Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘Eternals’ Chloé Zhao Debunks Rumors that Marvel Studios Takes Full Control of Action Sequences

    ‘Eternals’ Chloé Zhao Debunks Rumors that Marvel Studios Takes Full Control of Action Sequences

    Many rumors are surrounding Marvel Studios’ approach to filmmaking. Some have believed that they heavily restrict the way their directors work to ensure unity between their various projects. Some comments by director Lucrecia Martel, who was in the running for Black Widow at one point, didn’t help matters. If you throw in the highly debated use of previsualization, it seemed like some aspects of the director’s visions may be hindered. Yet, Eternals director Choé Zhao made one thing clear in an interview with Indie Wire: the action sequences in her upcoming Marvel Studios project are done by her.

    I would probably say that the myth is not quite true and I think I’m not the only filmmaker who would say that. My God, for a year and a half, three times a week for a couple hours a day, I was sitting in front of a big screen making decisions for every detail of how visual effects could look in the real world.

    Chloé Zhao

    She highlighted that all the action sequences in the film are done by her and she had a hand in bringing them to life. The indie director is well-known for her more grounded work and use of nature. So, the bombastic Marvel Cinematic Universe was quite the change of pace for Zhao. Still, she highlighted how a lot of her work was cooperation and creative freedom with the studio.

    From day one, Marvel said, ‘Here are the tools we use. We need your version. We don’t want three different movies we want your movie. They would be there to help me because I’ve never used these tools.

    Chloé Zhao

    James Gunn famously also highlighted the creative freedom he received from the studio. He was even set to create the path for the studio’s cosmic direction until the controversy happened. Zhao‘s exploration of the MCU’s history and cosmic origins might continue the path he set and was given the creative freedom to determine how she approached it. Even given the many discussions surrounding its current RottenTomatoes rating of 72%, it highlights that the vision we’re about to watch is what she’s been working on for so long.

    Source: IndieWire, ScreenRant, Rotten Tomatoes

  • ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Writers Join Michael B. Jordan’s ‘Val Zod’ Superman Project for HBO Max

    ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Writers Join Michael B. Jordan’s ‘Val Zod’ Superman Project for HBO Max

    It looks like Michael B. Jordan‘s adaptation of Val Zod, a Superman of another Earth, is moving forward. Deadline has just reported that writers Darnell Metayer and Josh Peters were hired to tackle the HBO Max’s adaptations script. It’s still unclear if Jordan will also take on the role of Val Zod, which still remains uncast. He is only set to act as an executive producer alongside Outlier Society’s Elizabeth Raposo.

    While we still wait for a sign of life if Henry Cavill‘s time as Superman has a future within the DCEU, it’s great to see DC and Warner Bros. continued efforts to expand their slate by exploring the many different aspects of the multiverse. Val Zod explores the story of a different Kryptonian who lands on Earth, but this time Earth-2. He eventually went on to face off against Superman, who was brainwashed at the time.

    Metayer and Peters are hot off the heels of their work on the new Transformers film, Rise of the Beasts. So, it’s a great get for Warner Bros. and the HBO Max project. As such, they’ve worked with Steven Caple Jr. who directed Creed II, one of Michael B. Jordan‘s many leading roles. There’s a good chance that their work together might’ve landed them this current gig.

    Source: Deadline

  • Derek Cianfrance to Direct Ryan Gosling’s ‘Wolfman’

    Derek Cianfrance to Direct Ryan Gosling’s ‘Wolfman’

    Universal is trying once again to revive their popular horror icon franchises and has managed to get Ryan Gosling to star in a new rendition of Wolfman. It looks like they finally found their director in Place Beyond the Pines and Blue Valentine‘s Derek Cianfrance. As the previous titles suggest, he has quite the history with the actor, and together they’ll bring the werewolf story back to life. Originally, Leigh Whannel was set to tackle the project but had to leave due to scheduling conflicts. Cianfrance will also write the script with Gosling, Ken Kao, and Jason Blum will also act as producers.

