Murphy's Multiverse

Author: John Sabato

  • First Look at ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’s Knightmare Deathstroke and Cyborg

    First Look at ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’s Knightmare Deathstroke and Cyborg

    In almost two weeks, fans will be able to sit down and experience what the 2017 film was originally supposed to be. The film will include all new and never-before-seen footage from director Zack Snyder‘s original vision. One of the most elusive parts of Snyder‘s DC films was the mysterious Knightmare timeline. In it, Superman had fallen to the anti-life equation and was turned into an agent of Apokolips. It would lead to Darkseid’s conquest of Earth. We got our first look at the timeline in Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice. It gave us a brief glimpse of Batman’s rebellion before he was thwarted by Superman’s soldiers and Parademons. It looks as if the story will continue in the upcoming film, as a new gallery of the Justice League has offered us a closer look at the Knightmare designs.

    The images above give us our first look at Knightmare Cyborg. It is shocking to see him in one piece with his armor malformed and rocky. It also seems as if his lights have gone off at some point, but this could be due to the figurine. He also is wearing a brown cloak, which he probably uses to hide his robotic body.

    The next photos from the gallery feature our first look at Mera from this timeline. She is now wielding a trident and has presumably taken the place of Aquaman in the resistance. If you look closer, you can see that she is wielding a Parademon rifle as well. There is also the reveal of a worn-out Deathstroke armor that is covered in sand. We also get a closer look at Jared Leto‘s Joker, reprising the role for the first time since Suicide Squad back in 2016. This Joker seems to be dressed on a surgical gown of sorts, with a kevlar vest covered in bloody police badges, as well as his signature gun, featured in Suicide Squad.

    The gallery includes a variety of other costumes, such as the Flash costume that we briefly saw in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. We’re eager to see where the Knightmare sequence takes the story, and how this motley crew came together. Former enemies putting aside their feud for a chance at a better future. Zack Snyder’s Justice League will begin streaming globally on March 18th exclusively on HBO Max.

    Source: @AccidentallyDan

  • ‘American Horror Story’: Frances Conroy May Have Replaced Kathy Bates in Season 10

    ‘American Horror Story’: Frances Conroy May Have Replaced Kathy Bates in Season 10

    American Horror Story is yet another production that suffered from the ongoing pandemic. It usually debuts around October, but the upcoming tenth season will be set back well into 2021. While no new date has been given, the series was able to begin filming last October in Province Town, Massachusetts. The main issue that production faced was this season’s theme, which is still unknown, requiring very specific weather conditions. It obviously would be available around a certain time of year.

    What we know so far is that the season has a coastal town setting, with seems to have nautical influences stemming from the image teasers provided by the creator, Ryan Murphy. Fans were absolutely ecstatic when he took to social media to announce the cast of the upcoming season. The star-studded lineup will include some of the show’s best recurring actors and actresses. It also is the debut of Macauly Culkin, who will be joining returning AHS vets Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angelica Ross, Leslie Grossman, Billie Lourd, Finn Wittrock, Lily Rabe, Adina Porter, and Kathy Bates.

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B9CSaAaJdZo/?utm_source=ig_embed

    The addition of Kathy Bates is especially essential to note, as the show’s creator was able to get Culkin to join after pitching “crazy, erotic sex” with the famous actress. Suddenly, rumors began to swirl that the fan-favorite AHS alum may have departed the upcoming season due to health concerns resulting from the pandemic. For those who do not know, Bates is a two-time cancer survivor. She beat ovarian cancer in 2003 and then breast cancer in 2012. Due to the ongoing pandemic, it would make it tough for Bates to work on the project, especially if she would risk contracting the virus.

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CIWJSAQjJWk/

     

    While these rumors went around for a while they didn’t have any weight to them. It wasn’t until rumors stated that another AHS alum would be joining the cast, who ended up being none other than Frances Conroy. This rumor ended up getting confirmed by Ryan Murphy, who sneakily revealed the casting in a comment from ahsfxnews before it started making the rounds officially.

     

     

    Now, this is where I think things get interesting. Newcomer Ryan Kiera Armstrong has also joined the series and took to social media to post a lineup of the actors and actresses working on set. It featured a lineup of the. If you take a closer look, Bates is noticeably absent from the line-up. Instead, Conroy has a prominent spot even if she only joined later on. Now many would just assume that her picture wasn’t included, but why would anyone want to hide the fact that they’re working with such an icon. It’s not like they’ve kept her inclusion a secret, especially with her being the reason Culkin joined. Conroy was not present in the initial cast reveal and was only confirmed when rumors began to spread about her involvement. It sparked the theory that perhaps she was brought on board to replace Bates. It would add up with her late inclusion, especially with the production delays.

