Murphy's Multiverse

Author: meghanlhall

  • ‘Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet Joins Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses’

    ‘Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet Joins Disney+’s ‘The Santa Clauses’

    Modern Family‘s Eric Stonestreet is joining the cast of Disney+’s original series, The Santa Clauses. Stonestreet will play Magnus Antus, a 14th-century ruler aiming to take down Scott Calvin, played by Tim Allen, and reclaim the North Pole. He was known as the Mad Santa, which matches his rather cruel ambitions.

    The Santa Clauses is returning after the series captured viewers’ attention last year. It was among the top five most-watched series during Disney+’s Seasons Streaming campaign and is very likely to dominate the next HOliday season once again. Stonestreet is a great addition to the cast, as he made quite an impression with viewers during his time on Modern Family as Cam. So, he’ll likely bring the same charm to this new role and add a new iconic character to the Holidays.

    The second season promises a return to the North Pole after Santa’s retirement plans unravel. Scott Calvin will focus on training his son to take over the “family business.” Though going by this new casting, it seems that his path forward is going to remain a bumpy one as he won’t be able to leave the red suit behind any time soon.

    Fans should expect series regulars Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Dick, Austin Kane, and Devin Bright to return. Matilda Lawler will lead the slate of guest stars, including newcomer Marta Kessler who will play Olga, a feisty gnome. Reports also indicate that Tim Allen will serve as executive producer with Jack Burditt, the showrunner.

    Source: Deadline

  • Disney+ Cancels ‘Big Shot’ and ‘Mighty Ducks: Game Changers’ After 2 Seasons

    Disney+ Cancels ‘Big Shot’ and ‘Mighty Ducks: Game Changers’ After 2 Seasons

    The end has arrived for Big Shot and Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. Disney+ is canceling both series after their recently released second seasons. Unfortunately, this became possible after senior executive, Peter Rice, was fired last June. The company noted a “culture fit,” but some speculate that it was due to how Rice spent the streaming services’ overall programming budgets.

    Data for each show is not available, but it is noteworthy that neither series is in the upper echelon of streaming rankings. Additionally, series leads John Stamos and Yvette Nicole Brown will join other shows on Amazon Freevee and Bounce TV in the near future, which means they were very likely not expecting to return anytime soon anyway.

    This might be the first of many cancelations moving forward that’ll reshape the streaming service’s future endeavors. The mentioning of “culture fit” is a bit bizarre, as The Mighty Ducks of all things does seem to fit quite nicely into Disney’s overall niche and the plan to make good use of pre-existing IP.

    It’s unclear what exactly their plans are moving forward for the service and if we might see fewer productions rolling out. Though, it’s also possible they go down a reality TV route, which is cheaply made and easy to share on the service for younger audiences. Most shows nowadays are mainly focused on adults. So, there’s a potential market for them to make use of, as they already tested out some projects. For now, Disney+’s future remains a question mark.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, TV Line

  • M. Night Shyamalan Signs Multi-Year Directing and Producing Deal

    M. Night Shyamalan Signs Multi-Year Directing and Producing Deal

    Warner Bros. Pictures Group is teaming up with Oscar-nominated director M. Night Shyamalan on a multi-year first-look directing and producing deal. With the agreement, Shyamalan and his production company, Blinding Edge Pictures, will develop original projects for Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema. The deal is a dramatic shift from the way Shyamalan produces his films. He reflects on the new venture with some intriguing thoughts on why he made the switch:

    “Warner Bros. has a storied history of cinema. Through its recent experiences, the company has rediscovered its love and appreciation for filmmakers, and the impact of the theatrical experience. “

    Angelique Jackson, Variety

    With the slate of new projects, moviegoers can expect to see movies such as Trap (August 2024) and The Watchers (June 7, 2024), the directorial debut of Shyamalan’s daughter, Ishana Night Shyamalan. Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy are excited about the possibilities. They believe that Shyamalan will create “compelling original” stories and offer audiences a “unique experience at the theater.”

    Audiences can check out the filmmaker’s latest flick, Knock at the Cabin, which is now playing in theaters.

    Source: Deadline.

