Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Nicole

  • ‘Rosaline:’ Sean Teale on Dario’s Relationship with Rosaline

    ‘Rosaline:’ Sean Teale on Dario’s Relationship with Rosaline

    This Friday, Hulu is set to debut a new take on the Romeo and Juliet tale with Rosaline. Focusing on Juliet’s cousin – and Romeo’s ex – Rosaline tells the story of Rosaline Capulet and her rocky relationship with Romeo Montague. While she knows the two could never truly be together due to their warring families, Rosaline can’t help but fall in love with Romeo. Unfortunately, though, she soon learns her love has since fallen for another – more specifically, her cousin, Juliet. While Rosaline goes on a journey to try and destroy the relationship between Romeo and Juliet, in hopes of winning him back, she finds what she originally wanted isn’t what she wants in the end. Instead, she learns the one she should be with has been under her nose the entire time. It’s a cute romance filled with plenty of chaotic moments, which proved to be enjoyable for some of the cast members.

    Last week, Disney hosted a virtual press conference for the film, and actor Sean Teale was asked why he believes Rosaline and Dario were the superior couple in the film. The actor noted that, while the character of Rosaline is charming, leading lady Kaitlyn Dever helps to sell her charm. “Like, she’s incredibly charming, Kaitlyn and Rosaline.  And also, sort of, there’s so much to her, you would not want to do anything other than find out more,” he explained. “But I think Dario, the thing that drew me to Dario is that something that I didn’t have, which is that he just doesn’t mind what anyone thinks of him or how he appears.  He is a certain way. And I do not possess that trait at all.  I’m scared about everyone’s opinion.  But Dario sort of manages to be a lot more progressive than a man would be in that time.”

    The differences between the two characters are great, but it’s these differences between them that help to pull them together. As Teale further explains, while Dario is a Renaissance man, he’s also incredibly progressive for his time. “And so of course he’s completely drawn to this, like, brilliant, funny, charismatic-driven, diligent, independent woman at a time where, you know, where that was not as easy to be or do,” he said. “So, it sort of becomes very obvious to him. They also wind each other up to no end. Which is super-fun.”

    Viewers can watch the relationship between Rosaline and Dario grow when Rosaline debuts on Hulu this Friday, Oct. 14th.

  • Producer Dany Garcia on the Long Journey to ‘Black Adam’

    Producer Dany Garcia on the Long Journey to ‘Black Adam’

    In 2007, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was announced as Black Adam for Warner Bros. and DC Comics. At the time, it was expected that he would first pop up in Shazam! but the plan eventually changed with Johnson and his team opting instead to give the anti-hero a solo film first. Now, after what feels like forever, Black Adam is finally set to hit the big screen later this month.

    While at the film’s premiere, producer Dany Garcia briefly talked about the film’s long journey to the big screen and Johnson’s commitment to the character. “A decade and a half ago, we knew that character was a character that Dwayne should play… it’s been pushing a boulder every day forward, but believing in the vision.”

    Starring alongside Johnson in Black Adam are Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate. Black Adam is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a script by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani.

    Black Adam is set to hit theaters on Oct. 21st. It is currently on track to earn between $70 million and $75 million.

  • REVIEW: ‘Grimcutty’ on Hulu is Absolutely Terrible

    REVIEW: ‘Grimcutty’ on Hulu is Absolutely Terrible

    Back in June 2009, the Slender Man seemed to be everywhere. Social media. The local news. Schools. It was the big thing for parents to focus on, and it unfortunately gained life outside of the internet when some students took it too far. Hollywood being Hollywood sought to turn the internet meme into a film almost nine years later, and it wasn’t the hit Screen Gems had hoped it to be earning just $51.7 million at the worldwide box office. Fast forward to 2022. While Slender Man seems to be a thing of the past, Grimcutty seems eager to take its place – for better or worse. The latest horror offering from Hulu is what happens when social media memes and YouTube fads are tossed into a blender in the hopes of making something halfway decent only to leave behind a horrible tasting mess.

