Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • RUMOR: Doctor Doom May Have a Minor Role in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    RUMOR: Doctor Doom May Have a Minor Role in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    We all know that the Fantastic Four are on their way to cinemas once again, but there have been quite a few rumors we might see elements of their mythology appear in the MCU at an earlier date. A long time ago, there were some hints that their most famous adversary, Doctor Doom, might have a role in sparking the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. A new rumor has found its way online offering a bit more information on his potential appearance.

    Bleeding Cool reports that he’ll have a very minor role in the story. They’ve heard that Marvel Studios has already been working on a costume of some kind, which adds to a potential appearance. We’ve heard very little about the Fantastic Four film so far, and it’s uncertain if it even entered some form of pre-production as of now. So, if they are already trying to bring one of Marvel’s most iconic villains to life early, it seems likely he’d appear in a project sooner rather than later. If he appears, it would mainly be to tease a potential connection to the Wakandan and Atlantean war.

    Of course, it’s still a rumor for now as we haven’t even got official information on the involvement of Namor and Atlantis in the story. So, we still have to take it with a grain of salt, but his involvement would be a great addition to the story and potentially tease a larger role for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe later down the line. He’s known for forcing everyone throughout the Marvel universe to band together and it wouldn’t be too surprising he does the same here.

    Source: Bleeding Cool

  • RUMOR: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ May Set Up a Namor Franchise

    RUMOR: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ May Set Up a Namor Franchise

    There have been many rumors pointing to Namor becoming the main threat for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It’s still unclear how the story will unravel, but it seems more and more likely that a clash is inevitable between Wakanda and the Atlanteans. In a new story by Bleeding Cool, they offer some additional insight into what the upcoming sequel may have planned for the iconic Sub-Mariner and it seems they are using this as a jumping-off point for the character to get his own franchise.

    It seems their plan is to use this film in a similar fashion to how Captain America: Civil War introduced Black Panther into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The future king of Wakanda had a substantial role in that film with his own arc that would become the starting point where the first Black Panther film started off. So, it’s likely that wherever the conflict between these two nations ends up, it’ll probably continue his storyline through its aftermath.

    We still have to take it with a grain of salt, but given how much the franchise has been expanding as of late, it wouldn’t be too surprising that they’d want to set up a franchise for a character that’s been with Marvel since the beginning. He’s also known as the first mutant, which may also be an interesting setup in connecting him to the larger mythology developing through the MCU. There’s a lot of potentials and we’ll see what the future has in store once the film releases later this year.

    Source: Bleeding Cool

  • HBO’s ‘The Last Of Us’ Adds ‘Euphoria’s Storm Reid as Riley

    HBO’s ‘The Last Of Us’ Adds ‘Euphoria’s Storm Reid as Riley

    The Last Of Us has been busy filming for its release on HBO. The video game adaptation will retell the story of Joel and Ellie, as they travel across the post-apocalyptic United States to potentially find a cure to the disease turning people into fungal zombies. They have found most of their cast, but it seems that they had one more announcement ready as Storm Reid, known for her work on Euphoria and A Wrinkle in Time, has joined the project in the role of Riley.

    The series is created by the game’s original creator Neil Druckman and Chernobyl‘s Craig Mazin, as Pedro Pascal takes on the role of Joel with Bella Ramsey as Ellie. Reid will have a guest role in the series as Riley Abel, an orphaned girl from Boston. She doesn’t feature in the main storyline but was part of the game’s first DLC titled Left Behind. She’s part of Ellie’s backstory before she ends up meeting with Joel. It’s uncertain if intertwining these storylines or we spend some time with Ellie before she ends up meeting with her reluctant father figure.

    Source: Deadline

  • Michael Keaton On ‘Batman Forever’ And Returning for ‘The Flash’

    Michael Keaton was Batman for many that grew up watching Tim Burtons‘ film back in 1989. He would end up returning for Batman Returns but decided to pass on Batman Forever. Of course, the films took a very different direction once Joel Schumacher took over. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor talked about why he ended up leaving the project.

    It was a job. And then the next one was a job, and I enjoyed it. But then over time — and then the third one, I just couldn’t do. I just thought, ‘Well, this is not good. This is not good. I just can’t do it. I’ll blow my brains out. Just can’t live with myself.’ And so I walked away.

    Michael Keaton

    Of course, after parodying his time as the iconic DC character in Birdman, he ended up taking a step back into the world of superheroes with Spider-Man: Homecoming. He ended up taking a villainous role as the Vulture, which was a highlight of the film. He wasn’t quite done yet, as he has now decided to return to the role that put him on the map for the upcoming multiverse-exploring The Flash film.

