Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Joss Whedon Breaks Silence on ‘Justice League’ Controversy

    Joss Whedon Breaks Silence on ‘Justice League’ Controversy

    The release of the initial cut of Justice League was not met with a lot of fanfare, and would only go on to sour as more details from behind-the-scenes found their way online. Director Joss Whedon‘s behavior was put into the spotlight with Ray Fisher would call him out on being “abusive and unprofessional” on set, as well as racist intentions. Gal Gadot would eventually back up his claims, as actors from other projects came forward with their own history on his toxic behavior. Up until now, Whedon remained silent on the accusations but seemingly has opened up in a recent interview with NY Magazine, where he started blaming the film’s cast for the troubled production.

    In the interview, Whedon was very vocal about working with Fisher, as he claims the test screenings deemed his character “the worst of all the characters in the film.” In his description, he recalls spending hours finding ways to adapt the character, with these conversions not having any malice behind them, but goes on to call out the actor and his talents. He proclaims that the character’s story “logically made no sense” and wasn’t impressed by Fisher‘s acting. He goes on to state in regards to the allegations:

    We’re talking about a malevolent force. We’re talking about a bad actor in both sense.

    Joss Whedon

    He also makes a point to call out Gal Gadot in the article, as he claims she stated that he “didn’t understand how superhero movies worked.” Whedon goes as far as to deny the accusations by Gadot that he threatened her with the statement that: “English is not her first language, and I tend to be annoyingly flowery in my speech.” He proclaimed that the threat was a statement in regard to himself and not her, but she clapped back in an e-mail for the New York stating she “understood perfectly.”

    It would eventually lead to a loud outcry on set by the director, as he proclaimed that never in his career has he worked with “a ruder group of people.” The interview also touched on Zack Snyder completing his vision of the film and the fan’s reactions to when Whedon initially joined the project, as well as when the controversy made the rounds. While he doesn’t directly blame him for the events that transpired, he goes on to say “I just know in whose name it was done.”

    Source: NY Magazine via Twitter

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Passes $900M Internationally, Highest-Grossing Film in Mexico

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Passes $900M Internationally, Highest-Grossing Film in Mexico

    Sony’s latest Marvel film, Spider-Man: No Way Home, continues to blow expectations out of the water, as the film will pass Black Panther‘s domestic box office in just a short time. At this point, it has garnered the spot of fourth highest-grossing film in the United States. It’s no small accomplishment if you consider that the Omicron discussion is still worrying some about an eventual closure of cinemas once again. Still, the film has been a juggernaut, as only this weekend’s release of Scream managed to surpass it this weekend.

    It’s been a great weekend as the latest horror entry beat expectations, and No Way Home managed to garner a few interesting new milestones. As @ErikDavis shared, the film is now the highest-grossing film of Mexico, may even add Central America and Brazil to that list. It’s passed $900M internationally, opening up a potential $1 billion if it can still keep up some momentum.

    It’s definitely no small accomplishment with everything stacked against it due to the rising numbers worldwide. The fact the film managed to pass the $1.6B mark is quite impressive and everyone is still curious just how close it might get to potentially join the $2B club. It still seems unlikely currently, but the film has proven to have some great legs in cinemas. Plus, there’s also the possibility it might still hit China for that last boost it needs.

    Source: Twitter

  • Jason Blum Offers Update on ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s Film

    Jason Blum Offers Update on ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s Film

    Five Nights at Freddy’s has been quite the pop-cultural phenomenon when the first game was released by indie developer Scott Cawthon. The simple premise of you being a nightguard stuck in a Chuck E. Cheese-inspired pizza parlor as the animatronics come to life to kill you built quite the connection with players. There was a lot of excitement when Chris Columbus signed on to direct the project. Well, that was until he left the project in October making many wonders if the project is still happening.

    Luckily, the founder of the production company, Jason Blum, had a QnA session on Twitter, where he answered a few questions regarding the project. While he didn’t offer any updates, it was the first time we’ve heard anything about it since Columbus left the project. In one of his tweets, he pointed out that the project is still in development and hasn’t been passed on.

    He also answer a question regarding if a new director has been attached to the project, which they are seemingly still actively looking to find. The original director signed on all the way back in 2018, but due to Cawthon not signing off on any scripts – which there have supposedly been quite a few – and delaying the project further.

    It’s a bit disheartening how long the project has taken, as even if the series may have overstayed its welcome for many, there’s something about the base concept that works incredibly well for a horror franchise. Five Nights at Freddy’s has also seen a resurgence with its latest game release Security Breach, which had a mixed reception. Here’s hoping we get some news on the project moving forward in the near future.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter

  • Official Japanese Marvel Site May Offer First Glimpse at Marvel Studios’ 2022 Disney+ Schedule

    Official Japanese Marvel Site May Offer First Glimpse at Marvel Studios’ 2022 Disney+ Schedule

    We’ve been trying to wrap our heads around what the schedule might look like for Marvel Studios’ release plans on Disney+ in 2022. We even made a conceptual timeline, which you can check out here. The latest reveal that we’ll get a Moon Knight trailer on Monday at least confirmed what we can expect early on, but we still know very little about the rest of the year. Luckily, the Japanese Marvel site may have offered our potential first glimpse at the 2022 release schedule.

