Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ Premiere Slightly Ahead of ‘Hawkeye’ In Viewership

    ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ Premiere Slightly Ahead of ‘Hawkeye’ In Viewership

    As per usual, we have little insight into how exactly these various shows and projects are doing over at Disney+. Viewership numbers remain tightly locked up for only Disney to see. Luckily, third-party companies do offer some insight through external analysis such s SambaTV. Deadline has shared their latest report on the premiere of The Book of Boba Fett, which shows that it was slightly ahead of the latest Marvel series, Hawkeye by around 13%.

    Does that mean one is better than the other? Not at all, as both shows are showing overall strong viewership numbers of those that watched at least five minutes. They compared the 5-day premiere between the series based on 46M TV devices and a panel of 3M Smart TV households. Hawkeye had a premiere at around 1.5M, while Loki still holds the record of the highest 5-day premiere with 2.5M based on their data. Boba Fett is around 32% behind its premiere, which kicked off the new Wednesday release trend.

    The Book of Boba Fett had quite a bit of momentum behind it, as it was the first solo project focused on one of Star Wars’ most popular characters. His return in The Mandalorian built up quite a bit of excitement and it’s understandable that the series would do well. It’ll be interesting to see how the series grows over time, as more and more happens.

    Source: Deadline

  • Xolo Maridueña Already Tried on the Blue Beetle Suit

    Xolo Maridueña Already Tried on the Blue Beetle Suit

    Warner Bros. has been busy preparing for their next line of DC films. While The Batman is their next major release, they’ve been busy preparing their other projects, such as the once HBO Max exclusive, Blue Beetle. Actor Xolo Maridueña will take on the title role in the Angel Manuel Soto-directed film, which is now heading for a theatrical release. Little is known about the project, but in a recent interview on the latest season of Cobra Kai, the actor confirmed that they’ve already tested out the suit in an interview with USA Today.

    We’ve done two suit fittings. They’re hoping that I get more buff by the time we actually start filming. But I’ve seen the suit, and it looks awesome.

    Xolo Maridueña

    He’s certainly excited about the role and it’s great to hear that the suit will have practical elements. It won’t be an easy design to adapt even if the concept art shared during DC FanDome is quite promising. We can’t wait to see how they bring the organic living suit to life and if they’ll even play around with the fact that Jaime Reyes’ design originally doesn’t include a nose when he’s in his suit. It’ll be interesting to see how they bring that element to life.

    Source: USA Today

  • Exploring Why ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Renamed Shuma-Gorath

    Exploring Why ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Renamed Shuma-Gorath

    There’s been a lot of speculation surrounding who the main antagonist will be in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The first teaser trailer, which dropped as a post-credit sequence for Spider-Man: No Way Home, hinted at Strange being his own worst enemy. Yet, we also got a glimpse at a familiar creature from Marvel Comics history. The great Shuma-Gorath appeared with his classic green tentacle design, but it turns out it’s a creature known as “Gargantos.” The latest merchandise dropped and offered a closer look at his design, and he looks exactly like Gorath. So, why the change?

    At face value, we can assume that they simply updated Gargantos’ design. It actually had closer ties to Namor than Doctor Strange in the comics, which is why it was a bit confusing when the name first popped up in July. It was revealed that Yenifer Molina will voice the role and outside of some rumors, there never was an official confirmation of Gorath’s inclusion. Yet, the design is copied from Gorath’s design from the comics. As such, it seems more like it’s the same character with a new name. There is the distinct possibility that the character was renamed due to the rights issues surrounding the name “Shuma-Gorath.”

    While the Marvel character first appeared in a 1973 issue of Marvel Premiere #10, the name was first used in a short story titled “The Curse of the Golden Skull” by Robert E. Howard. As such, Marvel doesn’t technically own the rights to the name and may have chosen to rename him to avoid legal disputes. It’s a shame given how Lovecraftian the original sounds in comparison, but it’s not the first time they’ve done this. Especially with the character being heavily used in marketing, they might want to avoid any legal issues of using his name.

