Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • ‘Fantastic Four’ Fancast Favorite Revealed in New ‘Quantumania’ Still

    ‘Fantastic Four’ Fancast Favorite Revealed in New ‘Quantumania’ Still

    William Jackson Harper has become an overwhelmingly popular fan choice to play Reed Richards in Marvel Studios Fantastic Four. As casting for that project is still ongoing, however, Harper found himself another role in the MCU in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and a great new look at his character has been released via Empire.

    According to Empire, Harper is playing an telepathic inhabitant of the Quantum Realm named Quaz. Also featured in the photo is Jantorra, played by Katy M. O’Brian, the leader of the Freedom Fighters who look to reclaim their homeland from Kang the Conqueror. Putting two and two together, it would seem that Quaz is a member of Jantorra’s group.

    William Jackson Harper as Quaz in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, via Empire

    Officially revealing the name of Harper’s character probably won’t stop the speculation that he’s playing a major Marvel character. His character’s name surfaced online some time ago, driving speculation that Harper was playing one of Marvel Comics great Cosmic heroes, Quasar. Speculation has also continued that Quaz is actually Reed Richards and that that the Fantastic Four have been trapped in the Quantum Realm since the 1960s. In all likelihood, Harper’s Quaz is probably just an original character developed by Marvel Studios for the film in place of a group of characters from the comics known as The Micronauts. Due to right’s issues, Marvel Studios cannot use the characters though they appeared in the pages of Marvel Comics. Much like Jantorra’s Freedom Fighters, The Micronauts sought to liberate their homeworld from a vile despot (Baron Karza), so it would seem they may have served as inspiration for the group in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.

    Source: Empire

  • Writer Jeff Loveness Describes the Pitch That Became ‘Quantumania’

    Writer Jeff Loveness Describes the Pitch That Became ‘Quantumania’

    One of Marvel Comics most compelling villains, Kang the Conqueror, is finally set to make his MCU debut but maybe not in the franchise anyone would have ever expected. Jonathan Majors‘ Kang, a Variant of his He Who Remains seen in Season 1 of Loki, will debut in Marvel Studios’ smaller franchises in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. Much has been made about the severe threat Kang poses and the juxtaposition of his debut occurring in a very humor-heavy franchise. Nobody at Marvel Studios is pulling any punches about it, either, making it very clear that Lang is heavily outmatched against the warlord. Given the unlikely scenario, one might wonder how the pairing ever came to be and the answer lies with writer Jeff Loveness.

    While speaking with Empire about the upcoming film, Loveness detailed the genesis of the unlikely combo. “The first discussion we had was, ‘What if Ant-Man is accidentally in an Avengers movie by himself?‘”, said Loveness. Kevin Feige’s belief that it was time for Ant-Man to “take his position at the front of the podium” and kick off Phase 5 certainly called for a shift in the direction of the franchise and Loveness’ decision to write an Avengers film minus the Avengers represent just that. They also add to the sense of urgency and despair that fans are already feeling after the latest trailer showed Scott Lang in a world of hurt.

    Given Kang’s desire to escape the Quantum Realm and get to conquering and the fact that the next Avengers’ film is subtitled The Kang Dynasty certainly doesn’t give the impression that things will end well for the Ant-Family, however, Lang is used to being the underdog and may still have trick or two up his sleeves when Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters on February 17th.

    Source: Empire

  • Kevin Feige Explains Why They Chose ‘Quantumania’ to Kick Off Phase 5

    Kevin Feige Explains Why They Chose ‘Quantumania’ to Kick Off Phase 5

    Nearly two years ago during the press junket for WandaVision, Marvel Studios One-Above-All, Kevin Feige was asked if he could clarify when the studio’s Phase 4 would come to an end. Whether because he wasn’t sure at the time or because he was keeping it to himself, Feige simply answered, “No.” It wasn’t until a year and a half later, during SDCC ’22, that fans finally learned that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever would end Phase 4 and that the studio had chosen a surprising film to launch Phase 5: Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. With its release date just over a month away, the hype machine for the film has been switched on and fans are starting to realize that the third installment in the Ant-Man franchise won’t be the palate cleanser its two predecessors were. This one is big–really big–and will “have a significant impact on the future of the MCU” according to producer Stephan Broussard. How did the Ant-Man find himself in such a prominent position in Phase 5? According to Kevin Feige, he “earned” it.

    Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania isn’t just kicking off Phase 5, it’s also playing a major role in advancing the the shared narrative of the Multiverse Saga, similar to how Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War moved along the plot of the Infinity Saga. Having a character like Scott Lang’s Ant-Man leading the way might seem surprising, but in an interview with Empire, Feige revealed why now was the time for Ant-Man to carry the torch.

    We wanted to kick off Phase Five with Ant-Man because he’d earned that position. To not simply be the back-up or the comic relief, but to take his position at the front of the podium of the MCU.

    The One-Above-All

    While Lang my seem “jokey”, he played a major role in the events of Avengers: Endgame and has certainly done his fair share or super-heroing. With Black Panther, Black Widow, Captain America and Iron Man gone and no team of Avengers assembled, Lang’s status in the world has shifted (as seen in the trailers) and now so does the franchise’s status within the MCU.

    Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania opens on February 17th.

    Source: Empire

  • ‘One Piece’ Showrunner Teases Mihawk as His “Favorite Character” in the Netflix Adaptation

    ‘One Piece’ Showrunner Teases Mihawk as His “Favorite Character” in the Netflix Adaptation

    One Piece‘s live-action adaptation will offer a new take on the iconic manga from Eiichiro Oda. We were lucky to follow the production with various set photos that teased larger-than-life production. They are using real boats to showcase some iconic iconography from the original series, and we’re still anxiously awaiting a first look at the costumes of the various actors.

    While joining the One Piece community discussing the last year, showrunner Matt Owens got the opportunity to offer some minor tidbits on what to expect. In it, he revealed that his new favorite character from the live-action adaptation is Mihawk, played by Steven Ward.

    I will say that my favorite character in the live-action is Mihawk. I will say that.

    Matt Owens

    Of course, he doesn’t really give away any details or why he’s enjoyed the character but YouTuber Rogersbase did add a bit, as he had the opportunity to visit the set some time ago.

    I will say, I understand why Matt be saying that. I will also say that I think there is a story arc that when we get to it, people are going to be very impressed with how that story arc turns out, and looks in live-action.

    Rogersbase

    The YouTuber highlights that “he has complete faith now” after having had a chance to see the set from the arc that he is teasing. Of course, this led to many speculating what exactly he is referencing, but it seems like there’s a lot to be excited bout in how they bring this project to life. Owens did tease that we’ll get an update “very soon“ so we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see what the project has to offer.

    Source: YouTube

  • Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Showrunner Believes the Netflix Series can Become “an Entry Point” for New Fans

    Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Showrunner Believes the Netflix Series can Become “an Entry Point” for New Fans

    There’s always a heated discussion online about the relevance of remaking something in live-action. Some believe that these projects should remain in their original format, but there’s also an opportunity for these adaptations to draw in a completely new audience. That is something that showrunner Matt Owens seemingly believes with his adaptation of One Piece for Netflix and Tomorrow Studios.

    While being asked about the upcoming live-action adaptation, Owens got an opportunity to highlight what he and his co-showrunner Steve Maeda hope to accomplish with this show, and that is to establish this “as an entry point.” A series like One Piece consists of 1,000+ chapters and just as many anime episodes. So, it’s not an easy show to just jump into, but that is something Netflix’s One Piece can offer.

    We want to be able to use this as an entry point. We’ve all had experiences trying to get people into this who aren’t that are like: “How many chapters is it? How many episodes is the anime?” So, to be able to offer this as a new and different entry point. See, now you can jump in. Now, you can see what we were talking about.

    Matt Owens

    It’s an ambitious goal and also reflects how much care is going into this project from everyone involved. They highlight that the cast, crew, and anyone working on the project loves or fell in love with the series, ensuring they want to bring it fully to life. There’s always a challenge with adapting an animated project into live-action, but the team gives a lot of hope.

    There’s also the fact that some people simply don’t care for animation. Hollywood still struggles to highlight that animation is an art form and not just something for children. Guillermo del Toro highlighted this fact once again during his speech after winning for Pinocchio. Yet, some might not be interested to jump into an animated project or read a manga. So, the live-action project may give them that entry window to give it a chance after all.

    Source: YouTube

  • Netflix ‘One Piece’s Showrunner Teases an Update “Very Soon”

    Netflix ‘One Piece’s Showrunner Teases an Update “Very Soon”

    One Piece is among Netflix’s biggest and most ambitious releases for 2023 (if it does) but with no real update for quite some time, there’s a lot of hope that it’s only the calm before the storm. Showrunners Matt Owens and Steve Maeda are still hard at work bringing an iconic world created by mangaka Eiichiro Oda to life and also trying to avoid the usual pitfalls of anime or manga adaptations.

    There is, however, one major difference with the creative team this time around, as they are quite proactive in the fan bases for this franchise. Owens has recently participated in the Reverie, an ongoing meeting between One Piece content creators, where he offered a tiny but hopeful glimpse into what’s heading our way with this ambitious project. While he couldn’t give away any details or drop any reveals, he has given hope that an update is just around the corner.

    During the live cast, he revealed that “you’ll have something new to see very soon.” The wording seemingly implies that we’re not only getting an update on casting, but perhaps we’ll actually get more from the set or even the cast in their iconic costumes. Of course, there could be the potential of a teaser trailer of some kind, but it may also be too early to say given that strongly depends on when the series may release on Netflix. Either way, it’s a great way to hint that we won’t have to wait too much longer until we get an update on where the series currently stands.

    Source: YouTube

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ isn’t “Shying Away From” the Manga’s Fantastical World

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ isn’t “Shying Away From” the Manga’s Fantastical World

    Things have calmed down quite a bit on the shore of the One Piece live-action series since production wrapped up some months ago. Tomorrow Studios and Netflix are working on what may be one of their most ambitious adaptations yet, as the original series by Eiichiro Oda is quite a bit different from the more grounded stories of Death Note and even Cowboy Bebop. The world includes a wide variety of creatures, cultures, and environments that are out of this world.

    There’s always some worry with live-action translations that cartoony elements may not make it into these adaptations. While visual effects have come a long way, there are still some limitations or even creatives who might be shy about fully embracing that wacky concept. Luckily, showrunner Matt Owens revealed that this series is definitely going to “look like the One Piece world” during his participation in the yearly One Piece community-driven live-cast known as the Reverie.

    The world is going to look like the One Piece world, that is what it is. Are characters going to have razor-sharp teeth when they get mad? No, we won’t have that but elements that make the One Piece world what it is, we’re not shying away from it.

    Matt Owens

    For long-time fans, this is a releasing statement to hear, especially with just how creative some of the islands become that we see in the series are. It also makes sense that we won’t be seeing the usual anime tropes for the various reaction shots, but it’s great to know that once we hit the Grand Line, there’s going to be a lot of chaos awaiting this new take on the Straw Hat pirates.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘Demon Slayer’ Season 2 Heading to Netflix Later This Month

    ‘Demon Slayer’ Season 2 Heading to Netflix Later This Month

    Fans of the hit series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba will be able to revisit the iconic series’ second season quite soon, as a new listing on Netflix has it set for a release on January 21st. There are no details on what is included in this second season, as the Mugen Train Arc was available as a standalone film, but was also redone in a seven-episode arc for the series. There’s a chance that they’ll simply include that arc with the Entertainment District Arc, the actual second season of the anime.

    Kimetsu no Yaiba was a popular manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotoug, which was first published in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in February 2016. The series ran until May 2020 and follows the story follows the journey of a Tanjiro, whose life is changed forever when his family is killed by demons. With his sister infected, he sets out to find a cure and save what is left of his family.

    The series saw a massive increase in popularity after the release of its anime adaptation. It offered a beautiful showcase of what animation is capable of, and the colorful cast of characters added a lot to get viewers hooked on its surprisingly dark premise. The series is currently set up for the next season, which will adapt the Swordsmith Village Arc from the manga series.

    Source: Netflix via Anime News Network

  • Marvel Studios President Teases Kang’s Motivations In ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’

    Marvel Studios President Teases Kang’s Motivations In ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’

    Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania continues to ramp up its marketing campaign with new stills from the movie. Not jus that, they are also giving the fans a few more hints at the plotlines of the film. Speaking with Empire Magazine, Kevin Feige teased Kang the Conqueror’s role in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, and revealed more about his goal in the movie. He alludes to the fact that Kang is seemingly stranded with a device that could do so much more.

    He has a ship and a device that would allow him to go anywhere, and any when he wants if he can get it online. If only he had access to genius scientists with Pym Particles.

    Kevin Feige

    While we don’t know what his ship looks like, the “device” here seemingly refers to the Time Chair, a device of much significance in the comics. We know from the trailer played during last year’s San Diego Comic-Con that Kang made a “deal” with Scott Lang and that he was holding his family hostage until Ant-Man completed his part of the deal.

    While Kang’s objectives have been teased multiple times, all of which have pointed toward the cliché multiverse-domination goal, this quote makes him look less like Thanos and more like a guy who just needs the right people at the right time. This definitely makes Cassie Lang’s mistake with the device she created seem less of an accident and more of a perfect flaw, which Kang was just waiting for.

    Source: Empire Magazine

  • ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ Looks to Have Found Marvel Studios Hulkling

    ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ Looks to Have Found Marvel Studios Hulkling

    Production on Marvel Studios’ first project of the new year, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, kicks off next week in Atlanta and after months of unofficial announcements, the studio worked with THR to unveil the talent working on the streaming series. Tucked away in that announcement may have been one of the studio’s most important new castings in relative newcomer Miles Gutierrez-Riley. As the slow march toward a Young Avengers project continues, Gutierrez-Riley may be filling the role of one of the last remaining original members of the team.

    In October of 2022, a pair of casting calls for Agatha: Coven of Chaos seemed to indicate that Marvel Studios was set to introduce two founding members of the Young Avengers: Billy Kaplan and Teddy Altman. While the casting of Joe Locke as the “witty”, “astute fanboy” momentarily made absolute nobody Nicholas Scratch everyone’s favorite character, it’s much more widely accepted now that he’s playing Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan. The case for Locke as Wiccan is significantly strengthened by the presence of a pair of casting calls for Jewish parents, a description matching Billy’s parents from the comics and accepting Locke as Wiccan goes a long way toward making the case for Gutierrez-Riley as Hulkling, assuming he’s been cast in the other role revealed in October.

    That role called for a gay actor 18-20, described as “a kind soul” with a “great sense of humor” who is totally in love with his boyfriend and has an athletic build. While Gutierrez-Riley doesn’t hit the age range (he graduated from Fordham University in 2020), the age ranges have always served as guidelines and Marvel Studios has routinely reached outside of them when they find the right fit. To that end, Gutierrez-Riley, who was a Denzel Washington Scholarship Recipient at Fordham before landing role in Amazon’s The Wilds and director Sanaa Lathan’s On the Come Up, certainly could fit the bill.

    Whether or not that role is Teddy Altman/Hulkling, of course, is a different matter entirely as is the nature of that character in the MCU. In the comics, Hulkling is a Kree/Skrull hybrid with a powerful heritage on both sides. As the grandson of Skrull Emperor Dorrek VII, Teddy (Dorrek VIII) is heir to the Skrull empire; as the son of Kree hero Mar-Vell, Teddy carries on a legacy valued greatly by the people of Hala. Marvel Studios has made a series of choices, however, that all but eliminate any of that background. Dorreks don’t exist yet in the MCU and Mar-Vell had no super powers nor was she a revered hero of Hala, so short of creating an entirely new backstory for Teddy, it seems that being Wiccan’s boyfriend (and likely being able to shape-shift) is the role for the time being. Of course, with Secret Invasion and The Marvels coming in 2023, there’s still time to add a little more depth to the Kree-Skrull War and give Teddy something more to do.

    Agatha: Coven of Chaos is currently slated to stream on Disney Plus in late 2023 or early 2024.