Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • ‘Silent Hill 2 Remake’ Developers Promise a Faithful Revival But Tease One Major Overhaul

    ‘Silent Hill 2 Remake’ Developers Promise a Faithful Revival But Tease One Major Overhaul

    While there was a lot of excitement with the return of Silent Hill as a gaming franchise, there still were some reservations about some of the reveals. Most notably, Bloober Team hasn’t had the biggest track record with people that felt like most of their games oversold their promise of horror, and there were accusations of them mainly stealing most of their elements from others. So, them working on a remake of Silent Hill 2 had left many with some concerns.

    Luckily, it seems that Bloober Team wants to ensure that they are staying true to the original game; hoping to ease some concerns of modern elements taking away from the psychological horror that defined the franchise. DreadXP had the chance to sit down with Anna Jasińska who shared some insight into the upcoming adaptation.

    The idea of working on this project stalked us for many years, and in 2019, we received an invitation from Konami to participate in the Tokyo Games Show. To our delight, Konami asked us to prepare a concept for a remake of the original game’s second installment in exchange for the opportunity of bringing the concept to life.

    Anna Jasińska

    She shared that their concept “stole Konami’s heart” and led to them getting the sign off on remaking Silent Hill 2. She goes on to highlight that they are “bringing the distinct, visceral atmosphere back” and staying true to what made the original what it is today.

    We are focusing on bringing the distinct, visceral atmosphere back in the modernized SILENT HILL 2. Longtime fans shouldn’t worry about us “missing the point” while we’re livening up the title. We faithfully stick to the traditional story canon while remaking the gameplay and updating the graphics from the ground up.

    Anna Jasińska

    Jasińska does point out that they are updating one element from the original and that is its combat system. We saw glimpses of a more modernized take on a third-person horror game but no distinction on how that’ll be brought to life. Tank controls in the original added to the atmosphere and the clumsy combat was part of its charm, but certainly wouldn’t still work in a modern take.

    These are the reasons why Konami entrusted us with the remake in the first place. A big visible change is the adoption of an over-the-shoulder camera, which altered the perspective of a few iconic set pieces, but also meant an overhaul to the combat system. The latest technological achievements do wonder when it comes to making the visuals pop.

    Anna Jasińska

    Sadly, they wouldn’t go into any more details such as if they’d adapt the infamous kitchen scene, but for now, it seems like the remake is in good hands. We’re still waiting for a release date on the remake and a follow-up trailer showcasing the new combat system, but

    Source: DreadXP

  • ‘Deadpool’ Director Taking Over Additional Photography For Eli Roth’s ‘Borderlands’

    ‘Deadpool’ Director Taking Over Additional Photography For Eli Roth’s ‘Borderlands’

    Here’s a curious story, as it seems that Deadpool and Terminator: Dark Fate director Tim Miller is joining the production of Borderlands. He will oversee the reshoots of the production as first reported by One Take News. They do go on to highlight that the original director Eli Roth is still involved with the project and has not been fired yet. It seems that his schedule has not lined up with that of the various actors required for the reshoots.

    As such, Tim Miller is simply joining the production with the blessing of Roth to supervise the reshoots necessary to finalize the project. He supposedly has also seen the rough cut of Borderlands. Eli Roth is currently busy working on the film Thanksgiving which was inspired by a mock trailer from Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez‘s Grindhouse film. So, those reading the headline expecting another version of what happened to the Justice League film can know that this isn’t a situation where studio interferences led to the director taking over.

    Still, we still have seen rather little of the Borderlands film. We got some teases here and there, but the film promises a star-studded cast that consists of Cate Blanchett, Edgar Ramirez, Kevin Hart, Ariana Greenblatt, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Black, and more. If Miller has Roth’s blessing, it doesn’t seem like he’ll add anything to change the style that the director used to bring this iconic gaming franchise to life, but it’ll be interesting to see what parts they added through reshoots.

    Source: One Take News, Deadline

  • Nicolas Cage Has No Interest in Joining a ‘Star Wars’ Project

    Nicolas Cage Has No Interest in Joining a ‘Star Wars’ Project

    We’re still anxiously awaiting any news on what Star Wars’ cinematic future looks like. To this day, there’s still no word on if Damon Lindelof‘s project is moving forward, even with rumors circulating that the film is already starting casting a person-of-color lead. There’s also Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron project that was put on the back burner due to her commitment to Wonder Woman 3; a film that is ironically not going to happen now.

