Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Todd McFarlane’s ‘SPAWN’ Film Adds ‘BROKEN CITY’s Writer Brian Tucker

    Todd McFarlane’s ‘SPAWN’ Film Adds ‘BROKEN CITY’s Writer Brian Tucker

    The long-rumored Spawn film finally seems to be moving forward. The Hollywood Reporter has unveiled that Todd McFarlane‘s passion project added Brian Tucker. He’s well-known for his work on the 2013 crime thriller Broken City, which starred Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg. The film will be produced by Blumhouse Productions with McFarlane set as the film’s director. He’ll also produce the film alongside Carla Hacken and Jason Blum.

    The project has been talked about since 2017 with Jamie Foxx attached for some time. Even Jeremy Renner was involved as well, but it’s uncertain if they are still set to star. The Hollywood Reporter stated that once the script is written they’ll approach the actors again. The last update we got on the project was briefly during CCXP back in December of 2020. At the time, McFarlane teased multiple other big names involved with the project but there was no other announcement made.

    It’s uncertain how long Tucker has already been involved with the project and if he is called in to rewrite a project. Still, it’s great to see that the project is moving forward and there’s still hope to see Spawn in all his glory on the silvers screen. We did get one adaptation featuring Michael Jai White in 1997, which was adapted as a horror-action film by New Line. The comic has been running since 1992 under the Image Comics banner and currently stands as the longest-running indie title. So, it’s time he gets his time to shine in cinemas once again.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘TITANS’ Vincent Kartheiser Unlikely to Return After Season 3 Due to Misconduct Investigations

    ‘TITANS’ Vincent Kartheiser Unlikely to Return After Season 3 Due to Misconduct Investigations

    Titans‘ third season has finally and it seems its premiere is smeared with some rather surprising news. Deadline has revealed that new cast member Vincent Kartheiser will very likely not return for a fourth season due to the actor being subject to multiple investigations by the studio. It seems the actor triggered at least two complaints and two internal investigations over the course of the season’s production. He was accused of disruptive, juvenile behavior alongside inappropriate comments. All investigations were done remotely from Burbank due to COVID protocols.

    According to them, the accusations haven’t risen to the point that he would get kicked from the show’s production, but he did get a representative that was monitoring the actor’s behavior closely. Naturally, Kartheiser‘s spokesperson denies the allegations and only shared the following statement on the matter:

    Warner Bros investigated this matter and made clear to Mr. Kartheiser its expectations for behavior on the set, and he agreed to comply with their directives.

    It’s quite shocking that these allegations have only seen the light of day now. Of course, there is no official confirmation or statement by Warner Bros. So, we still need to consider there is more to this story but it’s not a great way for Titans to kick-off its third season. Kartheiser took on the role of the famous Batman villain Scarecrow and only had a one-year contract. So, it seems they might write out the character and focus on a new villain for the fourth season.

    Source: Deadline

  • Emma Stone Closes Deal to Join ‘CRUELLA’ Sequel

    Emma Stone Closes Deal to Join ‘CRUELLA’ Sequel

    It looks like Emma Stone loved playing the character of Cruella de Vil so much, she has officially signed on for a sequel. Deadline has just revealed that she closed her deal with Disney that may offer some positive light on the controversy surrounding their Disney+ Premier Access model. After facing lawsuits from Scarlett Johansson, rumors started hitting the Internet that Stone would join in due to her film being a simultaneous release.

    Yet, it seems she was open to returning, and with her joining the project, the Cruella sequel is a go for Disney. In June, Craig Gillespie already signed off to direct the project with Tony McNamara working on the script. It’ll be interesting to see how they follow up the project, as they either continue to explore her time before the fateful meeting with 101 dalmation or they jump straight into a live-action adaptation of it. It seems unlikely they’d want to paint the character purely in a negative light after building up her character throughout the first film.

    It’s definitely a win for Disney, as it paints their digital distribution in a positive light. There’s no official word if Stone had any benefit from Cruella‘s release, as we also never found out how much money the prequel made during its opening weekend. Disney only released the information starting with Black Widow. So, the sequel plans already hinted at the first film’s success on the service alongside its strong Box Office showing. It’ll be interesting to see if the same will hold true for Jungle Cruise, which recently released on the service.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘KINGDOM’s Shinsuke Sato to Direct Live-Action ‘MY HERO ACADEMIA’ Film

    ‘KINGDOM’s Shinsuke Sato to Direct Live-Action ‘MY HERO ACADEMIA’ Film

    It looks like movement has finally happened for the long-rumored live-action adaptation of the popular series My Hero Academia. Deadline has revealed that Shinsuke Sato, who many might know for his work on the Japanese film Kingdom, will direct the adaptation for Legendary. It’ll be an English version based on the popular manga franchise by Kohei Horikoshi. The series has been quite popular in Anime circles thanks to the work of Bones Inc. and Toho Animation. The series already released three animated films and it’s uncertain if this adaptation will follow the manga or take a unique approach.

