Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Nicole

  • Hulu Developing an Adaptation of ‘A Calculated Man’

    Hulu Developing an Adaptation of ‘A Calculated Man’

    The news comes courtesy of Deadline with the outlet revealing the streaming service has put the AfterShock comic into early development. A Calculated Man is a crime story from Paul Tobin (Bunny Mask) and artist Alberto Albuquerque (The Amazing Spider-Man). It follows Jack Beans, an accountant that finds himself living in witness protection after betraying his former employers – the Pinafore crime family. Growing tired of his life in witness protection, Jack tries to reclaim his old life in a story that promises murder, mayhem and mathematics.

    Peter Calloway, who is a co-executive producer on the series, will serve as showrunner. He previously worked on Freeform’s Cloak & Dagger based on the Marvel Comics characters as well as FX’s Legion adaptation. Calloway will also write on the project. He also has a relationship with AfterShock Media having previously worked with them on the title Shadow Doctor.

    It’s not often that a story grabs you by the throat and heart at the same time. A Calculated Man did just that. The moment I read Paul and Alberto’s beautifully bonkers book, I was excited to bring it to the screen. Doing it at Hulu — with their commitment to unflinching, unique stories — is a dream come true.

    Peter Calloway

    A Calculated Man’s first issue will debut on June 15th. The project is still in the very early stages of development at Hulu.

    Source: Deadline

  • Neve Campbell Joins Peacock’s ‘Twisted Metal’ series

    Neve Campbell Joins Peacock’s ‘Twisted Metal’ series

    The news comes courtesy of Deadline, with the outlet reporting that Campbell will join the series as Robin in a recurring role. She joins the previously announced Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz and Thomas Haden Church.

    Twisted Metal hails from Michael Jonathan Smith (Cobra Kai), who serves as the showrunner for the Peacock original. It is based on an original take by Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The series focuses on a motor-mouthed outsider (Mackie) who is offered a chance at a better life if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. With the help of a trigger-happy car thief (Beatriz), he’ll face savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck.

    The Passage director Kitao Sakurai will helm multiple episodes of Twisted Metal.

    The series, which is being developed for Peacock, is based on the highly popular video game franchise of the same name. Twisted Metal is being produced by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, and Universal Television. Also producing the title are Sakurai, Reese, Wernick, Will Arnett, and Marc Forman via their Electric Avenue production company, Jason Spire of Inspire Entertainment, Peter Principato of Artists First, Asad Qizilbash, and Carter Swan from PlayStation Productions, Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios. Smith and Mackie also serve as executive producers.

    Along with having recently returned for Scream 5, Campbell is coming off of Netflix’s adaptation of the Lincoln Lawyer. And while it has yet to be confirmed, the actress is expected to return for Scream 6.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Trailer Pulls in 78 Million Views in 24 Hours

    ‘She-Hulk’ Trailer Pulls in 78 Million Views in 24 Hours

    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law officially debuted its first trailer yesterday and managed to amass an impressive amount of views within its first 24-hours.

    The studio took to Twitter late Thursday night to announce the first trailer pulled in 78 million views within its first 24-hours. The tweet showed She-Hulk holding a cell phone featuring yesterday’s tweet featuring the trailer and release date for the series. The accompanying tweet says, “You REALLY like her when she’s angry! Thanks to our incredible fans for a smashing 78 million #SheHulk trailer views in 24 hours!”

    Since the trailer’s debut yesterday, a fair amount of the conversation regarding She-Hulk has been about the “wonky” CGI when Jennifer Walters transforms into She-Hulk. Of course, with the show not premiering until August, the studio still has plenty of time to get the effects finished in time. It’s (unfortunately) normal for most effects to still be worked on up until the last possible moment. It’s something we see with blockbuster films constantly, and with a series like She-Hulk featuring a CGI character, it’s understanding as to why it wasn’t perfect in the initial trailer.

    She-Hulk hits Disney+ on August 17th.

    Source: Twitter.

  • Kit Harington Joins ’Mary’s Monster’

    Kit Harington Joins ’Mary’s Monster’

    Kit Harington is Mary’s Monster.

    The Game of Thrones alum has joined the cast of Fulwell 73 and Rose Pictures’ Mary’s Monster, a biopic about Mary Shelley. He will join Clara Rugaard (Love Gets a Room), who will play Mary Shelley, while Harington will portray the monster. Also joining the cast are Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (CODA) and Sebastian De Souza (Normal People) who will play Shelley’s husband Percy Bysshe Shelley and the couple’s friend Lord Byron, respectively. 

    “’Mary’s Monster’ is a brilliantly original and fascinating script and I’m relishing the idea of depicting the unique part of The Monster,” Harington said in a statement to the press. “An embodiment of Mary Shelley’s psyche. I’m excited by Farren’svision and passion for the project.”

    The film will be directed by Farren Blackburn who directed episodes of Netflix’s Daredevil and The Defenders. He’s directing from a screenplay by Deborah Baxtrom (Living WithFrankenstein) and Stephen Hallett. Mary’s Monster will go into production in the U.K. later this summer.

    La La Land producer, Marius de Vries, has boarded the project as the executive music producer and an executive producer. While Fulwell 73’s Leo Pearlman and Heather Greenwoodwill produce alongside Rose Picture’s Rose Ganguzza, Max Born, Jake Alden-Falconer and Damon Lane.

    As of this writing a release date has not yet been announced.

    Source: Variety.

  • Marvel Studios Confirms ‘Echo’ Cast

    Marvel Studios Confirms ‘Echo’ Cast

    Production on Marvel Studios’ Echo is currently underway in Atlanta, and in order to announce the new, Marvel Studios has shared a brand-new image from production.

    Along with the image, the studio has announced a slew of cast members set to join Alaqua Cox’s Echo. As previously mentioned, the series will also star Devery Jacobs (ReservationDogs) and Graham Greene. Joining them will be Chaske Spencer (The Twilight Saga), Tantoo Cardinal (Wind River), Cody Lightning (Four Sheets to the Wind), and Zahn McClarnon (Reservation Dogs), who will undoubtedly reprise his role as Maya’s dad, Willie Lopez.

    Fans will surely note that both Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are not listed as being a part of the cast. It is of note that the above cast more than likely only teases a fraction of the show’s cast. And let’s not forget, Marvel Studios never announced D’Onofrio or Cox would return for Hawkeye or Spider-Man: No Way Home, respectively, so it’s entirely possible the rumors of their returns are accurate.

    Echo, a spinoff series from Hawkeye, will see the character forced to face the consequences of her ruthless behavior in New York City. As she tries to face her past, the character will need to reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she plans on moving forward.

    Echo will premiere exclusively on Disney+ sometime in 2023.

  • REVIEW: ‘They Talk’ is Great Until it Forgets What it Wants to Be

    REVIEW: ‘They Talk’ is Great Until it Forgets What it Wants to Be

    There are plenty of indie horror films that hit every year. Some are good. Some are terrible. (Thanks, Heckle and Trip.) Then there are some that are great, until they’re not. They Talk is one of the latter.

    When the movie first starts, They Talk seems promising. It’s well-shot, the story seems intriguing, and it essentially throws viewers directly into the chaos. If only the movie managed to keep it together. It’s frustrating watching They Talk at times because it does have potential. It’s a different type of indie horror film. The acting is shockingly good for such a low-budget title. Heck, even the cinematography and music are enjoyable. And yet, it is as though the film forgets what it wants to be by the end.

    The movie tells the story of Alex Browlin (Jonathan Tufvesson), a sound engineer who accidentally records mysterious voices of those in the afterlife. Despite the voices warning him of imminent and terrifying danger, Alex initially ignores the warnings. When someone from his past suddenly re-emerges, it triggers a chilling paranormal phenomena that leave behind a trail of corpses. It’s clear something has triggered these events, and it’ll be up to Alex to try and figure it out before it’s too late.

    Giorgio Bruno, who has worked on all of nine titles to date, is the director of this film. While Rocco Marra, who has been working since 2001, is the cinematographer. While it’s hard to say whether to not Bruno leaves his mark on this film, as it can be uneven in its direction, Marra does seem to have a clear eye regarding cinematography. The cinematography is often what makes the film work when the dialogue and acting are subpar. The framing work is very good for the most part, as is the saturation. The moments that need to scare? They do because of Marra.

    Unfortunately, though, while They Talk has promising moments – and perhaps even some decent scares – the entire third-act tanks the movie. Nothing else comes to make sense by the end. It’s almost as if the writers forgot what they were attempting to do with the film. It loses focus and tries to be something more only to become like every other indie horror film before it. Overall, for those looking for a good scare, steer clear of this one. Don’t waste the time on a film that doesn’t seem to care about the audiences’ time.

  • Star Wars: The Evolution of the ’Obi-Wan’ Project

    Star Wars: The Evolution of the ’Obi-Wan’ Project

    When Disney acquired Lucasfilm in Oct. 2012 for $4 billion, it was clear the Mouse House had the intent to revamp the franchise. What no one could imagine at the time was how expansive the Star Wars universe would become… on the small screen.

    With The Force Awakens, Lucasfilm looked to kickstart a new story within the beloved franchise by bringing back some of the core cast members of the original trilogy. While the latest trilogy hasn’t necessarily been the rest-received, Lucasfilm has had better luck on the small screen thanks to The Mandalorian. Now, the studio is looking to explore characters we’ve come to know before whether it be through the films or animated series. One of those projects is the long-rumored Obi-Wan, which brings back both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensenfrom the prequel films. As exciting as their returns to the franchise might be, the stars haven’t always had the best reaction to being a part of the Star Wars universe – and rightfully so.

    In a new interview with Vanity Fair, McGregor explains how the poor reception to 1999’s The Phantom Menace affected the cast and crew knowing there were still two more installments ahead. “It was hard because it was such a huge decision to do them, such a big event. It was quite difficult for all of us to deal with that, also knowing you’ve got a couple more to do.”

    For the actor, getting to put Star Wars behind him was exactly what he needed. Then in 2017, he was invited to introduce a film as part of a marathon of every Star Wars film. It was this that essentially reignited his love of the character, so when he was later asked if he would ever return to the role, McGregor’s answer was much different than before. The actor was willing to return, but it wasn’t until Kathleen Kennedy approached him to be sure he truly meant yes that things began to fall into place.

    At the time, the plan was to make Obi-Wan Kenobi a feature film which would’ve been directed by Stephen Daldry(Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close). McGregor was on board to not only star in and produce the project, but after the project morphed into a television series for Disney+, Daldry exited the project which then brought Deborah Chow on board. It was important that the series considered whether or not it wanted to bring back characters from the prequels, which eventually resulted in Chow sitting down with Christensen about reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker. Much like McGregor, Christensen hadn’t had the best experience with the prequels, but Chow assured the actor that the series would “would add a new dimension that could ultimately reframe the way fans look at their classic duel in the original movie.”

    For Christensen, part of the appeal was getting to explore a new layer to his character. “I was originally hired to play a very specific portion of this person’s life. Most of my work was with Anakin. And now I get to come back and explore the character of Darth Vader.”

    Fans will get to see the two characters battle it out once again when Obi-Wan premieres later this month on Disney+.

    Source: Vanity Fair

  • ‘Daria’ Spinoff ‘Jodie’ to Become Animated Film

    ‘Daria’ Spinoff ‘Jodie’ to Become Animated Film

    The previously announced Daria spinoff, Jodie, is now being developed as an animated film.

    The news comes courtesy of Variety, with the outlet confirming the animated film has set its cast. Tracee Ellis Ross, who was previously attached to the television series, will remain on board and voice the title role of Jodie, Daria’s friend from high school. The animated film will follow Jodie as she navigates life after college graduation as she prepares to work as an intern for the prestigious tech firm, Firstfinity.

    Joining Ellis Ross in the film are Pamela Adlon (King of the Hill), Cole Escola (Tuca & Bertie), Jojo T. Gibbs (Good Trouble), William Jackson Harper (The Good Place), Zosia Mamet (The Flight Attendant), Alex Moffat (Ralph Breaks the Internet), Dermot Mulroney (Shameless), Arden Myrin (Insatiable), Kal Penn (House), Kofi Siriboe (Queen Sugar), Dulcé Sloan (The Daily Show), and Heléne Yorke (Masters of Sex).

    Aldon plays Jocelyn Light, Escola plays Ryan, Gibbs plays Tiffany, Jackson Harper will play Mack, Mamet will play Greta, Moffat will play Barry, Mulroney will play Lionel, Myrin will play Britney, Penn will play Sandeep, Siriboe will play Raymond, Sloan will play Cas, and Yorke will play Nia.

    The Daria spinoff was first announced in 2018. At the time, it was thought the project would focus on both Daria and Jodie. A year later, it was confirmed the project would actually serve as a standalone Jodie project with Ellis Ross joining the series. The animated film will be written by Grace Edwards, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Ellis Ross and Ashley Kohler of Awesome Inc. MTV Entertainment Studios, who aired the original series, is also producing.

    Source: Variety.

  • Yasmin Finney Joins ‘Doctor Who’ Series 14 as Rose

    Yasmin Finney Joins ‘Doctor Who’ Series 14 as Rose

    There’s a new Rose aboard the Tardis.

    Heartstoppers breakout, Yasmin Finney, is set to play Rose in Series 14 of Doctor Who. She joins the new Doctor, who will be played by Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa. Also joining the duo are former series stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate. Finney will be one of the first transgender actors to appear in Doctor Who.

    If anyone would have told eight-year-old Yasmin that one day she’d be part of this iconic show, I would have never in a million years believed them,” Finney said in a statement to the press.“This show has a place in so many people’s hearts, so to be seen as a trans actress by the legend himself Russell, has not only made my year, it’s made my life.

    Yasmin Finney

    Series 14 of Doctor Who will see Russell T. Davies take over as showrunner. Davies, of course, helped to bring the show to modern times when he rebooted the beloved series in 2005 with the episode titled “Rose.” Davies exited the series in 2010 following “The End of Time: Part Two,” which is when Steven Moffat took over. Davies will now take over for Chris Chibnall, who helped bring the world the first female Doctor with Jodie Whittaker.

    While it is unknown whether Finney’s character will be a new Rose, or will be a new iteration of the character first portrayed by Billie Piper, Davies doesn’t seem too keen to answer just yet. The showrunner merely teased, “How can there be another Rose?”

    Source: Deadline.

  • Hulu Cancels ’M.O.D.O.K.’ After One Season

    Hulu Cancels ’M.O.D.O.K.’ After One Season

    In unsurprising news, Hulu has opted not to bring M.O.D.O.K.back for another season.

    The news comes courtesy of Variety, with the outlet revealing that the stop-motion animation series has officially been canceled. The series was meant to be part of a series of Marvel animated shows on the streaming series consisting of M.O.D.O.K., Hit Monkey, Tigra and Dazzler, and Howard the Duck. The plan was for these shows to then crossover in an event series titled The Offenders. However, after Marvel Television ended, with Marvel Studios taking over projects on the small screen, those plans were scrapped.

    The 10-episode series focused on M.O.D.O.K. and his pursuit to try and one day conquer the world. However, after years of setbacks and failures, M.O.D.O.K. managed to run A.I.M. into the ground. He was forced to deal with being ousted from A.I.M., while also trying to fix his crumbling marriage and family life. 

    M.O.D.O.K.’s cast consisted of Patton Oswalt, Melissa Fumero, Aimee Garcia, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ben Schwartz, Beck Bennett, Jon Daly and Sam Richardson.Oswalt and Jordan Blum created the series and also served as executive producers on the series. The series was also produced by Jeph Loeb, Brett Cawley, Robert Maitia, Grant Gish, Joe Quesada, and Karim Zreik.

    While M.O.D.O.K. has been confirmed to be canceled, Hit Monkey has not been confirmed to be canceled. However, it is expected that series will also not be coming back for a second outing. An official announcement should be coming soon.

    Source: Variety.