Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Leaked ‘Loki’ Season 2 Set Photos Tease 70’s Setting

    Leaked ‘Loki’ Season 2 Set Photos Tease 70’s Setting

    Season 2 of Loki, one of Marvel Studios’ most popular streaming series to date, is now in production in London and some intriguing set photos have now made their way online. The first season of the streamer shot in Atlanta and did so mostly in studio, meaning set leaks were extraordinarily rare. Getting a look at these set photos this early into production on Season 2 is extra exciting.

    It looks as though Loki Season 2 is shooting on location at London’s Noel Theater and, according to the movie posters put up for the shoot, it’s likely that this portion of the show is set in 1974 or 1975.

    As seen in pics, there’s a combination of real-life and in-universe films being advertised at the theaters. Herbie Rides Again, Airport 1975 and Earthquake all hit theaters in UK 1974, with Earthquake debuting in late November. The three other movie posters on display at the fictional Leopold Theater are wonderful Easter eggs. One is a film starring Kingo of the Eternals, another is for a film entitled Phone Ranger and the final two are for a horror film entitled Zaniac. Phone Ranger and Zaniac are among the deepest of DEEP cuts Marvel Studios has ever dropped in a production as both are incredibly obscure comic book characters.

    Interestingly enough, the first look at Loki, presented by Kevin Feige back in 2019, featured the God of Mischiefoutside of a movie theater in what appeared to by 1975 New York. That concept was never explored in Season One, but it looks like Season 2 will make good on it and that a movie will be premiering at the Leopold Theater. Whether or not Loki will be there and what he’ll get up to remains to be seen, but it’s worth noting that the end of Season 1 took place in a timeline where thing in the TVA were a little different and Loki didn’t seem to have any allies there, meaning we might see him hopping around a bit while on the run.

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ to Include Songs from Guns N’ Roses, ABBA, Dio, and More

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ to Include Songs from Guns N’ Roses, ABBA, Dio, and More

    As much as we love the soundtracks for the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, there’s also something great about hearing iconic songs as needle drop moments. Director Taika Waititi famously added Led Zeppelin‘s Immigrant Song into Thor: Ragnarok which added one of the film’s most iconic moments. Now, a new list has been revealed of twelve songs we can expect in his sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder, which includes ABBA, Guns N’ Roses, and so many more.

    • Guns N’ Roses – Welcome to the Jungle
    • Guns N’ Roses – Paradise City
    • Ginger Johnson – Old Spice Sea Chanty
    • ABBA – Our Last Summer
    • Michael Raphael – Fighting
    • Enya – Only Time
    • Mary J. Blige – Family Affair
    • Ciara – Goodies
    • Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
    • Guns N’ Roses – November Rain
    • Dio – Rainbow in the Dark

    It’s definitely quite the line-up that’ll surely be promising for those hoping to see the Thor fourquel offer the perfect atmosphere like the trailer. Guns N’ Roses seemed like a sure addition, as it’s been hinted at that it’s been an influence on the film’s general style and direction. It’s definitely looking to be one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s more stylized fares and if it hits the right notes, these needle drops may be stuck in our minds long after we leave the theaters.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Pulls in Massive $127.9M Domestically in 4 Days While ‘Lightyear’ Continues to Drop

    ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Pulls in Massive $127.9M Domestically in 4 Days While ‘Lightyear’ Continues to Drop

    I think no one saw this coming but it seems that Minions: The Rise of Gru has pulled in an astonishing $108.51M in three days. As it was July 4th weekend, it has ended its total weekend run with $127.9M, which is now the second-best opening for any Despicable Me film with the original minions slightly ahead at $115.7M over three days. The exciting aspect is that this success on top of Top Gun: Maverick‘s continued hold is projecting this weekend as one that might even beat out 2019; something no one could’ve imagined when the pandemic took its toll. In a way, the final missing piece of the box office drive may have finally been brought back.

    Of course, upcoming releases could still hit some snags. Lightyear was a surprise hit for Pixar, which has been steadily losing momentum after only three weeks. It’s ironic given how Minions is also just a spinoff of an existing franchise, but it does have the advantage of having a direct connection, unlike Lightyear which only uses the name of one of the Toy Story franchise’s characters. Sadly, it seems that it may not even beat The Good Dinosaur‘s run in theaters, which was its worst performer so far. Still, Rise of Gru is way ahead of projections that had it at $75M with a second analysis moving closer to $100M.

    This success is also a good sign for Illumination’s future projects. While the IP has also landed on a specific meme status with people arriving in theaters in suits, they generally have been the face of the company. They have a few big projects on the way, especially their cooperation with Nintendo which will see the latest attempt at a cinematic experience starring everyone’s favorite plumber, Mario. So, we’ll see if the film can continue this hold going into its second weekend or also potentially face a harsher drop with the arrival of Thor: Love and Thunder.

    Source: The Numbers, THR

  • Marvel Studios President Reveals Why Thor is the MCU’s First Fourth Parter

    Marvel Studios President Reveals Why Thor is the MCU’s First Fourth Parter

    Thor will be the first Marvel Studios franchise to get the fourth installment treatment with Thor: Love and Thunder. Taika Waititi is back in the directing chair, who took over with Thor: Ragnarok. He took the franchise in a completely new direction; focusing more on Chris Hemsworth‘s comedic chops. In the official press conference for the upcoming Marvel film, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed why Hemsworth‘s Thor is the first to get four entries.

    I think they respond to Chris Hemsworth, and I think they respond to everything that he can do. And Taika certainly brought another dimension that was always there within Chris.  There were moments, even going back to EPK interviews between the two of them on our New Mexico set, where Chris was…  I was like, “Is he trying to be funny?  Or is it…?  No, he is being funny.  He’s, like, hilarious.”  And beginning to…  And I saw a clip of Ultron the other day, where he’s trying to make Ruffalo feel better about smashing a bunch of people, and it’s so funny. 

    Kevin Feige

    Age of Ultron definitely set up Thor’s future in a more comedic role, even The Dark World; faults and all; had some hilarious moments when the Odinson brothers interacted. So, it was luckily Taika Waititi that approached Marvel and told them to make use of Hemsworth‘s comedic chops.

    And it’s so…  it’s like this expert timing.  And Taika was like, “What are you guys doing with him just, you know, holding a hammer up with lightning?  Let’s do that and tap into everything Chris can do.” So, I think the audience responds to that.  And for so long, we said, “Well, he’s a Norse god.  How do we make him relatable?”  And spent so much time, I think, making sure that the audience connected with him, that they are so with him now that yes, we could go to a part four.

    Kevin Feige

    They certainly put in the work and it’s great to see Chris Hemsworth enjoy his time with the character. He especially was happy for the new direction with the return of Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, who’ll definitely set up a new dynamic. Plus, we also have the already comedic-focused Guardians of the Galaxy joining this time around, who are definitely going to add some unique flair and comedy bits. Early reactions definitely teased Waititi‘s comedic chops are at a new high and it’ll definitely be interesting to see if there might even be a fifth installment in his future.

  • Russo Brothers Praise Marvel Studios President of Putting the X-Men “Aside for a While”

    Russo Brothers Praise Marvel Studios President of Putting the X-Men “Aside for a While”

    Many have been wondering where exactly the X-Men are. There have been hints that they could get added to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as many looked to projects like WandaVision or Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to set up their existence.

    Yet, Marvel has been playing coy and not rushing out their introduction. It’s also something that the Russo Brothers highly praised that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has been focusing on introducing other characters instead.

    That was one of my favorite comics growing up, Wolverine. One of my prized possessions is ‘Incredible Hulk 181,’ which was the first appearance of Wolverine. It’s an important part of my comic book collection. Wolverine being so essential to the X-Men, of course, that would be a fun project to work on and find a new way into it. But I do think that’s probably something that Kevin has rightfully put aside for a while to introduce some new characters to the world and bring that back when it’s ready.

    Russo Brothers

    It makes sense as the X-Men are an already well-established franchise due to 20th Century Fox’s time with them. While many were hit or miss, it still produced some iconic Marvel entries. So, it’s also a challenge to reintroduce these characters without ignoring their legacy.

    Russo Brothers have proven they have a way of handling massive casts of characters, which is why they have been considered as the right choice for a revival. Yet, many would also like to see their return to the Avengers franchise. Perhaps the upcoming events might clue us in on Marvel Studios’ future plans.

    Source: Twitter via FandomWire

  • ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Showrunner Only Planned on Four Seasons

    ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Showrunner Only Planned on Four Seasons

    The Umbrella Academy has always felt like the little show that could. The cult Netflix series debuted in 2019 to mixed reviews, but has since found it’s footing and, after three zany seasons, has left fans begging for more. In a sea of comic book adaptations and uber-popular superheroes, the wonky cast of characters that inhabit the world created by Gerard Way somehow manage to be uniquely likable.

    Season 3 saw the titular characters, once again, trying to prevent the end of the world. Their antics saw them existing in a timeline they shouldn’t and, after 10 episodes, the Umbrellas have inexplicably put themselves in a place to start over for a fourth time – in a brand new reality with no superpowers. With so much room to run creatively, showrunner Steve Blackman spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about his plans for the future of the series:

    We haven’t been picked up — I have my fingers crossed. But I know what season four is in my head. I’ve already sort of worked out the beginning, middle and end of it. When I started this thing, I sort of knew four seasons of the show. I have nothing passed that in my brain, but I’ve sort of kept to a trajectory. So, I have a really good sense of what season four would be, and it should be just as bonkers as the other seasons — what a challenge these superheroes, this family has being powerless.

    Steve Blackman

    If renewed, it sounds like season 4 of the super-family dramedy could be it’s last. As sad as that may sound, all good things must eventually come to an end. It’s also still possible Blackman and his team strike storytelling gold and spawn ideas for a fifth season along the way. After all, the show has now outlived its source material, meaning anything beyond this point must be wholly original.

    Source: THR

  • Russo Brothers Open to Return to the MCU as ‘Avengers 5’ Return Speculations Make the Rounds

    Russo Brothers Open to Return to the MCU as ‘Avengers 5’ Return Speculations Make the Rounds

    Many have been wondering about the lack of an Avengers title in the current Marvel Cinematic Universe line-up. Many believed that they may be busy mapping out how to tackle the next entry after the Russo Brothers left their mark with Infinity War and Endgame.

    As rumors of a potential return make the rounds for a fifth Avengers film, the directing duo have reveled in a recent interview that they are definitely open to return to the MCU at one point.

    We’re always open to it. We love those guys, we love everyone over there.

    Russo Brothers

    They do, however, highlight that their “plate is pretty full.” So, it doesn’t seem like we should expect a return anytime soon. Who knows if the film might not arrive for quite a few more years, leaving the door open for their return.

    One thing will be for sure, it’ll be a big task to follow up on the films they’ve created. It set the bar pretty high and we’re still seeing many in a post-Endgame blues. Yet, once the future becomes more clear, we might see a very different MCU moving forward.

    Source: Twitter via The Direct

  • RUMOR: Finn Jones Unlikely to Return as the MCU’s Iron Fist

    RUMOR: Finn Jones Unlikely to Return as the MCU’s Iron Fist

    There have been many theories on the canonical connection between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Netflix’s The Defenders series. The return of Charlie Cox in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Vincent D’Onofrio in Hawkeye opened the floodgates for more returning faces. Sadly, it seems one is very unlikely to return.

    According to DisInsider’s Derek Cornell, Marvel Studios isn’t bringing back Finn Jones, who played Danny Rand in the Netflix series that premiered on the streamer back in 2017 to critical backlash.

    The series was riddled with controversy due to the casting of the original comics’ “white savior” trope. The series still managed to draw in a better received second season but was swiftly canceled when Netflix noticed the competition of Disney entering the streaming market.

    Jones was a fun addition, especially in his dynamic with Mike Colter’s Luke Cage. While the series lacked in the martial arts department, there were still some people that wondered if he’ll also return. There’s no word if they might recast the role entirely or focus on a different person holding the mantle. For now, we’ll have to see if the character has a future win the MCU at all.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Thor 4’s Gorr Design Was Changed to Avoid ‘Harry Potter’ Comparison

    ‘Thor 4’s Gorr Design Was Changed to Avoid ‘Harry Potter’ Comparison

    There isn’t a day that Twitter and Social Media are ablaze with discussions on just how accurate the adaptations of Marvel Studios’ latest venture are. As the studio has always taken liberties with designs, it has hit a new fever pitch with Thor: Love and Thunder‘s Gorr the God Butcher. There have been many theories on why they changed him to a more humanoid design and it turns out the reasoning is quite simple.

    In an interview with IGN, director Taika Waititi revealed that Love and Thunder‘s design for Gorr was changed due to the similarities with Harry Potter‘s Voldemort. So, they wanted to avoid people making the connection and kept the focus on what made the character iconic, the sword and his story.

    His face in the comics, unfortunately, does kind of resemble Voldemort. So I was like ‘people are just automatically going to make that connection.’ So we decided to depart from that design and sort of keep elements of the tone, and the fact that he had the sword. Really, it was his story that was the most important thing for us

    Taika Waititi

    They definitely took a different direction with the design, especially with how he kept his nose. Yet, it does seem strange they wouldn’t want him to be more alien considering his origins in the comics. There’s a chance they took a more humanoid direction due to how he connects to the Gods. With his clothes, he may even be part of the Greek pantheon’s new home world that led to this very connection being made. Whatever it may be, we may know more in just a few more days.

    Source: IGN via The Direct

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Producer Hopes to Further Explore the Order of the Red Daggers in the Future

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Producer Hopes to Further Explore the Order of the Red Daggers in the Future

    In the latest episode of Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan makes her travel home to not only face the visions she’s had of the Partition but also look beyond her home to see how the rest of the world faces its own heroes. In the case of Pakistan, they have the Order of the Red Daggers, which help our young heroine to understand the dangers she is facing.

    In an interview with EW, Sana Amanat shared some thoughts on the idea of the Red Daggers, highlighting Sabir Pirzada’s excitement of bringing them to life and how exploring Pakistan “feels like a season 2 thing and we did it in one season.” Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and the writing team were quite excited to tackle their story. Of course, the same goes for Amanat.

    I’m a huge fan of the Red Daggers. I love making them an order. The only thing is, if you asked me what I wish that we had more time for, it would be delving into the backstory of The Order of the Red Daggers, because there’s a lot more that we were percolating on that we just didn’t have time to shoot, frankly. But I love their team-up. I know everyone’s talking about there being a romantic interest, but there isn’t right now. Okay? Everyone’s like, “really, three boys?” But we intentionally pulled back on that.

    Sana Amanat

    She also highlights how they approached their introduction to offer some more insight into Kamala embracing her roots, as well as what it means to be part of something much greater.

    The larger intention was showcasing that Kamala has been idolizing these heroes in the Western world that look nothing like her. Then she goes back to her roots and she meets these individuals who’ve just worked really hard to be good at what they are. There’s a line that Waleed [Farhan Akhtar] says, about how the red scarf is for anyone who’s willing to put it on, it’s just a representation of what they’re trying to do. I think that’s what Waleed is trying to say: “First of all, it doesn’t really matter what you look like. It doesn’t really matter about code names or armor or what kinds of clothes that you’re wearing as long as you’re linked to something much greater.” That’s really what I think the whole point was bringing in Waleed and Kareem into this show.

    Sana Amanat

    Waleed and Kareem definitely added something special to the series, and it would be great to get a chance to explore their place in the world even more moving forward. Who knows if Kareem might even find his way to the West, as he becomes the fish out of water to join Kamala in a future adventure which may tie into the Red Daggers’ legacy.

    Source: EW