Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Latest ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Set Photo May Confirm Namor and Atlantis

    Latest ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Set Photo May Confirm Namor and Atlantis

    Just yesterday, we got our first glimpse at the production of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. A set video teased a new location within the city of Wakanda that also includes a tribute to Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa. Marvel Studios has been very diligent in keeping the plot a secret as much as possible. Yet, one huge reveal has found its way online, and that is Namor’s upcoming appearance in the film. His exact role isn’t certain, but war seems likely between the MCU’s Atlantis and Wakanda. His involvement was never officially confirmed, but a new set photo may be our first confirmation.

    The set photo provided by Instagram user @sinny8 features a giant water tank at the film’s shooting location of the Tyler Perry Studios. These are commonly used by film productions to bring underwater scenes to life. So, the necessity for this tank would confirm that they will feature some underwater scenes with the film’s cast.

     

     

    Sadly, we don’t get a shot of any cast members. We heard that they are actively casting Namora and Attumo around two months ago. It seems likely they might have cast the characters by now. The Namor rumor also confirmed that the MCU’s version of Atlantis will connect to Mayan culture, with Tenoch Huerta reportedly cast in the iconic Marvel role. So, we might get our first glimpse at his interpretation of the character if they are filming in these tanks out in public. There’s still no official confirmation on Namor’s appearance or how it connects to the overarching storyline in Wakanda Forever. Yet, they might want to get ahead of any set photos leaking, and we may get an announcement on his casting in the near future.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘Assembled’: ‘WandaVision’s Episode is the Most Watched Entry of the Marvel Studios BTS Series

    ‘Assembled’: ‘WandaVision’s Episode is the Most Watched Entry of the Marvel Studios BTS Series

    Disney+ doesn’t actively share any viewing data. So, we are dependent on external analysts to figure out how successful a show may be on the streaming service. Luckily, the latest analysis by Samba TV has revealed that WandaVision‘s Assembled episode is the most-watched episode of all three.

    They shared the statistic on Twitter which showcases how many viewers the episodes got in their first five days. WandaVision led with 98K US households followed by Loki with 65K as well as Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s 61K. It seems that the premier Marvel Studios series had the most momentum, as people wanted to uncover how they brought the iconic sitcom eras to life throughout each episode.

     

    It’s an interesting insight into how many viewers are interested in the BTS episodes. It seems that this additional one-episode format per Disney+ series is paying off and has earned a considerable audience in the US. We’re still questioning if we potentially get the release of a Black widow-focused episode. There was never any announcement if they are actively including it in the series. So, it seems likely they might be utilizing this exclusively for the Disney+ series.

    Yet, they might also time it with the digital release, as they also include various looks at behind-the-scenes and cut scenes. Plus, the Disney+ series run for several weeks and it only gets released once the series’ finale got released. It’ll be interesting to see how many viewers the BTS episode on What If might garner, as we get a closer look at the animation process of his unique series. Here’s hoping Assembled has a long history ahead.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’: Wakandan Translations Hint at Tribute to Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa

    ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’: Wakandan Translations Hint at Tribute to Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa

    It looks like the Internet already uncovered the secret behind the mysterious new location teased from the first Black Panther: Wakanda Forever set video. We haven’t visited it before in Wakanda. So, it opened up the question of what purpose it might hold and it seems a bit darker than we assumed at first. It’s not just any location but one that also spoilers how the film will pay tribute to the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman. Twitter user @CreamOrScream shared a translation of the various pillars that hint at a tribute to the fallen king that reads:

     

     

    We were able to verify the translation, and there might even be the iconic line “Rest in Power” ahead of T’Challa’s name. There are some ways to translate the Wakandan language, as the lettering is available through the official Wakandan Files. It is an in-universe book written by the princess of Wakanda, Shuri. There are hints in the original video that this might be the council room and not a burial site. Still, they would want to keep their former king’s legacy alive by integrating it into the pillars.

    It’s heavy realizing what this location truly represents and the implications moving forward. The translation is a somber reminder of the events that transpired and the tragic loss of Boseman. It would make for a beautiful tribute that continues the actor’s legacy. It also gives the character the proper send-off he deserves. We don’t know how much of the film will get spent here, but it’ll be a location many of us will surely never forget.

    Source: Twitter

  • First ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Set Video Teases New Wakandan Location

    First ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Set Video Teases New Wakandan Location

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been actively filming for some time now. While being kept a secret, it seems the first set video found its way online. We first heard it enter production around three weeks ago, as it aims to hit its July 8th release next year. The plot details have been kept tightly under wraps. Still, some rumors are hinting Wakanda preparing to go to war with the MCU equivalent to Atlantis. After the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, the franchise’s future is uncertain, as Marvel Studios still hasn’t officially announced who would take over the role of Black Panther. Still, director Ryan Coogler has been outspoken about the film, and it’ll continue Boseman‘s legacy.

    We haven’t gotten any look behind the curtains so far. So, we don’t know how Wakanda might’ve changed in the sequel. They opened up to the rest of the world that will interestingly change the once isolated country. There’s also a lot of locations we never got a chance to visit in the brief visits we had throughout the MCU, but a new leaked set video offers us a glimpse of a brand new location we’ll visit in the upcoming Marvel sequel. The video is provided by Instagram user coolfreetv who shared it directly from Tyler Perry Studios.

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CRxb7MjhFhX/

    The most frequently visited location in the film was the iconic throne room. So, it’s great we get to explore more corners of this fictional African city. The only question remains what this location is meant for. The black panther statues seem to indicate it is connected to the symbol of the country, or it might even connect to T’Challa’s unknown fate in the story. We’ll see what they’ll reveal ahead of the film’s July release and if we get a glimpse at its story ahead of the first trailer.

    Source: Instagram

  • James Gunn Shares First Details on ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’

    James Gunn Shares First Details on ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’

    James Gunn has been busy working on his DC film The Suicide Squad and the HBO Max spin-off, Peacemaker. His next project will finally be his grand return to the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise to end the trilogy he started back in 2014. Marvel Studios even wen one sep above and we’ll get the franchise’s first Holiday Special ahead of the release of the third enry. In an interview with Collider, Gunn offered our first insight into what we can expect from the upcoming film.

    It’s in canon. It’s about the Guardians. You’ll learn stuff you’ll need to know ahead of Guardians 3.

    It made sense that the storyline would take place in the mainline continuity. We still don’t know if the I Am Groot special will also be part of it, but even the first animated series What If takes place in the multiverse. We might get to explore the history and backstory of the team that might tie directly into the film. Star Wars‘ infamous Holiday Special featured Life Day as the Christmas equivalent for the galaxy far far away. So, we might also learn how the galaxy celebrates it and how they spent it growing up.

    He also confirms that they will film the special at the same time as the third entry of the film. Gunn’s team will reuse the same actors and sets. So, they will make use of that during production. It is set to release ahead of the film. So, we might even get some teases of which characters will appear in the threequel. The special won’t be long as he teased it’ll be shorter than 40 minutes. It’ll be interesting to see if other franchises might also join in on the fun in the future.

    If you are interested, you can watch the brief interview with Collider here:

     

    Source: YouTube

  • Starz Blocks Disney’s Star Plus Expansion in Brazil

    Starz Blocks Disney’s Star Plus Expansion in Brazil

    Here’s an interesting development. During Disney’s Investors Day, they revealed their global expansion. Europe and Canada got Star as a new brand directly in Disney+ to add access to mature content. The United States keeps its Hulu branding as a separate service, but they’ve tested ut integrating multiple streaming options by integrating ESPN+. Their idea for the Latin America market was to create a Star-focused service titled Star Plus.

    Yet, it looks like those plans were swiftly halted by a judge in São Paulo. Starz successfully blocked their launch in Brazil with complaints on trademark infringement still active in Mexico. Argentinian court has denied Starz’s complaint. Judge Jorge Tosta wrote the following on the decision:

    The plaintiff proved to have priority of use and registration in Brazil over the word mark ‘STARZPLAY,’ including for identifying entertainment services, which grants it the right to protect its reputation and material integrity.

    Starz has established its Starzplay streaming service and launched it in the Latin American market in 2019. Of course, it isn’t the exact same title but they have pointed out that Star Plus and Starzsplay will get generalized terms as “Star.” Plus, Disney’s marketing power also could harm Starz brand. It’s an interesting case, as it opens Disney to some new hurdles. They either have to rethink their strategy in Brazil or create unique branding for the location. Perhaps they’ll decide to extend the Hulu brand internationally as a result.

     

    Prime Video Channels: Amazon bringt Starzplay nach Deutschland

     

    Of curse, they can also take the European route by integrating it into Disney+, but the service was going to include ESPN offerings. So, there’s also the Indian Disney+ Hotstar branding that is more distinctive. It’s likely they’ll wait out until Mexico makes their decision before rolling out the brand, but it’s an interesting development that could have repercussions for Disney’s overall branding strategy. The official Twitter channel teased a strange new verified channel simply called The Streamer:

    Source: Variety, Twitter

  • Namor Connection Teased in ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel Casting

    Namor Connection Teased in ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel Casting

    It looks like Shuma-Gorath might not be the only tentacle monster in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel. A listing by actress Yenifer Molina reveals she has a role in Sam Raimi‘s film. What stands out is that her character’s name is Gargantos 2. Long-time comics fans might recognize it as a sea monster under the control of the Lemurian known as Naga. They only appeared in 1969’s Sub-Mariner #13 and X-Factor Annual #4 in 1989 but vanished since.

     

     

     

    Its inclusion in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is quite a surprise. We still have no idea how Strange will travel through the multiverse and if each pocket dimension gets a unique arc. Her acting credits include minor roles as an office worker in Detective Pikachu and a waitress on HBO Max’s Tom and Jerry. So, this role might only have a minor part in the film. We don’t know how many universes the doctor will travel through. The creature’s backstory connects to Namor. So, it would make sense that they’d appear in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which will potentially feature the character.

    The Funko leaks hinted at Supreme and Defender Variants of Doctor Strange. So, they may end up joining their multiversal counterparts in their story. Moviegoers might get introduced to the concept of the Serpent Crown, which got tossed into a pocket dimension for safekeeping. It got created by the Elder Gods, which could connect back to Shuma-Gorath. Perhaps it is the McGuffin necessary to stop the Devourer God from taking over the multiverse.

    Source: Mandy

  • ‘Lucifer’s Joe Henderson Developing Live-Action ‘Pokémon’ Netflix Series

    ‘Lucifer’s Joe Henderson Developing Live-Action ‘Pokémon’ Netflix Series

    The future for the Pokémon series has been quite the question mark in Hollywood. We got the 2019 film Detective Pikachu starring Ryan Reynolds and Justice Smith. We never got an official announcement for a sequel or spin-off films after the film had moderate success at the Box Office. After a long bit of silence, the series makes a grand return as Lucifer‘s Joe Henderson is set to write and executive produce a live-action series for Netflix.

    The streamer has been on the hunt for big-name franchises to compete with the ever-growing competitive market. They’ve dabbled in Anime for quite some time and even became the home for most of the iconic animated series featuring Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu. There’s no word if they will adapt the Anime into live-action or take a completely new direction to make it stand on its own terms.

    Variety points out that the series will be akin to the 2019 film. Sadly, no further details are available but Henderson’s work on the popular Lucifer season makes him a great choice. There’s a lot of potentials to explore the vast world filled with these creatures. Each season ould explore a different region from the games, or they even explore a brand new one.

    Pokémon joins the many Anime live-action adaptations that the streamer has been trying to bring to life over the last few years. They’ve been working on bringing Cowboy Bebop, One Piece, and even Gundam to live-action. Only Bebop has entered some form of production with a release remaining uncertain. Here’s hoping this project doesn’t end up in development hell for some time.

    Source: Variety

  • Latest ‘The Flash’ Set Photos Offer First Look at Ben Affleck’s Batman

    Latest ‘The Flash’ Set Photos Offer First Look at Ben Affleck’s Batman

    The Flash has had quite a few set photos leak online, and it seems that isn’t stopping anytime soon. We got our first look at Sasha Calle‘s Supergirl through a set photo and even a test of Michael Keaton. Well, the latest offers our first look at Ben Affleck returning as the iconic Gotham Knight.

    His return got announced eleven months ago, and the latest photos from the film’s set offer a look at his new suit and bat-themed motorcycle. It’s the first time we see one of the teased Caped Crusaders in his iconic cowl. The images got shared by Twitter user @FlashFilmNews.

     

     

    The modern design of the suit and similarities to previous appearances gives away that it is Affleck‘s version of the character. As we don’t see him directly on set, it could potentially end up being another Batman we haven’t heard about yet. We also get a video of him on the new motorcycle driving through the streets. It got a shared tweet by Twitter user @BingeWatchThis_.

     

     

    We still don’t quite know how Affleck‘s version of the character will fit into the film’s story. It would be exciting to see him and Michael Keaton interact. The shooting location seems to be the same, which could imply they’ll eventually meet. Barry’s journey through the multiverse might give us an entire Batman army to face whatever evil he unleashed by his actions. We’ll see if we get a picture of Affleck without his mask on set as more set photos find their way online.

    Source: Twitter (Photos), Twitter (Action)

  • Peyton Reed Shares First BTS Photo as ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Starts Production

    Peyton Reed Shares First BTS Photo as ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Starts Production

    It looks like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has officially entered production. Director Peyton Reed shared the first image from the principal photography on Twitter, which features Cassie Lang’s iconic ugly rabbit from the first film. The director teased their use of The Mandalorian‘s Volume around two months ago, as they prepared for production. Its official start isn’t too far off from the June 2021 start predicted around a year ago. Even Evangeline Lilly hinted at the summer production start in her Instagram post from a few months ago.

    The brief look of Cassie’s rabbit is a curious detail, as it may hint at the story revolving around her becoming Stature. The Biohazard sign in the background doesn’t tease an easy journey ahead. It’s still uncertain why they recast Lang’s daughter, as Kathryn Newton will take over the role of Avengers. Endgame‘s Emma Fuhrmann.

     

    There’s a good chance that Cassie may start her journey to becoming the Young Avengers’ member Stature. We’ve seen countless members appear throughout the last few projects. Plus, the inclusion of Jonathan Majors‘ Kang the Conqueror also hints at their connection. We still don’t know how exactly the stories will connect. Perhaps the change in casting is a catalyst for the story, as Lang tries to find out what happened to his daughter that he reunited with during the events of Endgame.

    It leads them on an adventure through the Quantum Realm and comes face-to-face with Kang. There are still some open questions surrounding Michelle Pfeiffer‘s Janet van Dyne and her time in this realm. So, it might connect to the overarching multiverse plotline that got kicked off by Loki‘s final episode.

    Source: Twitter