Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Chadwick Boseman Originally to Lead a T’Challa Star-Lord ‘What If…?’ Spinoff

    Chadwick Boseman Originally to Lead a T’Challa Star-Lord ‘What If…?’ Spinoff

    What If…?‘s first season came to an end. The story explored alternate universes where our favorite heroes and friends took on very different roles. In it, we got introduced to a different version of T’Challa, who ended up taking on Star-Lord’s role in the galaxy. Chadwick Boseman gave his final performance in the series as the titular character, and it seems there were originally more plans to expand. Director Bryan Andrews discussed the original plans in an interview with Variety, where he confirms their original plans before his untimely death.

    I don’t know if he knew this, but there was planning to have Star Lord T’Challa spin off into his own show with that universe and that crew and that whole thing. We were all very excited. We know he would have loved it, too. And then, you know, he passed, and so all that’s in limbo. So, who knows? Maybe one day.

    Bryan Andrews

    Tragically, Boseman couldn’t build upon the ideas and concepts he helped develop in the Disney+ series. His spirit will live on in the franchise, especially with the upcoming Black Panther sequel. He also gave some touching speeches in What If..? that’ll surely stick with people for many years to come.

    There’s no word if they wanted to explore it as an animated feature, or even turn it into a live-action franchise. The fact they are open to exploring the multiverse as unique projects outside of this animated project also raise many possibilities. Perhaps our pitches for multiversal stories, like a No Way Home spinoff focusing on Raimi‘s version of Flash Thompson becoming Agent Venom.

    Source: Variety

  • First Look at ‘Batman: Wayne Family Adventures’ Live-Action Miniseries

    First Look at ‘Batman: Wayne Family Adventures’ Live-Action Miniseries

    Here’s a rather interesting announcement. It looks like the popular Webtoon series Batman: Wayne Family Adventures will get a live-action adaptation. Filmmakers Ismahawk will bring the series to life in a three-part miniseries. It’s going to premiere in mid-October and will explore Bruce Wayne’s extended family in a comedy. The series broke records for Webtoon and has become popular among DC fans. It’ll be the first live-action series to explore Wayne’s entire family, as most adaptations tend to focus on Dick Grayson. Titans is the first adaptation to introduce three Robins, but characters like Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, Damien Wayne, and more never got the pleasure.

    IGN has also shared the first look at the adaptation alongside a casting overview:

    • Jonathan Bentley as Bruce Wayne
    • Yoshi Sudarso as Dick Grayson/Nightwing
    • Lisa Foiles as Barbara Gordon/Oracle
    • Tim Neff as Jason Todd/Red Hood
    • Peter Sudarso as Tim Drake/Red Robin
    • Meghan Camarena as Stephanie Brown/Spoiler
    • Gemma Nguyen as Cassandra Cain/Orphan
    • Carter Rockwood as Damien Wayne/Robin
    • Du-Shaunt ‘Fik-Shun’ Stegall as Duke Thomas/Signal
    • Marcus Weiss as Alfred Pennyworth

    It’s great to see the series’ popularity also lead to a very impressive-looking live-action series. The costume design for Red Hood can compete with the likes of Titans. It’s also great that characters like Spoiler, Signal, and Orphan get their time to shine. Of course, its continued opportunity might inspire HBO Max to expand beyond a miniseries.

    Source: IGN

  • The Miracle That is Sora Joining ‘Super Smash Bros.’

    The Miracle That is Sora Joining ‘Super Smash Bros.’

    It’s crazy to see Sora from Kingdom Hearts officially joining Super Smash Bros. Not only did we find out he was the most requested character long before the current entry, Ultimate, ever released. the game’s director Masahiro Sakurai has always followed one strict rule when adding new fighters. They always originated from a video game. Sora surprisingly matches that bill, as he’s a Square-Enix character that enters Disney worlds. Yet, the fact he is part of this massive franchise is a bigger miracle than you might consider at first.

    Sora was No. 1 request in a Super Smash Bros.' poll from six years ago - Polygon

    So, the bizarre aspect about Sora is the legal nightmare behind it. Yes, the game was produced by Square-Enix but in conjunction with Disney. As such, it technically belongs to both companies from a licensing perspective. If you noticed, there are no single Disney characters included or referenced in the preview. The only distinction is the Mickey Mouse symbol on his keyblade. Donald and Goofy didn’t even get to join Sora in his Final Smash. They’re also excluded from the Hollow Bastion stage, as they are normally present in the Dive to the Heart section. So, there were certainly cuts that had to be made throughout the process.

    Sakurai also highlighted the difficulties of adding the character was only possible with help to make this a reality. Hell, they couldn’t even announce the most popular character due to fears of legal troubles. Supposedly, rumors are pointing to the rights having been completely taken over by Disney at some point with Square-Enix primarily acting as the game’s developer. Still, they’ll need a sign-off from both companies and their legal teams to include him in a third-party project. Our first hint at this complexity came to light in an interview with Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida. He offered some insight after interest rose due to the Nier tie-in event.

