Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’s Malcolm D. Lee Reveals the Michael Jordan Cameo That Never Happened

    ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’s Malcolm D. Lee Reveals the Michael Jordan Cameo That Never Happened

    There will be spoilers for Space Jam: A New Legacy in this article. Only continue at your own risk.

     

    After a long wait, Space Jam finally got a sequel. Yet, there was a noticeable absence of 1996’s leading man. The first film’s leading man, Michael Jordan, did not return, but the Looney Tunes sure did. LeBron James took over as the central character, whose relationship with his son gets tested when a rogue algorithm tries to take over his status as king. Trapped in the Warner Bros. ServerVerse, he joins together with the classic Looney Tunes to take on Don Cheadle‘s Al-G Rythm and the Goon Squad in a basketball game of the century.

    There are various references throughout the film to the original film, but no sign of the former NBA star. According to director Malcolm. D. Lee, there were plans for him to appear in a post-credit sequence, even if the chances were slim to none. It would’ve even referred to the 202 mini-series The Last Dance by ESPN Films and Netflix by echoing one of his iconic lines from the documentary.

    We were holding out hope, but also knew that the likelihood was going to be very remote. Especially after The Last Dance came out, I was like, we’ve got to be able to do something, even like a tag at the very end after the credits with Bugs showing him the movie and saying, ‘What do you think, Doc?’ And just Jordan going, ‘I took that very personal.’ I wanted to do it! It would have been fantastic, but our movie is our movie and Space Jam is Space Jam

    Luckily, the team did get visits by another Jordan, Michael B. Jordan. It seems he was shooting a project and dropped by the project to hang out with LeBron James. This coincidence led to one of the film’s best jokes when Sylvester gets him mixed up with the first film’s protagonist.

    But it’s one of the greatest jokes that I’ve ever put in one of my movies — and it’s super unique to Space Jam. There’s no other movie where you could play this joke. Warner Bros. wanted really badly to use it in marketing, and I was like, you cannot do that, because this joke is too good to sacrifice.

    It’s sad they couldn’t get Jordan to return, but it did make way for a very unique joke that, as the director points out, only Space Jam could make. Luckily, they talked the marketing team out of wasting it in the trailers. The film managed to beat out Blck Widow at the Box Office, but it’s uncertain if we might see this franchise return with more entries moving forward. Still, it was great seeing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the rest of the Looney Tunes back on the silver screen. Even if this franchise doesn’t continue, it’s about time they get more films.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • ‘Loki’: Jack Veil Talks Kid Loki’s Time in the Void

    ‘Loki’: Jack Veil Talks Kid Loki’s Time in the Void

    There have been many standouts throughout Loki‘s six-episode run on Disney+. In the fifth episode, it embraced the zaniness of its Variant concept. We met one Loki after another. The episode gave. bigger focus on Richard E. Grant‘s Classic Loki, who helped our main duo in their confrontation with Alioth. There was also Alligator Loki, who has become a fan-favorite with many hooping to see his return.

    Of course, many also hope to see the grand return of Kid Loki, played by Jack Veil, who was a prominent member of the Young Avengers in the comics. We only learn that he managed to kill his version of Thor and go pruned as a result of it. Sadly, we have no idea where his story led him afterward, but Veil offered some insight into his backstory in an interview with Comic Book Movie.

    Many people don’t know this, but Kid Loki is the oldest one in The Void. He was pruned thousands of years before and just didn’t age because of The Void being the end of time as said by Judge Renslayer. It is also the sheer fact that he killed Thor. As I said, no other Loki would dare try or even do that successfully. That not only makes him the Oldest but the most intimidating as well.

    It explains why he was the Loki in charge. Not only was he the only one able or willing to kill Thor, but he’s been trapped in the Void long enough. If he were able to escape, he would offer a unique dynamic to a group of young heroes. Here’s hoping that the show’s second season could build upon his story and further build the Young Avengers story that is being teased throughout the Disney+ series.

    Source: Comic Book Movie

  • REPORT: Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova To Appear in Multiple ‘Hawkeye’ Episodes

    REPORT: Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova To Appear in Multiple ‘Hawkeye’ Episodes

    Black Widow was more than just a farewell to Scarlett Johansson‘s Natasha. It also acted as a passing of the torch with Yelena Belova, played by Florence Pugh, to continue her sister’s legacy. The post-credit sequence confirmed her return in the upcoming Hawkeye Disney+ series. Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ mysterious Val made the claim Clint Barton is behind Natasha’s death. Outside of this detail, not much is known about the upcoming series and her involvement. It seems that Cosmic Circus might offer some details on what we can expect from her upcoming appearance.

