Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Nicole

  • Ben Affleck in Talks to Direct a DC Movie

    Ben Affleck in Talks to Direct a DC Movie

    Ben Affleck is back. The actor and director is said to be in talks to direct a movie for DC Studios. The news was revealed by Deadline on Wednesday evening following the news that James Gunn was penning a new Superman movie, which will not star Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel. Deadline reports that Affleck is currently in talks with Gunn and Peter Safran about potentially helming a future film.

    Unfortunately, it’s unknown what project Affleck is in talks to direct. While Superman is the first to officially be announced for DC Studios, it’s unknown if Superman will be the project Affleck will direct. More details regarding DC Studios’ future are expected to be revealed in January, however, Gunn and Safran are said to be meeting with various talent as they seek to firm up their plans.

    Affleck has had a rocky past with DC on the big screen. After appearing as Batman in Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League (both cuts), the actor is next set to portray the caped crusader in next summer’s Flash. The actor was originally set to star in and direct a solo Batman film but eventually dropped off the project as the director before opting to leave the role as a whole shortly thereafter.

    Source: Deadline.

  • Henry Cavill Comments on ‘Superman’ News: “This News Isn’t The Easiest”

    Henry Cavill Comments on ‘Superman’ News: “This News Isn’t The Easiest”

    Following the news that DC Studios is developing a new Superman movie with James Gunn penning the script, Henry Cavill has taken to social media to comment on the matter. In an Instagram post shared late Wednesday evening, Cavill confirmed that he will not be returning as Superman, despite being given the okay to announce his return a month earlier.

    “I have just had a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran and it’s sad news, everyone,” he wrote. “I will, after all, not be returning as Superman. After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life. The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes.”

    News that Cavill wouldn’t be returning as Superman first came courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter last week. Since then, the actor has been noticeably quiet, more than likely awaiting more information from the studio. Unfortunately, though, it simply wasn’t meant to be.

    The actor is said to have been given the option to re-join the DC Universe as a different character down the line. It is unknown, however, whether or not he’ll choose to do so as of this time.

    Source: Instagram.

  • James Gunn to Pen New ‘Superman’ Movie, Won’t Star Cavill

    James Gunn to Pen New ‘Superman’ Movie, Won’t Star Cavill

    Last week, reports suggested that Warner Bros. Discovery was no longer looking to make Man of Steel 2 with Henry Cavill returning as the Man of Steel. The news came just weeks after the actor excitedly announced his return as Superman on the big screen. Unfortunately, those reports appear to be true. James Gunn, who is now in charge of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, recently tweeted out that Superman was a priority for DC Studios, but never fully addressed Cavill’s future as the character as plans were still being worked out. Now, it appears the decision has been made to cast a new actor in the role.

    The news was announced on Wednesday evening. The latest Superman film will focus on a younger Clark Kent, which led to the decision not to bring back Cavill. Both Gunn and Safran sat down with the actor recently to discuss their decision with him. While he won’t return as Superman anytime soon, they seemingly offered him a potential chance to return to the DC Universe on screen as a different character down the line.

    Source: THR.

  • ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Said to Have a $205 Million Budget

    ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Said to Have a $205 Million Budget

    As DC Studios continues to set its plan for the future of DC across all media, more reports continue to surface about the studio’s future and the upcoming DC titles releasing before then. One of those projects is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The sequel to 2018’s Aquaman, is set to release next year and will see director James Wan return behind the camera. While the first film was a surprise hit for Warner Bros. and DC, earning over $1 billion at the box office, it looks like the sequel is having some issues behind the scenes.

    In a new report from Variety, it’s rumored that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will have a hefty price tag. The outlet revealed that, ahead of James Gunn and Peter Safran coming aboard DC Studios, Warner Bros. co-chief Pam Abdy had to tell Wan to reduce his budget for reshoots on the film as the movie’s budget has already expanded to over $205 million during production.

    Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is expected to be Jason Momoa‘s last turn as Aquaman. Previous reports suggested the actor might get to tackle the DC Comics character he has longed to portray, Lobo, but as of now, those reports have yet to be confirmed. More concrete details surrounding the future of DC Studios and the current DC films line-up are expected to be unveiled in the coming months.

    Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will hit movie theaters on Dec. 25th, 2023.

    Source: Variety.

  • Netflix Canceled ‘Warrior Nun’

    Netflix Canceled ‘Warrior Nun’

    A month after Season 2 debuted on Netflix, the streaming giant has opted not to renew Warrior Nun for a third season. The news was first announced by Deadline, with the outlet noting that the series saw a decline in viewership in its second outing.

    Season 2 of Warrior Nun was in Netflix’s Weekly Top 10 for three weeks, with the series peaking at the fifth spot. The series had a rather passionate fanbase, must like First Kill, but the fanbase failed to secure strong enough ratings to be renewed again. The move comes after Netflix has taken to evaluating its titles more closely – comparing viewership against costs for all renewal decisions.

    The series was based on the manga title, Warrior Nun Areala, and hailed from showrunner Simon Barry. He tweeted the news out on Tuesday, making sure to thank the fans for their support. “I’ve just found out that @Netflix will not be renewing #WarriorNun,” he tweeted. “My sincere appreciation to all the fans who worked so hard to bring awareness to this series, and for the love you showed me, the cast and the whole production team. It was a privilege to be a part of this.”

    The series revolves around 19-year-old Ava Silva, played by Alba Baptista, who wakes up in a morgue with a new lease on life thanks to a divine artifact embedded in her back. She soon finds that she has joined an ancient order that is meant to fight demons on Earth, all while forces from Heaven and Hell seek to control her. Kristina Tonteri-Young, Lorena Andrea, Tristán Ulloa, Thekla Reuten, Sylvia De Fanti and William Miller starred alongside Baptista.

    Both seasons of Warrior Nun are now streaming on Netflix.

    Source: Deadline.

  • Disney+ Orders ‘Witch Mountain’ Pilot with Bryce Dallas Howard

    Disney+ Orders ‘Witch Mountain’ Pilot with Bryce Dallas Howard

    Disney is making a return to Witch Mountain. On Monday, it was announced that Disney+ has ordered a pilot based on Escape to Witch Mountain. The project will star Bryce Dallas Howard, who will lead the cast, as well as Isabel Gravitt (The Watcher), Levi Miller (Streamline), Bianca “b” Norwood (WeCrashed) and Jackson Kelly (Straight Man) also set as series regulars.

    Howard is set to play Audrey, described as “Tia’s devoted and loving mother.” While Gravitt will play Tia, Miller will play Ben, Norwood will play Corey, and Kelly stars as Peter. Tia is described as “a straight-A student who’s regarded by her classmates as ‘perfect,’ although she regards herself as flawed.” While Ben is described as a troubled teen with a hot temper who is at risk of expulsion. Corey is Ben’s best friend and is described as being a very mature teenager. And Peter is said to be Tia’s closest male friend and is said to be lovesick with Tia and very devoted to her.

    The pilot was co-written by Travis Fickett (12 Monkeys) and Terry Matalas (12 Monkeys), and is said to be a modern take on the long-running franchise and follows “two teens that develop strange abilities and discover their sleepy suburb may not be as idyllic as it seems.” Augustine Frizzell, who has directed episodes of Euphoria and Sweetbitter, is attached to direct the pilot.

    John Fox and John Davis of Davis Entertainment are set to executive produce the project alongside Gary Marsh. While ABC Signature will produce the project for Disney+.

    Source: Variety.

  • ‘Strange World’ Hitting Disney+ This Month

    ‘Strange World’ Hitting Disney+ This Month

    Strange World is coming home. Disney announced on Monday that the animated film will hit Disney+ on December 23rd, just in time for the holidays. The move comes after Strange World has failed to find its footing at the box office. The film, which was released on Nov. 23rd, has only earned $53.4 million at the worldwide box office. Its opening weekend ($12.1 million domestically) was one of Disney’s worst opening weekends in modern times, especially for the studio’s animated films.

