Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Matthew Vaughn Open to Tackle a ‘Star Wars’ Film

    Matthew Vaughn Open to Tackle a ‘Star Wars’ Film

    Matthew Vaughn is currently promoting his latest film, The King’s Man, which acts as a prequel to his popular Kingsman franchise. It seems though that before he brought the iconic franchise to the silver screen, he was in love with the idea of tackling a project for Lucasfilm, especially as part of the Star Wars franchise. Screen Rant got a chance to ask about his interest in potentially tackling a project, while also looking back at the sequel trilogy’s release by Disney.

    If you’d asked me that 10 years ago, I would have given Kingsman to Lucasfilm for free to get a go shooting a Star Wars film. So yes, I would have loved to [have] done a Star Wars film, which was part of the Skywalker saga, is all I can say. It sort of feels like that’s been decimated, or whatever the word is for that thing. But yeah, Star Wars is a really important movie to me. I mean, I thought I liked films, and then I saw Star Wars…So, never say never…So the answer is, if they really wanted a new, proper Star Wars film, a proper one, a Star Wars movie that could be its own thing, I wouldn’t say no, just have a go with a lightsaber…So, I don’t know. When they were looking for a director for the next Indiana Jones, it did pique my interest.

    He’s made quite an interesting statement on the case of the sequels and their quality. Plus, his love for LucasFilm highlights how deep their films have become a part of our cultural consciousness, especially with many of us growing up with it. He continues to highlight that:

    I was like, “Oh my God, to make an Indy would be great.” But Star Wars, yeah, I think out of all the IP I’m not involved with, Star Wars would always get my attention. If they rang — they’ve never rang me up, they’ve got no interest in working with me, just to be very clear. I think I’m probably a little bit too — what’s the word? — Maverick, maybe? But I promise, if I did it, I would do — I’m not saying no one tries to make a good film, a bad film — but I would be meticulous on trying to protect the legacy of something that I fell in love with movies for. So the answer is a very long-winded answer. But yes, I’d like to.

    Star Wars is definitely an interesting project to tackle for any director given its many influences that establish a unique take on space operas. We’ve also slowly seen them expand into new ventures like Star Wars: Visions, which might be a sign they are expanding in unique ways. Though delays have recently also hinted at a lot of discussions internally. So, we’ll see what the future has in store for the franchise and hopefully, Vaughn gets a chance to make a dream come true.

    Source: ScreenRant

  • ‘What If…?’ Season 2 Noticeably Absent in Disney+’s 2022 Line-up

    ‘What If…?’ Season 2 Noticeably Absent in Disney+’s 2022 Line-up

    Disney+ just released a special teaser including every series and film that’ll release on the platform in 2022. It finally confirmed that I Am Groot, the animated spinoff of the Guardians of the Galaxy, would premiere next year. Yet, there’s one noticeable absence in the line-up. After teasing that What If…? is planned as an annual release, there’s no sight of the series’ confirmed the second season in the released teaser list. It’s uncertain how far along they are on the second season, but it would seem we shouldn’t expect it until the earliest of 2023.

    Of course, there’s the possibility that they are prioritizing one animated project per year, as such they gave I Am Groot the release spot. They might also announce it as a later addition at one point down the line, but it is curious that there’s no mention of it. They might’ve decided to change-ups strategies, as producing an entire season every year for the series might be a much larger uptaking than initially expected. We’ll see if any other announcements arrive later on, as The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is also absent in the listing. So, we’ll see if this is a definite list or we’ll see some changes throughout the year.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Off to a Strong International Start, Eyeing $300M+ Opening Weekend

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Off to a Strong International Start, Eyeing $300M+ Opening Weekend

    Well, the numbers are certainly showing an impressive start for the third entry in the MCU Spider-Man franchise. While Far From Home was the first to break the $1 billion milestones, it seems like No Way Home is going to follow shortly after. It already was proving its potential through its record-breaking pre-sales, its rollout in international markets is continuing that very trend. Deadline first reported that it already grossed $5.28M in Korea, which puts it 11% ahead of 2019’s Far From Home release, which was the film’s second-biggest market behind China. It’s also dominating France and will release in select markets as of Friday, such as the Netherlands, India, Germany, and more.

