Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • New Rumor Puts a Number on Marvel Studios’ Future Yearly Output

    New Rumor Puts a Number on Marvel Studios’ Future Yearly Output

    Quality over quantity has been the long-echoed outcry on the internet surrounding Marvel Studios’ direction during the pandemic. With up to four shows on top of three films, it seemed like they were hoping too put out as much as they could. There were hints that Bob Chapek‘s era has forced them to also enforce more Disney+ releases to promote the streaming service while also trying to adjust to something no one ever expected to delay their releases for two years.

    Marvel Studios was playing catch-up but there was enough drama to overshadow the troubles most production companies are facing in the current timeline. CG over specific shots in a 2+ hour project were the signs of this development, and many discussions have surfaced online. Ironically, most of this discourse only really arrived during 2022 and has been hyper-fixated on in the current mythos.

    That was until Bob Iger once again took over as Disney CEO and many new rumors have surfaced hinting at a new yet old direction. Ironically, the number of rumors of potential projects was one of the causes for concern, these new rumors are potentially doing the same thing. On The Hot Mic, Jeff Sneider has added more fuel to the fire of a more regulated output in the form of an exact project count moving forward.

    Marvel’s target output has been reduced. I don’t know if this has been reported, or if this was a line in the trades, or whatever, but I’m told that the target output has been reduced from four shows and four movies a year to two shows and three movies a year. And of course that’s malleable. You could get one on either side of that, or whatever.

    Jeff Sneider

    Two series and three films a year seem to be the current direction for 2023. We just recently saw Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania release with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Marvels on the horizon. We also had the longest pause between series releases with Secret Invasion finally getting its June release and likely only the second season of Loki on the horizon. While some future schedules might hint at a different schedule, they have reshuffled their schedules quite a bit as of late.

    It is kind of funny to think that this schedule matches what we had with the Netflix series and the Marvel movies, as we had two series and three films every year. Yet, we also had additional Marvel series like The Runaways, Agents of SHIELD, as well as Cloak and Dagger. 2018 to 2019 technically had more projects airing with a higher number of episodes compared to the “stuffed” 2022 but perhaps the Marvel studios branding is creating the illusion of such. Either way, the current rumor mill will likely have many happy to see the studio dial it down.

    Source: YouTube via The Direct

  • ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Dethrones ‘John Wick 4’ with a Decent Opening Weekend

    ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Dethrones ‘John Wick 4’ with a Decent Opening Weekend

    the final numbers are in and the Dungeons & Dragons film has barely missed out on the $40M mile but still pulled in an okay $38.5M. While it is higher than its initial predictions, which were set relatively low but not surprising given how sci-fi and fantasy struggle at the box office at times, it’s still going to face an uphill battle to make up for its high $150M budget. Internationally, the film has made around $71.5M with a softer $33M global cume.

    The reviews and PostTrak score are hinting that the film might have a chance at some strong legs but with tough competition on the horizon, it’s anyone’s game at this point. Including a premiere at SXSW, the marketing spend on this film is quite high and it’ll definitely need those legs to keep going but The Super Mario Bros. Movie is already on the horizon next weekend. As both share a similar audience, this year might become quite the bloodbath at the box office.

    John Wick Chapter 4 faced a surprising 62% drop to $28.2M after its record opening. Some thought it would drop lower with its strong word-of-mouth. “Blockbuster” releases have faced much higher drops since the pandemic started as people are much more selective in their viewing choices but this won’t stop John Wick’s latest adventure to become the highest-grossing of the franchise.

    Source: The Wrap

  • Marvel Studios Confirms When ‘Secret Invasion’ Will Launch on Disney Plus

    Marvel Studios Confirms When ‘Secret Invasion’ Will Launch on Disney Plus

    Recently a listing on Disney Plus indicated that Marvel Studios upcoming streaming series, Secret Invasion, was set for a June 21st debut. Shortly after word of the listing begin to circulate online, the listing and any reference to the streaming project was removed from the service. Now, ahead of a new trailer for the series, the release date has been confirmed by a new poster for the project.

    Sporting the familiar “Who Do You Trust?” tagline from the comic book crossover event, the new poster features a fascinating image of Nick Fury’s face intercut with a Skrull…and a release date!As indicated by the recent D+ listing, Secret Invasion will kick off its 6-episode run on June 21st.

    The streaming series will see Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn‘s Talos try to stop the takeover of Earth by an extremist faction of Skrulls led by Kingsley Ben-Adir’s Gravik and Emilia Clarke‘s G’iah, the daughter of Talos. Rather than calling in Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Fury will rely on a team comprised of Talos, Cobie Smulders‘ Maria Hill, Martin Freeman‘s Everett Ross, Don Cheadle‘s James Rhodes and, sometimes, Olivia Colman’s Sonya Falsworth to stop the Skrulls from claiming Earth for their own.

  • Marvel Studios ‘Secret Invasion’ Won’t Be a Superhero Slugfest like the Comic Book Event

    Marvel Studios ‘Secret Invasion’ Won’t Be a Superhero Slugfest like the Comic Book Event

    While it has plenty of shortcomings, Marvel Comics’ 2008 comic book crossover event, Secret Invasion, could never be accused of not going big. Writer Brian Michael Bendis shot for the stars throughout the eight-issue limited series at the center of the event that culminated in a pair of major battles in New York City and the Savage Land. Just about every Marvel character you’ve ever heard of–and a few you probably haven’t–showed up in the event at one point or another in an effort to stop the Skrulls from taking over Earth.

    In September of 2020, Marvel Studios began development on their adaption of Secret Invasion. The streaming series, set to debut on Disney Plus in the Summer of 2023, does share something in common with the comic book event as a faction of Skrulls has infiltrated positions of power around the globe and now looks to take Earth as their new home planet. As has been the case in almost every instance, however, Marvel Studios seems to have taken very little other than the title from the comic book event in adapting the storyline to the MCU.

    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    The Disney Plus streaming series will see Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury, along with Ben Mendelsohn‘s Talos, at the center of the action. On the other side, Kingsley Ben-Adir‘s Gravik and a faction of extremist Skrulls, including Emilia Clarke‘s G’iah–the daughter of Talos–who have waited too long for Fury to make good on his promise of finding them a homeworld and have decided to take matters, and the Earth, into their own hands. Fury hasn’t been around much since the events of Avengers: Endgame and according to Jackson, there’s a great reason for that. “Even Nick Fury can be shaken, you know?” explained the MCU’s elder statesman.

    Ever since first appearing in the MCU’s first post-credit scene in 2008’s Iron Man, Fury has been the man with the plan: putting together the Avengers to protect the Earth. With the core of that team now gone, Fury’s just never been the same. So what’s he going to do when the Skrulls show their hand? “What he’s not doing is calling in his super friends,” explains Jackson. “So that’s part of the whole dilemma. I mean, people want them and he’s not bringing them.“

    He’s up there trying to process what the fuck happened, you know? And what his place in the world is. The death of Iron Man, the death of Black Widow—with that stuff going on, he just kind of checked out.

    Samuel L. Jackson on Nick Fury

    And so Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion will significantly deviate course from the comic book event which had those “super friends” exclusively at its center. In place of those costumed heroes, Fury’s support in the paranoia-laden spy thriller will come in the form of a handful of others who are used to playing in the shadows. “Part of the fun of basing an espionage thriller around Nick Fury is getting to see him put the band together,” said executive producer Jonathan Schwartz in an interview with Vanity Fair. But just who is that band?

    Cobie Smulders and Martin Freeman return to assist Fury in their respective roles as Maria Hill and Everett Ross. “There’s nobody here who’s glossy and ready for action in a spandex one-piece,” joked Smulders. “I mean, my wardrobe alone has changed so much since the original film. I was in platform knee-high boots and a skintight leotard in the Avengers movie. And I’m in a straight-up jeans and tee in this one.“

    Hill and Ross aren’t the only ones Fury will turn to for help, though they may be the ones he can trust the most. Don Cheadle‘s James Rhodes is back for another turn in the MCU, though this time it’s not as the armored hero War Machine. “This is a different kind of Rhodey—a political animal and not, you know, a guy who has a special suit,” Jackson says. “He’s the president’s right-hand man in this. So he’s the guy that makes a lot of decisions—some good, some bad.” Rounding out Fury’s network is Olivia Colman‘s Sony Falsworth, “a high-ranking agent in the British Intelligence Service who has a past with Nick Fury,” according to Schwartz, whose interests may or may not always be aligned with Fury’s.