    What stands out is that Moon Knight is included ahead of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which is then followed by She-Hulk. That schedule makes sense given the six-episode structure, but what is a bit confusing is that between its release and that of Thor: Love and Thunder in July, we would get not one but three Disney+ series. In addition to She-Hulk, I Am Groot and the second season of What If…? are included. Of course, it may overlap given when the shows might release, but Ms. Marvel seemingly won’t release until the fourth Thor film hits theaters in July.

    It seems a bit unrealistic we’d get three shows in the course of a few months, as 2021 was quite spread out. Plus, there are also quite a few Star Wars series that is aiming a release next year Also, if this is a potential “release schedule” it does make you wonder why Secret Invasion is set ahead of November’s release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but is the only one listed without a release date. Plus, it would make sense for that series to release around The Marvels and it might be quite a lot if they release six series over the course of a year.

    It actually makes you wonder just how big a project I Am Groot might be, as it could be closer to Disney+’s classic shorts. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s more an Olaf Presents-type series that consists of a few smaller segments. So, that would make its release more fitting but What If…? and She-Hulk within around two months seems like a lot. Perhaps they are trying out a new strategy this year, but we won’t know until we get a clearer release date.

    Source: Marvel

  • REVIEW: Usopp Gets His Time to Shine in ‘One Piece’s Chapter 1036

    REVIEW: Usopp Gets His Time to Shine in ‘One Piece’s Chapter 1036

    So, I know I am very late to this chapter and the next one is pretty much already out, but I still wanted to take some time to catch up on One Piece Chapter 1036 after the holidays. This chapter uses its time to give us an epilogue on Zoro’s fight, catch up with everyone throughout the raid as well as set up the return to Luffy and Kaido’s showdown. There’s a lot happening in this entry and just highlights how well Eiichiro Oda manages to juggle every single moving piece throughout the arc.

    Zoro’s takedown is quite brutal, as the man literally lost a piece of his wing as a result. Though, the true loss is highlighted in the flashback to King’s time with a more enthusiastic Kaido. We once again get a reference to Joy Boy, as Oda sets up a curious parallel between these two combatants. Two men who swore to never lose a fight are at the breaking point to define which one would succeed. The declaration of Zorro’s to be “The King of Hell” is a powerful moment and is highlighted by the visuals.

    Though, I love Oda can still keep a powerful moment and add something a bit goofy, such as Zoro being so powerful a swing of his swords can push him right back to the floating island. It’s the same when we return to Yamato, who is still desperately trying to find a way to the armory to ensure that when the island drops it doesn’t blow up Wano. Her new ally Fuga crashing into Rokki is worthy of a new nominee for best One Piece faces.

    There are a few more vignettes that give us quick updates on what is happening, such as Big Mom’s continued onslaught, the battle between Raizo and Fukurokuju, and Orochi enjoying the company of Komurasaki. I’m a little disappointed that Drake was taken down off-screen by CP-0 and hope the set-up from his revelation still gets some build-up at one point, but it seems unlikely for now. Yet, I also thought the same with Apoo and he just keeps getting back up. So, you never know.

    Out of everyone in this chapter – and there are some great character moments – Usopp truly gets to shine in my opinion. It’s such a great moment as he fights a ton of Breast Pirates to protect Kiku and Kinemon. His speech calling out their “leave us behind” mentality is just an incredible showcase of how much character growth he went through. His survivor mentality is also a perfect contrast to the samurai’s honor code, and it truly gives him a moment to stand out with everything happening in the raid. Izo’s appearance is also such a poignant moment, as he unveils the mark that has always remained on his back.

    We’ve finally at the final part of the chapter and it’s finally time to see just how the one-on-one is going between Luffy and Kaido. They say very little once we return to the top of Onigashima, as they are just wailing at each other with all their moves. It’s obvious they are hitting their limit, but the smiles on both faces just highlight the words from King earlier in the chapter. We’ve finally returned to the fight that’ll shake the world as we know it and what a way to lead into it.

  • Danny Trejo Shares a BTS Image From ‘The Book of Boba Fett’

    Danny Trejo Shares a BTS Image From ‘The Book of Boba Fett’

    The latest The Book of Boba Fett episode continued to explore its titular character’s hold over Tatooine. Temuera Morrison gets a lot of chances to humanize a character that previously didn’t get much character development. The highlight of the episode is when he is given a young Rancor as a gift, which includes a cameo by Danny Trejo as its trainer. It’s a heartfelt moment and the addition of the Machete actor’s performance made it a standout in the episode. To celebrate his appearance in the series, he shared a new image from behind-the-scenes.

