Murphy's Multiverse

Category: Features

  • A Closer Look at Marvel Studios’ Updated Slate

    A Closer Look at Marvel Studios’ Updated Slate

    Marvel Studios made sweeping changes to their upcoming theatrical slate recently, shuffling the release dates of several projects in what looks to have been a game of dominoes. Upon closer look, however, it seems possible that the last domino hasn’t fallen yet.

    2023

    Phase 5 begins! Outside of Blade being removed from the 2023 slate, the slate remains unchanged. Two projects (Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Loki Season 2) look to connect directly with the overarching plot of the Multiverse Saga, but The Marvels might connect to it a bit more than one might think at first glance.

    2024

    The changes to the 2024 slate are where things really start to fall apart and where one has to question whether or not there will be another round of changes ahead. It seems like a big factor in whether or not there are more changes will depend on how connected the Disney Plus series/special projects are to the order of things.

    Originally, Phase 5 was supposed to end with Thunderbolts in July of 2024, now it looks like it will likely end with Deadpool 3 in November of 2024. Blade and Deadpool 3 (even though it wasn’t officially given a date until recently) were always a part of Phase 5, so where they land within it doesn’t seem to matter. However, as of SDCC, the first Phase 6 project was intended to be a Disney Plus series/special presentation scheduled for Fall 2024, before Fantastic Four. Then, another two Phase 6 Disney Plus projects were set to stream before the end of 2024.

    With all the changes, the end date for Phase 5 has now been extended by 4 months, meaning two streaming projects that were meant to be a part of Phase 6 are now TENTATIVELY set to stream before Phase 5 concludes. Can these projects just be moved into Phase 5? It’s hard to determine without knowing the identity of the projects. Do audiences need to see the content delivered in Blade or Deadpool 3 before they can view these series? Again, hard to determine without knowing what the projects are. If they need to be included in Phase 6, Marvel Studios would have to push them into November of 2024 or later, potentially creating a content void that they seem to be trying to avoid. A lot of questions that can’t be answered, but 2024 and Phase 5 are clearly being impacted the most by the changes and potentially impacting everything else the most as a result.

    Summary: Phase 5 ends later and with a different project and would currently experience an increase in the number of projects with some Phase 6 projects set to stream before Phase 6 begins.

    2025

    While the update on Monday revealed two pretty major changes, it also implies that more might be coming. With Fantastic Four being bumped into 2025, Avengers: Secret Wars was bumped out. However, it also means the February slot before Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is now occupied by Fantastic Four when it was clearly meant for another film up until these changes took place. The best bet as to what was intended to be there is the sequel to Shang-Chi. Both films are set to be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and there’s been enough said to me to indicate that Shang-Chi 2 was meant to lead up to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. With all that in mind, the slate is what it is at this point, but don’t be surprised to see further changes. One possibility is for one Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to move to the vacated November slot, opening up one of two summer spots for Shang-Chi 2. And while Disney doesn’t date Spidey films, that 4th movie is looming out there, so perhaps one of these 2025 films might come off the schedule entirely to make room for Spidey 4.

    Summary: Phase 6 starts later than expected, but with the same project (Fantastic Four). It also ends later, but with the same project (Avengers: Secret Wars).

    2026

    As announced at SDCC ’22, Avengers: Secret Wars was intended to close out Phase 6 and the Multiverse Saga in November of 2025. The next day, Disney slated 4 Untitled Marvel Studios films for 2026, all meant to kick off Phase 7. But as the delay of Blade led to the delay of another project and another project and so on, Avengers: Secret Wars found itself bumped 5 months to May of 2026. But being the capstone project of the entire Multiverse Saga, moving Secret Wars ultimately means delaying the end of Phase 6 and the start of Phase 7.

    Additionally, in shifting from November 7, 2025 to May 1, 2026, Avengers: Secret Wars actually jumped 2 dates. On the surface and without further changes, this adds a 6th film to the Phase 6 slate. We don’t know what the untitled films are, but when the slate for Phase 6 was revealed, it was comprised of 5 films. With things the way they are now, it’s 6 and this seems like a pretty major change to a slate that one would assume is pretty well planned out and only holds the requisite number of projects to tell the story. The scenario described in the 2025 section above provides some relief to that by removing one of those films to make way for Spidey 4. The best guess here is that Marvel Studios is NOT done shuffling and that these dates should be viewed as placeholders and nothing more.

    Summary: Phase 6 not only ends later but with Avengers: Secret Wars jumping 2 release dates, it currently includes one additional film that was previously slated for Phase 7.

    Realistically, any analysis is probably a waste of time because the only constant with Marvel Studios’ slate of projects is change. So for now, tracking the changes and thinking about how they might lead to more is both the best we can do and the worst thing we can do because it sends us down a path with no clarity just past the horizon.

  • The ‘She-Hulk’ Finale May Have Confirmed a Season 2

    The ‘She-Hulk’ Finale May Have Confirmed a Season 2

    Much happened—or didn’t, depending on how you look at it—in the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law finale. The series ended on an upbeat note, and Jen seems to have taken back her life after the dark ending of Episode 8 and the sad beginning of the final episode. One thing is for sure, though, and that is that the bonkers fourth wall break is undoubtedly an iconic Marvel Cinematic Universe moment from here on out. In it, there are a couple of moments that mention a She-Hulk Season 2. And while Loki is still the only series to get an official confirmation by the time the credits start rolling, we have may have gotten the next best thing.

    When She-Hulk arrives in the writers’ room, she interrupts their conversation about what the second season should be. Specifically, one writer pitches the god-awful idea that the entire second season would be a dream sequence. Later, when She-Hulk is talking to K.E.V.I.N., a second season is once again brought up in a very matter-of-fact way.

    While the fourth wall break does not appear to be Marvel Studios’ way of officially announcing something, the fact that a She-Hulk Season 2 was mentioned more than once in a “yeah, this is going to happen” way seems like a fairly obvious way the show may be teasing it. After all, robot Kevin Feige had plenty to say but certainly did not correct the Season 2 assumption. While the writers could have included the references as cheeky jokes—after all, the internet will surely start debating what every word in the fourth wall break meant—it did not play off as obviously as some of the other jokes in that sequence.

    Like everything, we will have to wait and see if or when Marvel Studios decides to announce something like She-Hulk Season 2, but the writing may be on the wall. She-Hulk is also, conveniently, an incredibly second-season-friendly show with its ability to be a half-hour legal comedy. Whether it truly accomplished that in this first season is perhaps debatable, but the potential from this show and the comics’ source material is truly astounding. The episodes with Donny Blaze, Madisynn, and group villain therapy could easily become the norm in a second season, and those were standout episodes. There is a lot more lawyering Jen can do, and there is certainly a lot more She-Hulk smashing she can do.

    All episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law are now streaming on Disney+.

  • ‘She-Hulk’: Skaar’s Introduction Explained

    ‘She-Hulk’: Skaar’s Introduction Explained

    The She-Hulk: Attorney at Law finale had so much going on, that the surprise introduction of a major character at the very end almost did not pack much of a punch, perhaps because it has been rumored for quite some time. Still, the brief introduction of a new character likely has major implications for the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward.

    At the end of the She-Hulk finale, Bruce does eventually show back up (granted, he was axed from the messy climax after Jen went to clear things up with Marvel Studios). At the Walters’ family picnic, however, Bruce arrives with someone else in tow: his son, Skaar. For those unfamiliar with Skaar from the comics, this could be a wild twist. In general, it is a major inclusion in the MCU that will surely carry a lot with it. So, first, who is Skaar? And second, what does his presence mean for the MCU now?

    In the comics, Skaar comes from a relationship the Hulk has while on Sakaar. He conceived a son with Caiera the Oldstrong, but after a ship explosion that killed Caieria, the Hulk believed that Skaar had died in the womb. Obviously, Skaar did in fact survive and was raised by his mother’s Shadow People on what was left of Sakaar. Eventually, he was exiled to Earth. And when he arrived, all he wanted to do was kill Bruce.

    In live-action, it is not hard to imagine that something similar happened and our MCU Hulk fathered a child on Sakaar. We have a lot less information on who Skaar’s mother might be, the state of Sakaar, or why Skaar has come to Earth, however. The way his arrival was set up in She-Hulk, it almost came across as though Bruce went to Sakaar knowing that he had some sort of responsibility—maybe Skaar. It is also very likely he was not aware of Skaar before his return to the planet. In any event, he definitely brought his son with him and they seem chummy enough.

    The most obvious prediction for how Skaar will factor into Phases 5 or 6 is as part of the rumored ‘World War Hulks’ project. She-Hulk seemed to tease that it could be part of the setup for that project or overarching storyline, given the Hulk blood fascination. The series did not end up going that route, but the implication is very clear: the MCU is about to get more hulks. What happens when the MCU gets a bunch of hulks?—probably some type of World War Hulk iteration. Skaar plays a significant role in that story, but the theories on how Marvel Studios might adapt it so far are endless since we are seemingly at an early stage of that process. However, given the casting of Tim Blake Nelson as The Leader in Captain America: New World Order, that movie might be a solid place to start.

  • Why ‘She-Hulk’ is Marvel’s Best Disney+ Series

    Why ‘She-Hulk’ is Marvel’s Best Disney+ Series

    Even before She-Hulk: Attorney at Law premiered on Disney+ this past August, the internet has had no shortage of jabronis voicing their complaints about the show. There has been so much media made about how She-Hulk is the worst TV show ever. All this negativity toward She-Hulk has led to some giving up on the show. However, with the final episode premiering later this week, now is the perfect time to get back on board so you can see what you’ve been missing, because She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is the best Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney+ show.

    She-Hulk is the First Marvel Disney+ Show That Knows How to be a Show

    There’s something to be said for a piece of media effectively utilizing the medium in which it exists. A common complaint among the Marvel Disney+ shows is that they feel like movies cut up into 6 pieces and thrown on Disney+. In some cases, it’s a fair criticism. Frequently, the episodes don’t feel like their own concise story, so while the episodes can be separated by certain storytelling functions or a change in location, it still feels like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Hawkeye, or even Ms. Marvel could’ve been better served by cutting out a bunch of the fluff and editing the entire story into a 2-hour long movie. Only What If…?, WandaVision, and Loki had done this right previously, but She-Hulk might be the best at it specifically because unlike What If…?, WandaVision, or Loki, She-Hulk is very explicitly a sitcom.