    As for a Kingdom Hearts crossover, for this idea, one of the troubles is that we have to coordinate with Disney, and so I feel that there would be so many hurdles and challenges around working with them, so I try not to think about a crossover with Kingdom Hearts.

    Naoki Yoshida
    Tons of Smash Bros. Ultimate Sora screenshots and costumes art

    If not even an in-house developed game like FFXIV won’t touch the franchise, it’s probably a legal nightmare for external developers to include him. There were many debates about who the final character might end up being and if it would be satisfying enough. Yet, the fact that the most popular voted character and one that seems like a statistical anomaly to ever find its way into another franchise like this is the perfect way to cap off the monolith. Plus, Mario being the one to bring him into the franchise is a beautifully poetic moment, as Kingdom Hearts came into existence the moment Square-Enix’s Shinji Hashimoto and Hironobu Sakaguchi discussed Super Mario 64.

    Source: YouTube, EuroGamer, Nintendo

  • ‘The Boys’ Season 3 Adds Frances Turner, Kristin Booth, and Jack Doolan in Recurring Roles

    ‘The Boys’ Season 3 Adds Frances Turner, Kristin Booth, and Jack Doolan in Recurring Roles

    Just recently, The Boys first spin-off finally got a go from Amazon Studios. It faced some delays due to creative differences, but we still have the third season of the main series heading our way in the near future. Throughout the year, we got casting after casting but the show was extremely focused on highlighting Jensen Ackles addition as Soldier Boy. We even got an official first look at his new costume back in June. It looks like there are some new additions to the cast, as Deadline reveals another trio will have a recurring role moving forward.

    The Boys‘ third season has added The Man In The High Castle‘s Frances Turner, Kristin Booth from The Hot Zone: Anthrax, and Marcella‘s Jack Doolan. Turner plays Monique, the wife of Laz Alonso‘s Mother’s Milk. Booth and Doolan will play the super siblings known as TNT Twins. There are no details what roles exactly they’ll have in the story but that name does not bode well. We’ve faced some tragedies in the past, but this might be a whole new level.

    Source: Deadline

  • Hall of Murphy: Episode 5 – ‘Stargirl’ Episode 201 – 204

    Hall of Murphy: Episode 5 – ‘Stargirl’ Episode 201 – 204

    Titans is getting a break from John and Joe, as they take a look at the first four episodes of Stargirl‘s second season. Will the CW show fall victim to classic pitfalls of the network, or does it continue to shine?

  • RUMOR: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Eyeing May 2022 Release

    RUMOR: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Eyeing May 2022 Release

    We’ve all been wondering what 2022 looks like for the Star Wars franchise. The only confirmed release for any project is December’s The Book of Boba Fett. We hoped for some kind of news once Disney+ Day arrives, but then the reveal came it’ll only offer a special look at Boba Fett’s history. Luckily, it seems Obi-Wan Kenobi might be eyeing a release in May according to Cinelinx’s Jordan Maison. He took to Twitter to share a potential timing for the series and he has proven reliable in the past, such as teasing the remake of Knights of the Old Republic. He revealed the information in a clever tweet while Facebook’s services were down.

    https://twitter.com/JordanMaison/status/1445113674214019074

    A May release does open up a few questions surrounding Disney+’s potential schedule for 2022. Also, a May 4th release to celebrate Star Wars Day seems like the perfect timing to release one of the most anticipated series for the streaming service. There are rumors that Marvel Studios‘ Ms. Marvel series is eyeing an early 2022 release, which gives The Book of Boba Fett its time to shine once it premieres in December.

    Of course, these are two distinct franchises that the service is okay with letting release simultaneously. There’s still the possibility that we get some kind of trailer to tease upcoming projects, but Disney’s Investors Day could also take place in December to take over that role. Right now, we’re still waiting for a trailer to give us a glimpse into the upcoming The Mandalorian spinoff.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Could See the Return of the Valkyries

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Could See the Return of the Valkyries

    Here’s an interesting little tidbit. On the website StarNow, which includes information on actors and casting listings for major brands including Netflix and Disney, actress Vivian Tung includes a rather curious tidbit in her credits and experience. In her 2021 list, she highlights that she played a featured extra on the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder film. What stands out is that she’s listed as a Valkyrie. Tessa Thompson‘s Brunnhilde is the last known living member of the elite Asgardian warriors. So, this listing could hint at their return in the upcoming sequel.

    There are many ways to bring back the Valkyries. Either we get to explore Brunnhilde’s past that was hinted at before they were killed by Hela, or she reestablished a new generation after taking over New Asgard. She was given the title to rule over the remnants that are living on Earth. So, it wouldn’t be too surprising that under her rule she’d empower young Asgardian women to start a new generation of warriors.

