Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Netflix No Longer Moving Forward with ‘Shadow & Bone’

    Netflix No Longer Moving Forward with ‘Shadow & Bone’

    What was once hailed as one of the future flagship series for the streaming giant, it seems that Shadow & Bone is no longer moving forward on the streamer after two seasons. It’s one of many shows getting canceled, which also includes Glamorous, Agent Evlis, Captain Fall, and Farzar. It seems that while viewing numbers weren’t strong, to begin with, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes were the last nail in the coffin for these projects.

    The strikes led to a lot of productions getting delayed and ended up with a pipeline logjam for 2024 and 2025 moving forward for the streamer. Not just that but the big gaps between seasons are also going to lead to a major drop in viewership numbers; something they are fearing for some projects that are currently starting to get production back up.

    The Night Agent and One Piece broke out in a big way, which puts them in a nice spot to get picked up fast to start production soon, but it seems Shadow and Bone lost too much momentum to move forward with its third season. Many believed that the Grishaverse novels were going to see spinoffs get developed but on top of the delay, the series wasn’t in the top spot even as it held on to the Top 10 for five weeks. Sadly, that seems to be the end for the adaptation.

    Source: Deadline

  • UPDATE: Pedro Pascal In Talks for ‘Fantastic Four’

    UPDATE: Pedro Pascal In Talks for ‘Fantastic Four’

    UPDATE: After /Film revealed that Pedro Pascal has signed on for Fantastic Four, Deadline has reportedly shared that while he is definitely in talks: “a deal is far from done.” Supposedly it is heading in the right direction and while he’s busy the next year, scheduling will work out for him to take on the role. So, unless some big surprise drops, it seems very likely he’ll have the role.

    Source: Deadline

    Earlier today, there were rumors that a new frontrunner has emerged for the role of Reed Richards in the upcoming Fantastic Four film. Many have supposedly declined the role since the first wave of castings started but The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal surprisingly came out as the next potential person to take on the role.

    Well, a new report by /Film has seemingly stated that not only was he offered the role but according to their sources he’s already signed on. The rumor started with Daniel RPK sharing that he was the next in line shortly followed by Jeff Sneider supporting the rumor. Though that’s not including the crazy rumors that have piled on before and during the pandemic.

    For now, it’s still not a full confirmation but further hints that Marvel’s First Family might be slowly coming together on the big screen. A variety of actors have supposedly been up for the role ranging from Adam Driver to Matt Smith, as well as MCU veternals like John Krasinski (who even played a Variant of the character in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) and Spider-Man’s Jake Gyllenhaal.

    The big question though is how he’ll juggle his roles in other projects like The Last of Us, The Mandalorian, and many more. He hasn’t been actively showing up in the Star Wars series and mainly focuses on voicing the character of Din Djarin, but scheduling conflicts with The Last of Us’ second season is definitely going to impact when Marvel Studios can start work on the Fantastic Four. Though given current developments it was going to need a bit more time anyway.

    Source: /Film

  • Vanessa Kirby Plays Coy on ‘Fantastic Four’ Rumors

    Vanessa Kirby Plays Coy on ‘Fantastic Four’ Rumors

    It looks like it’s a Fantastic Four kind of day. Not too long ago, we got a rumor that Pedro Pascal might be the next in line of many actors to take on the daunting role of Mr. Fantastic a.k.a. Reed Richards. Even before the strike, we had a long list of names attached to this project and it’s unclear who may or may have not still been signed on.

    Among the many rumored was Mission Impossible actress Vanessa Kirby, who supposedly was up for the role of Susan Storm, better known as the Invisible Woman. In an interview to promote Napoleon, Kirby was asked if she had anything to say about the rumors and she pretty much masterfully dodged the question without denying anything.

    I don’t know, you’ll have to ask them. I would be very honored to join.

    Vanessa Kirby

    Not like denying it would’ve changed anything, as we know a plethora of actors that denied their involvement with the cinematic franchise in the past. Still, Kirby is certainly a frontrunner for potentially joining the MCU and most certainly would be a fitting choice for the role. We might have to wait a bit until we get the official confirmation of who is playing the Fantastic Four members, as they may be waiting to confirm once everyone has been cast.

    Source: Variety via GamesRadar

  • ‘Superman: Legacy’ adds María Gabriela De Faría as DC Villain

    ‘Superman: Legacy’ adds María Gabriela De Faría as DC Villain

    The moment the SAG strikes end, all the casting news seems to drop as fast as it can. The next major addition to James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy has arrived as Angela Spica, better known as The Engineer. Venezuelan actress María Gabriela De Faría will be taking on the role after having worked on various Fox comedies.

    What makes this character addition interesting is that she’s a DC character introduced in The Authority Vol. 1 #1 back in 1999. The new DC Universe that is being set up by James Gunn is poised to introduce the superhero group to the world later down the line. So, the addition makes sense if they are potentially planting the first seeds early on in this storyline.

    It’s still unclear what we should expect from the DC film, as while we expected a back-to-basics storyline for Superman, Gunn’s vision is more focused on building the future. DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran is attached to produce and the film is set to hit its 2024 July release date so production is expected to start sooner than later.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Loki’ Producer Reveals Michael Waldron is Writing Both ‘Avengers’ Sequels

    ‘Loki’ Producer Reveals Michael Waldron is Writing Both ‘Avengers’ Sequels

    There was a time when everyone was claiming that Loki creator and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron was no longer involved with Avengers: Secret Wars. After his work on the hit Disney+ series, it seemed like the writer could do no wrong but things quickly changed after online chatter started surrounding the Doctor Strange sequel.

    Yet, it seems that Michael Waldron actually took on a new role. As rumors started spreading that fellow Rick and Morty scribe Jeff Loveness was no longer attached, it would make sense that they take a similar approach they did with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame given the films set up each other directly.

    The information comes from Loki producer Kevin Wright, who was part of an interview with the ComicBook.com Phase One podcast, where he revealed that not only where they allowed to tell the story they wanted, but Waldron is potentially involved with the other projects.

    As far as where it’s all going, I can’t say and not because I am being coy, we’re not a part of those projects. What I would say is, I mean, I know Michael Waldron is working on them and he loves obviously this world as he helped create it.

    Kevin Wright

    Waldron‘s involvement makes sense with both films as the Loki series sets up the Secret Wars storyline and he’s set up quite a few elements that would tie the story together. We still don’t know just how involved the entire Kang the Conqueror storyline is going to be moving forward but there’s a possibility that they’ll use the opportunity to recast.

    Source: YouTube

  • Marvel Studios was Aware of ‘The Marvels’ Troubles, Reworking Future Slate

    Marvel Studios was Aware of ‘The Marvels’ Troubles, Reworking Future Slate

    2023 was certainly a rough year for Marvel Studios and potentially the one to reshape their future. Phase 4 seemed to be the most experimental for the studio, especially facing troubles during COVID and the recent strikes completely scrapping any plans that were finally coming together. The Marvels‘ box office is definitely going to be something many cling to for a variety of reasons, but it does look like Marvel Studios wasn’t just blinded by the troubles heading their way.

    In a new report by The Hollywood Reporter, they claim that according to their sources, “Marvel studios and Disney were well aware The Marvels was in trouble” even before it was released in theaters. As such, they are going to take their time to rework their theatrical tentpole releases and also evaluate generally how they will move forward.

    Marvel Spotlight is their first move to create a more distinct separation of the projects that are relevant for the bigger picture, but it does seem like this might be how they’ll brand most of their Disney+ series moving forward. THR also highlights that Deadpool 3 is a deliberate choice as the only release next year and perhaps is one of the reasons they are considering reworking Captain America: Brave New World. Marvel Studios’ future may seem uncertain but it’s definitely a good sign that they are learning from their lessons.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • Destin Daniel Cretton Working on ‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel

    Destin Daniel Cretton Working on ‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel

    It’s a big news day for Marvel Studios. After the long SAG and WGA strikes, the news is slowly pouring back in on what’s happening in the industry. After The Marvels fizzled out at the box office in its opening weekend, we know that Marvel Studios is trying to restructure and we might already be seeing the first consequences of that action.

    Director Destin Daniel Cretton has left the upcoming Avengers film behind, The Kang Dynasty, and has set his eyes on sticking to the franchise he knows well. While he’s mainly going to kick off his work on the paused Wonder Man Disney+ series, he’s already started work on the sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

    That movie opened during the pandemic and managed to grow to $432M globally after a strong Labor Day opening weekend. The move seems fitting to allow Cretton to focus on Shang-Chi, especially now as they are trying to build up existing franchises and brands to regain the momentum it had during Phase 3 and in Phase 4. It’ll be interesting to see what else will happen.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Wonder Man’ to Start Filming after Thanksgiving, Now a Marvel Spotlight Project

    ‘Wonder Man’ to Start Filming after Thanksgiving, Now a Marvel Spotlight Project

    Marvel Studios’ strategy of utilizing Marvel Spotlight to create a distinction between their films and TV shows is continuing to move forward. The upcoming Wonder Man series is seemingly still alive after many rumors hinted it might be canceled. The series starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will now be under the new banner that highlights that this is an additional story part of the MCU but not something relevant to the major ongoing narrative.

    We still know very little about the project but it did start production before the writer’s strike led to the production shutting down. Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton is set to direct the first two episodes and is acting as an executive producer on the Disney+ series. It’s unclear if the intentions of this being a standalone project were there from the beginning or if it’s part of the new direction for the production studio.

    The announcement is part of the big reveal that the director has left the upcoming Avengers project behind to put his focus on other projects with the studio. Of course, we don’t know what exactly he else might be working on but it does seem like a move to allow the director some more time to work on other projects rather than rush out everything and neglect the long-awaited Avengers film.

    Source: Deadline

  • BREAKING: ‘Shang-Chi’ Director Exits ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty’

    BREAKING: ‘Shang-Chi’ Director Exits ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty’

    It looks like director Destin Daniel Cretton has decided he wants to focus on other projects, as he’s exited the upcoming Avengers film, The Kang Dynasty. Though this isn’t him leaving the Marvel Studios family behind, as he’s setting his eyes on other future projects. He seemingly will still be involved with the Wonder Man series, which was rumored to have been canceled, and the long-rumored Shang-Chi sequel.

    The film initially was going to be released in 2026 with its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars set for 2027. Yet, as Deadpool 3 will be the only release in 2024 and many films are once again being pushed back, we can expect a lot more reshuffling for the studio moving forward. Who knows what other projects might end up looking quite a bit different moving forward?

    It’s good to know that Cretton is still on board with Marvel Studios and that the Wonder Man series is seemingly still in some form of development. The only question is if they are reworking the concept as they are no longer including headwriters but going back to actual showrunners. So, we might see more ongoing projects created with multiple seasons in mind rather than their ongoing mini-series approach.

    Source: Deadline

  • Ana Nogueira to Write DC’s ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’

    Ana Nogueira to Write DC’s ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’

    It’s been a while since we were first introduced to James Gunn’s new DC cinematic slate that’ll kick off a brand new era for the brand. After 2023 showed its scars with pretty much every release even the high-profile The Flash, many wondered what the future would look like. Warner Bros. is currently also in the news for its questionable decision with Coyote vs. Acme. With the strikes over though, some news is finding its way online and it looks like the first non-James Gunn-directed project is moving forward.

    The Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow film focuses on Clark Kent’s cousin and it looks like they got quite an addition. Ana Nogueria is attached to write the project and it’s kind of a reunion, as she originally was working on a spinoff project from The Flash back in 2022, which would’ve seen Sasha Calle in the leading role.

    It’s still uncertain if they will build upon her original pitch of the project, or we might have to expect something different given the franchise’s new direction. Taking the comic Woman of Tomorrow as inspiration is also a way to make the character stand out from her famous cousin, who’ll be the center point of starting the new DCEU franchise with Superman Legacy. It’ll be interesting to see who also might be in the director’s chair for the project.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter