Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • How Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield Helped Shape ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

    How Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield Helped Shape ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

    For most audiences viewing Spider-Man: No Way Home, the most exciting element of the film was the return of former Spidey actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. In the latest installment, the duo returned so that they could aid current series star Tom Holland in fighting off a small army of their own multiversal supervillains. While it may have been reasonable to believe the actors simply popped in to perform their scenes before moving on to other projects, a recent interview with the movie’s writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers revealed the opposite was actually true. Maguire and Garfield had significant input on the way their characters shaped the film. Sommers begins:

    They had thoughts, and it was really interesting and helpful to see their thoughts. No one knows the character as well as — or gives as much thought to the character — as someone who has to then embody it and sell it. … It definitely shaped what we did.

    Erik Sommers

    McKenna continues:

    They had great ideas that really elevated everything we were going for and added layers and an arc and we really actually started honing into the idea that these two guys were really helping Tom’s Peter on his journey to becoming who he ends up becoming. There’s a crucial, moral moment that they help him get through in the climax of the movie. So much of that was brought by Tobey and Andrew’s ideas and shaping of what they thought their characters could bring to this story.

    Chris McKenna

    The film doesn’t end up delving too far into the post-franchise life of either interpretation of the character, and the writers claim this was done on purpose. McKenna states they wanted to hold back from the characters being used purely as fan service, and focus more on the ways they could help Holland’s Peter Parker emotionally We learn much more about the ongoing adventures of Garfield’s Parker than we do Maguire’s, and this was supposedly exactly what the actors wanted:

    Tobey wanted to be very minimal about how much you know. Very, very minimal. Andrew really loved the idea of he’s still tortured over what happened in Amazing Spider-Man 2and where that left him, and how they could bring that to Tom.

    Chris McKenna

    It certainly added quite a bit to their appearance, as they felt like actual characters continuing their story arcs in meaningful ways while having all three learn from each other. The writing duo had quite the challenge ahead of them, but they managed to keep it all intact while also building upon the franchise’s overall development. It makes you wonder where they are from here on.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Ending Was Written In Case There Was No More Sequel

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Ending Was Written In Case There Was No More Sequel

    Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s ending might go down as one of the best in Marvel’s cinematic history and as one of the most tragic. Tom Holland’s run as Peter Parker came full circle, but at a deep cost. After a fun multiversal romp filled to the brim with familiar faces, the story still ended with Peter making an important decision. It still remained his story and while open-ended, could’ve still felt like the perfect bookend to this version of the character. Luckily, it seems that the writers had exactly that in mind.

    In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Erik Sommers and Chris McKenna discussed the ending of the film, and that they had this in mind when tackling the project, especially as it builds upon the lessons learned from the past two entries. As Sommers points out:

    We knew we were going to end up in that place. As far as what it means, whether or not there are going to be more? All we could do was try to service this story and tell what we felt was the best version of this story. It’s ended in a place where it could feel like a satisfying to this particular Spider-Man, or it definitely could keep going.

    Erik Sommers

    Of course, they also took this ending as a potential “end” for the entire franchise. It’s a given after the dealings already fell apart before they even entered the third film’s production. While a fourth is in development as confirmed by Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, they did keep that in the back of their mind while writing it.

    I think it’s a fitting ending if it had to end this way. We never know. “Oh, is Tom doing another one? Will we be a part of it?” At a certain point we just got to keep our eye on the one in front of us. “Is this a satisfying story that doesn’t just feel like we are ending on a cliffhanger that is trying to trick you in to the next one?” I do feel with this ending, Peter makes a sacrifice. There are all these Marvel movies about him trying to figure out what it is to be a hero, what it is to be Spider-Man, what it is to be Peter Parker, how to balance both, how to have it all. He gets to have it all at the end of the last movie, right before that tag and then it’s all stripped away. “Oh no! What are they going to do next time?” This one feels like it’s more mature because it really is, as Doctor Strange says, “You are trying to have it all. You can’t have it all. You’ve got to make a choice.”

    Chris McKenna

    They certainly had to tackle quite a challenge when bringing this film to life. Some of the previous entries always end up buckling under the weight of expectation, as they juggle multiple storylines that end up distracting from the core narrative. Here’s hoping to see what the future has in store for Tom Holland‘s take on the character.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ on Uncle Ben’s Absence in the MCU

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ on Uncle Ben’s Absence in the MCU

    There was always one noticeable change in the MCU Spider-Man films in comparison to previous cinematic Spider-Man franchises: the noticeable lack of Uncle Ben. He tends to be the main anchor point for Peter Parker’s morality. Yet, as we learned in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it turns out that this role was taken over by Aunt May. In her last moments, she even echoes the famous “with great power” words from the comics. Well, it seems that Uncle Ben was always on the mind of writers Erik Sommers and Chris McKenna, who worked on all three entries as revealed in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

    I don’t think there was much impetus to put it into the other two movies. This iteration of Spider-Man didn’t start by telling the story of losing Uncle Ben. We started at a different place with Peter. Those words are so tied to Uncle Ben, there didn’t seem to be a natural place for it. We weren’t even thinking necessarily, “Oh, we have to do it in this one.” As the story started to develop, and as we got to the scene with May, we realized, “This is going to be Peter’s Uncle Ben,” and the words are going to come out.

    Erik Sommers

    This arc also plays into how he develops, as McKenna reveals they’ve always played around with the absence of Uncle Ben but realized they can tell a very different origin story that adds more layers to his character, especially with a moral guide like Aunt May adding a new spin on the familiar. They also go on to say that:

    Hopefully you start seeing this is a different Peter Parker. They are all different. They have had different origins. They have had different contexts and this Peter is the only one of these three who has had a Tony Stark in his life. So he chases the fame. He chases this father figure and approval from this billionaire, philanthropist playboy. Then he realizes, “I don’t want to be an Avenger. I’m chasing the wrong thing.” And the next movie was, “I can’t be Iron Man. I can only be Spider-Man.” In this one, there is a whole new way he has to get tested about what these other two guys have been tested by. By the death of a loved one at the hands of a villain. What are you going to do about that? They help him get there

    Chris McKenna

    While many were not happy with the initial direction and Iron Man’s role as a mentor to Spidey, it all paid off as part of a trilogy. As they highlight, the arc was about uncovering what it means to be Spider-Man, which is truly anchored in how the film ends. Here’s hoping that the future lets us explore the lesson that he took away from those events as he grows, for the first time, left to his own devices.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Xochitl Gomez Strikes a Familiar Pose as America Chavez in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Promo

    Xochitl Gomez Strikes a Familiar Pose as America Chavez in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Promo

    Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez is set to play a key role in the events of next May’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Chavez, a one-time Young Avenger in the comics, possesses the unique ability to open star-shaped portals in reality, allowing her and her companions to traverse different realities across the multiverse. The character was briefly seen in the recent first look at the film but now, thanks to some new promo art, fans can get a better look at the character who happens to be pulling off a familiar pose.

    As you can see Gomez is imitating the pose held by Chavez on artist Jamie McKelvie’s variant cover to 2017’s America #1, written by Gabby Rivera. The character has always been a powerhouse, boasting superhuman strength in addition to her ability to travel interdimensionally. The character has always been a lot of fun on the page as well and she now joins the ranks of fellow comic book Young Avengers Kate Bishop, Billy and Tommy Maximoff and Eli Bradley in the comics. Hopefully we see them team up sooner than later.

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Already Passed $500M Domestically

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Already Passed $500M Domestically

    It looks like Spider-Man: No Way Home is continuing to take over the Box office at an incredible pace. The film has already passed the $500M mark and is currently continuing its dominance of the box office even as Omicron concerns are spreading worldwide. AS pointed out by @Great_Katzby, the film is potentially going to nab an $800M+ domestic run, which would put it on par with massive releases like Avengers: Endgame, and Avatar, as it would end up right between the two’s domestic runs.

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    It’s quite a strong domestic run and if the film manages to release in China, it may continue to inch towards a $2 billion worldwide release. There’s still some time and concerns over the pandemic have slowed down that momentum somewhat, but the film is still a massive success for Sony and Marvel Studios. As we heard a few days ago, the film is on its way to becoming Sony’s most profitable release with the current estimates still seeing it end its run at around $1.75B. It’ll certainly be important to keep an eye on how its box office run develops moving forward.

    Source: Twitter

  • Zack Snyder Shares First ‘Rebel Moon’ Concept Art, Eyeing Production Start in Few Months

    Zack Snyder Shares First ‘Rebel Moon’ Concept Art, Eyeing Production Start in Few Months

    It looks like direct Zack Snyder is already preparing for his next project, as the director has taken to Vero to share the first look at concept art for his next film project, Rebel Moon. What was once a Star Wars pitch will become a unique tale that’ll premiere on Netflix at some point in the future. The first look at the upcoming film teases a moody space epic that certainly seems like it is up to Snyder‘s wheelhouse. He also teased that they are “heading to principal photography in a few months,” which hints at an early 2022 production start.

