Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ Sequel to Feature Clayface

    Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ Sequel to Feature Clayface

    While we still have little to no information on what to expect in a The Batman sequel, a rather curious little detail may have unveiled one of the main antagonists in Matt Reeves‘ expanding Elseworld DC universe. In an article by Deadline on a pitch by Mike Flanagan for an original film based around the Batman rogue Clayface, they unveil that he will also be featured in The Batman Part 2.

    There is no word though if Flanagan‘s take might actually occur within the other universe, or might be part of the greater James Gunn and Peter Safran DC Universe. Reeves has his own plans that are seemingly moving forward even as Warner Bros. Discovery aims to establish a single universe. The Penguin spinoff is currently filming and we also know of one more project focused on Arkham Asylum that seemingly is still in early development.

    Clayface as a villain in the more down-to-earth take on the Dark Knight opens up many new avenues. While the popular choice was Mr. Freeze given how Gotham ended up flooded at the end of the first film, who knows if they’ll truly take the actor background that many connect with the character of Clayface, the man once known as Basil Karlo.

    They might take another more grounded take or slowly expand Batman’s world into the supernatural after the first was a classic noir. The only one who knows is Matt Reeves and we’ll have to wait a bit longer until we get our first look or hint at what the sequel has to offer. Once castings start, then we’ll likely truly know more.

    Source: Deadline

  • Sony to Release ‘Spider-Verse’ Short, “The Spider Within” This June

    Sony to Release ‘Spider-Verse’ Short, “The Spider Within” This June

    Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks plan to release a new original short called The Spider Within. The new animation will debut exclusively at the Animation Film Festival just a little more than a week after the June 2nd release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The short, which is set in Sony’s animated Spider-Verse, shows a day in the lif of Miles Morales as he struggles to balance teenagehood, friends, and student life as Spider-Man.

    The Spider Within is part of more significant efforts, including a mentoring program that provides high-potential candidates from underrepresented groups access to leadership opportunities. LENS (Leading and Empowering New Storytellers) supports the journey of candidates as they work together with program creators and producers Michelle Raimo Kouyate (Puss In Boots, Silver Linings Playbook) and David Schulenburg (Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham) to produce a short animation.

    Kouyate and Sculenberg expressed their gratitude for the new pathways created, saying:

    We are very grateful to be part of a studio that is doing meaningful work to give voice to varied groups and to the studio leadership…who gave rise to this program and supported us every step along the way.

    Joint statement from Michelle Raimo Kouyate and David Schulenburg

    Launched last year, LENS is entering its second cycle, allowing this year’s participants to create a short film that aligns with “K-Pop: Demon Hunters,” an animated musical action adventure.

    Source: Variety

  • Mike Flanagan Has Pitched a ‘Clayface’ Movie to DC Studios

    Mike Flanagan Has Pitched a ‘Clayface’ Movie to DC Studios

    Mike Flanagan, who has developed some of the biggest shows for Netflix in recent years (Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club), has reportedly pitched a new movie to DC Studios. According to Deadline, Flanagan is said to have pitched a Clayface movie to Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios. The project, as of now, is only a pitch, something Flanagan stressed on Twitter. However, should the project move forward, it’s said Clayface would not be a bad guy in the film, despite his comic history as a supervillain.

    https://twitter.com/flanaganfilm/status/1641164300525113344?s=20

    Deadline has also noted that Clayface could actually make an appearance in Matt Reeves‘ The Batman 2. The outlet does note that scripts are “constantly changing,” however, the character is said to be a big addition to that project. Of course, the Clayface potentially introduced in Reeves’ movie wouldn’t necessarily be the same one used in DC Studios’ Chapter One, as it’s currently unclear where Reeves’ universe falls in that world as it is.

    As of now, Flanagan’s involvement with a Clayface project seems to be in the very, very early stages. Flanagan has shown interest in the past regarding working on a Clayface project, so it’s not entirely surprising that he’s pitched the potential film to DC Studios, whether or not the studio opts to move forward with his pitch remains to be seen.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘House of Dragon’ Will See Shorter Season 2 as the Series Reconfigures for a Four Season Run

    ‘House of Dragon’ Will See Shorter Season 2 as the Series Reconfigures for a Four Season Run

    The fate of HBO’s House of Dragon is beginning to take shape. As production begins shortly for the prequel’s sophomore season, critical choices are being made that will define the show’s overall landscape. Those choices, being made in part by showrunner Ryan Condal and author/executive producer Geroge R.R. Martin, include a reduced episode count for Season 2 as the look to outline and define the future of the series. As of now, The House of Dragon creative team envisions three to four seasons of the series.

    Still, as season three awaits final confirmation, it is unclear what the absolute number of seasons will be, but in October, Martin spoke excitedly about the series potentially extending to four seasons:

    I am thrilled that we still have 10 hours every season to tell our tale…It is going to take four full seasons of 10 episodes each to do justice to the Dance of the Dragons…

    George R.R. Martin

    Whatever the decision, the series has the support of Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO’s parent company. It received a 200 million dollar marketing campaign last year that was a driving force for its huge August 2022 premiere and subsequent season two renewal shortly after.

    Source: Deadline

  • Ryan Coogler Is Eyeing ‘X-Files’ Reboot at Disney

    Ryan Coogler Is Eyeing ‘X-Files’ Reboot at Disney

    Black Panther director Ryan Coogler utilizes his talents on and off the big screen. This time, he is reviving a well-known show. Reportedly, Coogler is looking into The X-Files, a science fiction series that followed FBI agents as they investigate paranormal cases. The series originally ran for nine seasons from 1993 to 2002 before two additional seasons ran in 2016 and 2018. Two films, The X-Files and The X-Files: I Want to Believe, were also spawned by the series’ sprawling mythology.

    The information about the new take on the show came via creator Chris Carter, who explained that Coolger is working on the reboot during an interview celebrating the original show’s 30-year anniversary.

    I just spoke to a young man, Ryan Coogler, who is going to remount ‘The X-Files’ with a diverse cast. So he’s got his work cut out for him, because we covered so much territory.

    Chris Carter

    Coogler and 20th Century Television reps have yet to confirm. The project, which is in early development, falls under Coogler’s five-year deal with Disney. While it’s currently unclear which network might land the series, Variety indicates that Hulu is a strong contender.

    Source: Variety

  • Deadpool Besties Dopinder and Blind Al Set for MCU Debut in ‘Deadpool 3’

    Deadpool Besties Dopinder and Blind Al Set for MCU Debut in ‘Deadpool 3’

    As the untitled Deadpool sequel gets closer to the start of production and the cast of the film begins to round out, a pair of familiar faces have joined the film. Karan Soni and Leslie Uggams, who portrayed Dopinder and Blind Al, respectively, have joined the project according to Deadline.

    The third time is a charm for both Soni and Uggams, both of whom debuted in 2016’s Deadpool and returned for the sequel in 2018. The duo joins stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as actors to make the jump from the Fox franchise to the MCU. They’ll star alongside newcomers Emma Corrin, who is reported to be the villain, and Matthew Macfadyen, who is reported to be a “third wheel” to Reynolds’s Deadpool and Jackman’s Wolverine. Shawn Levy, who worked with Reynolds on Free Guy and The Adam Project and with Jackman on Real Steel, will helm the threequel for Marvel Studios.

    Source: Deadline

  • Ike Perlmutter Out at Disney as Marvel Entertainment is Dissolved

    Ike Perlmutter Out at Disney as Marvel Entertainment is Dissolved

    As part of a series of moves intended to save over $5B at Disney, the company folded Marvel Entertainment into the larger studio and laid off its chairman, Ike Perlmutter. Perlmutter took control of Marvel Entertainment in the 1990s and grew the brand by selling off live-action rights to characters such as Spider-Man to other movie studios. Since selling Marvel Entertainment to Disney in 2009, Perlmutter’s control over its output continued to wain until, in 2015, he and Kevin Feige entered into Marvel’s own “civil war.” Disney’s then-and-now-again-headman Bob Iger, sided with Feige and the rest, as they say, is history.

    Well, you’d have to ask Ike about that. But let’s put it this way: He was not happy about it. And I think that unhappiness exists today.

    Bob Iger on Ike Perlmutter following Marvel Studios “civil war”

    Iger’s recent return to Disney almost certainly was the beginning of the end for Perlmutter who recently attempted a “shadow coup” by manipulating the board of the company. Once that failed, it put him squarely in Iger‘s sites again and was likely the last straw for the man who has found himself at odds with Marvel Studios’ decisions for the better part of a decade.

    Marvel Entertainment’s President, Dan Buckley, will remain employed at Disney and continue to work with Feige.

    Source: New York Times

  • The Fate of a Beloved ‘Rebels’ Character Revealed in ‘The Mandalorian’

    The Fate of a Beloved ‘Rebels’ Character Revealed in ‘The Mandalorian’

    Dave Filoni maintains that he “very rarely” makes a concerted effort to find ways to provide avenues for characters he created for the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels to make the jump to live-action. Rather, Filoni says he looks at them as characters with whom he is “comfortable” and likes “to see around” as he continues to tell stories in the live-action series The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and soon, Ahsoka.

    One such character with whom Filoni–and fans–is exceedingly familiar, Bo-Katan Kryze has become an integral part of the ongoing story of The Mandalorian after first being introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars before returning in a major role in Star Wars Rebels. While Bo-Katan’s story continues in The Mandalorian, the core cast of characters of Rebels will see their story continued in Ahsoka, which streams later this year on Disney Plus. But while Ahsoka Tano’s live-action debut came during the second season of The Mandalorian, the crew of the Ghost is patiently waiting to take their turn. While footage from Ahsoka has revealed that Chopper, Hera, Sabine and Ezra, as well as villain Grand Admiral Thrawn, are all set to appear, there had been no word on whether Lasat hero Zeb would make the jump to live-action.

    The good news is that fans won’t have to wait any longer to find out as Zeb made his live-action debut in Chapter 21 of The Mandalorian, The Pirate. While it was little more than a cameo, Zeb shared a scene with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee‘s New Republic Adelphi Ranger Carson Teva in a bar on an unnamed planet. The bar was a cameo fest as Filoni, executive producer Rick Famuyiwa and director and Obi-Wan Kenobi showrunner Deborah Chow all appeared in their respective Star Wars roles but the surprise appearance of Zeb was certainly the highlight.

    The scene revealed that Zeb, whose familiar voice was once again provided by Rebels voice actor Stephen Blum, has joined the New Republic as a Ranger. For a character who often expressed his desire to stay out of the larger goings on in the galaxy, Zeb has certainly come a long way. The episode of The Mandalorian also works as a bit of a proof of concept for bringing the Lasat character to live-action for Ahsoka and it’s a test Lucasfilm passed with flying colors. Given the intersection of the plots of The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a way for Zeb to meet up with his old friends and join their search for Ezra Bridger!

  • Jason Momoa Sees a Future for Aquaman in James Gunn’s DCU

    Jason Momoa Sees a Future for Aquaman in James Gunn’s DCU

    Some time ago, Jason Momoa seemingly hinted that perhaps a dream role has come his way. While he’s become famous as the DC Extended Universe’s Aquaman, he also always has his eyes on becoming the iconic DC character of Lobo. Some elements of that character have made its way into his take on Arthur Curry, but it seems like he sees a bright future for the character.

    Under new leadership, many wondered just what might survive the future of the DC Cinematic Universe under DC Studios’ James Gunn and Peter Safran. In an interview with Total Film, he stated that he sees a bright future for the character as he believes “Aquaman will be involved in the DCU.”

    Peter [Safran]’s my producer [on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom], and is a dear friend. I absolutely think Aquaman will be involved in the DCU. It’s on, bro – there’s no one bigger than Aquaman! But, also, I hope people are excited to see the new one. It’s fun. I really enjoy doing comedy. There’s some really funny stuff with Patrick Wilson. I really adore him. We had a great time working together. It’s like we’re brothers. There’s a lot of cool stuff happening in this one

    Jason Momoa

    Momoa‘s enthusiasm has always been infectious and it’s not surprising that he’s definitely down to continue this role. He’ll take on the role next in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which will finally release later this year in December. So, perhaps that film will give us a better idea of what the future has in store for us in the new DCU.

    Source: Total Film

  • ‘Thunderbolt’s Steven Yeun Opens Up on Joining the MCU

    ‘Thunderbolt’s Steven Yeun Opens Up on Joining the MCU

    Steven Yeun is quite busy promoting his upcoming Netflix series, Beef. Starring opposite Ali Wong, the film explores a feud between two strangers that continues to escalate. Yet, that isn’t all the former The Walking Dead actor has on the horizon, as he’s also taking the leap to become part of the superhero genre once again.

    After lending his voice to Invincible, the actor has seemingly decided to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’ll be part of the Thunderbolts but his exact role remains a mystery. There are rumors pointing to him potentially playing the MCU’s Sentry but nothing official has been confirmed.

    In an interview with Total Film, the actor got a chance to share what it’s like joining a franchise like the MCU.

    I feel good. I feel excited. I feel like a new challenge. I feel blessed to be able to play in a place that reaches so many people. I got to touch that on Walking Dead. It feels exciting to get another chance to connect with people in another way.

    Steven Yeun

    It’s great to see his enthusiasm for the project and definitely highlights how he can reach an audience similar to his time on The Walking Dead. In a way, it’s a great showcase of what an actor can do when given the chance to star in something that is more mainstream while still working on smaller projects like the upcoming Beef.

    Source: Total Film