    Some markets are even accommodating their release windows, such as the Netherlands opening early due to a 5 PM curfew. U.S. numbers haven’t arrived yet, but it seems that it made around $50M+ in its Wednesday previews alone and is definitely going to nab around $300M+ at this rate. Of course, COVID restrictions could become an influencing factor, as pointed out, but there’s always the potential it goes beyond it if it continues down this path. Overseas projects have it at $160M to $180M, but there’s potential to go higher if the pandemic codicils don’t hamper its development. Charlie Jatinder shared some insight into how the markets are performing:

    Especially, the UK numbers are impressive, as it pulling in £7.2M in comparison to this year’s most successful release in the country, No Time to Die, managed to earn around £100M with an opening consisting of £4.5M. So, it looks like the film will definitely have strong legs internationally at this rate.

    We’re still waiting for more data on how the domestic market has performed, but its Wednesday numbers are already quite impressive and signal good things. Even as the Omnicom scare is making the rounds, there’s still some hope that it’ll hold strong and we can expect a generally strong performance. Will it pass $1 billion? There’s some hope it might be the first to do so since the pandemic started, but we’ll have to see how its weekend starts developing as word-of-mouth spreads.

    Source: Deadline, Twitter, Twitter (UK)

  • Marvel Studios’ ‘I Am Groot’ Confirmed for 2022 Release on Disney+

    Marvel Studios’ ‘I Am Groot’ Confirmed for 2022 Release on Disney+

    A new teaser has dropped teasing the upcoming 2022 line-up. We’ve seen quite a few included, such as the recently announced Eternals release date, She-Hulk, Moon Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and many more. Yet, there’s an interesting surprise thrown into the mix, as it looks like the Groot-focused Guardians of the Galaxy series, I am Groot, is also slated to release next year. The logo is included in the end as you see the various shows and films from the next year getting promoted. It’s a bit of a surprise as it wasn’t given much focus during Disney+ Day unlike the other projects, but it’s definitely an exciting surprise.

    James Gunn has also taken to Twitter to confirm this announcement that was sneakily included in their 2022 line-up.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1471534234976370697

    It’s great to finally get a confirmation on when the series releases. Surprisingly, there was no mention of the The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which would release ahead of its third entry. Perhaps it’ll be made available in January or around New Year to celebrate the holidays and all its intergalactic diversity. We know very little about I Am Groot outside of it going for a hyper-realistic animation style to bring Baby Groot back into the fold. So, here’s hoping we might get a tease in the near future.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Merch Offers First Look at Rhintra and Mordo’s New Look

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Merch Offers First Look at Rhintra and Mordo’s New Look

    It looks like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness merchandise is slowly finding its way online. We’ve got a few teases of what’s to come and there have been quite a few rumors on how or who won’t appear in a film. A few weeks ago, a toy leak gave us a hint at what would be included, such as comic-inspired ones for Sleepwalker and D’Spayre. Well, they finally arrived and include some surprising reveals, such as our first look at Rhintra and Baron Mordo’s new look for the upcoming film. @Preterniadotcom shared the first look which you can check out here:

    https://twitter.com/preterniadotcom/status/1471516231857577985

    It seems that Baron Mordo now goes by Master Mordo in the new listings and is rocking a great new look. We still don’t know what the film has in store for him and if we might see mother Variants of the character. As we’re about to set out into the multiverse, there seem to be the dangers of endless potential, as who knows if even Doctor Strange will always be the same person.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘No Way Home’ Fortnite Tie-In Includes Spider-Man and MJ

    ‘No Way Home’ Fortnite Tie-In Includes Spider-Man and MJ

    It looks like Fortnite’s Winterfest has just grown with one more iconic addition. Spider-Man was featured heavily in the latest season, and now they’ve announced that we’re also get Spider-Man: No Way Home-inspired skins in the game. Of course, they announced it in style with a new trailer celebrating the beginning of Winterfest, as well as confirming we’re not only getting Spider-Man but Zendaya‘s MJ as playable characters as well. The costume featured in the short sequence is the one he created in Far From Home, but will bring back in the upcoming sequel:

    It looks like he’ll also receive the Black-Gold suit that has been featured in trailers and heavily through merchandise. @BRMarvelNews shared a first look at the various costumes. It seems that MJ will only receive a single design.