    As we theorize about what the future might look like for Lucasfilm’s cinematic universe, we have the confirmation that there’s one actor we don’t have to consider in any project moving forward. In an interview with Kevin Polowy, the actor revealed that he’s “a Trekkie” and has no interest in joining a Star Wars project.

    I think this is the first interview of the New Year, you might as well get something that no one knows. But that’s a fact. I grew up watching Shatner, I thought Pine was terrific in the movies. I think the movies are outstanding.

    Nicolas Cage

    He goes on to highlight that he’s more about “the political” and “sociological aspects of science fiction rather than jumping into a world that is more science-fantasy at times like Star Wars.

    I like the political, the sociological… To me, what science fiction is really all about and why it’s such an important genre is that is really where you can really say whatever you want, however you feel, you put it on a different planet, you put it in a different time or in the future and you can – without people just jumping on you. You can really express your thoughts like Orwell in the science fiction format and Star Trek really embraced that. I thought they got into some serious stuff.

    Nicolas Cage

    Of course, it’s a shame that we’ll never see his zany performance in a Star Wars project, it does open up a bigger interest in if he could finally star in something Star Trek-related. There are a variety of shows and even a new film in development.

    Source: Twitter via The Direct

  • ‘M3GAN’ Sequel is Already in Development

    ‘M3GAN’ Sequel is Already in Development

    The world of horror movies should be prepared for seeing more of the Model 3 Generative Android. Deadline has shared that a sequel for the new horror film M3GAN is in the very early stages of development. This news makes sense with the surprising surge at the box office the horror film has had on its first full day of release.

    The Universal Studios film won at the box office yesterday by earning over $11M, which has moved M3GAN’s opening weekend projection to $27.5M. This respectfully outperforms the initial $20M expectations, and the film has the potential to see it continue to increase if word of mouth continues to be a success.

    M3GAN, directed by Gerard Johnstone, is based on a story by Akela Cooper and James Wan. It was produced under Blumhouse Productions and follows the story of roboticist Gemma (played by Alison Williams) as she suddenly finds herself in the custody of her niece Cady (played by Violet McGraw) following the death of the latter’s parents.

    To help remedy a struggling home life situation, Gemma provides her niece with a prototype of her new work project to assist in looking after and providing emotional support for Cady: the Model 3 Generative Android (abbreviated to M3GAN). This of course has dire consequences as the artificial intelligence gains sentience that’s combined with a warped and everchanging moral code.

    The first major American release of 2023 is a relatively strong underdog story in the film industry. Being the film to dethrone Avatar: The Way of Water as #1 at the box office is a major accomplishment, and the notion of M3GAN being the movie to do it is certainly a surprise. The Way of Water is still set to win the weekend, but M3GAN being able to be relatively competitive without showing in most premium formats is a major feat.

    Without getting into specific spoilers from M3GAN, there are threads that can be continued for future projects. The character of M3GAN certainly matches the enigmatic nature shown in the trailer and is rife to be a successful black comedy franchise. Audiences should be prepared to see a great deal more of this artificial intelligence doll in the future.

    M3GAN is currently available at movie theaters globally. You can read Murphy’s Multiverse official review of the film here. 

    Source: Deadline

  • Hugh Jackman Hints at His Wolverine Training and When ‘Deadpool 3’ Starts Production

    Hugh Jackman Hints at His Wolverine Training and When ‘Deadpool 3’ Starts Production

    One of 2022’s most notable stories in the film industry was the surprise announcement that Hugh Jackman would be returning to the role of Wolverine. The face of the X-Men franchise will be entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the upcoming Deadpool sequel in 2024. As Jackman hasn’t played the character since 2017’s Logan, some might be curious about the time it would take for him to get in enough shape to play the iconic character once again. Luckily in an interview on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?, the star actor confirmed the timetable for when he’ll physically be set to play the co-lead for the Marvel Studios production.

    I‘ve learned you can’t rush it. I’ve learned that it takes time. So we have six months from when I finish (‘The Music Man’ on Broadway) to when I started filming. And I’m not doing any other work. I’m going to be with my family and train. That’s going to be my job for six months. And I’m really fit right now. There’s one thing that about eight shows a week being on Broadway singing and dancing is I’m fit. So I’m healthy. I have a good place to start. And apologies chickens. Run a mile. Start running now because I’m coming for you.

    Hugh Jackman

    The notable news from this quote is that Deadpool 3 is apparently set to begin production in six months following the close of The Music Man on Broadway next week. This would mean a summer start for the highly anticipated multiversal romp. With that in mind, fans looking for the inside scoop on what to expect won’t have to wait too long before the first pieces of information about the film are made public. In terms of Hugh Jackman’s preparedness, the physical condition of the star actor shouldn’t be of any concern when production begins and he dons the metal claws for an additional time.

    Source: Collider

  • ‘M3GAN’ Surprises and Dehtornes ‘Avatar 2’s Friday Box Office

    ‘M3GAN’ Surprises and Dehtornes ‘Avatar 2’s Friday Box Office

    M3GAN is a surprise hit as the film is currently overperforming. Initially expected to make around $20M, the film is currently en route toward $28M. If it keeps up the performance with the horror classic B CinemaScore, there’s a chance it could even scratch the $30M. Of course, it’s not that easy with horror films that don’t leg out over the weekend, as they tend to have a stronger hold in the following weeks. It also doesn’t have any real competition so the film is definitely a success for Blumhouse.

    The big surprise, however, is that the film managed to dethrone Avatar The Way of Water on Friday. Yes, the monolith of a film was finally pushed out of its top seat even if just for a single day. M3GAN is still unlikely to win the weekend, but it’s something that the film can be proud of, especially in how Blumhouse made use of the empty January to release a fitting counterprogramming that pulls audiences in.

    January used to be an infamous dead zone for film releases but has become a popular horror release month. M3GAN almost covered its $12M budget with its opening day and is definitely going to end up profitable by the end of the weekend or early next week. Scream was released on January 13th last year and also managed to pull in quite some impressive numbers. Perhaps there’s a new market this month and Blumhouse is definitely going to make good use of it moving forward. You can read what we thought of M3GAN by clicking here.

    Source: Twitter

  • REPORT: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s Will Be The Longest ‘Ant-Man’ Film

    REPORT: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s Will Be The Longest ‘Ant-Man’ Film

    If there ever is a tradition with any Marvel Studios project, it’s the long discussions surrounding what runtimes the latest epic in the Marvel Cinematic Universe might have. With only a month left to go before its next major release, the speculation began on just how long Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania might end up being. Would the usually comedy-centric franchise stick to a shorter runtime or expand with its more Avengers-level-style teasing?

    Well, it seems that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will be the longest entry in the trilogy, as according to Fandango the film will run for two hours and five minutes. That puts it well ahead of Ant-Man‘s one hour and 57 minutes. Ant-Man and the Wasp was only a minute longer than its predecessor. The film’s runtime puts it ahead of other Marvel Studios films like Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy, and more. Though, it’s not going to rival any of some of the major crossover films, which share some of the longest runtimes in the franchise.

    When compared to the Phase 4 entries, the film is only a minute shy of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ runtime. Though, Thor: Love and Thunder remains the shortest entry of that Phase, as it’s still the only film to be under two hours. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kicks off Phase 5 and it’ll be interesting to see if these longer projects remain and only a handful tends to stick to shorter runtimes moving forward; a potential learning from the last films.

    Source: Fandango

  • New ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Storyboard Reveals Vulture in Scrapped Finale

    New ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Storyboard Reveals Vulture in Scrapped Finale

    It’s not new that Marvel Studios’ productions go through a variety of changes. Not only do they rewrite the scripts before production starts, but they aren’t strangers to also adapting on the fly if necessary. That especially became a necessity during COVID, as the pandemic didn’t make it easy for any production to stay on schedule or even remain in its original slot, forcing it to adapt story elements to adhere to the bigger Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    In the case of Spider-Man: No Way Home, we always wondered just how much was changed throughout production, especially with the inclusion of a variety of actors from legacy projects. There was one aspect that stood out from No Way Home and that was the lack of any villains representing Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man. As it turns out, Storyboard artist Phil Langone shared a drawing from one of the finales that seemingly includes Michael Keaton‘s Vulture as part of the ensemble.

    It was always funny how the film had the opportunity to establish the Sinister Six but ended up short one member. Perhaps during or before production started, they simply couldn’t get the version of the story together as they intended. Perhaps Keaton wasn’t available for the film, as he did end up reprising the role in Morbius. Whatever the case might be, we’re sadly stuck with what could’ve been off seeing a fully formed Sinister Six and the return of a great villain. Perhaps a future project could see his long-awaited return.

    Source: Instagram

  • HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ Devised a Brand New Way for the Virus to Spread

    HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ Devised a Brand New Way for the Virus to Spread

    When HBO first announced their high-profile adaptation of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, it was made clear that not everything from the games would carry over into live-action. Neil Druckmann, creator of the franchise and one of the series’ leading producers, stated changes would have to be made to the story in the process of adapting it. Now, fans are getting their first idea as to what will be different when Joel and Ellie make their iconic trip across the country on television.

    In an exclusive interview with Comic Book, series showrunner Craig Mazin revealed HBO’s take on The Last of Us will not include the infamous spores that helped spread the Cordyceps infection so quickly in the acclaimed video games:

    Obviously, there are some big things that we know we’re keeping, of course, but then there are challenges from the game to the show that had to be considered. For instance, little things like the spores. In the game, there are these where you encounter spores and you need to put a gas mask on. In the world that we’re creating, if we put spores in the air, it would be pretty clear that they would spread around everywhere and everybody would have to wear a mask all the time and probably everybody would be completely infected by that point.

    Craig Mazin

    As Mazin mentions, both The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II feature sections of gameplay where the players encounter Cordyceps spores floating in the air. The spores make it difficult to see clearly and are usually accompanied by loads of monsters. They also force the protagonists to use protective masks and flashlights to traverse infected areas. Mazin‘s reasoning for altering this aspect of the game’s aesthetic makes sense, and the creative went on to assure fans that he and Druckmann have come up with some sort of fitting alternative instead:

    So, we challenged ourselves to come up with an interesting new way for the fungus to spread but mostly I think we just connected with the soul and spirit of the game. He, as the creator of the game, and me, as a fan of the game, we were caretakers on behalf of all the fans but also on behalf of all the people who haven’t played the game who need a television experience that is holistic and connected to itself and doesn’t feel like you ned to play a game to understand.

    Craig Mazin

    The Last of Us premieres on HBO on January 15th. It stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, with Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, and Merle Dandridge rounding out the recurring cast.

    Source: Comic Book

  • ‘Sea Beast’ Sequel in Development, Director Signs Deal with Netflix

    ‘Sea Beast’ Sequel in Development, Director Signs Deal with Netflix

    It looks like director Chris Williams has made quite the impression with Netflix, as he has now signed an overall deal with the streaming studio. It seems that he has two projects currently in development with one being a direct sequel to his film The Sea Beast. The animation legend has worked for 25 years at Disney Animation on various Oscar-winning and nominated films. It seems the deal came together shortly around when they were wrapping up work on his first project.

    We had just wrapped up on the Sea Beast and we were in the post-production phase when we started talking about me continuing at Netflix and working on something else. They were cool about letting me know they wanted me to stay. I felt so supported throughout the making of Sea Beast, even though it was a massively ambitious movie. That represents a financial investment and risk, and they were always cool letting me making the movie I wanted to make. I always value people’s opinions and I will always listen to what anyone has to say. But they never forced my hand and they never made me do anything other than let me do the movie I wanted to make. And I really appreciated that. And so I wanted to do it again.

    Chris Williams

    William‘s first big project outside of the usual walls of Disney was his Moby Dick-inspired story of The Sea Beast, which was inspired by movies from his youth. It’s no surprise that Netflix would want him back, as his film is the most-watched animated film in Netflix’s library even with some stellar competition already on the platform.

    With that success, Netflix has penned a deal with Williams to produce two originals for the studio. The sequel will follow the continuing adventures of Jacob Holland, but he’s also set his eyes on an original fantasy film that would be a combination of The Princess Bride meets The Lord of the Rings.

    I pitched an original fantasy story. And it would be similar to Sea Beast in that I would create a completely cohesive world. Tonally, it would be between Lord of the Rings and Princess Bride. It’s like Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings where you have a history that leads up to the point where the story begins, and it’s a huge world with multiple events going on outside the story being told. But at the same time, I want to have fun with some of the conventions that Princess Bride did. It’s not parody and it’s not making fun of it, but it has a perspective that is light and refreshing.

    It definitely sounds like he has ambitious plans and Netflix is definitely on board to see where their investment in his vision goes. With the success of his previous project, it makes sense they wouldn’t want to lose the talent they have already working for them.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter