Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • ‘Prey’ Share One of Their Worst Experiences on Set

    ‘Prey’ Share One of Their Worst Experiences on Set

    Producing a film is never easy, especially something like Prey which takes you out of the modern world into a time that had its own unique challenges. Survival is essential and if you’re being haunted by the Predator, you will use every chance you have at your disposal. During the official press conference for Prey, the cast and director bonded over what may be one of their worst experiences, filming in a stinking mud pit.

    While discussing the tribulations of filming during COVID, director Dan Trachtenberg brought up how unexpected the “smell fo that mud pit” was that they used during filming. Main actress Amber Midthunder highlighted how “that smell is in my nose forever” before thanking the director. He surprisingly shared that it seemingly didn’t smell at first but something about it interacting with human

    Yeah, the haunting thing about that is that it didn’t smell at all before anyone got in it. And then as soon as human flesh entered that zone, suddenly, some chemical reaction happened and it was horrifying.

    Dan Trachtenberg

    Midthunder jokingly points out that it wasn’t because of her as she “was not the first one in there.” It’s definitely always interesting to find out what actors and the team on set have to go through when filming sequences, especially something involving something that seems simple like a mud pit. It also sounds like they made the best of it to ensure we get an iconic sequence featuring it as Midthunder‘s Naru faces off against an unlikely foe.

  • Simu Liu Teases His Marvel Future: “I’m Going to Be Busy the Next Few Years”

    Simu Liu Teases His Marvel Future: “I’m Going to Be Busy the Next Few Years”

    Marvel Studios Hall H presentation at SDCC ’22 gave fans a peek at the plans for the next three years of the MCU, including dates for the next two Avengers films, The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. Shortly after, a trade report revealed that Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed 2021’s Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, had signed on to helm The Kang Dynasty. That report, coupled with a lack of news about a Shang-Chi sequel at SDCC, led to some social media speculation that Cretton would be too busy to get around to a second Shang-Chi film until AFTER the Multiverse Saga came to a close.

    A Shang-Chi sequel may not, however, be as far away as some believe it to be. Cretton officially boarded the Shang-Chi sequel as writer and director in December of 2021 and while he admitted at the time that he had not begun work on a script, it’s likely the one has started to coalesce around some ideas that he brainstormed for the film while in production on Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings. Cretton is also serving as an executive producer on Marvel Studios’ Wonder Man streaming series, meaning with The Kang Dynasty, a project which he’s only directing and NOT writing, he’s juggling three projects at the same time.

    That doesn’t mean, however, that Shang-Chi 2 has taken a back seat. In fact, it turns out it might well be a top priority for Cretton and Marvel Studios and could very well hit theaters before Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. In an interview at SDCC, Shang-Chi star Simu Liu may have hinted at just such a scenario when he teased his potential involvement in “a couple” of the projects announced by Marvel Studios at their Hall H presentation and indicating that he was “going to be busy the next few years.”

    While this is certainly no guarantee that Shang-Chi 2 will be in theaters ahead of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, it does leave the door open for that to happen. It is very likely that the two films might share some connective tissue, with Cretton working on them both, and while time might seem short, both projects could be completed in plenty of time for 2025 release dates. However, until Marvel Studios dates the sequel to Shang-Chi, speculation will continue. Perhaps they’ll do just that at their upcoming D23 presentation in Anaheim in September.

  • ‘Andor’ Gets New Release Date, Three-Episode Premiere

    ‘Andor’ Gets New Release Date, Three-Episode Premiere

    Audiences will have to wait a little longer to see Star Wars next live-action Disney Plus series, Andor. Along with a new trailer and poster for the streaming series, came the information that the premiere date has moved to September 21st.

    Originally set to debut with 2 episodes on August 31st, Andor will now stream the first 3 episodes on the new date.

    Andor serves not only as a prequel to Rogue One but as story of the beginning of the rebellion against the Empire. As such, the new trailer showed the return on some familiar characters whose stories were told in animated series such as Clone Wars and Rebels, in addition to others who have been seen across multiple live-action and animated projects. Diego Luna returns as Cassian Andor and is joined by an expansive ensemble cast including Stellan Skarsgård, Forest Whitaker, and Adria Arjona.

  • The Morning After Huddle: August 1, 2022

    The Morning After Huddle: August 1, 2022

    Welcome to your Monday edition of The Morning After Huddle. It pays to have good friends who can hold you down when life hits. After an unexpected illness last week, D.A. was kind enough to help me out. I’m back with all of your important updates on all things NFL…and unlike your Uncle Steve’s hairline, we are progressing rapidly. 

    Here’s what you need to know:

    • The soap opera that is “Days of Deebo Samuel” finally has an ending. Samuel and the 49ers agreed to a 3-year extension worth $73.5 million, with 58.1 million guaranteed late Sunday. It seems that money covers a multitude of wounds and long gone are the days of wanting to be ex-communicated from the family. Deebo gets his respect and the Niners get their guy.
    • Today, we expect news on the Deshaun Watson front. NFL disciplinary officer Sue Robinson will hand down her decision this morning. The NFLPA is not expected to appeal and has encouraged the NFL to do the same. Several outlets are reporting that the suspension could be in the neighborhood of 4-8 games. Apparently, Watson and his camp tried to engage in settlement talks with the NFL in recent days, but neither side seemed happy with the outcome. They are far apart, with Watson’s camp wanting no more than 6-8 games, and the NFL wanting 12 games and a $8 million fine.
    • Switching gears, here is your Key Signings Roundup:
      • TE Sage Surratt is signing with the Chargers. Surratt most recently played in the USFL for the Birmingham Stallions. 
      • OT Darryl Williams is signing with the Jaguars. Williams went undrafted in 2020 and spent the last two seasons with the Chiefs and Patriots.
      • Ryan Kerrigan will sign a one-day contract to retire a Washington Commander. Kerrigan is hanging up his cleats after 11 seasons.

    Thanks for sticking around today for all things you want to know. Catch us Tuesday for more news, hot takes, and insanely terrible analysis that you can’t help but love.

  • ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel Artist Reveals First Look at Daniel Craig’s Balder

    ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel Artist Reveals First Look at Daniel Craig’s Balder

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was filled with exciting surprises, yet there were still quite a few that ended up on the cutting room floor. Perhaps the biggest abandoned idea was a cameo appearance from fan-favorite actor Daniel Craig as part of the Illuminati. The prestigious superhero team essentially operated as the Avengers of Earth-838 and was comprised of several unexpected heroes from Marvel’s past. Hayley Atwell and Lashana Lynch returned as alternate timeline variants of Captain Carter and Captain Marvel, respectively, while big names like Patrick Stewart and John Krasinski shocked viewers with the Marvel Cinematic Universe debuts of Professor X and Mr. Fantastic. Anson Mount even made a memorable homecoming as Black Bolt, a role he originated in 2017’s poorly received ABC series Inhumans.

    In May, shortly after the sequel’s release, it was made known that Craig had originally been intended to appear in the film as well. The former Casino Royale star would have portrayed the Asgardian warrior Balder the Brave. In both the comics and actual Norse mythology, Balder is the brother of Thor and Loki, and a respected member of Odin’s royal family. Craig‘s part in the project reportedly fell through after the global COVID-19 pandemic prevented him from traveling to the film’s set. Fans may have thought they’d never get a glimpse of Craig in the role, but luckily, concept artist Darrell J. Warner had a say in the matter. Warner recently took to Instagram to reveal an early, unfinished design for Balder:

    Warner isn’t allowed to officially state who the character is in his art, but left enough clues in the caption to make it easily deducible. Balder appears to have his signature helmet, furred cape, and blue armor, and is even standing next to one of Odin’s ravens. It’s far from a clear image of Craig, but it may end up being the closest fans ever get to seeing him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Source: Instagram

  • Latest ‘Spider-Verse’ Merch Offers First Look at Cyborg Version of Spider-Woman

    Latest ‘Spider-Verse’ Merch Offers First Look at Cyborg Version of Spider-Woman

    Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has been pushed back by quite a bit, but it seems like the merchandise releases may have not received the memo. A batch of toys is finding their way online teasing the various characters from across the Spider-Verse potentially joining the project. Of course, there’s always a chance they are just creating some based on ideas and it isn’t definite they’ll have a role but the latest merchandise finding its sway online reveals a Cyborg Spider-Woman.

    You read that correctly, it seems like a cyborg version of Spider-Woman will have the role of some kind in the upcoming Spider-Verse sequel. Theere has been a version of the character int he comics with a cyborg version of Peter Parker, whose design is quite a bit different; the arm was more Winter Soldier and less 90’s arm cannon. You can check out the visual as shared by @preterniadotcom on Twitter.

    It’s surprising they are going down the Spider-Woman route with this character, especially given that the design is mostly similar to the classic red-blue from Spider-Man. Though, there might be an interesting story here that is teased, as she could be part of a Wasteland-inspired part of the Spider-Verse. There’s still a lot we don’t know about the upcoming sequel but hopefully, a new trailer isn’t too far even with the long wait until the sequel releases on June 3rd of 2023.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘The Batman’s Director Won’t Direct Episodes of the HBO Max Penguin Spinoff

    ‘The Batman’s Director Won’t Direct Episodes of the HBO Max Penguin Spinoff

    It wasn’t long around the time that The Batman sequel was announced that we got the confirmation we’ll also be getting an HBO Max spinoff based on Colin Farrell‘s Penguin. While we still don’t know where it’ll take place in the story or if it’ll fill the blank between sequels, but in an interview with Entertainment Today, Farrell offered some insight into how involved Matt Reeves is with the project.

    In the interview, the actor reveals that while Reeves is heavily involved with the upcoming spinoff, he is not going to direct any of its episodes. Farrell does say that he’s “all over” the upcoming Penguin spinoff, which he hints may be simply titled The Penguin but it’s great to know that Matt Reeves still is supervising the franchise even with the current shifts over at Warner Bros. Discovery.

    He’s so obsessive about what he does, but he’s all over [HBO Max’s] The Penguin [series] as well. I mean, he’s not gonna direct it but he’s all over the structure of the scripts and who’s gonna direct them. And so, it’s exciting.

    Colin Farrell

    It’s definitely interesting that he won#t take any directing duties, but if he’s eyeing starting production on the sequel in the near future, he’ll be quite busy sooner rather than later anyway. Plus, there’s also the other HBO Max spinoff he hinted at that’ll focus on Arkham Asylum that hasn’t had an update in a while. So, we’ll see if perhaps he plans to direct some episodes of that project.

    Source: Entertainment Today

  • ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Sequel Working Title Teases Storyline

    ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Sequel Working Title Teases Storyline

    It’s not long ago that we learned that Adam Wingard was starting work on the upcoming sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong. Monsterverse was seemingly facing its end with the big clash between the two Eastern and Western Kaiju giants but surprised many, as it was the film to kick off the box office during the pandemic. Now, work has seemingly started and the film’s production title may be teasing what exactly the film will be about.

    @KDM_Monsters shared what seems to be the clapperboard for the upcoming Monsterverse entry, which includes the working title. It appears that it’s currently filming under the title “Origins” which raises some questions regarding what we can expect from the upcoming project. In a way, it does seem to imply that the next entry may either explore the origins of either Godzilla or Kong, especially which was already set up in the latest entry, or even act as a prequel.

    It should also be pointed out that it confirms that Ben Seresin is back as the film’s cinematographer, as he’s also worked on the previous entry of the Monsterverse. The Godzilla vs. Kong sequel will have a lot of heavy lifting to do, as it not only has to continue where the previous one left off but also potentially build up the future of this franchise; if there is one at all.

    With an Apple TV+ series on the horizon, there are many questions about what we can expect and with no clear announcement, if this sequel is about Kong or Godzilla, it does add some questions if it might move away from the big two in future entries. Here’s hoping that they may get the momentum they are looking for to give us a third entry in the Godzilla franchise.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Prey’ Director on How the Disney-Fox Merger Delayed the ‘Predator’ Prequel

    ‘Prey’ Director on How the Disney-Fox Merger Delayed the ‘Predator’ Prequel

    In a few days, we’ll finally get our hands on the latest entry in the Predator franchise, Prey. The project is taking a very different direction this time around to offer something unique, as it’ll act as a prequel to the long-running R-rated franchise. Dan Trachtenberg has taken over directing duties on the eight entries in the franchise, and shares that he’s been actively working on this project since his work on 10 Cloverfield Lane.

    In the official press conference for the Hulu Original release, Trachtenberg got a chance to share just how the film came together and what led to it taking as long as it did, mostly pointing at the Fox-Disney merger being one of the many reasons that it took as long as it did to release it.

    Why now? Because it just took this long to make this movie. I started developing this maybe a year after 10 Cloverfield Lane came out. And the last movie came out in theaters. And then, the Fox-Disney merger happened. And all of those things really delayed this from getting going. But the main inspiration behind it was sort of a confluence of a couple things. One was really wanting to make a movie that was primarily action-driven, mainly told visually, but not wanting to that just be fun, just be a good time, to wanna inject that with heart and emotion.

    Dan Trachtenberg

    It’s unknown just how many projects may have been affected by the merger, as Disney did end up carrying quite a few to release. There has been a noticeable trend that productions under the 20th Century Studios brand are slowly becoming streaming exclusive releases. though one could also easily make the point that the pandemic has also led to the influx of streaming originals that eventually led to the current productions still releasing as mapped out. We’re seeing a few more finally hit theaters and it’s hinting at a new shift for the franchise.

  • ‘DC League of Super-Pets’ Has Soft Opening Weekend While Nope Faces Harsh Drop

    ‘DC League of Super-Pets’ Has Soft Opening Weekend While Nope Faces Harsh Drop

    The numbers are here and it does seem like DC League of Super-Pets isn’t going to make the box office explode as much as one would hope, as it came in at the lower end of its initial predictions with $23M. While it opened to a strong $2.2M, it didn’t quite pick up momentum over the weekend and was quite frontloaded; playing more like a usual franchise IP-driven project than family-friendly animation would even with an A- CinemaScore.

    The opening is closer to The Bad Guys back in April, which managed to leg out quite a bit, which the Super-Pets film can hope for with little to no competition. Perhaps taking over Black Adam‘s release date didn’t help either. It isn’t performing much better internationally either, as it pulled in 18.4M in 64 markets, which is quite below industry projections which expected at least a 41.4M worldwide opening.

    In other news, Nope took a heavy beating this weekend. Not only did it open quite below expectations but it dropped by 70% going into its Friday, not far from Marvel’s recent releases in the B CinemaScore club. It did take an overall 58.1% drop in its weekend which is higher than even Us which puts it at 80.6M now, earning 18.6M which is less than Get Out‘s 28.2M. Still, it’s currently on route to make around 140M and could still leg out in a very dead few months coming.

    Thor: Love and Thunder is also surprisingly quite a bit, as while it didn’t seemingly have the same legs as expected, it’s slowly picking up steam again and internationally performing decently with a 20.8M 4th weekend and now standing at 662.4M. Its projection is even growing again domestically, as it’s the 7th film to cross 300M in the US and now entered the Top 100. It could still end its run around 340M domestically, which is higher than Thor: Ragnarok‘s 315M. Only internationally it’ll slightly pass the original’s run sans China and Russia (and yes that is significant).

    The only thing hurting is that it does have a higher production budget of 250M which means the film will likely break even with a much smaller profit, still not bad considering the discourse surrounding it. Marvel isn’t dead by a longshot and still pulling in strong numbers. So far, the only real well-performing blockbusters entries have been 2020 layovers Top Gun Maverick and Minions: The Rise of Gru, which does raise some interesting questions. Everything Everywhere All At Once has also been one of those rare productions to keep its momentum, but not all indie productions have shared the same kind of momentum. We’ll see how this long pause may affect upcoming releases.

    Source: Forbes, Forbes, Twitter, The Numbers, Twitter