Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘Shang-Chi’s Destin Daniel Cretton to Direct ‘American Born Chinese’ for Disney+

    ‘Shang-Chi’s Destin Daniel Cretton to Direct ‘American Born Chinese’ for Disney+

    It looks like Shang-Chi’s director, Destin Daniel Cretton, has already found his next project. According to Deadline, he will adapt the action-comedy American Born Chinese for Disney+. It’s an adaptation of the 2006 graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. He’ll also act as executive producer for 20th Television alongside Bob Burger‘s exec Kelvin Yu and Charles Yu, who will write the series.

    Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan, and Gene Luen Yang also will join the production as executive producers. Kelvin Yu will serve as its showrunner. They are currently preparing for casting. Disney Branded Television president, Ayo Davis, shared the following on the project:

    We are delighted to continue our relationship with Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan and thrilled that Destin Daniel Cretton is set to direct. The team are visionaries in bringing character-driven adventures to life, and we cannot wait for our audience to experience this fantastically memorable and imaginative adaptation of the graphic novel. This is a great universal story that moves between worlds and explores the impact of culture, identity, and acceptance through the lens of adolescence.

    Ayo Davis

    Mar and Kasdan might be familiar to fans of the Fresh Off the Boat ABC series. They’ve recently expanded with the Disney+ original Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. Their work on the only Asian-American series to pass 100 episodes is a cultural landmark, and it’s great to see them continue it with American Born Chinese. Cretton’s hot off his success with Shang-Chi and the Legends of Ten Rings, which seems likely to get a sequel in the future after its box office success. It’ll be interesting to see if he will tackle it after this series wraps production.

    Source: Deadline

  • Ben Affleck Compares Working on ‘The Flash’ to ‘Justice League’

    Ben Affleck Compares Working on ‘The Flash’ to ‘Justice League’

    The upcoming film adaptation of The Flash has slowly evolved into the center point of the DC Extended Universe’s multiverse. Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen will somehow meet up with various incarnations of the popular vigilante Batman. We know that Michael Keaton will have a considerable role in the film, but Ben Affleck will also make his grand return in the role of Bruce Wayne.

    Of course, he famously moved away from the franchise after the turbulent production on Justice League after Zack Snyder left the project. We only got teases of his Batsuit from set photos, but never a direct sighting of Affleck. While silent on his exact role, Variety lucked ou stand got a chance to ask him how it was like working on the film. In the interview, he ended up also opening up about how it compares to his previous DC project.

    [The Flash] was a really nice way to revisit that as the prior experience had been difficult. This was really lovely. Really fun… I had a great time… I love Ezra and I had a chance to see Jason [Momoa], who’s over there making ‘Aquaman [and the Lost Kingdom].

    Ben Affleck

    There’s been a lot of hope he can revisit his original Batman pitch before he ended up moving on from the project. While it’s exciting to see Matt Reeves bringing a gothic touch to the series, but there’s always curious about what Affleck‘s version would’ve looked like. A positive experience could interest him in giving it another chance. So, we’ll see if its success may kickstart a separate Batman franchise to exist alongside Reeve‘s adaptation.

    Source: Variety via ComicBook

  • James Gunn Confirms Development On One More DC Project Besides ‘Peacemaker’

    James Gunn Confirms Development On One More DC Project Besides ‘Peacemaker’

    All eyes have been on James Gunn, as he may have kickstarted a new era for DC. The Suicide Squad offered viewers an experience unlike previous entries, and it was only the beginning of his new tenure. While he’ll take a brief pitstop to finalize his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, he’s also already putting the finishing touches on the upcoming HBO Max Peacemaker series. In August, DC President Walter Hamada teased that they may have plans to continue working with the director, but there never was a confirmation he’s already developing something. At least there wasn’t until now.

    In a discussion today on Twitter, Gunn chimed in and confirmed that he is working on another DC project in addition to Peacemaker. Of course, he doesn’t give away what project it is exactly, but it’s great to know that once he’s done with the Guardians threequel, he’ll likely jump on whatever project is currently in the pipeline. He’s no stranger to working on multiple projects and we’ll likely get a hint once he’s wrapped up with his next Marvel project.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1444712947985620994?s=20

    There were rumors pointing to Idris Elba‘s Bloodsport potentially getting his own series, but the director shot that down rather quickly. He confirmed that it was in no state of development, which means he’s most likely working on something else. Of course, there’s a chance that Gunn is currently still preparing a pitch for his next DC project, as him working on it doesn’t mean it’s entered any form of pre-production. Whatever it may end up being, we’re definitely going to be in for a wild ride.

    Source: Twitter

  • RUMOR: Hideo Kojima May Have Gotten a Second Chance to Adapt ‘Silent Hill’

    RUMOR: Hideo Kojima May Have Gotten a Second Chance to Adapt ‘Silent Hill’

    It’s October and with Halloween a few weeks away, it’s always the perfect time to revisit some horror legends. Oddly enough, it seems that a new rumor is doing the same thing. Since April, there has been a rumor surrounding a potential return of Silent Hill, which may be one of the most iconic horror franchises. Announcement after announcement, the hope for its reveal started to dwindle. Suddenly, a new report hints at remakes of classic Konami franchises resurface, such as Metal Gear Solid 3. So, there’s hope once more that it’s actually happening. A new potential leak on Gematsu may have given us the name of the studio working on it.

    According to a posting on Resetera, it seems that the next entry in the Silent Hill series may have found its way to Sony Interactive. It’s been long rumored it would end up as a PlayStation exclusive, but it seems they may have passed it on to the studio of non-other than Hideo Kojima. Yes, the man who originally envisioned Silent Hills, whose cancellation led to him leaving Konami might have gotten a second shot at the franchise. There are no details if he is once again tackling Silent Hills, but only that his production company Kojima Productions is supervising the project.

    The original pitch for Silent Hills eventually would morph into Death Stranding. While the game concept evolved into something rather unique, the original P.T., or playable teaser, ended with Norman Reedus appearing as our main protagonist. At the time, he was working alongside Guillermo del Toro and horror mangaka Junji Ito, who both had cameos in Kojima Production’s first game. It was a promising pool of talent that was wasted due to internal politics. Still, if this rumor turns out true, we might finally see Kojima’s approach to horror after all.

    Source: Gematsu via ComicBook

  • ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ Now Eyeing $90M+ Domestic Box Office Opening

    ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ Now Eyeing $90M+ Domestic Box Office Opening

    Even as early predictions had the sequel to the 2018 surprise hit, Venom, eyeing around $60M+ at the domestic Box Office. It’s once again looking like it might beat expectations. It entered its Thursday previews with $11.6M, which put it at the second-best preview opening for any film of 2021. It’s only trailing behind Black Widow currently. Now, it seems that Venom: Let There Be Carnage is doing even better than initially expected. On Twitter @meJat32, who has built up a reputation for his box office analysis and insight, shared that the film is locking in at $85M, but could potentially even surpass $90M at its current momentum. No matter where it lands, it’s poised to surpass the original’s $80M after making approximately $37M on Friday.

    It’s a good sign that cinema is recovering, as each new cinematic release is doing better than the previous one. Still, these are purely based on the numbers it gained on Friday. We’ve seen films dip quite hard once Saturday rolled around. Shang-Chi had tremendous legs when it was released and currently even surpassed Black Widow with the first $200M+ domestic cume.

    Of course, the second weekend will show if Venom: Let There Be Carnage has any legs to compete with other entries in the box office. Either way, it adds hope that Eternals, and the much-anticipated release of Spider-Man: No Way Home could also become big earners once they release. Right now, it’s looking good for the overall box office making a quick recovery and we’ll return to some normalcy in 2022.

    Source: Twitter, The Numbers

  • ‘What If…?’ Ultron’s Funko Pop Isn’t the Leaked Supreme Leader

    ‘What If…?’ Ultron’s Funko Pop Isn’t the Leaked Supreme Leader

    Last week, a reliable leaker shared the potential naming of Ultron being changed to “Supreme Leader.” It seemed like a fitting name for a version of this character to take ownership of the Infinity Stones and tackle multiversal domination. Yet, now that the episode went online we also got the official Funko reveal. It turns out, it wasn’t the Supreme Leader but rather simply known as “Infinity Ultron.”

    infinity-ultron-what-if-funko-pop.jpg

    So, this naturally opens up the question of who the Funko known as “Supreme Leader” is meant to be. There are still five planned to release in the third series of Pops that are part of this series. There’s a chance that some minor characters will get their time to shine in the finale that didn’t get attention earlier on. As such, they could get some Funko Pops alongside their larger role in the finale. There’s also the chance it still ends up being Ultron, as he may go through some transformations.

    In the comments, another well-known Funko leaker pop_freak1 shares that the Supreme Leader is 6” and Amazon shared. As such, it’s larger than the average 4” Funkos. There’s a chance it might be inspired by the brief Galactus moment we got in the latest episode. It could also be a special Funko for The Watcher in the golden armor we saw, as he will most likely lead the Guardians of the Multiverse. Whatever it may turn out to be, it looks like we have a lot more heading our way once the finale airs.

    Source: Entertainment Earth, Instagram, ComicBook

  • New ‘Eternals’ Merch Hints at Black Knight’s Legacy

    New ‘Eternals’ Merch Hints at Black Knight’s Legacy

    There are still many mysteries surrounding the upcoming Eternals film. We have no idea how it will build upon the franchise and what exactly it may hold for its future. Yet, the biggest question mark surrounds the curious case of one Dane Whitman. Kit Harington will bring the classic Marvel character known as Black Knight to life in the film. A recent new merch leak may have hinted there’s more to his character.

    In the comics, the various version of the Black Knight has a Raven-inspired emblem on their chest. A recent reveal of an accessory box to tie in with the film’s release includes items replicated from the film. Among them is a ring featuring the previously-mentioned Raven symbol. It may imply that Whitman is part of a long line that held the title of Black Knight. A close look at the ring was shared by @BestofKitH on Twitter.

    He’s known for wielding the Ebony Blade in the comics, but the trailers seem to hint at him being a normal man wrapped up in the life of the Eternals in the modern-day. So, there’s a chance that it is passed on from generation to generation. Perhaps an ancestor crossed paths with the Eternals and he was doomed to repeat it. They wouldn’t cast someone like Harington just to have a bit role. So, Marvel Studios definitely has plans for the actor moving forward. It also would be interesting to have him wield a sword alongside the Avengers.

    Source: Twitter, GameStop

  • ‘Midnight Suns’ Care Package May Tease ‘Shang-Chi’ Villain Dweller-in-Darkness

    ‘Midnight Suns’ Care Package May Tease ‘Shang-Chi’ Villain Dweller-in-Darkness

    Marvel Games has been quite busy expanding its gaming repertoire. Guardians of the Galaxy will soon release and they are already busy promoting their supernatural-based Midnight Suns. The tactical RPG will explore a group of unlikely heroes from various corners of the Marvel universe alongside a new character known as “Hunter” that is the child of the Mother of All Demons, Lilith. It looks like she might not be the mastermind though as a new care package for Midnight Suns reveals another classic Marvel villain.

    Twitter user @CabooseEK shared a package they received from 2K that features various metal cards of the titular heroes. It does reveal that two more additions are going to arrive in the future. The thing that stands out is that they also noticed a rather curious detail on the back cover of these cards. When connected correctly, they unveil an ominous visual with a Cthulu-like creature. There’s a chance that this might’ve unveiled that the Dweller-in-Darkness will appear in the game. Yes, the same one that appeared in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, but with a much closer design to his comic origins.

    The main reason it seems likely it is Dweller-in-Darkness is his overall design and reference to “Darkness Falls” as a tagline. In the comics, unlike his recent Shang-Chi appearance, he’s a bipedal being with the head of Cthulu. There’s also the chance the character is an amalgam that is inspired by another Lovecraft-inspired character known as Cthon. He has a strong connection to the Darkhold, as he is the one that created it. His design in the comics has changed through the years, but he has had some Lovecraftian elements at times. No matter who it turns out to be, it’s a clever way to tease the larger mythology of this game and the threat this unlikely group will have to face.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Superman and Lois’ Season 2 Adds ‘Teen Wolf’s Ian Bohen

    ‘Superman and Lois’ Season 2 Adds ‘Teen Wolf’s Ian Bohen

    It looks like the second season of CW’s Superman and Lois is already readying up its production, as Deadline announced Teen Wolf’s Ian Bohen is joining the upcoming season. He’ll play Lt. Mitch Anderson, who takes over the DOD and has quite the hatred for the Man of Steel taking things into his own hands. They also reveal he’ll have a multi-episode arc which may build him up as a threat or a new ally once he confronts the resident superhero.

    Tyler Hoechlin took over the role of Clark Kent all the way back in 2016. He joined Supergirl‘s second season as Superman and continued to play the character to this day. Yet, he faces a challenge worthy of the Man of Steel, he has to handle a family. Together with Elizabeth Tulloch‘s Lois Lane, they race a young Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alexander Garfin) to face a new tomorrow.

    It’s funny that the former Teen Wolf star is joined by another alum. Hoechlin famously played the character of Derek Hale in the series before he joined the Arrowverse. It was the film Road to Perdition that put him on the map similar to how Bohen‘s work on the AMC hit show, Mad Men as Roy Hazelitt. Who knows what other Teen Wolf stars might find their way into the series as it continues to grow.

    Source: Deadline

  • Earlier Drafts of ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ Featured Spider-Man

    Earlier Drafts of ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ Featured Spider-Man

    As we’ve approached the release of Venom: Let There Be Carnage, we’ve started to seek any potential connections between the latest entry and Spider-Man. As Sony recently gave their “universe” its own name, it seemed like he’ll potentially have a larger role in the story. Yet, director Andy Serkis confirmed he wouldn’t have a role in the film and that it might be too early for these two worlds to collide. Those that got a chance to watch the film, however, found a rather curious tease.

    If you haven’t seen the film yet and want to experience it yourself without any major spoilers, here’s a final warning before continuing.

    In the post-credit sequence, we get a confirmation that Venom might eventually meet up with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. Of course, it’s still just a tease for now but does open the door for a third entry to tackle a crossover, especially if it turns out successful. Director Andy Serkis did discuss the post-credit sequence and how it came into play much later, while also hinting that Spider-Man originally had a bigger role earlier on in the development of the script.

    [The mid-credits scene was] 100 percent in flux, yeah. It couldn’t have been more in flux-y if you tried. Yeah, of course, it was something that they talked about from before I even came on to the movie. There were moments where he [Spider-Man] was going to be in the story, potentially, and then he wasn’t. But no, we decided that we wanted to really examine the Venom-verse first. So as we were going through principal photography, the inevitable discussions had to be had, but it wasn’t until very, very late on that we reached the precise notion of the teaser that we wanted to lay in there.

    Andy Serkis

    It’s obvious that Sony wants to bank on the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Venom’s rather bizarre way of mind-melding and landing in this specific franchise is still up for grabs. In a way, it does show that it might’ve been a last-minute addition that could get retconned once the eventual crossover drops. It’s also questionable what this means for the quote on utilizing Ravencroft in future entries to not rush their meeting. As the film recently is heading to a fantastic domestic opening, there’s a good chance a sequel is a no-brainer.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter