Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel Adds Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt and More

    ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel Adds Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt and More

    It looks like the cast of the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel is continuing to grow, as they have now added Kumail Nanjiani of Eternals and Obi-Wan Kenobi fame, Patton Oswalt, comedian James Acaster, and Emily Alyn Lind. They will be joined by the previous cast which included Paul Rudd, McKenna Grace, Ernie Hudson, and Carrie Coon. The biggest new direction is that the franchise is returning not only to the New York City setting of the original, but will also feature the iconic Firehouse.

    Jason Reitman was responsible for directing Ghostbusters: Afterlife but has passed on that duty to Gil Kenan. Reitman is still involved with the project, as he’s the producer and co-writer alongside Kenan and Jason Blumenfeld. The film just recently started production and is on track for a December 2023 release. Fittingly, the production is working under the title “Firehouse” which was revealed by Reitman back in 2022 on Ghostbuster’s Day.

    There’s no word on who else might join just yet, but the cast is certainly full of some comedic talent, fitting given how the original used the comedic talents to offer an iconic cinematic experience. Afterlife continued that legacy and felt like the franchise truly returned to its roots. Now, they have an opportunity to fully dive into this modern take on the franchise while also revisiting some familiar locations in the process.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘John Wick 4’ Opens to Franchise’s Best Thursday Previews at $8.9M

    ‘John Wick 4’ Opens to Franchise’s Best Thursday Previews at $8.9M

    The fourth time is the charm it seems, as John Wick‘s latest entry has opened to a franchise-best of $8.9M in Thursday previews at the domestic box office. While the franchise dropped the additional subtitle like John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum, John Wick: Chapter 4 is definitely making headlines as it’s expected to open at around $70M domestically.

    That would make it a massive jump from the original John Wick which opened to $14M back in 2014 and quite a leap from the previous entries’ $56.8M. There’s a similar jump in Thursday previews highlighting just how popular the Keanu Reeves-led franchise is that combines his usual charms with memorable action set pieces.

    Though, the latest entry is also the most expensive at around $100M, which highlights just how far the franchise has come over the years. There’s also no doubt it’ll dethrone Shazam: Fury of the Gods, which fizzled out in its opening weekend at around $30M. Chapter 4 also marks a bittersweet entry, as Lance Reddick tragically passed away shortly before the film’s premiere, which will definitely make it a must-see for fans of the franchise.

    There’s no franchise that does action just like John Wick, which gives the films an edge when compared to others. Even with its success, not many were able to replicate the formula that made it stand out the way it does and it’ll be interesting to see just how much more they have planned for Baba Yaga moving forward as they have a female-centric spinoff and prequel series in development.

    Source: Variety

  • Joe No More: Netflix’s ‘You’ To End With Fifth Season

    Joe No More: Netflix’s ‘You’ To End With Fifth Season

    It seems Joe Goldberg’s days are numbered, as the popular Netflix series You is set to end with its upcoming fifth season. The announcement has just arrived via Twitter from the official Netflix account, which also confirms that the wait won’t be as long as what Stranger Things are facing as the release is set for next year.

    The reveal might not be too surprising as even its main star, Gossip Girl alum Penn Badgley, has openly talked bout the fifth season being the perfect time to end it. What is surprising though is that the series is losing its showrunner and creator. Executive producers Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo are taking over show running duties from Sera Gamble.

    As I step back from day-to-day showrunning to focus on new projects, I’m immensely grateful to co-creator and all-around genius Greg Berlanti, Caroline Kepnes, my friends at Berlanti Productions and Alloy Entertainment, and our steadfast partners at Warner Bros and Netflix. Making the show alongside our writers, producers, directors, cast and crew has been an honor and ridiculously fun. And I feel lucky to have worked with an artist as gifted and thoughtful as Penn Badgley. I’m proud of what we’ve all accomplished and feel privileged to pass the torch. I’m excited to watch and support the ‘You’ team as they bring Joe Goldberg’s journey to its delightfully twisted conclusion

    Sera Gamble

    You explores the story of Joe Goldberg, who has a curious way of showing his affection. It’ll be interesting to see how they wrap up this series and if Joe has to face the consequences of all his actions throughout the first four seasons.

    Source: Twitter, Variety

  • RUMOR: Lucasfilm No Longer Developing ‘Indiana Jones’ Disney+ Series

    RUMOR: Lucasfilm No Longer Developing ‘Indiana Jones’ Disney+ Series

    Another day, another rumor as Jeff Sneider has shared something rather curious about the direction Lucasfilm might be heading in. According to his latest tweet, the recently hinted Indiana Jones Disney+ series may no longer be in development. We first heard about the project back in November of last year. Yet, the project never had any talent included and was simply an idea that was being developed very early in its development.

