Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • BREAKING: ‘Shang-Chi’s Destin Daniel Cretton to Direct ‘Avenger: The Kang Dynasty’

    BREAKING: ‘Shang-Chi’s Destin Daniel Cretton to Direct ‘Avenger: The Kang Dynasty’

    It looks like the first Avengers director has been found in a Marvel veteran. According to a new piece by The Hollywood Reporter to continue the San Diego Comic-Con hype, it turns out that they already found their director for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed the much loved Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is currently set to direct the upcoming first entry of a two-part Avengers film to round out Phase 6 and the Multiverse Saga. It’s currently set to release on May 2nd, 2025.

    It’s certainly a highlight of his skill if Marvel Studios sees him as the one to follow up the monolith that was Avengers: Endgame. It’s unclear if they are going to have him also join Secret Wars, but that seems unrealistic given that there is no one-year break in-between films. It may be a plan to have both films simultaneously so actors can jump from one project to the next with the number of potential characters set to appear.

    As the name implies, the film will focus on Jonathan Major’s villainous turn as Kang the Conqueror. After first making an appearance in Loki, he’ll be the main antagonist in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania with many more appearances potentially teased in the future. They have already gathered a talented pool of new directors for their upcoming projects such as Blade‘s Bassam Tariq, Captain America: New World Order‘s Julius Onah, and Thunderbolts‘ Jake Schreier. So, it’s nice to see another familiar face return, especially with the Russo Bros. constantly teasing how they’d approach a film of this scope.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘The Gray Man’ Universe a Go at Netflix

    ‘The Gray Man’ Universe a Go at Netflix

    Netflix is looking to build a franchise with The Gray Man. It was announced today that the streaming giant is developing not only a sequel to the film but also a spinoff title. The news comes courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, with the outlet revealing Ryan Gosling will return to headline the sequel. Also returning for the sequel are directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who will produce through their AGBO banner once again. Details regarding the spin-off are sparse, however, Deadpool writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese are on board to pen the film; no director is attached to the project. 

    The Gray Man hit Netflix on July 22nd, following a limited theatrical run on July 15th. It is based on the best-selling book series by Mark Greaney, which currently consists of twelve books. The film adaptation stars Ryan Gosling as Six, a secret agent who is being tracked by Chris Evans’ sociopathic mercenary at the behest of a top government official hoping to hide his own wrongdoing.

    “With so many amazing characters in the movie, we had always intended for the Gray Man to be part of an expanded universe, and we are thrilled that Netflix is announcing a sequel with Ryan,” the Russo brothers said in a statement to the press. 

    Scott Stuber, who serves as the head of global film for Netflix, noted the service’s desire to build out the film universe. “With The Gray Man, the Russos delivered an edge-of-your-seat spectacle that audiences around the world are loving. We’re excited to continue to partner with them and the team at AGBO as they build out The Gray Man universe.”

    The Gray Man, which currently has a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, is now streaming on Netflix. A release window for The Gray Man’s sequel has not yet been announced.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Toys Reveal Major Changes to Namor’s Origins

    ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Toys Reveal Major Changes to Namor’s Origins

    On stage at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios finally gave the world its first look at Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The highly-anticipated sequel had been the subject of rumors for quite some time, but with a trailer now online and the full cast revealed, the film’s biggest secret is out in the open. Namor, played by Tenoch Huerta, and his Atlantean army will serve as the project’s main antagonists, finally bringing Marvel’s first major character to the big screen. The only thing is, Namor and his army might not be Atlantean at all.

    Following the film’s formal unveiling at Hall H, Hasbro began its official marketing push for its release. The company’s website is now accepting pre-orders for all Wakanda Forever-related merchandise, including a Marvel Legends action figure of Namor himself. The description of the Sub-Mariner’s figure describes him not as the King of Atlantis, but as the ruler of a hidden undersea civilization called “Talocan” instead. While this change may seem strange at first, it actually makes a lot more sense with a dive under the surface. Marvel Studios likely wants to differentiate their underwater kingdom from the popular depiction of Atlantis shown in Jason Mamoa’s Aquaman franchise, and they’re doing so by tying it to real-world mythology.

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Namor and his people appear to be connected to Aztec and Mayan culture, and the name “Talocan” is further proof of this. In Aztec legend, Tlālōcān is a mythological realm of paradise ruled by the rain god Tlālōc. Marvel Studios has seemingly designated this hydro-heaven as their version of Atlantis, with Namor and his Royal bloodline possibly filling the Tlālōc role. Interestingly, Talocan does exist in the comics, as the home of the Tēteoh pantheon of gods. With so many recent God-based projects, like Moon Knight and Thor: Love and Thunder, it will be curious to see if Marvel claims Namor and his society as Gods themselves, or if they just really wanted to use the name.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11th.

    Source: Screen Rant

  • Chris Pratt on Returning to the MCU After ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

    Chris Pratt on Returning to the MCU After ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be the end of an era. There are no exact details on what that might mean for these characters moving forward, but there has been a lot of talk of finality. It’ll mark James Gunn‘s final entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the foreseeable future. So, the San Diego Comic-Con presentation was quite an emotional one for everyone involved.

    Extra got the chance to talk to Chris Pratt, who shared the emotions he felt realizing that this 10+ year journey is coming to an end next year. Yet, he also offered a little look into the future and what potentially mean for his future with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He doesn’t give anything away and does keep the door open so that the multiverse may give him an opportunity to return no matter the fate of his character.

    There are no plans for that right now. I think anything is possible, anything is possible. There’s multiverse thing. I’m not saying I am, but if a character gets killed… Actually, turns out there are, like, crazy wormholes to bring people back.

    Chris Pratt

    There’s some word that we might see characters for the last time in this entry, but James Gunn did highlight during the panel it doesn’t mean everyone is going to leave the franchise behind. Rocket Raccoon is seemingly taken the lead this time around, which would open up the story for many interesting directions in the future. We’ll have to wait until next year May to find out.

    Source: Extra

  • Marvel Studios President Teases New Approach With ‘Avengers’ Movies

    Marvel Studios President Teases New Approach With ‘Avengers’ Movies

    San Diego Comic-Con was quite the experience and have us a first real look at the future of Marvel Studios’ projects. Not only did they unveil Phase 5 but also confirmed that the Multiverse Saga will come to an end with Phase 6. However, what stood out for many was that we won’t be getting an Avengers film to wrap up a Phase as we used to. Many expected that to be the case with a surprise announcement to wrap up Phase 4, but it turns out that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has the privilege of that placement.

    In an interview with MTV News, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige offered some insight into how they are tackling the new approach, especially with how Disney+ has opened up many new gateways for them to introduce other characters in new and interesting ways. He also compares to how their approach has changed from the previous Infinity Saga.

    Well… it’s never about going bigger just to go bigger. Sometimes, by the nature of the number of characters that you have in the toy box to then bring into the sandbox of the story, things can get bigger. But you know, the truth is, when we were doing Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3, there were less projects over more years. And they were smaller projects and individual character stories. And it felt appropriate at that point that after, you know, every two or three years that it took for a phase, we would do an Avengers film. As 4, 5, and 6 were coming together, there are more projects in less years because of all the amazing stuff we’re now allowed to do on Disney+ and getting and getting characters from Fox, for Fantastic Four and Deadpool, that it felt like… and certainly after Infinity War and Endgame that we thought, ‘Avengers movies aren’t cappers

    Kevin Feige

    While some have seen this as slightly controversial due to the number of projects available in less time than previously offered, they are aware of that fact and are also not trying to just rush out Avengers films as a result. They are trying to keep its place as an “event” within the build-up and have other franchises.

    So many of our movies now, the Multiverse of Madness, what you’re about to see in Quantumania, are big team-up films introducing big parts of the mythology and that Avengers films really should be the capper to a saga. Which is really all we wanted to to lay the groundwork for today, is say, ‘We are currently in the midst of the Multiverse saga which will culminate in two Avengers films.

    Kevin Feige

    Of course,e it’s an interesting strategy to wrap up the Saga with not one but two films. It may be a showcase of what they learned with the success of Infinity War going into Endgame. Yet, it does seem curious they wouldn’t want to keep a year between these projects to build into it. Of course, there’s always the chance that is the plan and they are keeping a potential shift of their release dates just in case, as they still don’t have a director set.

    Source: YouTube via The Direct

  • ‘Wakanda Forever’ Almost Doubles ‘Black Panther’s 24-Hour Trailer Viewership

    ‘Wakanda Forever’ Almost Doubles ‘Black Panther’s 24-Hour Trailer Viewership

    The trailer drop for Black Panther Wakanda Forever was something special. Given the weight surrounding the project and the expectations in regards to carrying on Chadwick Boseman‘s legacy, it wasn’t going to be easy. Yet, the somber trailer offered something different from the usual trailer fare and made it potentially stand out from the rest. That same has seemingly been accomplished with the trailer almost doubling the original Black Panther‘s 24-hour viewership.

    As of now, Wakanda Forever, which has been the main focus as a title for its promotion, has pulled in 172M views within 24 hours. That is almost twice as much as the first back in 2017, which stands at a still impressive 88M. The film was also trending for five consecutive hours and Black Panther pulled in 893K mentions. So, it was definitely the talk of the town. The film’s viewership actually rivals that of most Avengers films, closing in on Avengers: Infinity Wars which stood at 179M.

    Spider-Man: No Way Home still is the most viewed film at a historic 355.5M views. Thor: Love and Thunder is still a surprising 209M, which showcases how viewership doesn’t necessarily translate to box office openings. Still, its main point of comparison is the previous entry and doubling those viewership numbers of a film that managed to pass $1 billion mark back in 2018. It’ll be quite interesting to see how far the film manages to grow and if subsequent trailers could continue pushing its numbers to even rival that of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which pulled in around $950M this year.

    Source: Variety

  • Disney+ Working on an ‘Eragon’ TV Series

    Disney+ Working on an ‘Eragon’ TV Series

    Considering Disney’s game has always been adapting well-known IPs for their benefit, it was strange for many that they never announced an adaptation of the popular Eragon novel series. They received the rights not too long ago and were already working on a Percy Jackson adaptation to enter the young adults market. According to Variety, they are finally moving forward with an adaptation.

    In their new piece, they will first adapt The Inheritance Cycle based on Christopher Paolini‘s four-book series. He will also serve as co-writer and co-showrunner on the project but has not nailed down who else he’ll be working with. This will mark Paolini‘s first time working on a TV adaptation but does continue a popular trend of Disney including the novelists in the production.

    The story will follow the journey of a young farmboy named, you guessed it, Eragon. Once he discovers the egg of a dragon, which he names Saphira, his life is flipped upside down. With the help of his mentor Brom, he learns to become a Dragon Rider and ends up facing off against the evil king Galbatorix. The book was self-publish back in 2002 before Knopf acquired the rights in 2003. Its sequels were titled Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance, which went on to sell 41M copies worldwide so far.

    It’ll surprisingly be produced under the 20th Television banner with Bert Salke set to executive produce, who has an overall deal with Disney television Studios. It’s unclear if it’ll be branded as a Disney series or rather under the 20th banner. It marking the next big project on Disney+’s growth plan as they try to remove the dependence on Star Wars and Marvel productions, which may also alleviate the weight on those projects.

    Source: Variety

  • An Open-World, Single Player ‘Black Panther’ Game Is In The Works

    An Open-World, Single Player ‘Black Panther’ Game Is In The Works

    Hot off the heels of the stunning Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer, a new report is saying that a Black Panther video game is in development under EA. According to video game scooper Jeff Grubb, the game is said to be an open-world, single-player starring a Wakandan on a journey to become the new Black Panther.

    https://twitter.com/nibellion/status/1551585677305065473?s=21&t=iyoLQFuUNMTj97aJiDoSaA

    There are a few things to note in this report. One, it’s always great to see more single-player Marvel games being made and one based on Black Panther at that. For all of its flaws, the Black Panther DLC was one of the highlights of the Avengers game. Having a new studio develop a big IP is always worrying but if it’s being led by one of the people behind Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor then it’s in good hands. Lastly, having EA as a publisher is never a good thing even for single-player content. We’ll have to see how this all pans out.

    Source: Jeff Grubb

  • Marvel Studios Sets Eight New Theatrical Dates for Phases 6 & 7

    Marvel Studios Sets Eight New Theatrical Dates for Phases 6 & 7

    Marvel Studios laid out an impressive road map during their Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, giving fans a comprehensive look at what’s now officially known as the Multiverse Saga. The Multiverse Saga will consist of three phases and is set to wrap up with Avengers: Secret Wars in November of 2025.

    While Marvel Studios One-Above-All, Kevin Feige, gave the beginning and end points of the Saga, he also left plenty of blanks to fill in over the next couple of years including what look to be 3 projects in the Fall and Winter of 2024 and 5 more over the course of 2025. While it wasn’t made entirely clear during the panel, it seems that all 8 of those projects are destined for Disney Plus. With Agatha: Coven of Chaos beginning in 2023 and ending in 2024, Daredevil: Born Again is currently the only D+ series on the slate for 2024. Adding in the other dates would bring the 2024 D+ tally to 4.5, which is in line with what the studio is doing in 2023. Moving to 5 series in 2025 wouldn’t be too much of a leap, at that point.

    Adding to the likelihood that all 8 unannounced projects might head to Disney + was some news that got lost in the excitement: Marvel Studios 2025 and 2026 theatrical dates.

    In addition to dating Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, Marvel Studios has dated two other untitled Phase 6 films in February and July of 2025.

    • February 14, 2025: Untitled Marvel Studios Film
    • May 2, 2025: Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
    • July 25, 2025: Untitled Marvel Studios Film
    • November 7, 2025: Avengers: Secret Wars

    And with Phase 6 and the Multiverse Saga coming to a conclusion in 2025, the studio has already turned their attention to the beginning of Phase 7 with 4 untitled films set for 2026.

    • February 13, 2026: Untitled Marvel Studios Film
    • May 1, 2026: Untitled Marvel Studios Film
    • July 24, 2026: Untitled Marvel Studios Film
    • November 6, 2026: Untitled Marvel Studios Film

    With the Fantastic Four set to arrive just in time for Avengers: Secret Wars and Marvel Studios yet to reveal any long-term plans for mutants in the MCU, it seems like Phase 7 could belong, at least in part, to the studio’s plans for them.


  • SDCC: Marvel Studios President Confirms Spider-Man is Now a Street-Level Hero

    SDCC: Marvel Studios President Confirms Spider-Man is Now a Street-Level Hero

    The events of Spider-Man: No Way Home changed a lot for Peter Parker. Not only has everyone forgotten who he is, but he’s also now further away from the Avengers than ever before. Once looking up to his heroes, the young man is faced with a very different world. Many still questioned if that meant that we can expect a more grounded storyline for the character moving forward. For those wondering, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige fully confirmed it.

    Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man swung out of his new small apartment to tackle whatever threats he can in a new suit. According to Feige in an interview with MTV News’ Josh Horowitz, he’s now truly a street-level hero on the same level as Daredevil. It’s a big revelation that may answer some people’s concerns about his stories taking a more focused role moving forward.

    We’ve got the supernatural angles, we’ve got the street-level with our announcement of Daredevil, and of course, Spidey going into the street-level heroes.

    Kevin Feige

    Feige did confirm that they are working on a fourth entry, and as director Jon Watts has kind of moved on, who knows which director might take over to give his unique spin on the character. With a more grounded approach, they could also connect him to the also mentioned Daredevil and have him face off against mobs while struggling to pay rent. In a way, the next entry will be a return to form from the character that we’ve known from the earliest entries in cinema, and who knows what else might be heading his way.

    Source: Twitter via Total Film