Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Captain Raymond Holt is One of TV’s Best Characters

    ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Captain Raymond Holt is One of TV’s Best Characters

    The tragic news has hit that Brooklyn Nine-Nine will sadly come to an end. Ironically, I am in the middle of binging the show, as it is one of my personal favorite shows. I am disappointed to find out that the show is coming to an end, but it did have an iconic run. There are still ten more episodes to come, so we get a chance to join Peralta, Santiago, Diaz, Jeffords, and so many more. As the title implies, I want to use this chance to talk bout one of my favorite TV characters ever, Captain Raymond Holt. The character is brought to life by Andre Braugher, whose promotion to Captain kickstarted the entire show’s premise. His journey throughout the show has made him, in my opinion, one of the best characters in television history.

    Holt’s entire arc is about him growing from what seems to be a robotic and emotionless man to a heartfelt captain. As the seasons go on, he adapts to the crazy antics around him and even starts to join in on them. We get the first glance at his more loose side when he joins in on a Halloween heist. It started to become a seasonal tradition where the antics keep escalating with each one. In a way, the moment we realize how far Holt has come is in the episode “Monster in the Closet”, where he builds a beautiful Balloon Arch. After getting rejected, Stephanie Beatriz‘s Rosa Diaz praises his work, and he shouts full of glee: “Vindication!” Even as he joined in on the insanity, he remained a stoic and leading figure for the team.

     

     

    What started as a joke character trait became the anchor of the show’s comedy and development. His robotic demeanor played off of the various members in the precinct perfectly so that each member of 99 developed a unique relationship with him. His constant lecturing of Peralta is an ongoing theme of their father-son relationship. There are some heartwarming moments between him and Rosa, as they continuously bond over their avoidance of emotions. We get to watch his guidance of Amy Santiago and Terry Jeffords to push them towards their future’s to becoming captains one day. It’s these personal interactions that define the show and its comedy. The actors embody these characters so well that it feels like a family.

    Of course, there is also the aspect of the character that redefined representation in television. His relationship with Marc Evan Jackson‘s Kevin Cozner is probably one of the most adorable couples put to screen. Every episode featuring their banter is a delight. We get a fully realized relationship with ups and downs throughout each season. They bond over their love for plain stones and their challenges being from different worlds. The episode “The Bimbo” was a particular highlight to showcase their relationship and Holt’s development. It also kind of highlights in general what makes this character stand out. We see him change so much throughout the show, and it’s his relationships with everyone else that make him stand out even more. He embodies what Brooklyn Nine-Nine is all about and I wanted to pay tribute to one of my favorite new shows before it enters its final season.

  • Netflix Unveils ‘Godzilla Singular Point’s King of Monsters Design

    Netflix Unveils ‘Godzilla Singular Point’s King of Monsters Design

    Around four months ago, Netflix unveiled that they are working on a brand new anime focused on Godzilla. The series will follow after their last adaptation, the Godzilla: Planet of Monsters film trilogy. In the announcement, we got a small glimpse at the design of the titular King of Monsters. They pulled in some heavy hitters, as his entire look is created by the legendary Ghibli animator Eiji Yamamori. The first tease already showcased quite a bit of detail that is going into the iconic design. Now, after a long wait, they unveiled our first look at his complete design. They also revealed that Yuji Kaneko colored this design to finish off his iconic look.

    I love the design. It feels like a combination of Toho’s classic with some influence from 2014’s American incarnation. His body shape is interesting, as they went out of their way to make his legs and tail massive. The design makes it look like he is part of a Ghibli film, which makes me wonder what a Ghibli film would look like made by Hayao Miyazaki. I love the design, so I am curious to see him in action. Godzilla Singular Point will also feature the work of Blue Exorcist’s Kazue Kato for the human characters. We did get a trailer last year that teased this design in action. It also confirmed that the monster designs are all going to be in 3D. It is certainly turning into a must-watch for any Godzilla fan out there.

