Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Christopher Priest Set to Write a New ‘Black Adam’ Comic Series

    Christopher Priest Set to Write a New ‘Black Adam’ Comic Series

    Black Adam is set to make his live-action debut in 2022 with his very own solo film starring the one and only Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The film was just recently hit with a three-month delay, setting the July release all the way back to October 21st. Luckily, fans won’t have to wait too long to get some Black Adam action, as the character is set to receive his own solo run with some amazing creative talent behind it.

    DC Comics announced this morning that Christopher Priest, best known for his work on Black Panther, Deathstroke, and Justice League will tackle the new series. He is joined by artist Rafa Sandoval, known for his work on Flash, Green Lantern, and most recently Teen Titans Academy. The series will follow Black Adam facing a near-death experience that makes the 5000-year-old fallen champion begin his search for a successor for his power. Priest shares his excitement for the new project:

    Forgive the cliché, but I’ve rarely been this excited about a new project, DC has provided an amazing opportunity for me to explore and, to some degree, reimagine this character in a very new light while bringing new challenges and consequences to a man who has lived far too long and is desperate for redemption. Rafa Sandoval brings palpable voltage to every panel, bringing out my Kirby-Simonson Big Noise instinct as Rafa’s gifts take me to places I never knew I wanted to go. My only regret is we only have 22 pages a month for this.

    Christopher Priest

    Black Adam #1 will hit shelves on June 21st, and it does sound like we’re getting a promising return for the character, which might even dissect the usual anti-hero in a way we might have at least expected. It makes you wonder if some elements on that are also inspired by the general direction the upcoming film is taking.

    Source: DC Comics, IGN

  • ‘Puss in Boots’ Sequel Adds Salma Hayek, Florence Pugh, Harvey Guillén And More

    ‘Puss in Boots’ Sequel Adds Salma Hayek, Florence Pugh, Harvey Guillén And More

    It looks like the Shrek spinoff Puss in Boots is making a return, as Deadline has just reported that the upcoming sequel subtitled The Last Wish has rounded out its cast. Joining Antonio Banderas is the return of Eternals‘ Salma Hayek Pinault as Kitty Softpaws. Newcomers to the franchise will be Harvey Guillén from What We Do in the Shadows, who will play a new canine associate and will form an unlikely trio with them.

    Puss In Boots

    That’s not all, as the project has added quite the A-list ensemble consisting of Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, John Mulaney, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Wagner Moura, Samson Kayo, and Anthony Mendez to its cast. The sequel will explore the storyline of what happens if you ignore safety while following your passion.

    It’ll continue the film that was released back in 2011 after the character made his debut in the Shrek sequel. There have been discussions on a sequel since 2014 before the film, once titled Puss in Boots 2: Nine Lives & 40 Thieves was shelved due to restructuring at DreamWorks. The sequel now titled The Last Wish will release on September 23rd with the first trailer expected to drop tomorrow.

    Source: Deadline

  • Latest ‘Moon Knight’ TV Spot Includes a ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’ Connection and Confirms Timeline Placement

    Latest ‘Moon Knight’ TV Spot Includes a ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’ Connection and Confirms Timeline Placement

    A new TV spot has dropped for Moon Knight and it includes quite a few interesting things. First off, we finally hear Oscar Isaac’s voice for the personality of Marc Spector, which is quite a bit different from Steven Grant. Not only that, but we’ll also get scenes of him discussing with himself if this trailer is anything to go by. What stands out as well, is that the spot also includes a connection to the wider MCU with a reference to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

    It’s easy to miss but if you look behind Moon Knight after his transformation, you can see the logo for GRC on the bus. This is significant as it’s the logo for the Global Repatriation Council, which formed after half the universe was snapped out of existence by Thanos in an attempt to reunite the world. We are first introduced to it in the Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney+ series, where it played a major role in showing us the aftermath of the Blip.

    It’s a great small detail to hide in the background, as it also is a great way to get a feeling for when the series takes place. We don’t know if the project will also explore Marc Spector’s time before the events that Thanos unleashed, but the main series is definitely part of the post-Blip timeline within the Marvel Cinematic Universe if this TV spot is anything to go by.

    You can check out the TV spot right here:

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Concept Art Reveals Alternative Goblin Glider

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Concept Art Reveals Alternative Goblin Glider

    As Spider-Man: No Way Home is about to hit digital and it seems like more and more artwork is finding its way online. We just recently got a first look at an alternative design for the Lizard, and it seems that the Green Goblin also almost featured a very different glider. While Norman Osborne ditches his mask in the film, it seems that one version of the script may have seen him stitch it back together and plant it firmly on the glider, as revealed in some artwork by Josh Nizzi.

    What makes this version of the Glider stand out is that it’s actually put together by different elements from past Spidey films. It would not only include Stark tech but even be built based on some of Mysterio’s drones. The mask was an addition to pay tribute to the original design, but sadly it seems that Willem Dafoe didn’t get a chance to ride this great variation of the glider in the final film.

    Sadly, we don’t know what lead to them scrapping this idea, but it seems likely that having to explain how he got his hands on this tech might’ve just complicated an already stuffed-to-the-brim film. It would’ve brought the Damage Control unit back who vanish after their introduction earlier in the film, but it would only detract from the emotional build-up between the three Spider-Men in the film. So, sometimes cuts have to be made to ensure the flow of the film remains.

    Source: Instagram

  • Warner Bros. Discovery to Combine HBO Max and Discovery+

    Warner Bros. Discovery to Combine HBO Max and Discovery+

    It was only a question of time, but the official announcement has finally arrived. As Warner Bros. Discovery is about to be created when the AT&T merger finalizes with Warner Media, it seems that HBO Max and Discovery+ will be fused into one service rather than Disney’s multi-platform bundle strategy. Gunnar Wiedenfels, who will be the CFO of Warner Bros. Discovery, shared the following insights into their approach during the Deutsche Gank 30th Annual Media Internet & Telecom Conference:

    One of the most important items here is that we believe in a combined product as opposed to a bundle… We believe that the breadth and depth of this content offering is going to be a phenomenal consumer value proposition

    Gunnar Wiedenfels

    He also highlighted why they aren’t rushing this concept and want to give it some time to figure out how best to approach it.

    The direct-to-consumer business is obviously further along now than what we had four years ago. There’s a greater risk, you want to get that right. Between the two direct-to-consumer products, by the time we close, close to 100 million people are going to be affected as we make those changes. So that will need some very, very detailed and disciplined planning

    Gunnar Wiedensfels

    This change won’t happen overnight, so bundling will still be available early on as they try to figure out how to merge the platforms. It’s unclear if they’ll stick to the HBO Max or Discovery+ branding, as they may take a different approach. The services are currently available with an ad-supported and ad-free variant that is priced differently. So, we might have to wait for some time before we get a clearer vision of

    what the streaming future has in store for HBO Max and Discovery+.

    Source: Variety

  • REPORT: Marvel Studios’ ‘Echo’ Adds Graham Greene

    REPORT: Marvel Studios’ ‘Echo’ Adds Graham Greene

    All eyes have been on the upcoming Marvel Studios’ releases of the year, but slowly we’re getting more details on other projects soon to enter production. Among them is the recent update on Echo, which is seemingly eyeing a production start soon. It looks like they may have also already started their casting process, as The Direct has just revealed that veteran and Academy Award-nominated actor, Graham Greene, has joined the production in an undisclosed role.

    The actor is famous for his performances in Dances with Wolves for which he was also nominated for an Academy Award, The Green Mile, and Wind River. It would be another big series for the actor as well, as he recently appeared in American Gods last year, and is currently working on The Last Of Us for HBO.

    Greene is a great addition to the series, especially as the series is eyeing to embrace Maya Lopez’s Indigenous background. It wouldn’t be too surprising to see many actors with many more Indigenous actors join the production. As far as we know, it seems that the production hopes to start soon with some exterior shots of Grantville planned. The project’s location manager teased that it’ll mainly focus on a small town, which was our first hint at the series’ direction. We’ll see if some official casting finds its way online in the near future.

    Source: The Direct

  • Benedict Cumberbatch Improvised a Major Moment in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

    Benedict Cumberbatch Improvised a Major Moment in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

    Spider-Man: No Way Home is no longer a secret. All of the surprises, cameos, details, and moments from the massively succesful film came to light when it was released in December. Three months later, the cast and crew are talking more about the making of the movie ahead of its digital release on March 15. While a lot of attention is still on Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s appearances as their respective Spider-Men, Benedict Cumberbatch has has plenty to say with respect to his experience on set and Doctor Strange’s role in the film.

    In an interview with Collider, Cumberbatch revealed that he improvised one of Doctor Strange’s most memorable moments and one of the film’s most emotional. While praising director Jon Watts’ ability to adapt, the actor described how he decided to alter the scene where Peter Parker chooses to have the world forget him:

    There was this one moment near the end of the film, where we were really trying to make that moment work, at the top of the Statue of Liberty. Tom [Holland] was having a tough time with the script, as it was before the reshoots. And then, we did the reshoots and I came up with this idea of, to show that I love him, I didn’t want him to make the sacrifice of being forgotten. He was like, ‘That’s gonna be in the film.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, cool. That’s great.’

    Benedict Cumberbatch

    The moment in No Way Home that Cumberbatch describes is a memorable one. While Doctor Strange spent much of the film as a somewhat stoic mentor or helping hand, the moment where he shows a sense of loss at the thought of forgetting Peter highlights the emotional tone of the ambitious movie and makes Peter’s decision all that more impactful. Cumberbatch also revealed that his interest in improvising was influenced by his time on the set of Avengers: Infinity War:

    You throw yourself out there in those huge sand pits. The remarkable thing I learned from Tom Holland and RDJ on Infinity War was seeing how at ease he was, just in improvising about Aunt May with Robert Downey Jr. He did this thing which wasn’t scripted at all. I’m quite a canon guy. It’s about the text for me. To be free with that and to have some maneuverability in it and to be able to improvise, and on such a large canvas, was a real eye-opener.

    Benedict Cumberbatch

    Fans can refresh their own memories of No Way Home when it makes its digital release on March 15. Audiences can also look forward to seeing more of Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters May 6, 2022.

    Source: Collider via The Direct

  • ‘Swiss Army Man’ Directors Passed On ‘Loki’ Season One Because of Another Multiverse Project

    ‘Swiss Army Man’ Directors Passed On ‘Loki’ Season One Because of Another Multiverse Project

    The multiverse is quite popular these days, for Marvel Studios and beyond. The Marvel Cinematic Universe kickstarted its own multiversal adventure in the finale of Loki’s first season, and it has already been followed up with What If… ?, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and soon Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The chaotic branching of timelines seen in Episode 6 of Loki may very well go down as one of the most iconic moments of the MCU, and the series as a whole was generally critically succesful as well.

    Director Kate Herron ultimately brought Loki to the small screen. However, apparently Marvel was in early talks with a directing duo who ultimately said no to the Disney+ series because of another multiverse project. Swiss Army Man directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert revealed the ironic twist of fate in an interview with IndieWire, as their multiversal project Everything Everywhere All At Once was in production about the same time:

    [Scheinhert] “There were meetings with Marvel about ‘Loki’ that we didn’t even take. We were trying to make our own multiverse movie,”

    [Kwan] “No, the meeting was set, and we went, but by the time we went we said we probably weren’t going to do it,” he said. “We were trying to shoot our own movie at the same time.”

    Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

    While the duo passed on Season One of Loki, the fact that they were in the mix at some point could mean that Marvel still has its eye on the directors for future projects. Still, the two expressed their doubts on working on an interconnected project, like those found in the MCU:

    “Then we can just throw out anything that’s not working. I respect people who are able to play in someone else’s sandbox but that’s kind of intimidating because if there’s a preexisting fanbase for a character, and a lore, a mythology and I’m not allowed to throw out something that’s not working, that seems hard.”

    Daniel Kwan

    Marvel Studios has clearly found great success with directors that were not already well-established blockbuster filmmakers. Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi and Captain America and Avengers franchise tentpoles Joe and Anthony Russo are a few of the biggest examples.

    Loki is confirmed for Season Two, and directing duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are attached to the project. While it will be some time before it is ready for release, Mobius actor Owen Wilson said in February that production on the second season would begin soon.

    Source: IndieWire via The Direct

  • ‘What If…?’ Wins Best Animated Series at the Critic’s Choice Awards

    ‘What If…?’ Wins Best Animated Series at the Critic’s Choice Awards

    It looks like it was a big night for Marvel Studios at the Critic’s Choice Awards, as they managed to take in one win during the event with What If…? nabbing the Best Animated Series award. In a strong year for animation, it’s a big win for Marvel Studios especially with it being their first venture into animation. Some might question why Arcane isn’t nominated, but the Netflix series sadly wasn’t eligible due to the cut-off date for the awards. What If…? was going up against other titles which include Big Mouth, Bluey, Bob’s Burgers, The Great North, and Q-Force.

    Dune. WandaVision was nominated for Best Limited Series but lost against Mare of Eastwood. Paul Bettany, Elisabeth Olsen, and Kathryn Hahn were both nominated for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress respectively but didn’t take the win home. So, it’s great to see Marvel studios manage to take home at least one award after also mostly being kept out of the Oscars again in their go-to visual effects category.

    Of course, we recently heard that What If…? will return this year with a new season, which adds further credence to their plans of this animated project being a yearly release. It’s unclear if future seasons will unshackle itself from having to forcefully follow specific set storylines, but it does seem like the Guardians of the Multiverse maybe something from the past. Of course, they may also find a recurring villain breaking the multiverse to call them to action once again. We’ll see once we learn more about the next season.

    Source: Twitter

  • The Scarlet Witch’s Powers Will Be on Full Display in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    The Scarlet Witch’s Powers Will Be on Full Display in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Over the course of the 9-episode streaming series WandaVision, fans saw Wanda Maximoff go on a powerful and emotional journey of self-discovery and unlock an enormous amount of abilities that she was previously unaware she could wield. When the series concluded, Wanda had become the Scarlet Witch and was studying the Darkhold in search for the power to bring back her children. As incredibly powerful as she was in Avengers: Endgame, there’s no doubt she’s powered up since.

    The newly dubbed Scarlet Witch is set to play a major role in Marvel Studios next theatrical release, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and, as the trailers have shown, she looks to be even more powerful yet. In an interview with Empire Magazine, Marvel Studios producer Richie Palmer teased that Lizzy Olsen’s Wanda may prove to be a more powerful sorceress than Stephen Strange.

    I don’t know who’s more powerful than Wanda. Meeting the Wanda Maximoff at the end of Endgame would have been a lot for Strange. Who comes out on top as the most powerful being in the universe? Maybe we find out at the end of the movie.

    Richie Palmer

    It’s an interesting juxtaposition set by Palmer and one that seems to place the two characters, who as Palmer points out, have not really spent much time together, on opposite sides of things despite Strange seeking out Wanda’s help. Of course, the trailer has hinted at Strange and Wanda not seeing things from the same perspective and with Wanda continuing to study the Darkhold, it’s increasingly likely that she’ll be changed by its dark powers. And so while Palmer promises that we’ll get to see Wanda unleash her powers in the upcoming film, fans are left wondering what her own personal endgame is and if she and Strange might not find out who is more powerful through a good, old-fashioned duel.

    So who is more powerful? Fans don’t have long to wait now as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to debut on May 6, just less than 2 months away!