    So, who knows if the project was ever far enough in development? Lucasfilm has a notorious track record of announcing a variety of projects but never truly following through as of late. Sneider also mentions that they are going to focus more on Star Wars, which is likely more reactionary to recent developments with their lack of cinematic output.

    Disney has been refocusing its efforts. While they aren’t scrapping Disney+ projects, they are definitely trying to ensure that they are pushing out projects that’ll ensure they can make a direct return on investment. Star Wars, one of the most well-known IPs in cinematic history, hasn’t had a film since 2019 and every other announcement was scrapped at some point, it’s no wonder Disney wants them to focus on something.

    There’s always the chance that they are just waiting to see how successful Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny turn out. Fast-tracking a project has been the biggest stress factor for many streaming services hoping to build their next cinematic universe. So, if Lucasfilm can’t even get Star Wars running, they are likely not going to be able to push forward with other projects.

    Source: Twitter

  • Paramount’s ‘Vertigo’ Remake Eyeing Robert Downey Jr.

    Paramount’s ‘Vertigo’ Remake Eyeing Robert Downey Jr.

    Remakes are still a thing and it seems iconic films by directors like Alfred Hitchcock won’t be able to avoid it either. Paramount is seemingly trying to revive his iconic film Vertigo and may have already found its lead. It seems that Robert Downey Jr. might be the one to take on the role of the former police detective that ends up with a fear of heights and, you guessed it, vertigo.

    Steven Knight, who is most known for his work on See and Peaky Blinders, will write the script for the project. He’s been getting quite a few high-profile projects given he was also hinted at taking over the latest Star Wars film that was first written by Damon Lindelof. It seems that Davis Entertainment will be producing the project alongside Team Downey.

    It’s definitely an interesting film to adapt, and we’ll see how they bring it into the modern era. Downey Jr. hasn’t had a major role in some time, which makes this quite an interesting project to bring himself back into the spotlight. We’ll see if he can live up to the legacy left behind by James Stewart with his performance in the original film.

    Source: Deadline

  • New Rumor Further Hints at Deadpool Facing the TVA in ‘Deadpool 3’

    New Rumor Further Hints at Deadpool Facing the TVA in ‘Deadpool 3’

    The multiverse is still set to expand in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s future. While we still don’t know when we’ll see Jonathan Majors return once again, the presence of Kang the Conqueror will continue to remain. One of the biggest rumors has been pointing to the third installment of Deadpool will feature him traveling through the multiverse, a fitting story given how he destroyed his own universe’s timeline after the events of Deadpool 2.

    Now, a new rumor is making the rounds from Jeff Sneider, which adds more weight to the long-running hints that we may see the return of Loki‘s Time Variance Authority in the upcoming sequel. Not just that, but supposedly we’ll see the return of Owen Wilson‘s Mobius alongside Tara Strong‘s Miss Minutes. There is, however, no other word on who else might appear from the series.

    There’s the possibility that we get some hint at this Deadpool adventure in the second season of Loki, which will continue the storyline after Sylvie unleashed the multiverse and the events we’re seeing unfold in the current Saga of the MCU. It would be great to see Tom Hiddleston have to interact with Ryan Reynold‘s chaotic Merc with a Mouth, but they may keep him for a post-credit sequence.

    There’s also the question if we might see Wolverine from a different part of the multiverse. While knowing that Hugh Jackman is reprising the role, it was never confirmed that he is the exact same character we see throughout 20th Century Studios’ long-running take on the franchise. Of course, there’s always the chance that we see that version and some more from different universes. Wolverine vs. Wolverine, anyone?

    Source: Twitter

  • AAA ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’ Game in Development Based on ‘The Last Ronin’

    AAA ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’ Game in Development Based on ‘The Last Ronin’

    It looks like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles‘ recent graphic novel titled The Last Ronin will become a video game. According to Polygon, it seems that the 2020 story is set in a futuristic city after the lone surviving member of the turtles takes on one last fight. The story was quite famous for using the iconic IP in an unexpected and darker way. Now, it seems that Paramount is currently busy bringing this to everyone’s consoles.

    According to Senior Vice President of Games and Emerging Media (these titles are starting to get quite lengthy) for Paramount Global, Doug Rosen, revealed they are going to take inspiration from God of War in adapting this iconic storyline. We just recently got a callback to classic Arcade games with Shredder’s Revenge, but the Turtles never got a true AAA game that focused on a single-player experience.

    It’s unclear if they will stick to the mystery from the original story, as it was built up for dramatic effect. One last Turtle holding the weapons of his beloved brothers made for quite a dark tale and is perfect for the God of War-like treatment. Each weapon owned by a brother open s up possibilities for exploring areas in new ways. They may already let you know who is the survivor and have you gather your brother’s weapons throughout the game, instead of just handing them out once you start the game.

