackle a “Grounded” Take on Mr. Freeze

    ‘The Batman’s Matt Reeves Want to Tackle a “Grounded” Take on Mr. Freeze

    We’re only a few more weeks away from The Batman finally releasing in theaters, but director Matt Reeves already has set his eyes on the future of the franchise. In his more grounded take of a noir-inspired storyline, it seemed like this cinematic franchise might move away from the usual fantastic elements we’ve seen in the comics. Looks like Reeves is definitely interested in taking a swing at some of the supernatural characters, as he reveals that Mr. Freeze might be on his radar in an interview with Collider.

    So to me, it would be a challenge in an interesting way to try and figure out how that could happen, even the idea of something like Mr. Freeze, that is such a great story, right? I think there’s actually a grounded version of that story, which could be really powerful and could be really great. So, I love the fantastical side of Batman, but this iteration, obviously, while being, to me, I think it is very comics faithful, but I don’t think that this one is necessary, it doesn’t lean as hard into the fantastical, I guess.

    Matt Reeves

    It sounds like the director has some fun ideas in place if he’s already considered exploring a character like Mr. Freeze. We don’t know if the upcoming film includes some Easter eggs to other characters that eventually turn into future members of his rogue’s gallery. With spinoff shows in place, who knows just how far in advance Reeves has mapped out his new Batman Cinematic Universe, but it would be great to see him get a chance to bring Mr. Freeze back to the silver screen.

    Source: Collider

  • CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’ April Production Start Confirmed Alongside New Logo

    CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’ April Production Start Confirmed Alongside New Logo

    The series Gotham Knights have been moving forward at quite the speed, as we first heard about the project back in December, as Natalie Abrams, James Stoteraux, and Chad Fivestash are joining the new Batman family-focused series after their work on Batwoman. We previously also shared some exclusive insights on the characters we’ll meet throughout the series’ runtime and that the series is eyeing an April production start.

    Not too long after, it looks like director and writer Danny Cannon has shared a first look at the series’ logo and confirmed that the DC series will start production in April. It’s curious that it was shared without any casting confirmations so far. It’s a nice visual to confirm the production and the logo seems surprisingly simple for the series, but it may change as time goes by.

    The series will explore the aftermath of Bruce Wayne’s murder, similar to what the game of the same name is exploring, and forces the unlikely family to work together. Unlike the upcoming Batman Arkham spinoff, we’ll get a wider cast that reflects how many people Batman has taken under his wing throughout his run as Gotham’s Caped Crusader. It’ll be fun to see these many personalities bounce off of each other and what chaos might ensue in the void left behind by Bruce’s death.

    Source: Instagram

  • Netflix’s Approach to ‘One Piece’s New Logo is to Reflect Its “Cinematic Scale”

    Netflix’s Approach to ‘One Piece’s New Logo is to Reflect Its “Cinematic Scale”

    It’s crazy to look back at the build-up to Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece and for some time all we had was a logo. To be fair, we had a single message from manga creator Eiichiro Oda for almost 4 years before the series picked up any steam, but the new logo was the first sign of the series actually happening. A redesign of such an iconic logo was going to face some criticism but we got a very Western take on the iconic logo.

    The 3D model of the lettering is something that’s not too uncommon in modern film or TV logos, but there are some nice touches that pay tribute to the original, such as the anchor in the “E” at the end and the straw hat-wearing skull in the “O”. There are even some small additions such as a mini Luffy hiding in the nose of the skull, which is a great little detail. In a new piece on the creative director Arisu Kashiwagi (Stranger Things) she offered some insight into how they approached the design.

    The goal of Netflix’s live action brand identity is to further evolve One Piece into a compelling, modern brand – one that elevates the epic fantasy pirate genre while standing the test of time. By adding dimension, textural realism, drama, and a hint of humor, the new identity captures the eccentric, whimsical nature of the One Piece world and the cinematic scale of their wild, nautical adventures.

    Arisu Kashiwagi

    The piece highlights they wanted to include elements from the original manga logo while simplifying elements. There are some added details to the logo as the “weathered textures add life and realism to the title representing the many adventures that the Straw Hat Pirates crew have encountered at sea.” Part of me does wish that the logo may change throughout the series’ run and we see more and more of the weathered design as time goes on, reflecting the challenges they face throughout the Grand Line.

    Still, i’s a good logo that mostly stays true to the original and the adaptation fits the fact it’s a live-action take on manga classic. The fact Luffy is in the nose rather than replacing the “I” was a nice touch, even if it would be nice if the rope was a bit more representative, especially with the rather simple font choice. Still, the texture addition is a nice touch, and hope to see it fully animated, which may add to the experience.

    Source: Arisu

  • First Look at ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Anime Film; Eyeing 2024 Release

    First Look at ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Anime Film; Eyeing 2024 Release

    Here’s a surprising reveal out of left-field, but Variety has shared a first look at the upcoming original anime feature titled The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. It’s being produced by New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation and will release on April 21st, 2024. Blade Runner: Black Lotus producer Joseph Chou is working on the project through his studio Sola Entertainment with Kenji Kamiyama taking over directing duties.

    Here’s the first look at the upcoming anime, which will take place around two centuries before The Hobbit and is about the exploits of Helm Hammerhand, and the creation of Helm’s Deep. The Two Towers fans might be excited to explore the origins of this iconic location. it’s our first look at the film which was announced last year, but we’ll still have to wait a bit until we can watch it.

    The Lord of the Rings The

    The Middle Earth franchise has seen quite the revival with this anime prequel and the upcoming Amazon live-action series. Warner Bros. will be trying to make the best of it, especially as the franchise is currently for sale as well. Who knows if we also get some more announcements in the near future once a buyer has been found, who’ll definitely try to bank on its success.

    Source: Variety

  • Fans Seemingly Spot Deadpool in New ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Poster

    Fans Seemingly Spot Deadpool in New ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Poster

    In a film focused on the multiverse, Doctor Strange’s next project could open up what seems like an endless potential, even if we might explore the nightmarish aspects of what the multiverse may have to offer. Still, the first trailer did confirm an ongoing rumor that an iconic character making a return in the upcoming film. Yet, the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness poster may have included a few more details on what we may expect from the sequel.

    We previously reported that the poster includes Captain Carter’s shield, which we previously saw in the multiverse adventures of What If…?. Yet, some eagle-eyed fans may have noticed another addition in the form of what may be the inclusion of Deadpool. As shared in the image by @therealsupes, you can see a character with white eyes and black rings surrounding it. If you look closely, he seemingly is shushing whoever is looking at it.

    There’s always a chance this isn’t Deadpool, but the design seems pretty close to the character, and the fact he is seemingly shushing people looking at the poster does add some potential validity to it. The weird yellow symbol in the front is the only element that may hint that it isn’t who we think it is. Plus, the black around the eyes is a bit smaller than what we’ve seen from the character previously. So, there’s always a chance it turns out to be someone else, but it’s fun to speculate with a potential multiverse ready to explore in May.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘The Batman’s Robert Pattinson Wants to Face the Court of Owls in a Sequel

    ‘The Batman’s Robert Pattinson Wants to Face the Court of Owls in a Sequel

    Robert Pattinson is ready to take on the mantle of the Batman in Matt Reeves’ new universe, and it seems he’s been taking a deep dive into the comic history. In an interview with Den of Geek, the actor has revealed that he is quite interested in exploring an adaptation from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo‘s iconic The Court of Owls storyline. The introduction of a secret society deep within Gotham’s high-class was a great storyline and had a more horror-themed aspect to it as it pushed Bruce Wayne to his limits. Pattinson highlights how their take on the character also leads itself perfectly for this storyline:

    I’d love to do something like Court of Owls. There are elements of The Batman which are kind of horror and I think it really feels quite new for Batman.

    Robert Pattinson

    Some time ago, we’ve even theorized that the series might be building up to a potential confrontation with the Court of Owls given some of the story hints that may hint at a bigger picture beyond this solo outing. While it seems they are going for a more grounded take on the Dark Knight, it may expand at some point to include supernatural elements, and zombified hitmen in owl costumes seem on the more acceptable side of that direction. Here’s hoping the actor gets his wish, as the franchise potentially spins off into a new trilogy or even more.

    Source: Den of Geek

  • Benedict Cumberbatch on How ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Became “a Sam Raimi Picture”

    Benedict Cumberbatch on How ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Became “a Sam Raimi Picture”

    Marvel Studios has built up a reputation for how they tackle their projects. For some time, it was commonly called the “Marvel formula” due to similarities being enforced on earlier projects through the special committee put in place by Marvel CEO Isaac Perlmutter. Ever since Captain America: Civil War, there’s been a stronger shift and we got more creative projects like Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, and more. Even now, the latest trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness promises a darker tale and a deep dive into the horrors of the multiverse, as Sam Raimi takes over the reins of this project.

    And it seems once he took over from director Scott Derrickson, who left the project due to creative differences, that shift became a strong focus for everyone involved. In an interview with Empire, Benedict Cumberbatch shared how the director joining shifted the project to make sure his talents and horror roots are reflected in his work. As the actor puts it:

    Once it became Sam, it was always about making it a Sam Raimi picture. Your head’s going to be spun.

    Benedict Cumberbatch

    The trailer certainly promised some creative camera work and horror elements like the potential tease of a new Zombie Strange. It’s unclear if it’s the same from What If…? or even a zombie to begin with. Though seeing a Variant of Strange being slowly turned into one would make for quite the memorable visual. It’s a shame Derrickson couldn’t bring his vision to life, but it would be great to see him potentially tackle a different project with horror elements.

    Source: Empire