    There is one element that might still speak in favor of Shuma-Gorath appearing in the film as a separate character. When you look back at the casting, Molina is listed as “Gargantos 2,” which would imply there are multiple versions of the character. While the inclusion of a number seems meaningless at first, it may be our first clear indicator that there’s more to Gargantos than meets the eyes. If there is indeed more than one version of this monster, it may be a hint that this isn’t just a singular entity.

    So, while they may still avoid the name of Shuma-Gorath, there are hints that there’s more to Gargantos. He does seem small for a multiversal enemy with the name inspired by “gargantuan.” Though the name is fitting for a being wanting to take over the entire multiverse. Strange’s villains tend to be larger than life and it wouldn’t be too surprising that the being is simply an off-spring of something much larger, maybe even ethereal. Dormammu only had a physical form to interact with the infiltrator of his Dark Dimension. So, perhaps at the end of the multiverse, Strange will come face-to-face with its true form. We’ll know more once the film releases in May.

    If you somehow missed it, you can check out the film’s first trailer here:

  • BREAKING: Sony Delays ‘Morbius’ to an April Release Amidst Omicron Concerns

    BREAKING: Sony Delays ‘Morbius’ to an April Release Amidst Omicron Concerns

    It looks like the few Morbius fans will have to wait just a bit longer, as the film was once again pushed back over concerns with the ever-growing Omicron variant. The film has already been pushed back quite a bit after the pandemic hit and it’s uncertain if they also want to have Spider-Man: No Way Home make as much as it can, as other releases are still struggling at the box office. The film is now scheduled to release on April 1st rather than its initial January 28th release.

    The bigger issue for the film lies in its competition, as April is a stacked release with much-anticipated sequels like Sonic the Hedgehog 2. It’ll also release around a month after the next major superhero release in The Batman, which is a sure-fire hit going by early reception and anticipation. Given its marketing’s focus on highlighting the Spider-Man connections, it’ll be interesting to see if this delay gives them time to define more clearly with which version of the character is connected due to Venom now confirmed from a different dimension.

    Source: Twitter

  • Leaked ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’: Artwork Offers Closer Look at Thor and Jane Foster’s New Looks

    Leaked ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’: Artwork Offers Closer Look at Thor and Jane Foster’s New Looks

    It looks like it’s one of those days where things just find their way online. After Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has most of its merchandise released online, it seems that a new look at Thor and Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor from Thor: Love and Thunder has also leaked online. It’s not the first time we’ve seen the designs, as they were highlighted in a marketing poster that was sighted out in the wild, but it does offer a clearer look at both their designs. What stands out is that Mjolnir seems to be still cracked from the time Hela broke it apart in Ragnarok.

    Thor’s new look seems to combine the best elements from the past with a new blue-golden design. It’s actually a great coloring choice that’ll certainly stand out in the film. Jane Foster’s design is quite the fantastic blend of the film’s take on Asgardian armor and what she wore in the comics. The fact she’ll wear the iconic helmet is also a great step after Thor forgot his ever since the first film.

    Source: Twitter

  • New ‘Doctor Strange’ Merch Offers Closer Look at Scarlet Witch’s Updated Design

    New ‘Doctor Strange’ Merch Offers Closer Look at Scarlet Witch’s Updated Design

    The upcoming new entry in the ever-expanding multiverse storyline of the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse is only a few more months away. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will further expand our understanding of Marvel Studios’ venture that started in Loki, and we’ll see quite a few familiar faces returning. It’ll also act as a sequel to WandaVision, which introduced the world to Wanda’s transformation into the Scarlet Witch. While we got a good look at her costume in the series, the first merchandise has arrived that offers a glimpse at some of the tweaks and changes that were made to her design for the upcoming sequel.

    We’ve gotten quite a lot out of this merchandise dump, such as a closer look at Gargantos’ design, who may be one of the film’s main antagonists. Wanda is getting quite the focus in the merchandise, which may highlight just how large her role is. We don’t know yet how the post-credit sequence leads into the film, as the teaser did hint that it was Strange that recruited her. There’ll be a lot of moving pictures in the film and it’s exciting to see how it may turn out.

