Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Tom Cruise Loved DC’s ‘The Flash’

    Tom Cruise Loved DC’s ‘The Flash’

    Here’s a piece of news you don’t expect every day. It seems that Tom Cruise, the star of the recent monolith release Top Gun Maverick and the upcoming next Mission Impossible film, has gotten an early screening of The Flash, Warner Bros. biggest bet for the year on making their mark in theaters. The film is still set to release in June and it looks like they are all in to make this film get as hyped up as it can.

    While the controversies surrounding its star Ezra Miller might still overshadow most positive news, new DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn did call it “one of the greatest superhero movies ever made.” Now, it seems that Cruise loved the film so much that he just called director Andy Muschietti to rave about it according to sources close to The Hollywood reporter.

    Seems it all started with a meeting between Cruise and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav that led to him being curious about just how good the film was. Quotes like “everything you want in a movie” and “the movie we need now” according to the sources. It’s not too dissimilar from what they tried to do with Christopher Nolan‘s Tenet back in the day when they made a whole show of him visiting a theater in London to watch it.

    While that didn’t really boost that film’s box office, it’s great to see the actor’s enthusiasm for the latest DC film. There’s always an ongoing “feud” online about if these films have value in being as dominant in theaters as they are but this might probably worsen the discussion rather than help it.

    Cruise has become a “spokesperson” for the theatrical experience with even Steven Spielberg being heard quoting him as saving theaters. While one could argue it takes more than one film release, the film did bring an older audience back into theaters even if that didn’t hold as many had hoped after its release.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Gladiator’ Sequel Adds Denzel Washington

    ‘Gladiator’ Sequel Adds Denzel Washington

    Ridley Scott has been quite busy preparing work on a sequel to the iconic Gladiator film. While it’s still quite a surprise that we’re seeing this film of all get a sequel, it is still picking up quite a bit of steam and adding talent left and right. Shortly after it was revealed that Eternals star Barry Keoghan was part of the cast, it seems that Ridley Scott is also going to reunite with Denzel Washington. It’s the first time since these two A-listers worked together since the release of American Gangster.

    He will star opposite Paul Mescal, who is in the leading role of the project. Costume designer Janty Yates is also back to the project after having worked on the costumes from the original Gladiator that marked the film that would be nominated for twelve Academy Awards and even won Best Picture. It also was the film that put Russell Crowe on the map and made him one of the biggest names in the industry after his Best Actor victory.

    The story will not revisit the early days of Maximus but rather a new character named Lucius (Mescal), whose story continues years after the end of the original. He was strongly inspired by the heroic actions of Maximus, which will likely kick off the events of this film. Washington‘s role remains a secret but he’ll likely have a major role in the project. Keoghan is set to take on the role of a character known as Emperor Gata, who was an actual Roman emperor.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Persona 5’ Gets a Mobile Spinoff from China

    ‘Persona 5’ Gets a Mobile Spinoff from China

    It almost feels like the wait has been endless for the next entry in the Persona franchise. There’s still no official confirmation for the official sixth entry even with Persona 5 having been released all the way back in 2016. It’s already been around four years since the Royal version was released on consoles. Yet, even the 25th anniversary of the franchise didn’t give a hint at the future but rather the return of two classics to modern consoles.

    In surprise drop, it seems that there’s actually a new game heading our way, but not the way many might be hoping for it too. Persona 5: The Phantom X or shortened as P5X has been unveiled on the Chinese social site Weibo. The game is officially licensed by Sega and is a free-to-play mobile RPG set for Chinese release sometime in the future. The spinoff is created by Perfect World Games’ Black Wings Game Studio.

    It seems the game is pretty much a mobile equivalent to the original with a whole new cast of characters but the return of the Metaverse. It seems there will be a “Sneak Test” on March 29th that’ll give players a chance to explore the world. The game also seemingly includes the original cast from the first Persona 5 but no word on Kasumi Yoshizawa also making an appearance from Persona 5 Royal.

    You can check out the story trailer here:

    The story will focus on a whole new cast of characters with the protagonist going by the code name Wonder, who attends Kiba Academy. We also know that his persona will have the name Jánošík, continuing the trend of Persona 5′ protagonists all featuring Personas inspired by folktale thieves and legends. Taking over Morgana’s role is the owl Luffy, who will go by the code name Cattle. He seemingly also shares the ability to turn into a vehicle, this time a van, and has the persona of Rob Roy. There’s also Closer, a Kiba Academy student by the name of Arai Suwa, who is the protagonist’s classmate and has the Persona of Awilda.

    Naturally, the Velvet Room and Igor make a return with a new assistant by the name of Merope. Interestingly enough, the room takes on the appearance of being underwater like an aquarium, though it’s unsure what the teeming of this spinoff is as of yet. The original game’s character designer Shigenori Soejima was personally involved with the new spinoff game and designed its leads.

    They’ve also released a gameplay trailer hinting at the similarity to the original Persona 5:

    Interestingly enough, the game will focus on the same mechanic as the original and isn’t taking a completely different direction like Persona 5 Scramble. Overall, it seems the game is going for a pretty similar aesthetic and gameplay loop as the original, which does make it a curious expansion of the franchise. We’ll see if there are any plans to release the game in the west, as it currently only has been revealed for the Chinese market. Originally, it was known as Code Name X and was first announced all the way back in April 2021. So, it’s been a long road for the project to finally be unveiled.

    Source: Persona Central

  • New Casting Hints at Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Already Setting Up the Alabasta Arc

    New Casting Hints at Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Already Setting Up the Alabasta Arc

    While the well has been dry since the initial posters dropped for Netflix’s live-action One Piece series, there have been some small details here and there keeping eager fans afloat. The upcoming adaptation will take the beloved manga of the same name and bring it into a completely new format. While the anime has been running for over 1,000 episodes, there’s a lot of potentials to explore the vast world of One Piece in live-action.

    Now, a new casting has come to light that might highlight that showrunners Matt Owens and Steven Maeda are already looking toward the future. As first shared by @OP_Netflix_Fan, actor Rebaone Ben Kgosimore has shared on his CV that he’s played the role of Mr. 7 in Netflix’s One Piece.

    At first, the name might seem unassuming especially as he wasn’t actually featured in the original East Blue run. Yet, he was mentioned in the story during Whiskey Peak, as it was unveiled that Mr. 7 was sent to recruit Mackenyu‘s Roronoa Zoro for thee organization known as Baroque Works. His inclusion not only means we’ll finally get to see how that interaction ended between him and Zoro but also be the first hint at what’s to come beyond the East Blue.

    Going by a recent listing on the Writers Guild of America West, they might already be preparing for a potential second season renewal, which would very likely build upon this brief introduction. Going by the original manga, it only makes sense that the East Blue ends with the first season. One of the first threats they face on the Grand Line is the organization known as Baroque Works which has close ties to the events unfolding on Alabasta.

    Source: Artist Connection

  • Marvel Studios Cracking Down on ‘Ant-Man 3’ Script Leaker

    Marvel Studios Cracking Down on ‘Ant-Man 3’ Script Leaker

    It’s not been easy for a studio like Marvel Studios which has been well-known for keeping secrets as of late. Almost every other day, it seems like some new leaker finds his way online with information on projects that haven’t even been announced yet or castings that should not see the light of day until the actual release. Yet, there have been some even bigger actions such as the recent leak of the entire Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania script before the film even hit theaters.

    It seems Marvel Studios is also no longer sitting idly by, as there have been rumblings of several actions to avoid the number of leaks collected throughout the pandemic. The longer it took for productions to hit theaters, the wilder the theories and rumors got creating a perfect storm dragging down some of the projects due to high expectations and a two-year vacancy. Now, it seems Marvel Studios has enacted a DMCA takedown notice on Reddit.

    As the script ended up getting shared in January, it landed on Google which led to a copyright infringement move by Marvel Studios to get it off the internet as fast as possible. Google did remove the content but their next target was Reddit. The post got taken down before even Reddit could react, but they are still actively looking to identify the culprit.

    The only issue is that it was enacted through the /u/MSSMods account, which was a shared moderator account for Marvel Studios Spoilers; a quite famous hot spot for the latest leaks and news. They are still actively looking for whoever and it seems that r/MarvelStudiosSpoilers has been shut down due to legal actions. It’s unclear what the future might have in store but one thing is for sure: Marvel Studios is not going to just let anyone get away with it moving forward.

    Source: Torrent Freak via The Direct

  • Chloé Zhao Reacts to ‘Eternals 2’ Rumors

    Chloé Zhao Reacts to ‘Eternals 2’ Rumors

    The rumor mill for Marvel has been going in full force. While many complain there are too many projects rolling out, it seems like there are countless more that are simply rumors without any actual release or even an official announcement. Still, among those that have long been hinted at potentially being in development was the sequel to Chloé Zhao‘s Eternals.

    Up until now, it was just a rumor based on some theories. The first film wasn’t a critical darling and faced similar harsh criticism like the recent Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Yet, there was still a lot of potential in exploring these characters and the vastly unique sci-fi world offered at the end of the story. When asked in an interview with Hollywood Reporter if there was any truth to these rumors, Zhao gave a curious defensive reaction.

    No comment.

    Chloé Zhao

    It’s not the kind of reaction you’d usually get, as many would just talk about the possibility of directing a sequel and returning to that world. Yet, the very direct “no comment” opens up the possibility that there are talks that she’s not going to risk talking about. Of course, that is also just an overanalysis of how some tended to react when they didn’t want to risk giving away any information. Still, we’ll have to probably wait quite sometime before we find out what exactly the future has in store for the Eternals moving forward.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Adds ‘Agents of SHIELD’ Star

    ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Adds ‘Agents of SHIELD’ Star

    Perfectly timed, Daredevil: Born Again starts production in New York City we are getting some more news on what we can expect from the quasi-legacy series. Not only do we have a director now, but also have a rather shocking recast of Sandrine Holt taking over the role of Vanessa Fisk. It marks the first recasting from the original Daredevil Netflix series even though Jon Bernthal is returning in his iconic role.

    Still, we have one new addition to the cast with an Agents of SHIELD actor Michael Gaston. He wasn’t a major player in the Marvel series with a single episode appearance but this marks the second in his career. The actor also worked on shows like Blindspot, Mayor of Kingstown, Chicago P.D., and many more.

    He joins a cast that consists of Margarita Levieva, the before-mentioned Sandrine Holt, Michael Gandolfini, Jon Bernthal, Vincent D’Onofrio, and its main star, Charlie Cox. It’ll be interesting to see just how big the cast grows as 18 episodes open up many opportunities to introduce a wide variety of characters.

    We still don’t know how far they’ll dive into an overarching plotline or mostly keep it as a week-to-week story. Fisk’s involvement does hint that something will be brewing throughout the entire season, but with 18 episodes they might want to have more individual storylines that flesh out the world we’re about to return to. Only time will tell, as we also don’t know if Foggy or Karen will return.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Disney+’s ‘Daredevil’ Series Adds ‘Dexter’ Director

    Disney+’s ‘Daredevil’ Series Adds ‘Dexter’ Director

    Just as the next Daredevil series starts production, it seems we have an update on who will take over directing duties. The ambitious 18-episode Disney+ series has now added Michael Cuesta, famous for his work on Dexter and Homeland, to direct the first episode of Daredevil: Born Again.

    Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are set to return alongside the recent announcement of Jon Bernthal also reprising his Punisher role from the Netflix series. The series showrunners and writers are Matt Corman and Chris Ord, who previously worked on Covert Affairs, The Enemy Within, Containment, and The Brave.

    We don’t know how different the series will be from the original Netflix series, though it’s to be expected that Marvel Studios and everyone involved will try to make it stand out as its very own show; probably the reason for its subtitle Born Again being promoted similarly to Spider-Man’s Homecoming.

    There’s going to be a lot of excitement and weight on this Disney+ series, as many have established the Netflix version of the character as their de facto “fitting” tone for the character. His She-Hulk appearance highlighted that his more lighthearted comic variant had been overwritten in the viewers’ eyes. So, we’ll see how it comes together once we get our first actual look at the project.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • First Cast and Story Details for ‘Flintstones’ Sequel Series ‘Bedrock’

    First Cast and Story Details for ‘Flintstones’ Sequel Series ‘Bedrock’

    It looks like the upcoming Flintstones sequel series titled Bedrock is moving forward. Elizabeth Banks has been spearheading the project that’ll return to the life of an adult Pebbles, as we see what life has been two decades after the original Flintstones story came to an end as the former family head is heading into retirement.

