Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Mahershala Ali’s Introduction to Blade was the 1998 Wesley Snipes Film

    Mahershala Ali’s Introduction to Blade was the 1998 Wesley Snipes Film

    Blade is technically the grandfather of Marvel’s cinematic ventures. When the Stephen Norrington-directed film was released in 1998, it revolutionized not only superhero films for many years to come, but also played an integral role in representation within cinemas. Soon, Mahershala Ali will take on that very role as part of a wider universe, the fittingly titled Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    While still professionally avoiding questions on the project, Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast got a chance to ask the actor how he was introduced to the character. It seems, he went through the same story as many of us, as he states that:

    Well, only what I discovered like everyone else in the 90s with Wesley Snipes. […] I don’t think the guy even notice how at that time I was just accustomed to there not being black superheroes. The best you got was, like, He-Man, there was, I forget the character’s name in that, there was supposed to be a black character. At least, he was voiced by a black guy and modeled after a black guy, […] but you just weren’t seeing anyone. Once Spawn came out and Blade, then it was really exciting just to have some superheroes that look like you.

    Mahershala Ali

    It once again highlights how rare it was back in the day for kids of any age to feel represented in media. While downplayed, many kids from different backgrounds look for heroes they can look up to. So, there’s an important reason why Ali is tacking on the role and its importance of carrying on the torch that was lit by Black Panther, as he also briefly discusses in the podcast.

    Source: Variety

  • RUMOR: ‘The Matrix Resurrection’ PS5 Tie-In ‘The Matrix Awakens’ Leaks

    RUMOR: ‘The Matrix Resurrection’ PS5 Tie-In ‘The Matrix Awakens’ Leaks

    Here’s a curious discovery. Reddit user u/the_andshrew shared a potential The Matrix Resurrection tie-in that was uncovered in the PSN’s backend that is only available through the PlayStation 5. It’s supposedly made in Unreal Engine 5, which is the cornerstone of the new generation of gaming. All we have is a visual that teases the title of The Matrix Awakens and the iconic visual design used in most of the upcoming film’s marketing and trailers.

    https://image.api.playstation.com/vulcan/ap/rnd/202111/3023/2Xx5zJZOqDPuGZxQMf68YNaV.png

    The title of “experience” is a signifier this might not be an actual game. It might be similar to the Spider-Man: Far From Home tie-in VR experiences, where you get to spend some fun time in the shoes of your favorite webhead. So, we might take on the role of Neo in a short segment, or they might play on you entering the Matrix through the VR headset. It’ll be interesting to see what this might end up being once it is officially announced.

    Source: Reddit

  • ‘Quantumania’ Crew Merch Includes Cracked Ant-Man Helmet and Popular Kang Fan Artwork

    ‘Quantumania’ Crew Merch Includes Cracked Ant-Man Helmet and Popular Kang Fan Artwork

    Just recently, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania wrapped production. Everyone has kept an eye out on the Internet if some crew merch might find its way online and luckily exactly that happened. Ace Ruele shared a t-shirt the stunt team used that had quite an interesting tease. What sticks out is that Paul Rudd‘s Ant-Man helmet is heavily damaged and cracked, which may not bode well for our favorite size-changing hero. If you look closer you’ll see Kang in the helmet’s reflection that may be familiar to people.

    If you look closely, it turns out its fanart from artist spdrmnkyxxiii that you can find online based on what Jonathan Majors could look like as Kang. It’s not uncommon for these to find their way online and crew merch is commonly not created by official sources but brought to life by the teams. They sometimes tease elements of the film or TV show but don’t include actual artwork. Still, it’s a great design.

    https://twitter.com/AceRuele/status/1462806940053028869

    Here’s the original design as shared by the artist back in September of 2020 that seemingly was used in the stunt team’s crew merch:

    It’s still a great tease and highlights once again that Kang the Conqueror will have quite a large role in the upcoming story. We know very little about Quantumania and the usual comedic Ant-Man franchise might face quite the shakeup. The cracked helmet is quite foreboding especially with how involved the stunt team is in the action. We’ll see what the future has in store for Scott Lang.

    Source: Twitter

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×07 “Galileo Hustle”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×07 “Galileo Hustle”

    After taking a backseat in the last episode, Faye Valentine takes the leading role in the seventh episode “Galileo Hustle.” Yet, most of the episode does have our crew interacting (always a plus) and we get some tension between Jet and Spike, as we get a set-up for an eventual betrayal later down the line. Can Netflix’s take on Cowboy Bebop pull off one of the calmer moments from the original series and can it continue the momentum built from the previous episode?

    Cowboy Bebop: Faye Valentine Is Queer in Netflix Series | CBR

    We finally get a pay-off from a few episodes ago on the arrival of Whitney. Early on, we find out how this gender-bent version of the character played into Faye’s origin. Right after she got out of cryo-sleep, this version of the character pretended to be her mother and conned her out of her Identikit. I like this take a tad more than the original. These two characters build a relationship throughout the episode that is a twisted take that kind of works.

    Jet gets some great moments, as we also build upon some character development between him and Chalmers, which was sweet to see. It’s a bit fast considering where they started this season, but I like that we see episodes that seemed a bit out of nowhere continue to build into the next. The same goes for Spike still recovering from the events of “Binary Two-Step” adding a nice layer of continuity that also lets you know that this takes place directly after the previous one.

    2021 - Cowboy Bebop: Faye Valentines Hintergrundgeschichte erklärt | Bildschirm-Rant - Gettotext.com

    The episode does have an important set-up surrounding Jet’s emotional reaction to being betrayed. While he does forgive her for lying about her not-mother being a con artist, it sets up a bigger betrayal later down the line. It’s a great way to build up the point made in the previous episode when the fake Julia confronted Spieka bout lying to his long-time partner. Heartbreak is on the horizon at this rate, which won’t go over so easily this time around.

    As much as I enjoy this take on Whitney, I do think the episode wraps up the cassette mystery way too fast. It seems convenient that their ship happens to have the player they need. Yes, it was a distraction in the original but that was fun seeing Jet and Spike going out of their way to solve the mystery surrounding it. It seems that their focus is more on setting up Faye’s actual mother at the end of that episode. We know little about how old this version of Faye actually is and if she even has the debt from the original. We’ll see what the future has in store for our protagonist.

    Cowboy Bebop: Faye Valentine's Childhood Video Is Tear-Inducing

    Overall, a strong episode once again that continues to build up from previous storylines. It’s good that after the halfway mark we finally see some payoffs. I’ll say that Daniella Pineda is a highlight in this episode, especially in the emotional moment in the end. It probably was one of the highlights and was the show at its most restrained. Oh yeah, Vicious and Julia continue their plans to take over the syndicate. Overall, was a very good episode that isn’t quite on the same level as the previous one but it’s a close one.

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×06 “Binary Two-Step”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×06 “Binary Two-Step”

    Now that is what I call a step in the right direction. The sixth episode titled “Binary Two-Step” is quite the highlight of the season. Mostly due to the plot actually primarily focusing on our main trio. Yes, they are still refusing to stick together, but the dynamic feels less forced this time around. While it doesn’t fully capitalize on every aspect that is presented, the concept of Spike getting lost in a virtual space and facing his past actually pay off the side story that’s been dragging it down through most of the season.

    COWBOY BEBOP Recap: (S01E06) Binary Two-Step

    We get the Dr. Londes, who goes by Cy-Baba now, set up very early in the episode alongside the first mentioning of Radical Ed. They don’t appear in the episode but we get our first confirmation of their existence within this adaptation. Still, the focus of this episode is an adaptation of one of the later releases “Brain Scratch.” While it’s less of a cult this time around, the biggest departure is that Faye isn’t directly involved with this storyline. While she has her own little adventure involving a mechanic and a rail gun, Spike is the one to get sucked into Londes’ offerings.

    John Cho Gets a Tempting New Lead in Netflix's 'Cowboy Bebop' Sneak Peek (Exclusive) | kare11.com

    Once he enters the machine, he is stuck in a loop where he tries to save Julia from Vicious. Londes, once again a machine rather than an actual person, wants to force him into a scenario where he gives up on life to make way for the AI to take over. Jet is briefly taken out of the picture as he tries to repair the Bebop while fighting the already teased mechanic. It’s a decent setup to force him into this solo scenario but does once again highlight how this team just cannot stick together.

    The VR nightmare is quite an interesting concept that is even realized quite well. As the AI keeps fighting Spike’s mental fortitude, the world around it starts falling apart with an interesting visual effect. Taking a closer look at how it changes over time, especially as he recalculates to break Spike’s love for Julia adds a nice bit of character development. Especially, when the moment we think he “gave up” turns out to be quite different after a last-second save.

    Sony Monitor In Cowboy Bebop S01E06 "Binary Two-Step" (2021)

    I did like Jet a lot in this episode. The moment he realizes what is happening to Spike and the desperation of getting to Earth at all cost was a great moment. We do get the tease of what it would mean if he found out about his friend’s time as “Fearless” but you really get the feeling these two would go through hell for each other. Here’s hoping we get a similar scenario from the other’s perspective as well.

    The funniest bit is (sadly) probably Alex Hassel’s face when he is getting ready to shoot Spike in his last flashback from that virtual world. It just once again cements this is a very different take on the character but also highlights the way Spike sees him as well. Most of this episode is here to give our characters some character development with Faye on her own journey of self-discovery adding a nice step into the next episode where she takes centerstage again.

  • ‘Shang-Chi’ Had Creative Liberties in Bringing Ta Lo to Life

    ‘Shang-Chi’ Had Creative Liberties in Bringing Ta Lo to Life

    Shang-Chi and the Legends of Ten Rings introduced the world to a new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the mystical pocket dimension of Ta Lo. Once we get past the dangerous forest, we enter a realm filled to the brim with mystical creatures. It’s the home of the loveable Morris that became a mainstay of our core group of unlikely heroes. In the Blu-ray release of the Marvel Studios film.

    In one of the newest features, we get a glimpse into how they brought Morris to life through a proxy that Ben Kingsley grew quite fond of throughout the filming process. Yet, the biggest highlight was once we enter Ta Lo and meet these various creatures that live in this realm. Naturally, they are quite a bit different from those we live side-by-side within our daily life.