    It’s great to see how they continue to use practical effects to bring elements from this universe to life. The fact we even get to learn more about the beast’s nature, which also plays in nicely into the parallels with the same happening to Fett. Also, the fact Trejo makes a reference to Machete Kills Again… In Space! is such a great callback. We don’t know how big of a role he has in the season, but hopefully, we’ll get a lot more as we further explore what it takes to raise and eventually ride a Rancor.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Scream’ to Dethrone ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Over the Holiday Weekend

    ‘Scream’ to Dethrone ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Over the Holiday Weekend

    It has finally happened. It seemed almost impossible considering for how long Spider-Man: No Way Home has been the dominant force in the box office since its release in December. Yet after a strong start with Thursday previews, Scream has managed to garner $13.35M on Friday and is currently set to dethrone the Marvel film. As Variety shared, the film may end the weekend at around $36M over the four-day weekend.

    The latest horror flick is doing great in the usually dead zone that is January. The film is also making back its entire production budget back in the opening weekend, as it only cost $25M. The numbers are also great considering the growing concern over Omicron, as predictions had it only barely inching out No Way Home with 29M ahead of its release. The Marvel film is still performing great as it’s eyeing a $26.75M holiday weekend.

    Horror films have generally been consistent performers throughout the pandemic. Halloween Kills managed to grab $49.4M and A Quiet Place Part II was a motivating release in the earlier parts of the pandemic as a lot of uncertainty still remained. The big test will be The Batman‘s release in March to see if any other release might be able to break the box office again.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Disney+ Teaser Offers First Look a Comic-Inspired Humanoid Jackal

    ‘Moon Knight’ Disney+ Teaser Offers First Look a Comic-Inspired Humanoid Jackal

    We’ve long theorized that Moon Knight is our first step into the supernatural horror from the comics. Ever since the announcement that Blade was getting a film, it seemed like the perfect start into that world. Ironically, Eternals’ post-credit sequence did technically set up that corner with the first off-screen appearance of Mahershala Ali‘s Blade, but the latest teaser for Moon Knight solidified the supernatural direction for the franchise. While teased in the initial 2022 preview from Disney+ Day, the teaser unveiled who it is that Moon Knight is beating up and it looks like a humanoid Jackal.

    It takes a bit to make out, but you can clearly see its brown thin legs with the Jackal-esque ears and snout before he gets a hit to the face. At first one would think it may be a Werewolf, especially with the Halloween special in development, but fans of the 2016 Moon Knight run might remember we’ve seen humanoid Jackals inspired by the Egyptian god of Anubis before. This one doesn’t seem to be wearing the white jacket that we saw in the comics, but we also don’t know how much the show is going to play with us as viewers. It’s great though how much they are jumping into the Egyptian aspect of the character.

    You can check out the teaser here:

    Source: Twitter

  • New ‘Moon Knight’ Teaser Offers First Look at Ethan Hawke’s Mystery Villain

    New ‘Moon Knight’ Teaser Offers First Look at Ethan Hawke’s Mystery Villain

    We’ve been discussing when we may finally find out what is the first 2022 release by Marvel Studios on Disney+. When the teaser for a trailer dropped today, it was our confirmation that Moon Knight will be the first to start off the year. We still have to wait until Monday, but even the small teaser has offered a few glimpses at what we can expect from the new series. Among them is our first look at Ethan Hawke‘s mysterious character in the upcoming series.

    We’re still waiting for any real hint at who exactly he is playing, but there have been many theories that he may turn out to be Dracula. Yet, we’ve also theorized he might be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s take on The Profile. For now, all we can do is theorize on who he is, and there’s a chance the full trailer may offer a closer hint due to his limited role in the teaser, but him sensing the “chaos” in Marc Spector does hint at a supernatural connection.

    You can check out the trailer here:

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ On its Way to Pass ‘Avengers: Infinity War’s Spot in the Domestic Box Office

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ On its Way to Pass ‘Avengers: Infinity War’s Spot in the Domestic Box Office

    While Spider-Man: No Way Home sadly is more an exception than a rule, its hold on the box office is truly impressive. Not only did it manage to take in over $200M in its opening weekend, as everyone else struggled to even get near the $100M mark, but it also is the first pandemic release to pass the $1 billion mark. Now, the film continues to grow, as it’s already on its way to becoming the fifth-highest domestic opening of all time, as it passes by Avengers: Infinity War‘s $678.8M.

    These numbers are impressive, as it’s very likely going to hit $700M by Monday. while it does seem unlikely that it could manage $800M given the rise in Omicron concerns as of late, the film’s box office development has been quite impressive. It also stood unopposed since its release in December, but there’s a chance that Scream will just barely inch out the Marvel threequel over the weekend, as it takes in a predicted $29.4M, who’s also showing some impressive numbers even as it faces the pandemic.

    Source: Twitter