    Part of the charm of a sitcom is that while there are big, season-long arcs – like Diane warming up to Sam in Cheers or Mac getting fat in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – the episodes themselves are largely disconnected and can be watched out of order. Once everything was set in motion, starting with episodes 3 and 4, the creatives on She-Hulk really managed to hit that balance. That balance can be pretty effectively highlighted by focusing on the legal aspect of the series. Every episode is another case. Every case presents a new challenge, introduces a few new characters, and after 22 minutes, everything is neatly wrapped up. Someone could watch episode 1 and then skip to episode 4, and they’d mostly get it.

    Some people don’t like this disconnect at the heart of the show, but it’s a feature, not a bug, and whether one likes everything about She-Hulk or not, it’s hard to deny that it’s living up to the promise of a superhuman law sitcom. If you don’t like the idea of sitcoms, then this was never going to work for you, but it’s difficult not to appreciate how She-Hulk is the first MCU show that has embraced the sitcom format.

    She-Hulk Expands on the MCU in Interesting Ways

    She-Hulk has introduced so many characters and concepts with barely any legwork. This can be attributed to the fact that She-Hulk is the first MCU show that is explicitly about a character dealing with the superhuman side of the universe that audiences don’t really see. Moon Knight had Egyptian gods. Ms. Marvel had Clandestines. They did not have, for instance, a sorcerer just show up; it wouldn’t have made sense and that’s fine. Thematically, it is consistent with the scope of the story. But it’s pretty wild that even though Earth is full of aliens, Asgardians, and all sorts of gods and enhanced people, outside of the Shang-Chi cage fight, there has not been an earthbound project where characters just bump into something weird or acknowledge the weirdness in the rest of the world. She-Hulk is the first MCU show to properly acknowledge the Celestial in the middle of the ocean – that’s incredible because one problem with Phase 4 is that – apart from Wong – it’s felt sort of disconnected. There aren’t those little moments where Coulson mentions a thing he has to deal with that signals to the audience that Thor also exists in this world, or where Bruce Banner name-drops Wakanda. Moments like those are necessary to keep everything balanced outside of the big team-up movies and ground the world in some shared reality, even if it is a weird one.

    Phase 4 has done a fair amount of world-building, but it was almost always providing context to past events from the last few phases, like Kamala telling the audience about the end of Avengers: Endgame or Hawkeye watching “Rogers: the Musical.” Fans have gotten plenty of context for things in the past, but what about the very recent past? There have been so many world-altering events that never get mentioned. Did anyone else experience the time Mr. Knight and Khonshu turned back time in the sky, or that kaiju fight from the end of the series? Those are examples just from Moon Knight. Nobody has brought up the Gargantos attack, any of the Statue of Liberty stuff, Hawkeye shooting goons in 30 Rock on Christmas, the Taskmaster chase, the attack on New Asgard, the Shang-Chi bus fight, and anything from Eternals…outside of acknowledging that Kingo exists. These things all happened in public, so the idea of a character who gets to react to them or a show that would not feel weird if it acknowledged them is a lot of fun.

    It’s clear that Phase 4 was jumbled by the pandemic. Lots of movies changed spots, so plenty of the direct references wouldn’t play, but a show like She-Hulk wraps a lot of that up at the end. It’s the last D+ project of 2022, so She-Hulk gets to be sort of a greatest hits of the phase. But even beyond that, She-Hulk’s world-building is really impressive because of how much the creatives trusted the audience. A Light Elf shows up – audiences have never seen or heard of them before, but the writers know if they look and act a specific way, audiences will infer that this is a Thor-related thing. Mr. Immortal just popped in for an episode. In the comics, he has the power to live forever and was the leader of the Great Lake Avengers at one point. This version of the character was certainly a different take on the hero, but it fits into the universe well. It’s great that they can do characters like this without explanation; it just makes the world feel so much bigger.

    Jennifer Walters is an Interesting and Likable Character

    There has been a lot of discourse pertaining to whether Jennifer Walters is an interesting character or not. Many seem to believe that Jen is not an interesting character because she has no flaws – she never does anything wrong and dismisses Bruce, her kind, older cousin. However, this is a wild misreading of the entire series. Jen’s biggest flaw is that she’s sort of arrogant – just like Tony Stark, Thor, Peter Quill, or Stephen Strange before her. Jen believes she’s will be better at being a Hulk than she actually is and dismisses people offering her help…that is, until she doesn’t. Though it does remain to be seen if Jen will learn her lesson by the end of episode 9, perhaps the other lawyer superhero will have something to say about the whole work/life balance thing.

    Another great element about Jen’s character is that she really feels like an adult. The idea of having to go on bad dates or attend a chaotic wedding is really relatable. That’s why the conversation that Jen has with Bruce in the beginning of Episode 1 feels apt. Jen talking about how Steve Rogers never got to have sex is both a fun conversation that all nerds have had at some point, but also an acknowledgment that the MCU’s second lead character never got to just slow down and date – at least, not so far as audiences have seen. She-Hulk exploring that is refreshing, especially since Tony Stark being a little playboy was one of the things that drew people to the MCU. Just like Tony, Jen has a sense of humor and feels human.

    And similar to how they’ve explored relatable adult relationships with Tony Stark, Thor, Peter Quill, and Stephen Strange, Jen and all of her supporting characters are great. The group dynamic between Jen, Nikki, and Pug is a lot of fun, and so are the little Nikki and Pug side adventures. What they’ve done with Mallory Book – a character who plays an important role in the Dan Slott comic run from 2004 – is also commendable. Additional standouts are Jen’s family, Wong and Madisynn, and Lulu, played by Patti Harrison.

    With She-Hulk coming to an end, give it a look with a pair of fresh eyes and appreciate it for what it is: a sitcom that’s grown the MCU in a creative way.

    The 9th and final episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law releases on Disney+ Thursday, October 13th.

  • ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ From Page to Screen: Episode 8

    ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ From Page to Screen: Episode 8

    Welcome back to yet another From page to Screen focusing on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. In the show’s first week, we looked at the differences between the comics’ and series’ versions of Jennifer Walters’ origin story. The following week, viewers got a live-action introduction to Jen’s new legal job, taken straight out of Dan Slott’s and Juan Bobillo’s 2004 She-Hulk run—Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway (GLK&H). Episode 3 introduced a reimagined version of comic book villains, in its fourth week, the show decided to focus on Jen’s love life and, the following week, on Jen’s nemesis, Titania. Episode 6, being a “self-contained wedding episode” was approached as its own thing while referencing a lackluster comic arc where Jen ended up being engaged herself. As for episode 7, with the introduction of Man-Bull, El Águila, and Porcupine, we took a look at other She-Hulk villains that could be showing up down the line.

    Episode 8 gave us the long-awaited Matt Murdock / Daredevil appearance, which bore some similarities with The Good Old Days story arc featured in the 2014/15 Charles Soule She-Hulk run. Soule, who like Walters and Murdock is an attorney himself, got both characters meeting on opposing sides of the court with a slightly different setup than what we got in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 8
    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 8

    In the show, Jen was oblivious as to who Murdock was, to the point of directing a “Who is this asshole?” to the camera. She later looked him up ahead of their meeting at the bar, but not only was she initially unaware of who Matt was, but she also had no idea Daredevil was even a thing. In the comic, they were already familiar with each other, so much so that even previously in the same run, Jen had gone to Matt looking for some legal advice when dealing with a case involving Doctor Doom and his son, Kristoff Vernard. She then sought to do the same when defending Captain America only to be turned down in a way that only made sense a few pages ahead when she enters the courtroom and finds Matt as the opposing counsel. Unlike in the show, the shock of him being there isn’t only on the reader/viewer but especially on her.

    She-Hulk #8 (2014)
    She-Hulk #8 (2014)
    She-Hulk #8 (2014)

    There is a lot more lawyering in the comic than in the show, with Jen’s client being a bit more high profile than Leapfrog. Captain America, who had recently seen the Super-Soldier Serum within his body being neutralized (in the Rick Remender run that would lead to Sam Wilson becoming the new Captain America), was being charged with wrongful death in a civil suit and had approached Jen to be the one to represent him. Murdock was then the attorney for the plaintiff, looking to get Steve Rogers convicted of the role he played in the death of his friend Samuel in the 1940s, a few years before Rogers was even Captain America.

    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 8
    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 8

    Little did both Walters and Murdock know that Steve Rogers was (sort of) playing both sides. With his old age, he had enemies that would want to tarnish his legacy once he’d be gone, and that meant setting up the whole lawsuit situation. It wasn’t like he could just send in the Avengers to punch their way out of it since that would make it seem that he was indeed guilty of all charges. He had to find another way to not only avoid a conviction but to completely discredit the entire case. He then managed to get Murdock involved so that, in the public eye, everything was being done in order to convict him since Matt was regarded as being one of the best. As for Jennifer, as hard as he wanted Matt to go, he also needed someone equally as good on his side since, in his own words “I didn’t want to lose, you know.”

    She-Hulk #9 (2014)
    She-Hulk #9 (2014)

    Outside the courtroom, their late-night encounter also played a bit differently. In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Jennifer left her apartment when trying to protect her client from being attacked, leading to her first confrontation with Daredevil and the eventual disclosure that Murdock was behind the mask.

    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 8
    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 8

    In the comic, it was Matt that came to Jennifer in order to get her out of the house and into the Los Angeles night sky. But even if he felt that they both should unwind following an entire day stuck in a courtroom, dealing with a case that both were having a bit of trouble adjusting to, his true purpose was to try and free Jen of the feeling that Cap should be above the law, and that his conviction should be taken as a real possibility. It is here that Matt tells Jennifer that when he was asked to step into the role of prosecutor, Cap was the one who ok’d it, making Murdock promise not to pull any punches. This made it seem, for both Jen and Matt, that Cap might actually be guilty after all, and that it was all a weird way of him finally coming clean about past mistakes.

    She-Hulk #9 (2014)
    She-Hulk #9 (2014)
    She-Hulk #9 (2014)

    In the TV show, their late-night exploits lead them to Leapfrog’s secret-not-so-secret lair. After Matt explains that Patilio kidnapped Luke Jacobson the two work together to rescue the latter. They make quick work of the goons/henchmen defending the premises and get Jacobson to safety without breaking a sweat.

    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 8
    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 8

    There’s a very similar occurrence in the comics that happens once the case was settled (go read the comics to know exactly how that transpired). We also got a Daredevil / She-Hulk team-up when Steve Rogers seemingly figures who might have been the mastermind behind the entire lawsuit situation. Dr. Faustus, an Austrian specialist in psychological manipulation seemingly had access to old Nazi information from the ’40s and was able to explore the events in order to hurt Cap’s image. When faced with this information, Jen and Matt do not hesitate and, with the case already closed, have no issue with breaking into Faustus’ compound and, much like in the show, getting it done in the blink of an eye.

    She-Hulk #10 (2014)

    In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, following their day together—first in the courtroom, then at the bar, and finally rescuing Jacobson—Jen and Matt start making plans to meet up again after he goes back to New York since that would be his last night in LA. But, unlike in the comic run, that night out never happened since they skipped all of that and just…

    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 8
    Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 8

    In the book, it was almost the reverse situation. They also found themselves on the west coast (San Francisco, not LA, where Matt was living at the time) but it was Jen that had to go back to her practice in New York. When realizing that that would be her last night in town, Matt also asks Jen out, and they do end up going out, just not in the usual sense.

    She-Hulk #4 (2014)

    The first eight She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episodes are now streaming only on Disney+.

  • ‘Spider-Man’ Beyond ‘No Way Home’: A Balancing Act

    ‘Spider-Man’ Beyond ‘No Way Home’: A Balancing Act

    As Marvel Studios prepares its future phases and the Multiverse Saga, there is still one key character seemingly missing on the horizon. After making a massive splash at the box office during the pandemic, Spider-Man: No Way Home took our favorite wall-crawler to his limits as he faced Variants, tragedy, and a world that has forgotten who he is. It raised the question of what the future might have in store for him beyond the lurking Symbiote left behind by a multiversal visitor.

    The ending of that project highlighted a potentially new direction, as Spider-Man was no longer a well-recognized face without his mask. The entire world has forgotten Peter Parker and he’s lost everyone dear to him. Without Aunt May or his friends by his side, he now has to do his best to cover rent, follow up on his education, and balance life as Spider-Man. The future seems difficult and challenging for our favorite hero.

    At the same time, it opens up a new challenge for Marvel Studios and whoever may take over the franchise. While Spider-Man: Homecoming was a bit more grounded, he still was shackled under the shadow of his mentor and an Avenger. His first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe had him take on Captain America, he would travel into space, take down Thanos alongside his army, fight fake elementals, join Nick Fury’s mission, and so much more.

    No Way Home brings magic and the multiverse to Spidey’s corner of the MCU, which seemed like the perfect high point for the development of this trilogy. Yet, it opens up the question of: where do you go now? Any higher and we might lose any fabric of what defines Spider-Man. We already had five films before this trilogy. So, it seemed fitting that they’d take him to new places and further explore his time in the comics, where he ended up getting wrapped up in other characters’ plots in various team-ups. Plus, if you introduce Peter Parker into the MCU, it comes with the territory.

    Yet, the answer is still not there for what to do next. A fourth entry is definite after the last film’s success and Sony’s ongoing deal with Marvel. They both want Tom Holland‘s take on the character to remain a sturdy figure in the franchise. With the ending of No Way Home leaving the young man on his own, it seems like perhaps the best strategy is to take a step back rather than continue to push forward. In a world without Avengers, there are no more ties to a bigger world but a whole new one to explore.

    Swinging throughout the snow-covered New York City, Peter is on his own. Yet, it comes with a new freedom that no longer sees him as part of what he once was. It seems fitting that perhaps his time in college also comes with a more grounded time as the wall-crawler. He’s no longer in a place where he has to face world-ending threats but rather help the locals. Everyone still remembers the webhead and he is no longer in a place where the Avengers will just call for him. Now, he has time to figure out his place in a world that doesn’t remember him.

    The sequel will likely be a story in a smaller scope even with the Symbiote on the horizon. Its tease actually sets up the perfect comic tribute with him potentially getting his hands on it during Avengers: Secret Wars as he did in the comic. We shouldn’t expect that storyline to instantly kick off, as Marvel Studios has a challenging balance to keep moving forward. We’ll see him in Avengers films but we’ll likely not see him in the same capacity as before.

    He’s no longer an Avenger and none of the remaining members would even know that he is Peter Parker. So, he’s just a guy in a costume that helped out. So, moving forward we’ll still have these bigger-than-life stories with Spider-Man but his own franchise will take that step back to ground him even more. The balance that Marvel Studios and Sony will have to balance moving forward is the very notion of his two worlds. No matter how you look at it, it’s going to be a tough balancing act, and either they once again restart a trilogy that continues to escalate or try to create a distinct line between Peter Parker’s two alter-egos: Spider-Man and forgotten Avenger.