    There’s no word exactly how they plan to reinvent the classic character. Last we got a Universal version of the werewolf storyline, it was Benicio del Toro‘s period piece. Hints are pointing to an updated interpretation that would place Gosling’s version into the modern-day. At one point they tried to create a connected universe titled the Dark Universe, but Tom Cruise‘s The Mummy tanked that idea before it even got started.

    It’s uncertain if they might still want to chase this endeavor, but a revival of the classic franchise definitely set them in the right direction. Wolfman would be a very out-there direction for Cianfrance, whose background mainly lies in adult dramas, as Deadline points out. So, it’ll be interesting to see the director tackle this new type of film in his career.

    Source: Deadline

  • Next ‘The Expendables’ Film Adds ‘The Raid’s Iko Uwais as a Villain

    Next ‘The Expendables’ Film Adds ‘The Raid’s Iko Uwais as a Villain

    It looks like the net entry of The Expendables franchise has found its main antagonist, as Deadline reports that The Raid‘s Iko Uwais joined the film. The film’s staff will see the return of Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, and Randy Couture. They’ll also be joined by Andy Garcia, Jacob Scipio, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and Megan Fox. So, it’s quite the all-star cast of unlikely action heroes for Uwais to take on. Scott Waugh is directing the film based on a script by Spenser Cohen, Max Adams, and John Joseph Connolly.

    The film will continue where the last entry ended, as a group of veteran mercenaries takes on an unlikely challenge. Uwais‘ role is still kept a secret, but supposedly he’ll play a former military officer, who is now an active arms dealer with the private army. He’s a great addition to the franchise, who became famous for his role in 2011 and 2014’s entries of The Raid films. He recently also joined Paramount’s Snake Eyes and is currently set to appear in Fists Full of Vengeance.

    The Expendables franchise started back in 2010, as David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone, who also took the director’s chair, wanted to revive the 90s action. As such, it also started to include many iconic actors from that era such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, Terry Crews, Jet Li, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, and many more. There were also plans for a spinoff titled The ExpendaBelles featuring an all-star female cast.

    Source: Deadline

  • Mysterious ‘What If…?’ Supreme Leader Funko Pop Turns Out to Be Transformed Doctor Strange

    Mysterious ‘What If…?’ Supreme Leader Funko Pop Turns Out to Be Transformed Doctor Strange

    We’ve had quite some fun trying to decipher who exactly was the Funko Pop titled “Supreme Leader.” At first, we believed it was What If..?‘s Ultron given his new status and ownership of the Infinity Stones. Yet, it turned out he was simply given the name “Infinity Ultron” before getting released. So, we’ve been wondering who the mysterious and unannounced New York Comic Con Funko might end up being. Finally, the wait is over, as we got our first look at the character and it is actually Doctor Strange Supreme, but the version possessed by the different beasts and demons he’s absorbed.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CVbP3GgJL5z/?utm_medium=copy_link

    It’s a great addition to the quite diverse line-up of Funko’s for the Disney+ series. What If…?‘s anthology approach did open up the doors for some creative releases. Of course, the most popular and available Funko Pops involved the zombie episode. There’s something fun about the fact that Marvel Studios added these horror staples into the mostly family-friendly franchise.

    We recently saw the zombified version of Captain America appear in Avengers Campus. It makes you wonder if they’ll go all out and include the transformed Doctor Strange at some point. It would make for an imposing addition during Halloween to see Strange mid-transformation, as he tries to find someone at the park to help him return back to normal. It makes you wish you were at the campus during the season of horror to see what they’ll try out.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘Dune’ Becomes Denis Villeneuve’s Best Domestic Opening with $40.1M

