Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘Eternals’ and ‘Stranger Things’ Scanline VFX Studio Acquired by Netflix

    ‘Eternals’ and ‘Stranger Things’ Scanline VFX Studio Acquired by Netflix

    It looks like Netflix has been quite happy with the work by the effects studio Scanline VFX. So much o that they have now purchased the company that famously worked on some of their most famous originals, Strangers Things. They are also a strong force for bringing Marvel projects to life like the recently released Eternals film. Of course, these are just a small glimpse at their complete repertoire.

    It seems the deal will be finalized in the first quarter of next year, but no details have been released on the deal. The interesting direction is that Scanline will continue to work as a standalone business. So, we might still see their name included in future Marvel or DC projects. This purchase follows shortly after Unity teased their interest in buying Peter Jackson’s Weta Digital for $1.625M.

    Netflix currently is working with them on the fourth season of Stranger Things and the recently released Cowboy Bebop. Their Marvel repertoire includes most of the recent projects going all the way back to Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Recent releases include Free Guy, Godzilla vs. King Kong, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. It’s a big get for Netflix in the industry and it’ll be interesting to see

    Source: Variety

  • Keanu Reeves Calls Joining the MCU One Day “Would be an Honor”

    Keanu Reeves Calls Joining the MCU One Day “Would be an Honor”

    There are many fan casts for various actors to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe at some point. Keanu Reeves has been on the top of that list ever since his resurgence with John Wick. He is currently busy interviewing for his next project, the franchise revival of The Matrix with the subtitle Resurrections. In an interview with Esquire, he was asked about the rumors hinting at his appearance in a Marvel Studios project and he had the following to say:

    It would be an honor. There’s some really amazing directors and visionaries, and they’re doing something that no one’s really ever done.It’s special in that sense, in terms of the scale, the ambition, the production. So it would be cool to be a part of that. Isn’t it bigger than a universe? It’s almost like a Multiverse. It’s a Marvel-verse

    Keanu Reeves

    He certainly doesn’t confirm that he’d join any project, but it wouldn’t be too surprising that there have been talks at some point in time. Reeves would be quite the popular get for any project over at Marvel Studios, but it’s uncertain if he’d be open to appearing in a Disney+ series or sticking to films. Here’s hoping something comes together and we will finally have Baby Yaga join the franchise in a specific role.

    You can check out the full video by Esquire here:

    Source: YouTube

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×1 “Cowboy Gospel”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×1 “Cowboy Gospel”

    Netflix’s live-action adaption of Cowboy Bebop has finally arrived. While you can check out our overall review by Nicole Sobon by clicking here, it was time to take a look at the various episodes and see how the series holds up and adapts some of the iconographies from the original 1999 anime. So, let’s start off with the first episode titled “Cowboy Gospel” as Spike Spiegel and Jet Black take on a bounty that’ll draw the wrong kind of attention. Will the first episode grip your attention, or falter early on?

    Cowboy Bebop' season 1, episode 1 recap: Cowboy Gospel

    We start off with a casino heist that goes wrong when John Cho‘s Spike arrives on the scene not putting much care into hiding. It’s a curious way to kick off the adaptation, but it tries to give us a fast feel for what the series is going for. It’s a bit of a departure from the original, as not only are episodes running quite a bit longer, moving to an hour from the usual half-hour fare, but also it being more comedy driven. This could be a make or break aspect of this adaptation, as it is less a bounty-of-the-week but tries to spend more time with characters, which is a big aspect of later episodes.

    The opening tries to quickly introduce viewers to Cho‘s version of Spike and Mustafa Shakir‘s Jet Black, who’s dynamic is a highlight of the series. It mostly adapts “Asteroid Blues” from the original anime, but also sets up the main narrative of the story. There’s a noticeable cost thought for this direction, as Katerina’s arc is a bit sidelined for the introduction of the Red Dragon Syndicate. It’s a shame because her story is more a plot device rather than an emotional core. This is one of the live-action adaptations biggest problems throughout: it lacks the subtlety of the original.

    COWBOY BEBOP Series Premiere Recap: (S01E01) Cowboy Gospel

    Daniella Pineda‘s Faye Valentine makes an early introduction in the first episode and highlights that aspects. She’s there to set-up an appearance later on, which is in line with more Western story structures. But, the issue is that appearance in this story takes away from Katerina and Spike’s moment together. Even with her time cuffed in the toilet is a nice nod, it felt a little too early. Especially as she interrupts the first and main interaction between Spike and Katerina to set up their connection.

    Cowboy Bebop has a curious love for the dutch angle, especially in its first episode. It seems to be used primarily to add a style to it rather than lean into it’s original intent of creating uneasiness. It’s not bad but can be distracting or requires at least some getting used to for new viewers. This decision once again highlights the fact that this show is a bit more “in your face” unlike the original.