  • Rachel Hilson and Josh Holloway join HBO Max’s ‘Duster’

    Rachel Hilson and Josh Holloway join HBO Max’s ‘Duster’

    Rachel Hilson and Josh Holloway will star in J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan‘s series Duster. Announced in 2020, the project has officially landed a series order from HBO Max after initially only being given a development commitment by the streaming service. The first two episodes of the eight-part series are said to have been written by Abrams and Morgan, with Steph Green on board to direct them.

    Holloway plays the getaway driver to Hilson’s character, Nina, a black FBI agent hoping to take down a growing crime organization. Morgan, at the very least, was not afraid to share her excitement:

    “Duster is an amalgam of all my favorite things – high octane storytelling with deep characters and so much heart. It’s a dream project and I’m supremely grateful to all the folks at Warner Bros. and HBO Max for believing in this show. And I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in crime than J.J. to build this incredible world.”

    Morgan

    Also set to appear in Duster are Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg, Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez and Benjamin Charles Watson.

    Abrams’ Bad Robot initially signed on with an overall deal at Warner Bros. Discovery in 2019. Since then, very little has become of the deal. Abrams was developing Demimonde fir the streamer, but as the budget continued to grow, HBO Max ended up canceling the project. He was also working on two DC titles for HBO Max, Constantine and Madame X, both of which were passed over. And his The Shining spinoff, Overlook, moved to Netflix but was originally set up at HBO Max. So long as no further issues pop up behind the scenes, Duster looks likely to be the first project under the overall deal to make it to series.

    A premiere date for Duster has not been released.

    Source: Deadline.

  • Jinkies! ‘Velma’ Season Two Reportedly In The Works

    Jinkies! ‘Velma’ Season Two Reportedly In The Works

    Warner Bros. TV is planning more firepower for its slate of comedy series, including a second season for Velma. Despite significant backlash from the first season of the HBO Max original, there are plans to forge ahead. There have been no indications of storylines for season two, but it’s reasonable to suspect the series will continue to push boundaries.

    Mindy Kaling, executive producer and voice of Velma Dinkley, previously spoke about wanting to explore the possibilities of challenging expectations. Showrunner Charlie Grandy backs Kaling saying, “We faced no resistance. We came in and said, ‘This is what we want to do, and this is how we want to do it.’”

    If Velma season two is going to work, it will likely be on the efforts of the pure viewing numbers alone. The show holds the record for the biggest premiere day for any animated original on HBO Max.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘M3GAN’ Sequel Set for 2025 Release

    ‘M3GAN’ Sequel Set for 2025 Release

    Hurry up, 2025! The major thriller movie M3GAN is coming back for another round. Akela Cooper, who wrote the script for the original, is returning for its sequel, M3GAN 2.0. The film will hit theatres on January 17, 2025 and will see the return of stars Allison Williams and Violet McCraw. Several sources are reporting that Wiliams will likely repeat her role as a producer.

    Additionally, there is optimism that Gerard Johnstone, M3GAN’s director, will return for the sequel though no deal has been made to date. M3GAN 2.0 could see the same success as its predecessor, which was a surprise January box office hit generating over $30 million during its opening weekend and has surpassed $91 million worldwide to date.

    Source: THR

  • 2023’s Must-See Movies With Surging Stock

    2023’s Must-See Movies With Surging Stock

    With so many movies to look forward to in 2023, it’s hard to know which ones to invest your time in. Murphy’s Multiverse has curated a list of must-see movies that should be on your list, including some that may surprise you.

    February

    17th-Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

    The ageless Paul Rudd and his crew are back for the witty, action-packed franchise that is Ant-Man. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania features some new faces including Jonathan Majors as “Kang the Conqueror” and (checks notes) Bill Murray as a character from Janet Van Dyne’s past.

    March

    3rd-Creed III

    Jonathan Majors has been a busy man! He plays another villain, this time in the boxing ring as Adonis Creed’s opponent in Creed III. Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad are also back in this installment alongside Michael B. Jordan, who reprises his role and makes his directorial debut.

    10th-Scream VI

    Scream VI is the sequel to 2022’s Scream, but this storyline is a bit different for the franchise: there is a new killer, a new city, and new rules. Some names to keep an eye out for include Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere, Melissa Barrera and Courtney Cox. Unfortunately, franchise staple Neve Campbell won’t make an appearance after contract negotiations broke down.