    They join Insomniac, who have also included tie-in costumes for the latest Spider-Man entry, as they offered both the Integrated suit and the Black-gold version, as the Red-Black suit already was featured from Far From Home‘s release. Sony certainly has invested quite a bit of money to manage and reach every corner of the market, and Fortnite is one of the biggest gaming franchises out there. At this point, we’ve seen quite a few celebrities appear in the game, but it’s interesting that they added MJ. Perhaps we get some villain costumes to tie into the film as it finally rolls out across the world.

    Source: YouTube, Twitter

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×10 “Supernova Symphony”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×10 “Supernova Symphony”

    When I started the review series of the various episodes of Cowboy Bebop, I didn’t expect that the season finale review would turn into the series finale. Yet, as Netflix has decided not to continue with their work on the project, it seems like this is our take now. It looks like my planned piece on what they could improve on for the second season goes out the window, and it’s time to take a closer look at the final episode on the live-action take of this live-action adaptation and see if it somehow sticks the landing.

    We continue where we left off with Spike in the eight-episode, as he awakens back in Ana’s jazz bar, where he finds out why she’s been walking in a cane. His friends come in for the rescue with probably one of my favorite moments. Jet realizes Spike is okay and goes on to give him a giant bear hug just shows how much he cares for him. All that only for the series pulls the rug from under us when he finds out his partner worked for the Syndicate and got his daughter kidnapped.

    At that moment, it made you realize why he had a daughter in this adaptation. It was the perfect device to drag him into the final conflict, as most Western series focus strongly on having all story points come together in a finale. While it doesn’t hold the same weight as the original, the inclusion of others takes away from the personal moment that this storyline was in “Ballad of Fallen Angels.” It’s strange that most of the time they keep the cast separate, but this is the first time they force them back together in a story that is originally meant purely for Spike.

    Still, we get some great moments like Spike and Jet’s exchange. Faye’s “last-minute” save was also a nice moment as she still came back for them, but it did make me question why in the world she managed to find a hint at her past in the same spot that Spike happened to fight Mad Pierrot. As they go out of their way to build connections that weren’t there before, this one felt a bit forced. It also brings the team together only to split them up again for what would’ve been a second season that seems like what the writers love doing.

    Vicious and Spike get their confrontation and Alex Hassell’s take on the character ends up being the most cartoony in this entry. The faces he makes are quite hilarious, especially when he is in “stabby” mood – even if it feels like it undercuts the intensity he sometimes tries to convey. Still, his maniac personality remains consistent with what we learned about him from the previous episode and see it in action. Even if it feels like this version of Spike could wipe the floor with him normally.

    The biggest departure is the twist at the end when Julia shows up, shoots Vicious and undermines their rivalry, and then decides she’ll become the Syndicate’s new ruler. While it would’ve opened up a potentially new direction for the series to make it stand out from the original, there is a certain lack of set-up about this betrayal. Yes, she was mad she lived in the shadow of Vicious and Spike never came to save her, but this is the case where knowing less might’ve made this character more interesting even if Elena Satine gives a great performance.

    In the end, it doesn’t quite stick the landing but does offer at least a fun end to an overall enjoyable experience. It’s still sad that we won’t get more out of the series, but it did give us some exceptional performances from John Cho and Mustafah Shakir. It lacked the subtlety of the original in many ways and struggled quite a bit to find a balance between source material and making it its own, but there were some great ideas throughout. Here’s hoping this is a learning experience for Netflix and Tomorrow Studios when they start working on the One Piece series.

  • RUMOR: ‘Hawkeye’s Finale to be Marvel Studios’ Longest Disney+ Episode

    RUMOR: ‘Hawkeye’s Finale to be Marvel Studios’ Longest Disney+ Episode

    So far, Hawkeye has been quite an enjoyable entry in the MCU’s ever-expanding library. It offers a more grounded storyline as Clint Barton faces the underbelly of New York City while having to take care of a young protégé. Kate Bishop joins him in his fight, as we explore his time as Ronin and the regret that is included with it, as well as the loss of his closest friend. Of course, can’t forget the addition of Yelena Belova to follow up her story from Black Widow and the confirmation of Vincent D’Onofrio‘s return as Wilson Fisk.

    There’s a lot to unpack going into the finale and it seems the team behind the series is very aware of this. As it seems the upcoming sixth episode may be the longest of any Marvel Studios series. According to Amit Chaudhari, who has reported the length of episodes in the past, the final episode will not only be the longest of the series but also every Disney+ entry so far at 59 minutes.

    It now dethrones Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s fifth episode “Truth” which clocked in at around 58 minutes. Keep in mind that depending on where you live, the credits are longer or shorter due to the international voice cast also getting included. Still, it’s an impressive length and hopefully a sign that we’re in for quite a lot. We still haven’t met Fisk in this series, as he was only showcased through an image on a phone. So, not only do we have to resolve the storylines set-up through both Hawkeyes, Maya Lopez, and the mysterious watch, but also get introduced to the series’ actual villain. It’ll be interesting to see how they wrap it all up with a nice bow.

    Source: Twitter

  • Hall of Murphy: Episode 12 – ‘Doom Patrol’ 305 – 310 (w/ Mary Maerz)

    Hall of Murphy: Episode 12 – ‘Doom Patrol’ 305 – 310 (w/ Mary Maerz)

    John and Joe return to finally wrap up their thoughts on the final episodes of Doom Patrol, and they aren’t alone. Mary returns once again for them to discuss if the series continues to be a hit or falters in the last few episodes.

  • How Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin Could Be the Netflix ‘Daredevil’ Character

    How Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin Could Be the Netflix ‘Daredevil’ Character

    Finally, after a long wait, Vincent D’Onofrio has made his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While some still believe that the upcoming adaptation will be a soft reboot for the character, there are some curious hints at his character potentially being the same we last saw during Daredevil‘s third season. With Charlie Cox‘s Matt Murdock set to appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the upcoming reintroduction of the Netflix characters might finally confirm that the final season of the series is canon.

    Let’s start with the most obvious connection. While not in person, we got our first look at D’Onofrio’s Fisk through a video taken by Yelena Belova. The video quality seems a bit off, but what we can make out is that he’s wearing a similar suit that he wore during the final season of the original series. He has a white suit with a black shirt underneath, which offered a modern take on his comic book version. He seems to be rocking the same style.

    Speaking of, Hawkeye also calls him by the same name that he got during that season. In the first season, Fisk tried very hard to keep his name out of everyone’s mouth. Hell, a man killed himself because he accidentally let that slip and put him on Matt Murdock’s radar. It wasn’t until the final season that he was given a codename Kingpin. Of course, there is the question of how the name that was given to him by Agent Poindexter, the future Bullseye, managed to find its way into the public, but he might’ve loved the weight it could carry.

    So, there are quite a few hints that this is, indeed, a continuation of the original series and hopefully also means we won’t have to wait long for Wilson Bethel to also make a return given the set-up that was left open during the final scene of the series. Of course, Fisk and Murdock’s return does open up the question of when we can expect their arrival and eventual clash. He was arrested during the finale and lost everything, but if Daredevil vanished for five years due to the snap, he had enough time to rebuild his empire without his arch-nemesis being the wiser. Here’s hoping we get some hints in the finale.