Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • ‘Anansi Boys’ Round Outs Its Cast With Jason Watkins, CCH Pounder, and More

    ‘Anansi Boys’ Round Outs Its Cast With Jason Watkins, CCH Pounder, and More

    The upcoming adaptation of Neil Gaiman‘s Anansi Boys is currently busy filming in Edinburgh, Scotland. Variety has now revealed a few more additions to the cast that includes Jason Watkins, Fiona Shaw, and CCH Pounder. They join the production about a young boy played by Malachi Kirby, who discovers that his father (Delroy Lindo) was a trickster god, better known as an Anansi.

    Shaw will take on the role of Maeve Livingstone, who is a retired dancer that is suspecting her late husband’s agent is embezzling from what remains of their fortune. Pounder takes on the role of Mrs. Higgler, who is an old friend of Charlie Nancy, who is Kirby‘s character. Last but not least, Watkins will take on Grahame Coats, the previously mentioned agent.

    The rest of the cast additions are of L. Scott Caldwell, Joy Richardson, and Lachele Carl. They join a production where the original author is acting as co-showrunner and executive producer. He’s been very excited about the project and it’ll likely make another great adaptation of his work, as he’s also busy working on the second season of The Good Omen.

    Source: Variety

  • James Gunn to Cameo in ‘Harley Quinn’ Season 3

    James Gunn to Cameo in ‘Harley Quinn’ Season 3

    It looks like while we know very little about the upcoming third season of Harley Quinn, we did get one hidden reveal. In the article on the upcoming spinoff focused on Kite Man, it seems that series creator Patrick Schumacker confirmed that James Gunn, who’s a vocal fan of the R-rated series, will appear in the series as himself. Of course, as a director, he will take on some fictional directing duties on one of the Waynes.

    He is playing himself, and is directing a movie about Thomas Wayne.

    Patrick Schumacker

    The Suicide Squad director is known for his own ventures into an R-rated world. So, he’s the perfect addition to the series and it’ll be fun to keep an eye out for when we might expect him. Thomas Wayne wouldn’t be the film I’d expect him to tackle living in the world of DC, but it would be fun to see some of his usual directing flourishes find their way into the fictional work. Imagine a hard R-rated adaptation of Thomas Wayne’s life, as he sits on his expensive bed in his tidy whities. It’ll be interesting to see if we also get some callbacks to his own DC ventures, especially with the new popularity of Peacemaker.

    Source: Slash Film

  • Madame Web Will Be Sony’s Spider-Man Universe’s Doctor Strange

    Madame Web Will Be Sony’s Spider-Man Universe’s Doctor Strange

    Sony is still moving forward with their expanded universe that is building around Spider-Man rather than using him as a jumping-off point. The news just broke that Euphoria‘s breakout star Sydney Sweeny was joining the project in an unnamed role. Yet, there was another big reveal hidden away, as it seems that they have big plans for Dakota Johnson‘s Madame Web. According to Deadline, she will be Sony’s equivalent to Doctor Strange due to her psychic sensory powers.

    Strange has previously appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home and it may have sparked the idea to explore some magical-based storytelling in their own universe. Plus, his upcoming adventure through the multiverse may have also made the easy connection. It does make you wonder if Multiverse of Madness also has him temporarily landing in this alternative cinematic universe to meet her before venturing on. Web could be a Variant of Strange if they want to make a loose connection.

    Of course, there’s still the question of what Spider-Man might become the focus of this spinoff universe, as they now have three to choose from. At first, many thought Tom Holland might end up lost in this new universe but he remained in the MCU even as everyone forgot who he is. We’ll have to see what the future has in store for him and this new universe.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney Joins Dakota Johnson-Led ‘Madame Web’

    ‘Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney Joins Dakota Johnson-Led ‘Madame Web’

    Sony is moving full force with their upcoming Madame Web film, as it seems they’ve now added Euphoria‘s Sydney Sweeny to star alongside Dakota Johnson in the Spider-Man spinoff. The film will be directed by S.J. Clarkson based on a screenplay by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. Kerem Sanga had worked on a previous draft. As you might guess, her role is still kept under wraps and the only thing we know is that she’ll be a co-star alongside Johnson.

    It’s quite the big get for Sony, as she is hot off HBO’s second-most show just behind Game of Thrones. Sweeny also was quite the focus in the latest season, which put her on many studios’ top lists. She’s been quite the popular fan cast for various Spider-Man roles, but I doubt anyone expected her to join Sony’s universe as most had their money on Marvel studios trying to nab her for an upcoming project.

