Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Mask On? John Campea Claims RDJ’s Face Won’t Be Seen in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    Mask On? John Campea Claims RDJ’s Face Won’t Be Seen in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    The discourse around Robert Downey Jr.’s Doom just took another turn. Recently, the consensus among the scooper community has been that while Victor Von Doom would keep his mask on when in front of the 616 heroes, the audience would get that meta moment of seeing RDJ’s face—likely to hammer home the tragedy of a man who looks exactly like the hero we lost in Avengers: Endgame.

    However, John Campea is now throwing a monkey into that wrench. On a recent episode of his show, Campea stated that he has confirmed Marvel is keeping the mask firmly in place for the duration of Avengers::Doomsday, saving the face reveal  for the grand finale in 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.

    One of the rumors about Doomsday that we did confirm for people is that they do not reveal Robert Downey Jr.’s face as Doctor Doom… they don’t reveal Tony Stark’s face or Robert Downey Jr.’s face in Doomsday, and that the repercussions of that and the reasons for that and all that kind of stuff is something they’re saving for Secret Wars.

    -John Campea

    To mask or not to mask, that is the question but it’s hardly a new debate. But with Robert Downey Jr. in the role, it seems hard to believe that Marvel invested that kind of money just for a voice-over performance and a stunt double in a green cape.

    If Campea is right, Marvel is making a bold, narrative-driven choice. By withholding the face, they’re forcing the audience to treat Victor as a separate entity from Tony Stark. It builds tension so  when that mask finally comes off in Secret Wars, it’s a tactical emotional nuke designed to break the heroes, perhaps mirroring the division in Captain America: Civil War.

    This contradicts several other reports that suggested the audience see a scarred version of the 616-Stark-lookalike early on. If Campea’s info holds water, it means the brothers Russos are leaning into the horror of Doom, which does match up with  Film Threat’s Chris Gore’s claim that Doom’s face will be disfigured and, in his opinion, looks to be inspired by the look of creatures from “classic Universal Monster movies.”

    If they’re saving the face for Avengers: Secret Wars, they’re betting everything on a singular moment of shock to carry the entire Multiverse Saga finale.

  • Gillian Jacobs’ ‘Dakota North’ Pitch is Exactly the Spotlight Marvel Television Needs to Find Its Pulse

    Gillian Jacobs’ ‘Dakota North’ Pitch is Exactly the Spotlight Marvel Television Needs to Find Its Pulse

    Even as the Multiverse Saga speeds toward its end, it remains clear that fans who have pent so much time worrying about the stability of the Sacred Timeline and the logistics of incursions have forgotten that some of the best Marvel stories have happened on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen.

    As Marvel Television continues to bring the Defenders-verse back from the dead, recent quote from Gillian Jacobs–buried in an interview with MovieWeb’s Patrick Cavanaugh–illustrates just how much room there is to expand the studio’s foundational street-level narrative.

    While promoting the fourth season of Invincible, Jacobs dropped a pitch for a character so obscure, so deep-cut, that it actually makes too much sense for Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum to ignore.

    “I actually have a pitch,” Jacobs told Movie Web. “Do you know this comic, Dakota North? It was a short-run Marvel comic. I think that would make a great TV show. However, they’ll have me. I don’t know. I just discovered that comic, and I think it’s such a great world visually. It’s such a fun character.”

    With Marvel Television’s strategy continuing to shift toward grounded, character-driven narratives that don’t require a PhD in Multiversal physics, a character Dakota North is the literal poster child for that initiative.

    For the uninitiated, Dakota North (created in 1986 by Martha Thomases and Tony Salmons) isn’t a superhero. She’s a high-fashion model turned private investigator who specializes in the kind of high-stakes corporate espionage and personal security that the Avengers wouldn’t even notice. But in a world where the Marvel Spotlight banner is supposed to represent standalone, character-first storytelling, Dakota North is the perfect bridge. She is the investigative tissue that connects the high-society glitz of the MCU’s elite with the grime of its criminal underworld…the kind of character who might even know Tony Dalton‘s Swordsman.

    In the pages of Marvel Comics, specifically during Ed Brubaker’s legendary run on Daredevil, Dakota North was the primary investigator for Nelson & Murdock. She was the one who kept the lights on when Jessica Jones was occupied or when Matt Murdock was…well, being Matt Murdock.

    If Marvel is serious about rebuilding a Defenders-verse that feels lived-in and sustainable, they need characters like Dakota. A character, like North, who can walk into a room with Wilson Fisk and hold her own, serves as a fitting foil for interminable twats like Daniel Blake. Gillian Jacobs—who has proven her dramatic chops in The Bear and her comedic timing in Community—is the ideal anchor for that kind of noir-lite that really serves as a vehicle for violence and F-bombs.

    Of course, an actor’s pitch on a press tour doesn’t mean a greenlight. We’re still waiting for several projects, including,that Silver Surfer Special Presentation that’s been floating in the ether since 2020. However, in a 2026 landscape where Marvel is desperate for wins that don’t break the bank or the timeline, listening to an actor who actually knows the source material is not the worst move Kevin Feige can make. Dakota North might have been a short-run comic in the 80s, but she’s the exact long-term solution the MCU needs today: a character with multi-platorm narrative ductility.

    If Marvel wants to prove that Spotlight is more than just a marketing gimmick for the shows they don’t want to explain to the general public, Jacobs‘ pitch could be the…North Star

  • Is James Mangold’s ‘Dawn of the Jedi’ Dead? Insider Weighs In on Lucasfilm Shocker

    Is James Mangold’s ‘Dawn of the Jedi’ Dead? Insider Weighs In on Lucasfilm Shocker

    For nearly three years, the promise of a “Biblical Epic” set 25,000 years before the Skywalker Saga has been the north star for Star Wars fans seeking something truly original. James Mangold, fresh off Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, was set to explore the very origins of the Force.

    However, speaking on The Hot Mic (via SFFGazette.com), Jeff “the In” Sneider didn’t mince words when asked about the film’s status:

    I heard this week actually. I just heard it. That’s like dead. I can’t say that conclusively, but it doesn’t sound good. I think Mangold is focused on that Timothée Chalamet heist movie is what I think. I think Swamp Thing could be after that.

    -Jeff “The In” Sneider

    If the report holds true, the primary culprits for the film’s demise would seem likely to ne creative differences and  scheduling.

    With Dave Filoni now weileing unlimited power over the “creative direction of the franchise in film, television, and any other platforms in the galaxy,” it’s very possible that Mangold’s film didn’t fit his vision of what Star Wars should be moving forward.

    Mangold has spent the last year riding a massive wave of momentum following the Oscar-winning success of his Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown. Mangold and star Timothée Chalamet have officially reteamed for a motocross heist thriller titled High Side. The project, described as “Heat meets Hell or High Water,” was picked up by Paramount in a massive bidding war. With High Side now moving into active production, it appears the timeline for a galaxy far, far away has simply run out of room. And, of course, there’s Mangold’s Swamp Thing lurking in the background.

    The sting of this cancellation is felt even more acutely because of the creative team involved. In April 2024, news that Andor scribe Beau Willimon had joined the project to co-write the script with Mangold seemed to give the project new life.

    Willimon’s involvement was seen as a guarantee of quality, bringing the same stylings to the Jedi origins that he brought to the Narkina 5 arc in Andor. However, news recently broke that Willimon has moved on to write a major Game of Thrones feature film for HBO, which, in hindsight, may have been the first major  that the Jedi project was on life support.

    For Star Wars fans, this story feels all too familiar. From Patty Jenkins‘ Rogue Squadron to the Kevin Feige-produced project, Lucasfilm has a documented history of announcing high-profile director-led films that never make it to the screen…or even into production. The studio’s pivot toward the Mandalorian and Grogu as their primary theatrical return signals a retreat to safe IP, which seems to be the way of things at the House of Mouse. A 25,000-year-old prequel about the origins of the Force was always a high-risk gamble. In a 2026 landscape where Disney is prioritizing guaranteed hits, a risky, mold-breaking epic like Dawn of the Jedi may have simply been too unconventional for Filoni.

  • Pixar Leans Into ‘Monsters Inc. 3,’ ‘Incredibles 3’ and ‘Coco 2’ to Secure its Future

    Pixar Leans Into ‘Monsters Inc. 3,’ ‘Incredibles 3’ and ‘Coco 2’ to Secure its Future

    If you feel a sense of déjà vu coming from Emeryville, you aren’t alone. As Pixar’s newest original effort, Hoppers, hops into theaters today, a massive deep dive from the Wall Street Journal has effectively laid out the studio’s roadmap for the next decade. And spoiler alert: It’s very, very familiar.

    The report confirms that coming off of the massive success of Zootopia 2, Pixar will indeed continue to lean into reliability via franchise, officially moving Monsters Inc. 3, Incredibles 3, and Coco 2 into active development.

    Return to Monstropolis

    The headliner here is undoubtedly Monsters Inc. 3. While we’ve had the Monsters at Work series on Disney+ and the Monsters University prequel, we haven’t had a direct theatrical sequel to the 2001 original, which remains a beloved Pixar classic.

    The project is in the early stages, but the timing makes sense. Disney is currently building a massive Monstropolis-themed land at Hollywood Studios in Orlando. Developing a third film ensures the IP remains fresh for a new generation of park-goers. Whether Billy Crystal and John Goodman return is the $200 million question, but given their history with the roles, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the booth.

    The Incredibles & Coco Expansion

    The WSJ report also provided updates on two other heavy hitters:

    • The Incredibles 3: Following the announcement at D23 2024, the film has officially found its release window—reportedly targeting 2028. In a massive shakeup, Peter Sohn (Elemental) is rumored to be taking the director’s chair, with original architect Brad Bird potentially moving into a producer/consultant role.
    • Coco 2: This is the real surprise. Despite the original being a perfect standalone story, Pixar is reportedly aiming for a 2029 release for a sequel.

    The Original Front: Musical Felines and Ghost Markets

    It’s not all sequels, though. Pixar is still trying to find the “next big thing” with two new original announcements:

    • Untitled Musical: Turning Red director Domee Shi is officially helming Pixar’s first-ever full-blown musical.
    • Ono Ghost Market: A film inspired by Asian myths about a supernatural bazaar where the living and the dead interact. This is works as a vibe check for the studio as they try to balance high-concept originals with safe sequels.

    This is the Iger Era in a nutshell. After a few years of original films struggling to find theatrical footprints, the mandate is clear: give the people what they know. While the purists might groan at Coco 2, the box office reality is that sequels like Inside Out 2 and Zootopia 2 have become the lifeblood of Disney Animation. Pixar is simply following in those footsteps and following the money.

    Source: Wall Street Journal

  • Obi-Wan Kenobi Appearance All But Confirmed for ‘Ahsoka’ Season 2 via Crew Leak

    Obi-Wan Kenobi Appearance All But Confirmed for ‘Ahsoka’ Season 2 via Crew Leak

    For a year, Lucasfilm has tried to tell us that Ewan McGregor was only on the Ahsoka set to visit his wife, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Following a recent revelation, it looks as though the visitor excuse may be running out of steam.

    A YouTuber who worked on the Season 2 stunt team recently shared a look at official crew merchandise. When pressed about his favorite on-set moments, he dropped the bombshell: “When Ewan let me hold Ahsoka’s lightsaber.”

    This lines up with long-standing rumors from Kristian Harloff that McGregor filmed scenes alongside Hayden Christensen and Ariana Greenblatt. We aren’t just getting an Anakin reunion; we are getting the full Clone Wars Trinity.

    With Season 2 potentially leaning heavily into Mortis mythology, a Force-ghost reunion between Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka feels less like fan service and more like a narrative necessity to bring balance to Peridea.

    This would be a big swing by Dave Filoni. By bringing Ewan back, Ahsoka Season 2 is positioning itself as the true spiritual successor to The Clone Wars finale.

  • ‘LANTERNS’ Trailer Leaks Early, Revealing Premiere Month and a Controversial New Look

    Well, so much for the big Thursday reveal. In a move that probably has the DC Studios security team looking for new jobs, the first full trailer for Lanterns leaked online today. While the official drop was slated for tomorrow, the cat is out of the bag, and it’s bringing a release window with it: August 2026.

    However, it’s not the revelation of th “late-summer” date that’s getting talked about online, it’s the tone—and a very specific color palette.

    True Detective with a Ring

    James Gunn and Chris Mundy made it clear early on that they were not interested in a Green Lantern project set in a bubble-gum-colored corner of the galaxy. Instead, the trailer reveals that this is every bit the grounded, atmospheric murder mystery it has always been made out to be.

    Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan is every bit the “grizzled vet” we expected, but the internet is currently losing its mind over the first look at the suits. Instead of the emerald-green glow fans of the comics and animated series have grown accustomed to, the trailer receals a tactical, almost “brownish-green” weathered uniform. It’s a choice congruent with what Nathan Fillion‘s Guy Gardner was sporting in Superman and that leans heavily into the utility aspect of the Corps—making them look like intergalactic peacekeepers who have been through the ringer a time or two.

    We also got a brief glimpse of the supporting cast, including Kelly Macdonald and Garret Dillahunt, who seem to be playing the local resistance to the Lanterns’ investigation. And yes, for those counting frames, there was a subtle nod to the larger DCU roadmap—specifically a hint that the murder in the American heartland isn’t just a local crime, but a thread that leads directly into Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

    The early reaction is mixed at best–and I get it. Fans who were hoping for an immediate trip to Oa or a Sinestro Corps war tease are feeling a bit let down by the lack of massive constructs. Aside from a brief shot of Hal taking flight and a look at a very industrial-looking Power Battery, the trailer very much seems to be keeping its powder dry…but there’s really no guarantee that will change over the course of the series.

    Maybe, choosing to start slow is the right choice. Maybe by starting in the Nebraska mud and focusing on the friction between Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart and a reluctant Hal, they’re building a solid foundation. Maybe, by the time the  “ancient horror on Earth” is unveiled, the scale will come. For now, they’re selling us a story about two guys who have a job to do. DC is positioning Lanterns as the serious, adult-skewing prestige counter-programming.

    Is Hal’s tactical brown”l suit a mistake? Maybe. But if the mystery is as tight as Ozark or Watchmen, the color of the spandex won’t matter. Or maybe, it’ll be DC Studios’ Iron Fist.

  • Brightest Day is Finally Here as First ‘LANTERNS’ Teaser Set to Drop Tomorrow

    Brightest Day is Finally Here as First ‘LANTERNS’ Teaser Set to Drop Tomorrow

    It’s been a long, winding road through the emotional spectrum to get here. From the early days of the Greg Berlanti-produced space opera that never was, to the creative pivot that landed the project in the hands of Tom King, Chris Mundy, and Damon Lindelof, the wait for a live-action Green Lantern has felt like an eternity. But according to a new teaser for the teaser, the first look at the DCU’s Lanterns officially arrives tomorrow.

    DC Studios has taken wildly different approach than expected to its first Green Lantern project. This isn’t a CG-heavy trek across the stars; it’s a True Detective-style procedural set right here on Earth. The series is expected to follow intergalactic legend Hal Jordan and the new recruit John Stewart as they investigate a “terrestrial mystery” that has massive implications for the broader DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

    James Gunn and Peter Safran have taken their time with this one. They scrapped the previous iteration to ensure the Lanterns felt like an essential pillar of the new universe rather than a side project. If tomorrow’s teaser shows us that “Ancient Evil” they’ve been hinting at—the one that connects to the center of the DCU’s overarching narrative—then the hype for the 2026 release is going to hit an all-time high.

    Our show is in a lot of ways about replacement—when should someone step aside and when is it time for the next person to take the reins? That push and pull between those two characters is really important.

    -Chris Mundy

    Previously, Mundy revealed that Lanterns would be “as much of a buddy cop show as a superhero show.” If the “buddy-cop” dynamic is the engine of this show, tomorrow’s footage needs to nail the tone immediately. And they might want to explain why that ring is framed in gold because that could really pose an issue…

  • ‘Shadow of Maul’ #1 Invades Janix and Sets the Stage for Disney+

    ‘Shadow of Maul’ #1 Invades Janix and Sets the Stage for Disney+

    The wait is officially over. Marvel Comics’ Star Wars: Shadow of Maul #1 hits shelves today, and if you were expecting a typical Sith-heavy power trip, you’re in for a surprise. Writer Benjamin Percy and artist Madibek Musabekov are using this five-issue prequel series to build a world that feels more Andor than Skywalker Saga.

    Welcome to Janix

    Percy has described the setting as “one part Gotham, one part Metropolis,” and the first issue doubles down on that noir aesthetic. We’re introduced to Captain Brander Lawson—a single-dad ex-bounty hunter turned cop—and his droid partner Two-Boots. It’s a police procedural with a lightsaber-shaped threat looming in the background.

    Why This Isn’t “Just a Comic”

    You don’t spend this much time and capital building a hyper-detailed, multi-layered city like Janix—with its own distinct law enforcement and political ecosystem—just for a 10-episode animated run and a comic tie-in.

    Buzz has begun to circulate that Janix is being developed as a permanent fixture for the underworld corner of the galaxy. If the Maul: Shadow Lord series–premiering April 6–lands with fans, don’t be surprised if we see Janix transition into live-action sooner rather than later.

    Fans should pay close attention to the background syndicates mentioned in Issue #1. Rumors suggest that names dropped here will tie directly into the live-action Shadow Council seen in The Mandalorian. Perhaps, By grounding the story in a police procedural format, Lucasfilm is testing the waters for more mature, gritty storytelling in animation.

  • Sadie Sink Is Reportedly the MCU’s Jean Grey—and She’s Debuting in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

    Sadie Sink Is Reportedly the MCU’s Jean Grey—and She’s Debuting in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

    For over a year, the Marvel fandom has been playing a high-stakes game of “Guess the Redhead.” Since Sadie Sink was first reported to be joining the MCU back in early 2023, speculation has swung wildly from her playing Songbird in Thunderbolts to being a Multiversal variant of Mary Jane Watson.

    However, following a series of massive leaks over the last 48 hours, the mystery appears to be solved. Trusted scooper Cryptic HD QUALITY has doubled down on earlier reports from Jeff Sneider, explicitly stating that the Stranger Things star is portraying the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Jean Grey.

    The journey to this confirmation has been anything but linear. When Sink officially joined the cast of Spider-Man: Brand New Day in March 2025, she was famously cagey, calling the Jean Grey rumors “cool” but stopping short of a confirmation.

    As production moved through Glasgow and eventually back to Pinewood Studios, the “Insider Info War” reached a fever pitch. We saw theories ranging from Sink playing a Mark Millar-inspired Ultimate Jean Grey to a live-action version of Spider-Gwen from Earth-65. But as we noted back in August 2025, the sheer scale of Sink’s casting suggested someone much more pivotal to the MCU’s future than a one-off Spider-Man supporting character.

    Why Jean Grey? Why Now?

    The most common question among fans is: Why introduce one of the most powerful X-Men in a Spider-Man movie? According to the latest leaks, the answer lies in the Department of Damage Control (DODC) and the fallout of the Multiverse Saga.

    Reports from the Glasgow set suggest a sequence where Sink’s character is being hunted by the DODC. Insider Daniel Richtman has indicated that Sink’s character utilizes telepathic mind control—a hallmark of Jean Grey’s power set—to manipulate guards and potentially even turn Bruce Banner into the Hulk. And then, there are on-set descriptions that have consistently noted Sink wearing green and yellow—the signature colors of Jean Grey’s Marvel Girl.

    By introducing Jean as a street-level mutant being persecuted by the government, Marvel Studios is effectively setting the stakes for the Mutant Saga before the X-Men even have a team. This grounds Jean in the 616 reality, making her a sympathetic figure Peter Parker feels compelled to protect. And it also makes one ask what might have happened to the Jean Grey from whatever universe the X-Men appearing in Avengers: Doomsday are native to.

    The Road to Avengers: Secret Wars

    Perhaps the most compelling piece of evidence for the Jean Grey reveal is Sink‘s reported future in the franchise. It has been widely reported that Sink will reprise her role in Avengers: Secret Wars, which begins filming in London later this year.

    Casting an actress of Sink’s caliber for a multi-film arc—especially one that leads into the climax of the Multiverse Saga—only makes sense if she is playing a true heavy gitter. Jean Grey isn’t just a mutant; she is a cosmic entity. If the MCU plans on adapting the Phoenix Force in a post-Secret Wars world, Sink is the perfect anchor for what could unfold as a decade-long narrative.

  • Production Speeds Up! ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4’ Officially Begins Filming

    The fastest franchise in Hollywood isn’t slowing down. Following the massive global success of the third installment, Paramount Pictures has officially moved into the next phase of the Blue Blur’s cinematic journey. Director Jeff Fowler took to Twitter today to confirm that production on Sonic the Hedgehog 4 has officially begun.

    Fowler’s post featured a “Ready 4 Action” teaser image from the set, showing him holding a high-fidelity physical prop of Amy Rose’s Piko Piko Hammer against a backdrop of massive blue screens.

    The Pink Hedgehog is Here: Kristen Bell Joins the Cast

    The production start comes just weeks after the industry-shaking announcement that Kristen Bell (The Good Place, Frozen) has officially signed on to voice Amy Rose, who first appeared in a mid-credit scene in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

    The casting was first teased on IG by Ben Schwartz, where he posted a photo of the two actors holding their respective character figurines. Bell’s inclusion marks a major win for the franchise, bringing a voice-acting powerhouse to one of the most beloved characters in the Sonic lore.

    The Rumor Mill: Metal Sonic, Time Travel, and “Sonic CD”

    While Paramount is keeping the script under lock and key, the start of production has reignited a frenzy of rumors. Here’s a recap of what fans are expecting from the fourth installment in the franchise.

    Many fans believe the fourth film will take heavy inspiration from the classic game Sonic CD, a theory bolstered by the fact that both Amy Rose and Metal Sonic debuted in that title. Rumors from reliable insiders suggest the plot revolves around a “Bad Future” scenario, that finds Sonic traveling through time to stop a world ruled by Dr. Robotnik’s automated army.

    While Amy is the focus now, fans are already hunting for clues about Silver the Hedgehog. Rumors suggest he may not appear in the main film but is a prime candidate for the inevitable post-credits stinger for the film, which is set to release March 19, 2027.