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CL5ROe5nNEe/

    There is one more piece to this puzzle that was revealed in a teaser reel for FX’s 2021 line-up for the Hulu streaming service. We got a very brief first look at the upcoming season that offers a close look at Conroy. Now, people that have followed the series and the roles she has played might notice it’s quite a departure. Bates and Conroy aren’t far apart in age, so that wouldn’t be an issue if she jumped in for her. What is presented seems to match the kind of role that Bates is known for, especially the hairstyle.

     

     

    News has dried up on the series, so we won’t know anything for sure until it is officially revealed. Yet, there does seem to be some kind of connection between the rumors and Conroy‘s casting. It would be understandable for Bates to have some health concerns, but nothing was finalized due to the pandemic’s uncertainty. Once they were able to film, they may have decided to move forward without her. Strangely, there has been no mention of her exiting the project, as we’ve seen in some cases in the past. Her role was an essential one in getting Culkin to join, so perhaps she might still be involved. At the moment, it seems to be hinting at her

    Instagram Sources: Collider, Boston, Instagram (Tease), Entertainment Weekly, Instagram (Conroy), Instagram (Line up), YouTube

  • CW Renews ‘Superman and Lois’ for a Season 2

    CW Renews ‘Superman and Lois’ for a Season 2

    In the first season of Supergirl, it seemed unlikely that we would ever see the face of Superman on the CW. They only gave us a brief silhouette of the Kryptonian. Suddenly, after Supergirl‘s second season was announced, Tyler Hoechlin had been cast in the role of Kal-El and would make his Arrowverse debut. From then on, he’d only make brief appearances here and there. His character would only have larger roles in the various crossovers. That all changed when it got announced that Hoechlin was receiving a series titled Superman and Lois.

    The journey isn’t stopping there, as the series has been renewed for a second season following its monumental premiere last week. The series premiere delivered the largest day-one streaming audience for a new series on the CW. It also racked up 1.7 million viewers during its initial broadcast. Of course, the news got instantly shared on the official Twitter account:

    The CW’s Chairman and CEO, Mark Pedowitz, stated the incredible debut for Superman and Lois 

    The phenomenal multiplatform debut of Superman & Lois, which delivered for us in a big way on both a linear and streaming basis, is a testament to the creativity, hard work and dedication of the talented people who worked tirelessly in front of and behind the camera, especially in this challenging environment

    Superman and Lois currently air on the CW Network. Tyler Hoechlin and Bitsie Tulloch are reprising their roles as Superman and Lois Lane in a post-crisis world. Now in the united Earth-Prime after a multiversal reset, they have to juggle being parents of two children and face a world of uncertainty.

    Source: Deadline

  • RUMOR: First Casting Details for Untitled ‘The Boys’ Spin-Off Revealed

    RUMOR: First Casting Details for Untitled ‘The Boys’ Spin-Off Revealed

    Amazon released the first season of The Boys in 2019. It’s based on a comic that I don’t think too many were familiar with at the time. The series quickly became a smash hit, gaining critical acclaim and praise from fans alike. A second season promptly got ordered, and even before it aired, a third was reportedly on the way. With the raging success of one show comes the incredible potential for more from the brand. In September, Amazon revealed that the show’s team had begun working on a spin-off focusing on young heroes. This group would be in training to one day join Vought. The series got put on the fast track, and Illuminerdi got their hands on our first casting details for a total of eight characters.

    The university will have a wide variety of attendants. It will feature the 22-year-old Golden Boy, who has thermonuclear powers, who is fighting the pressure of being called the next big hero. Andrea, or Polarity, the black sophomore student who has a co-dependent relationship with his father, a former B-list hero. The Asian-American twins Mark and Jordan Lee have very different lives. Mark is a former party animal that fell in love with someone that is trying to support them, while Jordan is falling into a spiral filled with drugs, sex, and alcohol.

    There is also the former child star Britney, who got caught up in a drug scandal. She is trying to use the university to revive her career. Emma, on the other hand, is looking for a human connection. She lives under the shadow of her mother, who was once a renowned superhero. Last but not least, there is Marie Moreau. The 18-year-old black woman is the Caribbean’s first and only superhero. She has to live with a lot of weight on her shoulders, as she carries “the pride of her nation and her family’s financial future.”

    The series will most likely take some inspiration from the G-Men. They were a spoof of the X-Men within the universe of The Boys. The series currently has no release date, and production on the project is being fast-tracked. It means that the casting could be imminent. The third season of The Boys has already begun production and is currently filming in Toronto, with set photos giving us our very first look at Jensen Ackles‘ Solider Boy.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • ‘Wandavision’: First Look at New Agatha and Vision Funko Pops!

    ‘Wandavision’: First Look at New Agatha and Vision Funko Pops!

    The upcoming designs are from the latest episode of WandaVision. Only continue at your own risk, as it will spoil a major reveal.

     

    Funko is back at it again, as they held back the best figures until they can officially reveal them. Shockingly, these WandaVision Funkos haven’t leaked throughout the past few weeks. Funko has released multiple figures following its debut. It included figurines for Billy and Tommy, who were dressed up and ready for Halloween. Of course, there was also one for “Pietro” in his classic Quicksilver costume. The trend continued this week with an all-new look at upcoming figures, which includes Agatha Harkness and the mysterious white Vision.

    Agatha’s big reveal was about two weeks ago, but we only got a close look at her comic-inspired costume in the latest episode. The second figure is the white Vision, who we briefly saw at the tail end of the eighth episode when S.W.O.R.D was finally able to activate him under the Cataract Project. This version of Vision will also get a glow-in-the-dark variant that will be exclusive to Walmart. The Vision gives us a great look at the character, which we only briefly looked at in the episode. It highlights his gold detailing and the glow of his headpiece. If you look closely, it seems to resemble Iron Man 2‘s arc reactor.

    WandaVision is streaming now on Disney+ and will wrap up its season with the upcoming episode. Even with every reveal, there are so many questions that will keep us glued to our screen. Hopefully, the trend will continue well into the next few shows, such as Falcon and The Winter Solider.

    Source: Twitter

  • Rachel Zegler May be the Fury in ‘Shazam: Fury of The Gods’

    Rachel Zegler May be the Fury in ‘Shazam: Fury of The Gods’

    The first film in the Shazam! franchise was a resounding success, gaining critical acclaim across the world for Zachary Levi‘s charming and heart-warming performance as the Wizard’s champion. The sequel quickly got greenlit following the film’s opening weekend. Director David Sandberg, screenwriter Henry Gayden, and most of the first film’s cast set to return for a second round. When the first film finished, Dr. Thaddeus Sivana got locked away for the terror he wrought through the Seven Deadly Sins. Just before we left his cell, he got visited by the small and unsettling Mr. Mind, a telepathic Caterpillar. It’s currently unclear if the duo will return for the upcoming sequel, but it seems the Shazamily may have a bigger problem on their hands this time around.

    The recent casting of newcomer Rachel Zegler was a brow raiser for many who couldn’t tell who she would be playing. The actress played coy on social media and poked fun at the anonymity of her role. Upon further investigation, I believe Zegler could be playing an adaption of the Shazam villain, Sabina. Sabina De La Croix was an orphan who had to watch her parents get magically burned alive in front of her. She would later go on to be discovered by the Council of Merlin after inadvertently killing a classmate out of jealousy after activating a death charm. The council analyzed determined her to be a Fury, a warrior with immense magical strength.

     

    Shazam! HD Wallpaper | Background Image | 1920x1080 | ID:163929 - Wallpaper Abyss

     

    On top of already being a powerful magical being, Sabina was also tenth in line to succeed as the wizard Shazam’s champion. To get there quicker, she began killing those that were next in line to achieve her goal. As such, Sabina has developed an affinity for killing and stealing the power of the Gods. She stole the strength from Hercules, killed Atlas, and even took Mercury’s speed. Sabina would be the perfect villain for the upcoming sequel and would quite literally be the Fury of the Gods and attempt to steal the powers bestowed upon Billy by the Wizard.

  • J.J. Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates Working on a ‘Superman’ Reboot

    J.J. Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates Working on a ‘Superman’ Reboot

    Fans have been clamoring to see the Man of Steel return to the silver screen ever since his last solo outing in 2013. Of course, they want to see Henry Cavill reprise his role as the last son of Krypton, something that’s been up in the air for the past few years. A while back, it was being reported that Henry Cavill had exited the role, but his management had assured everyone that the cape was still in his closet. The actor has been noticeably absent from the DCEU, which didn’t help keep spirits high. He got replaced with a body double in Shazam!, and there was no word on any future appearances being in the works. After a long wait, we finally got the confirmation that Superman has a future in the DC Extended Universe after all.

    According to Deadline, J.J. Abrams has begun developing a Superman reboot through his production company, Bad Robot. Ta-Nehisi Coates will write the script, whose previous works include many notable Black Panther and Captain America comics. The project will be produced by J.J. Abrams alongside Hannah Minghella. Plot details for the upcoming project are still unknown. They have also pointed out that no lead is attached to the film. The report notes that Cavill hasn’t been signed on yet. They point out that he is eager to get back in the cape to play one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time.

    His future with the franchise may still be unknown, but Cavill will return in HBO Max’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League. It will feature original and never-before-seen footage that never saw the light of day back when the original version was released in 2017.

    Source: Twitter, Deadline

  • Leaked LEGO Set Offers First Look at ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’

    Leaked LEGO Set Offers First Look at ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’

    As a result of the ongoing pandemic, Marvel Studios’ release schedule has suffered some significant delays. Multiple films have been pushed back by an entire year, such as Black Widow and Eternals. With all these delays, fans had to wait even longer to get first looks at some of their most anticipated films from Phase 4. One of Marvel’s most exciting upcoming features is Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings. The film will see the debut of Simu Liu as the kung-fu master. Much of the film’s plot has been kept under wraps, with some of the most intriguing points being that the film will see the debut of the real Mandarin, who got previously teased in Iron Man 3‘s One-Shot, All Hail the King. Some recently leaked Lego sets surrounding the film may give us a better idea of what’s in store for fans in the upcoming film.

    https://twitter.com/cosmic_marvel/status/1365217872616677380?s=21

    The set offers the first look at a showdown in what seems to be an ancient village. It depicts a fight between Shang-Chi and his foes, giving us a tease of the characters Death Dealer, Wenwu, and Xialang. Of course, one of the most notable features of the set happens to be the giant, red and white dragon spewing blue fire. It’s unclear what side the beast is on, but its appearance nonetheless is striking. His inclusion may confirm this is the Valley of the Sleeping Dragon, which Charles Murphy reported on around five months ago. It is the lair of Fin Fang Foom, who may not be the only dragon in the upcoming film. The set also includes what seems to be a flying bug named Morris. There doesn’t seem to be any bug with that name in the comics, but it turns out it is a Dijiang that it is a creature from Chinese mythology.

    Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings will release on July 9th, 2021. The film was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and will star Simu Liu alongside Awkafina, Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Michelle Yeoh, Ronny Chieng, Florian Munteanu, and Tony Leung as the Mandarin.

    Source: Twitter

  • Amazon Developing a Live-Action ‘G.I. Joe’ Series

    Amazon Developing a Live-Action ‘G.I. Joe’ Series

    Hollywood is trying to revive the G.I. Joe franchise once again. Snake Eyes will be the first characters to get that second chance, as a solo film is still in production. The project got hit with a massive delay due to the ongoing pandemic. It will release October 22nd and will introduce multiple classic characters, such as Snake eyes, Baroness, Scarlett, and Storm Shadow. Now it seems the G.I. Joe universe is expanding. This time, it is in the form of a live-action series that will follow another popular character.

    The Hollywood Reporter reports that Amazon has begun development on a series following the character of Lady Jaye. The series is set to be produced by Paramount TV Studios, Entertainment One, and Skydance TV. The project currently has no talent attached to it and still in the early phases of development. The showrunner of Netflix’s Daredevil, Erik Oleson, will act as showrunner for the series. Lorenzo Di Bonaventura will also co-produce alongside Oleson. The series will reportedly take place in the same world as the upcoming Snake Eyes film.

    It is only the first in many projects to come from Hasbro, as they are reviving their classic toy lines with multimedia deals. The studio is hard at work developing new films for the Transformers and Power Rangers franchise, straying from past adaptions and softly rebooting many. It will be interesting to see how they continue to expand these different franchises and even pull off an Avengers: Endgame style crossover. We’ve seen it in the comics witch Transformers and G.I. Joe, so it would be a fun surprise later down the line.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Titans’: First Look at Damaris Lewis’ Blackfire

    ‘Titans’: First Look at Damaris Lewis’ Blackfire

    After months of delays, production on the upcoming third season of Titans is underway. The show’s social media has begun to tease the character’s new design for this new season. The first reveal was the highly anticipated Red Hood costume. Shortly after, we got a good look at the redesign of Starfire. Fans have been begging for more. Luckily, they aren’t stopping anytime soon. After a long wait, they finally revealed the look of Blackfire. She will be played by Damaris Lewis, who is reprising the role after a brief appearance in the last season. She is sporting a purple and silver suit similar to her first appearance in New Teen Titans #23.

    The series still has no official release date. It will release on HBO Max now that DC Universes shifted to being a digital comic library. This season will see the return of Brenton Thwaites, Anna Diop, Ryan Potter, Teagan Croft, Alan Ritchinson, Minka Kelly, Joshua Orpin, Curran Walters, Damaris Lewis with Connor Leslie also set to return following Donna Troy‘s fate at the tail end of Titans’ second season. Joining the cast this season is Savanna Welch as Barbra Gordon and Jay Lycurgo as Tim Drake, who hopefully will be revealed in the near future. It is still unclear what role Tim will have in the story, as we may not get his introduction as the new Boy Wonder until the end or a future season. Hopefully, we get a trailer alongside a release date in the coming months.

    Source: Twitter