    First Look: Netflix Reveals Cowboy Bebop Premiere And Photos of John Cho As Spike | Geek Culture

    The first episode ends on a rather disorienting gun fight with some fun nods to John Woo action sequences. It’s something you’ll notice fast in the opening as well that the action is there, but it feels like it’s not given enough time to breath. So, it’s not as impactful as it could be. But, it does give us our first name drop of Spike’s Syndicate times as Fearless, which is something new added to this adaptation. These events leads into the ending of the episode that will dramatically change one characters’ direction.

    Overall, it’s a decent start to the show. It’s seems deliberate to utilize the first episode from the original to showcase the similarities and differences moving forward. It does drag a bit with its doubled runtime but it uses that time to flesh out characters early on. The only issue of the lack of subtlety, especially in the way the ending visually shows the aftermath of Katerina’s final decision rather than letting the events tell you its outcome, is something that does bog it down a bit. We’ll see if future episodes follow a similar pattern.

  • HBO Max and Disney+ Share 20th Century Streaming Rights Until 2022

    HBO Max and Disney+ Share 20th Century Streaming Rights Until 2022

    The streaming market has become quite competitive with many jumping in to get a piece of the action. Disney+ and HBO Max have been harsh competitors for Netflix, but also each other. This is especially a big factor in the fact that Warner Bros. still had an exclusive deal with 20th Century Fox to add their library to HBO and HBO Max. Well, it seems that this deal is slowly coming to an end.

    In a new report by Variety, it turns out that HBO Max’s streaming access will end with one more year. Yet, they will also share the streaming releases with Disney+ and Hulu moving forward with Ron’s Gone Wrong being the first in December. The deal will end in 2022 however, and there’s no expectation it’ll get extended due to Disney wanting to include the library in their streaming service.

    For now, they will co-share rights to 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures productions with Disney’s in-house streaming offerings. Ron’s Gone Wrong will release on December 15th on both platforms. So, they’ll also share the same release date moving forward. Any production for an older audience will release on Hulu most likely and in the Star expansion of Disney+ in specific countries.

  • New Details on ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Spider-Man and Raid DLC

    New Details on ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Spider-Man and Raid DLC

    It looks like more information has found its way online on the upcoming November 30th expansion of Marvel’s Avengers. Not only will PlayStation owners get access to a new character in the always popular Spider-Man, but we also will embark on the game’s biggest endgame content offering in the “Discordant Sound” raid. earlier today we got our first footage of the character, but some additional reports have added some curious new details to his addition.

    It seems the story will include some new additional NPC characters that may or may not have a story later down the line. His college classmate Liz Allen will be found at the Ant Hill as well as Mark Raxton, who becomes the Molten Man in the comics. Crystal Dynamics played coy on if he might take a villainous turn at some point. While most of the story is told through files, it’s great to see them expand the world.

    Image

    Let’s start off with the new playable hero. There has been some debate, especially in IGN’s coverage, about how Spider-Man swings from one location to the next. Forbes’ Paul Tassi has highlighted that it comes quite close to what Insomniac offers which is impressive given the restrictions. He does swing off of “nothing” but that is something one has to suspend disbelief in for any game, as he did the same in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 due to playability being prioritized.

    Image

    The character also comes with a new status effect based on his webs. He’s more of a crowd-control and support character in the game. It’s a curious direction but his new web abilities support that direction and make him stand out from the rest. Yes, he is a strong fighter but has the ability to help out the team when they are getting swarmed by enemies, which will be a recurring issue in the upcoming raid. He also has different web shooter variants, which include a charge shot and web bombs. You can even knock enemies against a wall and web them up.

    Image

    Speaking of, it seems that the entire raid has been built from the ground up just for this mission. The giant Klaue fight that has been teased for quite some time takes up half of the game, which is an exciting prospect of that giant constantly taking you down. You can also expect traditional bosses and mini-bosses. Communication is key, and while they’re still working on a join-in-progress offering, it’s good to play with people you know well.

    Source: Forbes, GameInformer

  • Kathleen Kennedy Teases Future Plans for ‘Star Wars’ Sequel Trilogy Spinoffs

    Kathleen Kennedy Teases Future Plans for ‘Star Wars’ Sequel Trilogy Spinoffs

    It looks like Lucasfilms might have some plans for the newly introduced characters of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Most of the current projects are focused on exploring the different eras in the past, such as The Mandalorian taking place after the original trilogy ended. Obi-Wan Kenobi will bridge that era with the prequel trilogy. In an interview with Empire, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy was asked if they had any plans and she teased that they haven’t forgotten about characters and there are ongoing discussions.

    Certainly, those are not characters we’re going to forget. They will live on, and those are conversations that are going on with the creative team as well.

    Kathleen Kennedy

    The Rise of the Skywalker ended the original saga first started in 1977. It continued the legacy of those characters and tried its best to tie some loose ends. It didn’t hit the mark for everyone, but we still got some interesting characters out of the new trilogy. It would be interesting to see what the aftermath of these events might look like. Daisy Ridley‘s Rey has now taken on the name Skywalker and might carry on the traditions of Jedi. John Boyega‘s Finn, as a former Stormtrooper, still has the most potential for an interesting storyline, as there might still be many out there forced to work for the remnants of the New Order. So, here’s hoping we find out what new and old corners they might visit in the near future.

    Source: Empire

  • ‘Eternals’ BTS Image Hints at an Earlier Appearance of Harry Styles’ Eros

    ‘Eternals’ BTS Image Hints at an Earlier Appearance of Harry Styles’ Eros

    It’s already been a few weeks since Eternals was released, but there are still some curious details that find their way online, especially with the reveal of Harry Styles playing Eros. While we’re still wondering how exactly the new origin of this alien race might connect to Thanos, it seems that Styles’ character may have had an appearance at an earlier point in the story. Sprite actress Lia McHugh took to Instagram to share some pictures from behind-the-scenes with one including Styles. Yet, their outfits and Richard Madden‘s inclusion raise some eyebrows for those that have seen the post-credit sequence.

    The outfits they are wearing are the ones we see them in when they are on their way to earth. So, we may have spent some time with others from the race before they eventually made their trip o fight the Deviants. Madden‘s inclusion highlights that this is probably from earlier in the film, as he’s not around when Styles makes his grand appearance. There’s, of course, the chance that the post-credit sequence would’ve included a flashback or even a visit to the World Forge, where they meet others like themselves.

    We know that Eros is an Eternal, but we don’t know if there’s something special about his kind, especially with the mystery of how he relates to Thanos. There’s a chance that he might be adopted or that the Celestials tested out the evolution aspect on a handful of Eternals who remained on Titan. Here’s hoping we won’t have to wait too long until we get an answer to these questions.

    Source: Instagram

  • Ridley Scott Developing a Live-Action ‘Blade Runner’ Spinoff Series

    Ridley Scott Developing a Live-Action ‘Blade Runner’ Spinoff Series

    Ridley Scott, the creator behind classics like Alien and Blade Runner, has been quite busy discussing his latest film, House of Gucci. In an interview with BBC, he talked about the upcoming Alien series that was announced as part of FX’s line-up during Disney’s Investors Day. Yet, he also revealed that they are also working on a live-action Blade Runner series where he highlights that they’ve already finished the pilot and the series bible. In his full quote, he stated that:

    We [have already] written the pilot for ‘Blade Runner’ and the bible. So, we’re already presenting ‘Blade Runner’ as a TV show, the first 10 hours.

    Ridley Scott

    The franchise isn’t a stranger to long-form storytelling, as Adult Swim recently released the Anime adaptation titled Blade Runner: Black Lotus. There’s a good chance they’ll simply explore the world of the franchise but not connect it to the plot of the original, as Denis Villeneuve’s sequel, Blade Runner 2049, already expanded upon the story set up back in 1982. He also didn’t point out where we can expect the series to release. If it might join Aliens on FX or go to a different streamer, like HBO Max. We’ll see once more details are revealed on the new series.

    Source: BBC via Variety

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’: First Look at Spider-Man’s Gameplay

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’: First Look at Spider-Man’s Gameplay

    It looks like the first gameplay has found its way online of Marvel’s Avengers‘ upcoming Spider-Man DLC. There has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding his addition due to him being PlayStation exclusive, but the fan-favorite has still been on many players’ radar. After a long wait, we finally got a small teaser trailer for his Hero Event, which is not the same as the usual operation, but nothing on his gameplay. Well, the wait is finally over as IGN has shared a new Hands-On Preview of Spider-Man in action and he seems quite promising.

    There are comments made regarding the limitations of his swing, but that is a given with this game not being open-world like 2018’s Spider-Man. It’s great that they added a full swinging animation rather than how for example Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 handled it due to the restrictions. Of course, there’s a glass ceiling in the game, but it’s the same with any flying characters. So, it was to be expected, and still great they made it a swinging animation rather than just him switching from web to web.

    His combat options certainly stand out, especially his heroics are quite creative. The web bomb looks like a great way to take care of a larger crowd, but a personal favorite will be his Ultimate, the Wrecking Ball. It reminds me of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimension where he would form weapons out of his webs. Of course, there’s the highlight that we don’t get any story missions but it might be a deliberate decision due to his exclusive availability. So, their hands were probably tied in how they approached his DLC. Yet, he is not releasing standalone and is available with the game’s first raid, a complete overhaul of their gear system, and earnable cosmetics. So, while spidey is a more moderate addition, the game is getting a fairly large update.

    Source: YouTube

  • Den Den Murphy Episode 6 – ‘One Piece: World Seeker’ and ‘Odyssey’ Rumors

    Den Den Murphy Episode 6 – ‘One Piece: World Seeker’ and ‘Odyssey’ Rumors

    Ahead of the release of Chapter 1032, Suki and Joe discussed the first open-world game in the One Piece universe, One Piece: World Seeker, as well as the curious Odyssey rumors.