    ‘Dune’ Becomes Denis Villeneuve’s Best Domestic Opening with $40.1M

    As we were going into the weekend, early Thursday numbers were hinting at Dune managing a $30M+ opening in the domestic office. All eyes were on Denis Villeneuve‘s next epic to see if the space opera could make a big splash at the box office. Especially if you consider that it’s also available on HBO Max. Well, the weekend is coming to a close and it garnered around $40M. As such, the film is Warner Bros.’s best box office performer with an HBO release. Not just that, Dune marks Villeneuve‘s best opening ever in the domestic market.

    https://twitter.com/frankpallotta/status/1452288582048178192

    These numbers are a great showcase for its potential staying power at the box office, especially as it’s the biggest debut for Warner Bros. all year. So, it’s definitely a safe bet to think that they would be interested in exploring a sequel entry in the franchise, as it’s also what this film openly sets up at the end. Recently, WarnerMedia Studios CEO Ann Sarnoff pretty much confirmed that they’re banking on a sequel. So, these numbers might be that extra push to fast-track the project.

    Villeneuve has shared that it’s a passion project. So, it’s always great to see it pay off for him to further explore Arrakis and more of Frank Herbert‘s iconic novels. The film also might’ve given IMAX cinemas an extra push, as it’s the biggest opening for the cinema format since the pandemic started with $9M. It’ll be interesting to see if it holds steady over Halloween and then against Eternals in November.

    Source: Twitter, Variety, Twitter (BO), Twitter (IMAX)

  • Steven Caple Jr. Shares New Look at Optimus Prime As Production Wraps on ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’

    Steven Caple Jr. Shares New Look at Optimus Prime As Production Wraps on ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’

    All eyes have been on the new entry in the Transformers franchise. The subtitle Rise of the Beasts promises a very different take on the characters we’ve seen in cinemas so far. We’ll get to explore many different factions of the famous alien robots and director Steven Caple Jr. has been actively giving us a good look at their production. He shared a look at the Autobots and Decepticons earlier this month but remains coy on the Predacons and Terrorcons who are rumored to appear in the series. Now, as production wraps up, he shared a new look at Optimus Prime’s truck design in the film.

    It feels like production started just recently. So, it’s always a surprise when they share the announcement that production has wrapped up. Caple Jr. has been great at actively sharing from the production, as it offers some insight into what we can expect. The designs seem closer to that what we saw in the Bumblebee film, which was one of the standout aspects of that film. In the film’s opening, we see the blocker designs from the classic cartoons and toy lines. Of course, it still had some elements from Michael Bay‘s run to keep the complexity of what is beneath their exterior.

    Source: Twitter

  • New Leaked ‘Ms. Marvel’ Promo Art Confirms No Embiggening for Disney+ Series

    New Leaked ‘Ms. Marvel’ Promo Art Confirms No Embiggening for Disney+ Series

    There’ve been countless rumors of Ms. Marvel’s new abilities in the upcoming Disney+ series. It seemed like Marvel Studios was trying to reinvent her character and add a new element to what she is capable of. Then suddenly our first artwork hit the web teasing a very different ability set. Yet, we still believed she might utilize her Embiggening from the comics alongside this new ability. Well, a new promo art has leaked online showcasing that the large fist we know from the comics will get replaced by these purple-esque constructs. Check them out here as provided by Twitter user @Ben_vlbd.

    It’s strange to think they’d stick to many of their characters’ origins but change that of Ms. Marvel so drastically. Either they are trying to bring her character closer to her namesake inspiration, or they are setting up a bigger transformation down the line. Her Inhuman lineage plays a key factor in her character, especially as she overcomes the challenges of being a Muslim-American teenager. Here’s hoping a trailer might give us more insight into this change.

    There’s also the strange Easter egg teasing the arrival of Maximus from the Inhuman royal family in the first sizzle reel from last year’s Disney’s Investors Day. Who knows if they are reshooting some aspects of the series, as it’s currently the first Disney+ series to face a delay. We received actual footage of the series long before Hawkeye, but it somehow got pushed back into 2022. Here’s hoping we find out more at Novembers’ Disney+ Day which will tease the MCU’s future.