    Still, it seems that the opportunity to work with Johnson was what inspired her decision. Plus, it’ll be the first female-centric film from the Spider-Man spinoffs, which could also be quite the draw. It’ll be interesting to see if other familiar faces from across the Spider-Verse make an appearance given Madame Web’s abilities. Perhaps they are using this as a jumping-off point for a live-action adaptation of the popular comic by the same name.

    Source: Deadline

  • Jack Black Returns as Po in ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight’

    Jack Black Returns as Po in ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight’

    A new original animated series is heading to Netflix which will see the return of Jack Black as Po, the Dragon Warrior. The series titled Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight will be the first time he voiced the character since the third entry back in 2016. So far, he has not voiced the character in the other animated series, and it seems this project may have caught his eye making him want to return.

    We’ve also got a first look alongside the official synopsis for the new entry in the Kung Fu Panda franchise.

    Kung Fu Panda: Dragon Knight

    When a mysterious pair of weasels set their sights on a collection of four powerful weapons, Po must leave his home to embark on a globe-trotting quest for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Wandering Blade. Together, these two mismatched warriors set out on an epic adventure to find the magical weapons first and save the world from destruction — and they may even learn a thing or two from each other along the way

    Kung Fu Panda

    Peter Hastings and Shaunt Nigoghossion join the project as executive producers. There’s no word if others are joining the project as well, as the original films had quite the stacked cast including Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, and more. for now, it’s great to see Black return to the role he made so iconic, and hopefully, the animation can also live up to the original.

    Source: The Wrap, TV Insider

  • Doctor Strange Isn’t an Avenger in the MCU

    Doctor Strange Isn’t an Avenger in the MCU

    Here’s an interesting revelation. After the events of Avengers: Endgame, it seemed like so many have become members of the organization. We still never found out what exactly happened to the organization given that everyone only talks about it in the past tense. While a new generation seems to be brewing, Benedict Cumberbatch has shared his thoughts on where Doctor Strange lies when it comes to being a member of the Avengers.

    He’s fine with aligning himself with creatures and spirits and everything else that’s thrown at him and that’s why he can be a slight outsider as an Avenger. People say that you were in the Avengers, but you’re not an Avenger, right? No, I’m not. I’m not at Stark Tower with Nick Fury. No, he’s sort of outside of that realm, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a character trait. I think that is just a job title. He’s there to protect the reality of the Avengers in a different way to what they have been fighting up until the point that everything collides in the last two Avengers movies, so he holds his position as an adult on the periphery of that, but I think only for so long.

    Benedict Cumberbatch

    While an Avenger doesn’t necessarily have to live in Stark Tower–especially with how little we know who took over the tower–but he makes a good point. Avengers are part of a team with it being like a job title. Unlike Spidey, he never was announced or accepted the role of an Avenger. He just showed up in Infinity War and Endgame to help out, especially the former because Banner just happened to drop into the Sanctum Sanctorum. So, while he’s appeared in the films, he still works independently from them. Though he may wish they’d come to help him as he explores a Multiverse of Madness.

    Source: KCRW

  • Nick Fury and War Machine Will Interact for the First Time in ‘Secret Invasion’

    Nick Fury and War Machine Will Interact for the First Time in ‘Secret Invasion’

    Samuel L. Jackson seems to like to reveal fellow Secret Invasion cast members without a care in the world. Just recently, he revealed that Martin Freeman has a role in the upcoming Disney+ series, but another quote has found its way online where he also confirms Don Cheadle has a role in the upcoming series.

    What makes this interesting is that while we did see a newspaper with him on it, this is the first confirmation that he’ll also have a role of some kind in the six-episode series, as he’ll share scenes with Jackson‘s Nick Fury. So, it seems that the Avenger might help them take on some Skrulls, or could even turn out to be one. What is interesting is that this will be the first time the two interacted in one of these projects.

    C’mon, man, you walk on the set, Emilia’s amazing… Ben Mendelsohn, he’s awesome. Don, Don Cheadle… I got Don, that’s my golf buddy. I didn’t realize it, but til we did this thing, I was like, ‘We’ve never worked together.’ We just kinda know each other, hang out and laugh… but we’d never worked together, and we finally [got to work together].”

    Samuel L. Jackson

    Jackson certainly is excited, but won’t reveal any details that could give away what role Rhodey might have in the upcoming series. His addition does open up a potential connection to Armor Wars, but it’s uncertain where it takes place in the timeline. Given the original story included quite a few Avengers, it makes you wonder who else we might see make an appearance in the project. At this rate, anything is possible.

    Source: The Playlist

  • ‘Daredevil’, Other Netflix Shows Get Unique Classification on Disney Plus

    ‘Daredevil’, Other Netflix Shows Get Unique Classification on Disney Plus

    Matt Murdock may be in the MCU, but according to Disney Plus, the 3 seasons of Daredevil that originally streamed on Netflix from 2015-2018 are not. Daredevil, along with Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher and The Defenders all appear in a brand new sub-category of Marvel content labeled “The Defenders Saga.”

    The Defenders Saga series moved to Disney Plus and are accessible via a new feature on the streaming service that allows for mature content to be unlocked with an access code. While the series are grouped together under the new sub-category, none of them appear in any of the several sub-categories that are comprised of canonical Marvel Studios content, calling their identity as canon further into question.

    Fans can be forgiven for continuing to be confused about the canonical nature of the series. With Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio reprising their respective roles as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk in two different projects this past December, it’s easy to see why fans hoped their Netflix adventures would be included in the MCU’s Sacred Timeline. And without any sort of official word from Marvel Studios’ top brass, fans have been left to make their own decisions about where the projects stand. However, the fact that none of these series are included in the “Marvel Cinematic Universe” or “Marvel Cinematic Universe in Timeline Order” sub-categories, seems to really add an extra layer of doubt.

    And while fans may wish to continue to debate the canonicity of these series, recent MCU Projects have featured the opening up of the Multiverse and the introduction of Variants, making it quite possible that these characters and their stories while not part of the MCU’s Sacred Timeline, are still part of the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. And, of course, a show’s status as canon or non-canon should have absolutely no bearing on the enjoyment of the fanbase.

    Marvel’s Defenders Saga series are now available to stream on Disney Plus

  • ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D’ Lands on Disney Plus, Denied Spot in the MCU

    ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D’ Lands on Disney Plus, Denied Spot in the MCU

    After leaving Netflix earlier this month, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has found a new, an likely permanent, streaming home on Disney Plus. For several weeks now, fans have been anticipating its arrival on the streaming service, hoping to learn more about its status as Marvel Cinematic Universe canon, which is an ongoing debate in the Marvel fan community. Now that the long-running network soap opera has made its way to Disney Plus, what’s the answer?

    It looks as though the people at Disney Plus received instructions NOT to include Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the MCU timeline. The series is not present in the “Marvel Cinematic Universe”, “Marvel Cinematic Universe in Timeline Order” or in any of the “Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase” categories. Instead, fans can find it in a category titled “Marvel Series and Specials”, which is where series like Runaways and Inhumans, which are also absent from the MCU categories, can be found.

    Of note to it’s exclusion from the MCU is that several One-Shots featuring Phil Coulson, the main character of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., are located within each of the MCU-related categories. Of course, nothing short of an explicit statement from Kevin Feige of where it stands canonically will convince its fanbase of its status, but at least it has found a home where fans can enjoy it alongside all their favorite Marvel content.

  • ‘Ms.Marvel’ Trailer Includes First Look at Aramis Knight’s Red Dagger

    ‘Ms.Marvel’ Trailer Includes First Look at Aramis Knight’s Red Dagger

    Ms.Marvel dropped its first official trailer today ahead of its June premiere, giving us our best look at Kamala Khan and the series overall. The footage gave us our first look at Kamala’s world and her obsession with superheroes, especially Captain Marvel. That is not all, as in a blink and you’ll miss it scene, we also got our first look at actor Aramis Knight in the series as the vigilante Red Dagger, a superhero from Pakistan.

    The scene is brief but around the 1:25 mark, you can spot Knight as Red Dagger seemingly in combat with Kamala. Dagger jumps and narrowly dodges an incoming fist construct from Khan. The character is sporting some street clothes along with the red bandana he wears around his face, which doesn’t quite pop out at first like it did in the comics.

    For those unfamiliar with the character, Kareem, better known as Red Dagger, first appeared in Ms.Marvel Vol. 4 #12 in October 2016. He was created by G. Willow Wilson and Mirka Andolfo. Kareem grew up in Badin, Pakistan with his mother who was good friends with Kamala’s aunt. He would come to live with her grandmother in Karachi, where he would suit up as Red Dagger at night and protect the people of the city. It looks like these scenes in particular take place in Pakistan, based on the language spotted on the sign near Kareem.

    Ms.Marvel is set to start streaming on Disney+ on June 8th and will star Iman Vellani in the titular role. The series was written by Bisha. K Ali and featured directors like Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah, Meera Menon, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

    Source: Marvel Studios