Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • RUMOR: ‘THE SUICIDE SQUAD’s Weasel and King Shark May Join ‘FORTNITE’

    RUMOR: ‘THE SUICIDE SQUAD’s Weasel and King Shark May Join ‘FORTNITE’

    Fortnite has become the world for any kind of property you can think of. They’ve collected a variety of iconic franchises through their skin offerings. Over the past year, players were able to get their hands on Marvel and DC skins of all kind. Recently, a rumor seems to hint at Shang-Chi joining the game alongside the film’s premiere. Well, it looks like The Suicide Squad might get more rep soon.

    Earlier in the month, we got the release of a Bloodsport skin in the game. It added many theories that we might see more represented, as the game included marks for Peacemaker, Rebirth Harley Quinn, King shark, and Polka-Dot Man, which released alongside the character and his Starro backpack. Harely Quinn, who was already in the game, did get the new outfit, but there was no sign of the rest. Well, Fortnite leaker @HYPEX may have revealed that a King Shark and Weasel skin might release in the future. He does also point out they may have gotten scrapped as well.

    King Shark seemed like a popular choice to join the game, but Weasel is a curious surprise. As stated above, HYPEX doesn’t clarify which of these skins got scrapped. There’s a chance that it only refers to the unspecified ones, but as the film has released some time ago, it’s odd they wouldn’t try to time the release accordingly. King Shark might also be a difficult one to adapt as he requires a completely new body type unlike the more humanoid characters. Here’s hoping we get some more information in the near future.

    Source: Twitter, EpicGames

  • Nia DaCosta’s ‘CANDYMAN’ Takes Top Spot with $22M Domestic Opening

    Nia DaCosta’s ‘CANDYMAN’ Takes Top Spot with $22M Domestic Opening

    The Box Office has been a big question mark throughout the pandemic. While 2021 saw a resurgence throughout the second quarter, once we entered the summer numbers reflected the concerns over the Delta Variant. Free Guy surprised with a stronger performance and this week’s release of Candyman also added some hope that we’re seeing an upward trend again. Nia DaCosta‘s horror film written by Jordan Peele passed industry expectations with $22.37M in the first three days of its release.

    Candyman' 2021 Movie Review: Nia DaCosta, Jordan Peele

    What makes their success stand out from previous entries is that they are theater-exclusive. So, there’s no concern over the digital release and piracy affecting the film’s performance. It’s also a positive push towards the upcoming release of Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings. It’s the first Disney film since the pandemic started to get an exclusive cinema release. After the controversy surrounding Black Widow and growing uncertainty, these recent developments might support it’s potential to pass early expectations.

    Candyman did see a slower start in its international release, but the legacy franchise does have a stronger cult following in the States. Still, the film cost around $25M, which it’ll easily make back in its domestic release alone. Free Guy also continues to surprise in its Box Office run alongside the children film PAW Patrol. Sadly, overall 2021 is still 50% behind from 2019 which is a given as the world is still adjusting. Disney’s Jungle Cruise also officially dropped the $100M mark this weekend while still being available on Disney+ Premier Access.

    Source: Variety

  • Netflix’s Biggest Challenge Adapting ‘ONE PIECE’

    Netflix’s Biggest Challenge Adapting ‘ONE PIECE’

    Ever since my deep dive into the upcoming Netflix adaptation of One Piece, I’ve been excited to see the iconic manga series be brought to life. As such, it also enticed me to revisit the series and explore the various arcs that the Strawhats fight through. Yet, as I started entering the halfway point on Thriller Bark, I’ve come to realize that Netflix has one major challenge ahead of them. The franchise doesn’t abide by any conventional rules and each story arc continues to build upon the previous one. If you compare the Alabasta arc with its smaller cast of characters against Dressrosa, you’ll notice a massive influx of new faces with new storylines, abilities, and much more. As such, Netflix may face the challenge of an ever escalating budget.

    Land of Wano | One Piece (Official Clip) - YouTube

    In the earlier chapters of the series, we slowly get introduced to the concept of Devil Fruits. As such, we see various unique abilities that force our heroes into finding creative ways of surviving. Yet, as the series continues to go on for 1000+ chapters, we see quite a variety of abilities especially once we enter the New World. The latest Wano arc alone includes various Zoan type fruit users that can transform into larger-than-life animals hybrids. Game of Thrones even had to pick their battles on how frequently they showcased the dragons. That doesn’t take into account the unique designs that make each island stand out.

    That’s not all, as One Piece’s world building introduces us to a very bizarre world filled with unpredictable oceans, otherworldly creatures, and so much more. Once the crew sets out on the Grand Line, the series will require a higher budget as they travel from island to island. Once they reach the New World, it’ll just continue to increase. As exciting as the prospect is to see this world explored in live-action, there’s some uncertainty if they’ll manage to keep it consistent. It would be a shame to adapt this series and not introduce the world to the Neptunian Sea Kings or even just Long Ring Long Land’s majestic Hoooooorse.

    Shirahoshi invoca a Reyes Marinos HD One Piece arma ancestral poseidon haki - YouTube

    Of course, there is a way for the Netflix adaptation to keep it manageable. They may coordinate the budget and storylines in a way that they’re manageable throughout a season. So, while East Blue covers the entire first season, it’s uncertain if Alabasta might get split across multiple seasons. Later arcs in the series have also gotten quite extensive. So, the team behind the franchise might have no choice but to split it. If they stick to a ten episode order per season, it would restrict them quite a bit as the franchise continues. There are ways to avoid this issue, but as Netflix is infamous for it only ordering a specific set of seasons. Here’s hoping that the show’s success might give it many more seasons to expand and explore the many arcs.

    Source: Deadline

  • HBO Max’s ‘BATGIRL’ Director Shares Update on Script

    HBO Max’s ‘BATGIRL’ Director Shares Update on Script

    2021 was the year of HBO Max, as Warner Bros. released all their films simultaneously on the streaming service and in theaters. The Suicide Squad became the second-highest viewed film release on HBO Max and opened up the floodgates to expand through digital-exclusive releases. Batgirl became the first DC film announced for the streaming service with Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah attached to direct.

    We haven’t heard much on it since the casting of Leslie Grace as Barbara Gorden last month, but it looks like the script has gotten finalized. Arbi took to Instagram to share an update on the project, which he also did during his work on Ms. Marvel, and gives us our first confirmation that Christina Hodson‘s script Luckily, Slash Film saved an image of the script as Instagram Stories are available for a limited time. While not revealing any details, it does give us a hint that production is fast-tracked and we may expect the release sooner rather than later.

    DC has kept the script under wraps for quite some time. There’s still some uncertainty if we might see the return of a Commissioner Gordon from a previous DC film, or if we might explore a brand new universe. There’s the rumor that J. K. Simmons might reprise his brief role from Justice League. As The Batman will introduce Jeffrey Wright as the same character which will act as its own separate continuity from the one we started following since Man of Steel. It’s going to be interesting to see how the DCEU continues to expand in the future.

    Source: Slash Film

  • ‘MARVEL’S AVENGERS’ Dev Teases a Surprise With Next Patch Ahead of Anniversary

    ‘MARVEL’S AVENGERS’ Dev Teases a Surprise With Next Patch Ahead of Anniversary

    Crystal Dynamics didn’t hold a dev stream today, but one of the developers was a guest on Twitch streamer Laajune‘s latest stream. He had the chance to interview the War Zone Director on some of the future content and what the new roadmap might have in store for players. So, without further ado, let’s jump into the highlights of this stream.

    • You can expect a patch next week. It’ll fix some ongoing issues with Thor’s MCU skin clipping, it’ll add new daily and weekly mission chains for resources. The big reveal is that we can expect a surprise in the patch, but we didn’t get any details. The release is timely with the game’s anniversary. So, we’ll see what it may be.
    • The next roadmap is in its final stages. They’re just settling some last details before they can reveal it. There was no hint at when we can expect it besides “very very shortly,” which adds to a potential anniversary release.
    • Feedback from the Omega-Level Threats are all taken into consideration. He hinted that the next release will show players what they have learned from the past. Especially to give Melee-focused builds more attention.
    Black Panther's abilities in Marvel's Avengers revealed in new video - Polygon
    • They briefly touched on the new Horde Mode and that they are looking into feedback. So, there’s a chance it might get built upon and turn into a brand new game mode. He even hinted there are many other elements that could get expanded in the future.
    • Gear 2.0 will continue to rollout. They’re working on a lot of different things and these elements also connect to recent developments, such as the rumored cosmetic rework, and the expansion with loadouts.
    • He was very coy on the potential inclusion of a Wakanda faction. He said it was a possibility and well-suited for it, but there hasn’t been any announcement so far.
    How to complete The Panther King Black Panther Heroic Mission Chain in Marvel's Avengers | Gamepur
    • So, one thing they would love to do is introduce live event elements into the game. They want people to find Easter eggs and theorize what it might mean for the future. So, perhaps it’s an element they’ll include in special game modes like the upcoming Patrol Mode.
    • Join in Session functions is something they haven’t announced yet but want to look into moving forward.

    Marvel’s Avengers anniversary is just around the corner. So, it would be the perfect time to announce the various additions heading our way for the second year, or at least until the end of 2021. It seems likely, as they’ve repeatedly confirmed Spider-Man will get released this year, that we’ll get his official release date once that very roadmap drops.

    Source: Twitch

  • Marvel Studios One Shot ‘ALL HAIL THE KING’ Gets New Logo on Disney+

    Marvel Studios One Shot ‘ALL HAIL THE KING’ Gets New Logo on Disney+

    Marvel Studios is no stranger to testing out new formats. While they’re enjoying the success of releasing long-form projects on Disney+, they’ve tested out non-cinematic releases with the Blu-ray exclusives Marvel Studios One Shots. They started off minor before they even created small spin-offs exploring characters that had a supporting role in the film. Most notably, they used this format to tackle the Mandarin issue introduced in Iron Man 3. In that film, we found out that the the self-proclaimed Mandarin, played by Ben Kingsley, was just a actor. Of course, it rubbed fans the wrong way until they released a One Shot titled All Hail the King that revealed there was a real one still out there.

    That very Mandarin will finally get introduced in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. As we are only a week away from its release, they re-released the One Shot with a brand new logo. Not only did the One Shot series finally get a unique design but they’ve laso included the ten rings design used throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe to highlight its connection. As it’s not available in some European regions, @TimGettys shared a shot of the new design.

    It’s a great move to higlhight the short, as it does set-up Wenwu’s eventual appearance. Plus, they finally are giving these shorts some more focus which were hidden away in the Extra sections of the film’s they initially released with. So, we might see Agent Carter’s One Shot also get its own spot in the near future. It does make you wonder if they’ll also include a new logo for their Marvel Legacy connection that are technically not part the MCU. At least until Deadpool makes his debut in this franchise and potentially breaks reality as we know it.

    Source: Twitter

  • Connecting Imaginary Dots: Mark Ruffalo May Appear in ‘MOON KNIGHT’

    Connecting Imaginary Dots: Mark Ruffalo May Appear in ‘MOON KNIGHT’

    Moon Knight has been busy filming in Budapest for some time now. Oscar Isaac will play the vigilante in what may be Marvel Studios’ darkest story. They’ve kept the plot tightly under wraps and we know very little outside of Ethan Hawke playing the Disney+ series’ main antagonist. Still, it’s fun to speculate on what may potentially happen in the film. Well, some photos from Instagram user dora_magyari features both Isaac and Mark Ruffalo in front of the same hotel in Budapest.

    Of course, Ruffalo‘s presence is a curious one and we’ve long wondered how Moon Knight might connect to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. There’s always the chance he’s just there to check on the set or on vacation, but it is quite a curious coincidence that he’d travel to the same shooting location right after finishing up She-Hulk. There’s also the fact that Moon Knight and Hulk have had some confrontations in the comics, especially when Banner turned into Joe Fixit. In 2008’s Hulk Vol. 2 #7, he returned to Las Vegas, where he famously ran a bar, and got into a fight with Wendigo’s before Moon Knight intervened. As you can guess, it didn’t go well for him.

    Joe Fixit (Dr. Bruce Banner) (Grey Hulk persona) vs. Moon Knight art by Arthur Adams | Marvel comic book characters, Hulk marvel, Hulk art

    There actually was a reveal of a “Bruce’s Bar” from an Instagram post by one of the She-Hulk crew members. Included in their crew merch, you can see Jennifer Walters enjoying a drink at a bar run by Bruce in Professor Hulk form. While not confirmed, there’s a chance he might’ve taken a break from his heroic life. Plus, it seems his arm has recovered from taking the full force of the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Endgame. So, perhaps they are preparing a sequence where Moon Knight visits that very bar. Perhaps they’re shooting the post-credit sequence for the final episode that sets up his appearance in a future entry.

    Source: Instagram via Twitter, ScreenRant

  • ‘COBRA KAI’ Gets Early Season 5 Renewal

    ‘COBRA KAI’ Gets Early Season 5 Renewal

    It looks like we’ll get a lot more of Cobrai Kai in the future, as Netflix has renewed the series for a fifth season ahead of the fourth’s release in December. The series continues the story of Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso from The Karate Kid. It initially started off as a YouTube Red series before they moved on from original programming and was continued by Netflix as of its third season. There, it’s success has made it a household name for many viewers.

    It’s crazy to see how much this series has grown since premiering on YouTube’s early attempts at a streamer. The idea to look at the original film’s world from the perspective of William Zapka‘s Lawrence. The revival of Cobra Kai as he tries to escape his fall from grace. This act leads to his rivalry with LaRusso also getting reignited, who has been struggling since the death of his mentor Mr. Miyagi.

    Throughout the various seasons, we’ve seen many familiar faces making a return. They even went on to include characters from the various Cobra Kai sequels. In December, we saw the return of Tamlyn Tomita and Yuji Okumoto, who appeared in The Karate Kid Part II from 1986. As the series continues, it makes you wonder if we’ll see other references, such as The Next Karade Kid or perhaps even Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han from the 2010 remake. Here’s hoping we’ll find out what the future has in store once the fourth season premieres in December.

    Source: IGN, Twitter

  • First Footage for Rumored ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Game May Have Leaked Online

    First Footage for Rumored ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Game May Have Leaked Online

    Here’s an interesting surprise. Around April, there was a rumor going around that a video game adaptation of The Mandalorian was in development. There never was an official word on the game, but it looks like we may have gotten some potential leaked footage of what may be that rumored game. Either that, or an incredibly made leak showcasing the potential of a game based on the popular Disney+ series.

    There are quite a few rough parts to what is being shown. The chapter select and audio stand out for being very unfinished. It also seems to follow the chapter structure from the series, which seems like an odd choice for a game adaptation. Yet, the approach of a third-person game as Mando fighting your way through hordes of Stormtroopers is an enticing offer if it turns out to be real.

    There are some elements that speak against it. You can find a popular mod of Din Djarin that was used in Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order some time ago. Plus, it may also turn out to be a mod for Star Wars: Battlefront II that got quite a few gameplay upgrades. If it does turn out fake, respect to the modder who put the work in. The prospect of a game version of The Mandalorian is an exciting one, and with rumors of an open-world game eyeing a 2023 release, it would be the perfect concept as you hunt down various bounties while doing missions

    Source: GamesRadar, YouTube, YouTube (Mod)

  • Marvel Studios Starts Casting for ‘WEREWOLF BY NIGHT’ Halloween Special

    Marvel Studios Starts Casting for ‘WEREWOLF BY NIGHT’ Halloween Special

    Werewolf by Night is moving forward over at Marvel Studios, as The Wrap has just unveiled they are currently casting a Latino male in his 30s to star in a Halloween Special. It is currently still untitled but will follow the story of a werewolf character, which may confirm earlier reports that they are actively working on a project for the character. Production is eyeing an early 2022 with earlier reports hinting at a February start. No episode count has been named, but might be a one-off episode rather than a full season order.

    There have been some rumblings on Werewolf by Night making a possible appearance in the upcoming Moon Knight series. If they are currently casting, it would imply that he won’t have a role. Though, there were two that held that title in the Marvel comics, Jack Russel and Jake Gomez. So, perhaps we get to explore the origins before he splinters off into his own project. It’s not the first special we’re getting from Marvel Studios, as Guardians of the Galaxy is also expected to release a Holiday Special next year.

    The only confusing aspect is that earlier reports hinted at a series being in development. From the sound of it, and Disney+’s history with any kind of special, they are only a one-time release. Perhaps there are multiple projects in the work, such as Guardians getting a special ahead of the third entries release in cinemas. Of course, they might also want to introduce the character ahead of a potential crossover. Are we finally getting Midnight Sons?

    Source: The Wrap