Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Kevin Feige Updates the Status of Marvel Studios’ Long-Delayed ‘Blade’ Reboot

    Kevin Feige Updates the Status of Marvel Studios’ Long-Delayed ‘Blade’ Reboot

    Somehow, Wesley Snipes‘ Blade made a full-fledged appearance in an MCU film before Mahershala Ali‘s take on the character. Six years ago, when Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, electrified the Hall H crowd during Marvel’s SDCC ’19 panel by announcing the Ali-led Blade film was in development, that would have seemed impossible; however, getting that film off the ground has proven quite a chore for Feige and the Marvel Studios Parliament.

    Production on Blade has been delayed multiple times beginning with the decision of original director Bassam Tariq to leave the film in 2022. At least five different writers have taken a turn on the script after original scribe Stacey Osei-Koffour parted ways with the project with Marvel Studios’ vet Eric Pearson (Black Widow, Thunderbolts*) having most recently penned a draft. Without a director since Tariq’s replacement, Yann Demange, bailed in June 2024, there was simply no way Blade was making it in front of cameras and was ultimately removed from the studio’s 2025 theatrical slate. Fans have begun to believe that they may never see the film but according to Feige, that’s simply not the case as the studio and Ali remain committed to the project.

    “You can start and have a good script and make it a great script through production, but we didn’t feel confident we could do that on Blade,” said Feige during a recent press event at Marvel HQ. “We didn’t want to do that to Mahershala and didn’t want to do that to us.“

    “We didn’t want to put a leather outfit on [Ali] and have him start killing vampires,” he explained, adding that after looking at a couple of different versions of the film that would have been period pieces, the studio “landed on modern day and that’s what we’re focusing on.”

    As for when the studio expects the film to begin principal photography or hit theaters, Feige didn’t say, choosing to tease a seven-year plan that would keep the MCU going strong through 2032…if we’re all lucky, Blade might make it to theaters between now and then.

    Source: Deadline

  • James Gunn Addresses the Status of DC Studios ‘Swamp Thing’

    James Gunn Addresses the Status of DC Studios ‘Swamp Thing’

    When James Gunn and Peter Safran pulled back the curtain to reveal their initial plans for DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters in January 2023, there were plenty of surprises. While the DC Studios’ co-chairs intended to–and in fact did–launch the new connected universe with one of comic’s greatest characters, Superman (originally titled Superman: Legacy), the slate also included projects featuring some DC Comics characters that aren’t necessarily household names.

    One such project announced to be in development was a Swamp Thing feature film with James Mangold attached to direct. Described by Safran as a horror film intended to “investigate the dark origins” of the character, the film was said to be “tonally different” than other DCU fare while still being “interconnected” to the rest of the slate.

    That slate has changed considerably, however, since being announced, leaving fans to wonder if many projects, Swamp Thing among them, are still being developed. In an interview with Josh. Horowitz, Gunn was asked to update the status of Swamp Thing and revealed that for the time being, the project is still being worked on.

    “We talked to James (Mangold) the other day. No, he hasn’t delivered a script. He’s been distracted with his billion of movies,” said Gunn. “We’re talking about it again.”

    One of those films distracting Mangold may be his Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi movie which was recently said to have been coming together relatively quickly and moved ahead of the Daisy Ridley-led Star Wars: New Jedi Order project. If that’s the case, it’s highly unlikely that Swamp Thing finds its way into theaters at any point within the next two years which was the original plan for the first ten projects revealed in 2023. However, with a Wonder Woman film gathering momentum at the studio, it seems the focus has somewhat shifted toward getting DC’s Trinity and other heavy hitters to the screen sooner than expected, while still leaving room for other projects such as Clayface or Sgt. Rock.

    Source: Happy Sad Confused

  • New BTS Videos Show Jon Bernthal Back in Costume and in Action on the Set of ‘The Punisher’ Special Presentation

    New BTS Videos Show Jon Bernthal Back in Costume and in Action on the Set of ‘The Punisher’ Special Presentation

    As has been the case with both seasons of Daredevil: Born Again, The Punisher: Special Presentation is filming out in the open in the streets of New York City. As such, it is to be expected that plenty of plset photos, snapped by paps and the public alike, will make their way online and so far, that’s exactly how it’s played out.

