Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • ‘The Incredible Hulk’ to Join Disney+ Japan in June

    ‘The Incredible Hulk’ to Join Disney+ Japan in June

    Just as we got the news that Spider-Man films are finally making their way to the Disney+ streaming service in the UK, it seems one more missing part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is finding its way to the service. The official Disney+ Japan Twitter account has unveiled that they are adding The Incredible Hulk on June 17th, which is the first hint at the character’s solo film getting added to the Disney-owned service.

    Hulk was one of the last remaining external rights holders alongside Spider-Man, as Universal had the film rights for the character. As such, it’s a big move that the film entry is making its way to Disney+ especially as it was recently added to HBO Max in the United States. It made many question if the Edward Norton film would ever find its way home but with the announcement for Japan. It was pointed out to us by @jamesmutombo2 that the reasoning for these joining is likely due to them belonging to Sony Pictures in Japan and Spain (as listed in IMDb), where it’s also available on the service. @MarvelCineVerse also pointed out their availability in France.

    It should be noted that they are also only adding Iron Man now, as some of the distribution rights internationally are quite a bit different, especially for the first non-Disney produced entries due to Marvel Studios working with different distribution partners. The fact they are adding it could be a hint at the House of Mouse trying to get their hands on all streaming rights for the missing links in the franchise, as even with the addition of the Marvel Netflix series they call Disney+ the “Home of Marvel.” So, can’t have missing entries to make that claim.

    Source: Twitter, IMDb

  • BREAKING: First ‘Spider-Man’ Films Heading to Disney+ UK

    BREAKING: First ‘Spider-Man’ Films Heading to Disney+ UK

    The Marvel collection on Disney+ has been a highlight for many subscribers of the streaming service. An easy way to watch all entries of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and even explore some legacy titles from the 20th Century Fox era. Sadly, there were still some missing, most notably Sony’s iconic Spider-Man franchises. When rumblings hit the web about a deal with Sony to acquire their library, many wondered when it might finally come to fruition. It looks like the first steps have finally been reached.

    The deal initially saw that Netflix will acquire the Sony projects before they would move on to Disney+, which has a multi-year deal for post-day-1-releases. While there’s no confirmation yet for when they hit the United States, the official Disney+ UK account has announced that Spider-Man: Homecoming will join the service on June 17th.

    That is not all, as they have also confirmed that the original Sam Raimi Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 will be added alongside The Amazing Spider-Man films. The noticeable absence of Spider-Man 3 hints that it’s still part of the Netflix deal and will likely follow at a later date.

    The same will also go for Spider-Man: Far From Home and eventually No Way Home. The latter might take a year or so once it releases on Netflix before it’ll become available on Disney+. Sony has been playing a strategic game in the market as instead of carrying the weight of an entire streaming service, they simply are using licensing deals to make a profit off of these current developments rather than risk losing any investment directly.

    With this release, we may see other Sony films get added to the service in the near future, and we’ll anxiously await the US release window as well. The fact we’re finally seeing the fruits of a deal that was made back in April of 2021 is an exciting prospect for the future of Disney+ and the streaming market.

    Source: Twitter

  • Lady Gaga in Early Talks to Play Harley Quinn in ‘Joker 2’ Musical

    Lady Gaga in Early Talks to Play Harley Quinn in ‘Joker 2’ Musical

    In what has certainly come as a surprise in the news of the Joker sequel, globally renowned pop star and Academy Award nominated actress Lady Gaga has entered early talks to play the role of Harley Quinn in the Todd Phillips written and directed Joker: Folie à deux. She would, in theory, star alongside Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, though he has technically not signed on yet to the film despite the announcement of the Joker sequel a week ago. It will certainly be interesting to note the potential interpretation differences between Gaga and Margot Robbie’s portrayal (who has been a rare consistent bright spot in the DC Extended Universe films). There is certainly the chance that this film continues the trend of deviating from the comic source material of characters like the original Joker did, which would help differentiate the variants of the two Harley Quinns. 

    Though the more unexpected element of this news is that the film is slated to be a musical. There are many questions to be asked about how Todd Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver ended up with this direction for the film. It certainly is a massive deviation from the dark and dreary Taxi Driver-inspired drama that was 2019’s Joker. This is especially the case coming from the wide-scale commercial and critical success of the original through being the fourth highest grossing R-rated film of all-time and racking up 11 Academy Award nominations. Though there is no arguing that it will stand out as an original premise within the superhero film landscape.

    As of this writing, Joker: Folie à deux. does not yet have a release date.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • HBO Max Latin America Orders New ‘Batman Azteca’ Animated Film

    HBO Max Latin America Orders New ‘Batman Azteca’ Animated Film

    Here’s an interesting but exciting surprise, it looks like Batman is heading to Mexico in a new animated feature titled Batman Azteca: Choque De Imperios, which translates to Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires. It was a surprising reveal during the Guadalajara International Film Festival, as DC and Warner Bros. animation partner up with Anma and Chatrone. That’s not all, as we also got a first look at the new take on Batman featured in this HBO Max Original film.

    The animated film will explore a young boy named Yohualli Coatl. When his father, Toltecatzin, is killed by Spanish Conquistadors, his life is thrown into turmoil as he escapes to warn King Moctezuma of the incoming threat. Within the bat god’s temple, he trains alongside his mentor Acatzin and develops weaponry to take on the Spanish invasion to protect the Moctezuma temple and take vengeance for his father’s death.

    Harley Quinn‘s Juan Meza-León will direct the feature that’ll see José C. García de Letona Carina Schulze, Aaron D. Berger, and Fernando De Fuentes joining the project as producers. It’ll be produced in Mexico with a local team working on the project to also reflect the local art. They have also added Alejandro Díaz Barriga, who specializes in Mesoamerican studies and the ethnic history of Mexico and the Andean region. It’s a great idea and it would be fun to potentially see multiple different takes of Batman that are inspired by cultures from across the world.

    Source: Deadline

  • Eugene Cordero Confirms Return to the TVA in ‘Loki’ Season 2

    Eugene Cordero Confirms Return to the TVA in ‘Loki’ Season 2

    There was so much to love in the first season of Loki but for many, Eugene Cordero‘s Casey was a hilarious standout. The Time Variance Authority secretary was a charming member whose deadpan reactions to Tom Hiddleston’s Loki were a highlight in the earlier episodes. Also, it takes a truly powerful person to use Infinity Stones as paperweights. Plus, he offered a clear look into how exactly the TVA worked and hinted at the eventual revelation of their identity as Variants from older dimensions.

    The reveal of his return comes in an interview with the actor from ScreenRant. When asked on his potential return to the franchise, he was surprisingly open about it and just confirmed that we’ll see more of Casey in the upcoming second season. Yet, he didn’t confirm in what capacity or what we can expect.

    Yes, yes, you can [look forward to more Casey]. You know, I can’t [tease anything], because I don’t even know. There’s so many passwords and passcodes that I have to fill out just to even look at the pages that I’m on, and the way that it works is things constantly change in a great way. There’s so many moving parts in that universe that things keep changing, so I can’t really nail it down, but I’m excited. I’m excited to do more and I don’t know to what capacity I’ll be able to be a part of it, but I’m excited to do it. So yeah, get ready, it’ll be fun, I hope? No, it will be, it’ll be great. [Chuckles]”

    Eugene Cordero

    He certainly sounded like he was having some fun teasing the eventual return and what the second season has to offer for fans of the series. Loki was its most-watched series and it definitely isn’t an easy task to follow up on one of Marvel Studios’ strongest seasons. With a new creative team involved and the arrival of Kang the Conqueror, it’s definitely going to be exciting to see what the future has in store for Disney+ subscribers.

    Source: ScreenRant

  • SGF: New Look at ‘Resident Evil 4’ Remake Released

    SGF: New Look at ‘Resident Evil 4’ Remake Released

    While it wasn’t much, we did get a new look at the upcoming remake of Resident Evil 4 that promises to take what made the original classic and add a new flair to rejuvenate the classic. While Capcom is still playing a bit coy on the project that is eyeing a March release next year, we did at least get a tease of what’s to come with the new entry. One thing is for sure, we’ve come a long way with the RE Engine and the atmosphere is definitely something to keep players hooked once it releases.

    https://twitter.com/Nibellion/status/1536476601256402944
  • SGF: New ‘Resident Evil Village’ DLC Includes 3rd Person Mode and Story Expansion

    SGF: New ‘Resident Evil Village’ DLC Includes 3rd Person Mode and Story Expansion

    Resident Evil Village has been quite the success for Capcom and it didn’t take long for them to tease that they will add some DLC for those that were hoping to jump back into the world. Well, it turns out that they just used the Summer Game Fest Capcom Showcase to offer a first look at what’s to come. Not only are we getting a story DLC focused on Ethan’s daughter Rose but also more Mercenaries content and even a 3rd Person Mode.

    https://twitter.com/Nibellion/status/1536475319510650887
  • ‘Persona’ Return Also Set for Steam and PlayStation

    ‘Persona’ Return Also Set for Steam and PlayStation

    Just yesterday, we got the big announcement that not only will Persona 5 Royal finally make its way to Xbox, but it’ll be joined by Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden. The two games have been popular requests for ports on many platforms but it turns out that the showcase was just a confirmation that the ports are happening and are available on Xbox Game Pass. Yet, the official statement has seemingly hinted at the games also heading to Steam and PlayStation.

    The press release includes the statement “These beloved games will also be heading to Steam and PlayStation 5” which is an interesting surprise but good to hear for those from other consoles hoping to get their hands on it. Yet, the biggest surprise is that even the oldest entries aren’t joining Nintendo Switch. Persona 4 Golden is already available on Steam and likely set the path of these classics getting added on consoles.

    Ever since Joker became a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, it seemed a definite that they’d find their way to the console. Even Banjo-Kazooie somehow managed to get added. Yet, the recent announcement does not include the Nintendo console that only provides the Strikers sequel that continues the story of the first Persona 5 entry even though the game is not available either. We’ll have to see if they may announce something in the near future.

    Source: EuroGamer

  • ‘Paddington’ is Heading to Peru in Third Installment, New Director Tackling Franchise

    ‘Paddington’ is Heading to Peru in Third Installment, New Director Tackling Franchise

    It looks like the long-awaited masterpiece of Paddington 3 has finally started getting some momentum. After the loveable bear shared tea with the Queen, it seems that his next adventure is going to see him heading out to Peru. Director Dougal Wilson will take on the task of the third entry in the franchise and continue the magic that was Paddington 2. Wilson shared the following statement in regard to the new project:

    It’s a massive responsibility, but all my efforts will be focussed on making a third film that honours the love so many people have for this very special bear.

    Dougal Wilson

    The film will be titled quite straightforward with Paddington in Peru. It will act as Wilson’s theatrical debut after he mainly focused his work on music videos and commercials. Paul King is sadly stepping down from his work on the franchise after directing the first two entries, as he’s busy with Timothee Chalamet‘s Wonka. However, he did share a statement on passing the torch.

    After ten years of working on the Paddington movies, I feel absurdly protective of the little bear, and I’m delighted that Dougal will be there to hold his paw as he embarks on his third big-screen adventure. Dougal’s work is never less than astounding: funny, beautiful, heartfelt, imaginative, and totally original. Aunt Lucy once asked us to ‘Please Look After This Bear.’ I know Dougal will do so admirably.

    Paul King

    Production is eyeing a start in 2023 with filming in London and Peru scheduled. It pretty much is a chance for the loveable bear to travel back home and wee may see the family of the bear and further explore what led to him finding his way to London’s Paddington station.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Gorr the God Butcher is One of the MCU’s “Most Sympathetic Villains”

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Gorr the God Butcher is One of the MCU’s “Most Sympathetic Villains”

    We’ve long been awaiting the arrival of Christian Bale‘s Gorr the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder. The marketing has been holding back quite a bit with our first look of the villain only arriving in the second trailer. While his look is quite a departure from the comics, it does seem like Taika Waititi has put in a lot of love for the character. Not only did the villain seemingly “tested the highest” of any Marvel villains, which also includes some heavy-hitters like Thanos, but he describes Bale’s characters as one of “the most sympathetic villains they’ve had” so far as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    The director also highlighted that their work on Thor: Ragnarok seemingly has sparked the interest for Bale to venture into a comic book adaptation once more. It seems to have fun like they did bring the film to life was a big reason he wanted to give it a go, and Waititi‘s comedy definitely seems like it had a guiding hand for the actor’s venture into the MCU.

    What we did with Ragnarok made these movies appealing to other actors as well. Christian saw that and was like “I want to do something fun” and wanted to be part of this thing.

    Taika Waititi

    Not only giving the actor something fun to do but also offering the audience a sympathetic villain is definitely something that’ll still manage to leave a chill down their spine. We’ll see how the MCU continues to evolve and offer a fun playground for any actor interested in giving it a shot.

    Source: YouTube via Discussing Film, YouTube via Twitter