    While they cannot offer any insight into her exact storyline, it luckily won’t be a one-and-done. Pugh will appear in multiple episodes of the show. Sadly, no exact insight for how many episodes we can expect her, but it looks like her search for vengeance won’t be over in an instant. We know the Tracksuit Mafia will also make an appearance. So, Clint and his new protegé, played by Hailee Steinfeld, will have quite a bit of trouble at their hands.

     

    Florence Pugh Describes Yelena & Natasha's Relationship In Black Widow - 24htinnhanh

     

    The series will also introduce us to Alaqua Cox as Echo. Whatever Val’s end goal is, she may have some new recruits on her radar once the show premieres sometime later this year. Currently, it doesn’t look like she will appear in the series, but Belova may also find some new friends throughout the series’ run. It seems November might be a likely release date for the series, which will most likely be the last Disney+ entry for 2021. So, here’s hoping we get a first look after What If premieres this August.

    Source: Cosmic Circus, IMDb

  • ‘Gotham’s Victoria Cartagena Reprises Role as Renee Montoya in ‘Batwoman’

    ‘Gotham’s Victoria Cartagena Reprises Role as Renee Montoya in ‘Batwoman’

    It looks like DC icon Renee Montoya has found her way into CW’s Batwoman series, as Victoria Cartagena is officially cast in the role. What makes this casting stand out is that she previously played the same role in Fox’s Gotham series. Deadline does point out that she is not playing the same character from that series, as they take place in separate universes. Batwoman‘s version is a former GCPD officer who left the force due to corruption. It seems she is running the “freaks division” and will get involved with the ongoing plot that follows Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder. She took over the mantle from Kate Kane after she went missing due to a plane crash.

    It’s a curious decision to let the same actress reprise the same role in a different show without building up any connections. Gotham follows a young Bruce Wayne long before he becomes the iconic vigilante. So, even from a timeline perspective, Montoya would have to be quite a bit older if they build up a connection. It’s great they believe this much in the actress to replay the iconic character again, it’s a strange decision.

    Hopefully, it lets Cartagena give the character a new twist or even further develop her beyond what the first show allowed her. She is an essential LGBT character in DC’s lore, whose an important step forward for representation. Given the series’ focus, she’s a perfect fit for the series. We’ll see how they’ll introduce the character and how they might try to disconnect her from the previous appearance. No matter what, more of Renee Montoya is always a win.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Black Widow’ Takes Top Spot as Most Pirated Film in the Pandemic

    ‘Black Widow’ Takes Top Spot as Most Pirated Film in the Pandemic

    The digital release of any film is a considerable risk. As such, Black Widow‘s release on Disney+ Premier Access and theaters was going to be a gamble. Not only because it influenced its theatrical run but also due to piracy. This is why a delayed-release in China is a considerable risk for Marvel Studios’ Box Office return. As predicted, it became a reality, as Torrent Freak shared their overview of the most torrented movies of the year. Marvel Studios’ latest has been holding that spot ever since it was released.

    To add a positive twist to the matter, it shows the strong demand for Marvel Studios films. There always was a risk involved in releasing it via their streaming service at a price. The fact they still sold $60M is impressive, and the film caught the top spot during the pandemic for its opening weekend. It also seems that the Disney+ U.S. household viewers have nearly doubled throughout the second week, which does show a generally good development for the game.

    The problem that piracy creates is the film’s longevity. Throughout its Box Office run, films gain additional income through repeat viewings. Disney+ is not a one-time payment. So, you can rewatch it from the comfort of your home. Others might take to piracy to avoid the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic. These developments are a big challenge for streaming services.

    They need to find ways to protect their offerings from torrent sites. It affects others such as Amazon’s The Tomorrow War and Netflix’s Gunpowder Milkshake joining the Top Three. Piracy is a general issue but took on a whole new level during the pandemic. The big question is if Jungle Cruise will face similar developments and if it might be the end of Disney Premier Access.

    Source: Torrent Freak, Gadgets 360

  • Leaked ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ Featurette Includes New Footage

    Leaked ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ Featurette Includes New Footage

    Sony seems to be facing quite a few leaking pipes. There have been countless rumors surrounding the upcoming release of Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film’s new costumes leaked three weeks ago and there is still no trailer in sight. It looks like even their other new Spider-Verse entry, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, could avoid something leaking. YouTube channel Movies Basket shared the featurette that includes new footage.

    In it, Woody Harrelson discusses the surprise of how comedic the film would end up being. The film’s director Andy Serkis also highlights how important the “old couple” dynamic is between Eddie and the Venom symbiote. The inclusion of Carnage also promises a much darker film, which might not see the two get out of it scot-free. It’s great that Serkis built upon the highlight from the first film and the new footage promises quite a bit more.