     

    Source: Twitter, YouTube

  • Square-Enix Releases 10 Minutes of ‘Nier: Replicant’ Gameplay Footage

    Square-Enix Releases 10 Minutes of ‘Nier: Replicant’ Gameplay Footage

    After a long wait, we finally got some brand new gameplay footage for the hotly anticipated remake of Nier Replicant. The original got released on the PlayStation 3, but it wasn’t until the sequel Nier Automata put the franchise on the map. After its success, many wanted to revisit the game that started it all. Sadly, it is nier-ly impossible to get your hands on the original copies. There is also the confusing aspect that the Western release was different from the Japanese version. We got a version titled Nier Gestalt, as the studio feared Western players wouldn’t connect with a young Anime character, so he was aged up, and the game released with two different versions. After a long wait, the official Nier Twitter account was nice enough to share 10 minutes of brand new gameplay for the upcoming remake.

    https://twitter.com/NieRGame/status/1360227407488110595

    The game looks beautiful, and the revamped combat system certainly seems to take cues from Automata. It makes sense, as Platinum Games’ work on that game elevated its gameplay to a whole new level. The updated graphics also make the game truly shine. It is also our first official look at Kaine, who plays an essential part in the game’s iconic story. I love that they showcase one of the game’s boss battles to highlight how far the game has come from its original release in 2010. The entire franchise is a spin-off of a joke ending from the original Drakengard game. As such, it is canonically tied to that game franchise, which hasn’t seen a new game since 2013’s Drakengard 3. I cannot wait to get my hands on the game once it releases in April, which hopefully might also release alongside the Western release of the mobile game Nier Reincarnation, which is also still awaiting an official release date.

    Source: Twitter

  • Insomniac Announces ‘Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart’ Release Date

    Insomniac Announces ‘Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart’ Release Date

    Finally, one of the biggest PlayStation 5 releases has received a release date. Insomniac finally revealed that their next game Ratched & Clank: Rift Apart will release June 11th of this year. It comes right after their latest release, Spider-Man: Miles Morales launched alongside the PS5. The latest entry in the Ratchet & Clank series will be only available on the next-generation console.

    It’s the return of the Ratchet & Clank franchise since 2016’s re-imaging of the original game. That was also released simultaneously to promote their first film adaptation. Insomniac Games has since been working on a wide variety of games. 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man is a standout in their long-history of releases. The studio started its career with the iconic Spyro the Dragon franchise before tackling Ratchet & Clank in 2002. Rift Apart will now be its tenth mainline entry that doesn’t include the various spin-offs.

    Hopefully, this release date also means that we will get a brand new trailer showing off the new Lombax character that got briefly teased in the PS5 showcase sometime before the console launch. The game will make full use of the latest generation’s technology to ensure fast loading times, as our main character jumps between the different dimensions. Insomniac also teased an entirely new arsenal of weapons that will be sure to add a lot of joy for players. They also teased a lot of deeper connections to previous games for longtime fans. So, we can’t wait to get our hands on it once it releases.

    Source: Twitter, PS Blog

  • Disney+ Surpassed 90 Million Subscribers Even Before ‘WandaVision’ Released

    Disney+ Surpassed 90 Million Subscribers Even Before ‘WandaVision’ Released

    Disney+ has proven to be quite the powerhouse in the streaming wars. As of January 2nd, the subscription service has reached a new record high subscription number with 94.9 million. It has risen by 8 million in just one month, as it was at around 86.8 million the last time we got an update on it. As such, its growth already surpassed the service’s original prediction of 90 million in four years. It is a massive win after Disney has announced a slew of brand new originals heading to the service throughout 2021. The release of The Mandalorian’s second season and Pixar’s Soul were essential boosters in the last months. Especially the latter, which dominated streaming numbers during Christmas. These numbers also don’t include the subscribers gained after they released the first Marvel Studios original series, WandaVision.

