Murphy's Multiverse

Category: Features

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    Premiere: May 27, 2022

    Officially announced in August of 2019, the Disney Plus series will see Ewan McGregor return to the role of the wise Jedi Master first played by Sir Alec Guinness in 1977.

    While originally Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed that the scripts for the series have been penned and that production would begin sometime in 2020, McGregor revealed that production on the show would not begin until 2021. Additionally, the series is reportedly being cut down to 4 episodes from the original plan of 6. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the show will end up having a shorter runtime since it’s possible that the story fits four longer episodes better than six shorter ones.

    Deborah Chow, who directed two acclaimed episodes of The Mandalorian, will serve as showrunner for the series which will be set 8 years after the conclusion of Revenge of the Sith. The show is expected to begin production in September of 2021 in southern L.A.

    Late into August 2020 it was confirmed by Corey and Noah over at the Kessel Run Transmissions that Hayden Christensen is indeed returning to the Star Wars universe to play Anakin Skywalker, as well as a few plot points from the show.

    In December 2020 the rumors that Hayden Christensen was to return to the world of Star Wars to play Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader were confirmed at the 2020 Disney Investor Day presentation. As the production start date approached, Indira Varma joined the series in an undisclosed role. In late March 2021, besides the aforementioned Varma, another 9 names were confirmed as being part o the cast, with Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse reprising their roles from the Star Wars Prequels. Rupert Friend was linked with the Grand Inquisitor role in a February 2022 report.

    In early October 2021, it was rumored that the show would be eyeing a May 2022 release. This was later confirmed as Lucasfilm announced the series would start streaming on May 25, 2022, exactly 45 years after the theatrical premiere of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. This was later changed as the series will now be debuting on May 27 with a two-episode premiere.

    Following the release of the series’ teaser trailer, young Luke Skywalker was confirmed to be making an appearance, played by Grant Freely.

    Both the writers and the composer for the show were also announced ahead of its release, with Marvel Studios’ Loki’s Natalie Hold becoming the first woman composer for a live-action Star Wars project.

    Cast

    • Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi / Ben Kenobi
    • Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker
    • Joel Edgerton as Owen Lars
    • Bonnie Piesse as Beru Lars
    • Moses Ingram as Reva Sevander / The Third Sister
    • Indira Varma as Tia
    • Kumail Nanjiani as Haja Estree
    • Rupert Friend as The Grand Inquisitor
    • O’Shea Jackson Jr. in an unknown role
    • Sung Kang as The Fifth Brother
    • Simone Kessell in an unknown role
    • Benny Safdie in Nari
    • Grant Freely as Luke Skywalker
    • Vivien Lyra Blair as Leia Organa
    • Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa
    • Simone Kessell as Breha Organa
    • Tamuera Morrison as a Veteran Clone Trooper
    • Anthony Daniels as C-3PO

    Promotional Material

  • ‘Andor’ (season 1)

    ‘Andor’ (season 1)

    Premiere: September 21, 2022

    Announced in November 2018 this live-action series, set between the events of Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One, will follow Cassian Andor’s early days as a rebel spy.

    After stepping late into production and co-writing Rogue One, Tony Gilroy will return to a Cassian-centered project as both director and writer. Lucasfilm is bringing established writing talent to the show, as shown by the contributions made to the series by Beau Willimon (House of Cards), Stephen Schiff (The Americans), and Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler).

    Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk and Genevieve O’Reilly will all reprise their roles from Rogue One, with a number of new faces joining the cast, being Adria Arjona (True Detective; 6 Underground) the latest name to be confirmed.

    Production is eyeing a November 2020 start, a full three years after the show was initially announced. On September 22, 2020, Tony Gilroy stepped aside as director, being replaced by Toby Haynes (Black Mirror). Later on, in early February 2021, directors Ben Caron and Susanna White were also attached to the show.

    During the Disney Investor Day on December 10, 2020, we got confirmation of a 2022 premiere, as well as some a first sizzle reel. Alan Tudyk was later confirmed to not be appearing in the show as K-2SO. There might be the chance this changes down the line if Cassian ends up being a multiple-season show.

    The loss of a familiar face in K-2SO was compensated by the confirmation that Obi-Wan Kenobi would cameo on the show, with reports coming out that Ahsoka Tano would also make an appearance. It was also announced that Robert Emms (Chernobyl; His Dark Materials) would be making an appearance on the show in an undisclosed role.

    On June 10 2021 it was reported, through different sources, that both Ben Mendelsohn and Forest Whitaker would be returning to the Star Wars universe, reprising their Rogue One: A Star Wars Story characters, Orson Krennic and Saw Gerrera respectively.

    In late September, Diego Luna himself confirmed that production had wrapped by then, and at Disney’s Q4 Investor’s Call on November 10th, 2021, it was revealed that Andor would stream on Disney Plus sometime between July and September of 2022. This was later confirmed with the release of a Vanity Fair feature in May 2022.

    It was during Star Wars Celebration 2022 that it was announced that the show will debut on August 31 2022 with a two-episode premiere.

    According to creator Tony Gilroy, the 12 episodes that make up season one will be divided into blocks of three, with each block representing a year in Cassian’s life. Following the two seasons of the show (8 blocks representing 8 years) the action will reach the events of Rogue One.

    With the release of its final trailer in early August 2022 it was announced that the show would now be premiering on September 21, three weeks after the previous release date, but that audiences would now be getting a three-episode premiere.

    Cast

    • Diego Luna as Cassian Andor
    • Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano
    • Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi / Ben Kenobi*
    • Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic*
    • Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera
    • Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma
    • Stellan Skarsgård as Luthen
    • Denise Gough as Dedra Meero
    • Kyle Soller as Syril Karn
    • Adria Arjona as Bix Caleen
    • Fiona Shaw as Maarva

    (* indicates RUMORED additions to the cast)

    Promotional Material

  • ‘The Bad Batch’ (season 2)

    ‘The Bad Batch’ (season 2)

    Premiere: January 4, 2023

    On August 5, 2021, prior to the two-part finale of season one, it was announced that the series would return for a second season.

    Footage released at Star Wars Celebration in May 2022, and later released online, gave fans their first look at season 2, with the confirmation that the season would premiere on September 28, 2022, coming just a few days after through a Disney+ banner.

    Just weeks ahead of the expected premiere date, it was announced at Lucasfilm’s D23 panel that the show would in fact be released on January 4, 2023, with a two-episode premiere. The entire season will consist of 16 episodes.

    Cast

    • Dee Bradley Baker as Clone Force 99 / The Bad Batch

    Promotional Material

  • ‘The Mandalorian’ (season 3)

    ‘The Mandalorian’ (season 3)

    Premiere: TBD 2023

    Following the massive success of the first two seasons, from which two spin-off series (Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic) initially emerged, season three of the hit Disney+ show was confirmed and is set to be released in late 2022/early 2023. Pedro Pascal, Giancarlo Esposito are both likely to be returning and given how Chapter 16 ended even Katee Sackhoff might reprise the role of Bo-Katan Kryze.

    It was reported that production began in September 2021, possibly hinting at a late 2022 release. Carl Weathers announced he was to return for season 3, with October 13 being his first day on set. The show would begin shooting without leading man Pedro Pascal, as in mid-October he was still being spotted on The Last of Us‘ set.

    While there might still be a possibility that the season might debut in late 2022, it is becoming increasingly likely that Din Djarin and Grogu will only make their return in early 2023. This was later confirmed at Star Wars Celebration 2022.

    A number of announcements regarding the show were made at Star Wars Celebration 2022. From the return of Katee Sackhoff‘s Bo-Katan and Episode IX’s Babu Frik, to director Rick Famuyiwa now being an executive producer on the series, and Bryce Dallas Howard returning to the director’s chair following her work on two episodes from the previous two seasons as well as a stint on The Book of Boba Fett.

    It was also confirmed that Jon Favreau was already working on the scripts for the fourth season of the series.

    Besides being listed as an executive producer on the show, director Rick Famuyiwa is set to direct a couple of episodes of season 3, as confirmed by star Carl Weathers in July 2020. Famuyiwa already directed Chapters 2 (‘The Child’), 6 (‘The Prisoner’), and 15 (‘The Believer’).

    Cast

    • Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin / The Mandalorian
    • Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon
    • Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze
    • Carl Weathers as Greef Karga
    • Emily Swallow as The Armorer
    • Amy Sedaris as Peli Motto
    • *Jim O’Heir in an unknown role

    (* indicates RUMORED additions to the cast)

    Promotional Material

  • ‘Ahsoka’

    ‘Ahsoka’

    Premiere: TBD 2023

    During the Disney Investor Day on December 10, 2020, we got confirmation of an Ahsoka Tano series, after the character made her first live-action appearance on Chapter 13 of The Mandalorian. Rosario Dawson will return to play the former Jedi in a series that will be developed by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

    With the possibility of introducing characters such as Ezra Bridger, Grand Admiral Thrawn, or Sabine Wren still on the horizon, the first major addition to the cast is Hayden Christensen, reprising the role of Anakin Skywalker. Whether he will get to play Anakin before or after his turn to the dark side is yet to be confirmed.

    As of late 2021, the series would reportedly be starting production in the winter of 2021 while eyeing a spring 2023 release.

    Confirming the rumors that the storyline would follow Ahsoka as she met up with Sabine Wren (as seen in the Star Wars Rebels series finale), Natasha Liu Bordizzo was confirmed to be playing the Mandalorian warrior in the series. Besides the potential of being one of the best additions to live-action Star Wars, in line with Ahsoka herself, Sabine’s history also allows her to eventually cross paths with The Mandalorian‘s storyline as she’s closely connected to the Darksaber Din Djarin is seen wielding by the end of season 2.

    In late November 2021, a trade report announced that Ivanna Sakhno had been added to the cast, in an original, as of yet undisclosed, role. In early 2022 Ray Stevenson was confirmed to be playing an antagonist role in the series.

    Following initial reports that the show would start production in late 2021, it was later rumored that it would instead start shooting in April 2022.

    Director Peter Ramsey, of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse fame, was attached to the project in April 2022 with The Mandalorian director Bryce Dallas Howard hinting that she could also be involved with the series.

    Following a Vanity Fair issue devoted to the future of Star Wars, it was confirmed that the series would begin streaming in 2023, following The Mandalorian‘s third season. During Star Wars Celebration 2022 it was confirmed that a least three other Star Wars: Rebels characters, besides Sabine Wren, would be appearing in the show. Footage shown at the event hinted at both Hera Syndulla and Ezra Bridger with C1-10P a.k.a. Chopper going as far as showing up on stage at the Ahsoka panel.

    The show found its Ezra Bridger in September 2022 as Eman Esfandi, through a trade report, was announced as portraying the Force-sensitive former Jedi Padawan in the upcoming series.

    Cast

    • Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano
    • Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren
    • Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader
    • Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger
    • Mary Elizabeth Winstead in an unknown role
    • unknown actor as Hera Syndulla
  • ‘Rangers of The New Republic’

    ‘Rangers of The New Republic’

    Premiere: TBD

    The series was announced on December 10, 2020, during the Disney Investor Day presentation. As with The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, it will be developed by Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. It will be set during the events of both these series, and a major crossover event is scheduled for when its narratives are brought together down the line.

    Following the firing of Gina Carano, the tentative series lead, the show’s future was in limbo, and following a trade report in May 2021, it was learned that five months after its initial announcement the show wasn’t yet in active development. This does mean that it has been canceled, with Lucasfilm perhaps giving themselves a bit more time to figure out what the show will be all about.

  • The Acolyte

    The Acolyte

    Premiere: June 4, 2024

    Variety reported in April 2020 that a new Star Wars live-action series was in development by Emmy-nominated writer Leslye Headland. Headland will serve as showrunner, producer, and writer on the show.

    During the Disney Investor Day on December 10, 2020, we got confirmation of the title of the show, The Acolyte, and that it will be set during the late High Republic era. This could mean that the events of the series might be set a mere 50 years before The Phantom Menace, making it possible for several characters known to be alive at this time to make an appearance.

    Production will be eyeing a February 2022 start, making it a fair assumption to expect a late 2023 release, even if nothing has been officially confirmed on that front. In June 2021 a trade report revealed that writer Matthew Robinson was working on the project as well as the fact that it was eyeing a December 2023 release.

    In a Vanity Fair interview in May 2022, Leslye Headland confirmed a couple of interesting details about the show: It will take inspiration from martial arts films and it will explore the rise of the Sith during the High Republic era.

    Following some speculation in December 2021 regarding Amandla Stenberg joining the show’s cast, there was official confirmation of exactly that on July 2022 with the actress signing on to play an, as of then, undisclosed role. Further names were added to the feature’s cast in September 2022, with Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen and Slim), Lee Jung-Jae (Squid Game), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), and Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll) all signing on.

    Cast

    • Amandla Stenberg as Mae
    • Dafne Keen as Jedi Padawn Jecki Lon
    • Jodie Turner-Smith as Mother Aniseya
    • Lee Jung-Jae as Jedi Master Sol
    • Manny Jacinto as Qimir
    • Charlie Barnett as Jedi Knight Yord Fandar
    • Carrie-Anne Moss as Jedi Master Indara
    • Joonas Suotamo as Jedi Master Kelnacca
    • Dean Charles Chapman as Jedi Master Torbin
    • Rebecca Henderson as Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh
    • Margarita Levieva in an unknown role
  • Disney+ One Year Later: A Desire for Updates

    Disney+ One Year Later: A Desire for Updates

    It is hard to believe that Disney’s streaming service has already been around for over a year. As I live in Europe, we had to wait a bit longer to get our hands on it, but overall, I’ve been enjoying my experience with it. The service is still in its early phases of development. So, it would be unfair to compare it with Amazon Prime or Netflix directly. There are still some aspects I have been thinking about lately that would improve the overall experience, as well as add something unique to Disney+. We already heard the news of it being potentially expanded with R-rated content shortly, so I will not be tackling that here. Here are just some general issues I’ve had and hope to see adapted or added in the future.

     

    Time for a UI-Redesign

    I think the overall user interface is rather bland. It has all the main staples, such as a massive banner on the latest updates and different sections based on your interaction with the app. Of course, one of the earliest selling points were the unique banners highlighting the various major brands ranging from National Geographic, Star Wars to Marvel. Now, it is a great idea in concept, as it allows you to find the type of content you are looking for. Yet, it’s the only thing that stands out for the entire interface. It’s an odd juxtaposition between the vibrant blue of the Disney+ logo and the strangely dark and grey background of the app. I am generally a fan of flatter designs that could add some unique flourishes. Actually, why not just offer different design options to highlight one’s favorite brand. Marvel fans can highlight the films and shows like comic covers. Did you grow up with the Disney channel? Why not offer a design that pays tribute to that?

     

     

    Overall, I think as the subscriber numbers rise, it is time for a redesign. It was smart to make a basic design that people are familiar with so that they can easily find their way around the app. Now, Disney+ needs to stand out among the rest. They can keep the channel concept that was popularized by Netflix and Amazon but try to make it their own. They could make the shows stand out in a unique matter with short animations. Everything is tiny on my television. They have weekly release schedules for their Originals, but no information to showcase that directly in the app. Unlike Netflix, why not showcase upcoming releases so users can bookmark them on the front page. While the current season of The Mandalorian has no breaks, there is no issue but last year’s release did. So, making it easier to see various upcoming additions outside of Social Media for casual viewers could help the experience.

     

    Need for UX-Optimization

    Now that we discussed the visual changes, some usability aspects have been rather frustrating at times. I’ll start with a personal issue I’ve stumbled upon quite often. There is a strange restriction on how I can rewind what I am watching. Instead of selecting a specific time, it seems to allow me to fast-forward or to skip by 10 seconds, but that is it. Now, this could be a restriction by the app on my television but it still at times gets frustrating when it doesn’t remember where I left off. Also, if I select a show that I have currently watched, it jumped directly into the episode. Now, it didn’t remember that I finished it, but if I press to go back into the content-specific menu, I always end up back on the main menu. Now, I have to find the show I was watching to select the correct episode or check how many are potentially left. They don’t take away from the actual content that is offered but hampers the overall experience.

     

     

    My last gripe is connected to various shows that are available. Some shows’ broadcasting schedule did not match the chronological one. It is something that was shared online, especially with shows like Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Its actual pilot was a film that is a separate option. So, if you are jumping into the series for the first time, you don’t realize that you’re missing an essential aspect of it. Marvel Rising consists of multiple short films that are all separately available properties. Instead of just offering them in chronological order, you have to look up a list online to figure out which one is the one you are looking for. This problem isn’t unique to Disney+, as Netflix has a similar approach with the Christmas special of Aggretsuko, which is canon, being a separate entity from the rest.

    I am curious what the future holds for Disney’s first venture into streaming. It isn’t perfect and has some potential to grow, especially if they add more mature content through Disney+ Star. There are other elements I would love to see added, such as a Marvel Cinematic Universe showcase, which could adapt the various films and upcoming original shows in the order of the official timeline. The same would be helpful for the Star Wars franchise, which consists of three unique time periods and may only expand in the future. I’d be happy enough if they give us some options to individualize our set-up. It is family-friendly content, so why not offer some fun before checking out the latest DuckTales reboot?

  • ‘Marvel Disk Wars’: That Time Japan Turned the Avengers Into Pokémon

    ‘Marvel Disk Wars’: That Time Japan Turned the Avengers Into Pokémon

    Sometimes you start going down a strange rabbit hole. You get curious and think to yourself: “I wonder if there is an Avengers anime out there.” At that moment, you remember that they had one focused on Iron Man, Wolverine, the X-Men, and Blade. All of a sudden, you realize there is a strange show called Marvel Disk Wars. So, you start looking up what this could be. What hooks you in isn’t the premise but the odd designs of the characters. Unlike the previously-mentioned shows, this took a much more stylized approach with the iconic Marvel characters. It was a kid’s show with a limited budget that introduced us to a unique take on the Marvel universe. So, let’s jump into the story about how Japan saw a group of heroes and thought about sticking them into tiny collectible disks. What can go wrong?

    The series picks up with a young Akira, who is the son of Dr. Nozomu Akatsuki. His father was developing a device called the Digital Identity Securement Kit alongside Tony Stark. Of course, as is Marvel tradition, it was shortened to D.I.S.K. and was made to keep supervillains trapped within these containment DISKs. On the day of the announcement, Loki had other plans, as his goons the Celebrity Five unleashed a variety of villains, who escaped from the raft through the very DISKs that was supposed to contain them. Everything backfires when our Avengers team gets trapped within their tech, and only those imprinted with a Bio-Code can unleash them again. You might have guessed that Akira would be one to receive this gift. He is joined by his brother Hikaru, a bad boy with a soft heart cliché Chris Taylor, shy Edward Grant, and rich Jessica Shannon. 

     

     

    The series ran for 51 episodes that would feature a variety of villains and heroes from Marvel history. At one point, even Deadpool makes an appearance throwing the entire series into his usual chaos. The show revolves around these DISKs. Once one of our main characters needs a hero, they just throw this device on the floor, and it summons them. Yeah, it sounds a lot like Pokémon but with superheroes. It’s a kids’ show, so the focus is on introducing as many characters as possible so you too can purchase the Abomination DISK. Their designs are unique, so I’d be happy to see them adapted into other media like Marvel’s Avengers.

    Sadly, it also kind of shows in the series’ overall quality. They are dragging out quite a few episodes, especially early on as they introduce the kids. It starts strong with a showcase of various heroes that will appear throughout the show, but it takes a while for them to get the team together. The focus is mainly on the kids, so our favorite Avengers are mere holograms until they are summoned. It’s not a terrible concept, but it does drag on at times that I wasn’t able to force myself to finish the series. Yet, I’ll say it is something entertaining for kids that are into Anime like Digimon or Pokémon, who are also Marvel fans. I’ll say the most memorable aspect is just how handsome Hulk is in this series.

     

  • ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ CHAPTER 13: It truly is all about the journey

    ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ CHAPTER 13: It truly is all about the journey

    The previous twelve chapters of The Mandalorian have made several things clear. From the fact that no character seems to be off-limits (as long as the timeline fits) to how the storylines keep branching out over time. But one of the most obvious ones seems to be how it cherishes a slower pace when the story requires it. Being a TV show that, unlike the movies, has a greatly extended runtime, it makes the most of it in various ways, instead of just doubling-down on the usually fast-paced theatrical experience. We’ve already talked about how the show fights instant gratification, going into how even the most apparently innocuous episodes tend to introduce something of importance down the line. And now Chapter 13 all but spells out how the show’s endgame, one that everybody wanted to figure out right from the start, is being molded by all the twists and turns, the main and side-quests, the major and minor characters we’re meeting along the way.

    Din Djarin’s journey to bring The Child to someone who can care for him gets consistently sidetracked, and, more than that, it does seem to run into a lot of dead ends. One might argue that they could have easily bypassed many of the planets and characters along the way, making for a more streamlined route towards whatever is waiting for them at the end. But besides taking all the fun out of what everybody wants to be a series focusing on the fascinating possibilities the Star Wars universe has to offer, it would make the heart of the show devoid of any real meaning. To put it simply: Din’s constant effort to do what’s best for The Child and the Child’s appreciation and growing affection towards Din is both the path in which the story is finding ways to grow and the show’s endgame intertwined together.

     

     

    When Ahsoka mentions she cannot train The Child it can be something that is justified by her own journey trying to find Thrawn on her way to reaching her long-lost friend Ezra Bridger. But it is also because she understands how much Din Djarin and The Child have grown close to each other, a “strong attachment” as she puts it, and how that changes the way to deal with his future training. She makes it obvious that The Child’s future wouldn’t be the same without Din’s presence, and we’ve noticed how Djarin has grown since Chapter 1 to realize this is something that works both ways. It is at times like these that we are reminded of the quote often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Life is a journey, not a destination.” And The Mandalorian is proving to be just that. It sort of parallels how raising a child sometimes is. Oftentimes you long for a time when you understand each other better when your relationship is a bit more complex, but it’s often in the small moments along the way that true happiness is found and built upon. The Mandalorian has also managed to build upon the small things, making for a more relatable storyline. So being, the adventures these characters have taken us on and the worlds they have taken us to have proven to be such a bright light in the troubled times we live in that no matter how it all ends, that’s what it will be remembered by. The journey itself. Good times!