Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Torbjorn Frazier

  • ‘The Wheel of Time’ Wraps Production on Season 2

    ‘The Wheel of Time’ Wraps Production on Season 2

    It was announced today that production on the second season of The Wheel of Time has officially wrapped. The Amazon Prime original was renewed for this second season months before the first season had even been released. However, it ended up being a logical decision based on the generally positive response from audiences towards the fantasy series. As well, there is ample ground for the franchise to cover thanks to the 14-novel series written by Robert Jordan that the series is based upon.

    The first season of the show followed the tale of Moiraine Damodred (portrayed by Rosamund Pike) on her quest to find the Dragon Reborn, who is prophesied to either save the world from the evil that currently consumes it or be the harbinger of its destruction. In addition to Rosamund Pike, the series stars Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins, and Madeline Madden among others. Dónal Finn will be replacing Barney Harris in the role of Mat Cauthon in season two. As well, it was previously announced that Killing Eve’s Ayoola Smart would be joining the cast for the second season. Rafe Judkins serves as the showrunner and executive producer. 

    While it is not officially announced when the second season will air, the first season concluding production in May 2021 could lead to the assumption of a return to a November release for Wheel of Time Season 2.

    Source: Twitter

  • Kathleen Kennedy Discusses Star Wars Hiatus From Theatrical Releases

    Kathleen Kennedy Discusses Star Wars Hiatus From Theatrical Releases

    The Star Wars franchise is in the midst of its relaunch into cultural prominence with the upcoming release of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney Plus the next big step. In an interview with Vanity Fair, President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy discussed the turning point for how the company managed their franchise with a mass hiatus from films in 2019 after the release of The Rise of Skywalker.

    We all recognized, every single one of us, that this was a new chapter for the company and that we needed to all work together to create the architecture for where we were going.

    Kathleen Kennedy

    Before the hiatus, Star Wars was in an era of releasing annual big blockbuster films such as the sequel trilogy in addition to spin-off films Rogue One and Solo. While it was reaping Lucasfilm with some strong financial benefits at the box office, this time served as some of the most critically divisive for the franchise. Kennedy felt that a reset was in order to recalibrate the future of the franchise. In addition to creating a new architecture, a focus on committing to the franchise was firmly established.

    Anyone who comes into the Star Wars universe needs to know that it’s a three-, four-, five-year commitment. That’s what it takes. You can’t step in for a year and shoot something and then walk away…. It requires that kind of nurturing.

    Kathleen Kennedy

    This is certainly in reference to some of the issues pertaining to the sequel trilogy that lacked a singular direction throughout its run in flip-flopping the director chair between JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson. At least on a surface level, it appears Lucasfilm is prepared to learn from past mistakes when it comes to further establishing this universe. With the hiatus past them, it will be a story worth following whether or not this reset ended up being fruitful for the future of the Star Wars franchise.

    Source: Vanity Fair

  • Tom Blyth Cast as Coriolanus Snow in ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

    Tom Blyth Cast as Coriolanus Snow in ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

    In what will serve as a return to the Hunger Games franchise, Tom Blyth has been cast as Coriolanus Snow in the upcoming prequel film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The role of Snow was originally played by Donald Sutherland in the original franchise. Blyth is best known for starring in the Epix’s recent Billy the Kid series as the titular character. Francis Lawrence, who served as director for all three sequel films in the franchise, will be returning to helm this new project.

    The film, based on the prequel novel by author Suzanne Collins, is set to follow the narrative of Coriolanus Snow, the main antagonist of the original Hunger Games novels and film adaptations, as he struggles to navigate the political sphere of Panem and the franchise’s titular competition as a young man. He will be paired with a character named Lucy Gray Baird, a tribute from District 12 as she takes part in the 10th annual Hunger Games.

    When discussing the upcoming film, director Francis Lawrence gave a background into Snow’s character and how they feel Tom Blyth became the ideal choice for the role.

    Coriolanus Snow is many things — a survivor, a loyal friend, a cutthroat, a kid quick to fall in love, and a young man ambitious to his core. Tom’s take on the character showed us all the complex ambiguities of this young man as he transforms into the tyrant he would become.

    Francis Lawrence

    It will be not able to follow if this film helps in elevating their career for Blyth, much like the Hunger Games franchise did for the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth.

    It’s been considered a somewhat confounding decision by author Suzanne Collins to transition the franchise into the point of view of the franchise’s tyrannical antagonist. Though it will certainly be interesting to see what is done to make this a worthwhile endeavor back into the young adult franchise. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is currently scheduled to release on November 17, 2023.


    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Hayden Christensen Teases Darth Vader’s “Personal Mission” in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    Hayden Christensen Teases Darth Vader’s “Personal Mission” in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    The announcement that Hayden Christensen would be reprising his role of Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader) in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series for Disney+ was one of the most surprising in recent memory of the Star Wars universe. While the series will predominantly focus on Ewan McGregor’s reprisal as the titular character, audiences will also get to follow the rise of the most iconic cinematic villains in Darth Vader.

    One of the most compelling elements of returning to Darth Vader at this point in time is connecting the dots between when audiences last saw Christensen as Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith and the cold, calculated antagonist of A New Hope. In an interview on The Cutaway with William Mullally, Hayden Christensen discussed the untapped potential in returning to this specific era of the Star Wars timeline.

    This is sort of a point in the timeline that hasn’t really been explored yet, and I think that the character of Darth Vader is at an interesting point in his life, in terms of what has happened before and where we left him in Episode III

    Hayden Christensen

    As well in the interview, Christensen discussed how he views the character motivations for Skywalker in Obi-Wan Kenobi.

    He’s very much sort of trying to reconcile his past, and hunting down the Jedi… obviously it’s his job and he’s mandated by the Emperor, but it’s more than that. It’s a personal mission for him.

    Hayden Christensen

    This perspective certainly has the ability to make Star Wars fans quite excited for what’s in store for Darth Vader’s arc in the upcoming Disney+ series. As well, the notion of Skywalker hunting the Jedi as a means of getting closure with his past makes the potential of a confrontation with Ewan McGregor’s portrayal as his old master all the more tantalizing. It would be the ultimate showdown between someone trying to eliminate the past and someone trying to bring forth a new future.

    In addition to Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, Obi-Wan Kenobi is set to co-star with an all-star cast of Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr, Sung Kang, Simone Kessell, and Benny Safdie.

    The Deborah Chow-directed series is set to debut on Disney+ on May 27.

    Source: YouTube via Comicbook.com

  • BREAKING: David Tennant and Catherine Tate Returning to ‘Doctor Who’

    BREAKING: David Tennant and Catherine Tate Returning to ‘Doctor Who’

    In what has come as a bit of pleasantly surprising news for Doctor Who fans, it’s officially announced that both David Tennant and Catherine Tate will be returning to their respective roles at the 10th Doctor and Donna Noble. The duo will be filming some type of material to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the classic British television program in 2023.

    While the nature of what this project will entail is currently unknown, it will be done under the direction of Russell T. Davies, who served as showrunner for the series when the two were the leads. Davies is slated to return as the showrunner for the series, who recently announced Ncuti Gatwa as the next Doctor. There were rumors that Tennant may take on the role of the new Doctor, but turns out he was going to return as the 10th.

    Speaking on the announcement of David Tennant and Catherine Tate’s return, Russell T. Davies discussed his excitement about reuniting with the popular duo and teased the mysterious nature of their return.

    They’re back! And it looks impossible – first, we announce a new Doctor, and then an old Doctor, along with the wonderful Donna, what on earth is happening?  Maybe this is a missing story. Or a parallel world. Or a dream, or a trick, or a flashback. The only thing I can confirm is that it’s going to be spectacular, as two of our greatest stars reunite for the battle of a lifetime.

    Russell T. Davies

    David Tennant portrayed the role of the 10th Doctor from 2005 to 2010 (in addition to reprising the role in Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary special in 2013). Catherine Tate appeared throughout the third and fourth series as a primary companion to the 10th Doctor. In their time on screen, they became an extremely popular duo that remains part of a fond era of fans of the show. The news of their return has certainly lit a strong level of excitement for what the Doctor Who franchise has in store for 2023.

    Source: Doctor Who

  • RUMOR: ‘Nova’ Project for Disney+ in Development

    RUMOR: ‘Nova’ Project for Disney+ in Development

    With the long-anticipated news of a project based on Nova being officially announced in March, more updates are starting to arrive about the nature of Marvel Studios’ upcoming franchise. The latest reports are suggesting that Nova will be developed as a series for Disney+. This comes after large amounts of recent speculation based on whether or not Marvel’s Human Rocket would be adapted as a series or as a feature film. Nova is currently being written by Sabir Pirzada, who notably served as a writer for the recently released Moon Knight series.

    Nova would assumedly tell the tale of Richard Rider, a teenager who by random circumstance ends up inheriting the powers and responsibilities of the Nova Prime by Rhomann Dey following the collapse of the planet Xandar. This story fits naturally within the already existing framework of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the destruction of Xandar being an important plot element of Avengers: Infinity War. As well, the role of Rhomann Dey was portrayed by actor John C. Reilly in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film.

    While the extent of official announcements about Nova ends there, rumors from last year suggest a potential 2023 start date for the upcoming Disney+ series. This would mean fans could likely anticipate a 2024 release for the project. It will remain interesting to gather more information about the direction Marvel’s latest cosmic franchise will take in the coming months.

    Source: DisInsider

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Officially Passes $550M in Box Office Revenue

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Officially Passes $550M in Box Office Revenue

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness continues to be the king of the box office in passing $550 million in global revenue in its first nine days. This includes the additional $19.2 million added yesterday globally. The only film this week that has put at least a partial dent in terms of revenue was Universal’s remake of the Stephen King novel Firestarter, which raked in $375,000 in its Thursday previews yesterday.

    Sam Raimi’s return to the superhero genre debuted last weekend to a dominating $185 million globally, and officially became the 11th highest domestic opening of all-time. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has already become the strongest launch of 2022 thus far and is the second biggest opening since the pandemic, only behind the most previous entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

    Some within the industry had questions about the long-term sustainability of this film at the box office, mainly due to the horror elements and how deeply entrenched it is in the lore of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though with it remaining one of the only marquee releases currently, the Benedict Cumberbatch-led sequel has proven any potential doubters wrong with the massive financial success through just over a week. The big questions moving forward will be how long Doctor Strange 2 will hold as the king of the box office.

    There doesn’t appear to be any major blockbusters standing in its way until May 27 with the release of Top Gun: Maverick, followed by Jurassic World Dominion on June 10. With that in mind, one can expect to see Doctor Strange in the Multiverse continue to dominate the box office for the time being on its road to potentially $1 billion globally and being the most financially successful film of the year overall.


    Source: Variety

  • Animated Revival of ‘Married..with Children’ Being Shopped to Networks

    Animated Revival of ‘Married..with Children’ Being Shopped to Networks

    In the era of vintage television programming from the 1990s being revitalized, it appears the next franchise to receive this treatment will be the classic sitcom Married…with Children. However, a notable twist on the format will be that this new series will be animated. All four original leads of the show in Ed O’Neill, Katey Segal, David Faustino, and Christina Applegate are slated to return to lend their voices. The new series is being written by Alex Carter, an executive producer for Family Guy. Industry insiders are reporting there is strong interest from networks and streaming platforms for the rights to this developing project. Three leading contenders for the show are rumored to be Fox, Hulu, and Peacock. Fox would arguably be the most logical option as the network where the original series aired and being home to some of the most prominent adult-oriented animated shows.

    Married…with Children ran from 1987 to 1997 and tells the story of the Bundy family and their common familial blights in Chicago. The classic sitcom has been considered one of the most influential to the genre while airing and is one of the longest running comedy franchises with 11 seasons. As well, it very much helped establish Fox as a mainstay broadcast network while it was still establishing its brand identity. Numerous attempts at reviving the show have been made before, but none have had legs to them due to the busy schedules of the principal leads. Though with the animated format to this new series, it opens the door much more to the likes of O’Neill and Applegate to be available to participate. It will be interesting to follow who picks up this potential series and more on the narrative direction that will be taken for the sequel show.


    Source: Deadline

  • Dan Stevens set to Star in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Sequel

    Dan Stevens set to Star in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Sequel

    It has officially been announced that Dan Stevens is set to star in the upcoming sequel of 2021’s blockbuster film Godzilla vs. Kong. Director Adam Wingard is set to return to direct the follow-up project, marking a reunion between director and actor after working together on The Guest. The 2014 independent thriller gave Stevens and Wingard some of their strongest reviews and put both of them on the board as people who could play roles in more major franchises down the road. The Monsterverse sequel is one of the first major tentpole film roles for Stevens, who has generally been very selective in the roles he accepts. The actor most recently has portrayed John Dean, the Nixon-era White House Counsel, in the series Gaslit on Starz.

    The sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong continues Legendary’s financially successful Monsterverse franchise. The original film released in 2021 was the first film post-pandemic to earn over $100M at the box office domestically and ultimately grossed $468M globally. While minimal details are known about the new film, audiences should certainly anticipate a return of both iconically monstrous figures as they engage in another world-shattering war. Production led by Adam Wingard is set to commence in Australia later this summer. It will certainly be interesting to follow further developments for the Monsterverse as more from this film is announced.

    Godzilla vs. Kong 2 does not yet have a release date, but it is thought to hit theaters sometime in 2024.


    Source: Deadline

  • CW Cancels ‘Legacies’ After Four Seasons

    CW Cancels ‘Legacies’ After Four Seasons

    In what has been a day filled with mass amounts of cancellations from the CW, Legacies has officially become the latest casualty. After four seasons beginning in 2018, the Julie Plec-created series has officially been pulled by the network. The show continued the overarching narrative of the Vampire Diaries franchise while introducing audiences to a new generation of supernatural beings at Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted. With the cancellation of this series, it quietly marks the end of the Vampire Diaries saga as of now, with both the original series and additional spin-off The Originals having come to an end in recent years.

    Even with the end of the series, creator Julie Plec remains fully ensconced in the world of young vampires. She continues to be working on the Vampire Academy series, created by Marguerite MacIntyre and herself, for the Peacock streaming service. As well, she has recently reunited with Vampire Diaries co-creator Kevin Williamson earlier this year to begin development on an additional series for Peacock based around the Death Day film franchise.

    The CW has very much upended its original programming lineup with the cancellations of 4400, Charmed, Dynasty, In the Dark, and Roswell, New Mexico earlier today. As well, the network has officially eliminated a large portion of their shows built around the DC Universe with Naomi being canceled today in conjunction with Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow recently. It certainly begs the question of what the CW has planned moving forward in terms of original programming.


    Source: Variety