Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Vincent D’Onofrio Hypes ‘Daredevil: Born Again’, May Hint at Showdown with The Punisher

    Vincent D’Onofrio Hypes ‘Daredevil: Born Again’, May Hint at Showdown with The Punisher

    Daredevil: Born Again is shaping up to be Marvel Studios’ most ambitious streaming series to date. The 18-episode event will take nearly all of 2023 to film before hitting Disney Plus in 2024 and is rumored to include a whole slew of characters including the Punisher and White Tiger, a new street-level character from the pages of Marvel Comics. Even without those characters, the hype for the series, which will see Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio share the lead for the first time since the Netflix Daredevil series was canceled, has always been high. But it can always get better…

    At a recent appearance at Salt Lake FanX, D’Onofrio took the time to get the audience in attendance even more fired up about the upcoming series. While responding to a question about what hero he’d like to face down the road in the MCU, D’Onofrio veered off-topic (or did he?) to hype Daredevil: Born Again.

    I will say though…see you guys have no idea what you’re in store for in Born Again. I know a little bit more than you guys and all I can say is, during that next series you’re not going to be thinking about anything but the next episode. I promise.

    Vincent D’Onofrio

    What made D’Onofrio connect the dots from a hero he’d like to face to the comment about Born Again? Though he’s often been clear that he’d love to see Kingpin take on Spider-Man in the MCU, he’s also made it known that a Punisher vs. Kingpin battle is on his list of goals. With the rumors of Jon Bernthal’s return to the role continuing to swirl, perhaps D’Onofrio’s comments could give fans of the character a little more reason to hope he’ll be included.

  • Vincent D’Onofrio on Which MCU Hero is the “End Goal” for Kingpin to Take On

    Vincent D’Onofrio on Which MCU Hero is the “End Goal” for Kingpin to Take On

    When Kevin Feige revealed that Daredevil and Spider-Man would lead the MCU’s street-level heroes, it only added fuel to the fire that the two heroes would eventually team up to take on their greatest common enemy: Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin. All the principles involved in the potential battle royale have shared their desires to tangle with one another before. Vincent D’Onofrio, who returned to the role of Kingpin in Marvel Studios D+ streaming series Hawkeye, has gone on record twice describing his hopes to take on Spider-Man, saying that if there were one hero he could battle down the road “it definitely has to be Spider-Man.“

    If Kingpin and Spider-Man don’t go toe-to-toe, however, it won’t be because of D’Onofrio’s lack of trying. If he hadn’t been clear enough already, the actor reiterated his wish to see the two characters fight during a panel at September’s Salt Lake FanX. During a Q&A session, D’Onofrio was asked who in the current MCU he’d love to interact or fight with. As an audience member shouted Spider-Man, D’Onofrio said, “there’s only one, really, end goal…and I think somebody just said who that would be.“

    Given Kingpin first hit the pages of Marvel Comics in 1967’s Amazing Spider-Man #50, it would be tragic if he didn’t take on the Web-Head at some point in the MCU now that Marvel Studios has the opportunity to have them face off. With Tom Holland reportedly inking a new deal, perhaps D’Onofrio will get his wish, squaring off with Spidey in Spider-Man 4.

  • Leaked Merch Offers First Look at ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Maximals

    Leaked Merch Offers First Look at ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Maximals

    It looks like it’s the kind of day where the merchandise just keeps giving, as another set has found its way online. This time, however, it’s not for a Marvel Studios production, but rather the long-awaited newest entry in the Transformers franchise. With the subtitle Rise of the Beasts, we were excited to see the live-action dbut of the Maximals and luckily, this new merchandise leak offers just that.

    The mug as shared by Twitter user @rotbtrailer includes our first look at four key members of the Maximals. We can see the inclusion of Optimus Primal, Rhinox, Airazor, and Cheetor. They have been announced to join the film with Primal being voiced by Ron Perlman and Airazor by Michelle Yeoh.

    The designs are definitely great even if we can’t get the best look at them. You can cleaerly see that they are robots in disguise but with a lot of detail highlighting their animalistic designs. It’s quite exciting to see what they’ll do with them in live-action but here’s hoping that we’ll also see if more merchandise finds its way online teasing the deisgns of the others. There’s still the question if the Autobots will be closer to Michael Bay’s design or the ones we saw in Bumblebee. Only time or more leaks will tell.

    Source: Twitter

  • First Look at ‘The Marvel’s Main Trio in New Merch Leak

    First Look at ‘The Marvel’s Main Trio in New Merch Leak

    Just as we finally got to sit down in theaters to watch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Marvel Studios is already preparing for what’s to come in 2023. We already got a trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania but now it seems that some merchandise has been spotted that offers a first look at the main trio of The Marvels.

    As shared by umportalgeek on Instagram, there’s already a The Marvels‘ shirt available that gives us a good look at the main trio of Monica Rambeau, Carol Danvers, and Kamala Khan. The biggest reveal from this merchandise is the costume that Monica will seemingly wear during her outing as a hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Not much is known about the project and there’s a lot of potential with this film having not one but three leads. The balance it’ll hold by switching between perspectives of Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris. Their dynamic will definitely be a highlight for the project.

    We already got a hint at what direction the project is taking during the post-credit sequence of Ms. Marvel. With merchandise already making its way into stores, we’ll have to see if more is already circulating even with the film not set to release until July.

    Source: Instagram

  • Kareem Daniel to Leave Disney, Streaming Division Facing Reorganization

    Kareem Daniel to Leave Disney, Streaming Division Facing Reorganization

    It was only a question of time but it’s insane that it only took a day before the news hit that former Disney CEO Bob Chapek‘s internal executive structure is already falling apart. As it seems, the head of media and entertainment distribution, Kareem Daniel, is set to leave the company as well with former CEO Bob Iger returning. It was a strong move away from Iger’s creative-focused era that has left the company with a few scars in its wake, especially souring the views on its streaming ambitions with Disney+. Iger always was the kind of leader that used data but didn’t overly rely on it to muddle creative ambitions; the issue the current leadership fell into, especially with dramas surrounding Black Widow‘s release.

    In a world and business that is awash with data, it is tempting to use data to answer all of our questions, including creative questions. I urge all of you not to do that.

    Bob Iger

    Daniel and Chapek’s goals were quite ambitious and they aimed to grow Disney+ as fast as possible with investment, but it seemingly led to many sparks internally, especially with the issue of return on investment being left behind in those ambitions. Disney+, ESPN, and Hulu stand at a proud 235M combined subscriber base making it quite competitive with Netflix and shouldn’t be ignored, but the concern that the $1.5B investment can’t be recouped by the time it was meant to be is definitely one of the reasons for this massive executive switch. Still, with Daniel‘s exit, we can expect some major changes in Disney+’s streaming strategy and structure moving forward.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Bob Iger Returns as CEO of Disney, Bob Chapek Exits Company

    Bob Iger Returns as CEO of Disney, Bob Chapek Exits Company

    Disney has been under constant fire for some time with a lot of uncertainty about where exactly the company is truly trying to head. Bob Chapek took over at a rather rough time, as streaming was still a booming market, and then suddenly the pandemic happened. No matter where one lies in regard to streaming’s future, Disney was all in long before Chapek took over and Bob Iger was still leading.

    in a shocking twist though, it seems that Iger is back in business. While having left the position behind, the iconic manager has once again decided to return to the position. Chapek is set to leave the company with the Disney board of directors has announced it on a Sunday night, a very uncommon move in the industry.

    We thank Bob Chapek for his service to Disney over his long career, including navigating the company through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic. The Board has concluded that as Disney embarks on an increasingly complex period of industry transformation, Bob Iger is uniquely situated to lead the Company through this pivotal period.

    Susan Arnold, Chairman of the Board

    What makes this announcement bizarre is that Chapek already signed a multi-year contract. So, he’ll definitely be leaving with a nice package as he leaves the role behind. Iger has already sent out an e-mail to employees and going by online reactions, there’s a certain excitement in the air.

    It should be noted that Iger’s new contract is only set for two years, as he prepares for a true successor; a highlight of why this decision was made. The controversies surrounding their digital expansion have definitely left a sour taste with the market’s boom, especially when Netflix hit a sudden ceiling; though has seen some more positive developments as of late.

    The issue on top of it all is also the controversy surrounding Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which was a PR nightmare for the company and ended up souring its relationship with many. Add in some harsh quarter developments with heavy investments and not hitting profitability targets, and the board definitely has been concerned and took immediate action to correct the course, or rather find the man to steer a “complex period of industry transformation.”

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Jonathan Majors Teases the “Many Variants” of Kang

    Jonathan Majors Teases the “Many Variants” of Kang

    Jonathan Majors‘ memorable performance as He Who Remains in the Season One finale of Loki was a titillating taste of the type of talent the ascending actor brings to the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though He Who Remains met his end at the hands of Sylvie, Majors isn’t done with the MCU. As teased in Loki, there are many Variants of Nathaniel Richards in the Multiverse, including “something worse” than He Who Remains.

    It looks like “something worse” will come in the form of Kang the Conqueror in next February’s Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. Both Majors and director Peyton Reed have described Kang the Conqueror as a warrior who looks poised to be a threat not only to Scott, Hope, Cassie, Janet and Hank in the Quantum Realm but also to Earth and its other heroes. The first look at the film makes it clear that this Variant of the character is nothing like his quirky doppelganger from Loki and according to Majors, the ability to create different versions of the character is exactly what drew him to the role.

    In an interview with THR, Majors was asked if the opportunity to never play the same Kang twice was what ultimately sold him on taking the role:

    Yeah, absolutely. That’s what’s on the page. That’s what the IP says. I was cool, very cool. Kang just lives in his own world in the MCU. No spoilers here, but there’s so many variants of him.

    Jonathan Majors

    Expanding on the thought, Majors pointed out that Marvel Studios’ “brain trust” is working hard behind the scenes to make the most out of one of Marvel Comics’ most fascinating villains.

    And with the powers that are the MCU, that intelligentsia and that brain trust there, they’re just really working to use the IP to its best ability, and it’s extremely humbling that they picked me to step into that. So I’m honored to do it, and I’m always excited to see what we’re doing…Kang is a career in itself. It’s either the cake itself or the cherry on top, I don’t know. But to play multiple versions, it’s just beautiful. It’s a workshop every day.

    Jonathan Majors

    Given Majors’ versatile talents, it’s easy to see why Marvel Studios went after him for the role and it’s also becoming increasingly difficult to imagine anyone else in the role.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Opening Will Feature a De-Aged Harrison Ford

    ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Opening Will Feature a De-Aged Harrison Ford

    De-aging technology has become quite the rage nowadays, especially with the work that Marvel Studios has invested to make actors seemingly play their younger selves. It doesn’t always work out, such as how Martin Scorcese‘s The Irishman featured some impressive technology, but given the actor’s age, one could tell something wasn’t right when they started trying to beat each other up. Still, it’s a fun tech innovation that has found its home in IP franchises, and it seems Indiana Jones 5 will do the same.

    In a new piece by Empire, they reveal that the film’s opening will feature a flashback to the original trilogy’s Indiana Jones with Harrison Ford de-aged to look the part. Funny enough, set photos from quite some time ago did actually hint at the flashback, especially with a stunt person wearing a rather questionable Ford mask on his face. It does seem like they will swap him out once it comes to action sequences and him talking. Director James Mangold highlighted why they decided to take this route:

    I wanted the chance to dive into this kind of full-on George-and-Steven old picture and give the audience an adrenaline blast.

    James Mangold

    He also highlights that they use the opening set piece of a castle swarming with Nazis that pays tribute to the franchise’s early beginnings, especially in how it also helps guide audiences into the 60s setting of the fifth entry.

    So that the audience doesn’t experience the change between the ‘40s and ‘60s as an intellectual conceit, but literally experiences the buccaneering spirit of those early days… and then the beginning of now.

    James mangold

    It’s definitely going to be interesting to see how they pull it off and how it’ll tie into the overarching narrative. Whatever Indy is up to might end up inspiring the events that tie into the space race storyline we’ll see later in the film, but we can only speculate for now. Still, it’ll be a blast to see a younger Indiana Jones once again, even if it’s digital.

    Source: Empire

  • Anjelica Huston Reprises ‘John Wick’ Role in ‘Ballerina’ Spinoff

    Anjelica Huston Reprises ‘John Wick’ Role in ‘Ballerina’ Spinoff

    We’ve already had quite a few reveals that some familiar faces will arrive in John Wick‘s first spinoff titled Ballerina. It’ll further expand the world filled with assassins that Keanu Reeves‘ first introduced us to back in 2014, which would eventually grow into a major franchise that stands out from the rest. Production is already underway on the spinoff with Ana de Armas set to take on the title role. Now, one more familiar cast member is set to return from the main series.

    The Len Wiseman-directed film will see the return of Anjelica Huston in the role of The Director, who is the head of the Ruska Roma crime organization. She was introduced to us in John Wick 3 – Parabellum and it’s unclear just how big a role she’ll have in this expansion. There is likely a deeper connection between her and the unnamed main character of this spinoff, especially with her focus on teaching dancers to embrace their killer side. That is highlighted by her being the inspiration for the spinoff, to begin with.

    The idea of Ballerina was formed around the scenes with Anjelica in John Wick 3. Anjelica Huston is an icon and is nothing less than Hollywood royalty. The world of Wick is always made richer by her commanding screen presence.

    Erica Lee

    While franchise building is all the rage at the moment, John Wick is in a unique position to make use of its rather simple but creative take on world-building. So, we’ll see if Ballerina manages to become a success and potentially even pulls in more interest to further explore other veterans that made this world their own.

    Source: THR

  • Yann Demange On Board to Helm ‘Blade’

    Yann Demange On Board to Helm ‘Blade’

    Over the past several months, Marvel Studios Blade has perseverated through some turmoil. The project, which was announced at SDCC ’19, had to undergo a search to replace both its writer and director following the departure of Stacy Osei-Kuffour and Bassam Tariq. Beau DeMayo, who worked on Moon Knight and is the head writer and executive producer of the animated X-Men ’97 came on board to work on what looks like a near-complete rewrite of the script and now the film has found a new director.

    According to THR, Lovecraft Country director Yann Demange has signed on to direct the project. Additionally, writer Michael Starrbury has joined the production and is preparing a brand new script for the film. THR also reports that despite the complete overhaul to the project, it is still expected to go into production in 2023 and meet its currently slated release date of September 6th, 2024.

    While a complete rewrite of the script doesn’t mean throwing the bathwater out with the baby, THR indicated that the expectation is that Blade will be “dark and gritty in tone, falling on the edgier side of Marvel fare and maybe even find common shading” with the 1998 Wesley Snipes‘ film.

    A previous rumor had Elegance Bratton in talks to helm the project though THR makes no mention of that here. Following his successful debut as a director in Werewolf By Night, Michael Giacchino was also thought to be among the pool of candidates Marvel Studios might dip into though he quickly ruled himself out of contention.

    Source: THR