    I thought, ‘Boy, what would that be like?’ And then, coincidentally, there were murmurs, and I got a call from Warner Bros. They wanted to talk to me about something and there were hints of Batman.” Studio execs asked him to just read The Flash script. It has to be good. There’s no reason to do it if it’s not good. It’s not gonna really change anything. And I just jumped in and had fun. And why would you not? You know, I mean, director Andy Muschietti is fantastic, and it’s really creative. I don’t know. It’s fun.

    Michael Keaton

    It certainly looks like the quality of the project is one of the reasons he decided to return, and his trust in Muschietti is a good sign that he believes in the project. He’s also rumored to appear in Batgirl. So, the work on the project has certainly convinced him to invest more time once again to bring Batman to life once more.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Peacemaker’s John Cena On Rejections for ‘Shazam’ and ‘Deadpool 2’

    ‘Peacemaker’s John Cena On Rejections for ‘Shazam’ and ‘Deadpool 2’

    John Cena is living the life as the new superhero addition to the DCEU, Peacemaker – well, probably more of an anti-hero to be fair – and is proud to lead his own series after his debut in The Suicide Squad. Director James Gunn found the perfect role for him by taking a satirical look at the classic Charleton character. As his series has just premiered, Cena has been busy with interviews. During his recording with the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, he revealed that he’s been chasing superhero roles for some time, but was met with rejections left and right. He was passed on by projects like Deadpool 2‘s Cable, and even the title role for Shazam!.

    I can’t tell you how many superhero roles I’ve been rejected for. Shazam is certainly one. There was a brief try at the Deadpool universe, rejection. Shazam! was Dikembe Mutumbo. There was a few in the Marvel universe, rejected.

    John Cena

    It’s certainly a competitive market out there, as many actors are trying to nab that role for their chance to either bring a personal favorite hero to life or get their foot in the door. Cena is a household name for many and has starred in quite a few films and projects. So, even if it took some time, the wait has paid off for him to not only join a superhero project but also to find a role he can fully embrace. The fact he still loves wearing the costume to every event is a testament of his commitment.

    Source: Spotify via ComicBook

  • ‘Santa Clause’ Revival Series Heading to Disney+, Tim Allen to Return

    ‘Santa Clause’ Revival Series Heading to Disney+, Tim Allen to Return

    We know that Disney+ is obsessed with reviving classic IPs to attract new viewers to its streaming platform, but this is quite an interesting surprise. It looks like the Christmas classic Santa Clause starring Tim Allen is making a return. It’ll be the third time the actor takes on the role of Scott Calvin after his last appearance in the 2006 threequel. He originally took on the role back in 1994, where the unknowing Scott ended up leading to the death of Santa Clause and would take on the role. It seems the series will explore his time to pass on the role, as revealed in the following series description:

    Scott Calvin is on the brink of his 65th birthday and realizing that he can’t be Santa forever. He’s starting to lose a step in his Santa duties, and more importantly, he’s got a family who could benefit from a life in the normal world, especially his two kids who have grown up at the Pole. With a lot of elves, children, and family to please, Scott sets out to find a suitable replacement Santa while preparing his family for a new adventure in a life south of the pole.

    The mastermind behind Allen‘s last comedy series Last Man Standing, Jack Burditt, is on as showrunner and executive producer. Kevin Hench, Richard Baker, and Rick Messina will also join in the executive producer role alongside its star. With Hocus Pocus 2 on the horizon, it really seems like the House of Mouse is quite excited to revive cult classics for a new generation of viewers.

    Source: Variety

  • EXCLUSIVE: Live-Action ‘One Piece’s First Season No Longer Ten Episodes

    EXCLUSIVE: Live-Action ‘One Piece’s First Season No Longer Ten Episodes

    There’s been a lot of speculation surrounding the upcoming live-action adaptation of One Piece. When the project first picked up momentum in 2020, a message by series creator Eiichiro Oda was released finally offering an update. Sadly, COVID has postponed the project by quite some time, but we finally got a casting confirmation in November for the main members of the Straw Hats. In the initial announcement by Oda, it was announced that the series will run for ten episodes in its first season. However, we can exclusively share that the episode count has changed.

    It seems that at some point in its pre-production the episode count has been reduced from 10 to 8 episodes for its premiere season. That is a similar length to Netflix’s recent release, The Witcher. Currently, it seems the show is eyeing a potential start in spring or in the summer of this year. Of course, that has been constantly changing and Omicron concerns may also influence it with rumors of other productions closing down. The recent cancelation of Cowboy Bebop – another production by Tomorrow Studios – by Netflix after only one season might seem like a potential factor, as these are high-budget projects with high expectations of return for Netflix, but highly doubt it as it could’ve already been something that was decided before that show even aired.