    17th-Shazam! Fury of the Gods

    Zachary Levi is back to give us more Shazam. Levi will bring along a star-studded cast this time that includes Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler joining returners like Asher Angel, Adam Brody, and Megan Good. New villains played by Liu and Mirren will give the Shazamly all it can handle.

    24th-John Wick: Chapter 4

    Like fine wine, Keanu Reeves gets better with age. After a two-year pandemic-related delay, Reeves is front in center in John Wick: Chapter 4. Fans will see John Wick in the throws of a war with the High Table, one that could prove to be costly.

    31st-Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

    If you’ve played the game Dungeons & Dragons, this movie is the stuff dreams are made of. Chris Pine, Hugh Grant, Regé-Jean Page, Michelle Rodriguez, Sophia Lillis, and Justice Smith will star in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves dropping Spring 2023.

    April

    7th-The Super Mario Bros. Movie

    From the producer who created Despicable Me, The Super Mario Brothers Movie is also hitting screens this spring. Chris Pratt stars as Mario and Charlie Day will play Luigi. Keegan-Michael Key will voice Toad with Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach. Finally, the crew rounds out with the hilarious Jack Black and Seth Rogen voicing the characters of Bowser and Donkey Kong.

    May

    5th-Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

    Chris Pratt is back as the beloved character Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Franchise staples Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klmentieff are also back for one more ride. Quill is still mourning the loss of his Gamora and asks the crew to help him defend the universe as their fate could depend on it.

    19th-Fast X

    “I don’t have friends. I got family,” says Dominic Toretto. Family has been the theme of the Fast and Furious franchise and Fast X will likely be no different. The tenth installment brings back Toretto’s crew in an assumed two-part franchise finale that is sure to thrill.

    26th-The Little Mermaid

    Singer Halle Bailey stars in The Little Mermaid as the red-headed mermaid beauty and is sure to bring a soulful and powerful twist to this endearing classic. Joining her is Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Awkwafina as Scuttle, and Javier Bardem as King Triton. The Little Mermaid becomes part of your world Memorial Day Weekend.

    June

    2nd-Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

    What’s better than one Oscar-winning movie? Two! Well, we’re probably a bit early in predicting that, but there are high hopes for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfield, and Oscar Isaac are back as Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy and Miguel O’Hara. The thrilling Issa Rae from HBO’s Insecure is also joining the cast as Spider-Woman.

    16th-The Flash

    DC Comics is joining the plunge into multiverses with Andy Muschietti’s The Flash.

    30th-Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

    James Mangold will direct Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the follow-up to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Harrison Ford is joined by Antonio Banderas, Mads Mikkelsen, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Shaunette Renée Wilson.

    July

    14th-Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One 

    Does Tom Cruise age? The man has matured as Ethan Hunt for nearly 30 years. Cruise returns to the big screen in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One with some familiar faces. Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Henry Czerny, and Vanessa Kirby are all back, with Esai Morales playing the film’s main villain.

    21st-Barbie

    There isn’t anything Margot Robbie can’t do and that includes playing Barbie in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation. Ryan Gosling joins Robbie as her character is expelled from Barbieland and joins the real world in search of happiness.

    28th-The Marvels

    In case you didn’t get enough of the phenomena that is Brie Larson, she returns to the big screen in The Marvels. Larson will be joined by Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani and the incomparable Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in the sequel to Captain Marvel.

    November

    17th-The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

    The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is the prelude to the original film franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutchinson. The film details the life of Coriolanus Snow before he became the brutal dictator of Panem. Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Tom Blyth, and Jason Schwartzman round out the cast.

    December

    15th-Wonka

    In a world of pure imagination, Timothée Chalamet plays a young Willy Wonka as his world collides with the Oompa-Loompas. The cast of Wonka also includes Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins, Keegan Michael-Key, and Rowan Atkinson.

    20th-The Color Purple

    The Color Purple was originally released in 1985, featuring a star-studded cast. The 2023 adaptation has some serious shoes to fill, but it’s off to a good start. Pulling in a smorgasbord of talent, the cast features Danielle Brooks, Halle Bailey, Fantasia-Taylor, Taraji P. Henson, Louis Gossett Jr., Corey Hawkins, Deon Cole, and H.E.R.

    25th-Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom-December 25th

    More Jason Momoa? Yes, please! Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom should be a treat for fans as it’s slated to debut on Christmas Day. Momoa will reprise his role and will be joined by Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Amber Heard as Mera.

  • Harrison Ford Explains Decision to Join the MCU

    Harrison Ford Explains Decision to Join the MCU

    Back in October, when rumors first began to circulate that legendary actor Harrison Ford had signed on to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it took many fans by surprise. Especially as Ford has starred in franchises such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones, the former of which he has long grown tired of. Many assumed the actor wouldn’t want to join yet another massive franchise, however, a new interview with Ford has revealed that he was looking to do something different – and the MCU is different for him.

    “Hey, look, I’ve done a lot of things. I now want to do some of the things I haven’t done.”

    Ford is stepping into the role of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in Captain America: New World Order replacing the late William Hurt. The role of Ross brings many possibilities including using motion capture to become the Red Hulk. When asked about his involvement in such things, Ford was mum, effectively “zipping” his lips. Production on New World Order is expected to begin next year, with the film currently set to hit theaters on May 3rd, 2024.

    Source: The Playlist.

  • Holy Vecna! ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Will Be “Epic”

    Holy Vecna! ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Will Be “Epic”

    One month after Season Four wrapped, work on the final season of Stranger Things began. Producer Shawn Levy revealed in a recent interview that the writers and the producers of the show, the Duffer brothers, are hard at work. “Oh, man, it’s going great,” Levy said. Fans should expect the final season to thread together some remaining loose storylines and answer many questions related to the Upside Down. Levy also gave fans this nugget: it will be “epic” and “emotional”.

    “…When we sat there and heard the two-hour-long pitch-out for the storyline of this final season, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room by the time the brothers were done… so, yeah, this last season will be both epic and very emotional. I think making it will be pretty damn emotional, too, since this show has changed the life of every one of us who have worked on it.”

    Ryan O’Rourke, Collider

    As the cast and crew prepare for this final adventure, Levy was very reflective about how much he enjoyed working on the show and how much the younger cast has grown. He spoke about how the show has defined their career paths, saying it was refreshing to work on a series that “championed its actors’ individual strengths.” Levy was very complimentary of the Duffer brothers’ ability to customize each character (and every line) to the particular actor.

    Production for Stranger Things Season Five begins in 2023.

  • ‘Black Adam:’ Trades Say It’ll Cost Warner Bros., Johnson Argues It’ll Profit

    ‘Black Adam:’ Trades Say It’ll Cost Warner Bros., Johnson Argues It’ll Profit

    Even the prowess of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is not enough to stop Black Adam from sliding into the abyss of failing movies. Far from the hype of announcing the film in 2019, the movie never seemed to find its footing at the box office when it hit theaters in October. Recent reports from the trades have suggested Black Adam will lose $100 million for Warner Bros. Discovery, a report Johnson himself has since refuted.

    On Monday, Variety revealed that Black Adam was looking to lose $10 million from Warner Bros. Discovery. The report came after the film, which has only earned $387 million worldwide, hit streaming at the end of November. Per Variety, the Warner Bros. DC Universe film took $195 million to produce with an $80 global advertising budget. Unfortunately, the film has only generated $387 million worldwide, well below the projected break-even point of $600 million. Experts believe Black Adam will stall at around $400 million, severely impacted by the shifting home entertainment landscape. Industry experts say these ancillary revenue streams are growing more profitable when paired with a shorter theatrical release. For example, films hit platforms in 33 days versus the standard 75, reducing the money needed to revive campaigns. At any rate, “Black Adam” could be on the losing end for the foreseeable future.

    Johnson, however, took to Twitter on Wednesday to say the film will see a profit between $52 million and $72 million, according to financiers he spoke with. He then compared Black Adam‘s box office with what Captain America: The First Avenger did back in 2011.

    The actor also shared an analysis from Deadline, where the outlet reports the film should break even. The analysis, unsurprisingly, seems to match Johnson’s tweet word-for-word, with Deadline even citing The First Avenger‘s box office, stating Black Adam could still prove to be a franchise starter.

    The movie industry is still struggling to reclaim its glory despite the growing pivot to normalcy as the pandemic shifts. Relying on outsized attendance isn’t enough anymore. Admittedly, Johnson has been open about creating a sequel to Black Adam, but the question remains: will audiences share his same passion? And is the film’s box office performance enough for the new folks in charge of DC to want to revisit this story?

    Source: Variety and Deadline.