Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘Star Wars: Visions’: New Spin-Off Novel ‘Ronin’ to Focus on Former Sith

    ‘Star Wars: Visions’: New Spin-Off Novel ‘Ronin’ to Focus on Former Sith

    Not too long ago, we got our first look at Star Wars: Visions. It was a brand new anthology series heading to Diseny+ that would feature original short films by famous Anime production studios. It was a new direction for the franchise and allows them to break away from its canon. It seems that one of the short films has inspired a novelization, as the official Star Wars site just revealed a brand new novel titled Star Wars: Ronin: A Visions Novel written by Emma Mieko Candon. Here’s a first look at the book’s cover:

     

     

    It’ll focus on a former Sith who is now known as Ronin. It’ll act as an expansion of the short film titled The Duel, which is directed by Takanobu Mizuno for Kamikaze Douga. Lucasfilm Story Group’s James Waugh, who also acts as an executive producer of the Vision anthology series, shared the inspiration to expansion:

    Out of all the shorts, The Duel felt most rife for an ongoing story in a novel. Another one of Ronin’s adventures. One of the things I always loved about the short was that it was clear there was a larger history at play. That this wasn’t the first adventure this warrior had been through and it certainly won’t be their last. What are those stories?

    He went on to share that Kamikaze Douga even pitched in ideas to expand the story’s lore. It’s Candon‘s first foray into the franchise. She went on to state that the story will dive into Japanese period dramas, also known as jidaigeki. So we can expect Japanese monsters and folklore. It’s an exciting prospect to dive into a unique take on the galaxy far far away that also acts as a character study on the dark side of the force. The novel will arrive on October 12th.

    Source: Star Wars

  • ‘Black Widow’s Thursday Box Office On Par With Pre-Pandemic Marvel Studios’ Releases

    ‘Black Widow’s Thursday Box Office On Par With Pre-Pandemic Marvel Studios’ Releases

    It looks like Marvel Studios has not lost its steam at the Box Office after not releasing a film for two full years. Black Widow was originally set to release in May of 2020 but got continuously pushed back due to the pandemic. Still, the long wait is over and it is finally available in theaters, as well as on Disney+’s Premier Access. There was some uncertainty that its availability would dampen its Box Office success, but early predictions already had it eyeing a potential $110M domestic opening.

    These predictions hinted that it would pass F9‘s $80M. We’ve seen an uptick in Box Office performances since Godzilla vs. Kong gave us our first glimpse of hope in its Easter weekend release. It looks like the digital release didn’t hurt Marvel Studios’ first Phase 4 film in the slightest, as it already garnered $13M in ts preview nights.

    That alone is already signaling a $100M+ opening. The release is even on par with other Marvel titles, as it’s only slightly below Spider-Man: Homecoming‘s $15.4M and ahead of Ant-Man and the Wasp‘s $76M. The former garnered a $117M opening and it looks like people have been anxiously awaiting the return to cinemas. It’s uncertain if the general release might be influenced by the Disney+ release. So, there is a chance it’ll lose momentum over the weekend. Disney and Marvel are still hoping for a $120M+ release. Perhaps word-of-mouth

    Now, HBO Max’s similar release showed its fangs in the second weekend. Their films would commonly see a harsh drop, but they were also freely available for subscribers. Disney+’s additional fee could end up pushing people towards rewatching it in theaters to also get that experience they’ve missed out on during the pandemic. All eyes will be on the film#s weekend and then what it may mean for September’s Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings release.

    Source: Twitter, Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘What If’: Seth Green Confirms His Return as Howard the Duck in the Disney+ Series

    ‘What If’: Seth Green Confirms His Return as Howard the Duck in the Disney+ Series

    The new What If trailer offered quite a glimpse into Marvel Studios’ first animated series. What seemed to be independent episodes taking a closer look at different scenarios across the franchise’s timeline, might be way more interconnected than we thought. Many iconic actors are returning to voice their respective characters with some noticeable absentees, such as Robert Downey Jr. not lending his voice to Tony Stark. Luckily, one can easily sideline this fact by pointing out that these are Variants from another timeline, but it’s still sad to see not everyone make a return. The new trailer also revealed the grand return of Howard the Duck and his voice actor Seth Green confirmed he’ll reprise the role on Twitter.

    The actor originally voiced the cameo in a brief post-credit sequence from the first Guardians of the Galaxy film featuring Howard and Benicio Del Toro‘s Collector, who is also slated to return. The character would go on to make a brief cameo in the sequel and can even be sighted alongside the Ravagers rocking a gun in Avengers: Endgame‘s final fight. Willard Huyck once directed a film based on the Marvel character back in 1986 that introduced the world to a darker twist on Donald Duck.

    He originally was going to get his own Hulu series alongside the recently released MODOK. It was going to see the two series alongside another canceled project titled Tigra & Dazzler crossover into The Offenders. Kevin Smith and Dave Willis were executive producers alongside former Marvel TV head, Jeph Loeb. While he never got his own series, it seems that the character has a bright future in the MCU moving forward.

    Source: Twitter, Deadline

  • ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’: Angela Bassett Reveals Ongoing Script Rewrites During Production

    ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’: Angela Bassett Reveals Ongoing Script Rewrites During Production

    Marvel Studios has a variety of films and Disney+ series in production. Yet, many eyes are on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The film is facing a challenging situation as their main star, Chadwick Boseman, tragically passed away last year. Of course, director Ryan Coogler still set out the continue the story and honor the actor’s legacy. The film recently started principal photography. There are already hints that the production will head to MIT as well. So, the term has been busy preparing the film which is slated for a July 8th, 2022 release. In an interview for Netflix’s upcoming Gunpowder Milkshake film, Angela Bassett, who plays T’Challa’s mother in the film, offered some insight on the film. She praised Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, who is co-writing the script, for their work on continuing Boseman‘s legacy.

    Of course, with our dear king going on to glory, a lot of things had to be shifted and changed, so thankfully, Ryan [Coogler] and Joe Robert Cole, they’re just such masterful storytellers that they’ve found a way into this world and hopefully it will be satisfying, I think, for the fans and it will be honorable of our Chad. We love our king.

    Yet, there was another quote that also caught our eye. She highlights that the film has been burning through various scrips with a sixth version already in the works:

    I don’t know what it’s going to look like at all. There have been about five incarnations of the script and I hear another one’s coming.

    It’s not uncommon that rewrites occur throughout the production. Of course, there is also a chance that some of these scripts are fake to avoid any more spoilers leaking online. We don’t know how big of a role Bassett will have as Queen Ramonda. So, she might only get parts of the entire script. We still don’t know how they’ll tackle Boseman’s death. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed they won’t recast the role, but didn’t elaborate who would continue the mantle. It looks like we’ll have to wait until that first trailer drops before we find out.

    Source: ET

  • Latest ‘What If’ Trailer May Confirm ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Main Villain

    Latest ‘What If’ Trailer May Confirm ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Main Villain

    We’ve been anxiously waiting for confirmation when Marvel Studios’ first foray into animation with the new What If series. After a long wait, they finally dropped an official trailer and the news that it’ll release on August 11th. The Disney+ series was originally thought of as a simple exploration of different scenarios across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it seems it’ll be even more than that.

    The trailer confirms that we’re about to head out into the multiverse and it could hint at a stronger connection between the Disney+ series and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. If you take a closer look at the trailer, you might even get a glimpse at a heavily rumored villain that is planned to appear in the sequel. In a blink-or-you-miss-it moment, Sharon Carter is fighting a strange set of tentacles.

     

     

    Why is this relevant? Well, the rumored villain is the multidimensional tentacle monster known as Shuma-Gorath.  His design is quite iconic with green tentacles and a giant eye. The visuals hit that first box quite well and might even explain the brief sequence teasing a team-up of the various heroes from across the multiverse. He might even be the reason they unite. It makes us wonder if we might even get the What If characters, or rather Variants as we learned in Loki, might make a live-action return in the upcoming film. If Scott’s head in a jar is anything to go by, there’s going to be some crazy stories heading our way so Shuma-Gorath might be the most normal aspect of the series. Of course, it could also end up being a Flerken or another tentacle beast, but it does seem suspicious.