    Source: Twitter

  • New ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Offers Closer Look at Gargantos

    New ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Offers Closer Look at Gargantos

    We’re only a few months away from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ releasing in theaters, as it continues from where Spider-Man: No Way Home left off our favorite sorcerer. His venture into the multiverse won’t be an easy one, as the next Marvel Studios entry takes inspiration from horror-themed cinema. As we inch closer, we also get more merchandise that offers a glimpse at what’s to come, and luckily @BRMarvelNews shared some of it on Twitter.

    That’s not all, as @DrStrangeUpdate also shared a new look at a comic-inspired cover that showcases the battle between Strange, Chavez, and Wong against the Shuma Gorath look-a-like, Gargantos.

    A long time ago, most of our theories pointed to Shuma-Gorath being the main antagonist in the upcoming film. The fact the character visually resembles the iconic tentacle monster may hint at there being more at play. Back in July, a casting leak hinted that there might be more than one which could mean that Gargantos are potentially offspring of the main monster. So, while it is being highlighted as the main antagonist, there might be more to this and they are distracting us from the film’s main threat.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter

  • Sony Kicks-Off ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Oscar Campaign for Best Picture

    Sony Kicks-Off ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Oscar Campaign for Best Picture

    We’ve heard rumblings of Sony’s interest in trying to nab an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, especially after Spider-Man: No Way Home reignited the international box office, as well as its critical reception. Given how much money the film made, Sony saw the opportunity and has seemingly already started its “For Your Consideration” campaign, as shared by @mavericksmovies. They are all-in, hoping to nab as many nominations as they can and there are high hopes for that Best Picture. If it does manage to get one, it would be the second Marvel Studios project to accomplish this following Black Panther in 2018.

    The pictures are in low-resolution, as they aren’t officially released. They can be commonly found through various sites that are frequented by people in the industry to get their attention. It’s not uncommon, as these competitions are just as much about personal preference by the judges, as well as what film grabs their attention. In a year like 2021, there aren’t many films that left this strong of an impact and it’ll be interesting to see if the superhero genre has a chance at joining the nomination once again.

    Source: Twitter

  • RUMOR: ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ May Feature a Familiar Face

    RUMOR: ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ May Feature a Familiar Face

    Here’s an interesting rumor, it looks like The Book of Boba Fett might include a familiar face from past Star Wars franchises. There have been many wondering what the new series exploring a new future for Temuera Morrison’s Boba Fett might explore, as it opens up to the return of many from his past. Well, it seems The Sun has just revealed an important figure from the original trilogy might make his return.

    The following piece will include a major spoiler. So, if you aim to watch the series without anything getting revealed, only continue at your own risk.

    The Sun is reporting that Harrison Ford has taken some time out of his busy schedule to film for three days on The Book of Boba Fett set. If this rumor turns out to be true, he will have a small role in the series and will get digitally de-aged, similar to what they did with Mark Hamill on The Mandalorian. The appearance has been something fans hoped for, as Fett was the one responsible for offering Han Solo to Jaba the Hutt. So, it’ll be interesting to see what role he might have if this becomes true

    Source: The Sun

  • ‘I Am Groot’ Storyboards Offer First Look at Disney+ Series

    ‘I Am Groot’ Storyboards Offer First Look at Disney+ Series

    2022 is going to be another big year for Marvel Studios, as they continue to expand into Disney+ and cinemas. Yet, alongside the live-action projects, we’ll also get another new animated intro in the form of I Am Groot. It’ll continue the storyline set up during Guardians of the Galaxy, where Groot sacrificed his life to save the others. He ends up regrowing in a smaller form, who would become a fan-favorite in the sequel. Now, we’ll revisit that time and explore his adventures during that time.

    It looks like storyboard artist Mark Hurtado has released storyboards for the upcoming series on their Art Station channel. What is interesting is that while this series was highlighted as an animated project, it seemingly includes Drax in some capacity. That opens up the question of whether it may turn out to be a live-action series after all, or they’ll digitally recreate Drax for the Disney+ entry.

    Drax’s inclusion also opens up the possibility that we’ll see other members of the Guardians appear throughout the series. It would make sense to see the return of Rocket, who’s highlighted as Groot’s main caregiver in Vol. 2. We don’t know how far the project is along, but it was teased for a 2022 release. So, perhaps it might join The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

    Source: Art Station