Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Producer Offers Update on Margot Robbie-Led Sequel

    ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Producer Offers Update on Margot Robbie-Led Sequel

    We’ve heard some time ago that Disney was developing sequels based on the popular Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. While Johnny Depp has openly stated he has no interest to return, as they kicked him from the initial project amongst the allegations made by Amber Heard, there have been rumors that a new sequel was in development with a plan to have Margot Robbie lead the project. In a new article by The Times, producer Jerry Bruckheimer has revealed that they are still working on the sequel, and are currently working on two scripts for the film, each one depending on if she joins the production or not.

    Yes. We’re talking to Margot Robbie. We are developing two Pirates scripts — one with her, one without.

    Jerry Bruckheimer

    He’s also asked if that means we’ll see Johnny Depp potentially return, but he only stated “Not at this point. The future is yet to be decided.” The actor, however, has very publicly stated that he has no interest in ever returning to the franchise. It seems the original plan for the sequel was to act as a final send-off for Jack Sparrow, which he was co-writing at the time. It won’t be the same to have the franchise continue withou this inclusion, and it does seem like he’s done with the franchise given what has transpired. For now, we can only wait and see what the future has in store for the production.

    Source: The Times

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Drops by 67% in its Second Weekend, Reaches $688M Worldwide

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Drops by 67% in its Second Weekend, Reaches $688M Worldwide

    We’ve all been keeping a close eye on where exactly Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would end up in its second weekend. After quite the drop on its second Friday at 83%, the film still managed on its way to pull in $61M at the domestic box office. This makes it a 67% drop, which is higher than Eternals‘ 61% drop. Still, the film has opened with the 11th highest opening of all time and is still pulling in quite the numbers. It’s also the same drop that Spider-Man: No Way Home faced in its second weekend, which was Christmas at the time.

    Doctor Strange‘s sequel now stands at $291.9M in its second weekend and has already surpassed the first film’s total domestic run as a result. It’s also pulled in more than other sequels like Captain America: Civil War and is likely to pass Iron Man 2 soon. Still, the drop could be an indicator moving forward if this remains a trend, as it’s a similar drop to Man of Steel (67.9%) and Fantastic Four (68.2%). With two more weeks to go before Top Gun: Maverick, if it doesn’t face too many harsh drops in the next two weeks it could get close to $400M or only slightly edge out The Batman.

    For those wondering, the film has been pulling quite the numbers internationally, which also pushes it further into potentially ending its run at around $955M. As such, it’ll make at least 30% more than its predecessor and is still at a strong $688M worldwide right now. Still keep in mind that this is excluding Russia and Ukraine due to the current crisis, as well as without a Chinese or Saudi Arabian release.

    Forbes’ Sam Mendelsohn points out that it may be developing towards “for fans only” properties like Harry Potter and Twilight, but it probably is likely that expectations going in for a film with the title “multiverse” on an Avengers-level crossover event and the horror elements may have turned some people off. The ceiling is also quite high which could be self-sufficient but a clearer picture will be established with future entries that don’t face these expectations. Spider-Man: No Way Home might be one of the reasons people went in with these expectations.

    Source: Variety, Twitter, Forbes

  • RUMOR: ‘Nova’ Project for Disney+ in Development

    RUMOR: ‘Nova’ Project for Disney+ in Development

    With the long-anticipated news of a project based on Nova being officially announced in March, more updates are starting to arrive about the nature of Marvel Studios’ upcoming franchise. The latest reports are suggesting that Nova will be developed as a series for Disney+. This comes after large amounts of recent speculation based on whether or not Marvel’s Human Rocket would be adapted as a series or as a feature film. Nova is currently being written by Sabir Pirzada, who notably served as a writer for the recently released Moon Knight series.

    Nova would assumedly tell the tale of Richard Rider, a teenager who by random circumstance ends up inheriting the powers and responsibilities of the Nova Prime by Rhomann Dey following the collapse of the planet Xandar. This story fits naturally within the already existing framework of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the destruction of Xandar being an important plot element of Avengers: Infinity War. As well, the role of Rhomann Dey was portrayed by actor John C. Reilly in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film.

    While the extent of official announcements about Nova ends there, rumors from last year suggest a potential 2023 start date for the upcoming Disney+ series. This would mean fans could likely anticipate a 2024 release for the project. It will remain interesting to gather more information about the direction Marvel’s latest cosmic franchise will take in the coming months.

    Source: DisInsider

  • RUMOR: New Leaks Offer First Look at Long-Rumored ‘Silent Hill’ Revival

    RUMOR: New Leaks Offer First Look at Long-Rumored ‘Silent Hill’ Revival

    There have been quite a few rumors that a PlayStation exclusive Silent Hirumors that a PlayStation exclusive Silent Hills revival. It was initially expected to get an official announcement during last year’s Video Game Awards, but even with a few teases it was quite empty for fans of the iconic horror franchise. Now, it seems that a user by the name AestheticGamer has shared some images that could be part of the long-rumored Silent Hills game.

    Video Game Chronicles has shared a few of the photos that seemingly hint at a strange room covered in post-it notes and a character that has cherry blossoms for hair. As there’s no official announcement, it’s hard to confirm if this is actually from that game or if someone went out of their way to create some very elaborate concept art, which has also been removed through a DMCA, adding to it being real potentially.

    AestheticGamer also shared the following statement in regard to the images they put out:

    There’s a lot I’m not sharing for now. This is from a relatively new source for me, but I have been given more than enough proof to believe them. I also will mention the names ‘Anita & Maya’, ‘SMS Messages’, and this is not the only Silent Hill game in development. The shots are a bit dated, from 2020, so maybe this project looks a bit different now. But [this is] what I’m choosing to share. I know many will doubt this, but I have a lot of private proof to show this is real, and as always I continue to wait on the Silent Hill game reveal

    AestheticGamer

    The fact that multiple Silent Hill games are in development is rather curious, but it could be a hint at mobile games or other ways to cash in on the game’s return. Silent Hill with VR or even remakes of the originals, especially to make up for what happened to Silent Hill 2 with the PS3 remaster, seem fitting additions to revive the franchise after a long hiatus since the release of Silent Hill: Downpour.

    Source: Reddit via VGC

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Stunt Double Reveals Unused Bathroom Fight Against the Jackal

    ‘Moon Knight’ Stunt Double Reveals Unused Bathroom Fight Against the Jackal

    In the first episode, we all remember the dramatic reveal of Moon Knight‘s costume after he took down a Jackal that was summoned by Ethan Hawke‘s Arthur Harrow. Well, it turns out that they had an entire sequence planned but that got cut for one reason or another. Oscar Isaac‘s stunt double Jamel Bissat shared a video of the stunt previz that was initially planned for the fight with the Jackal. It very likely never got beyond this previz stage and ended up on the cutting room floor.

    They likely realized that the dramatic reveal would’ve worked best to focus on the character’s introduction even if it’s a shame we didn’t get such a memorable action sequence. They certainly went all out and you can see how that bathroom ended up the way it did. Wile it’s a shame we didn’t get it, there’s probably a good reasoning why they went that direction and things tend to get lost during pre-production. They likely also wanted to focus on the action sequences we get later that were built up towards throughout the series’ runtime.

    We’ll see what else may have been lost in production due to budgetary or even storytelling reasons, but it’s always interesting to get a look behind the scenes. Previz has become an essential aspect to map out sequences and stunts that help bring these elements to life. Stunt work is an integral aspect of modern storytelling and it’s great to get a good look at how they iniitally mapped out this one sequence.

    Source: Instagram

  • SFX Cover Offers Best Look Yet at ‘Ms. Marvel’s’ Costume

    SFX Cover Offers Best Look Yet at ‘Ms. Marvel’s’ Costume

    With the conclusion of Moon Knight and the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Marvel Studios’ next project is officially the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel. Starring Imani Vellani as lead character Kamala Khan, the show is set to introduce to live-action one of the most beloved characters in more recent Marvel comics.

    The titular Ms. Marvel gains mysterious powers and takes on a version of the Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel mantle as she is inspired by the elder Marvel to become a superhero herself. While the series is making major changes to Khan’s powers, previous images and promo art have made it clear that the young superhero’s look will be incredibly comics accurate. Now, the cover of next month’s SFX has been shared, and it offers a full look at Ms. Marvel’s suit. Check it out below:

    The image should get fans of Ms. Marvel comics excited for the series, as the costume itself is arguably one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most comics-accurate adaptations to date. Vellani has been praised by all of those working on the show, including Kevin Feige, for being the perfect casting choice for Kamala. While the debate on her power changes will never end, fans hopefully will find more comfort in their opinions once they actually have a chance to watch Ms. Marvel.

    Ms. Marvel premieres June 8, 2022, exclusively on Disney+.

    Source: SFX via Twitter

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Faces Harsh 82% Drop in Second Domestic Friday

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Faces Harsh 82% Drop in Second Domestic Friday

    The numbers are in and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness faces a harsh 82% drop from its first Friday into its second. As such it managed to pull in $17M. Of course, the frontloaded film isn’t hurting too bad but the slower word of mouth seems to be a factor here. It’s facing a slightly higher drop than Black Widow did and not too far from Spider-Man: No Way Home. As the Spider-Man films are released through Sony, this makes Marvel Studios‘ biggest drop.

    The horror elements may be playing a key factor here, as it might jell as well with the general audience. Currently, it’s on its way to a $60M+ weekend at this rate. So, it’ll end the weekend just shy of $300M. It was not a terrible second week given how high it started but a sign that its core audience arrived early. It’s hard to tell but it may be a sign that while momentum in its initial weekend was better, the B+ did hurt it long-term as it’s something people may also be hesitant to return to repeatedly if the horror elements just don’t jell 100% with them.

    While Forbes points out the trend may be due to the MCU moving more towards fans rather than the general audience, it may be reflective of the unique direction of this film. It also pulled in a strong Monday and Tuesday which highlights viewers were a bit more scattered this time around. If it manages to pull in more on Saturday, it’ll head towards a stronger $65M. We’ll see how the weekend ends to get a better feeling about it.

    Source: Deadline, Forbes

  • CW’s Live-Action ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Series Still in Development

    CW’s Live-Action ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Series Still in Development

    CW has recently been busy cleaning house, as they’ve canceled the most TV series they’ve ever had since 2012. As such, it made many wonders if any of their other rumored productions are still being worked on, especially if Warner Bros. is interested in selling the broadcast network. Well, it turns out that the live-action Powerpuff Girls series is still being worked on.

    According to TVLine, the series is still in some form of “redevelopment” after the first pilot was passed on and even lost one of its main stars, Chloe Bennet in the process. CW’s CEO Mark Pedowitz has publicly stated that they believe in the cast and writers behind the project, but the pilot just didn’t quite come together as initially hoped.

    We’ll likely not hear from the project for some time, as they’ve just missed the cut-off for the 2022/23 scheduling for the CW. But, Powerpuff Girls may enter production on a new pilot by the end of the year. So, once we get a casting for Blossom, who Bennet was originally going to play, we’ll likely know more on the future of the series’ second attempt.

    Source: TVLine

  • ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Writer Explains Why the Film Did Not Introduce Mutants to the MCU

    ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Writer Explains Why the Film Did Not Introduce Mutants to the MCU

    As Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness rounds out its first week in theaters, fans are finally able to share and compare their thoughts on Marvel Studios’ 28th feature film. In the buildup to the movie, Multiverse of Madness gained a reputation for being quite secretive. Many had theories that a wide variety of Marvel characters would cameo via the infinite possibilities of the multiverse—for the most part, they did not.

    One rumor in particular follows Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff wherever she goes: mutants. Now that Disney owns the film rights to X-Men characters, fans are eager for mutants and their stories to debut in the MCU. Though not currently, throughout much of her comics history Wanda was a mutant and the daughter of famed villain and antihero Magneto. Coupled with the fact that Patrick Stewart’s Professor X made his appearance in the Doctor Strange sequel’s trailer, many thought or hoped this film would be where mutants are introduced in the MCU. Some fan theories even pointed to the House of M storyline as inspiration for Multiverse of Madness.

    In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the sequel’s writer Michael Waldron explained how the film’s creators discussed House of M and other mutant-centric stories but ultimately did not feel that Multiverse of Madness was the place to introduce them. He stated:

    Yeah, we talked about House of M, and there’s plenty of examples of Wanda doing bad things throughout the comics in an effort to get her kids back. But ultimately this story didn’t need mutants to be powerful, I guess was our feeling. And, you know, wherever that lies on the timeline for the MCU, it didn’t feel like this was the right place to introduce it — because then it suddenly would have just been about mutants. And this is really a story about Wanda and her grief and her descent into darkness in this movie.

    Michael Waldron

    While audiences have to wait longer to meet the MCU’s version of X-Men or related characters, an introduction to mutants in Multiverse of Madness surely would have either been rushed or taken over Doctor Strange’s second solo film. In any event, fans can keep speculating on the countless possible ways that these characters could be introduced by Marvel Studios in live-action.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now playing in theaters worldwide.

    Source: Entertainment Tonight

  • REPORT: Daniel Craig Originally Was Cast as Illuminati’s Balder the Brave in ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    REPORT: Daniel Craig Originally Was Cast as Illuminati’s Balder the Brave in ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Earlier today, Deadline’s Justin Kroll revealed that Daniel Craig originally was going to play Mr. Fantastic instead of John Krasinski in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Well, a new report from Heavy Spoilers reveals that he was indeed replaced by Krasinski due to his inability to fly with COVID fears bur he wasn’t going to play Mr. Fantastic.

    Turns out, he was cast as the Asgardian Balder the Brave. Seems he was going to be talked into killing himself by Wanda but Craig’s travel concerns lead to an inspired replacement. It may be that Kroll only heard of Krasinski replacing Craig and made the direct connection through Mr. Fantastic.

    https://twitter.com/heavyspoilers/status/1525415942078988290?s=21&t=WOsv-EFAl7tXK_evYlihEQ

    It’s definitely a testament to their powers to improvise, as otherwise their plans may have fallen apart and it could’ve delayed production by quite a bit if he was a necessity and wasn’t willing to fly out. Still, it gave us the fan casting many wanted to see making it one of Marvel’s many happy accidents.

    Source: Twitter