Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Tom Cruise Loved DC’s ‘The Flash’

    Tom Cruise Loved DC’s ‘The Flash’

    Here’s a piece of news you don’t expect every day. It seems that Tom Cruise, the star of the recent monolith release Top Gun Maverick and the upcoming next Mission Impossible film, has gotten an early screening of The Flash, Warner Bros. biggest bet for the year on making their mark in theaters. The film is still set to release in June and it looks like they are all in to make this film get as hyped up as it can.

    While the controversies surrounding its star Ezra Miller might still overshadow most positive news, new DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn did call it “one of the greatest superhero movies ever made.” Now, it seems that Cruise loved the film so much that he just called director Andy Muschietti to rave about it according to sources close to The Hollywood reporter.

    Seems it all started with a meeting between Cruise and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav that led to him being curious about just how good the film was. Quotes like “everything you want in a movie” and “the movie we need now” according to the sources. It’s not too dissimilar from what they tried to do with Christopher Nolan‘s Tenet back in the day when they made a whole show of him visiting a theater in London to watch it.

    While that didn’t really boost that film’s box office, it’s great to see the actor’s enthusiasm for the latest DC film. There’s always an ongoing “feud” online about if these films have value in being as dominant in theaters as they are but this might probably worsen the discussion rather than help it.

    Cruise has become a “spokesperson” for the theatrical experience with even Steven Spielberg being heard quoting him as saving theaters. While one could argue it takes more than one film release, the film did bring an older audience back into theaters even if that didn’t hold as many had hoped after its release.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Gladiator’ Sequel Adds Denzel Washington

    ‘Gladiator’ Sequel Adds Denzel Washington

    Ridley Scott has been quite busy preparing work on a sequel to the iconic Gladiator film. While it’s still quite a surprise that we’re seeing this film of all get a sequel, it is still picking up quite a bit of steam and adding talent left and right. Shortly after it was revealed that Eternals star Barry Keoghan was part of the cast, it seems that Ridley Scott is also going to reunite with Denzel Washington. It’s the first time since these two A-listers worked together since the release of American Gangster.

    He will star opposite Paul Mescal, who is in the leading role of the project. Costume designer Janty Yates is also back to the project after having worked on the costumes from the original Gladiator that marked the film that would be nominated for twelve Academy Awards and even won Best Picture. It also was the film that put Russell Crowe on the map and made him one of the biggest names in the industry after his Best Actor victory.

    The story will not revisit the early days of Maximus but rather a new character named Lucius (Mescal), whose story continues years after the end of the original. He was strongly inspired by the heroic actions of Maximus, which will likely kick off the events of this film. Washington‘s role remains a secret but he’ll likely have a major role in the project. Keoghan is set to take on the role of a character known as Emperor Gata, who was an actual Roman emperor.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Persona 5’ Gets a Mobile Spinoff from China

    ‘Persona 5’ Gets a Mobile Spinoff from China

    It almost feels like the wait has been endless for the next entry in the Persona franchise. There’s still no official confirmation for the official sixth entry even with Persona 5 having been released all the way back in 2016. It’s already been around four years since the Royal version was released on consoles. Yet, even the 25th anniversary of the franchise didn’t give a hint at the future but rather the return of two classics to modern consoles.

    In surprise drop, it seems that there’s actually a new game heading our way, but not the way many might be hoping for it too. Persona 5: The Phantom X or shortened as P5X has been unveiled on the Chinese social site Weibo. The game is officially licensed by Sega and is a free-to-play mobile RPG set for Chinese release sometime in the future. The spinoff is created by Perfect World Games’ Black Wings Game Studio.

    It seems the game is pretty much a mobile equivalent to the original with a whole new cast of characters but the return of the Metaverse. It seems there will be a “Sneak Test” on March 29th that’ll give players a chance to explore the world. The game also seemingly includes the original cast from the first Persona 5 but no word on Kasumi Yoshizawa also making an appearance from Persona 5 Royal.

    You can check out the story trailer here:

    The story will focus on a whole new cast of characters with the protagonist going by the code name Wonder, who attends Kiba Academy. We also know that his persona will have the name Jánošík, continuing the trend of Persona 5′ protagonists all featuring Personas inspired by folktale thieves and legends. Taking over Morgana’s role is the owl Luffy, who will go by the code name Cattle. He seemingly also shares the ability to turn into a vehicle, this time a van, and has the persona of Rob Roy. There’s also Closer, a Kiba Academy student by the name of Arai Suwa, who is the protagonist’s classmate and has the Persona of Awilda.

    Naturally, the Velvet Room and Igor make a return with a new assistant by the name of Merope. Interestingly enough, the room takes on the appearance of being underwater like an aquarium, though it’s unsure what the teeming of this spinoff is as of yet. The original game’s character designer Shigenori Soejima was personally involved with the new spinoff game and designed its leads.

    They’ve also released a gameplay trailer hinting at the similarity to the original Persona 5:

    Interestingly enough, the game will focus on the same mechanic as the original and isn’t taking a completely different direction like Persona 5 Scramble. Overall, it seems the game is going for a pretty similar aesthetic and gameplay loop as the original, which does make it a curious expansion of the franchise. We’ll see if there are any plans to release the game in the west, as it currently only has been revealed for the Chinese market. Originally, it was known as Code Name X and was first announced all the way back in April 2021. So, it’s been a long road for the project to finally be unveiled.

    Source: Persona Central

  • Brief ‘X-Men ’97’ Synopsis Confirms the Big Bad of the New Series

    Brief ‘X-Men ’97’ Synopsis Confirms the Big Bad of the New Series

    During the 5 season run of X-Men: The Animated Series, the X-Men tangled with Mister Sinister on more than one occasion. Sinister did as Sinister does, harvesting mutant DNA for his experiments and slinking off into the darkness to live to haunt the X-Men another day. Another day is now, as Sinister has been revealed to be the big bad of the revival of X-Men: The Animated Series, X-Men ’97.

    During Marvel Unlimited’s celebration of X-Men: 60 Uncanny Years, showrunner Beau DeMayo summed up what to expect from the series, which is expected to debut sometime in 2023.

    Storm and Wolverine try to continue the X-Men. Magneto comes in and wants to step up for Charles Xavier. Sinister comes in to try to end the X-Men once and for all.

    It sounds like a rewatch (or a first experience) may be in order for fans who might not remember why Magneto has to step in for Charles (Charles is in space) or why Sinister is so angry. In a response to the tweet embedded above, DeMayo indicated that while the summary is correct, an official and full synopsis will be revealed later in 2023.

  • New Casting Hints at Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Already Setting Up the Alabasta Arc

    New Casting Hints at Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Already Setting Up the Alabasta Arc

    While the well has been dry since the initial posters dropped for Netflix’s live-action One Piece series, there have been some small details here and there keeping eager fans afloat. The upcoming adaptation will take the beloved manga of the same name and bring it into a completely new format. While the anime has been running for over 1,000 episodes, there’s a lot of potentials to explore the vast world of One Piece in live-action.

    Now, a new casting has come to light that might highlight that showrunners Matt Owens and Steven Maeda are already looking toward the future. As first shared by @OP_Netflix_Fan, actor Rebaone Ben Kgosimore has shared on his CV that he’s played the role of Mr. 7 in Netflix’s One Piece.

    At first, the name might seem unassuming especially as he wasn’t actually featured in the original East Blue run. Yet, he was mentioned in the story during Whiskey Peak, as it was unveiled that Mr. 7 was sent to recruit Mackenyu‘s Roronoa Zoro for thee organization known as Baroque Works. His inclusion not only means we’ll finally get to see how that interaction ended between him and Zoro but also be the first hint at what’s to come beyond the East Blue.

    Going by a recent listing on the Writers Guild of America West, they might already be preparing for a potential second season renewal, which would very likely build upon this brief introduction. Going by the original manga, it only makes sense that the East Blue ends with the first season. One of the first threats they face on the Grand Line is the organization known as Baroque Works which has close ties to the events unfolding on Alabasta.

    Source: Artist Connection

  • ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ Off to a Slow Start at the Box Office

    ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ Off to a Slow Start at the Box Office

    The first box office numbers are in for Shazam: Fury of the Gods following the film’s Thursday night previews and they don’t bode well for a big weekend for the sequel. The new DC film, the first to hit theaters following the news that James Gunn and Peter Safran were essentially cleaning house and starting over with DC Studios, took in $3.4M yesterday afternoon and evening. That total represents a 43% drop from the first film’s Thursday take in 2019.

    Opening weekend predictions for the film have not been healthy for the sequel with the latest estimates coming in projecting a $35M domestic haul. The first film raked in $53.5M as an unknown quantity in 2019.

    The film has not been warmly received by critics, currently sitting at a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. Online discourse around the film has mostly been centered around poor marketing and general lack of interest in the upcoming DC films knowing that the narrative threads begun within them are unlikely to carry over into the new DCU.

    Source: Deadline

  • Oh Meegosh!: ‘Willow’ Writer Jonathan Kasdan Disputes Cancellation Claim

    Oh Meegosh!: ‘Willow’ Writer Jonathan Kasdan Disputes Cancellation Claim

    48 hours after fans of the Disney Plus series Willow said their goodbyes to Elora Dana and the people of Tir Asleen following a trade report of the show’s cancellation, their hopes were suddenly resurrected by showrunner Jonathan Kasdan. In a lengthy message shared on Twitter, Kasdan clarified what’s quite a complicated situation regarding the future of the streaming series.

    https://twitter.com/JonKasdan/status/1636618831497146368?s=20

    According to Kasdan, the next season of Willow, which he referred to as Volume II, has already been written and while it’s not headed into pre-production and is not scheduled to start filming over the course of the next year, it does not mean that it will not get made. However, given the fact that the second season of the series is not on the fast track, Kasdan explained that the decision was made to release the cast members to pursue work on other projects until the call for the start of Volume II comes. “If the appetite for more Willow persists, Disney, Lucasfilm and this amazing cast and crew will satisfy it,” said Kasdan.

  • Ryan Coogler Rumored to Be Developing Animated Wakanda Series

    Ryan Coogler Rumored to Be Developing Animated Wakanda Series

    Following the success of 2018’s Black Panther, Ryan Coogler agreed to a 5-year exclusive deal with Disney in 2021. As part of that deal, Coogler not only developed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever for Marvel Studios, but also started development on multiple series spinning out of the Black Panther franchise. The first of those series, Ironheart, was originally set to debut in 2023 but Bob Iger’s return to Disney has put some of Marvel Studios projects on pause as they rethink their release strategy. Coogler’s other projects remain in development, however, including a series believed to star Danai Gurira as Okoye and a project being called The Golden City. While no timetable has been revealed for these projects, some interesting new information about The Golden City has come to light.

    During The Hot Mic Podcast, YouTuber Jeff Sneider shared an intriguing rumor which indicated that The Golden City is being developed as an animated series. At this point, it’s entirely unclear what the project might be about though The Golden City is clearly a reference to Birnin Zana, the capital city of Wakanda. One possibility that an animated project might offer Marvel Studios is the opportunity to tell quite a bit of the history of Wakanda without having to create multiple extravagant sets.

    While Marvel Studios is developing multiple animated projects, their status as canonical to the events of the MCU aren’t all clear. At this point, only the events of What If…? are confirmed to be canon, though they clearly take place throughout the Multiverse and not in the “Sacred Timeline” where other MCU projects are set. Should The Golden City by canon, it may be the first animated series to be set in that “Sacred Timeline.”

    Source: HMP

  • Scott Cohen, James Madio and Michael Zegan Join Colin Farrell in ‘The Penguin’

    Scott Cohen, James Madio and Michael Zegan Join Colin Farrell in ‘The Penguin’

    The HBO Max series The Penguin has added to its cast as it moves through the early stages of production. The series, set in Matt Reeves‘ Gotham-verse, will see Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot navigate the organized crime scene which was greatly disrupted by the death of Carmine Falcone in The Batman and a few more gangsters have joined the party.

    According to Variety, Michael Zegan has joined the production as Alberto Falcone, son of the late Carmine and brother to Sofia, played by Cristin Milioti. Alberto and Sofia are likely to serve as antagonists to The Penguin’s opportunism. Scott Cohen and James Madio are reported to have joined the cast as well, though their roles were not revealed; however, often times when bulk castings are announced, the talent involved ends up working a significant amount of time working together on the project.

    The Penguin marks the first of multiple projects and sequels planned by Reeves within the Gotham introduced in 2022’s The Batman. The projects all survived the purge that followed the announcement of James Gunn and Peter Safran‘s new DC Studios and will be produced under an Elseworlds banner which will signify that they stand apart from the main DCU continuity.

    Source: Variety

  • Ben Affleck Addresses Rumors He’ll Direct DC Studios ‘The Brave and The Bold’

    Ben Affleck Addresses Rumors He’ll Direct DC Studios ‘The Brave and The Bold’

    Shortly after James Gunn announced part of the lineup of the DCU’s Chapter 1-Gods and Monsters, rumors began to swirl that while Ben Affleck‘s days of portraying Batman on screen were done, there was mutual interest in having Affleck direct a project. Before long, a rumor surfaced that had Affleck on a shortlist to direct DC Studios The Brave and The Bold, which would introduce a new Batman and his son, Damian, the new DCU. The rumor was believable enough: Affleck likes Batman and Gunn, who is always actively dispelling rumors on social media, didn’t address it. Now, Affleck has made his thoughts known on the rumor.

    “I would not direct something for the Gunn DC. Absolutely not,” said Affleck when asked by THR about the possibility of helming a DC Studios project. “I have nothing against James Gunn,” Aflleck clarified, “Nice guy, sure he’s going to do a great job. I just wouldn’t want to go in and direct in the way they’re doing that. I’m not interested in that.“

    Affleck didn’t clarify what “the way they’re doing that meant” leaving plenty of room for interpretation for rabid fans who’ll want to read into his comments; however, the only real news here is that Affleck’s superhero days, which date back to 2003’s Daredevil, seem to be behind him and that Gunn’s search for a director for The Brave and the Bold will continue.

    Source: THR