Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘Loki’ Season 2 Eyeing a Summer Production Start

    ‘Loki’ Season 2 Eyeing a Summer Production Start

    There are quite a few Marvel Studios series heading our way on Disney+ this year, but we’ve still haven’t had an update on the first one to receive a second season, Loki. It left us with quite the cliffhanger as we awaited what the future might have in store for the God of Mischief. It looks like we might have our first hint that the Tom Hiddleston-led Disney+ series will start production this year.

    In a new piece by Backstage, they hint that production is eyeing a summer start at Pinewood Studio. Back in July, it was confirmed that Kate Herron was not returning to direct the series but there hasn’t been an update on who might’ve taken over since. After she left the project, there was some belief that it may not start production until 2023, but if it is indeed going to start production this year, they may have already found their director.

    A summer production start might offer some hope that the series could find its way to Disney+ in 2023. Given that Kang the Conqueror might have a role in the series, they could be trying to connect it to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, where Jonathan Majors will technically make his first appearance as that specific variant. Here’s hoping we might also get some casting announcements in the coming months that offer a hint at what else we cane expect from Loki’s return to the TVA.

    Source: Backstage

  • ‘Dune’s Legendary Sells Minority Stake to Apollo

    ‘Dune’s Legendary Sells Minority Stake to Apollo

    Legendary Entertainment has seen a strong rebound during the pandemic, as their latest releases Dune, Enola Holmes, and Godzilla vs. Kong left a good impression, especially since the latter was the first to revive the box office during its March release. Yet, the company has been open to potentially sell or even merging with other companies back in July. It seems that they found a buyer, as Legendary has sold a minority stake of its company to the equity firm Apollo for $760M. However, no official statement has been made on how large that equity stake will be. CEO Josh Grode had the following to say on their sale:

    We didn’t need to do this now. We have a significant amount of cash on our balance sheet.” The influx of funding from Apollo “positions us for what we believe is the future, which is a lot of M&A opportunities.

    Josh Grode

    The company was first purchased back in 2016 by Wanda for $3.5 billion and went on to produce some strong box office franchises. Dune made quite a splash at the box office last year and they’ve made some strong deals with streamers to extend their IPs through other means, such as the recent announcement of an Apple TV+ series that explores the aftermath of 2014’s Godzilla. It seems they have also considered a full takeover, but decided against it. Besides its film offerings, Legendary also consists of a comic book, VR, licensing, and merchandising divisions.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ Has Wrapped Production

    ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ Has Wrapped Production

    Disney+ has been busy reviving cult classic franchises. Among them is a sequel to Hocus Pocus, which will see the return of Bette Milder, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy in their iconic roles, as they once again start haunting Salem. A new group of teenagers, played by Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, and Belissa Escobedo, will take on the sisters. Doug Jones is also set to return as Billy Butcherson. It looks like the production has wrapped, as revealed by executive producer Adam Shankman in a new Instagram post.

    We did get a set video of the Sanderson sisters taking flight back in November, but nothing else has found its way online. The last entry was filmed back in 1993 and it’ll be interesting to see how they handle the time difference since the events of the original. It’ll also be interesting to see what has happened to the mysterious black candle since the events of the original. Either it remained forgotten in the attic of an unsuspecting family, or perhaps it has found its home in a museum. Whatever happened to it, teenagers are about to light a candle they will surely regret.

    Source: Instagram

  • MALTA FILM WEEK: ‘Jurassic World Dominion’s Colin Trevorrow Teases Huge Malta Action Sequence

    MALTA FILM WEEK: ‘Jurassic World Dominion’s Colin Trevorrow Teases Huge Malta Action Sequence

    Jurassic World Dominion is still a few months off until it releases in June and director Colin Trevorrow has been busy working on the film. Still, he took some time to attend the Malta Film Awards and gave a live Q&A during a screening of his first film, Safety Not Guaranteed. There, he discussed his work on the latest Jurassic World entry, as he filmed a sequence in the country. He was asked about what advice he could offer the countries’ aspiring filmmakers, where he went on to praise the local talent and how they helped bring a sequence to life.

    There’s a massive sequence with dinosaurs running around the streets of Malta that you’re going to see in six months and it’s pretty crazy. We’re really happy with it, really proud. […] What I am proud of is that we shot Malta for Malta. It says Malta on the screen and everyone knows that it’s here and I think you should prepare for a generation of children to associate Malta with dinosaurs.

    Colin Trevorrow

    It certainly sounds like quite the undertaking to have dinosaurs take over an entire city. The name of the city wasn’t explicitly stated, but it’s very likely that it took place in Valletta. It’ll be interesting to see how the dinosaurs managed to find their way to the island of Malta. At the end of Fallen Kingdom, we saw them escape into the wild from one facility but it’s uncertain just how much they’ve managed to spread across the world. Empire revealed an image some time ago of Chris Pratt being chased by a raptor, which may be part of this very sequence.