    Simu Liu highlights that they had quite a bit of creative liberty in bringing these mythological beings to life. So, there were no restrictions set on what they can include here, especially with the appearance of Dweller in Darkness, who has had quite a variety of different designs and takes throughout the years. If we get to revisit this location and other locations teased in the film, we might see many more mythological creatures make their appearance in the MCU.

    Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings is now available on Digital and Blu-ray.

  • New Look at Netflix’s ‘Hilda and the Mountain King’ Shared Ahead of Trailer Release

    New Look at Netflix’s ‘Hilda and the Mountain King’ Shared Ahead of Trailer Release

    The heartwarming story of Hilda offered a beautiful adaptation of Luke Pearson’s graphic novel series. We visit a world where humanity lives alongside mythical creatures. After a long life in the middle of nowhere, she and her mother moved to the walled-in Trolberg. That didn’t keep her from getting in quite a bit of trouble and various adventures. The latest at the end of the second season ended up with her switching with a mountain troll and becoming one.

    After a long wait, the film is finally on its way that’ll adapt the story Hilda and the Mountain King, which will follow up where the previous season left off. The official Twitter account released a new piece of the upcoming entry. It also seems to be teasing something, which means we’ll very likely get a trailer soon.

    The animation for this series has always been a highlight, especially with how mellow and welcoming it is. It’s a very approachable story and is a great show to forget the world. The Netflix series is sadly coming to an end as a final third season is planned as a follow-up to The Mountain King. It’ll be interesting to see if it can keep up the pacing as it comes to an end.

    Source: Twitter

  • BREAKING: Cobie Smulders Returning as Maria Hill for ‘Secret Invasion’

    BREAKING: Cobie Smulders Returning as Maria Hill for ‘Secret Invasion’

    It seemed like a sure-thing that Cobie Smulders would return as Maria Hill in the upcoming Secret Invasion Disney+ series, but we never got a confirmation. Well, at least that was until now as Deadline has reported she’ll indeed return for the upcoming series. She’ll join the already stacked cast consisting of the returning Ben Mendelsohn, Olivia Colman, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Christopher McDonald, Killian Scott, Emilia Clarke, and, of course, Samuel L. Jackson.

    It’s still curious that she was never part of the initial announcement during Disney’s Investors Day, where only Mendelsohn and Jackson were confirmed. Smulders has been a mainstay in the franchise, especially if it came to Nick Fury and SHIELD. We don’t know the exact details of how the Secret invasion storyline from the comics will get adapted. So, perhaps her role is rather small overall or there were still some contract discussions and that is why she’s a late addition.

    There’s a curious inclusion in the article, as they add that “details about the role are being kept under wraps, but I hear it is a newly created character.” As she’s already well-established in the franchise, it’s an odd comment to add. So, perhaps it was from an older article or they might’ve given away she’s a potential Skrull. As we get closer to the series release, we’re going to get a lot more confused about who is and isn’t a Skrull.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Adds Cara Delevingne

    ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Adds Cara Delevingne

    It looks like Hulu and Star’s popular mystery comedy series Only Murders in the Building has added Cara Delevingne in a new role. The actress will join the trio of Martin Short, Steve Martin, and not a Martin, Selena Gomez. Delevigne ‘ll play the character of Alice, who’ll end up entrapped in the mystery.

    The story follows the main trio of strangers that end up getting ensnared in a murder mystery within the walls of their apartment building. They document their tale through a podcast as the hobbyists take it upon themselves to solve the mystery. The series was created by John Hoffman and Steve Martin, who both are executive producers on it alongside Gomez, Short, Jamie Babbitt, Dan Fogelman, and Jess Rosenthal.

    Her addition will certailny add to the trio’s dynamic and we’ll see how they might twist up with her character’s arrival. She’s described as an art insider, who might also add an intersting twist to whatever story they find themselves in. There’s no word if she is just a temporary addition for the season or it might become a bigger role moving forward.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Shang-Chi’s Awkwafina Joins Universal’s Dracula Film ‘Renfield’

    ‘Shang-Chi’s Awkwafina Joins Universal’s Dracula Film ‘Renfield’

    Just recently we learned that Nicolas Cage joined Universals project Renfield, which will explore the classic story of Dracula from a different perspective. Nicholas Hoult will take on the main role of Dracula’s servant and will help bring the project to life alongside director Adam McKay. It looks like the casting process has just begun, as Deadline just reported that Awkwafina has also joined the project.

    Currently, the Shang-Chi actress’s role remains under lock and key, but she’s a perfect addition to the more comedic take on the horror classic. Cage will tackle the role of Dracula in the film produced by Skybound Entertainment. They’ll be working off of a script by Ryan Ridley.

    Our titular character, R.M. Renfield, was a former asylum member that went on to become the servant of the prince of darkness. Details are scarce on the project, but it looks like it won’t be a period piece but rather a modern interpretation of the original Dracula novel. It’ll be interesting to see just how different this take on the project might end up being and if it starts off a new, more comedic, Dark Universe.

    Source: Deadline