    The idea is also fitting given that a big challenge for any Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles adaptation is the focus on multiple turtles with unique gameplay styles. Every turtle has a unique weapon and it’s challenging to create a single-player experience that can balance each one. Marvel’s Avengers attempted something similar with each Avenger but they all shared the same base controller settings. Still, it sounds like an exciting direction for a true AAA Turtles game and here’s hoping they are already further along in production.

    Source: Polygon

  • ‘Daredevil’ Set Photo Offers Closer Look at Charlie Cox and Nikki M. James

    ‘Daredevil’ Set Photo Offers Closer Look at Charlie Cox and Nikki M. James

    Just recently, some set photos found their way online from the recently started Daredevil: Born Again set. Now, People magazine has shared a close-up shot of Charlie Cox and Nikki M. James on the New York City set for the latest Disney+ venture.

    While it doesn’t give away any big new look at the characters, it does highlight that we’re going to get quite a bit more of Matt Murdock the lawyer in the new Marvel Studios sequel. While we did get a glimpse of it in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk, Attorney at Law, it definitely seems like the ambitious 18-episode Disney+ series will be more than just him jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

    It’s great to see his iconic red glasses return and he even has his walking stick in one hand. Kind of a shame we don’t get a cheesy red tie to bring the “I am definitely not Daredevil” ensemble together, but who knows what fun little moments we’ll have in this new adaptation. Either way, it’s always great to see Cox back in the iconic role.

    We still don’t know who James is playing but it does seem likely she’s a fellow lawyer. Perhaps his next romantic venture will have him work with a colleague that could add some interesting tension throughout the series run. We can still only speculate but the project might become one of their most ambitious.

    Source: People

  • Willem Dafoe is Open to Reprise Green Goblin Role in a Future Marvel Film

    Willem Dafoe is Open to Reprise Green Goblin Role in a Future Marvel Film

    We know Marvel Studios’ new “Endgame” for the Multiverse Saga. As many could’ve predicted the moment we saw the opening and final moments of Loki, the franchise is heading to a live-action adaptation of the iconic Secret Wars storyline in a new Avengers film. It opens up many possibilities to revisit some characters from the past and it seems one actor is down to return.

    After once again reprising the role of Norman Osborne in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Willem Dafoe reveals that he’s certainly open to potentially playing the character one more time “if everything was right.” He highlights how much joy he has playing the character(s) and the depth it allows him to bring to the role.

    I mean, that’s a great role. I liked the fact that it’s a double role both times. Twenty years ago, and fairly recently, both times [were] very different experiences, but I had a good time on both.

    Willem Dafoe

    It definitely would be great to see him return, especially with No Way Home’s focus on a recognizable version of the character. We haven’t had the chance to meet a unique take on the character in live-action as the Green Goblin. So, they could use the opportunity to introduce a good version of the character appearing in Avengers: Secret Wars joining an unlikely alliance.

    There’s also the fact they could experiment with the look of the Goblin, as the previous iteration mostly re-used his Power Rangers-style suit from the original Spider-Man film. So, we could potentially ee the mechanical version that was scrapped make an appearance once again with Dafoe once again having fun in the role.

    Source: Inverse

  • ‘Shazam 2’ Fizzled Out at the Box Office with Low $30M Domestic Opening

    ‘Shazam 2’ Fizzled Out at the Box Office with Low $30M Domestic Opening

    The debates over the box office results of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was quite all over the place, as the film faced a steep drop after its initial weekend. Yet, it still made a big splash that one expects from a Marvel Studios offering and fizzled out faster due to higher expectations on such projects and the fact that there’s always a Disney+ release around the corner, as taught in the past by how releases were handled.

    Yet, it seems 2023 isn’t kind to superhero films in general as the latest DC film, Shazam! Fury of the Gods faced an even harsher box office release with one of the worst openings for a DC Extended Universe entry. With an $11.7M Friday, the film is projected to end at around $30M. That would put it quite a bit below the initially expected $35M to $40M. Many had believed the film had a chance to garner some momentum going into the weekend but it seems it has swiftly fizzled out.

    What makes this hurt, even more, is that it’s quite a bit lower than 2019’s Shazam! which opened at $53.5M at the box office. It does have the same $100M price tag as the previous entry but with a B+ CinemaScore, the question will be how its legs perform. Many have used it as a way to get a feeling for where it’s going but its key audience families are still struggling to get back to theaters. It was a hope they might strengthen even Ant-Man‘s box office run as they had a much higher affinity with the film, but it seems they are still a market that has yet to find their way back.

    Perhaps there’s a correlation between more family-friendly offerings and the recent drop in box office for animated releases. If you’re not a “must-watch” released in theaters, they simply won’t make the trip like with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish or even Minions: Rise of Gru last year. The box office is certainly doing better but not every target audience is quite where some might have hoped it would be. So, more adult and teen-driven releases like the recent successes of Scream VI and Creed III might be on the horizon.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter