Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Sharon Stone Joins ’Blue Beetle’ in Villainous Role

    Sharon Stone Joins ’Blue Beetle’ in Villainous Role

    Sharon Stone is joining the cast of DC’s Blue Beetle.

    The news comes courtesy of The Wrap, with the outlet revealing Stone will play the villainous role of Victoria Kord. Per The Wrap, Victoria Kord is a character that has been created for the film. While the character may be an original, the surname of Kord should ring a bell to fans of DC Comics as Ted Kord, a genius billionaire, was the second character to take the name Blue Beetle. The film, which is due in theaters August 18, 2023, will follow Jaimie Reyes, the third Blue Beetle, played by Xolo Mariduena.

    Also joining the cast is Raoul Max Trujillo (Mayan M.C.), who plays Carapax the Indestructible Man. Carapax is an archeologist who has ties to Daniel Garrett, the first Blue Beetle, which means we have now mentioned all three Blue Beetles in this article.

    Originally intended to debut on HBO Max, Blue Beetle, directed by Angel Miguel Soto, was surprisingly pulled from the service in favor of a theatrical debut.


    Source: The Wrap.

  • Jeff Fowler Teases a Mystery Character for ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’

    Jeff Fowler Teases a Mystery Character for ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’

    It looks like there might be some surprises in store for us in the upcoming second entry of the newly established Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. While the first film had a more grounded story, director Jeff Fowler is excited to explore “some of the iconic imagery” that they missed out on. The best part, he also teased that there might be a surprise appearance we can expect in the upcoming second entry.

    I think it’s teased in this film, and I can’t say more than that. The character is teased. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but that definitely is something I’d be very excited about telling a story with.

    Jeff Fowler

    It’s an interesting tease, but you shouldn’t expect the film’s to closely follow the structure from the original games. We’ve already seen them switch things up with the fact that Idris Elba‘s Knuckles is joining Sonic and Tails even though he doesn’t appear until the third entry. Plus, we also got the tease of the Labyrinth Zone in trailers which was part of the first game.

    It’s not always going to be a linear progression of like ‘Oh, this was in Sonic 2 so it’s going to be in the Sonic 2 film’. It’s going to be a little bit of a cherry picking, a little bit of a melting pot. There’s so much great, inspiring imagery to pull from the 30 years of games. So if we didn’t get it in one film, there’s always the chance that we’ll revisit it somewhere else.

    Jeff Fowler

    Some set photos teased the involvement of GUN, who were introduced in Sonic Adventure 2. We’ve seen it with Marvel that mixing up storylines and adapting however this new universe requires is becoming the norm in adaptation. Plus, it allows projects to surprise even veteran fans of the franchise. So, while some might expect Sonic CD‘s Metal Sonic, but the logo for the already confirmed third entry could tease more exploration of the Adventure franchise. We’ll see what the future has in store, especially with it potentially setting up a Knuckles-focused spinoff heading to Paramount+.

    Source: IGN

  • New ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Set Photos Tease Their Return to Earth

    New ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Set Photos Tease Their Return to Earth

    Just recently, we discussed some reports from the set of Hot Christmas, which is one of the Guardians of the Galaxy projects was filming on Earth. Not only that, but there was also a rumor making the rounds that Kevin Bacon may have joined the project in some capacity. Well, it seems that The Direct got their hands on set photos from that very location, which confirms that Star-Lord and the gang are returning to Earth one more time after the events of Avengers: Endgame.

    Most of the photos simply show us local police cars flipped on their side hinting at some kind of action sequence taking place. Sadly, there is no sighting of any of the actosr, and it seems they are very likely only setting up for the sequence that was described by the Reddit user some time ago.

    Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Set Photo The Direct
    Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Set Photo The Direct

    What does stand out is that one photo includes some Christmas decoration in the garden of the house where they are shooting. So, it would seem logical to assume this might be part of the The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special that’ll release this Christmas on Disney+.

    Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Set Photo The Direct

    If Kevin Bacon is involved with the project, it would be a funny story to have the Guardians get him a present and they end up kidnapping the actor. They’ve always been a bit unhinged and Quill’s reaction would be hilarious. Perhaps the story is them traveling back to return him home, only to be met with quite the warm welcome given they just abducted a celebrity and tried to act as if nothing happened. It’s only speculation, but their return to Earth might also be an emotional moment for Peter to meet his family again.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3’s Production Has Wrapped

    ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3’s Production Has Wrapped

    Well, it seems that even with all the hurdles it faced throughout, The Mandalorian‘s third season has wrapped production. Currently, the series is potentially eyeing a release by this Holiday, which matches the series and its spinoffs usual release schedule. And, it seems they’ll have enough time to prepare for their release, as Amanda Ramirez has shared a new logo from the Disney+ series’ costume department confirming that they have finished work on the upcoming Season 3. The logo she shared may be something she created for the team, as she’s a cross stitch artist as revealed in an interview with Shoutout LA.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbp_V6XrG_o/

    The timing is also perfect as we just got a big reveal, as Hollywood icon Christopher Lloyd has joined the series in an unknown role. Star Wars expansion into the medium has certainly managed to draw in some major talent, especially veteran actors that have made a name for themselves in the industry with genre pictures. The franchise always had a strong pull but it keeps growing as they are now investing more time in expanding it beyond animation and a trilogy.

    The Mandalorian‘s upcoming third season will pick up where The Book of Boba Fett left us off. For those htat missed out on that spinoff series, it might be quite a bit jarring jumping back into the story, but we’ll likely get a recap early on. Their reunion was still rushed a bit, as we’re already entering the next season with the same status quo that we left the other one with, but we’ll see where it leads us.

    Source: Instagram, Shoutout LA

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Shot in the Same Deserts as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’

    ‘Moon Knight’ Shot in the Same Deserts as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’

    Moon Knight will be Marvel Studios’ first venture into Egyptian mythology with the introduction of its titular hero and Khonshu. While the studio has been known for using CG in the past to recreate mystical realms like in Shang-Chi, the production of the Disney+ series was able to travel the world such as shooting in locations such as Hungary and even the desert. In the latest press release, Ethan Hawke shared his enthusiasm for getting to shoot on location but also have a chance to be in the same desert where they filmed a cinematic classic.

    There’s one that jumps to mind: getting to be on the deserts in Jordan and literally being on location where they shot “Lawrence of Arabia”.

    Ethan Hawke

    The actor also talked about working with green screens, which he highlights that it was “kind of fun acting” with them, especially with his background in theater acting.

    I enjoyed all that, pretending something was there, pretending you’re on top of a pyramid, but then when you’re really in the desert, it’s so beautiful […]. I felt some kind of connection to the cinema history of the desert. And the people there in Jordan treated us so well, and it elevated our collective imagination, I think, and it broadened the scope of the show. 

    It must’ve been quite the experience to shoot on location where a classic film was once produced must be a crazy feeling. The best part is hearing that Hawke enjoyed his time working on this big-budget project and hopefully his character might have a bigger future after the Disney+ series wraps its six episodes. We’ll see if the seires might even make some callbacks to that film in the process.

  • Ethan Hawke on How Arthur Harrow Balances Out Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight

    Ethan Hawke on How Arthur Harrow Balances Out Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight

    Marvel Studios’ upcoming Disney+ series will introduce us to a very different type of hero. Moon Knight will introduce us to Steven Grant, who realizes that he may have multiple personalities locked within his head in addition to a deity haunting him every day. Of course, if you have a hero that is struggling with his own mental illness, it does twist the usual hero-villain dynamic from other stories. That new take was what pulled Ethan Hawke to tackle the role of a villain in the series, especially with how the story embraces the mental illness to “create an unreliable narrator.”

    I mean, there [are] countless stories of mentally ill villains, and we have a mentally ill hero.  And that’s fascinating because we’ve now inverted the whole process.  And so now as the antagonist, I can’t be crazy because the hero’s crazy. So, I have to kind of find a sane lunatic or a sane malevolent force. And that was an interesting riddle for me to figure out how to be dynamic with what Oscar was doing.  And Mohamed was really embracing his mental illness as a way to create an unreliable narrator. 

    Ethan Hawke

    He also goes on to tease that once “the prism of reality” breaks down, we’ll very likely face quite a different kind of story than what we at first expected, especially when even his own character is trapped in his own beliefs.

    Once you’ve broken the prism of reality, everything that the audience is seeing is from a skewed point of view. And that’s really interesting for the villain because am I even being seen as I am? And it’s also, I think, that was our riddle, and we came up with somebody who was trying to save the world. And in his mind, he’s Saint Harrow, you know?  I mean, he thinks he’s gonna be part of the great solution.

    Ethan Hawke

    We’re only a week away from the first episode releasing on Disney+, which will finally give us a clearer look at how unreliable Steven is, especially if we see him fight his other personalities for control. Oscar Isaac also was pulled in as this project “was a real opportunity to do something completely different” not only for a comic book adaptation but also within the MCU. So, we’ll see if the series will force our hands to rewatch it to get the full picture once all six episodes premiere starting March 30th.

  • ‘Black Panther’s Ryan Coogler Also Working on Disney+’s ‘Ironheart’

    ‘Black Panther’s Ryan Coogler Also Working on Disney+’s ‘Ironheart’

    There are quite a few Disney+ series on our horizon, and among them is the newcomer Ironheart. It surprised many that the young hero was going to get her own series. During the Disney’s Investors Day in 2019, Dominique Thorne was already cast in the role and we would later found out we’ll meet her for the first time in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. So, it immediately built up a curious connection between the franchises, but it turns out there is one more connection.

    During the Oscars, ExtraTV got a chance to interview Anthony Ramos, who just recently was announced as a new addition to the upcoming series with a potential larger role moving forward in the MCU. While talking about his upcoming Disney+ premiere, he also revealed that Ryan Coogler, the director of the Black Panther films, is involved with the project.

