Murphy's Multiverse

Category: Features

  • 4 Ideas We’d Like to See Explored in ‘Ant-Man 4’

    4 Ideas We’d Like to See Explored in ‘Ant-Man 4’

    Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania may not have been well-received by critics but its strong performance during its opening weekend at the box office likely means it won’t be the last entry in the Ant-Man franchise. The support for Peyton Reed to return for a fourth film seems to be there as well as he and Executive Producer Stephen Broussard have noted that they have already begun thinking about the next film and having discussions with Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige.

    With a fourth film in the franchise unlikely to debut before Avengers: Secret Wars, it’s unlikely Scott’s fixation with Kang the Conqueror will still be unresolved, so what would the focus of the new project be? As always, we have some ideas inspired by the comics!

    Ant-Man, The Wasp and Stinger: Irredeemable

    2015’s Ant-Man set the stage for the plot of a sequel and given it’s yet to be revisited, the fourth film might be the perfect time for a handful of reasons. During the chaos at the Pym Tech HQ near the end of Ant-Man, Martin Donovan’s scumbag Hydra double agent Mitchell Carson stole a vial of Pym Particles and escaped while being chewed up by ants. Carson had been after Hank Pym’s great creation since the late 1980s when the two worked together at S.H.I.E.LD. and he holds quite a grudge against the good Doctor Pym. Bringing back Donovan and allowing him to have his revenge on Pym would make for a great opening act and grant Michael Douglas‘ wish to let Hank die!

    In the comics, Carson has some strong connections to Eric O’Grady, the third Ant-Man. Irredeemable could see Carson team up with O’Grady, another Pym Particle-Powered character, Erik Josten, and mutant loser Whirlwind to take his revenge on Hank and the Ant-Family. The three villains would nicely provide each of the film’s heroes with their own baddie. Scott and Josten, aka Atlas, could kaiju fight around San Francisco; O’Grady’s shady, stalker, perv vibes would put him at odds with Cassie; and Whirlwind, one of Janet van Dyne’s most persistent foes in the comics, could take on Hope. What would that leave for Janet? Revenge on Mitchell Carson who could even come complete with his mangled face as a result of the ant attack at the end of Ant-Man.

    All parties involved have expressed interest in going “smaller” in Ant-Man 4 after taking on Kang and this might be the best bet to make that happen.

    Ant-Man and The Wasp: Avengers Academy

    It would have been awesome to see the Young Avengers come together in an Ant-Man film but since Ant-Man 4 isn’t likely to hit theaters until after Avengers: Secret Wars, those characters will probably assemble on screen before then. That doesn’t mean, however, that Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne can’t mentor a new generation of heroes!

    While the Young Avengers were a group of powered people identified through Project Failsafe to be the next generation of heroes, Avengers Academy assembled a powered group of youngsters in hopes of keeping them from breaking bad. The Academy was led by Hank Pym, Tigra, Hawkeye, Jocasta, Quicksilver, Justice and Speedball with Pym and Tigra really at the forefront. It wouldn’t take a lot of imagination to revamp the roster of instructors and let Scott and Hope take the lead. The group could take on some of Ant-Man and The Wasp’s more proletariat rogues like Whirlwind or Kangaroo or Crossfire or take on something a little more awesome…like the Awesome Android and the Mad Thinker.

    Ant-Man, The Wasp and The West Coast Avengers

    Yes, the people involved in the Ant-Man franchise have expressed their desire for the fourth film to be a smaller film…but that doesn’t mean it can’t have a killer cast. The West Coast Avengers certainly seem to be headed to the MCU so why not let the fourth Ant-Man film be the place where the team assembles.

    Give Scott Hank’s place on the team and assemble Hawkeye, Mockingbird (now that we know she’s in the MCU), Moon Knight, Wonder Man and introduce Tigra and let this be the dumb fun movie of the year. Let Hawkeye use Pym Particles and become Goliath. Put them up against the Grim Reaper (maybe he’ll be introduced in Wonder Man) or the Zodiac…in all their crazy glory. There are so many wild stories waiting to be told in the pages of the West Coast Avengers comics that one must be just right for Ant-Man 4!

    Ant-Man and The Wasp: Vengeance

    This pitch exists for one reason: to introduce Jack of Hearts to the MCU. The film would take on elements of the comics and combine them with Jack of Hearts origins to create an adventure worthy of the Ant-Family and one that would provide Scott with one of his great comic book not-quite-besties.

    Hank Pym knows a lot of smart people, so introducing audiences to another one, Philip Hart, who has sovled the world’s energy crisis with his Zero Fuel wouldn’t be a stretch. When Hart’s invention is perfected and he’s ready to give it away, the criminal organization known as The Corporation steps in killing Philip and exposing his son, Jonathan, to the dangerous fuel and mutating him into the powerful–and dangerous–Jack of Hearts. Hank’s relationship with Philip could be enough to get him killed in the explosion, leaving Scott, Hope, Janet and Cassie on a quest for vengeance parallel with Jack’s. The Corporation is full of all types of terrible goons they could take on and the plot could, as comic book readers know, set the path to the end of Scott Lang’s time in the MCU as well.

  • ‘Quantumania’ Post-Credit Scene Explained

    ‘Quantumania’ Post-Credit Scene Explained

    By now, we all know to stay for dessert when it comes to Marvel movies and that usually means one or two credit scenes, in the middle and at the end. We already covered the mid-credit scene for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantummania, which introduces the Council of Kangs and (potentially) 6 Variants of the Conqueror that will play a primary role in other Phase 5 releases. You have a version of Kang that looks like a Skrull, a version of Kang in Red that could be Scarlet Centurion, a version of Kang that could be the new owner of Avengers Towers Mr. Gryphon, and then the big 3 Kangs in Rama Tut, Immortus, and one who may be either Iron Lad or the Silver Centurion. There is one Variant conspicuously absent from the Council, and it’s here we see in the end credit scene. 

    In the post-credit scene, we arrive in a small town for what really looks like an expo of some kind put together by a man named Victor Timely. Victor Timely bears a striking resemblance to Kang The Conqueror, and a bunch of the variants that have descended upon the coliseum in the mid-credits scene, so we have now met ANOTHER Kang Variant. Now, Loki is terrified to see Kang’s Victor Variant, whereas Mobius doesn’t seem to understand the worry. If you look closely around Timely’s stage, you see a very weathered-looking version of the core used to power the Conqueror’s Time Chair in Ant-Man, which begs a lot of questions about exactly how we are going to get to the Kang Dynasty. 

    The MCU was smart to connect the Conqueror to an original Avenger in the Wasp and a new Avenger Ant-Man, as it personalizes the fight ahead. Likewise, having Loki meet He Who Remains and having him be the one to encounter Victor Timely does the same. However, what if Timely’s not here to highlight a connection to Loki, but to Marvel’s first family and the original Iron Man? 

    Timely is an inventor in the MCU, that much we know, and in the comics, he is the inventor responsible for the original Human Torch. If you go back to Captain America: The First Avenger, you see Horton’s Human Torch at the Stark Expo that Howard Stark is putting together.

    Also, introducing Timely now could mean that Howard Stark knew Timely and that Timely befriended Stark because he knew that it was Howard’s son whose technology would one day be needed to stop the other Kangs. Whereas the Conqueror says that he saw that the timeline was broken and he set to correct the mistakes the Council made, Timely may have decided he wanted nothing to do with the Council and just wanted to improve mankind. 

    Or, like in the comics, he’s just hiding and biding his time before he can return to destroy the Avengers. 

  • ‘Quantumania’ Mid-Credit Scene Explained

    ‘Quantumania’ Mid-Credit Scene Explained

    Season 1 of Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Loki made it clear that the future of the MCU was going to be full of Kangs. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania introduced one of the most menacing Variants of the character in Kang the Conqueror but the savvy fans who stuck around while the credits rolled got more Kang for their buck. Nothing but spoilers to follow…

    The mid-credit scene of Quantumania took a turn for the weird and introduced fans to an arena full of Variants of Kang. As wild as it seems on screen, the idea of a Council of Kangs was ripped right from the pages of Marvel Comics. There have been a few iterations of the Council of Kangs in the comics and this one feels like a bit of an amalgamation of them all in that it is apparently filled with actual Kangs (not fake Kangs) from different timelines throughout the Multiverse. Though it may well be more similar to the Kang Collective in its composition, we’ll keep calling it the Council of Cross-Time Kangs for now and wait for Marvel Studios to give further details. Whatever the name, this horde of Kangs is coming together for a “code red” situation involving one of their own. While the short scene doesn’t really give enough context as to what exactly the body is all about, there are at least a few identifiable Kang Variants in the group who may provide some hints of what to expect over the course of the Multiverse Saga.

    Rama-Tut

    In the comics, the Rama-Tut Variant comes from a reality in which a young Kang uses a time machine to travel back to Ancient Egypt. Shortly after arriving, Kang conquers the people of the time and installs himself as their Pharoah, Rama-Tut. In the MCU, placing a Variant in Ancient Egypt provides potential for a tie-in to the mythology established in Moon Knight. It also opens the door for the Variant to come across a character that Marvel Studios should be eager to work into the MCU sooner rather than later to wash away the horrid depiction of him done by fox: En Sabah Nur. The two have a fascinating history in the comics that involved Nur being enslaved by Rama-Tut and then being shot and left for dead. Of course, Nur is better known as one of Marvel’s most powerful mutants, Apocalypse, so there’s some interesting potential for this story to evolve in the Multiverse Saga.

    Immortus

    Another easily identifiable Variant of Kang is Immortus. The simplest description is that Immortus is a Variant of the Variant known as Rama-Tut. In one timeline, Kang abandoned his station as Rama-Tut, traveled to the 40th century and attempted to master both time and the realm of Limbo. From his place outside time, Immortus attempted to manipulate all timelines and realities so that only his Variant could end up ascending to become…him. Ultimately, Immortus felt he became a tool of the Time Keepers (who were seen in Loki) and another Variant emerged to make sure he didn’t follow that path. While you probably can’t trust a Kang, this Variant of the character is the most manipulative and untrustworthy of them all and is sure to cause a problem for the other members of the Council at some point..

    While there are certainly other Kangs present (A Skrull Kang, one that may be Mr. Gryphon and one that may be Scarlet Centurion), these two are the ones most likely to get up to no good…along with the other Variant of Kang who didn’t join the council and looks primed to appear in Season 2 of Loki.

  • All Roads LED Here: Marvel’s Future with Stagecraft May End

    All Roads LED Here: Marvel’s Future with Stagecraft May End

    If there ever was a piece of technology that went from being “the future” to having the Internet complain about it ruining experiences, it would be Stagecraft. The technology is quite simple, as it makes use of LED screens and pre-rendered elements to give actors something to act from. The Mandalorian popularized it and it became a useful tool during COVID and put Industrial Light & Magic on the map for many productions.

    Cinematographer Greig Fraser has been a strong proponent against the use of greenscreen (but still uses them heavily for some of his biggest projects under new names like “Sand Screens” in Dune) and was one of the first to push the technology forward. He went on to make good use of the Stagecraft in The Batman after pioneering it for The Mandalorian. Still, even that great film couldn’t avoid some people feeling it was a little flat in its design give or take.

    As its use went on, that complaint started to pick up more and more speed. It got to a point where the main criticism was that this technology creates a lifeless experience and truly only creates something that is “too polished.” Not really great for every project already filming at the time as its criticism took centerstage. Marvel went all in with projects potentially making good use of it, Thor: Love and Thunder, the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and the just-released Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

    Marvel is already constantly under a magnifying glass for its use of a green screen and CG over the years. Especially once the pandemic hit, it felt like a free-for-all on what problems one can find and focus primarily on the few times it just wasn’t 100% right. So, the use of a technology that is already at a stage of heavy criticism during a time when filmmaking was at its most difficult was going to face some new challenges.

    Thor: Love and Thunder was the first to release that technology and the criticism of flat backgrounds has returned. Many discussions online were questioning what was the cause: bad lighting or just generally if the technology is too early for the big screen given how limited it is in scope. Its use, however, was highly praised by those working on the projects in how they combined real set pieces with the technology giving them more flexibility.

    It’s a strange fight, as there’s an expectation that “shot on set is always better,” which is definitely the case given its tangibility, but also downplays the value of this technology and its use. We want to move away from greenscreen but also push away any alternatives, especially for projects like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania that explore a completely foreign world. Director Peyton Reed has experience working with the tech and likely was excited to return to its use.

    The film also received similar criticism due to the technology and the usual CG comments that have dominated Marvel discourse for quite some time now. It starts blending together where it’s difficult to truly tell if it’s Stagecraft or the CG that makes it difficult as a topic overall. Though some have also praised the CG and Quantumania‘s very mixed reception creates a difficult point of discourse. Yahoo’s review of the film just called it “almost wholly on green screens” which just completely sidelines the tech while, for example, CNet‘s just generally praises the world created.

    CG is a sour topic and Marvel became quite the focus given its size and popularity. Post-Endgame, there’s also a big “it’s not like it used to be” mentality that has just been pushed forward by the pandemic’s restrictions on the industry. A film like Quantumania also will rely more on CG given that it takes place fully in a non-realistic world and given its design choices, it wanted to be as wacky as possible; something praised and loathed from one review to the next.

    We know that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was initially announced to use the technology; another franchise that makes a lot of use of greenscreens and sets given its space-focused storyline. Yet, James Gunn seemingly decided against its use due to it not being able to bring his vision to life for the final film in his trilogy. So, he would’ve used it if it were fitting for what he was trying to accomplish.

    By all accounts, that would seemingly be the end of its use with this week’s release of Quantumania. Yet, there is one more hint that exists for use on The Marvels. Sadly, it’s just a very unreliable source in the form of IMDb. The upcoming Captain Marvel sequel includes credits for Stagecraft artists Robb Gardner, supervisor Christopher Django Johnston, and more. The only thing is, there’s no real official announcement about the use of the technology.

    So far, we haven’t had any official announcements for future projects and it almost seems like they won’t be focusing their use on the technology moving forward. Select projects like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever did not make use of the tech. So, they aren’t forcing it into every project and there’s definitely a surprising silence on its future use after heavy promotion for Quantumania.

    At this rate, it does seem like they aren’t going to rely too heavily on it anymore. It should also be noted that all productions released this year used the technology in 2021 while COVID was still at a high point. Thor: Love and Thunder was produced in 2020 when it was even unpredictable, which makes the expectation of its necessity higher. Yet, we’re about to enter a very different era for Marvel Studios’ productions.

    It should be noted that non of the 2024 releases have even started filming just yet. In a way, we’re returning to some normalcy and their usual production schedule from before the pandemic moving forward. There hasn’t been a single production in 2022, which is curious and perhaps a showcase of rearranging pieces around the board. Quantumania was originally the ending of Phase 4 and the reception seems to hgihlight that.

    Stagecraft might still get used but we shouldn’t expect any major promotions of its use for future titles. It probably will only be a sparing addition to production if there ever is truly a necessity given whatever the production is working on. Perhaps this year will signal the final “COVID era productions” from Marvel Studios with a potential new future going into the next year. Phase 5 may have not kicked off how some wanted, but it doesn’t mean Marvel is truly over, it may just be getting started once again.

    Source: YouTube, GameRant, IndieWire, DisInsider, Movieweb, IndieWire, Total Film, IMDb, ILM

  • Revisiting Superior Iron Man

    Revisiting Superior Iron Man

    As Marvel Studios has grown into one of the most consistently successful production entities in Hollywood, the value of information about the studio’s upcoming projects has spawned an industry of its own. No other IP has the cachet of Marvel Studios IPs and those with information on those projects–the scoopers, leakers, insiders and influencers–have a major impact on how a small fraction of the audience perceives upcoming projects. If we’ve learned anything from WandaVision, it’s that Marvel Studios’ fanbase has a bit of an issue separating speculation from rumors and separating legitimate rumors from gobbledygook and no one example better illuminated that than a flatly false rumor that lingered around the direct follow-up to WandaVision: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    One year ago today, Marvel Studios released the official trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness just ahead of Super Bowl LVI. Partly because of Marvel Studios’ overly intense secrecy and partly because of a new creative team taking over the film late in the game, an unusually high number of rumors sprang up around the film, most of which came from a new wave of “insiders” who hadn’t established any sort of track record in regards to being an accurate, trustworthy source of information. However, what was true then and is more true now is that a track record of accuracy isn’t necessary for “inside information” to gain traction online. Fans want to hear what they want to hear and if the “inside information” checks off a few boxes, it spreads like wildfire.

    And so, the legend of Tom Cruise‘s Superior Iron Man was born. It’s not worth tracking down where the rumor began much less digging into how it was ever able to cross over from the small fraction of fans who typically follow the rumor mill so closely into mainstream media; it happened and fans wanted to believe it so desperately that when the Super Bowl trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness debuted, thousands of fans took to Twitter to proclaim that the screenshot of Lashana Lynch‘s alternate universe Captain Marvel seen below was in fact Cruise‘s Superior Iron Man.

    Even as higher-resolution screenshots from the trailer emerged, fans held strongly to their beliefs that they were seeing Marvel Studios debut Tom Cruise‘s MCU character in a trailer. Fans held so strongly to this belief, which was strongly stoked online by insiders old and new, that when the movie debuted and Cruise wasn’t in it, they were furious and shocked that they had been misled despite all the evidence they needed to know Cruise wasn’t in the film was quite literally right in front of them. Some convinced themselves that the actor filmed scenes for the movie but that Marvel Studios ultimately chose to cut them.

    After the fact, Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron explained that not only did the studio not cut footage of Cruise from the film but that there never was any footage because Cruise was, as anyone with access to the internet could have known, busy shooting back-to-back Mission: Impossible films. Though Waldron admitted he thought the idea would have been pretty cool because Cruise was offered the role of Tony Stark in 2008’s Iron Man before declining, it never progressed past the idea stage. Interestingly enough, rumors of a Superior Iron Man appearing in Avengers: Secret Wars (which doesn’t even begin filming for at least another 18 months) have already begun popping up online and you can bet it won’t be long before Cruise’s name gets associated with them again and fans take the bait…again.

  • 5 Asian Superheroes We’d Like to See in ‘Shang-Chi 2’

    5 Asian Superheroes We’d Like to See in ‘Shang-Chi 2’

    A new rumor made the shocking claim that the as-yet untitled sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will introduce a new wave of Asian superheroes into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With so many options from which to choose, we thought we’d narrow it down a bit. Here are 5 Asian heroes from the pages of Marvel Comics that we’d like to see in the Shang-Chi sequel.

    Amadeus Cho

    The time might finally be right for Amadeus Cho to make his entrance into the MCU. His mother, Helen, appeared in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, and fans of Amadeus have been waiting for him to follow her since. The current “present day” of the MCU seems to have moved as far along as 2026 and the Shang-Chi sequel is at least a couple of years away, which could provide enough time for Helen to have had Amadeus, and his twin sister Maddy, and for them to have aged up to 12 or so by the time the film hits theaters. That’s not too far off from the age the characters were when they first appeared in the comics and assuming there isn’t another time jump coming that we don’t know about yet.

    Why would Marvel Studios introduce a pre-teen/teen hero into the MCU? Other than the fact that he’s one of the 10 smartest people in the world (he was listed as the 7th smartest when he first appeared) and is essentially a walking hypercomputer and a brilliant strategist. If, as the new rumor also suggests, time travel is involved, Cho would be uniquely positioned to help the heroes quickly calculate when and where they need to be.

    Additionally, the time is right for Cho to make his debut because it seems the MCU is setting the stage for a pair of stories that Cho was part of in the comics. The rumored World War Hulk project could include Cho as he played a big role in it in the comics. Cho also developed a close relationship with Hercules, who was recently introduced into the MCU. It’s certainly not “now or never” for Cho but now is as good of a time as any.

    Lin Lie

    Shang-Chi introduced the quasi-mystical dimension of Ta Lo to the MCU and, with it, the idea that there is a rich and hidden history of magic, both good and evil, that could be explored down the line. Other dimensions and hidden cities like Ta Lo exist and so too do other ancient evils like the Dweller in Darkness. The MCU is also starting to find itself populated with mysterious and powerful artifacts that when wielded by the right person are capable of incredible things. If Marvel Studios wanted to add another character to their roster of heroes that checks off a couple of those boxes, Lin Lie should be near the top of their list.

    Lin is the descendant of Fu Xi, a legendary Chinese hero who created a powerful sword which held defeat and imprison the God of War, Chiyou, and his demon horde. Lin inherited the sword in modern day just as Chiyou’s spirit was released from it’s prison. Lin took on the name Sword Master for a time before becoming the Immortal Weapon known as the Iron Fist.

    Lin Lie has always felt like a character who was designed with an MCU future in mind. The Sword of Fu Xi could join the Ten Rings and the bangle of Kamala Khan as artifacts of ancient and alien origin that seem to be a major part of the coming battle against Kang. Additionally, the Shang-Chi sequel, like its predecessor, is rumored to feature some mystical, magical madness. It wouldn’t be a stretch for the film to take another trip back in time and introduce another ancient evil…and who knows, maybe a Kang Variant played a role in the forging of Sword Master’s sword.

    Mr. Lao

    If you hadn’t caught on yet, the inclusion of Mr. Lao probably gives away the team we’re hoping is assembled in Shang-Chi 2: the Agents of Atlas.

    The Atlas Foundation fits nicely into the Multiverse Saga and into a time travel film because of its ancient origins. In fact, the MCU origins of Atlas Foundation could easily be reconned to have connections to a Kang Variant. Either way, the Foundation’s long history with advanced weapons and mysticism could make them a formidable ally in the fight against Kang.

    Mr. Lao, a human who was transformed into a Lung Dragon, could serve nicely as the expository device for the Atlas Foundation’s long history while recruiting Shang-Chi and the other heroes to his cause as Agents of Atlas.

    Wave

    A relatively new hero from the pages of Marvel Comics, the Filipino hero Pearl Pangan would give the team an elemental powerhouse. Pearl gained the power of hydrokinesis after a run of the mill Marvel science accident. As the hero Wave, she stood tall as an Agent of Atlas during Malekith’s invasion of Earth in the War of the Realms event.

    The addition of Wave to the roster would not only give the team a truly superpowered member but also introduce the MCU’s first Filipino superhero.

    White Fox

    The South Korean superhero Ami Han is about as good of a fit as anyone for the world of mysticism first seen in Shang -Chi. Han is a member of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service and of their superhuman response team, Tiger Division.

    A formidable hand-to-hand combatant and high-level intelligence agent, Ham would serve the team with those skills alone. However, it’s her identity as a shape shifting Kumiho and the rare power set that comes with it that ties into the mystical world of Ta Lo and other like it.

    Kumiho are the nine-tailed foxes of legend who seduce and kill mortal men. Han is the last known Kumiho in existence in the comics. Han’s mesmerism and energy absorption would provide the Agents of Atlas unrivaled powers against their potential foes.

    After being introduced in 2006, the Agents of Atlas were reconfigured in the comics recently as a collective of heroes from across Asia. If Shang-Chi 2 is truly looking to add more Asian heroes (and it wouldn’t take inside information to imagine it might), the new version of the Agents of Atlas is a ready-made solution. While we only chose 5, there are plenty of other options, including others who serve as agents of the Atlas Foundation in the comics already. And of course, should Shang-Chi 2 be introducing the time, Randall Park‘s Jimmy Woo should get his time to shine as the rightful khan of the organization.

  • Connecting Imaginary Dots: When to Expect ‘One Piece’s Promotion

    Connecting Imaginary Dots: When to Expect ‘One Piece’s Promotion

    A new rumor has hit the web, hinting that Netflix’s upcoming live-action adaptation of One Piece may not release until August 31st. The news dropped just a week after we got our first official look at the adaptation, which gave us a simple tease of the main cast from behind; a perfect way to hint at what’s to come. The biggest confirmation from the first look was also the fact that we’ll be getting the series at some point in 2023. Now, with a new rumor hinting at when it might release, maybe some old releases may help point to when we can expect more news throughout the years.

    Cowboy Bebop’s Rush

    At first, the closest comparison would be the live-action anime adaptation from 2021, Cowboy Bebop. Yet, that series actually raised some concern about how exactly Netflix would try to market the series, as its entire marketing runtime started with the first look on August 23rd. Not just that, they showed the cast in a simple set photo and already confirmed the release date of November 19th. We didn’t get an actual poster until September 24th alongside the remade opening for Geeked Week of that year.

    Our first actual footage of the show arrived on October 19th with the “Lost Session” teaser. In retrospect, it was a great little teaser that was closer to what Cowboy Bebop feels like than the actual show itself, which had a much slower pace in comparison. Ironically, we still wouldn’t get an actual trailer of the show until October 27th; only 21 days before the actual release.

    Given we got the first poster before even a cast image, it seems like One Piece is getting more attention than the previous Tomorrow Studio collaboration. Given it was only truly promoted for less than three full months, it almost seems like Netflix was desperately trying to hide the show and it never got a chance ahead of its cancelation on December 9th.

    The Sandman’s Drag-Out

    So, there’s another major release and adaptation that may offer a hint at how we can expect the release window for the future. Taking a glance at The Sandman, however, it seems like some marketing ploys can even drag out a bit longer than one might expect. We got our first look at the adaptation back in 2021; September 25th to be exact with a variety of character posters and first footage as part of Geeked Week of that year.

    Yet, we wouldn’t really get anything else out of the series until a new key art poster was released on June 6th that confirmed a release on August 5th. We also got a few new character posters. So, we got the exact release date around two months ahead of its premiere with the trailer following on July 24th. So, Netflix once again held onto that full look at the series until the last possible second even as we already got footage the year before.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83ClbRPRDXU

    Netflix really likes to keep a more intense promotional window for a series shortly before its release. There are some similarities with One Piece given that we got some behind-the-scenes footage for the new series during Geeked Week on June 6th, 2022. So, the early showcase isn’t too different but this time we had to wait half a year before we got any key art for the adaptation.

    Wednesday’s Balance

    The Sandman isn’t the only major 2022 release, as we also have the massive success of The Addam’s Family remake focusing on Wednesday Addams. Ironically, Wednesday has the perfect balance between the two with a shorter promotional window but adding quite a few smaller snippets to promote the adaptation before we get our first actual teaser or trailer.

    Back in May of this year, we got a poster for the series hinting at a Fall 2022 release that gave us a tease of what to expect with a caricature of Wednesday Addams. That was swiftly followed by a teaser on June 1st giving us our first look at Thing before Jenna Ortega was unveiled just five days later. It was our first look at the series and was given quite the highlight during Geeked Week with a still image and small teaser video. We would have to wait until August 17th before we got a teaser trailer.

    The fact that we had a trailer without a specific release window is quite curious as we wouldn’t find out its release date was November 23rd with the second poster that was released on September 23rd. So, the two-month window is still there for the release date but this time we saw footage around three months before. This time around we didn’t get any character posters until November 2nd though, as the focus was mainly on Wednesday; it’s titled after her.

    It’s no surprise that the series would go on to break viewership records, as the series had the most stretched-out advertising campaign with a steady build-up towards its release and giving viewers a bit more time to build up interest in its release. It’s curious how that release date confirmation is always around two months ahead of its release and something that Cowboy Bebop surprisingly unveiled the earliest out of all projects with the shortest marketing campaign.

    One Piece’s Potential

    So, we have very distinct pieces of a puzzle to potentially connect when we may expect a release for One Piece. As it stands now, we only know that the series will “set sail in 2023” and we got not one but two key visuals for the live-action adaptation. There is one similarity with The Sandman stretch-out as we got a first tease all the way back in 2022 just as they were filming the project, but it wasn’t as extensive.

    Of course, any of this is just speculation based on behavior partners on how Netflix promotes its series. There’s a lot of optimism if a series is given time to breathe ahead of its release, as rushing it out and not giving anyone time to really take it all in like with Cowboy Bebop just dooms a project from the get-go. It’s why many movie trailers drop six months in advance and we don’t hear anything until we’re actually closing in on the release date.

    The best comparison is likely Wednesday with the teaser poster releasing early and no confirmed release date. While it would’ve been nice to get a “Summer 2023” inclusion, it does seem that Netflix wants to keep some flexibility on when exactly it’ll drop but with the rumored release date, we may have some potential wiggle room on when we could expect something.

    There is one major anchor that gives us some orientation on when we can expect a major drop for the series and that is Geeked Week. It has taken place at the beginning of June 2021 and 2022. So, it may be safe to assume it’ll once again take place around that same time window and Netflix will definitely want to promote one of its biggest releases during that event.

    Wednesday had the benefit of having its first poster drop around the time Geeked Week took place, so for that time window we’d have to consider the time window is a bit longer but not as out-there as The Sandman was. Still, it makes it challenging to figure out just how much they’ll plan around that event and try to keep everything for the “big reveal” during Geeked Week or not.

    Potential Marketing Roadmap

    So, after all that deduction: here’s a potential timeline based on previous projects on when we might expect teases to promote the One Piece series:

    • January – Teaser Poster & Key Art
    • April/May – New Poster, First Full Look at Cast
    • June – First Trailer and Release Date (Geeked Week 2023)
    • July – Second Trailer, Character Posters
    • August – Release on Netflix

    It’s a very rough estimate but it’s hard to say if we’ll see anything before May, even if it would be great to drip-feed at least something. Still, an optimistic look would be to see a photo of the cast in their outfits around April, as they start promoting the series through a variety of interviews with showrunners, and the cast. Perhaps we’ll even have a statement from Eiichiro Oda; whose support may push this series into the spotlight it needs. The time window would also match the two-month wait between Geeked week and the first trailer. Still, it doesn’t seem likely we’ll get any real information for a few months given there’s no time window included with the posters.

    Where the optimism comes in is the expectation to really see the ball rolling as of May with something new hitting every month if they truly are going for that 31st August release date. A series based on pirates is perfect for a summer release and with their two-month rule, we’ll likely see a trailer around June. What is in June? Geeked Week, of course, if they remain consistent with the last few years. So, we may get a poster either shortly before to promote its appearance or worst case alongside the trailer.

    If we get any tease for One Piece in June, we can safely bet on an August release. Netflix really likes building around that event and it would seem fitting if they get their own segment and plenty of promotion. Wednesday‘s success may also play a factor in their hopes to replicate that same momentum to break more records with a series that is based on the most popular manga.

    Of course, this isn’t something one should take as a definite time window, as anything related to the project could shift any of these predictions. They are mainly based on what has come in the past and how Netflix seemingly operates with its biggest releases. One thing is certain: this isn’t another rushed drop like with Cowboy Bebop and Netflix may be wanting to make this as big as they can to ensure its success to establish the next Stranger Things level series.

    Source: IGN, Den of Geek, Comic Book Movie, The Illuminerdi, Deadline, Twitter, ScreenRant, PureWow, Netflix, YouTube

  • ‘One Piece’s Sandal Debate & the Live-Action Adaptation Rabbit Hole

    ‘One Piece’s Sandal Debate & the Live-Action Adaptation Rabbit Hole

    It’s nothing new that any live-action adaptation of anything has drama surrounding it, but there’s something “special” about the discourse of a manga or anime being brought to the West. We’ve long lived in an era where adaptations have been a pipedream as in the early days of Hollywood they’d simply adapt something for the sake of its popularity, such was the case with Avatar: The Last Airbender or Dragonball Evolution. Those involved seem to have a surface-level understanding of the property and simply rushed out a product that doesn’t reflect the thing most of us grew up with.

    Netflix hasn’t been that innocent either with their very Americanized Death Note and the recent Cowboy Bebop adaptation, which tried to take an existing property to create something a little more streamlined. Even the anime’s creator, Shinichiro Watanabe, openly spoke out about it was “clearly not Cowboy Bebop” due to a lack of involvement with the project. Even with the existence of actual good adaptations like Alita: Battle Angel, the Rurouni Kenshin movies, Blade of the Immortal, Speed Racer, and others, we still tend to hold on to that Dragonball Evolution comparison even to this day.

    The sad thing is that this focus kind of develops this overall negativity surrounding any discourse. Projects are “dead on arrival” long before we’ve seen anything that actually gives us a good feeling of what exactly we can expect from an adaptation. The same has now happened with the One Piece series with the first look at the Straw Hat crew. We’ve seen a variety of reactions as while there’s a good positive surrounding it, there are also quite a few reactions focusing on some curious details.

    The biggest may be the fact that Monkey D. Luffy, played by Inaki Godoy, does not wear his usual sandals but rather has shoes. Surprisingly no one has pointed out that Nami isn’t wearing her usual high-heels but the debate is if the sandals are a “must” for the character’s carefree attitude. Nami actress Emily Rudd even had to publicly point out that sandals aren’t safe for bringing the stunts to life, especially as they tried to do their own stunts throughout production.

    It’s understandable that people are protective of projects they love, especially something that has been running for 25 years. Yet, the main focus has been on the entire project falling apart and being terrible due to Luffy not wearing sandals. This “Sandalgate” sadly generally reflects a discourse on how the Internet generally handles any live-action adaptations nowadays. In the era of The Last of Us, Marvel films, and so much more, we have gotten quite spoiled by what is and isn’t possible.

    Yet, we see a lot of discourse of the most minute details as a “make or break” for any project. Moon Knight was highly discussed because it wasn’t “comic-accurate” enough but may be one of Marvel’s most diverse characters with a long history behind it. Even Thunderbolts are currently being scrutinized based on who is part of the team and we haven’t seen any footage of it so far. In the digital era, we have access to so much information that it also becomes a challenge to be part of the discourse.

    It’s also a showcase of how often certain groups reflect the same talking points. The Last of Us is praised for recreating specific shots but also dragged down for an episode that takes a character in a new direction, even going as far as having it review-bombed to make a point. Even with the creator’s strong involvement, it’s not something people focus on as we work with what we get. We create content and reactions to be part of the discourse, which subsequently leads to repetition.

    Luffy wearing shoes instead of sandals is sadly a strong reflection of that very discourse. In the end, it has no bearing on the quality of this series and serves a practical purpose. We know that live-action adaptations have to make changes due to the fact of it having real people involved, a different structure, and a media format to work with. To some degree, it feels like people want to be mad about something and don’t have a lot to go off from.

    At this point, it sometimes feels like people want to be upset. To some degree, it’s understandable, as most experiences people have had with live-action adaptations of anime and manga haven’t been the greatest. It also involving Netflix adds to that very concern. So, no matter the quality of the show, the online discourse is very likely going to be a nightmare; something Marvel fans might be familiar with given how each project ends up being discussed. We don’t know if it’s going to be good, especially not going off of a poster alone.

    It becomes even more depressing once you enter the discussion points surrounding Nami, who proclaim that she doesn’t “match Eiichiro Oda‘s original vision” given she doesn’t share the same body type as Who Framed Roger Rabbit‘s Jessica Rabbit. Not only is it an impossible standard to set but given Oda‘s heavy involvement, it creates a similar discourse like how people co-opt Stan Lee to reflect how they personally feel about whatever Marvel Studios is doing they don’t like.

    We’re sadly not learning our lessons but continuing to fall down a deeper rabbit hole. Based on a poster, we have no idea how One Piece will turn out. Some will be more optimistic than others, but there’s a certain level where the discourse becomes absurd. Is it a shame that Luffy doesn’t have his sandals? Yes, but we don’t know if there are scenes where he might still have them on but don’t involve any action.

    Even Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop fell victim to it due to the oversaturated reactions regarding Eden Perkins‘ performance as Edward or even just Daniella Pineda‘s take on Faye Valentine not being “revealing” enough like in the anime. The show had its faults but that is more in how it simply struggled to revive that unique spark that the anime offered us in our childhood back in 1998. It was less episodic and embraced the Bebop we know and love, but it wasn’t the cast.

    John Cho was a great cast Spike Spiegel, even if an older take on the character. Mustafa Shakir gave us an iconic Jet Black on top of it all. Pineda had her moments to shine even if her character was a bit of a departure from the original. Cho gave a heartfelt statement on losing out on the show given he was heavily injured shooting the series and was forced to take a year off. In our discourse, we tend to forget real people are working on these projects.

    Yet at the end of the day, we’ll always tend to jump the gun as fast as possible to be that trendsetter. Instant gratification can feel good and we get swept up by it all. Sadly, we don’t give chances like we used to, which creates a higher barrier of entry for any new project trying to establish itself. One Piece has a chance to do what The Last Of Us, Arcane, The Cuphead Show, and many more did for video game adaptations. But if we draw the line at sandals, we may have never deserved the projects we got.

    Source: YouTube

  • Up Next: The Annihilation Saga

    Up Next: The Annihilation Saga

    Marvel Studios is only one-third of the way through its Multiverse Saga and with the onset of Phase 5, fans will soon learn the true nature of the saga’s big bad. Though the Multiverse Saga won’t wrap up for another few years (if it keeps its current pace), Disney has already planted flags for four post-Secret Wars theatrical projects meaning, to nobody’s surprise, that they plan to continue phasing and saga-ing beyond the Multiverse Saga. Whatever that new saga holds, it will ultimately have to culminate in a major event worthy of drawing heroes from every corner of the universe to help save the day and while any number of comic book events could be adapted to provide such a threat, an epic multi-event run from the late 00s and early 10s might not only be the best bet but also already be in the earliest stages of being established in the MCU. It’s possible that Marvel Studios could be teeing up Phases 7-9 to become the MCU’s Annihilation Saga.

    What is Annihilation?

    Much like the Infinity Saga and the Multiverse Saga, the Annihilation Saga wouldn’t be the direct adaptation of one of Marvel Comics’ major events or any particular run, but rather inspired by several different runs and centered on a threat worthy of large-scale team-up films on the level of Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars and while there’s no shortage of such threats, one might be closer to making his way into the MCU than the rest: Annihilus.

    Originally introduced as a Fantastic Four villain, Annihilus has grown in power over the years and has become a threat to the existence of the entire universe. The ruler of a pocket dimension known as the Negative Zone, Annihilus, with the power gifted to him by wielding the Cosmic Control Rod, set his sights on conquering Earth and then the entire “positive” galaxy. Thus, in 2006, Annihilus was the main antagonist of the Cosmic crossover event, Annihilation, in which he lead his Annihilation Wave out of the Negative Zone and wreaked havoc on the galaxy as he attempted to extinguish all life within it. Should the MCU wish to make The Living Death That Walks the main antagonist of its next saga, Annihilation would be cornerstone content for it; however, a significant amount of groundwork would need to be done ahead of time and it looks like Marvel may already be pouring the foundation.

    The Fantastic Four

    Matt Shakman‘s Fantastic Four will introduce the First Family to the MCU along with opening the door to hundreds of characters and settings closely associated with them. No details about the film but the Fantastic Four have such a rich history with Annihilus and The Negative Zone that it would be a shame to allow the character to be introduced any other way. That said, there’s no reason for the First-Born Son of Oblivion to be introduced in the 2025 film when there’s plenty of time over Phased 7 through 9 for him to make his debut.

    Galactus and His Heralds

    A Silver Surfer solo project is heavily rumored to be headed to Disney Plus at some point in the Multiverse Saga and while the Sentinel of the Spaceways would certainly be a major player in an Annihilation Saga, his master and the horde of heralds who served him over centuries were a major part of the Annihilation event as Annihilus coveted the Power Cosmic. Rumors of Galactus’ presence in 2025’s Fantastic Four have recently heated back up and it’s been said that the Silver Surfer project would stream prior to Galactus’ appearance. Marvel Studios could use that solo project as a way to deliver the rich and complex history and mythology of Galactus and his heralds ahead of Fantastic Four which would allow for those characters to move smoothly into their roles in the Annihilation Saga. While his former heralds served as soldiers in the war against Annihilus, the “Galactus event” turned the tide of the war.

    Nova

    There was no greater hero in the war against the Annihilation Wave than Richard Rider and it was Rider who ultimately ended the war by killing Annihilus. Xandar, home to the Nova Corps, was one of the first planets to fall to the Annihilation Wave. Rider survived and allowed the Xandarian Worldmind to merge with him while also agreeing to host the entirety of the Nova Force. With the help of many friends and heroes, Rider formed the United Front which brought members of some of the galaxy’s fiercest civilizations together in the fight against the Bug King. Though it’s currently unclear what format it will ultimately take, a solo Nova project is in the works at Marvel Studios which means Rider could be introduced and set up just in time for Annihilus to give him the push he needs to become Marvel’s greatest Cosmic hero.

    Adding these characters to the mix during the Multiverse Saga would allow them to join forces with whichever Guardians of the Galaxy survive Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to defend both the galaxy and Earth against an incredibly powerful threat.

    How Would It Take Shape?

    As has been the case through the first two sagas, not every second of every project needs to serve the endgame of that saga. While there are sure to be connections in nearly every project, what’s important is that the characters get put in the right places in time for the main event and that’s just a matter of smart scheduling. Following (or even prior to) the events of Avengers: Secret Wars, the concept of the Negative Zone could be introduced in any number of ways. Reed Richards discovered it and its anti-matter properties in the comics and could easily do so here. Having the Fantastic Four visit the Negative Zone and be perceived as a threat by Annihilus, however, is a pretty simple first step. All Annihilus has ever desired is to conquer all there was, so upon learning of there being more to conquer other than the Negative Zone, the wheels are set in motion.

    Any number of events either during or after Secret Wars could be used to explain how Annihilus locates The Crunch, the physical meeting point of the 616-universe and the Negative Zone and the portal through which he launches the Annihilation Wave. Should the first Nova project be one of Marvel Studios Special Presentations, it could tell the tale of how Xandar fell to Thanos, how Richard Rider became Nova and how Xandar was rebuilt. Depending on how grand their plans are for the character, Marvel Studios could use use the next project, Nova: Annihilation Day, to show how Annihilus grew in power and the sheer might of the Annihilation Wave.

    Marvel Studios seems to love two-part conclusions to their sagas and that’s where the creatives at the studio could get…creative. Thanks to the heroics of Richard Rider and the United Front, the Annihilation Wave never reached Earth in the comics but Annihilus attempted to conquer and/or destroy the planet plenty of other times. The Fantastic Four and Adam Warlock played a hand in stopping Annihilus in several of those stories and could team up with Nova and The Avengers, respectively, to stop The Lord of The Negative Zone in the two-part finale to the Annihilation Saga: Avengers: Annihilation and Avengers: Annihilation Earthfall. It’ll all come together much better when talented people get involved.

    Of course, there are any number of other major villains and events that could shape the next saga, including the impending arrival of the X-Men, so don’t start etching this in stone just yet. However, Annihilus is one of a handful of villains whose means, motive and opportunity have been on par with those of Thanos and Kang in the comics, putting him at least on the list of possible big bads set to star in his own saga.

  • 5 Years in the Making: Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ is Real

    5 Years in the Making: Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ is Real

    It’s crazy to think that we first heard about the live-action One Piece series in 2017. For many years, we’ve waited for some sign of life until it suddenly picked up steam in January 2020 with creator Eiichiro Oda announcing the partnership with Netflix. We got an official logo, and a tease of the script, and finally, the project was slowly moving forward. While it wouldn’t start filming until January 2022, it still felt like we were closer than ever before. To kick off 2023, we got our first look at the series with not just one teaser poster but a second one hinting at the entire Straw Hat crew.

    It’s been a wild ride following the many steps of this production and seeing as it evolved. Showrunners Steven Maeda and Matt Owens have reassured their love for the franchise throughout the years and with Eiichiro Oda heavily involved, it almost seems like there’s a chance the anime live-action adaptation curse could finally be lifted. Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop may have been recently scolded by its creator, this project feels like there’s a chance things might go a little differently.

    Even the small details in these posters give the feeling that a lot of love and care has already been put into the project. We know the first episode will be titled Romance Dawn like the manga’s first chapter. So, it’s fitting that we get our first look at Inaki Godoy‘s Luffy staring off into the beautiful orange of dawn. We get a good look at the iconic Straw Hat and his sleeveless red shirt from the East Blue Saga. If you zoom in, the bird in the sky is a News Coo, as he even has the iconic hat and bag around his neck.

    The main cast image doesn’t give us a full look at their designs, but they are very close to what they were in the manga and anime. We have some minor details added (and people freaking out over Luffy not wearing sandals) but even seeing Usopp’s slingshot brought to life just adds that little something. We even got some iconic poses to just add that little tribute to the original. Their ship is in full display with her new figurehead, which truly brings the merry to the Going Merry.

    Many fans online noticed that this may also be a tribute to the first ending of the One Piece anime with the characters from behind staring into the ocean reflecting the orange sun of dawn. It’s a recurring element in the early days of the anime, as it was also a visual utilized in the eyecatchers that were used in between commercial breaks. Twitter user @Monkey_D_2shar even used the poster designs to bring that iconic visual to life for the live-action variation.

    We still don’t have a release date and the fact that Netflix is willing to promote a series early on without a fixed release date. It seems strange to say so but Netflix isn’t famous for truly promoting its shows and projects over a long period of time. Not only did we get cast announcements throughout last year but even a first look behind-the-scenes in a video during Netflix Geeked, their biggest live-streaming event.

    Some have some concerns but that isn’t uncommon when seeing a manga being brought to life; though did not expect issues with sandals to overshadow the complete redesign of the Going Merry. Even though some pointed out a similarity to the Cowboy Bebop premiere poster but that is mostly due to the shot from behind with an orange hue, a poster does not reflect an entire production.

    Plus, this poster isn’t with a set release date with only a few months to go like with the last Tomorrow Studios production. So, they are set to promote this over a longer period of time, and the last series to get a teaser poster was Wednesday and went on to actually get a rare Season 2 renewal from Netflix. There’s no direct correlation but if they are willing to promote it as much as possible, there’s a chance they believe in this project.

    Source: Twitter