    While we haven’t heard about the project for some time, it seems the Bedrock spinoff is finally picking up some steam over at Fox. It has now scored a pilot presentation after being dormant for two years. Now, we also know who will voice whom in the upcoming series, as they have an all-star line-up:

    • Elizabeth Banks as Pebbles
    • Stephen Root as Fred
    • Amy Sedaris as Wilma
    • Nicole Byer as Betty
    • Joe Lo Truglio as Barney
    • Manny Jacinto as Bamm-Bamm

    It’s funny to think we knew Banks was voicing Pebbles all the way back in April 2021 with the rest of the cast being the big additions. Some might look at this project quite skeptical after the Velma debacle, which took the original concept of Scooby-Doo and tried to “subvert” it with an R-rating. There’s no word if this take on the Flintstones is more adult as it focuses on a 20-something Pebbles. What will be interesting is the tease of the Stone Age being left behind and they enter the “enlightened” Bronze Age, which will give us some interesting looks at the older cast adjusting to an uncertain time. Warner Bros. Animation and Fox Entertainment are set to produce the pilot.

    Source: Deadline

  • Atlus’ ‘Persona’ Would Make for a Great Globe-Trotting TV Anthology Series

    Atlus’ ‘Persona’ Would Make for a Great Globe-Trotting TV Anthology Series

    Atlus has made quite a splash internationally with Persona 5. The latest entry in the Shin Megami Tensei spinoff managed to bring a somewhat niche JRPG franchise into one of the biggest offerings with spinoffs, a remake, multi-platform releases, and who knows what else might be in the works. What makes this franchise special is that each new entry tells a story that is unique with a brand-new cast of characters. Some familiar elements return with each new entry, but it’s still a unique story not shackled by having to be a direct continuation.

    There are enough recurring themes and elements that truly tie this franchise together, may it be the iconic Velvet Room, the carry-over demons and gods from SMT, the high-school setting, and many more. Still, each entry is even freer to explore a story that makes it stand out. Persona 2 Innocent Sin explores the concept of rumors coming to life. The fourth entry explored a murder mystery plot in the small town of Inaba, while the fifth entry just had our main characters turn into literal thieves of hearts.

    There’s something unique about what Persona has to offer and the wait for each new entry seemingly gets longer every time. Who knows how many scrapped ideas and concepts were left on the cutting room floor? Plus, the games have a strong focus on the Japanese market, which fits with its constant taking inspiration from real Japanese locations. Persona 5 almost took a very different direction but stuck to its roots after how Japan held together following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

    So, who knows where Persona 6 might take the franchise, as it may simply build upon what we saw in Persona 5 Royal or even take a completely new direction. Generally, there’s also a good chance that Atlus looks beyond the gaming market to expand its brand; we’re already seeing it with SEGA busy in hoping to bring Yakuza to live-action. So, who knows how long the wait will be until Persona or generally the Shin Megami Tensei franchise gets a similar treatment.

    And there is a lot of potential with a franchise like Persona. It’s made for the anthology series format similar to True Detective, which can explore a similar concept with multiple new cast members. Plus, it would allow some of the scrapped ideas to potentially make it back into the franchise by having them as jumping-off points for the new live-action adaptation. Each season represents a new group of characters that face off against unique takes of the shadows that manifest from the hum consciousness.

    They could start familiar with the first season by playing closer to home with something that was already established. Persona 4 seems like the perfect template for a starter season given its more somber tone and a murder mystery always makes for good television. They could give it a different twist and simply use the basic template to build a Western variation to ease viewers into the concept. Once hooked, each season can explore other parts of the world also affected by the Shadows and Personas.

    Though, the biggest challenge is to also bring the flair of the visuals many connect with the franchise to a new format. It’s not impossible as with smart cuts and visual additions, they could still keep those elements alive. Different variations on the iconic music with strong inspirations from whatever culture and location the latest season explores open up many avenues to add something fresh to familiar elements of this iconic JRPG franchise.

    Of course, they could always go down a cinematic route but there’s something bout the build-up across 80+ hours in the gaming franchise that just feels more natural in a long-form format like television. It may just be a dream for now, but if they ever do decide to bring the franchise to live-action, it would be a damn shame if they don’t make use of this concept to explore new avenues across the world.

    Source: Persona Central