Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’s China Release Uncertain as Comments by Simu Liu Resurface

    ‘SHANG-CHI’s China Release Uncertain as Comments by Simu Liu Resurface

    It’s been no secret that some upcoming Marvel Studios’ films were facing challenges with a potential Chinese release. The market is a welcome boost to international numbers, as it gave many films a second life. Currently, China is quite stingy with non-local releases, as F9 and Free Guys are the only films that really managed to enter the market. Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings, as well as Eternals were already very uncertain, but it seems some comments from a 2017 interview with Simu Liu may have sealed Shang-Chi‘s fate.

    In the interview with CBC, the actor opened up about stories from his parents where he called China a “third world” country. Even highlighting that “people were dying of starvation.” These kinds of statements are most likely going to make the rounds putting it on China’s radar. As such, it looks like the film won’t find its way into the market due to the necessity of approval.

    Eternals is also facing a similar challenge due to Chloé Zhao‘s own history with openly discussing the Middle Kingdom. Her Oscar win was praised by China before comments surfaced and it took a very different direction. It doesn’t seem like Marvel Studios is putting all their bets on any releases, but there have been hints they are still hoping that the films find their way to the country.

    It’s uncertain if these restrictions will remain for some time, but Black Widow is still facing troubles without an Eastern release. On top of it all, the Disney+ release is also facing the challenges of being a digital release, as piracy is an issue in the country. Until there’s an official statement by

    Source: Deadline

  • Insomniac’s ‘WOLVERINE’ Adds ‘MARVEL’S AVENGERS’ Story Consultant Evan Narcisse

    Insomniac’s ‘WOLVERINE’ Adds ‘MARVEL’S AVENGERS’ Story Consultant Evan Narcisse

    It was quite a surprise when we got the reveal of Insomniac’s Wolverine game. The PlayStation 5 exclusive game is still quite a mystery, but it looks like a familiar face is joining the project as a story consultant. Evan Narcisse, who is famous for his work on the Rise of the Black Panther comic series, took to Twitter to announce that he’s working on the new Marvel game as a story consultant alongside Kim Belair. He also recently worked on developing the Black Panther DLC titled War for Wakanda, which added the iconic hero to the ever-expanding Marvel’s Avengers.

    https://twitter.com/EvNarc/status/1436346986765115406

    He helped developers Crystal Dynamics bring the world of Wakanda to life and has quite a bit of experience in the world of gaming and with Marvel. It’ll be interesting to see what he might bring to adapt to the popular X-Men family member. While the trailer includes various references, it’s uncertain which direction they might be taking with his character. We may explore the vast history he shares as far back as World War 2. It’s uncertain if this entry is also in the same universe as Spider-Man, which seems like a perfect opportunity to build up a connected universe.

    Narcisse addition is a great sign and hopefully, we might see other comic writers join these projects as consultants. Paul Dini famously joined the first Batman: Arkham Asylum game to help solidify the characters and its story. So, it’s great seeing the writers from these many iconic characters add some much-needed life to these projects. It’ll be interesting to see if Spider-Man 2 may also have some story consultants help bring the infamous Venom storyline to life.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’ Producer Teases More Ta Lo in the MCU’s Future

    ‘SHANG-CHI’ Producer Teases More Ta Lo in the MCU’s Future

    It seems we might have just scratched the surface with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ new location called Ta Lo. In the film, it’s the sanctuary of the Great Protector and many other mystical creatures of Chinese mythology. While we did get a brief history lesson on the purpose of the village, there was no real exploration beyond this specific location.

    Luckily, it seems we’ve only scratched the surface as Marvel Studios producer Jonathan Schwartz hinted that we might learn more about this mysterious location in the franchise’s future, as they tried to get a clear confirmation where this mysterious dimension takes place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    I think more will be revealed about Ta Lo in the future. But I wouldn’t want to put a label on it just yet.

    Jonathan Schwartz

    He plays coy on if this is an additional dimension. The challenge is that the existence of the Multiverse parallel to other dimensions, as The Direct points out, creates the question of how the rules apply. It’s uncertain if this is some kind of pocket dimension connected. The fact we get to explore more of it is an exciting prospect, especially when they teased the existence of mysterious cities that once existed within this realm.

    Perhaps there’s a bigger connection to other mythology from Marvel Comics that will be built upon as the world continues to grow. With rumors pointing at the inclusion of Atlantis in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we might see a very different MCU once it fully expands throughout Phase 4.

    Source: The Direct

  • Hall of Murphy: Episode 2 – ‘TITANS’ Episode 301 – 304

    Hall of Murphy: Episode 2 – ‘TITANS’ Episode 301 – 304

    John and Joe are back to discuss the first four episodes of Titans‘ grand debut on HBO Max. Did the new streaming service give the show a much needed boost, or does it still fall into old habits? We discuss that and more in the latest episode:

  • First Full Look at Thor Released for ‘GOD OF WAR: RAGNAROK’

    First Full Look at Thor Released for ‘GOD OF WAR: RAGNAROK’

    PlayStation Showcase gave us quite a few great reveals. Spider-Man 2 got its first tease alongside a brand new Wolverine game. Among them was the first look at the long-awaited God of War sequel subtitled Ragnarok. Not only did we get the confirmation for the title, but also an extensive look at what the game has to offer. It even included the reveal for the Norse God of War Tyr. Sadly, the trailer only gave us a small hint at Thor with the scene we witnessed at the end of the first game. Luckily, the game’s character designer Raf Grassetti took to Twitter to share the first full look at Thor and he certainly is different from the version we’ve grown accustomed to from Marvel Studios‘ take on the mythology.

    We’ve gotten glimpses of the mighty Thor throughout the first game. The mighty monster that took down the giants of Jotunheim. Statues were built in his honor showing the might of the thunder god. It isn’t until a small post-credit sequence that he finally makes his arrival. Yet, we never get a full look at him. We only get the tiny glimmer of his iconic hammer. It looks like he’ll have quite a gut in the game once we get to face him.

    It’s also our first confirmation that Ryan Hurst will voice Thor in Ragnarok. The actor is well-known for his work on The Walking Dead, Bosch, and Sons of Anarchy. One of the first game’s strengths was the voice performances that brought these characters to life. Jeremy Davies‘ Baldur will be a tough act to beat but Santa Monica Studios has quite a track record of finding incredible talent to bring their characters to life.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC’ Remake Heading to PlayStation 5

    ‘STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC’ Remake Heading to PlayStation 5

    There have been many rumors surrounding the grand return of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Today’s PlayStation Showcase finally gave us a tease of the infamous sith from the game alongside the confirmation it is heading to PlayStation 5. Developer Aspyr is working on the project and there’s no current release date set.

    It’ll explore the original story set 4,000 years before the original trilogy. The original reinvented the way we looked at the iconic franchise as we saw the time when the Jedi and Sitz were at their pinnacle. The PlayStation blog entry on the release confirmed that they will rebuild modern tech, features, and visuals to bring the iconic franchise back to life.

    They will maintain the story and characters that many came to love. As they didn’t showcase any gameplay, it’ll be interesting to see if any corners are cut to make the original RPG more cinematic. It’s not going to be an easy feat and the lack of release date might mean we’ll still have to wait sometime until it finds its way unto the PlayStation 5.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘CANDYMAN’s Tony Todd Voicing Venom in Insomniac’s ‘SPIDER-MAN 2’

    ‘CANDYMAN’s Tony Todd Voicing Venom in Insomniac’s ‘SPIDER-MAN 2’

    PlayStation’s latest showcase finally unveiled Insomniac’s sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man. It gave us our first look at Venom and even teased the appearance of another villain, whose monologue could hint at Kraven the Hunter’s inclusion. In an official PlayStation blog, the developers also revealed that the voice we heard in the trailer was the original Candyman, Tony Todd voicing the symbiote.

    Image

    It’s the first official casting we have for the game, but there was no word on who was the second voice before we get our glimpse at Venom. Still, Todd is an incredible choice who is famous for lending his unique vocal performance to a variety of evil characters. He famously played the evil version of The Flash in the CW’s second season, which was one of the few highlights.

    As the game won’t release until 2023, we might not get any more updates on it until the next year, but it’s promising to know more is heading our way. The game will act as a sequel to both the 2018 original and its spin-off, or rather midquel, Spider-Man: Miles Morales. There’s no word what other villains will join, but the first gave us the Sinister Six and they might try to top it with the next entry.

    Source: PlayStation

  • First Look at Venom and 2023 Release Confirmed for Insomniac’s ‘Spider-Man 2’

    First Look at Venom and 2023 Release Confirmed for Insomniac’s ‘Spider-Man 2’

    It’s been a long wait but we finally got our first look at the Spider-Man sequel. Right after they revealed our first look at a new Wolverine game, they dropped a teaser trailer for Spider-Man 2. It’ll release 2023 and it also includes our first look at Venom in the trailer.

    The trailer starts off quite simple with both Spider-Men taking on some goons. Yet, the curious voice-over hints at someone finally finding a foe they’ve always wanted to face. It seems very likely this is Kraven the Hunter. It fits his usual story of seeking the ultimate hunt and he also seems to have an accent, which might mean they’ll stick to his Russian origin.

    Overall, the Venom reveal is great. They’ve teased his future in the franchise in both the 2018 Spider-Man game and Miles Morales. It’s quite surprising to get a full face reveal for the character rather than teasing it purely through the voice. Still, it’s a great surprise, and the 2023 release date was one of the few in the entire showcase. So, the wait won’t be too long luckily unlike other projects.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘SPIDER-MAN’s Insomniac Working on ‘WOLVERINE’ Game

    ‘SPIDER-MAN’s Insomniac Working on ‘WOLVERINE’ Game

    During the PlayStation Showcase, we got the reveal that Insomniac, famous for their work on Spider-Man and Ratchet and Clank, is working on a new Marvel game. No, it’s not the long-awaited sequel to Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but a new game focused on the popular X-Men character, Wolverine.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iTjgmp3SnA

    It’s a huge surprise, as it may also be the beginning of Insomniac expanding into new territory. The trailer doesn’t give us much insight into gameplay, but they might take some inspiration from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which took a very unique hack-and-slash approach. His healing factor might also add a curious gameplay mechanic that’ll make some encounters quite challenging.

    Insomniac expanding their Marvel repertoire shows the trust in the developer by both Sony and Marvel. Who knows if they might also try to venture out with other iconic characters. They’ll still venture out with other entries, such as Marvel’s Avengers, the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy game, and many more. Still, Sony went out of its way to make an exclusive deal for Spider-Man to only be playable on that console. Who knows what else they might be working on moving forward.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘DOCTOR STRANGE’ Sequel Wraps Production on Reshoots

    ‘DOCTOR STRANGE’ Sequel Wraps Production on Reshoots

    It looks like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has wrapped production on its reshoots, as makeup artist Tricia Sawyer took to her Instagram to share that they’ve wrapped up production and aren’t “Strange anymore.” Kevin Feige hinted that the original production ended back in April. So, they must’ve entered production on reshoots at some point in the last few months and just finished up. Whatever they may have adapted, the Scarlet Witch is definitely involved.

    In the photo, she’s standing next to Elizabeth Olsen as they celebrate the production’s end. The film is set to premiere in March and after Shang-Chi‘s recent success, it seems unlikely they’ll postpone any future releases. It’s ending now gives the film plenty of time to work on the special effects ahead of its release. The film will explore potentially a variety of dimensions that may offer very unique designs. We can’t wait to see how it mixes things up once Strange explores the very multiverse he may have had a hand in creating.

    There’s still a lot of question surrounding the project. Marvel Studios has been keeping a tight lip on the film’s production, especially with Doctor Strange’s appearance in the near future. What If…? only recently explore an alternative dimension version of the character, who might even potentially appear in the live-action film. He’ll also appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home and had a very prominent role in the first trailer. It’s uncertain how that’ll fit into the ever-expanding multiverse but here’s hoping we get a tease sooner rather than later.

    Source: Instagram, ScreenRant