  • From ‘Velma’ to ‘Midnight Club:’ Hunter’s Top 5 NYCC Experiences

    From ‘Velma’ to ‘Midnight Club:’ Hunter’s Top 5 NYCC Experiences

    After months of anticipation, New York Comic-Con has come and gone. Four incredible, lovely, tiring days of being a professional nerd. If one were to tell my younger self he was attending events like NYCC as a member of the press, that little guy would explode with excitement. It’s an honor, and every moment spent sprinting around the convention center is one worth talking about. However, we have neither the time nor the patience to discuss every second, so I’ve narrowed it down to my top five experiences instead. Creating a list like this is difficult when so much of the weekend was such a good time, so don’t take it as a condemnation of anything that didn’t make the cut. It’s really just the highlight reel for a perfect game.

    5. Cosplayers

    I love other nerds, so getting to see and talk to them is always going to make the list. I’ve been to quite a few conventions in my day, and if I’m being honest, this year’s NYCC might have been one of the most impressive when it came to fan creativity and cosplay. Every day, the costumes roaming the show floor seemed to become more and more complicated. Many were striking enough to stop me in my tracks. There were giant functioning robot suits, perfect renderings of classic comic looks, hilarious combinations of characters that most would never think to put together, and even one or two people who defied gravity. I saw a man floating and I’m still not sure how he did it.

    The communal love we show each other at places like NYCC, as people with a common interest, is so inspiring. I found this to be especially true at the Marvel booth’s cosplay contest, where dozens upon dozens of folks dressed as every Marvel character a person could think of gathered to celebrate one another. There was no hostility or jealousy. Just a lot of compliments and happy reunions.

    4. The George Lucas Talk Show

    I’m a sucker for comedy and a lover of Star Wars. Therefore, showing up for a live recording of The George Lucas Talk Show at NYCC was a given. For those outside the know, this a satirical show in which comedian Connor Ratliff dresses up as Star Wars creator George Lucas and interviews real celebrities with deadpan delivery. It’s sort of a niche little corner of fandom to find yourself in, but if you like absurdist humor, it comes highly recommended.

    The George Lucas Talk Show records an episode at NYCC every year, using the event to secure top Star Wars talent as guests. This time, they managed to secure Mandalorian stuntmen Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder, as well as Aphra comic writer Alyssa Wong and show regular Zach Cherry – who exists more in the world of Marvel than the galaxy far, far away. Belly laughs were aplenty, especially when Wayne admitted that Din Djarin is “never nude,” and the recording was a great little break from the chaos of the show floor.

    3. The Midnight Club

    I’ve loved Mike Flanagan’s work for years. He’s easily one of the best horror creatives currently shaping the genre. So, it was my great pleasure to see him and the entire cast of The Midnight Club take the stage at NYCC for the world premiere of his latest Netflix series. Watching horror with a crowd is so much fun, and the delightful Q&A that followed was even better. The cast and crew were brought onstage alongside a choir of mysterious, hooded, candle-carrying figures, with the lights dimmed all the way down. A theatrical touch I greatly appreciated.

    I was also there in person to see Flanagan and his team awarded the Guinness World Record for Most Jump Scares in an episode of television. Not only did it make for a great laugh, but now I’m able to check “watch someone receive a world record” off my bucket list. A little two-for-one special at one of the convention’s most underrated panels. Make sure you watch the show, it’s worth it!

    2. Velma

    My time at NYCC began with coverage for Velma, the upcoming animated adult comedy from The Office star Mindy Kaling. Before the Main Stage panel began, I had to opportunity to attend the project’s press room, which meant I was lucky enough to share space with Kaling herself as she answered a variety of questions from the journalists in the room. This was exciting in and of itself, but it was Kaling’s genuine kindness and clear joy that really made it so memorable. It was only my second time in a convention press room, and it was all so warm and welcoming.

    Of course, things only got better once the actual panel started. The casting announcements were a surprise for me, and I almost dropped out of my seat when Sam Richardson and Glenn Howerton’s faces appeared onstage. Those of us in attendance were also treated to a screening of the series’ first episode, which was wonderful from start to finish. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Velma going in, but it was definitely not a disappointment. Now, I consider it one of the best moments from the entirety of my time at Javits Center.

    1. Violent Night


    I never would have expected this going into the convention, but the World Premiere screening of Tommy Wirkola’s Violent Night was probably the most fun I had during all four days. Starring David Harbour as Santa Claus, the film sees jolly old Saint Nicholas mercilessly tearing through a group of trained hitmen on Christmas Eve. This isn’t the space for a review, but I can say witnessing that madness with the cast and crew sitting beside me, and a theater full of screaming fans, was an absolute blast. There’s something special about living through the magic that is a large group being insanely happy in unison.

    A member of the cast sat behind me during the showing, and hearing the hoots and hollers from his family during key moments was fulfilling and sustaining. Screaming, laughing, and cheering with all my fellow horror fans was a ride. Sitting in the first few rows, and being only feet from Harbour and John Leguizamo as they introduced the screening, was a very warm feeling. One of those experiences that reminds me why I’m doing what I do.

  • A Potential ‘Moon Knight’ Season 2 Could Feature ‘Werewolf By Night’ Characters

    A Potential ‘Moon Knight’ Season 2 Could Feature ‘Werewolf By Night’ Characters

    After the raging success of Marvel Studios’ first Special Presentation, Werewolf by Night, fans are anxiously awaiting Jack Russell’s, Ted Sallis’ (Man-Thing), and Elsa Bloodstone’s returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The special itself appeared to open the door to the MCU’s monsterverse, but it has also been confirmed that Werewolf By Night has no intention of being a pilot for future series. Of course, there are Midnight Sons and Legion of Monsters rumors and theories. And there’s always Blade, though the film is in a rough spot after recently losing its director. But perhaps the answer—or one of the answers—is a bit less obvious. After star Oscar Isaac’s comments that there is more Moon Knight in the MCU’s future, it may not be too farfetched to think that characters from the monster special could appear in a potential second season of that series.

    The most obvious connection Moon Knight has to these characters is that his first appearance was as an adversary in Werewolf by Night #32 in 1975. Originally, Moon Knight was written as a mercenary hired to capture Russell, which explains his moon-themed persona and silver weapons. By the end of his original two-issue appearance, Moon Knight changes course and helps the titular werewolf instead. From here, the character went on to have his own solo and team-up careers unrelated to Werewolf by Night. Moon Knight’s connections to Man-Thing and Elsa Bloodstone are less obvious, though the three of them were all part of a relatively recent Midnight Sons lineup in the Damnation crossover event. Still, Man-Thing’s connection to the Nexus of All Realities makes his general presence in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga make sense, and Jack and Ted were set up as a pair in Werewolf by Night.

    While Marc Spector has a colorful resume, he is not particularly well known for his connection to monsters. As such, there are not many clear storylines from the comics that a Moon Knight Season 2 could adapt from the comics. But without a doubt, Moon Knight is the first character aside from Doctor Strange to truly open up the paranormal and supernatural worlds of the MCU. That aspect of the universe is gaining more steam, but in terms of seeing Werewolf by Night or related characters sooner rather than later, there do not seem to be a lot of obvious options at this moment. Phase 6 is almost entirely unannounced, and so is a second season of Moon Knight. Still, an appearance in the series might be fundamental to the steady rise of the monsterverse and its related projects.

    While Moon Knight is not generally found constantly battling or working with monsters, the vigilante is certainly not foreign to them. In the series alone, the character had to face some rather monsterous Ancient Egyptain-themed creatures, and the finale was aptly titled, “Gods and Monsters.” The supernatural angle of the character was definitively established in Moon Knight. In the comics, the actual existence of Khonshu is sometimes debated as the stories play around with Marc Spector’s unique mental state. But in the MCU, Khonshu’s presence and related supernatural truths are presented as fact. While, so far, the live-action of the character has been limited to the very specific Egyptian god-focused aspect of the supernatural, Moon Knight has ample reason to encounter more. After all, a key component of the vigilante in print is that, as the Fist of Khonshu, he is a protector of those who travel at night—and plenty of things go bump in the night.

    While nighttime is clearly special for Moon Knight and monsters alike, the concept also highlights the stylistic compatibility of characters like Werewolf by Night and Moon Knight. Both rely on supernatural themes, but the series and Werewolf by Night are noticeably some of the MCU’s darkest projects both literally and figuratively. The potential seedy and gritty vigilante life of Marc Spector, Khonshu’s ghostly presence, and surreal psychological components could easily accommodate some additional bizarre components. Even more, Moon Knight’s character and Werwolf by Night have a reputation of (by MCU standards) particularly brutal or gruesome violence.

    For these reasons, it would not be entirely surprising if Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing, or other related characters made some type of appearance in a second season of Moon Knight. They likely would not be a major part of the full season, but rather could be integrated in a similar way to Moon Knight’s comics introduction. If the MCU’s Marc Spector does take on the vigilante lifestyle as expected, perhaps he has run ins with various beings causing havoc, including an out-of-control Werewolf by Night. It is easy to picture Marc Spector being hostile to monster-type creatures before understanding that they are not necessarily villains, which could be a vital moment in the building of teams like the Midnight Sons or Legion of Monsters or crossover of related characters. Or, perhaps the hero gets caught up in the Bloodstone’s longer narrative in the MCU, as the likely alien relic ties together the MCU’s supernatural side before the big events of Avengers: The Kang Dyanasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.

    Only time will tell if Marvel Studios announces a second season of Moon Knight. Either way, fans will get much more of all of these characters in the MCU’s future.

  • ‘House of the Dragon’ – Best & Worst of “The Lord of the Tides”

    ‘House of the Dragon’ – Best & Worst of “The Lord of the Tides”

    As it turns out, a family naming all of their kids the same thing can be quite confusing. Not only is this true for viewers of HBO’s House of the Dragon, but it is apparently also problematic for the characters who inhabit its fictional space. This week’s episode, called The Lord of the Tides, is once again all about succession. Set six years after the end of the previous installment, Steve Toussaint‘s Lord Corlys Velaryon has supposedly suffered a grievous incident that has left his life hanging in the balance. Now, the future of his house and his title are in question, with Harry Collett‘s Prince Jacaerys Velaryon – the designated heir – deemed unfit to rule by many members of the royal family.

    The Lord of the Tides begins and ends with death. Wil Johnson‘s Ser Vaemond Velaryon loses half his head after claiming Emma D’Arcy‘s Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen mothered bastards, and Paddy Considine‘s King Viserys Targaryen takes his final breaths after a very odd family dinner. Suffice it to say, there’s a lot going on in this episode. Luckily for the folks at home, Murphy’s Multiverse was able to dig through the pile and come up with the best and worst moments The Lord of the Tides had to offer.

    BEST – King Viserys and the Family Dinner

    Surprising nobody, House of the Dragon was at its very best when the whole Targaryen clan gathered together to cause utter chaos as a familial unit. That closing dinner sequence, in which King Viserys makes it known one last time where he stands on the matter of his succession and the future of his kingdom, is the drama of Westeros at its peak. In only a few minutes of screen time, viewers are treated to a newfound truce between Rhaenyra and Olivia Cooke‘s Queen Consort Alicent Hightower, an absolutely grotesque look at Viserys’ tepid dying body, plenty of uncomfortable silence, and Ewan Mitchell‘s Prince Aemond Targaryen starting a brawl with his cousins and nephews. The way the scene is able to keep its audience on the edge of their seats without doing anything too gimmicky is impressive, and a testament to the way this show has sewn together its plotlines to create believable tension.

    Paddy Considine, in what will likely be his last appearance as the good King Viserys, should also be mentioned for an incredible performance as the husk of his former self. He was absolutely the standout of this episode, potentially leaving a greater mark on the Game of Thrones franchise in this hour than the rest combined. It’s deliciously ironic, too, that a character who has always been so clear in his desires should accidentally ruin the future of his name by speaking vaguely, in a fugue state, just seconds before expiring. All that insistence on Rhaenyra’s right to the Iron Throne, every moment of begging his family to get along, was thrown down the drain in a case of mistaken identity. Painful, and excellent.

    WORST – Lord Corlys’ Off-Screen Injury

    As great as House of the Dragon has been, there are some things that it could do much better. For example, in this episode, fans learn that Lord Corlys – a major character they’ve spent a lot of time with – is likely going to die, and the events surrounding his impending doom all happened off-screen. This isn’t the first time the show has convinced its audience to care about a character, only to do away with them quickly and unceremoniously for the sake of time jumps and speeding through the plot. The series has a lot of ground to cover, which is understandable, but it becomes frustrating when it takes moments that should feel big and makes them weirdly small. It was almost jarring when the episode opened with a line of dialogue that Corlys was kaput, and then little else was said in regard to his impact on the franchise at large. Even if he survives his wounds and returns to prominence, it would have been nice to see what happened so viewers could better relate and sympathize with whatever moves he makes next.

    Follow along on Twitter as we break down each new episode every Sunday.

  • ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Episode 2 Teases One of the Immortal Universe’s Most Powerful Vampires

    ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Episode 2 Teases One of the Immortal Universe’s Most Powerful Vampires

    AMC’s Interview with the Vampire is only two episodes into its first season but it has already begun building out what promises to be an expansive world. The studio has plans to use Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches novels to develop their own shared universe, called the Immortal Universe. Interview with the Vampire is the first of what could be many adaptations of the Vampire Chronicles and it will be followed in January by the Alexandria Daddario-led Mayfair Witches series. Episode 1 of Interview with the Vampire briefly teased the family of witches being present in New Orleans when Louis and Lestat were active there; now a name drop in Episode 2 could start the process of detailing the very long and twisting history of vampires in the Immortal Universe.

    In the opening minutes of Episode 2, “After the Phantoms of Your Former Self”, Daniel Malloy inspects one of Louis’ “rare” relics: a painting from an artist named Marius de Romanus. When Malloy mentions he’s never heard of the artist, Louis’ assistant mentions that little of his work survived and both Malloy and the audience moved on. However, if AMC’s plans for the Immortal Universe play out as expected, it’s likely the audience will hear much more about and from Marius at some point in time.

    One of the oldest vampires in existence, Marius is over 2,000 years old, having been born as a bastard in 30 B.C. Turned by a vampire named Teskhamen, who served the first two vampires, Akasha and Enkil, Marius was immediately an incredibly powerful vampire whose strength grew over time. Eventually, Marius came to be the caretaker of Akasha and Enkil, known as Those Who Must Be Kept, who he looked after for centuries. Marius made several fledgling vampires, most notably Armand, whose path is destined to intersect with Louis’, perhaps even in this first season.

    Marius plays a major role in many of Rice’s sequel novels to Interview with the Vampire and it would be shocking if he didn’t appear in some form in the first two seasons before taking on a major role down the road. So far, AMC has done a fantastic job of planting the smallest of seeds and giving them time to grow and bear fruit down the road. Will the trend continue in Episode 3?