    Source: Twitter

  • Upcoming Marvel Studios Animation Projects to Explore 2D Art Styles

    Upcoming Marvel Studios Animation Projects to Explore 2D Art Styles

    Ever since we’ve heard that Marvel Studios might expand its animation department, it opened up the floodgates of how they might tackle future projects. What If…? was our gateway into that very mission with its 3D style that brought iconic actors from previous projects to life. Of course, as they expand it opened up the question of how Marvel Studios may approach future animation projects. Would they stick to the one established in the Disney+ series, or might they take a unique take with each project? Well, a new job listing might give us a better hint at an upcoming project.

    What If...? | Disney+ Originals

    Disney and Marvel Studios are actively seeking a 2D/3D FX Designer. What makes this listing interesting is that there’s a strong emphasis on 2D FX work throughout, such as asking to showcase hand-drawn 2D FX abilities, general design work, and general familiarity with 2D animation principles as well as high-end anime 2DFX style. It’s great to see that Marvel Studios isn’t being restrictive to a specific type of animation. It’s one of the advantages of this new venture, as every artist can add their own distinctive style. So far, the only other animation style we heard of was for the upcoming I Am Groot Disney+ series, which supposedly is going for a photo-real 3D style.

    Of course, the implication of familiarity with anime animation is noteworthy but doesn’t mean we’ll get a One Piece or Naruto-styled series. Series like the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles utilized specific animation queues popularized in Japan to bring its action to life. It’s also generally become a trend to make use of its stylized approach to animation in the West. Some classic examples would be Teen Titans, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Samurai Jack, and even Marvel’s own Ultimate Spider-Man. So, it’s not uncommon for the popular genre to be part of 2D artists portfolio in the West nowadays.

    The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Season 2 Ep. 8 - Clip 1 - YouTube

    This isn’t comparable to Star Wars: Visions, which included actual Japanese anime studios to develop its episodes. Yet, there’s always a chance that kind of cooperation is in the cards eventually for other Disney projects. They most likely simply are trying to find talented artists in the industry that have intimate knowledge of the different genres of 2D animation that are currently popular.

    Source: Disney Careers

  • Kevin Feige Calls Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus “Perfect Casting”

    Kevin Feige Calls Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus “Perfect Casting”

    It was in April when Alfred Molina simply confirmed his involvement with Spider-Man: No Way Home. There were countless rumors and theories regarding the return and the actor seemed quite happy to share the information. It was a surprising turn of events, as Marvel studios might be one of the most secretive companies in the industry with strict NDAs. Yet, his open confirmation may have also led to his inclusion in the first trailer, as he signals the beginning of the multiverse.

    In the latest issue by Empire, we’ll finally get some coverage on No Way Home, as we inch closer to his December release. In it, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige briefly teased the upcoming film and how Alfred Molina was “perfect casting” that they never could replicate. As such, entering the multiverse was the perfect way to avoid that issue and bring the actor back in to tackle the role one last time. As he put it:

    I remember having discussions with Amy Pascal years ago. Do we want to revisit villains we’ve seen before?’ No, let’s do Vulture, and Mysterio, and characters we haven’t brought to the screen before. But I remember thinking, ‘How would you even do Doc Ock again?’, because Alfred Molina is perfect casting. If you ever brought him back, it would have to be him somehow.

    Of course, Molina’s take on the character has become an important icon in cinematic villainy. Still, we’ve seen countless versions of the character since that added their own spin. A personal favorite is Scott David Menville‘s interpretation in 2018’s Spider-Man game. There’s also Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’s reinterpretation of the character Olivia Octavius, who was brought to life by the always incredible Kathryn Hahn. So, there are opportunities to expand the character from a live-action perspective, but Molina‘s return feels like a perfect final send-off for the character and the franchises that came before.

    Source: Empire