    Grimcutty, like Slender Man, centers on an online story that quickly becomes a meme. There’s no real explanation as to what caused the Grimcutty, but it’s clear that the parents are terrified of it and willing to do whatever is necessary to protect their kids – even if it (up until that point) hadn’t been an actual issue. Like in real life, the story is driven by hysteria. Parents are terrified of what their kids might do themselves as part of the Grimcutty challenge, something even the kids seem to be unaware of, and quickly begin circulating the story amongst themselves and coming up with a plan to make use of a detox box thanks to a mommy blogger. Because if there’s one way to stop an internet monster, it is to stash all electronics in the detox box… but only if they belong to the kids. As ridiculous as it is, Grimcutty does a pretty bang-up job at capturing the way stories spread online can result in mass hysteria. Nonsensical? Absolutely. But believable? Oh, very much so.

    The problem is, though, is that Grimcutty fails on pretty much every other aspect. It tries to be smart; it tries to be witty, and it tries to make its monster terrifying. But Grimcutty is a CGI mess that isn’t any more terrifying than Jack Skellington. It’s hard not to laugh when there’s a computer-generated mess zombie walking toward its victims with a knife in tow. If the script is weak, at least ensure the monster is terrifying enough to make it worthwhile. At least then Grimcutty might’ve been a halfway decent horror movie about social media consumption and learning not to believe in everything posted online. The internet is where kids spend a lot of time these days thanks to school, YouTube, video games, etc. so it makes sense to use the internet as the springboard for the lore. It really does. But then it goes off course, really fast.

    Because this is a movie meant to tackle social media and the internet… it was apparently determined it wouldn’t be complete without incorporating ASMR videos into it because, well, internet. Perhaps the most frustrating part of Grimcutty is that it tries to tackle too much regarding trends instead of attempting to build a solid lore concerning its big bad. That’s one thing the film fails miserably at. Grimcutty doesn’t have a solid story foundation. It simply becomes a picture spread around online and, only after hysteria and internet searches regarding it, does the character appear with a knife. What caused it? Who created it? Why is it only visible to some? Is it only impacting a local area or is it worldwide? These are all basic questions that, had they been addressed properly on screen, would’ve made Grimcutty a far more enjoyable film. As it stands, though, Grimcutty is an utter mess that fails to scare or thrill.

    Some of the worst horror films often go on to have a cult following. Grimcutty will not be one of those films. There’s bad, but enjoyable, and then bad and unwatchable. Grimcutty falls into the latter category. Those looking for something mindless to keep on in the background might be willing to give it a shot. Otherwise, turn away. Go watch the excellent Hellraiser reboot instead.

  • ‘Black Adam:’ Aldis Hodge is Ready for Mr. Terrific and Hawkgirl to Board the DCEU

    ‘Black Adam:’ Aldis Hodge is Ready for Mr. Terrific and Hawkgirl to Board the DCEU

    On Wednesday evening, Warner Bros. Discovery held the world premiere of its latest offering: Black Adam. The film has long been expected to usher in a new era for DC Comics on the big screen. And while currently tracking for an impressive opening, it remains to be seen when or if a sequel eventually happens. Still, one cast member is already dreaming of where this new take on the DC Extended Universe could go, and he’s hoping it includes Mr. Terrific and Hawkgirl.

    While walking the red carpet for Black Adam, Hawkman actor Aldis Hodge was asked which characters from the comics he’d like to see join the DCEU. Hodge, of course, noted he had two characters in particular on his mind. “Two people. I want to bring in Mr. Terrific – his backstory is amazing – and also Hawkgirl.”

    It’s of note that Hawkgirl was originally meant to appear in Black Adam along with Stargirl. Which would’ve given the actor part of his wish. However, throughout the years, changes were made to the script and Hawkgirl was unfortunately cut. With DC’s slate currently up in the air, it’s unknown if Hawkgirl (or Mr. Terrific) will appear in any forthcoming project, but should Black Adam perform well, one has to think Hawkgirl’s big screen debut can’t be too far off.

    Black Adam hits theaters on Oct. 21st, 2022.

  • ‘Halloween Ends’ is Targeting a $50 Million-Plus Opening

    ‘Halloween Ends’ is Targeting a $50 Million-Plus Opening

    Halloween Ends might be releasing simultaneously in theaters and on Peacock, but that doesn’t look to be hurting its box office potential. Current estimates have Halloween Ends looking at a healthy $50 million to $55 million opening weekend. Should those numbers hold, Halloween Ends will be the first movie to earn over $50 million in its opening weekend since July’s Thor: Love and Thunder.

    The film’s predecessor, Halloween Kills, also released simultaneously in theaters and on Peacock, and that film managed to secure a $49 million opening last October. That was an impressive feat on its own in the midst of a Pandemic. Ends, however, looks ready to benefit from monopolizing the Imax and other premium large formats. While Halloween Ends looks to overtake Kills, it’s doubtful it’ll surpass 2018’s Halloween which pulled in $77 during its opening weekend. Working in that film’s favor was the fact that it was released exclusively in theaters during a COVID-free time.

    Halloween Ends is directed by David Gordon Green and stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, Kyle Richards, and Rohan Campbell. The movie hits theaters on Friday, October 14th.

    Source: Variety.

  • Hulu’s ‘Hardy Boys’ to End After Season 3

    Hulu’s ‘Hardy Boys’ to End After Season 3

    Hulu’s Hardy Boys will not be returning for a fourth season. Variety confirmed that Hardy Boys will end following Season 3, which officially kicked off production today. The live-action series, which hails from Corus Entertainment studio Nelvana and Lambur Productions, is officially filming its final eight episodes in Toronto and southern Ontario, Canada.

    “From its inception, it’s been a joy to work with Lambur Productions, Hulu and YTV on ‘The Hardy Boys’ and introduce these iconic characters and gripping adventures to a new generation. The exceptional cast and crew brought the revered Hardy Boys adventures to life, successfully engaged audiences around the world and garnered awards and critical acclaim. As this mystery comes to a close, we’re looking forward to providing fans with more mystery-solving action, surprising turn-of-events, and laughs in a wild final season.”

    Pam Westman, president of Nelvana

    Along with the news that the series will be ending, Variety also confirmed that Bailee Madison has joined the cast in a recurring role. Madison, who is perhaps best known for Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, has also starred in Hallmark Channel’s Good Witch, Just Go With It, and The Strangers: Prey at Night. She is set to play Drew Darrow, a character described as a “fun but often frustrating new ally with a brilliant mind and appetite for magic and mysteries.”

    Madison will join returning cast members Rohan Campbell, Alexander Elliot, Keana Lyn, Adam Swain, Cristian Perry, Riley O’Donnell, and Krista Nazaire. The final season of Hardy Boys is expected to hit Hulu sometime next year. The first two seasons are now streaming on Hulu and Disney+ in Canada and internationally.

    Source: Variety.

  • ‘Smile’ Surpasses $100 Million at Worldwide Box Office

    ‘Smile’ Surpasses $100 Million at Worldwide Box Office

    Paramount has plenty to Smile about these days. Its latest horror release, Smile, has officially passed the $100 million mark at the box office. In two weeks of release, the film has managed to earn $102.3 million worldwide; that’s with $55.5 million at the domestic box office and $46.8 million from the international box office.

    While most films often suffer a sophomore slump, Smile has continued to have an impressive hold at the box office. In its second weekend, the film retained the top spot with $13 million. That was enough to earn the movie the second-best hold ever for an R-rated horror movie in its second weekend, with a drop of just -22%.

    Noting the film’s accomplishments at the box office, Brian Robbins, the CEO and President of Paramount Pictures, noted the studio always believed the movie had cinematic potential. “The moment we saw this film we knew it had immense cinematic potential, and we’re beyond thrilled and proud to see that audiences around the world agree wholeheartedly and are turning out in record numbers,” he said. “Thank you to our director, Parker Finn, our creative partners and our production team for delivering a fantastically terrifying movie; and thank you to our global marketing and distributions teams for hitting it out of the park once again.”

    Directed by newcomer Parker Finn, Smile stars Sosie Bacon and focuses on a therapist who meets a graduate student that has recently witnessed a gruesome suicide. Soon after, she begins experiencing frightening experiences she can’t explain. In order to survive, she’ll need to confront her past in order to escape her horrifying new reality. The film also stars Caitlin Stasey, Kyle Gallner, Robin Weigert and Kal Penn.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘The Winchesters’ is The CW’s Most-Watched Series Debut This Season

    ‘The Winchesters’ is The CW’s Most-Watched Series Debut This Season

    The CW debuted its Supernatural prequel series, The Winchesters, on Tuesday and while the numbers weren’t exactly anything to write home about – the series did earn the title of The CW’s most-watched debut so far this season in total viewers. The series premiere reportedly averaged 757,000 viewers. That makes it the network’s most-watched series debut since Naomi‘s premiere in 2022. The show’s premiere was also the CW’s most-watched telecast in its time period since June 2022 – a title formerly held by Superman & Lois.

    The Winchesters is the network’s prequel series to the long-running Supernatural, which came to a close after fifteen seasons in November 2020. While the latter series centered on Dean and Sam Winchester, played by Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, respectively, the prequel centers on their parents – John and Mary.

    The Winchesters was one of many spinoff shows put into development at the CW over the years. Supernatural: Bloodlines was originally being developed to run during the 2014-2015 season, but the series was never picked up. While Wayward Sisters was announced as being in development in 2018 – that series, like Bloodlines, was passed over.

    The Winchesters hails from the Supernatural trio of Robbie Thompson, Jensen Ackles and Danneel Ackles. Thompson serves as a writer and showrunner on the series. Ackles’ Dean narrates the prequel series that is being called an “epic, untold love story of how John met Mary and how they put it all on the line to not only save their love but the entire world.”

    Source: Deadline.

  • Director Karen Maine on What Drew Her to ‘Rosaline’

    Director Karen Maine on What Drew Her to ‘Rosaline’

    Hulu is set to release a new take on the iconic Romeo and Juliet story later this week with Rosaline. The film, which is inspired by the book While You Were Mine, takes the focus off of the star-crossed lovers and instead focuses on Rosaline, Juliet’s cousin and Romeo’s ex-girlfriend. Last week, Disney held a virtual conference for the movie, featuring director Karen Maine and some of her excellent young cast, including leading lady, Kaitlyn Dever.

    When asked what had drawn her to the project, and how she was ultimately approached about it, Maine suggested Dever’s casting played a big role in her decision to sign on for the movie. “So, the script was sent to me, and I was told that Kaitlyn was attached to play the lead,” she said. “So immediately I was like, I love Kaitlyn and her work. Dying to work with her. She’s amazing. So, [I] read it. The script was amazing.”

    The script, of course, was penned by (500) Days of Summer writers Michael Weber and Scott Neustadter, two writer Maine has been a fan of for some time. After reading the script and seeing how they were incorporating a classic Renaissance period with modern language, she began to craft the story in her mind. “And the idea to, you know, set it in classic Renaissance period with this modern language and the modern sensibilities and themes just would create this, in my mind, this perfect juxtaposition of, you know, old and new that just really nailed the comedy and let it shine.  So that was really the goal.”

    For Maine, getting to work with Dever and craft a story as unique as Rosaline was a huge deal. But she also felt the music used in the movie was pretty important, too. In order to achieve her goal of expertly mixing old with new, Maine made it a point to include more modern music, as well as instruments that were used during the Renaissance period. “The music was really great too, because we’ve used modern elements like synth, but also a lot of old, kind of, period instruments from the time, like lutes and flutes and harpsichords and all that.  So, it’s all blended in there as well.  So, it’s really, you know, walking that line between old and new.”

    Rosaline begins streaming exclusively on Hulu beginning October 14th.

    KEEP READING: Review: ‘Rosaline’ is a unique spin to the Romeo and Juliet tale, delivering a delightfully chaotic love story sure to please.

  • Michelle Yeoh & Pete Davidson Board ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’

    Michelle Yeoh & Pete Davidson Board ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’

    Michelle Yeoh and Pete Davidson have joined the cast of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts for Paramount. Yeoh will voice the Maximal Airazor, while Davidson will lend his voice to the Autobot Mirage. The news was announced on Tuesday by director Steven Caple Jr. in behind-the-scenes videos featuring the actors recording their lines for the film.

    In the Instagram post, which can be seen below, Caple Jr. teases their involvement in a series of playful videos. “Pete Davidson in disguise. 😂 @transformersmovie cast is amazing, man. Sneak peek of Pete voicing Mirage & @michelleyeoh_official blessing us as the voice of Airazor #rotb 2023″

    Production on the movie wrapped in October 2021. While details regarding Rise of the Beasts are being kept under wraps, a recent rumor suggests we’ll see the Transformers face Unicron in the forthcoming film. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback. It is currently set to hit theaters on June 9, 2023.

    Source: Deadline.