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOkKci_V8Go

     

    The first trailer already teased their returning dynamic, as Venom made quite a rich breakfast. It’ll be interesting to see if Carnage will act as a more serious counterpart to our main duo. Sony also has the Mobius film on the horizon with Jared Leto in the lead. The film was pushed back quite frequently throughout the pandemic and it is surprising that we got more leaks out of the other two properties. Still, Venom‘s sequel looks promising and they nailed Carnage’s design. f course, it would’ve been nice if they were more directly connected to Spider-Man but there is always a chance their paths will cross. Sony seems very focused on making that a reality.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘Black Widow’ Nearly Doubled Its U.S. Disney+ Viewing Households In Its Second Week

    ‘Black Widow’ Nearly Doubled Its U.S. Disney+ Viewing Households In Its Second Week

    There has been much debate surrounding Black Widow‘s release. Its second weekend saw a sharp drop at the Box Office, which was on par with other releases in the pandemic. What didn’t help was that Disney+ did not release the official numbers for the second week. So far, we only are aware that they made $60M from their Premier Access service. Once again, we have to rely on third-party analysts to figure out how exactly the film will perform on the streaming service. Luckily, Samba TV offered insight into how many US households watched Marvel Studios’ latest during its release. Keep in mind, these are estimates and not official numbers.

    It seems that they almost doubled the viewership, as it rose from 1.1M households to 2M over the last week. So, an estimated 900K purchased the film from July 12th up until the 18th. It’s quite an impressive number that could hint at a steady growth on the streamer. Their analysis is based on 3M SmartTV terrestrial households that consume a show or film for at least five minutes. It doesn’t include mobile viewers.

     

    Black Widow snags $215M in biggest opening since pandemic began - CNET

     

    Going by their analysis, the film managed a domestic total of $131.6M through Disney+ alone. Even with the 67% drop in its second weekend, the film still earned $263M so far. If you add in the Diseny+ Premier Access numbers, Black Widow might already be nearing $400M. It’s impressive growth, but piracy is still an issue with simultaneous releases. It’ll hurt the film’s Box Office legs which are already questionable due to the pandemic’s influence on the cinema market.

    There’s a strong likelihood that Jungle Cruise will be the last Disney film to use this model moving forward, even if they only have to share around 15% with platform providers rather than the 40% cinema share. Whatever happens, we’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on its development and what it could mean for Marvel Studios’ next release, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

    Source: Deadline, The Numbers

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Loki’ Director Kate Herron Explains Marvel’s Interconnected Multiverse

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Loki’ Director Kate Herron Explains Marvel’s Interconnected Multiverse

    The final episode of Loki introduced the world to the multiverse. A single decision unleashed a new Multiversal War and opened up new paths for the once Marvel Cinematic Universe. What If and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be our first visits int the multiverse, but we don’t know quite yet how it works. Luckily, our own Charles Murphy got a chance to sit down with director Kate Herron. She offered some insight into how the Sacred Timeline expanded.

    So, there’s the branches, right, which is like the alternative reality. But then something, you’ll see it, it’s very subtle but in the very last shot where you see the multiverse, there’s like basically other bigger physical timeline branches. So, it’s almost like these different separate trees that are now connecting.

    The visual of the Sacred timeline branching off was quite a memorable moment for those wanting to explore the infinite possibilities o the multiverse. The latest What If the trailer teased a crossover of these different Variants in the form of the Guardians of the Multiverse. Luckily, Herron elaborated that there will indeed be some points where these timelines interconnect.

    It’s almost like a bridge. If you imagine the branch, it is like another reality. But if the branch extends beyond a certain point, it will then connect to other physical timelines. […] That last shot we did, there are other like thicker [branches] that are meant to be like our timeline. And there are other timelines like that and the branches are the connectors basically.

    It’ll be interesting to see if Doctor Strange will be able to clean up the multiverse in the upcoming sequel, or simply witness the results of timelines colliding. We know that Kang is the cause of the Multiversal War. It might end up becoming the final connection point between them. It still seems very likely Secret Wars in our future and we cannot wait to see how the second season of Loki further explores the multiverse.

  • Mahershala Ali’s ‘Blade’ Eyeing ‘Mogul Mowgli’ Director Bassam Tariq

    Mahershala Ali’s ‘Blade’ Eyeing ‘Mogul Mowgli’ Director Bassam Tariq

    It looks like Marvel Studios has finally found its director for the Mahershala Ali-led Blade film. Deadline is reporting that Bassam Tariq is in talks to join the project to bring the famous vampire hunter to life. Stacy Osei-Kuffour joined the project around five months ago to write its script after her work on HBO’s Watchmen. The director is best known for his work on Mogul Mowgli, where he worked together with Riz Ahmed. Negotiations aren’t final as of now. It seems they’ve been meeting with dozen of candidates since last fall.

    Marvel Studios has been hard at work finding a director for this project. They’ve gone through various options, such as a writer-director but then decided to hire Osei-Kuffor. Her joining the project shortened the list of potential candidates. It looks like Tariq’s pitch was the one to beat out the rest but he has yet to sign a deal. The film originally was pitched by Mahershala Ali, who is heavily involved with the film’s development.

    It’ll be the director’s first major deal and is similar to how they chose Taika Waititi after his success with Hunt for the Wilderpeople. His vision of introducing the vampires officially into the MCU will be a must-watch, as it could open up darker avenues for the company. It seemed early on that the film was going to release October 2022, but the search for the right team delayed the production by quite a bit. Still, it’s good they are prioritizing the project and not rushing it out to hit a specific deadline.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Loki’s Threshold: A Scarlet Nexus Event Into the Multiverse

    ‘Loki’s Threshold: A Scarlet Nexus Event Into the Multiverse

    There’s still a lot to digest from Loki‘s grand finale. Time is no longer what it used to be, and we face a multiverse of problems. He Who Remains warned our loving duo that the other villains to follow are far more dangerous than his control over the Sacred Timeline. Yet, throughout all the explanations on the future coming of Kang, we break past a threshold. The point of no return where a single choice will change the outcome of the entire multiverse. All eyes were on Jonathan Majors‘ performance. So, we never thought to question what that very threshold ended up being. So, let’s take a closer look and see what may cause such an event where even the master of time has no more control.

    Once the threshold got broken, we see the multiverse slowly grow. It’s not at one point but multiple nexus events simultaneously. The show implied that it would be Sylvie and Loki’s love that ends everything. Yet, the threshold takes hold long before the kiss. It does lead to the eventual breaking point, as it is the last act in deviance before the multiverse completely breaks free. In the end, it wasn’t the literal breaking point but rather the event that would push it. He Who Remains knew their journey. So, the events beyond that point were merely a prediction. In a way, the way he acts before his death. It seemed like it was his hope of freedom. Somehow it was He Who Remains’ last act of free will. Even if he knew nothing beyond that point, he did know of the threshold’s existence and potential.

     

    Who Is He Who Remains in 'Loki'? Could He Be Phase 4's New Villain?

     

    Yet, if he knows what will happen throughout time, what kind of chaos would keep him from knowing beyond this point. The Time Variance Authority’s existence is to keep order across the Sacred Timeline. In a way, their natural enemy would be chaos. It’s an important element we’ve gotten introduced to in the first Disney+ series by Marvel Studios. In WandaVision, we learn that the Darkhold predicted the coming of the Scarlet Witch. A being forged out of chaos magic that may break reality as we know it. Her chapter states she will destroy the world. Yet, it never specifies which one. It doesn’t even specify but we know it connects to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of the Madness.

    All we know is the Darkhold in her possession may break reality as we know it. With the rumored appearance of Shuma-Gorath, perhaps the book was created by this being rather than Cthon to lure the being to break him free from the restraints of time. Perhaps the Scarlet Witch is a nexus being within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but not in the way we know it from the comics. Loki introduces us to Nexus events that create Variants within the Sacred Timeline. Perhaps, her fully coming into control of that power created the ultimate Variant. Her existence of pure chaos energy is not just a Nexus event but an entire being. The word exists within her dreams for a reason.

     

    WandaVision: Finale erklärt Ursprung und Schicksal der Scarlet Witch

     

    Even from an outsider’s perspective of time, it is an “event” that happens randomly to onlookers. In a way, it happens at a transfixed point of time outside of the literal timeline. The man knew when Loki and Sylvie’s Variants would come into existence. So, he must know when the Scarlet Witch would be born. He exists beyond time, but the only variable to how time breaks is through a Variant. From an outside perspective, time is flat. They aren’t living at a specific point in time. Yet, the threshold echoed throughout the room as a certain event passed. So, the only way a breaking point erupts is when a specific Variant breaks away from the timeline. We learn that Loki’s are the most frequent visitors of the TVA. They are agents of chaos. As such, they can easily break free from their timely restraints. In a way, a being that forged in pure chaos could even break beyond those limitations that even He Who Remains loses sight of what is to come.