    The streaming service has seen substantial growth that is not going to slow down anytime soon. Variety does point out that 30% of its subscribers are through India and Indonesia’s Disney+ Hotstar subscription model, which comes at a lower price. They are also about to launch the STAR brand in selected markets. So, the service will see a slight increase in the pricing in those regions. Still, In the latest financial meeting, they stated that they aren’t expecting profitability until 2024, but the current increase is still impressive. It’ll be interesting to see if WandaVision managed to push the subscription beyond the milestone of 100 million. Marvel Studios plans to release around six shows this year, so they will certainly see an increase over the coming months. December will also kick-off with the first The Mandalorian spin-off that is certain to draw in some attention. 2021 is going to be a big year for the service and an indicator how fast its growth will continue in its second year.

    Source: Variety, Forbes

  • ‘The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal Joins HBO’s ‘The Last Of Us’

    ‘The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal Joins HBO’s ‘The Last Of Us’

    Just a few hours after we covered the rumor that HBO’s upcoming adaptation of The Last Of Us has offered Maharshala Ali the role of Joel, Variety reports that they have officially cast Pedro Pascal in the iconic role. The news follows directly after the announcement that Game of Thrones veteran Bella Ramsey has joined the series. She will be playing the role of Ellie in the HBO adaptation. This announcement is another win for the actor, who has seen a massive surge in popularity over the last few years. His starring role in Disney+’s The Mandalorian already dives into a story of a lone wolf having to take along an unlikely companion, so he has some experience in that kind of role.

    As pointed out in the Ali story, the production seems to be picking up speed with Russian director Kantemir Balagov set to direct the show’s pilot. Naughty Dog’s in-house writing team is also heavily involved alongside the original game’s director Neill Druckman, who took to Twitter after the announcement.

    https://twitter.com/Neil_Druckmann/status/1359710048302206976

    At this rate, we might see more casting news of other iconic characters, such as Joel’s brother Tommy, the firefly leader Marlene, his smuggling partner Tess and survivor Bill. It looks like the series will follow the original game’s story rather closely but could still add its twists and turns to make it stand out from the 2013 original. No matter which direction they decide to go, the casting is perfect for the roles, and here’s hoping we get an official look at them in costume once production starts.

    Source: Variety, Twitter

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Next-Gen Release Might Be Around the Corner

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Next-Gen Release Might Be Around the Corner

    We are only a week away from the new Marvel’s Avengers Deep Dive showcase. Crystal Dynamics will get a chance to highlight their next DLC character, Clint Barton. We’ve been anxiously expecting his reveal, especially after his protégé took over as the first new character. Luckily, they also confirmed that we will get our first showcase of the next-gen upgrade for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. The only question that remains is when we can expect both updates after the reveal next Tuesday. Well, it seems that perhaps it is sooner rather than later. It seems that the trophies for the game’s PlayStation 5 version have already been made available, which hints at the release being potentially around the corner.

    When this information is made available online, they seem to commonly hint at the game releasing a few weeks later. Yet, keep in mind this is not an official confirmation in any way. We will get the official release date once the next War Table video is released. The question is also if the plan is to release alongside their next DLC character. Hawkeye is getting a lot of attention with tweets on his comic history and a showcase of the new Wasteland biome by the developers. It would make sense to promote the next-generation update alongside their latest hero. Hawkeye was in high-demand that they even created a petition. Now, we are only a few days away from our first look at him in action and his different abilities. Here’s hoping the wait afterward isn’t too long and we get to try him out in all his glory.

    Source: GameRant, Change

  • RUMOR: HBO’s ‘The Last Of Us’ Eyeing Mahershala Ali for the Role of Joel

    RUMOR: HBO’s ‘The Last Of Us’ Eyeing Mahershala Ali for the Role of Joel

    We’ve been hotly anticipating any information on the upcoming live-action adaptation of The Last Of Us. HBO will adapt the acclaimed video game series into a series alongside its original creators. Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckman and his writing team will be working on the series with Chernobyl‘s Craig Mazin. Russian filmmaker Kantemir Balagov joined the production to direct the pilot in January, so we expected some casting rumors in the coming weeks. Originally, Johan Renck was going to direct it but had to drop out due to scheduling conflict. Just a month after they got their director, it seems they are already getting their casting together. Illuminerdi revealed that HBO offered the role of Joel to Mahershala Ali.

