Murphy's Multiverse

Author: João RP

  • ‘Naomi’ (season 1)

    ‘Naomi’ (season 1)

    Premiere: January 11, 2022

    One of DC’s newest heroes is already making her way to the small screen via the CW. Naomi McDuffie was created by Brian Michael Bendis, David F. Walker and Jamal Campbell in 2019 and the CW series was ordered just over 2 years later. Kaci Walfall will play Naomi, a multiversal metahuman who ends up on Earth-0.

    Naomi McDuffie was born on an alternate earth but sent to the main universe to
    protect her from Zumbado, the man who conquered her earth and killed those with powers.
    Naomi works to uncover her origins and where she really came from, all while developing her
    newfound abilities that allow her to manipulate energy

    Cast

    • Kaci Walfall as Naomi McDuffie
    • Alexander Wraith as Dee
    • Cranston Johnson as Zumbado
    • Camila Morena as Lourdes
    • Barry Watson as Greg McDuffie
    • Mary-Charles Jones as Annabell
    • Aidan Gemme as Jacob
    • Mouzam Makkar as Jennifer
    • Daniel Puig as Nathan
    • Will Meyers as Anthony
  • ‘Batgirl’

    ‘Batgirl’

    Premiere: TBD, 2023

    Another DTC film headed to HBO Max, Batgirl, written by Birds of Prey writer Christina Hodson, will introduce another version of Barbara Gordon, played by Leslie Grace. In October 2021 it was announced that Jacob Scipio had joined the show in an undisclosed role.

    Cast

    • Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon / Batgirl
    • JK Simmons as Commissioner Gordon
    • Brendan Fraser as Firefly
    • Jacob Scipio in an unknown role
  • ‘The Mandalorian’ Chapter 16: The Freedom to Dream

    ‘The Mandalorian’ Chapter 16: The Freedom to Dream

    When Star Wars first came out it was unlike anything we had ever seen. It made us dream about the possibilities a galaxy far, far away might have in store for us all. Everything was new, from the characters to the planets, from the technology to the mythology. The creative output originated in an entire generation was partially visible in all the EU content developed at the end of the 20th century when fans’ actual fever dreams were put on paper.

    A few years later, when Star Wars came back, and especially when Disney bought Lucasfilm, it all became a bit more standardized. There were certainly a few wonderful moments for the franchise but since the objective was to establish a single, consistent, more controllable storyline that expanded all through the several mediums it was certainly felt that creators were, most times, holding a bit back on the stories developed, maybe being afraid to break the mold that was holding everything together.

     

     

    It became easier to introduce new characters instead of developing the old ones, making them go through events you couldn’t later go back on. Therefore, the interconnectivity that seemed to be the driving force behind it all wasn’t ever really explored to its fullest, especially when it came to legacy characters. But all that seems to be changing with The Mandalorian, as even the biggest fan dreams one might have finally found a place to bloom, with little regard to how big they might be.

    The Disney+ show had already made the post-episode periods something quite wonderful considering the number of callbacks, as fans have constantly been rewarded for their commitment to the franchise. And now it has shown that even the pre-episode conversations with all their theorizing and growing expectations also aren’t something to scoff at. The introduction of Luke Skywalker in Chapter 16 is the perfect example of that, as it specifically slowly evolved from what was the “best-case scenario” to “the rightfully chosen scenario”. And by doing it, by taking the chance in bringing in arguably the most important character in the franchise’s history into the mix, they not only made the show’s story better, they probably made the entire franchise better.

     

     

    It would have been easier, although far less impactful, to have some other Jedi answer Grogu’s call. But it would also undermine Yoda’s line to Luke when he said: “When gone I am.. the last of the Jedi you will be”. Choosing to bring back Luke not only fulfills several fan dreams but also manages to honor the Original Trilogy by not trying to circumvent it through some kind of loop-hole. What is done, is done, and now the questions of what will happen to Grogu following what The Last Jedi told us about what happened to Luke’s Jedi school are sure to come about. The story will have to find a way to deal with it, but that’s what can make it so compelling.

    By allowing itself to dream beyond its initially thought-out limits, The Mandalorian has not so much made the Galaxy feel smaller, as it made it feel more together. It took a decisive step towards what is sure to be the franchise’s future, making sure streaming is now on par with the movies in terms of what it has to offer storywise. It also made it clear that it is time to stop clouding legacy characters’ past actions by establishing their story beyond a reasonable doubt. You would have to do it eventually, and The Mandalorian showed that time can be right now. Where do we go from here? Anything’s possible as long as the training wheels are allowed to come off. So…let’s dream on.

  • ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Season Finale Theory: Boba Fett Signing Off

    ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Season Finale Theory: Boba Fett Signing Off

    The ability The Mandalorian has of making almost every single storyline detail matter down the line might help to predict what pay-offs we might be getting this Friday on the Season 2 Finale. But then again, the ability The Mandalorian has of making almost every single storyline detail matter down the line also makes it difficult to zero in on which ones will actually be the focus of this final episode. It goes both ways. We’ve already discussed how Mando’s armor, his beskar spear, the Dark Troopers, and Gideon’s Darksaber might come into play as the season ends. But for now, let’s center on the characters.

    In terms of returning characters, “Chapter 15: The Believer” gave us what is sure to be the main crew that’ll be by Mando’s side, helping him to retrieve Grogu. But there is another character that, ever since its introduction earlier this season, was bound to show up again as her own journey shares the same objective as Din’s. That character is, of course, Bo-Katan Kryze. Both she and Mando are looking for Moff Gideon, as he has something both of them want back and so being, her return shouldn’t come as a huge surprise.

     

     

    On the other hand, we’ve already had characters that were initially introduced only to properly return the following season. Boba Fett and Fennec Shand both showed up for the first time in “Chapter 5: The Gunslinger”, and it wasn’t until “Chapter 14: The Tragedy” that they were a bit more fleshed out, with their arc perhaps more deeply explored on this week’s season finale. This could then mean that Bo-Katan’s return in search of the Darksaber might be something we’ll only witness next season. If this is the case, and as her story is so intrinsically connected to Moff Gideon’s, that could mean that this season might end much in the way The Empire Strikes Back did. With the hero having lost the final confrontation with his enemy and having to regroup before going after a missing friend.

    This sort of bittersweet ending isn’t unfamiliar to The Mandalorian. Even though season 1 ended on a high note with Moff Gideon defeated and Din and Grogu leaving Nevarro unscathed, IG-11 was destroyed and Kuiil was killed while protecting Grogu. That showed us that in this world victories come at a price and that no matter the way season 2 wraps up, there might be more loss to endure. Din and Grogu aren’t obviously going anywhere as the show would lose its heart if any of the two were to leave it. Fennec Shand could be a possibility but her previous “death” and the lack of connection to the character would make it a terribly impactful death. That leaves Boba Fett.

    Chapter 14 reintroduced us to the old Boba Fett but it also presented us with a somewhat new Boba. On the one hand, he delivered on the expected toughness of the character but he also came through as an honorable warrior, not just a ruthless bounty hunter. It seemed like after the events of Return of the Jedi, having lost his armor, he went through some sort of rebirth and is now wanting to leave his old ways behind and live a more withdrawn life. “I’m a simple man making his way through the galaxy. Like my father before me”.

     

     

    And now, being in Din Djarin’s debt until Grogu is returned safely feels like an opportunity to make good on not only a promise made but also on erasing a few of his own ghosts that might still haunt him, making him much more at peace with his past. As we saw on Attack of the Clones, Boba lost his father Jango while he was still a child. Jango was, as Din found out in Chapter 14, a foundling just like Din himself. That will make Boba see the relationship between Din and Grogu as he did the one with his own father. By reuniting Din and Grogu, Boba will allow for Grogu to have something he missed out on, a life with a father figure, and that might just be his ultimate selfless act, especially if he has to give up his own life for it to happen.

    Jon Favreau has said that he’d like to further explore the character, but having Boba die shouldn’t stop that from happening. The Boba Fett show that is said to be in production could very well be a prequel that either shows us how Fett survived the Sarlacc pit or some of the events that took place before his appearance in The Empire Strikes Back. That is perhaps the more enticing option as we would get a full suited Boba Fett in his prime, where the adventures could live up to the character’s legacy. But as far as The Mandalorian is concerned, and considering how the chess pieces are now placed, Boba Fett could go out as the hero no one expected him to be. In the end, it might not happen. But it would be one hell of a sign-off.

  • ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ CHAPTER 15: Din Shows His True Face

    ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ CHAPTER 15: Din Shows His True Face

    Ever since meeting up with Bo-Katan back in Chapter 11, Din Djarin has been showing signs of trying to reframe his beliefs. Not only has he realized that he does not seem to grasp the history of both Mandalore and its people, but also that how he was raised isn’t the only way for a Mandalorian to go through life. The most obvious of his mandates is how he should not remove his helmet in the presence of other living beings. This development is something that, ever since Chapter 1, has sometimes gone against his immediate interests, such as his time on Sorgan. Yet, somehow he was able to uphold it in some way, mostly at least.