    My Hero Academia Season 5 to Go on Break Next Week - Verve times

    In the manga and anime, we follow the story of a young boy named Dekul. In a world where 80% of humans have unique abilities, he wants to fulfill his dream of becoming a hero. Yet, the reality is much harsher and he learns that he is “Quirkless.” As such, he could never gain a special ability until he meets his idol, All Might. Known as the greatest hero in the world, he uncovers a secret that’ll change his life.

    It would be strange to simply tackle the same story, as the world introduced in the franchise offers the opportunity to tell a unique story from a new perspective. Yet, it seems likely they’ll try and follow Deku’s story due to its close ties to its overall mythos. Still, the franchise tried out spin-offs with the Vigilantes manga, which further developed the rules a world filled with professional heroes abides by. Perhaps the film could do something similar.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’ Eyeing a $35M to $55M Domestic Opening Weekend

    ‘SHANG-CHI’ Eyeing a $35M to $55M Domestic Opening Weekend

    Disney has been going through some troublesome times. After Black Widow opened to an impressive $80M during the pandemic, many wondered what it might mean for their next release. The Delta Variant continues to spread, and people are even more hesitant to visit cinemas. Of course, it raises questions regarding the release of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in just a few weeks. Well, it looks like it could still garner an impressive Box Office for a pandemic, but it’s also a far cry from where the first 2021 Marvel Studios’ release landed.

    As of now, the film is predicted to hit around $35M. The current optimistic ceiling would place it at $55M. If they ramp up the advertisement in the upcoming weeks, they might even push it up, but the film is unlikely to even get near a $200M domestic Box Office in its run. If it does manage to pass the $40M benchmark, it’ll be the first film since Black Widow, as most films faltered out around the $30M range. If it hits the top $55M prediction it would below Ant-Man, and The Incredible Hulk.

    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Neuer Trailer zum Marvel-Film

    There’s some hope that the Marvel Studios’ brand will push the film to a higher rate even during uncertain times. Unlike the previous release, it won’t be available on Disney+ Premier Access, which might hurt its opening weekend but could give it much longer legs than other digital releases. It will have a 45-day release window before it gets released on Disney+, which will signal how Disney handles future releases moving forward.

    Shang-Chi has a lot of potential as a franchise. Especially as it is an essential move for Asian-American representation. Hopefully, the film will manage to pass the ceiling, but it seems unlikely given the current circumstances. Even Black Widow missed its optimistic ceiling of $110M, but it could’ve been influenced by its digital availability. Its success might also determine Eternals release as others continue to push back films back. Right now, success can no longer get purely based on its Box Office alone, and it may find a larger audience on the streaming service once it releases.

    Source: Box Office Pro, Polygon, Business Insider

  • Marvel Studios Begins Casting for ‘ECHO’ Series Ahead of Early 2022 Start

    Marvel Studios Begins Casting for ‘ECHO’ Series Ahead of Early 2022 Start

    We’re still anxiously awaiting the November release of Hawkeye. It’ll introduce us to Kate Bishop and the assassin known as Echo. Alaqua Cox will take on the role in the series. The best part, she must’ve left quite an impression, as Disney+ and Marvel Studios decided to give her a spin-off series ahead of its release.

    We know very little about the series direction but we did hint that they are potentially eyeing an early 2022 production start. Well, it looks like the actress confirmed it herself, as she took to her stories and shared a casting list for the following two characters:

    The casting offers a small glimpse into the story and given Echo’s background, the character of Jessica might be a younger version of our titular heroine. The giveaway is the inclusion that the character is described as deaf. So, Iris might possibly be her mother. In the comics, she is raised by Kingpin who killed her parents and it was uncertain if they’ll explore this part of her upbringing in the Hawkeye series. It’s definitely a curious direction to take a closer look at the character’s backstory in the spin-off, as she might try to put together her own history.

    We are still waiting for a trailer for the Hawkeye series, which was given a definite release date and a first look image. It’s been oddly quiet on that front as they waited for the official release of What If that started this week. So, we might get our first glimpse at Cox as the character in the coming weeks once the trailer drops.

    Source: Instagram

  • AMC’s ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Finds Its Lestat in Sam Reid

    AMC’s ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Finds Its Lestat in Sam Reid

    It looks like AMC’s adaptation of Interview With the Vampire has found its Lestat, as Variety shared Sam Reid joined the project. The show has been in production since June and explores the story of a journalist interviewing vampire Luis de Pointe du Lac. He was turned into the nightly creature by Lestat de Lioncourt, who Reid will play in the project.

    It’s quite a long-term commitment due to their plans to adapt all of Anne Rice‘s The Vampire Chronicles novels where he has a recurring role. Yet, only one has been greenlit for now and he’ll be part of the eight-episode The character was previously played by Tom Cruise in 1994 before Stuart Townsend tackled the role in 2022.

    AMC also owns the rights to The Lives of the Mayfair Witches from Rice. There haven’t been any hints if they are already developing a series based on those books, or if they are focusing on the Vampire Chronicles first before they start expanding the franchise. They definitely have a lot of hope for the franchise as it continues to expand.

    It’ll be interesting if they play on the last adaption of the novel, or take a different route to make it stand out. They could take a more modern approach while keeping the core values of what made that story stand out back in the day. Though, it would be a lot more fun to embrace the aesthetic connected with the series to make it stand out from other series currently running. A modern adaptation seems like the easy route rather than also exploring its importance within a historical context.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ First Footage of Black Panther Gameplay Teases King-Worthy Combat

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ First Footage of Black Panther Gameplay Teases King-Worthy Combat

    It’s been a long wait for the release of Black Panther on Marvel’s Avengers. It’s been teased since the game’s launch but went silent after the game fought its way through a rough launch. As we’re only a few days away, many outlets revealed quite a bit of footage and information for the upcoming expansion. It’s our first look at the character in action and includes a closer look at the gorgeous Wakandan biome that’ll get introduced in the War for Wakanda storyline. IGN shared a video with him in action, which you can check out here:

    The first confirmation is that Black Panther will indeed use his iconic Vibranium daggers to take out enemies from a distance. Your intrinsic meter also allows you to unleash kinetic energy, which is inspired by the MCU’s Black Panther film. His move set seems quite deeper than that of the other heroes, which continues Crystal Dynamics’ artistry of realizing every Avengers’ unique attributes. The expansion also comes with brand new missions and objectives to add much-needed variety to the game.

    The heroics are also quite interesting, as they include you summoning the Panther god Bast, throw Komoyo beads at your enemies, and a spear that pins up to three enemies. You’re character also can pounce at enemies to get in close. GameRant revealed you can even unlock an ability to climb on larger enemies to take them down. They also tease some amazing sounding upgrades to existing abilities that might even allow you to summon the Dora Milaje to your side.

    Black Panther

    So, Black Panther’s DLC sounds quite promising and we’ll get a full two-hour War Table next Monday. CD has confirmed we shouldn’t expect the Omega-Level Threat with the expansion, but it will follow based on feedback from Family Reunion. It also seems like Spider-Man has once again been confirmed to release in 2021. Plus, the recent coverage also confirmed Crossbone’s inclusion in the DLC. All of this alongside the complete UI overhaul could tease a bright future for the game.

    Source: YouTube, GameRant, black panther gameplay

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’: First Look at Crossbones

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’: First Look at Crossbones

    It looks like the rumors of multiple villains were true for the upcoming Black Panther expansion. Game Informer just dropped a deep dive into the upcoming Marvel’s Avengers DLC, which included the reveal of classic Captain America villain Crossbones joining the game as a new villain. They shared the first look at the villain alongside some details courtesy of Crystal Dynamics writer Hannah MacLeod:

    Crossbones has some of the most iconic comic dialogue ever because he just enjoys himself so much, but he’s also got some interesting tricks up his sleeve. There’s always a lot of discussion of who we think our villains should be. Klaue doesn’t really get his hands dirty in the same way as other villains might, so we needed him to have a character who would have no problem with that.

    War for Wakanda

    It’s great to see another icon from the comics make a return and he’ll offer a unique challenge alongside Klaue. The red glowing energy also hints at him utilizing the new mechanics introduced. So, he’ll probably be equipped with Sonic energy, but they also teased an image of him wielding a giant battling gun.

    So, perhaps he’ll also make use of the Corrupted Vibranium. Game Informer and IGN were able to play through two missions of the game. They teased his mission shakes up things a little, as he’s joined by a sonic cannon that’ll make your life a tad more difficult. Here’s hoping there might be some other surprises in store for us.

    Source: Game Informer

  • ‘MARVEL’S AVENGERS’ Corrupted Vibranium Event Announced for Black Panther’s DLC

    ‘MARVEL’S AVENGERS’ Corrupted Vibranium Event Announced for Black Panther’s DLC

    It looks like Marvel’s Avengers isn’t quite done yet for the upcoming Black Panther expansion, as they just announced the DLC will also include a brand new event. Crystal Dynamic’s System Designer Brian Waggoner offered some insight into the event. It’ll start on August 19th and runs until September 2nd. In it, specific missions will include clusters of corrupted vibranium that need to be destroyed. The following missions will include them:

    • Our Town – Utah Badlands
    • Inhuman Condition – Utah Badlands
    • …And We’re Back – Eastern Seaboard
    • Enter: The Avengers – Eastern Seaboard
    • Stark Realities – Pacific Northwest
    • Here Comes the Pain – Wakanda
    • From Bad to Worse – Wakanda
    • 24/7 Vibranium – Wakanda

    The missions will allow you to gain specialty gear with the new Vibranium status effect. It gives your character the possibility to turn all damage into a kinetic explosion. We also can gain Sonic status effects that help your character’s Heroic and Intrinsic meters charge with enemies near them. They might change the way we build our characters up and approach specific missions.

    Black Panther is coming to 'Marvel's Avengers' later this year | Engadget

    Of course, you’ll also get a unique animated nameplate to showcase your finished mission chains. In the 50th War Table blog, they also confirmed that we shouldn’t expect a roadmap update during Monday’s War Table showcase. It’ll be mainly focused on the new War for Wakanda expansion, which makes sense as they wouldn’t want to distract from their biggest update so far. Yet, they did confirm we’ll get an update within the upcoming weeks. So, there’s a lot to be excited about for the future of the game.

    Source: Play Avengers (Event)