    It looks like while the series will stick to the original game’s storyline, they are flexible when it comes to the casting. Ali is a powerhouse in the industry right now, so he would be a fantastic find for the franchise. His character will remain mostly the same, as he’ll face the same dramatic backstory from the original game. Joel’s morality has faded, but a sign of hope in the form of a 13-year-old Ellie, who is the key to solving the fungus-infected future.

    Illumerndi also points out that they’ve offered the role to Matthew McConaughey, who turned it down. It’ll be interesting to see if he’ll accept the role, as he will join the upcoming MCU adaptation of Blade. There is a chance that the potential casting of Ellie is also in the works. This casting rumor might hint at the show potentially taking a unique direction to distinguish itself from the original game.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Illuminerdi

  • Diamond White, Alfre Woodard, and More Join ‘Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’ Animated Series

    Diamond White, Alfre Woodard, and More Join ‘Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’ Animated Series

    The news got filled with theories on WandaVision and excitement for future Disney+ releases. All our eyes were mainly on the upcoming live-action releases. It all changed until we got some more news on the stop-motion-animated MODOK series heading to Hulu yesterday, and it looks like another Marvel Animation series is making a comeback. At the tail end of 2019, Disney Television Animation announced the animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. After a long wait, the official Disney TVA Twitter shared some concept art and a brand new logo for the upcoming series. They also finally confirm that the series will debut on the Disney Channel in 2022.

    The series is getting developed by Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland‘s Cinema Gypsy Productions, who were also the masterminds behind ABC’s Black-ish. As the image showcases, the story is following 13-year-old genius Lunella Lafayette and her T-Rex Devil Dinosaur. They will work together to protect New York City. How did a giant T-Rex make it into the Big Apple? Well, she accidentally pulled him into the present day after an experiment. The cast has some great star power with Diamond White, Alfre Woodard, and Laurence Fishburne. Speaking of Fishburne, the tweet confirms that The Beyonder will have a role in the upcoming series. Our titular star will be voiced by Damond White, who many might recognize from her voice work and appearances in various Madea films. It already looks like a fantastic addition to the Marvel family, and here’s hoping we get a sneak preview by summer for its release next year.

    Source: Deadline, Twitter

  • ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ Release Date Announced Alongside New Logo

    ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ Release Date Announced Alongside New Logo

    Right before the pandemic hit, one of the last films to grace the silver screen was Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega’s first major Hollywood film told the origin story of a young blue hedgehog, as he met his arch-rival Jim Carrey‘s Dr. Robotinik and made some friends along the way. At the end of the film, it was revealed that a familiar face is joining his next adventure, as Miles ‘Tails’ Prower made his live-action debut. Just recently, there is also the rumor going around that Jason Momoa was offered the role of Knuckles the Echidna. Now, it like the film is getting ready to enter production, as the official Twitter account shared a small animation that reveals the film’s rather straight-forward title and the official release date of April 8th, 2022.

    As a huge Sonic the Hedgehog fan, I am excited to see where they are heading with the upcoming film. It makes sense they would remain with the classic numbering system, as even the original trilogy followed that structure. I would’ve loved to see some subtitles like Adventure or Heroes. It would just add that little something. We still have no idea where the story is heading, as Dr. Robotnik remains stranded on a planet full of mushrooms. There is a chance that they might introduce a brand new villain, such as the Echidna tribe that got teased during the opening sequence of the last film. It’s also kind of perfect that Tails gets a larger role in the sequel, as he did in the original Sega Genesis game.

    As this year will celebrate the blue blur’s 30th anniversary, we might get some more insight into the film’s story around June. Ironically, it is kind of perfect to reveal this in February, as Sonic’s first actual video game appearance was in the arcade game Rad Mobile. That means his actual 30th anniversary is in February, so Paramount chose a perfect time for this reveal. Now, if only they could announce the next game s well.

    Source: Twitter, The Gamer