Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • EXCLUSIVE: There May Be A ‘Secret Wars’ Connection in ‘Loki’, Says Head Writer Michael Waldron

    EXCLUSIVE: There May Be A ‘Secret Wars’ Connection in ‘Loki’, Says Head Writer Michael Waldron

    It’s been a long break since the finale of Falcon and the Winter Soldier aired on Disney+. Now, we are just a few days away from the first episode of Marvel Studios’ next venture airs on the streaming platform with the return of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. The series will take place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Our favorite team of heroes accidentally let a version of Loki escape his fate when he got his hands on the Tessaract. To keep the timeline safe, he gets captured by the Time Variance Authority and will journey off into a brand new adventure.

    Our very own Charles Murphy got a chance to sit down with head writer Michael Waldron to discuss the Disney+ show. Murphy asked if an animated sequence that details the TVA’s history, a previous “multiversal war” and the potential for altered timelines to create more multiversal conflicts might tease a connection to the famous Marvel storyline Secret Wars possibly being adapted for the MCU. Waldron had the following to say:

    We’ll see. You’ll probably know, as well as I do, not everything is just in there. If the purpose of that whole thing was to just indoctrinate the audience and everything. Yeah, we’ll see how this plays out in the MCU moving forward.

    Of course, he doesn’t outright confirm anything but the inclusion certainly seems intentional. Ever since Endgame was released, Secret Wars seemed like the perfect follow-up event. We’ve already witnessed Thanos snapping half the world out of existence and our heroes travel through time. So, the next major event would need to top even that and it seemed like a natural fit with all these multiversal stories that they would collide at one point. We cannot wait to see where the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading.

  • REPORT: Attuma and Namora Joining Namor in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    REPORT: Attuma and Namora Joining Namor in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    Around four months ago, it was revealed that Marvel Studios was actively casting two Mayan Warriors for the upcoming Black Panther sequel. It made many of us wonder how they might connect to the story surrounding the fictional African city of Wakanda. Well, Illuminerdi just broke the news that Tenoch Huerta might be playing Namor the Sub-Mariner in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In their article, they also revealed that these two warriors are actually well-known supporting characters for the Atlantean king. They believe that the warriors are actually Namora, his cousin, and the warlord Attuma.

    Now, fans of the comics will instantly recognize these characters. Namora is similar to her cousin and is half Atlantean and half mutant. She is also known as Aquaria Neptunia in the comics before taking on the nickname. Attuma is part of an Atlantean tribe that is known to be barbaric nomads. He is the leader of his kind and believes that he is the true king of Atlantis. It is uncertain if we might see some infighting or he might even be the one to nudge Namor into getting in conflict with Wakanda.

    Overall, it looks like the film will include a very impressive cast of characters. Of course, the Atlanteans will be at a disadvantage on land, but we’ve seen a river that goes through the fictional country. So, they might try to steal something from the capital that ends up putting a big red target on their back from the Wakandans. We might not get any news on its development for some time. So, we’ll see if we get an official casting announcement in the near future. There is also the tease in Avengers: Endgame when some underwater tremors hit Africa by Okoye. We’ll know more once the film premieres on July 8th, 2022.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • REPORT: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ to Feature Tenoch Huerta as Namor

    REPORT: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ to Feature Tenoch Huerta as Namor

    We’ve all been keeping a close eye on what the sequel of Black Panther might have in store for us. The tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman made its direction uncertain as director Ryan Coogler continued to push forward. The subtitle Wakanda Forever showcases that his spirit will live on in the project and Marvel Studios confirmed they will not be recasting T’Challa in the upcoming film. We’ve been wondering how they might tackle the sequel and it looks like there will be some surprises in store. Illuminerdi has exclusively shared the news that the upcoming second entry will feature the Sub-Mariner himself, Namor. It seems that the Atlantean will be played by Tenoch Huerta. It is interesting to note that the actor has already been cast for the film almost seven months ago.

    There have been some rumors that he would potentially appear in the Black Panther sequel and his inclusion may hint at a big war happening between the two cultures. Atlantis has actually teased quite a long time ago in a sequence of Iron Man 2, where Fury had a marking in the middle of the ocean. Now, the big reveal regarding the casting of Huerta may also hint at a very different origin for the Atlanteans, as we know that there was some casting going around regarding Mayans for the film. As such, we can suspect that they will try to make the MCU’s version their descends. It’ll be interesting to see if we get any official confirmation on his casting in the future.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • ‘Loki’: First Funko Pops Revealed for Marvel Studios’ Next Disney+ Series

    ‘Loki’: First Funko Pops Revealed for Marvel Studios’ Next Disney+ Series

    We are only two days away from Loki finally premiering and it seems that everyone is gearing up for it. Marvel Studios has been dropping quite a few featurettes and even the first few clips on their Twitter channel and now Entertainment Weekly unveiled the first Funko pops for the Disney+ series. They are only featuring our main two cast members Tom Hiddleston‘s Loki and Owen Wilson‘s Morbus. There aren’t any major reveals or hints in these images, but we do get a good look at Mobius’ weapon of choice that was briefly hinted at in the trailers.

