Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • RUMOR: Pakistani Veteran Actress Samina Ahmed May Have Joined ‘Ms. Marvel’

    RUMOR: Pakistani Veteran Actress Samina Ahmed May Have Joined ‘Ms. Marvel’

    A few days ago, The Times of India and India Today reported that Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar had joined a Marvel project. He was filming the project in Bangkok, Thailand, which gave credence to it likely being Ms. Marvel. The Disney+ series has been continuing their production there as Red Dagger actor, Aramis Knight, was spotted a month ago. It looks like one more Eastern star will join the production.

    Now, the Tribute has learned that the Waris actress Samina Ahmed (who is spelled as Ahmad in IMDb but covered as Ahmed in other outlets and on the Twitter handle @saminatv) is also making her Hollywood debut. They noticed a posting on Instagram where someone inquired where the actress was in a post by her husband, Manzar Sehbai. He revealed that she is shooting a Hollywood production in Thailand. She will most likely return by May 6th. It seems likely once you connect the dots that she is most likely also going to appear in the upcoming Ms. Marvel production.

     

     

    Of course, there is no confirmation that the actress joined this specific production, as there is no word of it involving Marvel Studios. It just seems like an interesting coincidence that she is filming in Thailand in a Hollywood production. It seems unlikely that anything else is actively filming there for now. It’ll be interesting to see how the current shoots will also fit into the story that will be told in Ms. Marvel, which is still slated to release later this year.

    Source: Tribune, IMDb

  • ‘Hawkeye’: Jeremy Renner Teases Ronin’s Return

    ‘Hawkeye’: Jeremy Renner Teases Ronin’s Return

    It looks like Jeremy Renner isn’t holding back on sharing his enthusiasm from the Hawkeye set, as he just posted a rather revealing photo on Instagram. In his latest Instagram story post, he gave us a close-up shot from his Ronin costume with the words “Back when…” to tease the return of Clint Barton’s other alter-ego. We were introduced to the mantle in Avengers: Endgame, where it got a brief but memorable introduction. We don’t know if this is a new image for the series, or Renner is simply reusing an image from the film’s production. It is an Instagram story with limited availability that would hint at this being a shot he made during the Disney+ series’ production.

     

     

    It’ll be interesting to see how the character of Ronin will fit into the story. There is a good chance we will explore Clint’s past when he took on the mantle, which could tie into why Echo is making an appearance in the series. In the comics, she also held the mantle. So, they could be trying to use that connection to introduce the character into this storyline that seems largely inspired by Matt Fraction‘s My Life as a Weapon.

    Ronin adds a lot to Hawkeye’s character, as he went off a deep end that Kate Bishop might not be aware of. There’s a lot of opportunities to build up distrust between the two, as they face down the tracksuit mafia. The series is slated to release sometime this year. Hopefully, the first teaser trailer for the Disney+ series might give us a first glimpse at how the puzzle pieces will fall together.

    Source: Instagram

  • How ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ Opened Darker Avenues for MCU’s Legacy Characters

    How ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ Opened Darker Avenues for MCU’s Legacy Characters

    The following article will include spoilers for the latest episode of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Only continue at your own risk if you haven’t seen it yet.

     

    Marvel Studios has made an essential move with the latest episode of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. At one point, it was going to be the first Disney+ show based on the Marvel Cinematic Universe to release. As fate wanted it, WandaVision took over that position and gave us a very experimental series exploring grief through unconventional ways. It opened up the question of what Sam and Bucky’s story might add to expand the ever-expanding world. The latest episode may have set a new potential within the universe that could echo throughout other shows and films. We were introduced to the first legacy character to go off the deep end.

     

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Why John Walker's Dark Turn Was Inevitable - IGN

     

    The MCU is no stranger to the concept of legacy characters. Hank Pym passed on the mantle of Ant-Man to Scott Lang to ensure his research wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands. Lang was a thief, but he was a good person at heart. The entire point of Spider-Man: Far From Home was for Spider-Man to escape the legacy that the world was trying to force upon him. In a way, he was his protégé. It made sense that he could take on the mantle, but he was Spider-Man, not Iron Man. Avengers: Endgame was the first official passing of a torch when Steve gave Sam his shield.

    Yet, just like Peter, Sam didn’t want the legacy. His unwillingness led to the mantle landing in the hands of John Walker. In reality, it landed in the hands of the government. It was a new legacy getting continued without any involvement of the old. John Walker didn’t know or interact with Steve. There is a reason he wanted Sam to join his side. He’s not carrying the legacy of the person. In his hands is only the symbol. They don’t have much say in their carrier. They can easily become a means to an end. Yet, they also have weight. Without the guidance of those that came before, it can easily pull one down. It was very evident that the title of Captain America did that.

     

    BLACK WIDOW Director Confirms the Film Will "Hand The Baton" to Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova — GeekTyrant

     

    The echoes of this misdeed will besmirch the shield and what it stands for. Yet, it also sets a precedent that the heroes’ iconic titles aren’t safe. Kate Bishop’s upcoming role in Hawkeye does not exclude the possibility of her facing some demons along the way. It won’t be as easy as Scott stealing the suit and getting welcomed to take on the role long-term. It’ll be a harrowing journey for some. It also opens up the possibility that not every legacy character will carry on the mantle in a positive light. We’ve been theorizing that Black Widow would see Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova take on Natasha’s title. Yet, it doesn’t mean she will become an Avenger. She may have a darker road ahead of her than we might expect at first. Her paths might even cross with this newly formed agent of the United States.

  • Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Tease Tachyon Anomaly and Mega Hive Reworks

    Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Tease Tachyon Anomaly and Mega Hive Reworks

    We got another minor developer stream with Crystal Dynamics. They’ve returned to the classic format by playing with the community and answering some questions from the chat. There was a brief mention of the issues that popped up with the recent 1.5.1a patch. They did drop some updates sprinkled throughout, such as confirming a release date for the Tachyon Anomaly arriving by next week. We might even get a blog post with some insights on how it will work. We won’t need a high-level character to play it, and it will include a first update for the in-game cosmetic vendors. We even got a tease in the form of a picture featuring four Kamala Khans.

     

     

    They couldn’t offer n update on the Omega-Level Threats this week, but CD has teased that we will get something next week. We will receive two OLTs when the core testing gets finished. They also revealed that a third is already in development. Their content team is also working on some interesting new levels that will offer larger set pieces. The devs also hinted that the upcoming Patrol Mode might include some great rewards, such as gainable credits and Exotic gear.

    Now, there was a curious reveal that they are reworking the Mega Hive. CD wants to make it less of a chore but just as rewarding. In general, I hope that the Mega Hives get included with brand new elements periodically to keep them fresh after various updates. CD also teased that challenge cards might get expanded and the potential of Daily Access rewards getting included in the future.

    Source: Twitch

  • RUMOR: Leaks Hint at a ‘Sonic Colours’ Remaster

    RUMOR: Leaks Hint at a ‘Sonic Colours’ Remaster

    Here’s an interesting rumor going around. There has been some evidence online pointing to a remaster of 2010’s Sonic Colours. The first hint came when German dubbing studio iksample listed the game. It was only misleading with a visual from the Sonic Boom franchise. So, it could’ve been added accidentally on the site. Yet, SoGamely, a French retailer, revealed a Limited Edition game for Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One under the title Sonic Colors Ultimate.

     

     

    It makes sense that SEGA might revisit some of their most popular Sonic the Hedgehog titles, as they are celebrating its 30 anniversary. It’s going to be a big year for the franchise. The film’s sequel was announced to release in 2022. A brand new Netflix animated series has also entered production, which will be unique from the previously released American-French Sonic Boom series. Now, the question is also if this might be the only remake we will see this year.

    There has been a lot of hope for SEGA to revisit the Sonic Adventure series, which is a personal favorite from the franchise. It’s also going to be interesting to see who will be the new voice for the hedgehog, as his original voice actor Roger Craig Smith has announced that he is no longer voicing the iconic role. He has played Sonic for ten years now and it’ll be quite the adjustment to hear someone else take over the role. 2021 will be a big year for the SEGA mascot and it’ll be interesting to see if that will be revealed during the anniversary.

    Source: iksample, SoGamely, MyNintendoNews

  • Latest ‘Shang-Chi’ Toy Leak Includes a Closer Look at Mandarin and the Ten Rings

    Latest ‘Shang-Chi’ Toy Leak Includes a Closer Look at Mandarin and the Ten Rings

    It looks like the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings leaks weren’t quite done yet. Today, we’ve run a story that offered our first look at Shang-chi’s costume in the upcoming film. Now, the rest has leaked with a closer look at Wenwu, or better known as the Mandarin. This leak comes from Twitter user @Ryans_Ramblings. The first time the figures leaked, we noticed some interesting rings on his arms. Well, the design on the back of the Marvel Legends packaging offers a closer look at the rings that might replace the iconic ones from the comics. It also includes the following description:

    Shang-Chi’s father Wenwu is the feared leader of the Ten Rings Organization, which has lurked in the shadows of the MCU since the very beginning.

    Wenwu’s blue design is a nice contrast to Shang-Chi’s red outfit. It is also quite curious that his outfit is quite a bit more elaborate with quite the belt. Their outfits seem heavily inspired by Chinese culture, which is a great way to showcase that this isn’t your typical “superhero” film. We also get a closer look at the other figurines with Death Dealer being a visually interesting design. Now, the big takeaway is that the ten rings are definitely going to be very different in the film. I theorized they might be used as a weapon but they are much thinner than anticipated. It looks like they are ornaments on his arm that many might mistakes for decoration. It will be interesting to see if each one has their own ability as well. They might still have a unique ability,w which will add a nice visual to the fight scenes. Hopefully, that trailer is just around the corner.

    Source: Twitter

  • New Marvel Legends Leak Offers a Closer Look at Shang-Chi’s Outfit and Teases the Film’s Plot

    New Marvel Legends Leak Offers a Closer Look at Shang-Chi’s Outfit and Teases the Film’s Plot

    Toy leaks have become the best way to figure out what is happening in future Marvel Studios projects. We’ve been seeing quite a few leaks that offered a closer look at the upcoming projects of Eternals and Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings. The latest leak offered a closer look at the Great Protector in Funko Pop form, which was the dragon teased in an earlier LEGO leak. The first we got for the Shang-Chi film was from Marvel Legends, which only offered a glimpse at what is heading our way. The latest leak of the images comes from Twitter user @ShangChiBR. Well, it looks like another leak offered an even better look at Simu Liu‘s costume. It also includes an interesting description of the film’s story:

    Trained since childhood by the mysterious Ten Rings Organization, Shang-Chi must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn back into his father’s web.

    The description confirms that Shang-Chi found a way to get out of the organization before the events of this film might drag him back in. We know that Wenwu, the real Mandarin, is his father. It’ll be interesting to see how they set up their relationship and how it will be explored throughout the film. The Marvel Legends pieces include three other characters from the upcoming film, whose descriptions might offer some more clues on what we can expect from the film. Marvel Studios still hasn’t released a trailer, but as cinemas are slowly recovering, we might hopefully get something sooner rather than later.

    Source: Twitter

  • New Untitled ‘Star Trek’ Film Announced for 2023

    New Untitled ‘Star Trek’ Film Announced for 2023

    It looks like the Star Trek franchise is finally heading back to cinemas, as Paramount has just scheduled a brand new film to release June 2023. It is uncertain if this will be an attempt at a new reboot or if it will continue where 2016’s Star Trek Beyond left off. This reveal comes in the wake of a massive reshuffling of 2021 and 2022’s film line-up. Top Gun: Maverick moved to November 19th while Mission: Impossible 7 was postponed into May 2022. As of now, the new Star Trek film remains untitled and will potentially go up against two unknown films by 20th Century Studios and Universal. So, there is a chance it might get postpone once those are revealed.

    The latest incarnation of the team was part of the Kelvin-verse, which introduced us to a brand new timeline with the iconic team led by Chris Pine‘s James T. Kirk. Since Beyond, the franchise has focused more on its streaming ventures. Star Trek Discovery followed the crew of the USS Discovery, which recently ended its third season with a bold new direction. The franchise has also expanded into animated comedy with Star Trek: The Lower Decks. Amazon also continued the story of Next Generation‘s Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the aptly named series Picard. It saw the return of Patrick Stewart in the role he made iconic all those years ago. It will be interesting to see how the new untitled film might tie into the existing series, or if it will explore new parts of the endless galaxy.

    Source: Star Trek, Deadline

  • CW’s ‘Powerpuff’ Adds Robyn Lively and Tom Kenny

    CW’s ‘Powerpuff’ Adds Robyn Lively and Tom Kenny

    CW continues its work on the live-action adaptation of Craig McCracken‘s iconic superhero trio from Townsville. Now retitled Powerpuff, the upcoming series will follow Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup in their 20s. The Cartoon Network adaptation will see Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perreault take center stage as the series’ heroines. We’ll also get introduced to Mojo Jojo Jr. He will be played by Nicholas Podany. It looks like they are continuing to round out the cast, as Robyn Lively will join the production as Sara Bellum. She was played by Jennifer Martin in the cartoon. It’ll be interesting to see if they will continue the running gag that her face is off-camera in the show, but now that the girls are adults, it will be a bit trickier to pull it off.

    There is also one character making a grand return from the original series, s Tom Kenny will reprise his role as the Narrator from the 1998 and 2016 versions. We don’t know if he will continue to voice the intro to every episode. There is a chance it is simply a node to the cartoon in the pilot. We know that the three will wear costumes close to that from the original. So, it could be that the first episode plays with the conventions of the original before pulling us into am ore adult version of these character’s life.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Adds Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Female Lead

    ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Adds Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Female Lead

    We finally got the confirmation during Disney’s Investors Day that a new Indiana Jones film was in development. Logan‘s James Mangold will direct the upcoming entry of the Lucasfilm franchise, which will see the return of Harrison Ford in the titular role. Pheobe Waller-Bridge is the first to join the production and well co-star in the fifth installment of the franchise. Steven Spielberg will continue to serve as a producer on the project alongside Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, and Simon Emanuel. John Williams is also confirmed to return to score the film, whose time adventure with the franchise started all the way back with Raiders of the Lost Ark.

    James Mangold shared his enthusiasm about tackling this iconic franchise and Waller-Bridge‘s addition to the cast:

    I’m thrilled to be starting a new adventure, collaborating with a dream team of all-time great filmmakers. Steven, Harrison, Kathy, Frank, and John are all artistic heroes of mine. When you add Phoebe, a dazzling actor, brilliant creative voice and the chemistry she will undoubtedly bring to our set, I can’t help but feel as lucky as Indiana Jones himself.

    The last film in the franchise was 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which introduced the world to Jones’s son, Shia LaBeouf‘s Mutt Williams. It is uncertain if he will also make an appearance of some kind, or they might be steering away from that film’s plotlines. The film will be the first that wasn’t directed by Spielberg. So, it’ll be interesting to see what Mangold offers to make it stand out from the rest of the franchise. It may also be the beginning for the franchise to kick off a new era.