    The Special Presentation, co-written by star Jon Bernthal and Reinaldo Marcus Green, began principal photography earlier this week and it didn’t take long for images of a hard-boiled looking Frank Castle to make the rounds. While Castle was laying low on those photos, a trip of new videos show the former Marine back in action…and suited up in his iconic vest.

    The action looks to be taking place in and around Gnucci’s Family Restaurant, owner by the rumored villain of the feature, Ma Gnucci. Though she’s yet to appear, Frank wiped out several members of the Gnucci Crime Family, including her son Tony, in Episode 1.01 of Netflix’s The Punisher. It’s likely that Ma would be out for vengeance and equally likely that Frank would be up for finishing the job.

    The Punisher Special Presentation will debut on Disney Plus in 2026.

  • Wonder Woman Casting: The Search for a New DCU Star

    Wonder Woman Casting: The Search for a New DCU Star

    The future of the all-new DCU was riding on the successful launch of James Gunn‘s Superman. As the new film , which was a hit with audiences and critics, closes in on $200 million at the domestic box office, it seems safe to say that, at least for now, the future is secure… though it certainly won’t look much like the original plan laid out by Gunn and SC Studios’ co-chair Peter Safran.

    While Supergirl and Lanterns, which were both included in the first look at the studio’s Gods and Monsters slate, are on track for release in 2026, they’ll be joined by Clayface, a true horror film, which only took shape over the past year. Beyond that, projects such as Booster Gold, Swamp Thing and Paradise Lost, seem to have lost all creative momentum; however, there’s no shortage of ideas in the queue and it sounds as though one of them is starting to move ahead quickly.

    After a recent report by Variety claimed that a Wonder Woman movie was being fast tracked at DC Studios, longtime industry insider Umberto Gonzalez has added fuel to that fire. According to Gonzalez, who recently appeared on The Box Office Podcast, the studio has begun the search for an actress to portray the DCU’s Princess Diana of Themyscira.

    Gonzalez indicated that Gunn and Safran are following the same plan that led them to Milly Alcock as the shared universe’s Supergirl and are looking for a not-so-household name with a TV-heavy resume rather than an actress with a background in big studio fare. It’s a new age at the box office and it appears that saving salary will be a primary concern as the new studio gets up and running.

    For his part, Gunn has confirmed that Wonder Woman is in development, though he certainly has not given any indication it has been fast tracked. “I mean, it’s not going to be until the scripts are ready,” Gunn said recently when asked about when fans might expect to see Batman and Wonder Woman join Superman in the DCU. “So, both the scripts (The Brave and the Bold and Wonder Woman) are being written now, and, if they’re good, then we’ll go into production immediately.”

    Given Gunn’s recent comments that one planned film was abandoned because the writer could not put together a good script, the news is equal measures good and not so good; however, the studio is unlikely to bail on a member of the Trinity, meaning a new Wonder Woman film WILL happen, even if we can’t say when just yet.

    Source: The Box Office Podcast

  • Welcome Back, Frank! Photos Reveal Jon Bernthal’s Hard-Boiled Frank Castle on Set of ‘The Punisher’ Special Presentation

    Welcome Back, Frank! Photos Reveal Jon Bernthal’s Hard-Boiled Frank Castle on Set of ‘The Punisher’ Special Presentation

    In the finale of Daredevil: Born Again, after taking a beating at the hands of the Anti-Vigilante Task Force, Frank Castle is imprisoned in Wilson Fisk’s facility at the Red Hook free port, alongside other enemies of Fisk, including Tony Dalton‘s Jack Duquesne, aka The Swordsman. In a relatively ridiculous post-credits scene, Frank talks to a guard named Anthony Petruccio, who idolizes the Punisher. Frank uses his charisma to convince the guard to shake his hand. When the guard extends his arm through a small opening in the cage, Frank breaks his arm, snags his keys and makes his escape, setting the stage for Marvel Television’s 2026 The Punisher Special Presentation.

    With principal photography on the Special Presentation, co-written by star Jon Bernthal and Reinaldo Marcus Green, now underway in New York, set photos have begun to circulate online. Earlier today, photos of an NYC storefront being remade into Gnucci’s Restaurant seemingly confirmed that mob boss Ma Gnucci will serve as the main antagonist of the project, backing Marvel insider Daniel Richtman’s claim about the feature’s big bad. Now, a new series of photos has provided a first look at Bernthal‘s Castle, who is once again sporting the “no, I’m not The Punisher” beard.

    To check out the entire series of set photos, you’ll have to head over to Just Jared but from the looks of it, The Punisher Special Presentation is likely to begin with Frank on the down low, looking to avoid the kind of attention walking around with a giant skull painted on his chest might bring.

    Marvel Studios has had very little to say about the new project, which is set to film for just a few weeks in New York. With that in mind, it’s unclear exactly what the timeline for it is, making it possible it takes place right after Frank escapes from Fisk’s dungeon or following the conclusion of Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, making it a bridge to Bernthal’s next MCU appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Either way, with the Special Presentation possibly adapting Garth Ennis‘ BRUTAL 12-issue “Welcome Back, Frank” arc, fans are likely in for some more of that dark, gritty and violent fare straight from the old Netflix days.

    Source: Just Jared

  • New Report Reveals Mephisto’s Next MCU Stop

    New Report Reveals Mephisto’s Next MCU Stop

    Sacha Baron Cohen‘s secret role in Marvel Television’s Ironheart was one of Hollywood’s worst-kept secrets. Despite efforts to keep the true identity of Cohen‘s “Mystery Man” from leaking, word of the actor portraying the role of Mephisto made its way online in early 2022, more than three years before the Great Corrupter popped up in the Ironheart series finale.

    Cohen brilliantly brought Mephisto to life, bringing a superficial graciousness to the character whose only true goal is collecting souls. With major changes to Marvel Studios’ plans between the production and release of Ironheart, fans have been theorizing when–if at all–Mephisto May next appear and it seems as though there may not be an answer.

    According to Marvel Studios insider Daniel Richtman, Cohen will step back into the shoes of the Master of Malice in the long-rumored supernatural team-up film, Midnight Sons.

    Though Marvel Studios has never officially addressed the property, a Midnight Sons film has been rumored to be in development since 2022, with Werewolf By Night director Michael Giacchino having originally been attached to direct. In 2024, Fede Álvarez‘s name popped up on the radar as a potential director with Logan scribe Michael Green working on a screenplay for Marvel and the studio hoping to fast track the project.

    With the studio potentially looking to get Midnight Sons off the ground ahead of the long-troubled Blade reboot, it tracks that they’d be starting to move toward putting together a cast and having Cohen’s Mephisto front and center as a major antagonist is a great start.

  • ‘Punisher’ Set Leak Seems to Confirm the Villain of the Upcoming Marvel Television Special Presentation

    ‘Punisher’ Set Leak Seems to Confirm the Villain of the Upcoming Marvel Television Special Presentation

    Set to stream on D+ in 2026, The Punisher Special Presentation, co-written by star Jon Bernthal and Reinaldo Marcus Green, has begun filming in New York City. While no details have been officially revealed nor any cat members outside of Bernthal, a report earlier this year from Marvel insider Daniel Richtman revealed the likely villain of the project. Now, leaked photos from the set seem to confirm that report.

    It’s like a shotgun blast of a story, but also has all the pathos and emotion that you want out of a Frank Castle story.

    –Brad Winderbaum on The Punisher Special Presentation

    Among photos of storefronts being constructed for the Marvel Television Special Presentation, Gnucci’s Restaurant can be seen, likely confirming that Isabella “Ma” Gnucci will indeed be the main antagonist of The Punisher.