    If you haven’t had the chance yet, you can check out the new trailer right here:

     

    Source: YouTube

  • REPORT: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ to Film at MIT

    REPORT: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ to Film at MIT

    We’ve seen many iconic locations throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s filmography. Our favorite Avengers have visited Wakanda, fought in New York City, and even South Korea. So, they’ve been across the world quite a bit. Surprisingly though, it seems that Marvel loves revisiting the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It’s Tony Stark’s old university where he studied physics and electronic engineering has been a part of the MCU since it was first mentioned in 2008’s Iron Man. Well, it looks like we’re going to revisit the famous tech school in another project, as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is setting out to film there according to Cosmic Circus.

    It’s not the first time we’ve visited the location since the first film was released. We then got a brief sequence there in Captain America: Civil War where Stark presented his BARF technology. In Spider-Man: Far From Home, we revisited the location from a different perspective, as we saw the scene from Quentin Beck’s perspective. We even found out in Black Panther that Michael B. Jordan‘s Erik Killmonger studied there. Perhaps there is a tribute to him involved. There is also a high likelihood we’ll visit it in the Ironheart Disney+ series.

    Principal photography has already started on the film but it’s uncertain what they’re filming there, but given Shuri’s affinity for technology, she might be presenting. At the end of the first Black Panther film, the fictional country opened up to the rest of the world. It wouldn’t be too surprising if she is holding a seminar on Wakandan tech to ambitious students. Who knows, even Cosmic Circus seems to think there’s a good chance Riri Williams might be in the crowd. Dominique Throne has been cast for some time and won’t enter production until 2022.

    Source: Cosmic Circus

  • New ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ Set Photos Reveal a Battle-Damaged Shazam

    New ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ Set Photos Reveal a Battle-Damaged Shazam

    We got some brand new set photos from the set of Shazam: Fury of the Gods. While they don’t reveal too much from what’s happening, it does look like our favorite hero got badly damaged from a fight. We see Zachary Levi running away from something with parts of his suit looking worse to wear. It almost seems like something burned him. Just two weeks ago, we got a first look at Helen Mirren on set as Hespera. Perhaps he took damage while fighting her. The photos were posted by Twitter user @neorvng, who got the photos as they were filming the scene. The shots show the actor racing past him.

    What makes this interesting is that the suit never really saw any battle damage in the first film. It’s not like Billy Batson puts on a real suit, but rather he transformers into his alter ego with the powers of the six immoral elders. So, it must’ve been something truly powerful to leave those burn marks. It seems they were generally shooting a sequence where actors had to run away from something, which could be part of the aftermath of his fight. It’s uncertain if Levy running is part of that sequence, or if the actor was just running for another reason.

    Overall, it also promises a darker storyline in the sequel. The first film already had some pretty harsh scenes involving the Seven Deadly Sins and the sequel might take it up a notch. We don’t know what the plot is exactly, but if anyone can damage Shazam that way, it’s going to be quite the threat to face for the group of unlikely heroes.

    Source: Twitter

  • Marvel Rejected a Posthumous Stan Lee Cameo in ‘Loki’-Inspired ‘The Simpsons’ Disney+ Short

    Marvel Rejected a Posthumous Stan Lee Cameo in ‘Loki’-Inspired ‘The Simpsons’ Disney+ Short

    It has been a long-standing tradition that Stan Lee gets a cameo in the ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tragically, he passed away in 2018 making Avengers: Endgame his final cameo. Marvel Studios’ Executive Vice President of Production, Victoria Alonso, famously stated that no one could replace him. As such, the franchise has paid tribute to the famed comic creator in different ways, such as his birthday appearing on a license plate.

    His work alongside Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko defined the comic landscape in their days. Of course, Lee has famously appeared in other franchises such as his iconic Mallrats cameo and even in animated form. According to The Simpsons showrunner Al Jean, they actually considered using unused footage from an old recording with the comic legend for The Good, The Bart, and The Loki Disney+ short, but it was swiftly denied by Marvel.

