Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Netflix’s Password Crackdown Led to Highest Subscriber Growth Since COVID

    Netflix’s Password Crackdown Led to Highest Subscriber Growth Since COVID

    There was a lot of controversy when Netflix started its password-sharing shutdown. It took big steps to avoid people sharing passwords cross-country and most of the Internet pointed to dropping their involvement with the streaming service. Most expected a massive loss in subscriber numbers but once again the Internet remains a smaller space than one might think.

    Netflix has reported that since their mail on password sharing was released on May 23rd, they saw around 100K daily new subscribers on May 26th and May 27th. Their current growth is even higher than what they saw during COVID, which is when people had nothing to do and were stuck at home most of the day.

    Antenna shared the following graph with The Wrap on how the sign-ups have developed since pre-pandemic times.

    Of course, cancelations have increased as well but they did not keep up with the sign-ups. It seems the rate has gone up by 25.6% in the previous 60 days. They are continuing to push the narrative that a Netflix subscription share is meant for a “household” and it#s surprising that there wasn’t a bigger drop overall.

    It’ll be interesting to see if this continues to keep up long-term subscriber growth going or if this is just a blip for now. Either way, Netflix is very happy with its decision and most of the PR discussions will be forgotten over time. Of course, the question is if their content will remain more consistent with fewer cancelations moving forward to keep people watching.

    Source: Deadline, The Wrap

  • Vin Diesel Reveals When Fans Can Expect ‘Fast X: Part 2’

    Vin Diesel Reveals When Fans Can Expect ‘Fast X: Part 2’

    Though it hasn’t set the world on fire critically or financially, Fast X will have not one but two sequels released theatrically to wrap up the central series of the Fast franchise. Prior to the mid-May release of Fast X, it was believed that the series would wrap with whatever nonsensical title the studio could come up with for the eleventh entry; however, the big rawry engine behind the series, one Vincent Diesel, revealed a 12th film would be needed to complete the story of THE family. Now, as Fast X hits the downslope of its theatrical run,Vin has decided to reveal the release date of the next “effort” in the franchise.

    Via his Instagram, Diesel let it slip that Fast 11 will hit theaters on April 4th, 2025. According to the Pacifier’s math, that date is “less than 22 months away.” The Knockaround Guy promised fans that much like the entirety of the franchise, the eleventh entry will be an event “like you have never seen.” Given the mediocre box office of Fast X, it’s possible that the eleventh film could just be a rerelease of that film which most of the world has “never seen.”

  • Marvel Comics Reveals That a New Ultimate Universe Will Spin Out of ‘Ultimate Invasion’

    Marvel Comics Reveals That a New Ultimate Universe Will Spin Out of ‘Ultimate Invasion’

    In October 2000, Marvel Comics modernized its classic heroes through its line of Ultimate comics. Those comics significantly influenced the Marvel Cinematic Universe (and may continue to do so when the X-Men make their way into the MCU) and were a major part of Jonathan Hickman‘s 2015 event, Secret Wars. Now, as Hickman and Bryan Hitch‘s 4-issue Ultimate Invasion prepares to launch, Marvel has revealed that the series will lead into a relaunch a new line of Ultimate Comics.

    After the Maker’s desperate attempt to restore the Ultimate Universe unleashes massive, unintended consequences, a group of Marvel’s heroes are caught in a war between timelines. As universes collide, the foundation of a new line of ULTIMATE COMICS will be built.

    To no one’s surprise, the Ultimate version of Reed Richards, known as The Maker, will be front and center in Ultimate Invasion and it seems his actions will be key in the creation of the new line of Ultimate Comics. That line will kick off in November with a one-shot, Ultimate Universe #1, written by Hickman and illustrated by Stefano Caselli. Much like the 2000 launch, the Ultimate Universe will modernize Marvel’s major players.

    “The breathtaking epic will introduce readers to this new line that will be home to an array of brand-new hard-hitting series. A fresh start for a new generation, prepare to see your favorite characters redefined for today’s world. Stay tuned in the coming months for more information about this exciting new universe crafted by some of today’s greatest comic book visionaries.”

    “It’s kind of shocking how much the world has changed in that period of time [since the 2000 launch of the original Ultimate Universe],” said Hickman. “The idea of what it would be like to see the genesis of Super Heroes in a brand new world is a really fascinating exercise.” According to Hitch, familiarity with the old version of the Ultimate Universe isn’t necessary to enjoy this “brand new world”. “You don’t ever have to have read any of the Ultimate Universe to enjoy this,” Hitch explained. “There’s some great comics in there, but this doesn’t need you to be familiar with that stuff. You just need to get in on page one and enjoy this because the story takes you where you need to go.”

    The first of the four-issue Ultimate Invasion hits retailers on June 21st and Ultimate Universe #1 will be on shelves in November.

    Source: Marvel.com

  • BREAKING: First Look at New ‘Persona 5’ Spinoff Has Also Dropped Early by Atlus West

    BREAKING: First Look at New ‘Persona 5’ Spinoff Has Also Dropped Early by Atlus West

    Well, it seems that Atlus accidentally revealed their two big reveals early. Not only did they seemingly accidentally reveal their Persona 3 Reload trailer on Instagram, but it seems they followed it up with the other planned Xbox reveal, Persona 5 Tactica. As shared by Twitter user @junoharuto, the game seemingly will re-use the Persona Q series’ design and adds a curious take on the strategy elements we’ve seen in other franchises.

    The designs are definitely a curious take on chibi designs, and it might not include any social elements but it’s definitely an exciting addition to the franchise. The film is also taking the late 2023 release with a definite 17th November release date. Once again, it was part of the Xbox Showcase with no exact wording of other consoles that will also get their hands on the release but do remain likely given past statements.

    UPDATING

    Source: Twitter

  • BREAKING: Atlus West Accidentally Leaks ‘Persona 3 Reload’ Trailer Early, Early 2024 Release

    BREAKING: Atlus West Accidentally Leaks ‘Persona 3 Reload’ Trailer Early, Early 2024 Release

    Well, it seems like Persona 3 Reload is real, as the trailer for the remake of the iconic game has seemingly leaked early. As shared by Twitter user @Spoopy06, the full trailer has seemingly found its way online and was initially shared by Atlus West’s Instagram account. The trailer showcases many familiar sequences but also has a variety of style updates that definitely is more in line with what we see with Persona 5.

    Not just that, it starts with the Xbox logo and ends with “Play it Day 1 With Gamepass” further hinting that this trailer was part of the upcoming Xbox Showcase. So, either they accidentally leaked it with the wrong event or the timing was off. Either way, the trailer confirms that it’s an adaptation of the base game, as there’s no sign of the female route being present in this version of the game. @ScrambledFaz has shared a better look at the adaptation.

    There’s no sign of it including a release on all consoles or PlayStation, but it does seem unlikely that this classic will only be available on one console. So, here’s hoping that the game will also be confirmed for other releases, as we saw a similar strategy with the remaster reveals earlier this year. It was commonly the website that revealed the multi-title release. The only big surprise is that this game is seemingly releasing in early 2024 rather than the rumored later this year. Perhaps that Persona 5 spinoff game, which was also hinted at potentially being revealed soon. Could we have a double-reveal planned for Xbox Showcase?

    Source: Twitter

  • SUMMER GAME FEST: ‘Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’ to Release Early 2024 on PS5

    SUMMER GAME FEST: ‘Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’ to Release Early 2024 on PS5

    Summer Game Fest ended in style with the long-awaited trailer for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The sequel to Final Fantasy 7 Remake will continue the storyline that many of us fell in love with on the PlayStation while setting up expectations of changing elements we might be familiar with. The trailer was a great reveal with some familiar and new teases of what’s to come. Yet, there was also the confirmation that we’ll have to wait a bit longer for its release.

    The second entry in the Remake trilogy was originally set for a release later this year but seemingly was pushed back to 2024. While they do state it’ll release in “Early 2024” they might be keeping the door open to push it back slightly in case the game still requires a bit more work. The game still remains a Sony timed-exclusive but it is surprising this wasn’t part of their recent Showcase given it was the first in a long time.

    Either way, the trailer gives us a great look at a finally playable Red XIII, the return of Yuffie, and surprisingly no teases of other party members like Vincent or Cait Sith. The big question is the opening of the trailer showing the party members seemingly passed out or even dead after the events of the last game. Yet, we see the journey we are familiar with hints of iconic sequences returning and a beautiful semi-open world to explore.

    There might be more to this story once again that is teased throughout the story. We even get more hints at Reunion and potential on what type of bosses we’ll face in this sequel. Rebirth is definitely looking like it’ll hold up t other original and it’s exciting to see how far the story goes considering that it’s already set as a trilogy for the entire retelling of Final Fantasy 7. A release on 2 discs on a Playstation 5 sounds like a massive game.

    Source: Twitter

  • RUMOR: Illumination May Tackle a ‘The Legend of Zelda’ Film Next

    RUMOR: Illumination May Tackle a ‘The Legend of Zelda’ Film Next

    Nintendo might be quite happy with what Illumination and Universal Studios managed to accomplish with The Super Mario Bros. Movie. It was a nostalgia-filled romp through the Mushroom Kingdom that brought together the many stories and elements from the franchise’s history. Going by online videos of kids singing Peaches from Jack Black, it definitely was a hit for a new generation as well and it wouldn’t be surprising if they are mapping out a sequel.

    Yet, a new rumor from The Hot Mic might be hinting at them focusing on another project moving forward. Nintendo might be set to once again tackle another one of their iconic franchises with Illumination and it’s none other than their other biggest franchise, The Legend of Zelda. For now, it’s still a rumor but it wouldn’t be too surprising if they are interested in sticking to an animated form and it’s still in a deal closing phase.

    It would be a shame if they are going to restrict themselves to just doing Illumination-style projects, especially with a franchise that has a more clearly defined storyline and high-fantasy concept to work off of. The Legend of Zelda would work quite well in live-action and it would be great to have Nintendo expand its ventures beyond just a single partner that only allows them to put out a restricted amount of projects.

    Plus, if they just stick to Illumination’s style of animation, it would not allow other franchisees to stand out from each other. Metroid would be an amazing science-fiction franchise but they might lean a bit too much into the usual comedy style one sees with Minions, The Secret Lifes of Pets, and more. Of course, it only is a rumor for now but we’ll have to see if they make an announcement at some point in the future.

    Source: YouTube

  • SUMMER GAME FEST: Eddie Brock Will Not Become Venom in ‘Spider-Man 2’

    SUMMER GAME FEST: Eddie Brock Will Not Become Venom in ‘Spider-Man 2’

    Summer Game Fest has finally arrived and with E3 no longer happening, it’s likely our biggest event for gaming news. While we didn’t get a new trailer for Spider-Man 2, we did get some great reveals and confirmations. The biggest is that the one major character confirmed for quite some time to appear in the game was finally focused on again. Besides some beautiful artwork, we now also find out that the character won’t be who we thought it is.

    The first look of Venom seemingly hinted at the design we’re used to that Eddie Brock ends up with when the symbiote takes him over after Peter Parker. Yet, the game’s director Bryan Intihar has confirmed that this is, in fact, not Eddie Brock but someone else. Naturally, they did not reveal who exactly that’ll be, and this has kept us wondering.

    There are many possible candidates. Most might think it’s Harry Osborne given we saw him fused with what looked like the symbiote in the first game. It’s a good chance that it’ll be him but they might also play around with the idea of it being Kraven the Hunter that ends up getting overtaken, which would match with him being one of the main big bads of the game.

    They could also have Dr. Curt Connors whose Lizard DNA might create the monstrous version of the character. Until the October 20th release, we might not know but it’s fun to guess. We’ll have to see if future trailers might offer more teases of who it’ll be and what it means for the character in this story.

    Source: Twitter

  • James Gunn and DC Studios Closing in On New Superman & Lois

    James Gunn and DC Studios Closing in On New Superman & Lois

    Superman Legacy is James Gunn’s biggest project yet. Not only is it him tackling a new superhero but it’s also his proof of concept that the DC Cinematic Universe with his leadership will prosper in this new era. So, there’s a lot riding on finding the right person to play the iconic superhero that was previously played by Henry Cavill in the Snyderverse. According to Deadline, it seems that the first in-person meetings are set to take place, interestingly enough, on Father’s Day.

    DC Studios’ CEOs Peter Safran and James Gunn are spearheading the auditionings. So far, it seems Nicholas Hoult, Tom Brittney, and David Corenswet are going to audition for the role. They are also testing for Lois Lane; likely to ensure they can test out the tension between the acting duos as well given how integral their relationships are. Currently, Phoebe Dynevor, Emma Mackey, and Rachel Brosnahan are set to test for the role.

    It’ll be interesting to see what they are looking for, as many still wonder what exactly a Superman film will be by Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad director James Gunn. He definitely has proven his love for the comics and understanding of these universes, but there’s always the question of if he’ll use his iconic style of humor or might try to be a bit more subdued to focus on the messaging he has teased.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Eyeing Soft $70M Opening Weekend

    ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Eyeing Soft $70M Opening Weekend

    It’s looking like the opening weekends are continuing to average at around $70M, as another film is joining that club in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. After The Flash was initially projected with that box office opening, the recent boost for Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse may be a hopeful sign that there’s a bit more momentum building up for bigger releases that have been surprisingly mellow throughout the year. Though, the amount of competition in a post-pandemic world might be doing more harm than good for individual releases.

    Still, the return of Indiana Jones is set to be a big move forward as the final entry for Harrison Ford as the iconic character. So, perhaps a $60M to $70M opening isn’t quite what Disney was looking for given the nostalgia factor was a big driver throughout the last few major releases. It’s on par with the pandemic release of No Time to Die and Mission: Impossible – Fallout, but those had to compete in a very different market.

    The big question mark is that without a bigger marketing push, this film will open below 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. That was around $100M across three days but even with conservative predictions, it’s a bit of a headscratcher given how off some have been as of late. The big problem is that Indiana Jones‘ latest entry is expensive at a staggering $295M, which means the film needs to at least make $600M just to cover its production costs. Even with good legs, it might look like it’s a loss for Lucasfilm.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter, The Direct