    The head of the Gnucci Crime Family, Ma Gnucci tried to take Frank Castle out in Volume 5 of The Punisher, written by Garth Ennis. The 12-issue arc, known as “Welcome Back, Frank”, launched Ennis’ 49-issue run with the character and has long been hailed as a classic Punisher tale. Harboiled and gruesome, “Welcome Back, Frank” took the character back to his roots and allowed him to do what he does best: kill bad guys with extreme prejudice…and a flamethrower. In terms of MCU Punisher continuity, Ma Gnucci makes quite a bit of sense as an antagonist for the project given that Frank wiped out several members of the Gnucci Crime Family, including her son Tony, in Episode 1.01 of The Punisher, “3 AM.“

    -Ma Gnucci

    It’s going to be dark; Frank has no interest in breaking out the darkness. It’s not going to be easy. I don’t know if that’s the Netflix tone then that’s what it’s going to be. It will not be Punisher-lite, I promise you that.

    –Jon Bernthal on The Punisher Special Presentation

    After escaping Wilson Fisk’s dungeon prison in Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again, it looks as though Bernthal’s Castle will find himself in the sights of a second mob boss in The Punisher Special Presentation. With Vincent D’Onofrio just recently completing production on Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Mayor Fisk may also have a small role in the project, perhaps even alerting the Gnuccis to Frank’s presence on the NYC streets.

  • DC Studios Reportedly Considering a Pair of ‘Superman’ Spinoff Series

    DC Studios Reportedly Considering a Pair of ‘Superman’ Spinoff Series

    As James Gunn‘s Superman prepares to launch the all-new, all-different DCU up, up and away, a new report indicates that he and DC Studios’ co-chair Peter Safran are considering spinoffs for a pair of characters featured in the film.

    According to the Wall Street Journal, Superman’s pal, Jimmy Olsen, and Mister Terrific could each star in TV series which would likely stream on HBO Max.

    First appearing as an unnamed office boy in Action Comics #6 (1938), Jimmy was given his name and a more significant role in the Adventures of Superman radio serial in 1940. He made his comic book debut as “Jimmy” in Superman #13 (1941). In 1954, he even got his own comic series, Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen, which ran for 222 issues until 1982. The character has appeared in multiple Superman-related projects in different mediums over the years. Actors such as Marc McClure, Aaron Ashmore, Mehcad Brooks and Michael Cassidy have all added their own touches to the character with some straying pretty far from the nature of Olsen in the comics.

    The Righteous Gemstones and Santa Clarita Diet actor Skyler Gisondo landed the role of cub reporter, photojournalist and–most importantly–Superman’s pal in the Superman and finds himself at the perfect time in his career to lead his own project.

    Played in Superman by Edi Gathegi,  Mister Terrific is a highly intelligent and skilled superhero in the DC Comics Universe, a mantle held by two prominent individuals: Terry Sloane and Michael Holt. While both embody the concept of a “Fair Play” hero, it’s Holt who is the more widely recognized and enduring version in modern comics. Introduced in 1997, he is an exceptionally gifted individual, often cited as one of the smartest people in the DC Universe (sometimes even the “third smartest,” behind only Lex Luthor and Batman). Before becoming a superhero, Holt earned 14 PhDs, became a self-made multi-millionaire through his company Holt Industries, and was an Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon. Holt has been a key member and even chairman of the Justice Society of America, and has also served with the Justice League and Checkmate. He later formed his own team, the Terrifics, which may well be the focus the Superman spinoff.

    There’s tons of comic appearances that Mister Terrific has, so there’s a lot of different angles that you can take, and James has created a very specific version of this character that makes sense for this story. So, there wasn’t a lot of questioning for me. I trust the filmmaker, I trust his vision – the character is an extraordinary character in the comics. He’s a futurist, a tech innovator, but also an ethical innovator. He believes in the ethical use of artificial intelligence. This character is so dynamic and then he’s got a huge wound. He lost his wife and his daughter, and he doesn’t let that define him, but he also doesn’t ignore that – he uses that to fuel his brilliance.

    -Edi Gathegi

    The report also reiterates that DC Studios plans to release several live-action streaming series, two live-action films and one animated series per year as they build toward a Justice League team-up film. And with Superman gathering all the momentum of a speeding bullet as it hits its opening weekend, the DCU seems to be off to a great start that will allow it the grace to attempt to make that ambitious schedule work.

    Sources: Forbes, The Wall Street Journal

  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Showrunner Celebrates Wrapping Production on Season 2

    ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Showrunner Celebrates Wrapping Production on Season 2

    Just as fans were starting to get a feel for what Marvel Studios’ Daredevil: Born Again was all about in March, production on the second season of the Disney Plus revival began in New York City. Plenty of spoilery photos and videos from the set made their way online, including a few featuring Krysten Ritter‘s return as Jessica Jones. Time flies, as they say, however and just four months after work on the sophomore season began, showrunner Dario Scardapane took to social media to share the news that production has wrapped.

    And that is a WRAP on Season 2 of Daredevil Born Again. Thank you to all who made this something truly special.  Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll, Wilson Bethel, Matt Lillard, lili Taylor Krysten Ritter, Michael Gandolfini, Margarita Levieva, Ayelet Zurer, Nikki M. James, Arty Froushan, Clark Johnson, Gennaya Walton, Zabryna Guevara, Sana Amanat, Brad Winderbaum, Eleena Khamedoost, and of course Phil Silvera!

    Extra thanks to Michael Shaw and the entire Art Department for the flattering (?) Bobblehead, Iain Macdonald, Justin Benson, Aaron Moorehead, Hilary Spera, Jeff Waldron, Kevin Feige, Lou D’Esposito, Slick Naim, Angela Barnes, Cedric Nairn-Smith, Melissa Lawson-Cheung, Stephanie Filo, David Chambers, Derek Wimble, Dylan Hopkins, Vincent Casciani, Chantelle Wells, Jesse Wigutow, Heather Bellson, Omar Najam, Gene and John O’Neil and the man behind the wheel. Pete Leith. Best Cast Ever. Best Crew Ever.

    With the new season scheduled to stream in March 2026, the creative team has plenty of time to work through the footage they’ve already compiled for the eight-episode run and determine if any additional footage needs to be shot. If not, Scardapane and crew can get to work on Season 3, plans for which have already been confirmed by Marvel Television head man Brad Winderbaum. As priorities at the studio have shifted toward “making shows as shows that can exist as annual releases, more like television,” it’s beginning to sound as though the new D+ model may just be the old Netflix model and the Defenders-verse will become the main focus.

  • Marvel Reportedly Planning to Introduce a New Version of One Its Greatest Comic Book Villains

    Marvel Reportedly Planning to Introduce a New Version of One Its Greatest Comic Book Villains

    Though the casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doom has been met with heavy skepticism, the villain’s arrival in the MCU is certainly overdue. Downey’s Doom, rumored to debut in a post-credit scene in The Fantastic Four: First Steps ahead of his first major role in Avengers: Doomsday, will be the third live-action iteration of the character, following the late Julian McMahon‘s vain and menacing Victor and Toby Kebbell‘s hacker Doom. While it’s unclear what Marvel Studios has planned for Doom, it seems likely Downey’s version will have little in common with the previous versions and likely be a bit more comic accurate in terms of his roots as a mystic. What the studio plans to do with Doom beyond the Multiverse Saga isn’t clear but a new rumor claims that Marvel has plans to introduce its own version of another villain who, like Doom, has previously been portrayed by a pair of actors.

    According to Marvel insider Daniel Richtman, Kevin Feige and crew are “planning to introduce the MCU version of Norman Osborn” in an unnamed project.

    Played first, most famously and most recently by Willem Dafoe in Sam Raimi‘s Spider-Man and Spider-Man: No Way Home and briefly by Chris Cooper in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Osborn is considered not only Spider-Man’s greatest villain but one of the House of Ideas most menacing baddies. Though he’s recently been an ally of the Web-Slinger in the comics, including in Joe Kelly’s ongoing series, he’s the type of villain who, when utilized properly, can threaten the entire Marvel Universe. Though Richtman’s report doesn’t give any details on the studio’s plans for Osborn–nor indicate when to expect him–it may be versatility and potential to serve as a large-scale villain that the studio values most.

    Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which begins filming soon, could provide an opportunity to introduce the MCU’s own Osborn, though it sounds as though it may be a bit too busy to allow much room for Norman to stir the pot. Whatever the case, it’ll interesting to see how the studio folds the character, who according to Dafoe’s deranged version does not exist on Earth-616, into its future plans.