    We just thought, ‘Oh, we have Stan Lee audio from when he was on our show, could we cameo him in?’ And they said that their policy is he doesn’t cameo now that he’s passed away, which is a completely understandable policy. That was their only note and that was, of course, easily done. And the Grogu note [for the Star Wars-themed short] made total sense, too. It was like, if you let everybody use Grogu in their stuff that wanted to, it would be all over. Believe me, I respect that these franchises have a great power beyond ours. I respect it.

    It’s great to see that Marvel wants to keep Lee‘s legacy alive by focusing on his work. The last ones he shot before his passing were for Captain Marvel, which even has a Mallrats reference, and Endgame. The former even included a tribute to him in its fanfare. Marvel Studios’ approach of using subtle references is a nice way to keep his spirit alive. It won’t be the same moving forward, but he certainly left a mark on the franchise that’ll last for generations.

    Source: Miami Latin News, ComicBook

  • Don’t Expect Marvel Studios or Warner Bros’ DC at 2021’s SDCC@Home

    Don’t Expect Marvel Studios or Warner Bros’ DC at 2021’s SDCC@Home

    It looks like San Diego Comic-Con will be a bit smaller once again. Of course, the pandemic has changed quite a bit and no one was expecting the filled Hall H at the San Diego Convention Center to return anytime soon. Sadly, they both already skipped last year’s event and there was some hope that they might join the event’s digital showcasing. They’ve shifted gears by showcasing most of their new entries during Disney’s Annual Investor Day event. Warner Bros. hasn’t attended for almost three years and has its own DC FanDome event just around the corner.

    In the digital age, it seems easier for these studios to keep these showcases in-house. Marvel Studios’ showing in 2019 was quite memorable, as they revealed the entire Phase 4 slate and had a slew of their actors appear in person. It’s cost-intensive but quite a memorable spectacle for the thousands of visitors of these panels. Of course, many showings weren’t even made public, which is difficult if you stream everything online.

    It’s not surprising they aren’t attending, but it’s sad to see this tradition get affected by the pandemic as it has. DC FanDome was a great success for Warner Bros. last year, as they can combine their showings for comics, films, and TV shows. There is a chance that Sony might attend to push Spider-Man: No Way Home, Venom: Let There Be Carnage or Morbius which are all set to release in eh coming months leading into 2022. DC will have a panel for the Legends of Tomorrow series and there are rumblings of their Publishing division getting a panel. The event will take place from November 26th until 28th. So, they might have a change of heart until then but it seems unlikely as of now.

    Source: Deadline, SDCC

  • Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Talks New Approach to the MCU Actor’s Contracts

    Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Talks New Approach to the MCU Actor’s Contracts

    It looks like Marvel Studios has changed its approach to their actor’s contractual obligations. In the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, some actors would be signed up to six or even nine films, which was long rumored to be the case with Samuel L. Jackson and Sebastian Stan. Since Avengers: Endgame released, we’ve seen many long-time Marvel actors leave the franchisee.

    There are many hints that Black Widow will be the last time we see Scarlett Johnasson on-screen as Natasha Romanoff. We have seen exceptions, such as many of the MCU actors lending their voices to the upcoming What If series. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige discussed their new approach after acknowledging the earlier contracts in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

    It varies, project to project, cast to cast. Really, what we want are people that come in, are excited to be in the universe, are excited at the opportunity to do more things, as opposed to being locked into contractual obligations.

    We’ve seen in the past that many of the franchise’s actors are open to returning even for minor roles. There have been times where these even led to actors having a bad experience with the studio, such as Idris Elba openly stating not wanting to return as Heimdall in Thor: The Dark World. Luckily, Thor: Ragnarok seemed to change his mind on the matter as he had fun filming it. Still, the new approach is a showcase that they want to build long-term relationships with actors in a way that doesn’t restrict them either.

    We’ve seen that flexibility more and more, such as adapting their schedules to allow James Gunn to finish his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. There was even mention of contracts being set up for “theme park attractions,” which might hint at the voice-acting roles they have done to bring some of their beloved characters to life in various rides or videos in Disney’s theme parks. So, it’s a clear sign that Marvel Studios has continued to expand since the early days o a small studio risking it all on a C-list character.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Telegraph