    EMPIRE Reveals New 'Jurassic World: Dominion' Atrociraptor Image & Details! | Jurassic Outpost

    Having walked through the streets of Malta – sadly, production has already wrapped by the time the cinematic event started – the narrow streets offer a lot of potential for close escapes from the dangers the dinosaurs may offer. We also don’t know which ones are involved, but a herd of Stegosaurus may become quite dangerous if they start piling up through the streets. It’ll be exciting to see the sequence once the film releases later this year.

    Source: YouTube, Empire

  • A Tour of Malta Film Studios

    A Tour of Malta Film Studios

    I had the honor of attending the first-ever Malta Film Awards, as the small country south of Italy celebrated its long history. Besides their local productions, we were given a tour of their Malta Film Studio. The country’s film commissioner, Johann Grech, gave a personal tour to showcase their 54 years of history with filmmaking. Yet, even with that extensive history, they were truly put on the global film market through Ridley Scott‘s Gladiator. They went on to become the backdrop for Troy, Captain Phillips, World War Z, and just recently Jurassic World: Dominion. The Apple TV+ series, The Foundation, was also filmed at this studio, and some parts of the production remain.

    Of course, this has catapulted the island to embrace its cinematic history and start investing to ensure it keeps building upon its success. As part of our attendance at the Film Awards, we also had the chance to visit their film studio with a tour by Film Commissioner Grech. The biggest selling point in their pools lies in how it creates a natural horizon, similar to how infinity pools work. They have two exterior tanks with one’s function being to recreate exterior shots above water. With the help of a variety of tools to replicate terrible weather even if it’s a sunny day in Malta.

    The biggest tank is quite deep, which allows them to shoot underwater sequences. Commissioner revealed that their big plan for the future is to build a soundstage that connects to their diving pool. As an example, he highlighted that the soundstage would include its tank. So, you could, for example, have a submarine in one pool while a battleship is in the exterior. It’s certainly an ambitious project, which is described as only the beginning of their endeavors to further establish Malta as a hotspot for Hollywood productions.

    We also got a chance to visit Fort Rinella, where they famously built the colosseum that became the centerpiece of Gladiator. It was also the backdrop for Game of Thrones and Sadly, most of the set is long gone, but there is one remnant left. The stairs that Russel Crowe‘s Maximus took to enter the arena still remain to this day. Rinella has a rich history for Malta, as highlighted by Film Commissioner Grech during the tour.

    It’s rich in its history of filmmaking, as it is rich in its history of safeguarding Malta. This is the biggest fort that the Knights of St. John ever built here.

    Johann Grech

    Of course, they don’t film everything directly at the studios, as World War Z and Jurassic World: Dominion filmed on location throughout the island, such as their city Valletta. The latter was especially an exciting project for Malta, as they aren’t just a backdrop but also have the film’s story take place on the island. Malta’s investments are a big step towards leading more international productions to the country and they are also hoping to draw in a stronger film tourism crowd. It’ll b interesting to see just how much their studio lot may change as they start work on their expansions.

  • REPORT: ‘Titans’ Season 4 Eyeing Joseph Morgan and Franka Potente in Villainous Roles

    REPORT: ‘Titans’ Season 4 Eyeing Joseph Morgan and Franka Potente in Villainous Roles

    It looks like the fourth season of Titans is starting to get some momentum, as they may be actively looking to recruit their main antagonist soon. In a new report by the Illuminerdi, they revealed that the HBO Max series is eyeing Joseph Morgan in the role of Sebastian Blood, better known as Brother Blood. That’s not all, as they also want Franka Potente to take on the role of Mother Mayhem.

    Morgan has a lot of experience playing an antagonist, as he’s famous for his time as Klaus Mikaleson, the vampire-werewolf hybrid from The Vampire Diaries and its spin-off The Originals. They also hint that his take on the character will be someone who is reserved that is hiding a dark side, but will eventually be overtaken by his own charm and “calamitous objectives.” In contrast, we have Potente’s Mother Mayhem, who’s described as someone who “has been training all her life to accomplish her goals.”

    She’s well-known for her time on The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy. So, she is no stranger to action roles and would make a promising addition to the series. There are still no details on how the Church of Blood might build upon the story from the previous season, but they may become a promising addition to the show, as it explores the aftermath of their confrontation with the Scarecrow.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Earlier Drafts Featured More Matt Murdock

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Earlier Drafts Featured More Matt Murdock

    There were a lot of exciting moments in Spider-Man: No Way Home. In the earliest scenes, we get a cameo by Charlie Cox, who made his grand return as Matt Murdock. The film’s writers, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers recently appeared in an episode of The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith. They revealed that they initially planned to feature the blind lawyer in more scenes, but wanted to keep a stronger focus on Spider-Man.

    Ultimately, we always had to pull back on a lot of things to just make sure we maintained our focus.

    Erik Sommers and Chris McKenna

    It does make sense that they wouldn’t want to add more to the already massive film. With appearances from Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, familiar villains from Spider-Man‘s cinematic history, and Doctor Strange, the fact he even appeared seems like a miracle. Even if we only got one scene featuring the character, it was quite the memorable one with his “I’m a very good lawyer” line.

    Of course, we hope to see more of Cox‘s character in the near future, as Marvel Studios starts to embrace the Netflix characters. We don’t know what the future has in store, but they might have some big plans for the fan-favorite characters. Here’s hoping they might reveal at some point if we might’ve even seen Murdock suit up as Daredevil at one point in the film#s production.

    Source: Spotify via Twitter

  • RUMOR: Marvel Studios May Have Plans for Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster After ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    RUMOR: Marvel Studios May Have Plans for Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster After ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Thor: Love and Thunder is only a few more months away, as we get our first fourth entry in an MCU franchise. Chris Hemsworth returns as the mighty God of Thunder will explore the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame, as he flew out into space with the Guardians of the Galaxy. That’s not all, as we’ll also get the grand return of Natalie Portman, who left the franchise after a frustrating experience with Thor: The Dark World. It seems that Marvel Studios hopes to make up for that and has some bigger plans for her character

    Director Taika Waititi somehow managed to convince her to return, as he proudly announced during San Diego Comic-Con that she’ll take on the mantle of Mighty Thor in the upcoming sequel. Geeks Worldwide’s KC Walsh seemingly adds to a statement by leaker @MyTimetoShineH that there are plans to give Portman her own solo project after Love and Thunder releases.

    https://twitter.com/TheComixKid/status/1487460350119211011

    It would make sense given how many characters getting introduced as of late are legacy characters, and it would be interesting to explore Jane’s newfound power after the events of the film. Of course, it does make you wonder what it might mean for Hemsworth‘s time with the character. In December, he did hint that he may be slowly losing interest and this would be a way for him to pass on the mantle. For now, we still need to take it as a rumor but will see what the future has in store once Thor: Love and Thunder drop in July.

    Source: Twitter

  • Latest ‘Moon Knight’ Promo Art Offers Full Look at Oscar Isaac’s Costume

    Latest ‘Moon Knight’ Promo Art Offers Full Look at Oscar Isaac’s Costume

    There’s been a lot of hype surrounding the upcoming release of Moon Knight, which may become Disney+’s darkest story yet. Marvel Studios is venturing into new territory and the first trailer certainly sold us on the potential of this new franchise. Plus, the character may have one of their best costume designs yet, which we got a closer look at through a promo image around a week ago. Luckily, it seems a new piece has found its way online with a full look at his entire costume, as shared by @MKnightNews.

    The design is still quite impressive, as they utilized a mummy-inspired design with how his costume is made of white bandages. It fits into the Egyptian theme the character has and that was highlighted in the trailer. Plus, it adds some nice detailing to a pure white design, which may have otherwise been quite difficult to adapt in live-action. The moon symbol being golden also adds a nice detailing.

    The interesting surprise is how the cape is drawn. Instead of being a full piece of cloth, it’s also made of stitched together wraps, which may add to the fact that the costume isn’t a physical thing he wears but something that magically wraps around him, as seen in the trailers. Of course, it would be an interesting twist if he’s actually wearing his Mr. Knight costume and just imagines the full costume due to his fractured personality disorder.

    Source: Twitter

  • David Hayter to Adapt American McGee’s ‘Alice’ as a TV Series, No Network Currently Attached

    David Hayter to Adapt American McGee’s ‘Alice’ as a TV Series, No Network Currently Attached

    It looks like the twisted take on a childhood classic is getting another revival, as American McGee’s Alice is heading to TV. David Hayter, who is well-known as the voice of Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solider and for writing the X-Men film, will tackle a live-action adaptation of the cult classic gaming franchise. Ted Field‘s Radar Pictures is working on the project alongside the writer with Abandon Entertainment also involved. The rights are owned by Electronic Arts, which has been actively looking into ways to expand its intellectual properties through adaptation. Hayter had the following to say on the project:

    American McGee’s Alice and Alice: Madness Returns game series is a groundbreaking reimagining of the classic tale. It takes you into the heart of a corrupted Wonderland and throws light into shadowy corners the world has never seen. I am beyond excited to bring this world of madness and wonder to a global audience

    David Hayter

    The story will follow Alice’s descent into madness after her home is burnt down and she loses her family in the process. In the original game, we follow her time in a mental asylum after she tried to commit suicide before she ventures back into Wonderland to save her psyche. The original franchise was created by American McGee – yes, his real name – who was well-known for his work on projects like DOOM and Quake. He had the following to say on the adaptation:

    David Hayter brings imagination, experience, and stealth sneaking skills gained through successful missions in film, TV, and video games – a unique combination sure to make this adventure into Wonderland a successful one for the franchise and the fans. I am excited to be working with him and know the Alice fans will welcome him with mad affection.

    American McGee

    He is currently working on a third entry of the franchise known as Alice: Asylum, which takes place after Madness Returns. The game currently has no release date, but the timing does seem perfect to start building some momentum for the new release. It currently has no broadcaster or streamer involved, but the dark story might find a suitable home soon.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter