Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • REPORT: Olga Kurylenko to Appear in ‘Black Widow’

    REPORT: Olga Kurylenko to Appear in ‘Black Widow’

    Black Widow will finally release in July. After all this time, we are so close to actually watching the film either in theaters or on Disney+. Of course, there is always the fear that the longer we wait, the more information hits the web. Well, it looks like that has happened as The Direct has exclusively learned that Quantum of Solace‘s Olga Kurylenko will have a role in the first film of Marvel Studios’ Phase 4. The Ukrainian actress is a perfect choice for the Russian-focused story with her history and fluency in Russian. So, there is a good chance she is playing one of the many newly introduced assassins of the Red Room that we saw in the trailers.

    Kurylenko has also appeared in 2013’s Oblivion opposite of Tom Cruise. Her latest projects include The Bay of Silence, The Translators, and Sentinelle. As The Direct points out, there are many angles they can take with her inclusion. She could be involved with a flashback to Romanoff’s upbringing. We could also potentially see her be one of the many trained assassins with them believing she is a prime candidate for the role of Red Widow.

    The film has been ready for over a year. We are still not certain who is behind Taskmaster’s mask. It is refreshing to know that there are still many surprises heading our way once it releases in July. Its release date may also finalize the future slate, as we hopefully get trailers that showcase upcoming projects like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals. The year isn’t over yet and there is a lot more Marvel heading our way in the near future.

    Source: The Direct

  • New Look at Henry Cavill Released as ‘The Witcher’ Season 2 Wraps Up Production

    New Look at Henry Cavill Released as ‘The Witcher’ Season 2 Wraps Up Production

    Netflix has been continuing to expand its repertoire with various franchises. One of its stand-outs was The Witcher, which saw Henry Cavill take on Gerald of Rivia. The franchise is an adaptation of the Polish novels by Andrzej Sapowksi. Of course, there is also CD Projekt Red’s very popular gaming franchise. The Netflix series takes inspiration from both properties but tries to maintain a unique identity to stand out. They are celebrating the production end for the second season. As such, the official Twitter channel released a new image with a closer look at the White Wolf.

     

    Now, Netflix went out of its way to also celebrate the production’s ending with a new video that showcases how large the production was and how they stayed safe.

     

     

    In the video, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich confirms that they are adapting the storyline of The Blood of Elves in the upcoming season. They also went all out with this production. They confirm 15 locations with a whopping 89 cast members. The production team shot 184 days, which is significant if you consider that they also faced delays due to the ongoing pandemic. It couldn’t have been easy to keep everything safe with such a large ensemble cast while making sure no one gets infected. The details on the upcoming season are still kept under wraps.

    Source: Twitter, YouTube

  • ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Adds Nicholas Podany as Mojo Jojo’s Son

    ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Adds Nicholas Podany as Mojo Jojo’s Son

    Here’s an interesting surprise. We’ve all been wondering how the upcoming live-action adaptation of the Powerpuff Girls would tackle some of its more colorful villains. CW doesn’t have a massive budget. So, it would be expensive to bring characters like Mojo Jojo, HIM, and many others. Well, it looks like one classic villain is going to return unexpectedly. The Wrap has unveiled that Nicholas Podany will play Joseph Mondel Jr., the son of Mojo Jojo. He will play a “nerdy, power-hungry, insecure Jojo Jr.”, who is obsessed with the three superhero girls. He ends up struggling to balance his father’s rage and his kindness.

    Interestingly, they are adding a son character for the iconic villain. They might be exploring the dynamic between a parent and their children, which would allow Mojo Jojo’s story to parallel Plutoniums. Technically, the villainous monkey was there when the superhero trio was born. So, they might play around with that aspect as well in the angsty adaptation of a children’s cartoon.

    Now, the big question also remains if we will see Mojo Jojo appear in the series. The casting of his son may point to something tragic happening to him. Yet, The Wrap doesn’t state that he has faced any tragedy. At this point, anything is possible with the show’s direction. Hopefully, we might find out if other classic villains are joining the pilot, which will kickstart the now-titled Powerpuff series.

    Source: The Wrap

  • James Wan’s ‘Aquaman’ Spin-Off ‘The Trench’ Not Moving Forward

    James Wan’s ‘Aquaman’ Spin-Off ‘The Trench’ Not Moving Forward

    No, it isn’t an April Fools joke. The Hollywood Reporter has just revealed that two large adaptations are sadly not moving forward with the studio. One of them being the Aquaman spin-off focused on the newly introduced Trench. It would’ve been the first DC film to jump into a more horror-focused story, as it would explore the world of the deadly amphibious creatures that we saw in the Jason Momoa-led film. Director James Wan had been producing the film together with Peter Safran. It would’ve been based on a script by Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald. The statement offered by Warner Bros. seems to hint that it is shelved for now but could be brought back to life at a later date. It isn’t the end for Wan’s time with DC, as he is still hard at work on the Aquaman sequel.

    It seems that DC has decided to take a new direction with loosely interconnected pieces, which is why Ava Duvernay‘s New Gods got canceled. It seems that at one point they considered moving it to HBO Max, just like James Gunn‘s Peacemaker series, but decided against it. It seems that his work on the Aquaman sequel was considered enough and they want to potentially return to the idea at a later date. They want to focus more on the Atlanteans. So, we could see a different spin-off for Aqualad or whatever characters they introduce in the sequel. It’s going to be interesting how this affects their future slate and what we may expect from DC moving forward.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ Leaked Marvel Legends Offer Closer Look at Mandarin’s Ten Rings

    ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ Leaked Marvel Legends Offer Closer Look at Mandarin’s Ten Rings

    We’ve all been anxious about the future of Marvel Studios films. Black Widow was postponed and took over the July spot, but that meant that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was pushed back once again. We still haven’t seen a single trailer for the film. So far, we can only make guesses on what to expect based on leaked toys. Our first real look at Shang-Chi’s costume came from a Lego leak some time ago. It now looks like we’ll finally get a closer look at the various characters through Twitter user @SpideyParker24.

    Of course, we have a good look at Simu Lu‘s Shang-Chi, who seems to come with a staff of some kind. Meng’er Zhang‘s Xialing comes equipped with a rope, which could be a Kyoketsu-shoge. It is a double-edged knife that is attached to the end of a rope. Death Dealer seems to come equipped with Kunai, which is the classic weapon of Japanese ninja. Now, the big reveal here is connected to the character of Wenwu, the real Mandarin.

    Wenwu comes equipped with a weapon that many Mortal Kombat fans will recognize. However, the big surprise is what you may notice on his arms. It looks like he has exactly ten rings wrapped around both. Now, the Legend of the Ten Rings will be a major focus of the film, as the title implies. It looks like they are taking a unique approach by adapting the rings in a way that would make them interesting in combat. It reminds me of the film Kung Fu Hustle, where a man strengthened his strikes through the usage of rings around his arms. I like the approach of connecting them to the Chinese heritage, which will surely have a major role in the film. Here’s hoping we get a trailer soon that finally reveals Simu Liu and the cast in action.

    Source: Twitter

  • Steven Caple Jr.’s ‘Transformers’ Film Eyeing Anthony Ramos

    Steven Caple Jr.’s ‘Transformers’ Film Eyeing Anthony Ramos

    It looks like Paramount is already keeping an eye out for its future Transformers‘ star. The Steven Caple Jr.-helmed project is actively looking for their lead and Collider revealed that the studio is currently eyeing Anthony Ramos. The actor’s latest project, In the Heights, will release this summer and has garnered him a lot of attention in the industry. It seems he will portray a flawed and vulnerable hero who is trying to redeem himself by aiding Optimus Prime in his quest. They couldn’t offer any further details, and Paramount did not comment on the casting.

    Ramos has recently booked a lead role alongside Aladdin‘s Naomi Scott in the sci-fi film, Distant. He has appeared in various films, such as A Star Is Born, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Monsters and Men. After the release of his latest film, he certailny will become a hot commodity for major franchises. So, Paramount is making a smart move by trying to recruit him now for their next entry.

    Paramount has been refocusing its efforts with the Transformers franchise. As Collider points out, it is one of their most successful properties. It’s been strangely absent since the release of Bumblebee in 2018 as the studio tried to refocus. The original films by Michael Bay were massive Box Office successes but weren’t the most critically loved films out there. So, they might be trying to find a perfect balance to build upon the franchise’s previous success while adding some new flair to keep its longevity.

    Source: Collider

  • ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ Takes Over ‘Attack on Titan’s Spot As The Most Popular Show

    ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ Takes Over ‘Attack on Titan’s Spot As The Most Popular Show

    Unlike cinema releases, we will never truly know how successful a show or film is on a streaming service. They refuse to publicize any information that would allow analysts to get a good idea of how a project is doing. Luckily, there are a variety of companies that analyze data to offer a glimpse of a show’s performance. Well, it seems that Falcon and the Winter Soldier may have already gained the title of “most popular show” beating out the last owner of that title, the anime series Attack on Titan.

    Keep in mind, with only its second episode, the show managed to beat out the finale of the highly popular manga adaptation. Not just that, it is also tracking ahead of the previous Marvel Studios entry, WandaVision after its first week with two episodes. Now, Parrot Analytics does point out that the show is behind The Mandalorian‘s demand, but it makes sense if you consider that the show was one of the major selling points of the streaming service when it was released. They do not include a comparison to the second season.

    Of course, the show’s demand grows with each week and it has already managed to do what WandaVision didn’t accomplish until its fifth episode. Of course, we have to keep in mind that these aren’t actual numbers. They are based on external analysis. So, we need to accept a potential margin in tracking errors, but it certainly proves the show’s popularity. It’s going to be interesting to see if they continue this trend once Loki releases in June.

    Source: Forbes

  • Netflix Nearing Biggest Streaming Deal Ever for ‘Knives Out’ Sequels

    Netflix Nearing Biggest Streaming Deal Ever for ‘Knives Out’ Sequels

    It looks like Rian Johnson‘s Knives Out franchise has a bright future ahead. According to Deadline, Netflix is currently closing in on a deal worth $400M+ for the two sequels. They would focus around a mystery solved by the super sleuth Benoit Blanc. Daniel Craig will return to the iconic role. Johnson is already working on the sequel’s script and will produce alongside Ram Bergman. The film is aiming for a production start in Greece by June 28th. It is the largest deal in streaming history that became a bidding war between Netflix, Apple, and Amazon. The original film was acquired by MRC, who distributed it with the help of Lionsgate. On a very modest budget of $40M, it managed to make $300M worldwide. As such, any future sequels became a hot commodity for making a lot of money on little investment.

    Still, the deal could imply that the future sequels will get a budget increase. The money is made to balance out what the film would’ve gained through the regular Box Office. Netflix saw the property and believed in its potential to make up for it through its subscription model and took the investment opportunity. As Deadline points out, it would be quite the event film franchise for the streaming giant. It’s interesting to think that the film came together during the downtime for Daniel Craig after Danny Boyle‘s departure from the James Bond franchise. The last film had an amazing cast and after its success, we might see many more iconic actors try to weasel their way into the next production.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’: ‘Pen15’s Dallas Liu Joins Cast in an Undisclosed Role

    ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’: ‘Pen15’s Dallas Liu Joins Cast in an Undisclosed Role

    It’s been quite a chaotic beginning of the year. We finally got the finalized release for Black Widow, but it ended up pushing back the original July release, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Well, it seems that something found its way online, as Deadline has revealed that the actor Dallas Liu, who many might recognize from Hulu’s Pen15, is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His role is still being kept under wraps and Marvel Studios has declined comment on whatever role he may have.

     

    shang-chi dallas liu

     

    Liu has been appeared in the Snapchat series Players but is well-known for his role Shuji Ishii-Peters in the previously-mentioned Hulu series. He has also appeared in Nichole Bloom‘s drama short Ella. It’s uncertain how large a role he’ll have in Daniel Cretton’s upcoming MCU adaptation. He will join an outstanding cast that includes Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, and Ronnie Chieng.

    The film is currently set to release in September and we still have not seen a single trailer for the film. The current uncertainty seems to have caused many film production companies to focus on short-term advertising. So, we might not even see the first trailer until around three-to-two months before its official release. Hopefully, Godzilla vs. Kong‘s current revitalization of the Box Office could kickstart a return to form that may see an earlier trailer release in the usual six-month window that we’re used to from the times before the pandemic.

    Source: Deadline

  • First Leaked ‘Titans’ Set Photos Reveals Wanted Posters and Red Hood’s Threat

    First Leaked ‘Titans’ Set Photos Reveals Wanted Posters and Red Hood’s Threat

    Titans have been quite busy preparing for its upcoming season. After facing various delays due to the pandemic, it was finally able to enter production earlier this year. We know that Curran Walter‘s Jason Todd will pick up the mantle of Red Hood in the upcoming season. titans red hood. We’ll also see the addition of Barbara Gordon, who will be played by Savannah Welch, and Scarecrow. Now, we don’t know quite yet how all these pieces will fall together, but a recent set photo from @TOFilming_EM has offered a look at wanted posters for the various team members. It even includes Blackfire, who was teased in the previous season as a big bad. It also teases that the “Red Hood Rises, which could be building up towards Jason building up his own gang under the iconic moniker.

    There is a lot to take from these images. The Wanted posters groups Blackfire with the Titans. So, they might end up working together at some point in the series. She may also be the reason they are on the run from the law, which could mean they are involuntarily stuck with her. The “Red Hood Rises” posters are also really interesting. It almost makes it seem like they are a gang. They are using the red hoodie design to visualize the character, but not the iconic mask we know he will wear throughout the series.

    He also has been commonly connected with groups, such as Batman: Arkham Knight making him the leader of a group of mercenaries. The next season is going to shake things up in an interesting way. I also love the question mark from the Riddler tucked way in the corner, which could tease his arrival or just act as a nice Easter Egg.

    Source: Twitter