Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Xochitl Gomez on Bringing America Chavez to Life in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Xochitl Gomez on Bringing America Chavez to Life in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to focus on Doctor Strange and Wanda, following the events of both Spider-Man: No Way Home and WandaVision, it is also set to introduce a new character. America Chavez of the Young Avengers will make her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness debuts later this week. The character will be played by Xochitl Gomez, who is perhaps best known for her work on Netflix’s The Baby-Sitter’s Club, and will mark the first live-action take on the fan-favorite character. So, it’s not entirely surprising then that many are curious about what she brings to the long-awaited Doctor Strange sequel.

    During the press conference for the film today, Gomez was asked what America will bring to Multiverse of Madness. “I mean, um, one thing that was so important to me was that – this is a very adult movie, there’s lots of adults in it, it’s very heavy, and so, I wanted to make sure America still had that youthfulness, and still had that, you know, fake it till you make it you know just resilience,” she explained.

    Gomez also noted the character’s age on film and how it differed from the comics, noting how it allowed Michael Waldron to write a new introduction for America. “You know, when you’ve got some crazy stuff happening it’s a little hard, but I think one thing that really helps is that she is fourteen – which is younger than she was in any of the comics – so I mean that really helps, you know, in writing a new introduction, which I think Michael Waldron did beautifully.”

    Fans can see Gomez as America when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters later this week.

  • Sam Raimi Teases How His Earlier Horror Films Influenced ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Sam Raimi Teases How His Earlier Horror Films Influenced ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    While we’re excited to head into the multiverse, there’s a lot of potential with Marvel Studios’ first true venture into horror. The genre is a long-time favorite for many moviegoers and the film has promised that it’ll give us the kind of scares we’ve always hoped to see in a Marvel film. When Sam Raimi took over from Scott Derrickson, we knew that the film is still in good hands to keep that genre alive.

    The director may be quite famous for setting the benchmark for modern superhero films with 2002’s Spider-Man, he made a name in the industry with his work on the Evil Dead series. He even followed up his caped adventures with Drag Me to Hell, as a way to venture to During the press conference, Sam Raimi talked about how those films influenced his venture into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    When Kevin announced that this movie would be the first entry into Marvel putting their toe into the world of horror, I was thrilled that he called me to come in and talk about the possibility of directing this picture. I was able to take those horror films I made in my youth, and what I had learned from them, building suspense sequences, tituling the audience, going to give them a scare now? No, NOW I am going to give it to them. That stuff I was able to apply in the spooky sequences in this film.

    Sam Raim

    It certainly sounds promising, especially with the iconic camera shots that made him stand out as a director. The first clips and even the trailers included some references to his talent with the camera, which will make the film potentially stand out among Marvel’s already impressive filmography. As he’s openly stated he is excited to potentially direct another project, here’s hoping he can further expand the horror projects for Marvel Studios.

  • Leaked ‘Black Adam’ Funko Pops offer First Glimpse at Sabbac

    Leaked ‘Black Adam’ Funko Pops offer First Glimpse at Sabbac

    The hierarchy of power within the collectible universe is about to change forever as a new leak has brought us our very first look at the Funko Pops for the upcoming DC film Black Adam. The leak in question in the back of a box reveals the entire wave of figures with two Black Adams, an Atom Smasher, Cyclone, Doctor Fate, Hawkman, and even our very first glimpse at the film’s main antagonist Sabbac, who was rumored to be played by Marwan Kenzari back in October of 2021.

    It looks as if Sabbac will not take a full-on demon form in the film as his comic counterpart does. He looks vaguely similar to the Ishmael Gregor version of the character, a red humanoid that sprouts horns and a pentagram on his chest. It’s hard to make out exactly what he looks like here but looks to be sporting some sort of horns and is wearing a type of robe.

    Fans should also take notice that the Hawkman that we see on the box is not the same Hawkman that is listed amongst the other figures on the box. This most likely means that the larger Hawkman on the box is exclusive to a certain retailer and the other exclusives in this wave are not listed on the box, meaning there could indeed be more to come.

    Also the figures confirm that Doctor Fate does in fact not have eye holes, possibly hinting that when Nabu takes over Kent Nelsons body he is in control and does not require sight.

    There is currently no release date for these figures but it looks as if some are already making their way to retailers. The figures were most likely prepped to release soon due to the film originally set to hit theaters on July 27th, 2022 before it was hit with a delay, setting it back to October 21st, 2022.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Still Currently Eyeing a $200M Opening Weekend at the Domestic Box Office

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Still Currently Eyeing a $200M Opening Weekend at the Domestic Box Office

    During CinemaCon, Disney unveiled that their upcoming Marvel release has already made $42M in presales, and has already outpaced The Batman at this point. The more sales data makes its way to vendors, the easier it becomes to get a better grasp of where exactly the film’s box office performance might lead. The Batman opened with $134M and it looks like the current predictions still has it making up to $200M at the domestic box office. That would mean it has the potential to end its run at $535M, which Box Office Pro teased back in early April.

    Fandango’s Erik Davis took to his Twitter account to share that film is currently tracking between $150M to a $200M opening weekend at the domestic box office. Box Office Pro has adjusted its forecast, which would see it between $190M and $215M within 3-days. So, it has seen a slight uptick since the initial prediction. Of course, there’s always a chance that the film could even outperform those numbers once word-of-mouth makes its rounds. As Davis points out, this could become one of the biggest Box office increases between film entries for the MCU if it beats expectations.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been topping Fandango’s Most Anticipated List alongside Marvel Studios’ July release, Thor: Love and Thunder. The teased return of Patrick Stewart may also draw in a crowd alongside the many believed cameos that people are hoping to see, especially as the film ventures out into the Marvel multiverse. The latest promo has been a bit spoiler-heavy but it seems that it’s a marketing ploy to get that last nudge for those that haven’t seen it and are in disbelief over reports they are hearing. We will finally know how well it truly performed by Sunday of next week.

    Source: Twitter, Box Office Pro

  • First Set Video of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Offers First Look at ‘Eternals’ Easter Egg

    First Set Video of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Offers First Look at ‘Eternals’ Easter Egg

    We’ve gotten a surprising amount of teases from behind the scenes of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Just recently, we got our first good close-up of Drax and Mantis wandering the streets of Hollywood during Christmas. It was the only real confirmation that what they were filming wasn’t for Vol. 3, which James Gunn is working on simultaneously. Now, it seems that the same scene has found its way online as a video, which reveals what exactly Drax and Mantis are up to.

    As shared by u/iggyfenton on Reddit, we can clearly see the two just strolling down the street. In the end, they seemingly stumble upon a group of people in Avengers costumes. As they’ve met them in the last two Avengers films, it would be fun to see the two think these are the real deal while mocking their new costumes. Drax might even like them more, as they are a bit flashier. There’s not too much new in this scene, but it does confirm the recent rumor of a sighting that the Chinese Theater includes a poster of one of Kingo’s Bollywood movies. Luckily, the video gives us our first good look at it.

    SPOILER!: Marvel shot a scene from a future Disney+ special in Hollywood on Thursday. I was across the street with my family. (Details in Comments)
    byu/iggyfenton inmarvelstudios

    What does stand out is that Drax can be seen pointing at Kingo for a second. As there might be other versions of the character out there, it wouldn’t be too out-there to guess that Drax and the Guardians may have met a version of the character that lived on a different planet. There’s a lot of potentials to see these worlds collide, especially as we have no idea what the future has in store for the Eternals, in-universe and outside of it. It’s surprising they managed to film them for as long as they did. Security was trailing them but not reacting, but it’s great to get a little glimpse from a different angle than what we’ll get when the Holiday Special releases later this year.

    Source: Reddit

  • Sam Raimi Had “Complete Creative Freedom” Over ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Sam Raimi Had “Complete Creative Freedom” Over ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    There have been many discussions surrounding the creative freedom that directors have with modern blockbusters. As franchises become larger and more complex, consisting of multi-media franchises, there’s a challenge to keep an overview while fully letting external creatives take control over these projects. Marvel Studios has repeatedly been spotlighted given how the MCU continues to expand, its complexities may hinder talent. Yet, while there are some cases, most directors have seemingly praised the work with the production company. Sam Raimi, who joined the franchise to work on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, has revealed in an interview with The Playlist that he had “complete creative freedom” while working on the film.

    Well, let me say — and this may sound like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth — that Marvel allowed me complete creative freedom. However, it had to follow so many things in Marvel lore, [so] even though I had complete freedom, the previous movies and where Marvel wants to go in the future really directed the path in an incredibly specific way. Within those parameters I have freedom, but I’ve got to tell the story of those characters in a way that ties in with all of the properties simultaneously. We had to make sure, for instance, that Doctor Strange didn’t know more than he had learned about the multiverse from No Way Home. And yet we had to make sure he wasn’t ignorant of things that he had already learned. So everything was dictated by what had become before.

    Sam Raimi

    He does highlight that there were some elements he couldn’t fully control, but those are purely adhering to story consistency. So, the same rules apply to taking over any project that already has a few films on its belt. He is taking over the Doctor Strange sequel. So, even if there wasn’t an expanded universe to adhere to, the rule would still apply given what we saw in the first. It’s great to know that the director had that much creative freedom and highlights how much the team believed in his work going into the sequel.

    Source: Rolling Stone

  • REPORT: ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Soundtrack Includes Spoiler-Filled Track Names

    REPORT: ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Soundtrack Includes Spoiler-Filled Track Names

    If you want to avoid spoilers of any kind for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, then only continue reading at your own risk.

    Nowadays, it seems like an upcoming film release has become a treacherous search for a way to avoid spoilers. Marvel Studios has even been releasing promo videos that give away quite a bit that caught many off-guard. Now, we also have to avoid sou tracks for films, as they include teases for story beats and hints at major events throughout the film’s run. Film Music Reporter has now released the full soundtrack for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and it contains some curious details on what we can expect from the film. Though, keep in mind that the track order has not been confirmed yet.

    1. Multiverse of Madness (2:37)
    2. On the Run (2:17)
    3. Strange Awakens (0:43)
    4. The Apple Orchard (3:18)
    5. Are You Happy (1:08)
    6. Gargantos (2:50)
    7. Journey with Wong (1:44)
    8. Home? (4:08)
    9. Strange Statue (1:43)
    10. The Decision Is Made (1:14)
    11. A Cup of Tea (3:58)
    12. Discovering America (0:47)
    13. Grab My Hand (1:14)
    14. Battle Time (3:11)
    15. Not a Monster (2:38)
    16. Forbidden Ground (2:29)
    17. Tribunal (2:13)
    18. They’re Not Coming Back (1:00)
    19. Stranger Things Will Happen (2:56)
    20. Buying Time (3:39)
    21. Book of Vishanti (2:45)
    22. Looking for Strange (1:38)
    23. Strange Talk (3:32)
    24. Lethal Symphonies (1:48)
    25. Getting Through (5:34)
    26. Only Way (2:51)
    27. Trust Your Power (2:54)
    28. They’ll Be Loved (3:59)
    29. Farewell (2:29)
    30. An Interesting Question (3:13)
    31. Main Titles (2:36)
    32. An Unexpected Visitor (0:32)

    Danny Elfman is working on the soundtrack, which is going to be quite promising given his history with the genre. He’s already helped work on MCU projects in the past and so he’ll be right back at home with this project. The biggest question though lies in the title “An Unexpected Visitor.” If that is indeed the final song on the track, it seems like we’ll meet someone from the multiverse that may set the path moving forward. Perhaps that unexpected visitor is the same that visited Dane Whitman in Eternals.

    Source: Film Music Reporter

  • New ‘I Am Groot’ Merch Features Multiple Baby Groots With Facial Hair

    New ‘I Am Groot’ Merch Features Multiple Baby Groots With Facial Hair

    We still know very little about the upcoming animated I Am Groot project. It seemingly may be a small project similar to the final Blue Sky series, Scrat Tales. Instead of a fully-fledged show, it’s more like a vignette of small episodes featuring the adorable version of Groot we were introduced to in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. While we are still waiting for an update on the project, it seems that some merchandise has found its way online.

    Box Lunch has shared some promo art as part of its clothing line which teases Baby Groot. They are titled “I Am Groot” which would hint at a connection to the upcoming release, and it’s not uncommon for its merchandise to find its way online long before the project does. There is one rather curious detail that stands out, it features a second Groot with a mustache.

    Marvel I Am Groot Bathtime Hair-Dos Hoodie, BLACK, hi-res
    Marvel I Am Groot Hearts Trio Long Sleeve T-Shirt, NAVY, hi-res

    Now, facial hair isn’t the actual big aspect, even if it’s a funny design element. It may tease that the upcoming animated series may include multiple different versions of Groot, as we can clearly see them with different facial hair. Now, it seems unlikely that this project will explore the multiverse but there is one possibility that works within the series canon.

    In Guardians of the Galaxy, Groot sacrifices himself and is blown up while protecting his friends. The current Baby Groot was made from the remnants of some twigs that would eventually grow into the current Groot we know and love. Yet, there’s a possibility that other versions were born the same way and his upcoming adventure may end up meeting other versions of himself.

    Source: Box Lunch

  • Sam Raimi Opens Up on the Challenges of Working on ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Sam Raimi Opens Up on the Challenges of Working on ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Modern blockbuster development has become quite a challenge, as it now includes way more moving parts as budgets grow. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness adds to that very challenge with a multiversal storyline and Sam Raimi jumping in after Scott Derrickson left the project over creative differences while remaining as a producer. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he highlights the challenges and unique situation he found himself in when he started working on the project.

    When we started, we had a deadline to start shooting with a script that I didn’t really have anything to do with. And [screenwriter] Michael Waldron, [producer] Richie Palmer, the team at Marvel, and myself pretty much had to jump in and start over. I was very rushed and panicked — a lot of trepidation. But we kept working through it. And for us, the Covid delays were a blessing because it bought us more time to work on the script. We eventually got to the point where we had started shooting, even though we were still working on the script, and it went really well. Now I feel much more relieved. That part of the process is behind us.

    Sam Raimi

    Raimi goes on to highlight that there was one element that he would consider the “hardest part” of working on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It’s something that has become quite common for modern blockbusters and that is the ongoing writing process.

    I think the hardest part was the time deadlines, not having the story or the script [ready] … being halfway into it and not knowing what the ending was. Michael’s trying to stay a couple days ahead of us with the next page coming out of his computer printer, and it’s hard because you want to make sure that everything is supporting the whole — that the themes are running through the picture. But when you don’t quite know everything about the picture, it’s hard to do that job as effectively as possible.

    Sam Raimi

    We’ve heard in the past that the third act is the one aspect of films that gets changed the most, especially in the case of Marvel films due to all the moving parts involved. Of course, it adds a unique challenge, as he teased in the same interview, and Raimi has highlighted that he still had quite the creative freedom when it came to bringing this story to life. Yes, he did adhere to the stories that came before but it’s nothing new for a director to jump into a sequel of an existing franchise. It just happens to be a much larger one. He also highlighted just how challenging it was given it may be the most “complex movie” he’s ever worked on.

    It’s probably the most complex movie I’ve ever had anything to do with. Not just dealing with one character, or even five characters, but multiversal versions of those characters — and each one has a storyline.

    Sam Raimi

    With multiverse in the title, it’s no wonder that it was going to add an additional layer of challenge for anyone taking on the project. Sam Raimi is a veteran not only to film but also Marvel, which makes him a perfect choice to bring this project together. Add in his camera work to make their first horror-based storyline pop just that bit more making it even more exciting. The director also has said with all these challenges, he’s down to work on another project in the future.

    Source: Rolling Stone

  • Sam Raimi and Stan Lee Tried to Adapt Marvel’s ‘Thor’ in the 1990s

    Sam Raimi and Stan Lee Tried to Adapt Marvel’s ‘Thor’ in the 1990s

    If you’ve ever wondered just how far back Marvel films go, it seems that long before even Sam Raimi worked on the first Spider-Man film in the early 200s, he was already trying his hands at a Marvel project in the early 1990s. Not only that, but he was working on it together with Stan Lee, as they tried to adapt a film based on Marvel’s Thor.

    In the interview with Rolling Stone, he talks about how they pitched the concept around but just couldn’t get any studio to sign off on the project. He mentions a few reasonings such as people downplaying Stan Lee’s involvement and even worries about the religious implications of making a film based on the Norse God of Thunder.

    They were great. We worked on a story based on his Thor stories, then we took it around to pitch to the different studios — and I couldn’t believe that they didn’t regard [Lee] more highly back then. This was probably 1991 or something, and he was treated like just another writer. “Oh, great. You write comic books. Big deal.” I remember going to eight different studios, and then looking at eight different rejection slips, saying “How could they say no to this?” They’d say things like, “People are kind of touchy about their gods,” and I’d go, “Yes, but it’s not like a religious picture. He’s the God of Thunder!” They so didn’t get it.

    Sam Raimi

    Of course, it seems rather bizarre considering how we’ve had Bast, Thor, and even the Egyptian pantheon introduced in recent projects. Yet, even in the early days of the CU, there were concerns that they could not only make Thor work but even how he’d fit into the bigger picture of the MCU. So, in the early 1990s, there wasn’t a world that believed in comic book movies or expanding upon old mythology.

    Source: Rolling Stone