    While avid readers of the comics and Wikipedia may be expecting a big superhero slugfest in Marvel Studios Secret Invasion, it doesn’t seem to be in the cards. “This is a Marvel story where the humans can shine,” explained Smulders. “Even though there are aliens, and there’s going to be extraordinary fight sequences, this is about people on the ground talking to each other, and interviewing people, and really doing hands-on work to get the information needed.” While fans may have to adjust their expectations for the series, it sounds like Fury and crew will still deliver something special when Secret Invasion hits Disney Plus this Summer.

    Source: Vanity Fair

  • New Marvel Studios’ ‘Legends’ Episodes to Release in April

    New Marvel Studios’ ‘Legends’ Episodes to Release in April

    Marvel Studios: Legends was first announced in late 2020, ahead of the release of WandaVision on Disney+. The series was meant to act as a recap for first-time viewers and kicked off with episodes highlighting Wanda Maximoff and Vision. Episodes of the series were released all throughout Phase 4, highlighting notable events of the Infinity Saga and moments that defined who our beloved characters were.

    Earlier this year, Season 2 of Legends was announced with the onset of Phase 5, starting with episodes featuring characters from the Ant-Man franchise. The next episodes coming to this series have now been confirmed, bringing the episode count to 9.

    In an official “Next On Disney+ | April 2023” video by Disney+, it was confirmed that episodes 4-9 of Legends will release on April 28, one week before Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters. Although the titles of the episodes haven’t been officially confirmed, the episodes will likely focus on Star-Lord, Rocket, Groot, Gamora, and Drax, the founding members of the Guardians.

    Legends

    The Guardians were previously featured in Legends episodes for The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special.

    As of now, the following episodes of Marvel Studios: Legends are available to stream on Disney+:

    • “Wanda Maximoff”
    • “Vision”
    • “Falcon”
    • “The Winter Soldier”
    • “Zemo”
    • “Sharon Carter”
    • “Loki”
    • “The Tesseract”
    • “Black Widow”
    • “Peggy Carter”
    • “The Avengers Initiative”
    • “The Ravagers”
    • “The Ten Rings”
    • “Hawkeye”
    • “Doctor Strange”
    • “Wong”
    • “Scarlet Witch”
    • “Thor”
    • “Jane Foster”
    • “Valkryie”
    • “Bruce Banner”
    • “King T’Challa”
    • “Princess Shuri”
    • “The Dora Milaje”
    • “Mantis”
    • “Drax”

    Source: Disney+

  • Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn Spotted at Iconic ‘Joker’ Location in Latest BTS Pics

    Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn Spotted at Iconic ‘Joker’ Location in Latest BTS Pics

    Joaquin Phoenix‘s romp down the Shakespeare Avenue Stairs located in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx in 2019’s Joker turned the location into a destination. Now referred to as “The Joker Stairs”, the 132 stairs have become a must-see landmark in the city for fans of the film. Director Todd Phillips remained fairly fond of them, too, as a new batch of set photos from the sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, indicates that the film will return to the iconic location.

    As production has been ongoing in and around New York City, set photos have been fairly easy to come by, including a first look at star Lady Gaga in full Harley Quinn regalia. While she’s not decked out in one of Harley’s familiar outfits here, Lady Gaga‘s Harley is out for a stroll on the same stairs Arthur Fleck danced down in Joker.

    https://twitter.com/lislopees1/status/1642483840479363074?s=20

    Harley’s trek on the stairs certainly looks a little less joyful than Fleck’s gleeful descent. That’s all part of whatever director Todd Phillips, who can be seen chatting it up with Lady Gaga, has in store for the character in this particular part of the sequel.

    Joker: Folie à Deux will be released on October 4th, 2024 under DC Studios’ new Elseworlds banner, meaning the story told within the film will not be part of the continuity of the new DC Universe being established by DC Studios co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran. Set in the aftermath of the events of Joker, the sequel will see Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener join Lady Gaga as newcomers to the cast alongside returnees Phoenix and Zazie Beetz.

  • Fandango Reveals When ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Tickets Will Be Available

    Fandango Reveals When ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Tickets Will Be Available

    Advance ticket sales are one of the most interesting modern-day phenomena in the entertainment business. With so many theaters and so many screens in each theater dedicated to major releases, it’s increasingly rare for showings of those major releases to sell out. Given that opening weekend now essentially begins early Thursday afternoon in most places, there are dozens of opportunities to catch a tentpole release on opening weekend and, for those not living in major metropolitan areas, most of them can be done in relatively empty theaters. However, fans LOVE buying their tickets online as soon as possible and now Marvel Studios, via Fandango, has made it clear when tickets will be available for advance purchase for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

    Fans looking to book their trip to see James Gunn‘s final installment in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise can purchase tickets online beginning Monday, April 3rd. The announcement of the date came via a teaser for the film which included some brief snippets of new footage.

    In Marvel Studios “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

    Official synopsis courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Publicity

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5th!

  • New Hint at Possible ‘One Piece’s Netflix Release Date Surfaces

    New Hint at Possible ‘One Piece’s Netflix Release Date Surfaces

    We’re still anxiously waiting for an update on the live-action adaptation of One Piece that is heading to Netflix. Since the poster reveals in January, the project has been silent but that isn’t too uncommon in how Netflix promotes most of its projects. So, we only have a tease of the main cast’s costumes from behind. The biggest rumor, however, that followed was a hint at a late August release on the streaming platform for One Piece that still hasn’t been confirmed.

    Interestingly enough, a new article from the South African newspaper, The Saturday Star, features an interview with Nojiko actress Chioma Antoinette Umeala. As shared by the actress on her personal Instagram account, the article seemingly adds to the fact that the series might be getting an August release with the following statement.

    She also appears as Nojiko in One Piece, a live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga story, to be released on Netflix in August.

    Keep in mind, this is still not an official confirmation that the series will release in August. Netflix has yet to release any specific time and they commonly won’t do so until around two months before a series’ release. There’s a good chance that they simply took the recent rumor as confirmed and added it to the article. It’s not the first time something like this has happened but there’s always a chance some information was accidentally shared in the process. So, we’ll just have to wait for that official confirmation and if they really release it in August, we might find out in June.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘Scott Pilgrim’ Cast Reunites for Netflix Anime Series

    ‘Scott Pilgrim’ Cast Reunites for Netflix Anime Series

    The cast of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is reuniting for Netflix’s anime series of the same name, lending their voices to their characters. The series features Michael Cera, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, and eleven original cast members.

    Bryan Lee O’Malley is joining forces with BenDavid Grabinski to write and executive produce the project. “We can’t wait for fans and newcomers alike to see what our partners at Science SARU and we have been cooking up,” O’Malley said in a statement given to Variety, adding “It’s going to be a wild ride.” Edgar Wright, the film’s director, co-writer, and producer, is also adding his name to the executive producer list.

    Scott Pilgrim vs. The World follows Scott, a struggling musician in Toronto, Canada who has his sights on landing a record deal but falls in love with a girl with insanely evil ex-partners. A release date for the project is pending.

    Source: Variety

  • Oscar Winner Jamie Lee Curtis Campaigns for ‘One Piece’ Role

    Oscar Winner Jamie Lee Curtis Campaigns for ‘One Piece’ Role

    We’re still anxiously awaiting any news on when we can finally see Matt Owens and Steven Maeda‘s attempt at bringing Eiiichiro Oda‘s iconic One Piece series into live-action. The passionate team behind the project makes this an anime adaptation that should not be missed out on with the potential to break the ongoing curse of adopting the medium.

    Even though we haven’t even seen the first season, there are already some talks about who else could take on an iconic role further down the line. One of the biggest fan castings was of long-time One Piece fan Jamie Lee Curtis getting a chance to play Dr. Kureha. Even her daughter, Ruby Guest, said she’d be interested as Chopper is her favorite Straw Hat and now it seems the recent Oscar winner isn’t wasting any time to get cast.

    Curtis took to her personal Twitter account to seemingly start campaigning for the role with the hashtag #CurtisforKureha. She even added an image of the character with her face on it, which highlights just how great this potential casting would be for the series, and an opportunity to have an Oscar winner of all people join this high-profile Netflix series.

    https://twitter.com/jamieleecurtis/status/1641909128640757761

    Emily Rudd, who plays Nami in the live-action adaptation, even took to Twitter further push that she should be cast in the project. So far non of the showrunners have reacted but they’ll be keeping their eyes on the actress once they know they can move forward with a second season, which would feature the character. We already have hints that they started work on a second season in case of renewal by Netflix. So, here’s hoping the series pulls in those record-breaking numbers that the streaming service is looking for.

    Source: Twitter