    Yeah that’s what we hope for. I feel blessed. It’s an amazing project. Incredible people, Chinaka Hodge and Ryan Coogler, and just like a dope squad, Dominique Thorne and I feel blessed and grateful.

    Anthony Ramos

    It’s quite a curious reveal. While he is busy working on the upcoming Wakanda-focused Disney+ series as part of his new deal with the studio. Well, it looks like that he’s also adding his talent to the project to keep it consistent going from her first introduction into her solo adventure. We don’t know how she might play into that film, and how it might inspire her to also build her own Iron Man armor..

    Source: Extra TV via The Direct

  • CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’ Finds its Stephanie Brown

    CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’ Finds its Stephanie Brown

    It looks like the cats for Gotham Knights is continuing to grow, as The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that the CW series has found its Stephanie Brown. All American‘s Anna Lore has joined the production of an already stacked cast that consists of Morgan Olivia, Navia Robinson, Fallon Smythe and many more. They even recently added Mischa Collins, another CW veteran, as the Harvey Dent. Her casting also confirms our piece from February that she would join the production.

    The series will explore a Gotham that just went through the murder of Bruce Wayne, as his adopted son must form an alliance with his rogue’s gallery’s kids. Lore‘s Brown is teased as sarcastic but very smart. There’s no word if she’ll embrace her alter ego of Spoiler, as she was the daughter of Cluemaster in the comics. The character has appeared in CW’s Batwoman played by Morgan Kohan. Mae Whitman also voiced the character in the animated series Young Justice.

    It’ll be interesting to see who else might get cast for the series, as there are still some open spots to potentially get filled. Gotham Knights is also getting a video game adaptation but with a very different set of characters and storyline, as the only connection is the murder of Batman. It’s also not the only time the character was taken out of comission in some form or another in a CW series, as Batwoman did a similar storyline to keep him out of Gotham. Here’s hoping that Wayne gets one chance to live in one of these series.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • First Reviews are Mixed on ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’

    First Reviews are Mixed on ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’

    The long-awaited sequel to the surprise hit of 2019, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 aims to introduce the non-gaming world to Knuckles and the return of Jim Carrey‘s Dr. Robotnik. It’s predecessor was a surprise hit as it managed to pull in some decent numbers before the pandemic truly hit. As such, a sequel announcement was inevitable and the studio has so much trust in the project that they even announced a third entry alongside a Knuckles-focused spinoff ahead of its release. Now, the first reviews have arrived and they seem a bit mixed on the film. Here are some of the reviews:

    Overstuffed with frantic action and framed by Sonic’s wisecracking commentary, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will appeal to family audiences seeking holiday distractions even if it doesn’t break new ground elaborating the franchise’s sprawling universe of intersecting characters and plotlines.

    Justin Lowe – The Hollywood Reporter

    Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a more confident movie than its predecessor, delivering the same blend of frenetic family fun and nostalgic beats for the long-time fans. Ironically for a movie about a speedy hedgehog, the issue this time around is that it all goes on a bit too long.

    Ian Sandwell – Digital Spy

    There were also some reviews that had some issues with the film:

    An hour and a half would’ve been a perfectly fine run time, whereas at two hours and change, “Sonic 2” wears out its welcome well before it turns into yet another phone-it-in franchise entry — the kind where storms gather, a column of fluorescent light shoots up to the sky and everything becomes apocalyptic.

    Peter Debruge – Variety

    Curse or no curse, a franchise is burgeoning, and so in every respect Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is really just more of the same. Steered by largely the same creative team as before, this is simply more fairly generic and forgettable family fodder: a Saturday-morning cartoon with a Hollywood budget, targeted primarily at an audience of eight-year-olds.

    John Nugent – Empire

    Source: Rotten Tomatoes

  • Ryan Reynolds Teases the Return of a Fan Favorite Character for ‘Deadpool 3’

    Ryan Reynolds Teases the Return of a Fan Favorite Character for ‘Deadpool 3’

    After a lengthy absence from the news cycle, Deadpool 3 has made its way back into the spotlight again recently. The film, which will be co-produced by star Ryan Reynold’s own production company, will see Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who wrote the first two films, team up with new director Shawn Levy to bring the Merc With a Mouth to the MCU.

    Of course, with Deadpool 3 being the first time a Fox-owned IP makes the jump to the MCU from the pre-existing continuity, fans have been eager to learn what other characters, if any, would also make the jump. While it’s not Josh Brolin’s Cable or Zazie Beetz’s Domino, Reynolds may have just given fans an answer to their question.

    It’s certainly no confirmation, but Reynolds’ reply to Leslie Uggams, who play Deadpool’s roomie and bestie, Blind Al, in the first two installments COULD be an indication that the actress will return for the third go around. Uggams is great in the role, playing it straight opposite Reynolds’ over the top humor, and would be a welcome addition to the film as the characters jump into the MCU.

    With a director on board and the script, originally written by Wendy and Lizzie Molyneux, heading to Reese and Wernick for a once-over, Deadpool 3 could be looking at going into production in the first quarter of 2023, putting it on track for a 2024 release.