    The first season will cover the East Blue saga from the original manga series, which ran for 100 chapters. What is noteworthy about this saga is that it mainly focused on smaller arcs where Luffy gathered his initial crew before heading out into the Grand Line, meaning there are quite a few separate storylines that’ll be intertwined into this season. In that case, two fewer episodes could be a sign of tighter pacing and a stronger overlap between these arcs. Eight episodes have worked well for some series like The Witcher, Stranger Things, and more, so a slightly shorter season could work in One Piece‘s favor.

  • Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Tease the Court of Owls and Vicky Vale

    Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Tease the Court of Owls and Vicky Vale

    The Batgirl set photos have been a smorgasbord filled with Easter eggs or hints of what we can expect from the upcoming HBO Max film. A mural gave us our first look at a potential appearance of Robin, as it even sparked rumors about a potential Nightwing spinoff. Yet, the latest set photos have added some more interesting references to the original 1989 Batman and one of Batman’s most iconic foes. Let’s start with the latter, as @BatgirlFilm has noticed a magazine that very openly discusses the usually secretive society known as the Court of Owls.

    It’s weird seeing them so openly discussed on the cover of the fictional Gotham Tattler. So, either Michael Keaton‘s Batman faced off against them in the past and they’ve been exposed as a result, or they took a very different approach with their mythology as part of his rogue’s gallery. Speaking of Keaton, a different set photo including another magazine cover includes the name of Vicki Vale, who was played by Kim Basinger back in 1989.

    There’s no word that we might actually see Vicky Vale in the film, but it’s great that they are also including references to the original 1989 project. We saw that the film#s take on Robin is quite different from how the original films introduced the character, but Keaton also wasn’t invovled once that character was included. So, they have enough wiggle room to recreate specific elements while still paying tribute to others from the original Tim Burton films.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter (Vale)

  • James Wan Shares ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Set Photo as Production Wraps

    James Wan Shares ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Set Photo as Production Wraps

    James Wan has been quite busy filming the second entry of the Aquaman franchise starring Jason Momoa titled Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. While actively sharing when the production started some months ago, the director also took to his personal Instagram account to announce that they’ve finished work on the upcoming DC sequel that is set to premiere this December. In the picture, it features him, Momoa, and a returning Patrick Wilson celebrating the production coming to an end.

    His thank-you note highlights that 95% of the film was shot in the United Kingdom, and the rest through Hawaii and Los Angeles. It’s always a sweet move by directors to give their thanks to the teams that help bring these projects to life, especially with how many people are involved with the bid-budget projects. The joke about them being wet a lot is a cute reference to how many scenes are filmed underwater.

    Source: Instagram

  • UPDATE: ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Tessa Thompson Talks Valkyrie’s Comic Powers

    UPDATE: ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Tessa Thompson Talks Valkyrie’s Comic Powers

    UPDATE: It turns out that the powers Tessa Thompson was describing in her interview with W Magazine weren’t for the Thor: Love and Thunder version of her character, but rather the comics. In an Instagram story, she offers some insight into what she was discussing in the interview and simply shares her excitement of the character’s comic abilities and backstory.

    In talking about Valkyrie to W Mag, I was talking generally about powers that are canon and that I loved in reading the comics and not Thor: Love and Thunder. I shan’t be a home for spoilers.

    Tessa Thompson

    Source: Instagram via ScreenRant

    There are quite a few exciting projects heading our way in 2022. Of course, all eyes are on May’s release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as it’ll continue what was set up in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Yet, Thor: Love and Thunder have been slowly teasing the new designs of Taika Waititi‘s next MCU entry which promise an even crazier fourth entry in the franchise. It’ll also see the return of Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie who’ll have a major role in the story. In a new interview with WMagazine, she reveals that her character might have a new and very powerful ability in the film:

    She has weird skills, to be honest. She can sense when someone is close to death, and she takes them into Valhalla, which is essentially the afterlife. She can revive people. But when she revives people, sometimes she ends up in their body. It’s a weird thing. It can be quite erotic. And then she has superhuman strength and is essentially God.

    Tessa Thompson

    That’s a curious ability that hasn’t truly been hinted at in Thor: Ragnarok. It’s an ability that fits what the Valkyries do in Norse mythology, but this ability might also be our first hint that they are staying true to Jane Foster’s transformation into the Mighty Thor. In the comics, she is fighting cancer before she gains the abilities.

    So, Valkyrie might be the one to figure out her real identity – if it’s a secret, to begin with – and connect the dots. Her being able to revive someone does make you wonder if someone might end up dying in the film only for her to bring them back. It opens some interesting questions about the upcoming fourth entry of the Thor franchise.

    Source: WMagazine