    Here’s a spoiler warning. If you haven’t watched the latest episode yet then only continue at your own risk, as we will spoiler a major reveal from the episode.

     

    Right after leaving Bo-Katan on his way to Nevarro, we saw how Mando is now a bit more relaxed regarding his no-mask policy, especially around Grogu. As both were enjoying some chowder, we got a glimpse of “Chin Djarin” as he didn’t bother leaving the room to eat on his own. Instead, he lifted his helmet just enough, not caring if Grogu looked at him or not. And now, as we approach the season finale, with Grogu’s life on the line, Chapter 15 couldn’t make it more clear that fatherhood is Mando’s new creed.

    The mission they set out on has hit a few snags. And at least two of them could be swiftly overcome if Din went against the “don’t remove the helmet” directive. On both occasions, he doesn’t even flinch anymore. It’s like Din has come to understand there’s something more important at stake and that the weight of the old ways that he believed in has lessened. He exchanged his Beskar helmet for an Empire one to infiltrate the base. Not just that, he goes as far as removing it altogether when faced with a do-or-die situation, where Grogu would forever be beyond his reach.

     

     

    There’s a point when Mayfeld manages to put into words what we as the audience were dying to ask: “Is it that you can’t take off your Mando helmet, or you can’t show your face?”. Din is now clearly bending the rules as he sees fit. He is somehow still a bit stuck in his old behaviors out of force of habit but has yet to realize that he has already left his old way of life behind him. That might have been what once guided him, but now his life has an entirely new meaning that he has finally learned to embrace. His final words, directed at Moff Gideon, sum it up perfectly: “Soon, he will be back with me. He means more to me than you will ever know.” That’s likely to be something he never said regarding his guild.

  • Disney’s Investor Day: Our Team’s Top Picks

    Disney’s Investor Day: Our Team’s Top Picks

    Yesterday was a day packed with numerous interesting and unexpected announcements regarding some of everyone’s favorite characters and franchises. It was a mixture of brand new surprises and expected announcements. Disney went all out, and it will take a while to unpack everything that they disclosed in their 4-hour long Investor Day presentation. But, we have to start somewhere, and for now, some projects caught our eye, for one reason or another. Here are our team’s picks:

     

    Charles Murphy

    For me, it’s simple: the revelation that Christian Bale is playing Gorr the God Butcher. We’ve been all over the map with Bale because we really had a hard time thinking they’d use Gorr after having co-opted parts of his power set with Hela in Ragnarok. Knowing that we are going to get Gorr in this film cements the fact that we are getting a much more direct adaptation of one of my favorite modern-day comic runs in Jason Aaron‘s Thor. I haven’t been able to get my head around what this means: are we going to see the 3 Thors story and see things at the end of time? Is it set in the modern-day? I know whatever it is, I’m ready for it!

     

     

    Ms. Lizzie Hill

    People need something to get behind,” as Bucky Barnes said. Well with kick-ass ladies, exciting action, an ominous intensity, and a fractious buddy cop comedy vibe I can certainly get behind the Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Can’t wait for March!

     

     

    Charles Villanueva

    After watching each trailer numerous times, I gotta say that Loki takes the cake in this category. For someone like me who was less than whelmed at the idea of Tom Hiddleston returning for another rodeo as the God of Mischief, that teaser really put me in my place. It’s as if every scene deserves an article on its own just for how intriguing it is. The set design looks crazy. Feige described the show as a crime thriller and I certainly got some Twin Peaks vibes seeing the teaser play out. Color me convinced.

     

     

    Joseph “The Machine” Aberl

    I think the biggest move of the night was to confirm what will happen with Black Panther‘s sequel. It wasn’t about the film but more about how they want to honor Chadwick Boseman‘s legacy moving forward. T’Challa was a big character moving into the next phase of their franchise, so anything could’ve happened. Yet, they took an honorable route and decided they will not recast the character. We will continue revisiting Wakanda in the future with a new generation taking over keeping Boseman‘s legacy alive.

     

     

    Superhero Theorist

    I’m a sucker for anything regarding the Multiverse. So you can guess how excited I was when Feige confirmed that Doctor Strange 2 would not only tie in with WandaVision but Spider-Man 3 as well. This takes me back to SDCC 2019 when Feige confirmed that Phase 4 would tell mini-arc stories based on 3-4 films and shows rather than a bigger story arc based around 23 films. So if the Multiverse is one of those stories based around the events of WandaVision, Spider-Man 3, Doctor Strange 2, and potentially possibly even Loki and What If?, then I’m all for it.

     

     

    John Sabato

    The best reveal for me would have to be that of the Ahsoka solo show reveal. Something that many of us were hoping would be in the works, especially with how Dawson played to the character to an almost perfect pitch. It’ll be exciting seeing her go after Grand Admiral Thrawn and hopefully see Ezra appear. My most disappointing reveal would have to be that of Shang-Chi. It had nothing to do with the quality of the film it was just that we were shown nothing from the film, not even a sizzle reel while shows like Hawkeye and Ms. Marvel, which gave us a better look and they’re not even done filming. While the project still a bit away it would’ve fit to see a first look at the film instead of just confirmation on the cast.

     

     

    Dalbin Osorio

    For me, I loved the announcement that Hayden Christensen was returning as Vader in the long-rumored Obi-Wan Kenobi show: seeing Vader turn into the menace and homicidal maniac leading into Rogue One and Episode 4 is always good news. He may have been awful in Episode 2 but he was great in Episode 3 and has shown incredible development as an Actor since leaving the Star Wars universe. What disappointed me, though, was not hearing anything about XMen. We got an F4 reveal, so many shows that will undoubtedly impact the very fabric of the MCU, and it feels a little like Feige is toying with us by knowing he has the X-Men in his back pocket. Still, a logo reveals, or even just one word (mutants) would’ve been cool to allude to the future.

     

     

    João RP

    Several project confirmations made me very happy. From the new Alien series to Taika Waititi‘s Reservoir Dogs and the MCU’s Secret Invasion series with Ben Mendelsohn returning. But I’ve got to say that having Patty Jenkins direct her own Star Wars movie is the surprise announcement that really made me gasp. She’s hardly the one to get herself on a project without making it her own in a way that elevates the material, and her personal background with her father having been a fighter pilot will surely make this a special project for her. Having her use that strong affinity to the subject to tackle a story about the Rogue Squadron, a group of fighter pilots initially founded and led by the Original Trilogy’s Wedge Antilles, sounds like a great start to the history of women directing Star Wars feature films.

     

  • Lucasfilm Releases the First Trailer for ‘THE BAD BATCH’

    Lucasfilm Releases the First Trailer for ‘THE BAD BATCH’

    The first trailer for the upcoming Disney+ animated show is now out.

    Announced in July 2020, The Bad Batch will follow the Clone Force 99 a.k.a. The Bad Batch, which was the focus of the first story arc of the last season of The Clone Wars. Set in the post-Clone War era, the series will see the uniquely skilled clones take on merc work as they transition into a new life.

  • Title Confirmation and First Look at ‘OBI-WAN KENOBI’ ‘Star Wars’ Series

    Title Confirmation and First Look at ‘OBI-WAN KENOBI’ ‘Star Wars’ Series

    The first look at the upcoming Disney+ Star Wars show is now out. Ewan McGregor will reprise his character from the Star Wars prequels, with Hayden Christensen also returning as Anakin Skywalker.

    The title was confirmed as being ‘OBI-WAN KENOBI’ as was expected.

    According to a recent report from The New York Times there would be a “significant expansion of the Star Wars universe” and this show is a big part of that.

  • Lucasfilm Announces ‘AHSOKA TANO’ ‘Star Wars’ series

    Lucasfilm Announces ‘AHSOKA TANO’ ‘Star Wars’ series

    After making her first live-action appearance in Chapter 13 of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano is now the focus of a brand new Disney+ series, starting Rosario Dawson as the former padawan of Anakin Skywalker.

    According to a recent report from The New York Times there would be a “significant expansion of the Star Wars universe” and this confirmation is a big part of that.

  • How ‘SPIDER-MAN 3’ Turned into the Ultimate High-risk/Low-reward MCU Project

    How ‘SPIDER-MAN 3’ Turned into the Ultimate High-risk/Low-reward MCU Project

    It’s pretty much confirmed that the MCU’s third Spider-Man movie will have one incredible cast list. Besides the names coming back from the previous two movies (that include J.K. Simmons‘ J. Jonah Jameson), we’ll get Kirsten Dunst (Mary Jane Watson), Alfred Molina (Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus), and perhaps Tobey Maguire (Peter Parker/Spider-Man) returning from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy. As for the Marc Webb films, Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spider-Man) and Jamie Foxx (Max Dillon/Electro) will be reprising their roles while Emma Stone (Gwen Stacy) is still in negotiations. Besides all these, Benedict Cumberbatch is also set to show up as Dr. Stephen Strange, Kraven the Hunter is rumored to be making an appearance, and Charlie Cox will finally bring his take on Matt Murdock/Daredevil into the MCU.

    These seem like a lot of characters to cram into a single feature, especially one that is not an Avengers movie where the focus is expected to be on multiple characters. We’ve already seen how Marvel Studios successfully managed to deal with the increasingly large ensembles they had to work with from Captain America: Civil War to Avengers: Endgame, but to focus too much on characters other than Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man on his own movie could be seen as a disservice to what is arguably the best Peter Parker ever to be put on screen and also the version of the web-slinger the franchise should be converging on both now and in the forthcoming years.

    But Marvel Studios’ record when dealing with large casts does make it seem like, in the end, this might not be that big of an issue, as long as they manage to follow their own unwritten rules from previous projects. 

     

    INTRODUCE AUDIENCES TO CHARACTERS IN ADVANCE

    Even though we’ve gotten a few event movies in the MCU that came with large casts, most of those characters weren’t exactly being introduced in said features. The fact that Marvel took the time to debut almost everybody in their own movies made the team-ups all about the interactions between previously introduced personalities, allowing for the movies to have a faster pace while still allowing audiences to be emotionally invested in most of the characters. That’s part of why those movies worked so well, even if the prospect of having 10+ characters sharing the screen at once seemed like a preposterous one, to begin with.

    This is most likely something that Spider-Man 3 doesn’t need to worry about too much. The Raimi and Webb series were both well-received, people are familiar with their characters, even if both series ended on a more sour note. When seeing Garfield, Dunst, or Foxx onscreen, audiences won’t need much to instantly understand who they are and what they’re all about. This should allow for the movie to flow seamlessly while packing a huge emotional punch.

     

    HAVE A CENTRAL FOCUS AND LIMIT SCREEN TIMES

    Avengers: Infinity War was one of the biggest movies ever and going into it Captain America was one of the MCU’s biggest stars. And yet, his screen time wasn’t even in that movie’s top 10. That didn’t stop it from becoming the success that it was because it was understood that the movie should stay true to the story it meant to tell while being almost indifferent to the characters driving it. Steve Roger’s presence managed to bring more weight to the story being told but without pulling rank and asking for more protagonism, something that might have hindered the final product. As such, the success of Spider-Man 3 might be defined by how much Marvel manages to hold back on the time devoted to cameos from previous Spider-Man movies. This should still be Tom Holland‘s movie and the place in which we find his Peter Parker should allow for his continuous growth into someone who can deal with his own issues, without Tony Stark or Nick Fury around to help out. Spider-Men from other timelines could be there to guide him towards the path he needs to be on, but never to hold his hand and/or deal with his problems in his place. So, even though I wouldn’t assume these cameos to be equal to Benedict Cumberbatch‘s in Thor: Ragnarok, I also wouldn’t be expecting they’ll turn out to be much more than that. Even though celebrating legacy characters is never a bad thing, one should not do so at the cost of relegating the franchise’s present (and future) to the sidelines.

     

    It’s a little over a year until Spider-Man 3 is released, so there is plenty of time to try and begin to make sense of how all of this will come into play, and if it will end up being worth it. Marvel Studios has an excellent track record in terms of understanding how best to develop its movies, but they are now dealing with characters that mostly don’t belong to them. And it does seem like a huge gamble to focus on a Multiverse storyline with these many Sony characters at a time when the MCU has already enough characters that could easily help bring the Multiverse into focus on a non-Spider-Man centric film, thus making its own character grow. This makes it seem that in case the movie turns out great, it’s Sony that’ll gain the most, even if not considering the money involved. With Sony’s interest in developing its own cinematic universe based on the Marvel characters they own, this project might end up being a huge boost to those interests. For Marvel Studios, it’ll be just another regular Thursday. But in case the movie ends up feeling bloated, with a convoluted storyline that earns it a bad reception, that dark cloud will mostly fall on Marvel Studios, hurting their brand. This way this project is surely looking like a bigger risk for the MCU than even Infinity War and Endgame, as the ceiling seems a bit lower than the one those projects had, and the floor isn’t exactly higher.