    It’s great to dive deep into this part of the MCU’s mythos, as we only got a glimpse of it in Ragnarok. There’s also the fact that they may build upon the reestablishment of the Valkyries through the reintroduction of Jane Foster. In the comics, she ends up becoming a Valkyrie after giving up the mantle of Thor. Perhaps, there’s a future for Natalie Portman‘s character beyond the fourth entry in the franchise as she takes on a new persona. Of course, it’s still speculation and we’ll see what kind of role they might have once the film gets released next May.

    Source: StarNow

  • ‘No Time to Die’ May Be First $100M Domestic Opening Since Pandemic Started

    ‘No Time to Die’ May Be First $100M Domestic Opening Since Pandemic Started

    It looks like the box office is truly recovering, as current estimates have No Time To Die set to surpass the recent record-breaker, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and potentially be the first film to pass $100M domestically in its opening weekend. The Venom sequel barely inched above the $90M mark, but this is a great sign for later-year releases. The latest James Bond flick managed to surpass international expectations.

    Advanced ticket sales are currently on par with the latest major release. The film’s advertising pushed it as the Avengers: Endgame of the 007 franchise. It’ll end Daniel Craig‘s run as the character before someone else takes up the mantle, which was confirmed not to take place anytime before 2022. They utilized this “end of an era” tagline to push the film’s general marketing and it’s certainly paying off. At this point, it also bodes well for future films to do the same.

    It’s been a rocky year, it wasn’t until Godzilla vs. Kong that we had some hope for recovery. Once the Delta variant reared its head, things looked a bit more depressing but cinema-only releases have been dominating the box office lately. Shang-Chi was that extra push as it far surpassed early predictions that were kept low due to the pandemic. It even continued to remain at the top spot for four weeks running. At this rate, it’s clear that the box office will continue to slowly rise in numbers. It doesn’t mean we’ll see 2019 numbers again next year, but it’ll certainly be inching closer.

    Source: CNBC

  • RUMOR: Doctor Strange May Face-Off Against Ultron Sentries in Multiversal Sequel

    RUMOR: Doctor Strange May Face-Off Against Ultron Sentries in Multiversal Sequel

    Here’s a curious piece of news, as The Direct has exclusively shared the news that the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness film may feature the return of Ultron’s sentry bots in live-action. They do not go into detail if we’ll also see the return of the one controlling them, but it seems to potentially hint at a connection between the film and Disney+’s current What If…? series. They only state it’ll be from one of the universe’s Strange visits, but the natural connection would be with the recent reveal of an Infinity Stone-wielding Ultron who is taking on the Watcher.

    The inclusion of Ultron Sentries could be a general short diversion. There’s a chance that the upcoming What If…? finale might tie into the upcoming film. So, it could further develop the franchise’s concept o the multiverse and also opens up the possibility that others appear. There was a rumor that Captain Carter and the corrupted version of Strange may appear in the sequel. So, more elements may manage to find a way into the upcoming film.

    Of course, these are still rumors. The concept of the multiverse leaves almost any possible approach. We’ll see what the future has in store, especially if they continue building upon it. There’s a good possibility that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania may join in the multiversal fun. The arrival of Kang the Conqueror could lead to another multiversal war. As such, we might see a lot more of Ultron in the future.

    Source: The Direct

  • Chris Columbus Exits ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s Film

    Chris Columbus Exits ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s Film

    Five Nights at Freddy’s was quite the popular game for a while. It currently is preparing for the upcoming PlayStation-exclusive game Security Breach but has been quite silent for some time. There have been some issues with creator Scott Cawthon, as he moved on from the franchise. Yet, he was still involved with the film adaptation. Sadly, it seems that there’s still no hope for it seeing the light of day, as director Chris Columbus has officially exited the project. The reasoning seems to be Cawthon not signing off on the film’s script.

    In an interview with Collider, producer Jason Blum confirmed the director left the project, who has been attached since February 2018. He didn’t reveal if they may already have someone new attached to tackle the project, but he did offer some insight into the reasoning why it’s been taking so long to enter some form of production.

    We’ve written multiple scripts, and we’ve got where we’re threading a needle, which is doing justice to Five Nights at Freddy’s and making Scott (Cawthon) happy. The only way that we would go about it is giving Scott … I don’t want to do something that Scott doesn’t like. Let me say that a different way. I don’t have the right to do anything Scott doesn’t like. Basically, Scott has kind of like the equivalent of ‘final cut’ and it’s taken longer than I hoped to get the right story.

    Jason Blum

    Cawthon is very productive of the property. So, it’s understandable he wants to make sure that everything is perfect when tackling the project. Yet, we know they went through ten scripts by this stage, as revealed by him back in November. Yet, he also said they’ll enter production in the spring of 2021 and already signed off on a script. So, something might’ve changed since and creative differences led to Columbus leaving.

    Source: Collider