    Along with the announcement, Disney also unveiled a brand new poster celebrating the movie’s upcoming release on Disney+.

    Strange World tells the story of a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob called Splat; Legend, the family dog; and a slew of ravenous creatures.

    Strange World was directed by Don Hall (Raya and the Last Dragon) and co-director/writer Qui Nguyen (co-writer Raya and the Last Dragon). The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union and Lucy Liu.

  • Golden Globes: ‘Wakanda Forever,’ ‘Andor’ Earn Nominations

    Golden Globes: ‘Wakanda Forever,’ ‘Andor’ Earn Nominations

    On Monday morning, the nominees for the 2023 Golden Globes were officially announced. While films like Avatar: The Way of Water, Top Gun: Maverick and Elvis seemed to dominate most categories, there were a few surprising inclusions. Among them were nominations for Marvel Studios’ latest film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the latest Star Wars small-screen venture, Andor.

    Wakanda Forever, the critically acclaimed sequel to 2018’s Black Panther, earned two nominations. The always-fantastic Angela Bassett was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture for her role as Queen Ramonda. The film was also nominated for Best Original Song, Motion Picture with “Lift Me Up” which hails from Tems, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler.

    As for Andor, the Star Wars series only received one nomination. Leading man Diego Luna was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama. Luna, of course, plays the titular character Andor in the series, which is now streaming exclusively on Disney+.

    Source: Variety.

  • ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Spends 5th Weekend at No. 1

    ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Spends 5th Weekend at No. 1

    With no other new releases this weekend, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has taken the top spot at the box office yet again. The weekend is heading towards the second lowest box office weekend of the year with an estimated $37.2 million. Depending on how Saturday’s numbers go, the box office could end up being the lowest box office of the year.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is now in its fifth week, is estimated to take in $11 million after earning $2.8 million on Friday. Along with retaining the top spot, the film officially crossed $400 million at the domestic box office and is currently sitting at $401.55 million. That puts it ahead of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness after 29 days of release; that film, of course, earned $411 million domestically and $955.77 million at the worldwide box office.

    Wakanda Forever should finally lose the top spot next weekend when 20th Century Studios/Disney’s Avatar: The Way of Water finally hits theaters. The film is expected to open to $200 million domestically, although that estimate could change – especially given early reactions have praised the long-awaited sequel.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘Black Adam’ Sequel Unlikely to Happen

    ‘Black Adam’ Sequel Unlikely to Happen

    As the internet continues to debate whether Black Adam will be profitable for DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery, a new report suggests a sequel is off the cards. Earlier in the week, Variety reported that Black Adam was set to lose $100 million for Warner Bros. Discovery, after only pulling in $387 million worldwide. Leading man, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would later refute that report, suggesting the film would make a profit of $52 million-$75 million. Despite Johnson’s claims, though, it appears a sequel to the film is off the table.

    In a new piece exploring the future of DC Studios, The Hollywood Reporter reveals that it is unlikely a sequel to Black Adam will be given a greenlight. The decision is based on the film’s overall performance. As THR notes, much like Variety did, the film had a hefty price tag – a reported $190 million, but some suggest it’s more like $230 million – and that’s without the cost of marketing. With those numbers, a worldwide haul of $387 million is unlikely to make the film profitable. It could break even with ancillary revenue, but the costs to produce a sequel even at that point seems too high.

    Also unlikely is a sequel to Black Adam. Despite the hype surrounding the movie of launching a new corner of DC, a lot of it led by star Dwayne Johnson, the movie has only grossed $385 million worldwide and insiders at the studio say the movie, which cost more than $190 million to produce (two sources peg the actual cost at $230 million, not including marketing), will be lucky to break even, even considering ancillary revenue. Even if the movie does eke out a minimal profit, any follow-up’s inherent rising costs dim the prospect of a sequel.

    The Hollywood Reporter

    Black Adam is currently playing in theaters and will hit Blu-Ray and DVD at the end of the month.

    Source: THR.