Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Nicole

  • ‘Until Dawn’ Getting Film Adaptation from David F. Sandberg, Gary Dauberman

    ‘Until Dawn’ Getting Film Adaptation from David F. Sandberg, Gary Dauberman

    Until Dawn is heading to the big screen.

    The Hollywood Reporter announced on Wednesday that the video game will be adapted for the big screen by horror duo David F. Sandberg and Gary Dauberman. The film, based on the popular PlayStation game of the same name, is being produced by Sony’s Screen Gems and PlayStation Productions. This is a reunion for Sandberg and Dauberman, who have previously teamed together for Annabelle: Creations.

    The first take on the script was penned by Blair Butler, who wrote the vampire flick, The Invitation for Sony. Dauberman is expected to do a pass on the screenplay; he, of course, signed an overall deal with Screen Gems last year, and will also produce the Until Dawn adaptation via his Coin Operated banner.

    Until Dawn was first released in 2015. It is an interactive horror game that allows players to choose their own path. The game centers on eight friends who come together at a remote mountain retreat. During their stay, the friends will be forced to endure a mysterious killer and cannibalistic wendigos, among other things. The game featured an impressive cast including Hayden Panettiere, Rami Malek, Brett Dalton, and Jordan Fisher.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Mini Book Review: ‘Super Boba Cafe’ by Nidhi Chanani

    Mini Book Review: ‘Super Boba Cafe’ by Nidhi Chanani

    Super Boba Café by Nidhi Chanani


    Thank you to Amulet Books for a free review copy of this one.

    SUPER BOBA CAFE is a cute middle-grade graphic novel. It’s a strange little book with a great message at its core. The story follows 13-year-old Aria as she spends the summer in San Francisco visiting her grandmother, Jing Li. She runs a boba cafe that is home to a cat named Bao and fails to bring in many customers, until Aria sets out to fix her grandmother’s marketing issues. When Bao unexpectedly gives birth to eight kitties, Aria finds the perfect solution – or so she thinks – by turning the boba cafe into a kitten cafe. But what she doesn’t know is that her grandmother is harboring a secret that can impact the entire city.

    The strongest aspect of SUPER BOBA CAFE is admittedly its artwork. The characters are drawn well, and the scenery is wonderfully constructed. Unfortunately, the story isn’t nearly as strong. That, of course, isn’t to say it’s not enjoyable – it is. The book is out there, but Aria’s storyline is one that is something many young adults experience daily. It’s an important lesson about trust, using the internet, and understanding how cruel others can be.

    SUPER BOBA CAFE is an enjoyable book that is a must-read for young adults. At the center of its chaotic storyline is a story with plenty of heart and a lesson all kids should learn.



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  • Mini Book Review: ‘Billie Blaster and the Robot Army from Outer Space’

    Mini Book Review: ‘Billie Blaster and the Robot Army from Outer Space’

    Billie Blaster and the Robot Army from Outer Space by Laini Taylor

    My rating: 4 of 5 stars

    This is an adorable middle-grade graphic novel. That’s the easiest way to describe this book. Billie Blaster and the Robot Army from Outer Space is an out-there, ridiculous story that has just as much wit as it does heart. It did take me a bit to read this one, but that wasn’t due to the book. Once I was able to dedicate enough time to dive back into the book, I found myself wondering why it had taken me so long.

    Billie Blaster is about a young girl named Billie Blaster who is incredibly smart and enjoys creating over-the-top science experiments; this, of course, isn’t entirely surprising given her parents are both renown scientists. Unfortunately, though, Hector, a student in her class, doesn’t think Billie is worthy of the praise and success she’s had over the years. He’s grown tired of coming in second-place at the science fair every year and sets out to take her down.

    What ensues is a story that is otherworldly, hilarious, and wonderfully strange. While the book focuses on the weird – toilet weasels, fart guns, and evil pigeons – it also takes the time to show the differences between Billie and Hector. As Billie comes to learn, Hector might have a legitimate reason to be upset. Unlike her, he doesn’t have a lab at his hands to develop any and everything he’d like to create. He’s forced to work out of his parents’ house in the same room they do laundry. He works harder than her, because he has to, and Billie is understanding about his desire to be better than her – although, despite her best attempts, Hector is unwilling to reason with Billie.

    Billie Blaster is the perfect book for middle-grade students to read. At that age, it’s all about developing an identity and trying to be the best version of themselves. Billie Blaster is the perfect read for that – and the artwork is pretty great to look at.

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    Editor’s Note: This very is very delayed due to personal tragedies that I’ve had over the past few months. I would like to apologize to Amulet Books for the late review.

  • ‘Deadpool 3’ Vacates 2024 Release Date

    ‘Deadpool 3’ Vacates 2024 Release Date

    Marvel Studios’ Deadpool 3 has reportedly vacated its release date. Deadline reports that the superhero flick will no longer make its previously announced May 2024 release date. This, of course, is due to the ongoing actors strike. The outlet further reports that, even if the strike should be resolved soon, the film isn’t expected to resume production until early 2024.

    It’s thought that Captain America: Brave New World, which was set for a July release, could move up to May 3rd. That film, unlike Deadpool 3, managed to finish production prior to the strike. However, nothing has been decided as of now. Should the film move, that would open up the July 26th date, as well as the December 20th date, which originally belonged to the delayed Thunderbolts film.

    The ongoing strike is expected to impact even more films, so it’s likely we’ll see even more films pushed back soon. Until the studios opt to finally meet the demands of the actors.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ Moves to Roku

    ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ Moves to Roku

    In a surprising move, The Spiderwick Chronicles has found a new home on the small screen. Originally ordered to series by Disney+, the upcoming series will now move to Roku. The news comes courtesy of Deadline with the outlet reporting that Roku has picked up the U.S. rights to the adaptation of the beloved books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black.

    “It is an honor to bring The Spiderwick Chronicles, a spectacular adventure-filled story led by the incredible Christian Slater and Joy Bryant, exclusively to The Roku Channel,” Brian Tannenbaum, Head of Originals at Roku Media said in a statement to the press. “We cannot wait to introduce this exquisitely crafted series, imagined by a world-class creative team, to millions of streamers.”

    The Spiderwick Chronicles will serve as the biggest title for Roku to date. As Deadline notes, to date, the Roku channel has mainly been the home to former Quibi content it acquired in 2021 after that service shut down. The series is produced by showrunner, Aron Eli Coleite, director Kat Coiro, Tony DiTerlizzi, Holly Black, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, D.J. Goldberg, Julie Kane-Ritsch and Grace Gilroy.

    The series, which consists of eight episodes, hails from Paramount Television Studios and 20th Television. It stars Joy Bryant and Christian Slater and is expected to debut on Roku in early 2024.

    Source: Deadline

  • Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced & Edi Gathegi Join ‘Superman: Legacy’

    Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced & Edi Gathegi Join ‘Superman: Legacy’

    The cast for James Gunn‘s Superman: Legacy continues to grow. It was announced on Tuesday that Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced & Edi Gathegi are the latest to join the growing cast. Per Deadline, frequent Gunn-collaborator Fillion has been cast as one of DC’s many Green Lanterns, Guy Gardner. While Merced has been cast as Hawkgirl and Gathegi has been cast as Mister Terrific. They join the previously cast David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan who will star as Clark Kent, aka Superman, and Lois Lane, respectively.

    Updating...

    Source: Deadline.

  • Book Review: ‘The Infinity Particle’

    Book Review: ‘The Infinity Particle’

    The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

    My rating: 4 of 5 stars

    The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu tells the tale of a young girl named Clementine, aka Clem, as she makes her way from Earth to Mars to work under the great Dr. Lin – an Artificial Intelligence pioneer. Clem has been following Lin’s work since she lived on Earth and is thrilled to finally get the chance to meet her, but her interest soon veers once she meets Lin’s personal AI, Kye.

    It’s not abnormal for folks in Mars to have AIs. In fact, everyone seems to have one, including Clem. However, it is odd for someone to have a humanoid AI. But as Clem begins to learn more about both Dr. Lin and Kye, she’ll soon learn that not everything is what it appears to be.

    The Infinity Particle is a stunning book. Not only is the artwork beautiful, but the story itself is also rather captivating. I’ve always been interested in the concept of what makes us human. (I wrote an entire book series based on Programs and humanity.) So, I was immediately hooked once I began reading The Infinity Particle. But what kept me reading through to the end was the way Xu handled both Clem’s story and Kye’s. This isn’t merely a story about Kye and his humanity. It’s far more complex than that. There are so many layers. So many twists. It’s a thrilling ride with a heck of a conclusion.

    With that said, The Infinity Particle won’t necessarily be for everyone. Those that take issue with Marvel’s Scarlet Witch and Vision entering into a relationship will more than likely not enjoy the romantic aspect of The Infinity Particle. Which is entirely understandable, of course. But readers that are able to look beyond that will find a story that has no issue asking its readers just what it is that makes us human.

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  • Evan Peters Joins ‘Tron 3’

    Evan Peters Joins ‘Tron 3’

    Evan Peters is heading to the grid. The Hollywood Reporter announced on Wednesday that the actor, who is coming off Netflix’s Dahmer, will star in Tron: Ares. Peters joins the previously announce Jared Leto, who will play Ares, the manifestation of the program. According to the trade, it’s currently unknown exactly what character Peters will play; they did note, however, the script calls for a “soldier” on the grid, that happens to be an “awkward gamer” in real life.

    Tron: Ares, which is the third film in the Tron franchise, has been in the works for a long, long time. The first Tron film, which starred Jeff Bridges, was released in 1982 and focused on Bridges’ video game designer Kevin Flynn who is transported inside his creation. The sequel, Tron: Legacy, came out in 2010 and starred Garrett Hedlund, as Flynn’s son, and Olivia Wilde. The film also brought back Bridges, but the it failed to secure the box office the studio had hoped for. Still, a third film was planned, and over a decade later, it’s finally in the works.

    Updating…

    Source: THR.

  • REVIEW: ‘Nimona’ is a Movie Worth the Wait

    REVIEW: ‘Nimona’ is a Movie Worth the Wait

    Nimona is based on a graphic novel of the same name by ND Stevenson. The book was originally published as a webtoon by Stevenson in 2012, before being collected as a single graphic novel by Harpercollins in 2015. That same year, the graphic novel was optioned for film by Fox. Unfortunately, though, the film’s adaptation would take a long time to come to fruition – and following the Disney-Fox merger, the movie’s release looked rather grim. The movie was well into production, but Disney ended up shuttering the movie. Shapeshifter Films would later team up with Annapurna Pictures, though, after finishing production on the film to find a new home for the film with Netflix.

    Nimona tells the story of Ballister Boldheart, voiced by Riz Ahmed, and the titular character, Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz). Growing up as a outsider in a futuristic medieval world, Ballister is framed for the murder of Queen Valerin. Deemed a murderer, Ballister spends his days in the shadows, eager to clear his name but failing to do so… until he meets the mysterious, mischievous teen, Nimona. The duo couldn’t be more different from one another – with Nimona constantly threatening to kill and Ballister eager to do anything but kill someone. But she seems to be the only person capable of helping him, so together, the duo form an unlikely friendship that’ll force them to reevaluate everything they thought they knew.

    Fans that have been eagerly awaiting the release of the Nimona film will find the wait well worth it. The road to the screen might’ve been bumpy, but the final product successfully captures the feel and tone of the comic and features a hell of a cast. Joining Ahmed and Moretz in the film are Eugene Lee Yang (The Try Guys), Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under), Beck Bennett (The Mitchells vs. the Machines), RuPaul and Indya Moore (Pose). Each actor is perfectly cast in their roles, with Yang and Conroy, specifically, both delivering noteworthy performances.

    It’s hard to really find an issue with Nimona. The film is full of action, charm and humor. It’s delightful from start to finish, filled with excellent voice performances and a wonderful message. If one were to find any fault with Nimona, it would be the art style as it is very similar to Stevenson’s animated She-Ra series, which drew criticism from fans for its art style. But even if you’re not a fan of the style, the film is well-crafted and full of love.

    Nimona is everything audiences can want in an animated movie. There’s humor, there’s plenty of action, there’s heart and there’s a story everyone can relate to. It’s ultimately about finding your place in the world and finding your people. That’s something we can all truly understand.

    (Side Note: There is a pretty great use of Metric‘s “Gold Gun Girls” in the movie.)

  • Book Review: ‘Hungry Ghost’

    Book Review: ‘Hungry Ghost’

    Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying

    My rating: 4 of 5 stars

    When I requested Hungry Ghost off of NetGalley, I did so with quite a bit of hesitation. I knew what the subject matter was and how heavy of a topic it was, but I also appreciated that the graphic novel tackled such an important topic.

    Hungry Ghost tells the story of a high school student named Valerie who suffers from an eating disorder. She suffers in silence, desperately trying to please her mother who constantly reminds her of what will happen should she ever become fat, while also trying to live life as a normal teenager. Val hates having to live a lie and wants nothing more than to be happy like her best friend, Jordan, who is overweight but doesn’t let it stop her from being happy. It all comes to a head when a tragedy occurs in Val’s life that forces her to take another look at everything — including herself. It’s a very, very hard read, however, Victoria Ying does a great job of tackling such an important topic with both her words and artwork.

    Eating disorders are so common and yet not talked about nearly enough. There are so many others like Val that need to read a story like this to know they are not alone. And Ying tells this story, one she herself has lived, with such care. It doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities those suffering face. It doesn’t shy away from the pain or the toll such a disorder can take on one’s mental health.

    Overall: Hungry Ghost is a hauntingly beautiful, but painful read. More importantly, though, it’s such an important read.

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    Note: This book is already out. Our review is just late.