Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ Adds Caitlin Reilly, Max Jenkins

    ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ Adds Caitlin Reilly, Max Jenkins

    HBO Max’s Dead Boy Detectives has added two more to its growing cast. Variety announced on Tuesday that Caitlin Reilly and Max Jenkins have joined the series in recurring roles. Reilly and Jenkins are set to play Litty and Kingham, respectively, with the characters being described as “tiny foul-mouthed dandelion sprites.”

    Dead Boy Detectives was ordered to series back in April. The series is based on DC Comics characters created by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner. The Dead Boy Detectives, Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland, first made their live-action debut in the critically acclaimed Doom Patrol series. The roles were later recast for Dead Boy Detectives. In this series, George Rexstrew will play Edwin Payne, and Jayden Revri will play Charles Rowland. Other members of the cast include Kassius Nelson as Crystal Palace, Briana Cuoco as Jenny the Butcher, Ruth Connell as the Night Nurse, Yuyu Kitamura as Niko and Jenn Lyon as Esther.

    The pilot episode was penned by Steve Yockey and directed by Lee Toland Krieger (Shadow and Bone). Beth Schwartz will executive produce the series alongside Yockey, Jeremy Carver, and Greg Berlanti, and Sarah Schechter of Berlanti Productions.

    Source: Variety.

  • ‘WandaVision’ and ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Billy Maximoff Actor Reacts to Joe Locke Casting

    ‘WandaVision’ and ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Billy Maximoff Actor Reacts to Joe Locke Casting

    Though no news of who he’d be playing in Agatha: Coven of Chaos came with the news that Joe Locke had been cast in the series, plenty of fans believe they already know exactly what role the young actor will fill. Cast as a gay, teen lead with a “dark sense of humor”, Locke seems as close of a fit for the aged-up version of Billy Maximoff as anyone out there. As with any casting, until official word comes from Marvel Studios, fans shouldn’t get too excited about the prospect of seeing their favorite character on screen and there are plenty of other characters Locke could be playing. However, one MCU actor’s Twitter activity is sure to fan the flames of Locke joining the MCU as Wiccan.

    Actor Julian Hilliard, who played Billy Maximoff in WandaVision and Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness, took to his Twitter account to further tease fans.

    It’s likely, even possible, that Hilliard is in the same boat as every other fan and has no idea who Locke is playing. It’s possible that he was simply posting the GIF as a reference to Agatha: Coven of Chaos and not making any commentary at all on who Locke might be playing. However, when the actor who previously portrayed a character takes so quickly to social media to comment, fans will rush to conclusions, no matter how unlikely it is that the young star might know what’s going on.

    As it stands, it’s likely that Marvel Studios will do their best to protect the identity of Locke’s character as long as they can and with Agatha: Coven of Chaos not set to hit Marvel Studios until late-2023/early-2024, fans may have to wait quite some time to find out if he is Billy or someone else.

  • ‘No Way Home’ Director Teases Spider-Man’s Unexplored Origin in the MCU

    ‘No Way Home’ Director Teases Spider-Man’s Unexplored Origin in the MCU

    The advantage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s introduction of Spider-Man was that we skipped a big part of his origin. Most viewers already know the story of a kid that was bit by a radioactive spider. So, it made sense not to retread the same ground that the previous two entries did. Yet, it seems that while they had an idea of how they’d set the origin o the character, but never truly worked out the details according to director Jon Watts in Sean O’Connell‘s new book With Great Power.

    I mean, God knows there would have to be something not unlike that, probably… But no, I wouldn’t say… I mean, I think he was bitten by a radioactive spider on a field trip. We never talked about that either, but I think that’s what happened.

    Jon Watts

    It’s curious that they never set the idea of how he got his powers and does make you wonder if they are keeping it open to potentially explore it in the future. There are ties to the character of Silk that could potentially be explored if they wanted to return to the fateful day of the spider bite. Still, Watts was quite happy not to retread that same ground.

    It was just so nice to skip past it and just deal with more with the repercussions… and just explore it from the perspective of someone else finding out about it and having a lot of questions.

    Jon Watts

    That freedom definitely gave the trilogy a more distinct storyline, especially with how No Way Home essentially gave the MCU’s Spider-Man his Uncle Ben moment. While some hardcore fans weren’t the biggest fans of the character’s place in the bigger universe, it was a clever take on his mythos that combined older elements from the comics’ earlier days with some modern takes.

    Source: The Direct

  • Ryan Coogler Reserved the Use of Namor Since the First ‘Black Panther’

    Ryan Coogler Reserved the Use of Namor Since the First ‘Black Panther’

    Namor is about to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and it seems that director Ryan Coogler has pretty much reserved the use of this character since the first entry. In an interview with Slash Film, Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore reveals that Coogler asked for the rights to use the character if he got to make a sequel.

    Ryan is a huge fan of comic books, and in publishing, Namor and Atlantis often would come in conflict with Wakanda and the Black Panther. And so even as early as in post-production on the first movie, he was like, ‘If we get so lucky, could we maybe, could I just raise my hand and make sure no one uses Namor?’ And luckily, nobody was, and he had a great idea for it very early on. So we started building towards that idea, which I think is really fun.

    Nate Moore

    It definitely was hinted in the past that he’s had the character on his mind since the first film. At one point they even tried to include a tease of his arrival in a post-credit sequence that was eventually scrapped. Marvel Studios has been interested in adapting the character for almost 18 years according to Kevin Feige but never found the right idea to bring him to the silvers screen. Luckily, it seems that Coogler‘s patience paid off and no one else had the right pitch before him.

    Source: Slash Film

  • ‘Black Panther’s Lupita Nyong’o to Star in ‘A Quiet Place’ Spinoff

    ‘Black Panther’s Lupita Nyong’o to Star in ‘A Quiet Place’ Spinoff

    While Lupita Nyong’o is busy promoting Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, a film that also acts as a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, she has seemingly already set her eyes on the next major franchise. In a new article by Deadline, they reveal that Nyong’o is in final negotiations to take on the lead role of A Quiet Place prequel titled Day One. Michael Sarnoski of Pig fame is set to direct the film based on an idea by series creator John Krasinky.

    There’s no word exactly how this new entry would fit into Krasinski‘s franchise, who directed the first two entries. While it does seem like they still hope to have a third entry for the main franchise out by 2025, this film is likely to establish a cinematic universe for the horror franchise. Emily Blunt and Krasinski are likely not to appear in the film; though its title could hint at them as potential background characters for an Easter egg during the events that would lead to the original films.

    It’s definitely a curious direction to establish a cinematic universe based on this horror concept. Ever since Marvel Studios coined the term for its films, many have been chasing that very potential. We’ll see if there truly is enough material to mine out of A Quiet Place to establish a cinematic universe, but the promise of Sarnoski directing the film is already offering something promising.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Heartstopper’ Actor Joe Locke Joins ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    ‘Heartstopper’ Actor Joe Locke Joins ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    Heartstopper breakout Joe Locke is set to join the cast of Agatha: Coven of Chaos. The news was revealed by Variety, with the outlet reporting that details regarding Locke’s role are being kept under wraps. Locke joins Kathryn Hahn and Emma Caulfield Ford who will reprise their WandaVision roles of Agatha Harkness and Dottie, respectively.

    Locke’s casting comes as recent reports suggested an aged-up Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan, will appear in the series. While it’s unknown whether or not Locke will be playing Billy in the series, Agatha: Coven of Chaos is rumored to be taking elements from The Children’s Crusade, and with a second casting grid hinting at the inclusion of Teddy Altman, it seems entirely possible.

    Agatha: Coven of Chaos will mark the second television series Locke has starred in following Netflix’s mega-successful Heartstopper. That series was quickly renewed for Season 2 & 3 shortly after Season 1 was released. In that series, Locke stars as Charlie Spring, a gay teenager who falls in love with a popular classmate; it’s based on the webcomic and graphic novel Alice Oseman.

    Coven of Chaos hails from WandaVision creator Jac Schaefer, who serves as the head writer and executive producer.

  • ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’ Canceled After Two Seasons

    ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’ Canceled After Two Seasons

    Fate: The Winx Saga will not be returning for a third season.

    The news was announced by the series showrunner Brian Young on Tuesday morning. In the post, which can be viewed below, Young confirms Netflix has decided not to move forward with Season 3 of the series. “This is especially tough because I know how many of you loved this season. It’s a heartbreaking silver lining, but a silver lining all the same,” he writes. “I’m so proud of everyone who worked on the show, and so happy we got to tell the stories we did. Our cast and crew put in a ton of hard work creating this world and these characters. I’m grateful for each and every one of them, and for all of you for watching.”

    Fate: The Winx Saga, which debuted its second season in Sept. 2022, starred Abigail Cowen, Precious Mustapha, Elisha Applebaum, Eliot Salt and Hannah van der Westhuysen. It was a live-action take on Nickelodeon’s Winx Club and focused on Bloom (Cowen) as she learned to adjust to life within the Otherworld while attending Alfea College. As she adjusts to life as a fairy, Bloom is forced to determine whether to seek answers regarding her past, despite knowing the costs of doing so. Season 2 ended on a major cliffhanger that saw her enter another realm in search of her mother.

    Both seasons of Fate: The Winx Saga are now streaming on Netflix.

  • Marvel Launching Official ‘Black Panther’ Podcast 

    Marvel Launching Official ‘Black Panther’ Podcast 

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is closer than ever, but it’s not the only Black Panther project on the horizon. In collaboration with Marvel Studios and Marvel Entertainment, Proximity Media has announced an official podcast dedicated to the iconic character with a premiere date of November 3rd. Titled Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast, the six-episode limited series will be written and hosted by acclaimed creative Ta-Nehisi Coates. The goal of the project will be to explore the making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the next major chapter in the Black Panther saga, while honoring the remarkable legacy of star Chadwick Boseman.

    Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast will be executive produced by Ryan Coogler, the co-founder of Proximity Media and the director behind both live-action Black Panther films. Also producing are Paola Mardo, Proximity’s Head of Audio, as well as Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian. Mardo released the following statement regarding the creation of the podcast:

    Ever since Ryan, Zinzi, and Sev entrusted Proximity’s Audio division with this project, our goal has been to tell the story of the making of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ with as much heart and authenticity as the film itself. With our premiere episode, we’ve accomplished this goal while breaking new ground in the process, thanks to the awesome collaboration between our incredible host Ta-Nehisi Coates, our talented podcast production team, and our collaborators at Marvel and Disney.

    Paola Mardo

    The debut episode will feature a conversation between Ryan Coogler and Coates, in which the two friends reflect on the cultural impact of 2017’s Black Panther and the late Boseman. After the series’ November 3rd premiere, subsequent episodes will release weekly beginning in January of 2023. Scheduled guests include actors Dominique Thorne and Angela Bassett, composer Ludwig Göransson, production designer Hannah Beachler, writer Joe Robert Cole, producer Kevin Feige, and many more. Each episode will weave scripted host narration with an original score from Göransson, film clips, and field recordings. Fans will be able to experience the making of Wakanda Forever like never before.

    The first episode of the podcast drops on November 3rd. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrives in theaters on November 11th.

    Source: Disney

  • ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ Director to Tackle Bad Robots’ ‘Your Name’ Remake

    ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ Director to Tackle Bad Robots’ ‘Your Name’ Remake

    It looks like the upcoming remake of Your Name, based on the animated film by the director Makoto Shinkai, is moving forward with Blindspotting and Raya and the Last Dragon director Carlos López Estrada set to tackle the project for Paramount, Toho, and Bad Robot. He is not only tackled to direct the remake but also to rewrite the current script, which was helmed by Eric Heisserer known for his work on Arrival and Bird Box.

    J.J. Abrams is producing the film alongside Genki Kawamura, who worked on the original adaptation, Hannah Minghella and Jon Cohen. The original Your Name made $230M in Japan alone and was quite the international hit, which led to the interest in adapting the romance story. Estrada is currently working on an animated documentary and also Disney’s live-action adaptation of Robin Hood.

    The remake will follow two teenagers swapping bodies as a disastrous event could change their lives in many ways. Distribution in Japan will be by Toho with Paramount taking the rest of the world. No casting has been done as of yet, as they are still in the middle of the rewriting phase and with Estrada busy for the coming years, it’s unclear how long we’ll have to wait to see the film release in theaters.

    Source: Variety

  • RUMOR: Sony and Disney Closing in on New Spidey Deal

    RUMOR: Sony and Disney Closing in on New Spidey Deal

    Spider-Man: No Way Home was the third and final solo Spidey film to come out of the unprecedented collaborative agreement between Sony and Disney. With it becoming the #6 all-time highest-grossing film, it seemed like a no-brainer that the two studios would ultimately renew the deal and get to work on not only a new trilogy of films starring Tom Holland but also on finding other Marvel Studios projects in which he could appear. In late 2021, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige revealed that he had begun working with Amy Pascal on developing the future of the character, however, without a new deal in place no official progress could be made, causing fans to wonder if they’d ever see Holland swinging through the MCU again.

    A new rumor might help some fans feel a little better in that regard. According to one YouTuber, Sony and Disney have apparently been at the negotiating table and are closing in on a new collaborative arrangement. The rumor states that once closed, the two studios could then begin working with Holland on sorting out the terms of his deal, which would likely consist of another Spider-trilogy of Sony films produced by Marvel Studios in addition to scheduling him for appearances in Marvel Studios films. With two Avengers films on the slate for 2025 and 2026, those would seem to stand as obvious choices, but it is possible that Marvel might like to have Spidey appear in their Fantastic Four film, which is also scheduled for 2025.

    As it stands, No Way Home could serve as a fine ending for Spidey’s MCU story. Peter made some heavy sacrifices, but by the end of the film, he seemed to have come to terms with them and found himself in a new suit swinging across the NYC skyline during the holiday season. Of course, having Holland back on board during the Multiverse Saga allows Marvel Studios a lot of freedom in exploring Spidey’s relationship with a character that fans have been clamoring to see join the MCU for some time now: Miles Morales.

    With no deal in place, there’s currently no timeline set for Spider-Man 4, though given Feige’s comments from late 2021, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the project come together fairly quickly once the deal is in place.