Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • RUMOR: ‘The Mandalorian’ May Have Introduced ‘Skeleton Crew’s Villain

    RUMOR: ‘The Mandalorian’ May Have Introduced ‘Skeleton Crew’s Villain

    When the first episode dropped for the long-awaited third season of The Mandalorian, we met the pirate king Gorian Shard. While it’s uncertain if we might see more of him in this season, a new rumor from Bespin Bulletin may have pointed out that this was a way to set up the main antagonist in the upcoming Jon Watt‘s directed Disney+ Star Wars series, Skeleton Crew.

    There was a strong focus on the character during the episode, as his crew seemingly are obsessed with mentioning his name. They also went all out with the make-up that hinted at this character having a bigger role overall but we won’t know until more episodes are released from The Mandalorian.

    There is some uncertainty if the school that the pirates try to enter might even be the same where Jude Law‘s character works. It’s not confirmed but would make for some fun world-building by the Disney+ corner of Star Wars exploring its very specific connections.

    We’ve heard very little of the Disney+ series that is set to release at some point this year. We may get a first tease during the upcoming Star Wars Celebration and they might even confirm the appearance of Shard as one of its main antagonists. He also seems perfect for a series that wants to explore the pulpy side of the galaxy far far away.

    Source:

  • ‘Ted Lasso’ Star Joins ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning’ Sequel

    ‘Ted Lasso’ Star Joins ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning’ Sequel

    Tom Cruise has continued to put on a show to highlight just how far he’ll go to create a cinematic action spectacle. While impressive, he’s not the only one that makes the films he stars in what they are and it seems that the second part of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning has just added another member to its cast.

    Ted Lasso star and Emmy-winner Hannah Waddingham has been added to the project to star opposite Tom Cruise. The first part titled Dead Reckoning Part One is set to release in July with the sequel following next year in June. For now, who she is playing and what we can expect from the story is still being kept under wraps.

    Waddingham has made a name for herself playing the character of Rebbeca in Ted Lasso. She’s been slowly gathering new projects as the Apple TV+ series is coming to an end and Mission Impossible is definitely a big franchise someone wants to get involved with. Plus, she also joined the upcoming Fall Guy film starring Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling. So, it seems she’s already gotten quite a few good projects to add to her filmography.

    Source: Deadline

  • Tom King May Have Confirmed James Gunn Will Direct ‘Superman: Legacy’

    Tom King May Have Confirmed James Gunn Will Direct ‘Superman: Legacy’

    While Marvel is still as omnipresent as ever, James Gunn‘s involvement as the new co-CEO of DC Studios has opened up many new opportunities for the long-dormant DC Cinematic Universe. Earlier this year he unveiled the first “Chapter” which will consist of some returning favorites and feature new faces, most notably another reboot for Superman.

    With a title like Superman: Legacy, the new take seems like a promising re-entry into the character’s roots. Zack Snyder‘s time with the character was steeped in a more mythological and darker place with many long-time fans hoping to see the more cheerful and optimistic vision brought to the screen. While Gunn is confirmed as the writer, long-time DC Comics writer may have confirmed he’s also going to direct the project.

    James Gunn is a super nerd and he’s super creative. He’s both the writer and director of the Superman movie, and he’s sort of the creative force behind all of this…and he reached out to a group of screenwriters and myself, fantastic, amazing whose names he’s put out there, and to work on making these movies and tv shows as good as they can be. And it was his way of saying, you know, we need nerds in the room we need writers and that this sort of DC renaissance, this DC revolution, is going to be very much a storytelling, it’s story first, we want to tell fantastic stories. That is where we are starting, stopping.”

    Gunn has proven his love for the character time and time again. And he usually ends up directing projects he writes, especially something as important as the film that’ll truly kick off his new universe. It’ll be interesting to see how much time he’ll have working on this project while spearheading an entire cinematic universe, but that is likely why he’s joined by Peter Safran to keep this vision alive.

    You can check out the full interview here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCFHERop9HI

    Source: YouTube via Heroic Hollywood

  • ‘Scream VI’ Stabs Up Franchise’s Best Thursday Previews

    ‘Scream VI’ Stabs Up Franchise’s Best Thursday Previews

    It looks like the sixth entry of the Scream franchise has opened big, as the film pulled in $5.7M in Thursday previews, which would make it the biggest ever for the franchise. It’s also set to expand its theater count on Friday from 3,125 to 3,675 with a chance at a powerful $35M to $40M opening weekend.

    As such, it would take the top spot from the last entry which also opened a strong $34M during the pandemic. Scream VI is set to break that record and is on track to move closer to the $40M if it continues at this rate. As such, it might have a good chance to blow past the film’s $138M worldwide total, which was already impressive on a tiny $24M budget.

    The only question is if this film can stab Michael B. Jordan‘s Creed III from the top spot, which it dominated last weekend with an overperforming $58M opening. Though it does seem likely that it’ll beat it unless the boxing film has some impressive staying power for viewers that just couldn’t get enough the first time around.

    The only depressing opening is Adam Driver‘s new sci-fi film 65 which earned an okay $1.2M in previews and isn’t likely going to set the weekend ablaze. Reviews aren’t kind to the film either, as it has a critical score of 30% and an already rotten Audience Score just as it entered the weekend.

    Source: The Numbers, Variety, Rotten Tomatoes

  • ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Early Projections Eyeing $100M+ Easter Opening

    ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Early Projections Eyeing $100M+ Easter Opening

    The long-awaited return o Super Mario to the silver screen is almost upon us. While they took a safer route and avoided a live-action take on the classic plumber and his brother Luigi, The Super Mario Bros. Movie offers a fantastical look at the iconic Mushroom Kingdom through the lens of Illumination’s animation style.

    It’s avoided the usual trappings of that production studio so far with some impressive trailers and very promising visuals highlighting just how involved Nintendo was in bringing their biggest mascot to life. Now, early projects are already seeing some positive development for the April release.

    As it stands, the film is likely to open somewhere between $71M to $105M. The project is hard to truly pin down on just how successful it’ll be but seems like a very possible front-loaded must-see for those growing up with the character. Chris Pratt‘s casting as the main character though has softened some expectations as the Social Media buzz is surprisingly lower than what was expected.

    Though game adaptations aren’t always box office hits, Illumination has quite a strong track record with how they push their projects. Just last year, Minions 2: The Rise of Gru made a huge splash in theaters and adds to the potential that this film’s release with an iconic mascot as Mario offers. For now, we can only see how media buzz increases as we get closer to the film’s release.

    Source: Box Office Pro

  • RUMOR: Marvel Studios’ ‘Blade’ May Have Found its Cinematographer

    RUMOR: Marvel Studios’ ‘Blade’ May Have Found its Cinematographer

    We’ve long been wondering what Marvel Studios has planned for their unique take on Blade. There hasn’t been much news on the project that seemingly went through quite a turbulent production cycle before any cameras got rolling. Once it lost its initial director Bassam Tariq, it seemed like the project might end up getting pushed back further and further away. Then we heard that they are completely reworking the script with Beau DeMayo‘s involvement rumored before Michael Starrbury was confirmed.

    It took some time before Mahershala Ali‘s Blade truly picked up steam once Lovecraft Country director Yann Demange was confirmed as the new director. The film is still set to start production sometime this year and Cosmic Circus may have uncovered some more from the project hinting that the cameras might get rolling sooner rather than later. According to them, Matthew Libatique has joined the project as its cinematographer.

    What is interesting is that this isn’t his first Marvel project. LIbatique not only worked on Venom but also was the director of photography on the original Iron Man. He’s also been quite busy with his work on the recent releases of The Whale and Don’t Worry Darling. He also was involved with the DC film Birds of Prey, and has quite an extensive resumé. It’ll be interesting to see what he brings to this gothic take on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whatever it may be, here’s hoping that the film starts rolling sooner rather than later.

    Source: Cosmic Circus

  • RUMOR: Marvel Studios to Cast a Jewish Actor for ‘Fantastic Four’s The Thing

    RUMOR: Marvel Studios to Cast a Jewish Actor for ‘Fantastic Four’s The Thing

    In the world of Marvel Studio’s castings, the discussions surrounding the Fantastic Four might have been the most trailblazing. Everyone is excited to finally know who will play Marvel’s First Family in their first Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptation. After a decent comedy spin and a dreadful reimagining, it was time to see these iconic characters reunited once again as part of a bigger universe.

    Ever since the project lost Jon Watts as a director, many were wondering what the future might hold for the project. WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman took over the project and hinted that castings have yet to truly being. Many rumored front runners have found their way online for Mr. Fantastic with some hoping to see the return of John Krasinski after Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, or rumors surrounding Penn Badgley, Dev Patel, and countless others.

    Now, it seems that we have a new rumor stirring the pot but this time for the casting of The Thing, better known as Ben Grimm. While no specific name is set, The Hot Mich’s Jeff Sneider has shared that Marvel Studios is actively looking to cast the role with a Jewish actor. They also considered going for a person of color but are focusing on Grimm’s heritage potentially in the casting process.

    That would make him the second openly Jewish character in the franchise after Oscar Isaac‘s Marc Spector in the Disney+ series Moon Knight. Though, there was some controversy in how it was portrayed in that series, which didn’t ignore it but skimmed over some parts that many felt were important to the character.

    Still, we now has the question remaining of who they might cast for the role. The Direct pointed out that Jason Segel might be a popular choice, and has also been among the many rumored for a part in the Fantastic Four film. It’ll be interesting to see if this new rumor might spark a new wave of

    Source: YouTube via The Direct

  • REVIEW: ‘Chang Can Dunk’ is Worth a Shot

    REVIEW: ‘Chang Can Dunk’ is Worth a Shot

    Chang Can Dunk is the latest Disney film that explores what it means to live in high school as an underdog and the overall challenge of somehow growing up while finding your place in the modern world. The main storyline set seems quite simple with 16-year-old Chang making a bet with the popular kid that he can slam dunk within a few weeks just to prove himself to his peers. Yet, while the story seems like your typical sports-drama, director Jingyi Shao uses it more as a template to explore some heavy-hitting themes.

    On the surface level, Chang Can Dunk seems rather superficial as its main hero portrayed by Bloom Li goes out of his way to impress a girl. As the popular basketball kid starts hitting on her, he awkwardly tries to get her attention before making a bet he can’t really back out from. It becomes a classic underdog story of a young kid proving to himself and everyone around him that he’s not worth ignoring.

    Without giving away any major spoilers, what makes this Disney+ original so interesting is that the film keeps its focus tight on Chang’s overall character arc. We don’t get this happy-go-lucky home life as his mother is overworking herself and doesn’t show any active interest in what he cares for. We don’t often see a mother and son that drifted apart as much as they did, but their acts of desperation in how they show concern for the other.

    Technically, Chang’s struggle of connecting with his mother is at the core of the story, and it’s also the strongest element at play. It’s similar to how Turning Red challenges the overprotectiveness of parents that can end up pushing them away, or simply alienating them from the high expectations put upon them. There’s also the cultural relevance of that pressure that adds to the overarching message.

    We see Chang build a rather strong support system around him with some of the highlights just being him hanging out with his best friend Bo (Ben Wan), his mentor De-Andre (Dexter Darden), and Kirsty (Zoe Renee). It’s especially sweet to see the way he connects with De-Andre, who was a former pro-basketball player that lost his dream, and the way it further strengthens the dangers of popularity and fame.

    The film has a strong focus on going viral online, and it’s not just a tool for some creative shot composition. They truly go all out with the concept, as Bo becomes this vocal point of evolving the way he films online videos that just add a few creative and unique shots to make the film stand out. Overall, the film has some really strong shots and makes good use of empty space to highlight headspace of Chang at times. Of course, it’s also carried by Bloom Li‘s performance who can sell the highs of falling into the beauty of stardom and the depression of feeling alone.

    The only real drag on the overall story is the cliché it is built around. It feels like a project that wants to subvert the usual stories we see in high school-focused sports dramas. The moment a classic trope is unveiled, the film actually surprises by pushing the story into a whole new direction focusing on the actual core narrative that was more sidelined up to that point. We don’t harp too long on the misbegotten actions, as eventually, people forgive those they care about. It’s sometimes family that has the hardest time forgiving themselves.

    The message overall is powerful and makes the film stand out. It just struggles through the clichés at times and ends up dragging out the reveal that just sticks too much to the cliché. It had me dreading the moment due to how predictable it was and it still happened exactly how it is set up. It’s saved by what happens after but it still feels like it fell into the cliché pool rather than just dipping its toes.

    The film is definitely worth a shot for those that love these types of films, especially once the story starts coming together. Jingyi Shao definitely offers an inspiring story that should not be missed out on. It may sometimes fall a little too far into clichés and isn’t the slam dunk it truly could be, there’s something special about this project that makes it worth watching. It’s a perfect watch for a young audience that may not yet know the dangers of online fame and trying to fit in.

  • ‘Tomb Raider’ Actor to Play Kuroobi in Netflix’s ‘One Piece’

    ‘Tomb Raider’ Actor to Play Kuroobi in Netflix’s ‘One Piece’

    It looks like a member of the Arlong Pirates has been uncovered for Netflix’s upcoming live-action adaptation of One Piece. While we know that McKinley Belcher will play the big bad Arlong for some time now, we haven’t heard any news on the various members that’ll make up his group of evil Fishmen.

    His pirate crew that are making their mark on the East Blue and ruling the innocent Conomi Islands with an iron fist consisting of a small group of Fish-men from the Grand Line. While there are quite a few additional members, the main opponents the Straw Hats face are Kuroobi, Chew, and Hatchan.

    As first shared by @OP_Netflix_Fan, Warrior, and Tomb Raider actor Jandre’ Le Roux has shared in his CV that he’s taking on the role of Kuroobi. Not just that, but he also offers some insight into what we can expect from his role. He includes sword-fighting choreography for the Fish-Man Karate specialist, and highlights “fending off sword strikes and kicks” which alludes to Sanji.

    We also get another hint that the Fish-Man is going to be brought to life practically in the Netflix series. While they may still use CG to touch up some elements, he highlights that he spent his time working on One Piece, or Project Panda, “in full upper body prosthetics,” which likely made combat scenes even trickier. So, it’ll be interesting just how far they lean into the designs from the manga. Here’s hoping we get Arlong’s iconic saw-shaped nose.

    Source: iArtistManagement, Twitter

  • ‘Supergirl’ Star to Take Over as Teela in ‘Masters of the Universe: Revolution’

    ‘Supergirl’ Star to Take Over as Teela in ‘Masters of the Universe: Revolution’

    It seems like Teela will be recast in the upcoming sequel season for Kevin Smith‘s legacy sequel of the Masters of the Universe franchise. He’s currently working on Masters of the Universe: Revolution but sadly it seems not everyone will return from the previous seasons. According to Deadline, Sarah Michelle Gellar will not return in the next entry

    Instead, Supergirl star Melissa Benoist is taking over as the voice for Teela in Revolution. So far, Chris Wood, Mark Hamill, and William Shatner are the only confirmed cast for the next season. Though, we still don’t know who Shatner will play. We’ll see who else might join or take over as the series continues with a more technology versus magic focus.

    Benoist shared the following statement on joining the project:

    I jumped at the opportunity to work alongside my friend, Kevin Smith and join the Revolution family as another bold and fearless heroine. I look forward to sharing the next evolution of Teela’s story with fans

    Melissa Benoist

    It’s great to see Benoist join another major project like this and it’ll be interesting to see if Teela might have a major role in Revolution. It’s a shame that Gellar isn’t returning and perhaps she’ll find time for a small role to still remain as part of the cast moving forward without having to invest too much time. Either way, we are also likely a step closer to seeing the new Masters of the Universe finally released if they are announcing cast members.

    Source: Deadline