     

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    Entertainment Weekly also unveiled a variety of other new merchandise that includes some of the Miss Minutes merchandise that leaked some months ago. She is the TVA mascot and will have a prominent role throughout Loki’s journey with the inter-dimensional bureaucracy. The new show will also continue the tradition that a variety of Funko Pops will get released as the show goes through its six-episode run. We still know very little of what to expect from the series. So, it’ll be interesting to see what other Funkos are heading our way in the upcoming weeks.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Kevin Feige Teases the Importance of Disney+’s ‘Loki’ for the MCU’s Future

    Kevin Feige Teases the Importance of Disney+’s ‘Loki’ for the MCU’s Future

    Finally, the long wait is about to end as Marvel Studios’ next Disney+ series is about to premiere this Wednesday. Loki will introduce the world to the Time Variance Authority and the return of the beloved God of Mischief. We’ve all been wondering how the exploration of time travel may affect the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward and it looks like their next series will do exactly that. In an interview with Empire. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that Loki might be the most important of the series so far.

    It’s tremendously important. It perhaps will have more impact on the MCU than any of the shows thus far. What everybody thought about WandaVision, and was sort of true, and The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, which was sort of true, is even more sort of true for Loki.

    The introduction of the TVA is a considerable indicator that the multiverse is only truly opening up. There have been concerns about how these shows would affect the bigger picture and it seems that the upcoming series will do exactly that. Feige also hints at how Tom Hiddleston’s character will change throughout the six-episode run, as they want to use these series to let their characters grow in new and unexpected ways. So, here’s hoping we might see more of the trickster god in the future, especially with the uncertainty if he might return in a film as well. Of course, the introduction of Variants and the upcoming What If series could also be a good indicator that the MCU might tackle a lot of new perspectives from across the multiverse.

    Source: Empire

  • First ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Set Photos Reveal Stunt Double Wearing a Harrison Ford Mask

    First ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Set Photos Reveal Stunt Double Wearing a Harrison Ford Mask

    In the last few weeks, we’ve been hearing quite a bit about the next entry in the Indiana Jones franchise. The fifth film will see the return of Harrison Ford and will be the first not directed by Steven Spielberg. Logan‘s James Mangold took over directing duties and will give the franchise a fresh layer of paint as it enters the modern era. After all, it’s been almost thirteen years since Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull released in theaters. Lucasfilm has already been busy casting, as they added Phoebe Waller-Bridges the female lead alongside Mads Mikkelsen in an undisclosed role. Just recently, the film entered production and the first set photos have already found their way online revealing a stunt person wearing a creepy Harrison Ford mask.

     

     

    Now, what stands out about the face mask is the hair color. The main star is 78 and even in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens was rocking silver hair. In the last entry of the franchise, they didn’t shy away from his age. So, the fact that the stunt double is wearing the mask with dark brown hair implies this is a flashback of some kind. It seems there was a brief accident but luckily no one was injured on set, but the head-mask did fly off. Daily Mail also revealed that the production is a bit delayed due to COVID-19 but it seems only to be a brief one. They are currently eyeing a release on July 29th, 2022 and we’ll see if the production gets affected by any other delays. Here’s hoping we get a look at Harrison Ford in his iconic gear soon.

    Source: Daily Mail

  • New ‘Titans’ Set Photos Offer Closer Look at Teagan Croft’s New Raven Costume

    New ‘Titans’ Set Photos Offer Closer Look at Teagan Croft’s New Raven Costume

    Titans is currently busy filming its third season which might see a new direction for the franchise. Now that the former DC streaming app remains focused on comics, the series is now part of the HBO Max family. We’ve been excited to see if it’ll also see a shake-up in the show’s format with potentially a higher budget. The first showcases of the cast’s new costumes were a promising start and it looks like some set photos have found their way online that offer a closer look at two of next season’s main cast members. Damaris Lewis is rocking her new outfit as Blackfire, which was revealed around three months ago. Luckily, she is not alone as we also get a closer look at Teagan Croft‘s new Raven costume.

    We also got a look at her costume from a distance, which includes Blackfire’s full costume and a tease of Anna Diop‘s Starfire costume.

    Now, the show has taken a very different approach with Raven’s outfit but her iconic purple hair and forehead mark remained. They have teased her iconic hood but it seems she ditched that entirely. There is a chance this isn’t her final outfit in the series. Still, it’s great to see Croft‘s evolution as the character throughout the last two seasons and it’ll be interesting to explore how the events of the upcoming third season might shape Raven even more. Here’s hoping we get an official trailer soon to see if they will showcase the new comics in action.

    Source: Twitter (Close-up), Twitter (Distance)

  • Disney Developing a ‘Cruella’ Sequel

    Disney Developing a ‘Cruella’ Sequel

    It looks like Cruella was a success, as Disney is fast-tracking a sequel to the Emma Stone-led project. Craig Gillespie will return to direct with Tony McNamara once again working on the screenplay for the film. The One Hundred and One Dalmations prequel explored the early days of villainess Cruella de Vil and how she made her name in the fashion world. The film was released theatrically and on Disney+ Premier Access. While we don’t know how it performed on the streaming service, the film did earn around $48.5M worldwide. A Disney spokesperson shared their enthusiasm for the film’s success:

    The film has been incredibly well received by audiences around the world, with a 97% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes in addition to A’s in every demographic from CinemaScore on opening weekend, ranking it among the most popular of our live-action reimaginings. We look forward to a long run as audiences continue to enjoy this fantastic film.

    Unlike some of their live-action reimaginings of the classic fairytale adaptations, Cruella took a very unique visual approach by integrating a 1970s punk rock aesthetic. It made the film stand out even among the many adaptations that Disney has been working on. What started with 2010’s Alice in Wonderland became a staple of Disney’s cinematic landscape as they saw success with Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Now, Cruella’s approach to an origin story for the original’s main villain is similar to what they did with the Angelina Jolie-spearheaded Maleficent. Their success could open up the door to exploring other classic villains. Could we see a prequel to The Great Mouse Detective focusing on Professor Ratigan? Probably not, but one thing is for sure, Disney won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

    Source: THR

  • Shamier Anderson Joins ‘John Wick 4’ In Undisclosed Role

    Shamier Anderson Joins ‘John Wick 4’ In Undisclosed Role

    It looks like the cast of John Wick 4 is continuing to grow. Right after they cast IP Man‘s Donnie Yen, the upcoming fourth entry in the Keanu Reeves-led project has added Shamier Anderson in an undisclosed role. Anderson has worked on a variety of projects that include Stowaway, City of Lifes, as well as Syfy’s Wynonna Earp. He also was an important part of forming Canada’s first Black-owned venture capital firm, Bay Mills investment Group. The film’s plot still remains under wraps, but they are eyeing a worldwide production that starts this summer. The film will film in France, Germany, and Japan as Wick takes on the world. Rina Sawayama was cast as the film’s female lead and it will be interesting to see how all the pieces come together.

    Overall, John Wick is a fascinating franchise that started as a small indie project that continued to balloon in success with each entry. It was also the grand return of Keanu Reeves in a titular role. It’s also the aesthetic and worldbuilding that makes this franchise so fascinating standing tall alongside big-budget films. It doesn’t require a CGI backdrop of unfamiliar buildings and structures to make us believe there is a world we know little about. The structure of the Continental hotel chain, the way it showcases assassins living in a completely unique world that is hidden from the everyday person makes it a must-watch franchise for any action fan out there. Here’s hoping we find out what the future holds in the near future once more actors and actresses join the project.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ Sequel Adds Issa Rae as Spider-Woman

    ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ Sequel Adds Issa Rae as Spider-Woman

    Finally, it seems like we’re getting some more news on the upcoming sequel to the 2018 hit, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The Hollywood Reporter has just revealed that Issa Rae is joining the upcoming production. She is most famously known for her work on the HBO comedy-drama Insecure. She is the first addition to the cast and will join Shameik Moore‘s Miles Morales, as well as Hailee Steinfeld‘s Spider-Gwen. While the plot remains under wraps, she is believed to voice Jessica Drew, who many fans also know as Spider-Woman. Chris Miller, who is writing the script alongside Phil Lord and Shang-Chi‘s David Callaham, shared his enthusiasm on Twitter.

    Spider-Woman is all the rage right now, as she is also currently the main focus of a new film by Sony. They recently hired Olivia Wilde to produce the film, which may even become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We still know very little about the direction of the sequel and there has been no word on if Oscar Isaac will also return after the after-credit tease from the first film. He played the 2099 version of the iconic webhead who seemed to have found a way to enter the multiverse. There was also the brief sequence where Gwen calls out to Miles, which would imply we might explore other universes than restrict to one specific one. It’ll be interesting to see if Miles also remains the main protagonist of the franchise, or if they start focusing on a different version of the character with each new entry as the Spider-verse continues to expand.

    Source: THR