    Of course, we still know very little about the project outside of a brief synopsis and that Sofia Boutella was cast in the leading role. With Man of Steel on his belt, Snyder is no stranger to sci-fi epics and it’s always promising to see him tackle a new world he was able to build from scratch. There’s no word yet if this might also connect to his new zombie franchise that started with Army of the Dead, but he seems like the type that plays around with loosely connected worlds. Here’s hoping we get more details as they start production.

    Source: Vero via Twitter

  • UPDATE: Andrew Garfield’s Stunt Double on ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 3’ Rumors

    UPDATE: Andrew Garfield’s Stunt Double on ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 3’ Rumors

    UPDATE: It looks like another comment has been discovered by William Spencer on the discussions surrounding The Amazing Spider-Man 3. As shared previously, the Andrew Garfield stunt double seemingly hinted at something being in the works, but The Direct uncovered another comment that was tucked away, where he confirms he has no info on the rumored The Amazing Spider-Man 3 revival.

    The Amazing Spider-Man 3 William Spencer

    As we stated in our article below, he reacted with a thank you to a previous congratulations on a revival, very likely spurred by the Forbes piece that seemed to hint at one being already in development.

    Source: Instagram via The Direct

    Ever since Spider-Man: No Way Home hit theaters, there’s been a lot to digest on the future of Spider-Man. Many were happy to see Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire‘s return to the iconic roles, but it also brought back a new love for The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. So much that it even became a trending topic and people wanted to see the revival of the third entry. Garfield is even a popular choice to face off against Venom, as many believe his Peter Parker exists in that specific universe while Tom Holland continues in the MCU. Well, a slip up by Garfield‘s stunt double may have confirmed that Sony is reviving The Amazing Spider-Man 3.

    In a new post, William Spencer shared that he is currently recovering from an Achilles injury. Many comments hinted at their interest in him returning to stunt double in the third entry with one user even congratulating on a project that isn’t officially announced. Well, it’s his reaction to the statement that has caught everyone’s attention, as he seemingly thanks him for the congratulations and may have confirmed that a project may be in some form of development or at least talks.

    The reason we run it as a rumor is due to a Forbes article adding some confusion to the mix. Sony originally wanted Garfield to face off against the Sinister Six, who were going to get their own film. And amidst the Venom rumors, an article titled “Andrew Garfield Likely Returning As Spider-Man to Fight Venom, Sinister Six” started adding more fuel to the fire that the project is happening. Yet, it seems that most of the piece is pure speculation on Sony wanting to capitalize on the success of No Way Home. So, this could be the basis of him believing a third entry is in development. So far, we only heard that the fourth entry of Hollands‘ run is in development, but there are still many rumors hinting at Garfield not being done with Spidey. So, we’ll take this with a grain of salt for now, but hope that Sony unveils its future plans in the near future.

    Source: Instagram, Forbes

  • RUMOR: Black Bolt Will Appear in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    RUMOR: Black Bolt Will Appear in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, we finally have our first glimpse into the multiverse within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The upcoming sequel to 2016’s Doctor Strange will dive deep into a realm of infinite possibilities with the return of Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange. No Way Home featured quite a few multiversal cameos from characters like Willem Dafoe‘s Green Goblin, Tobey Maguire‘s Spider-Man, and even Jaime Foxx‘s Electro. With the multiverse open, it is unsurprising to think many more could pop up soon, one of which is rumored to be quite a popular Inhuman. 

    A new rumor from Fandomwire states that the ruler of Attilan himself, Black Bolt, will be making his MCU debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The character is believed to be a variant from within the multiverse working alongside the rumored multiversal Illuminati. Currently, there’s no name attached to the role, and it’s unknown if this Black Bolt will be the one we saw a while back in ABC’s Inhumans series, which ran for one season before being canceled by the network. If that was the case, then perhaps we could see Anson Mount reprise the role, but the Inhuman’s future in the Marvel cinematic universe is still up in the air. 

    Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness is currently set to release in theaters on May 6, 2022. The film was directed by Sam Raimi and stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Elizabeth Olsen, Rachel McAdams, and Xochitl Gomez.

    SOURCE: Fandomwire

  • Chloé Zhao Reveals ‘Eternals’ Original, More Depressing Ending and Why it Changed

    Chloé Zhao Reveals ‘Eternals’ Original, More Depressing Ending and Why it Changed

    Films change quite a bit throughout their lengthy development process. Eternals is no exception, as director Chloé Zhao discusses in an interview with Empire how much the film has changed throughout the process. She highlights how she’s never “made a single film where the opening and ending stay the same as the script, just because the scenes are fluid as we shoot.” She highlights that there was one end that was more “melancholy” than what blockbuster fans are used to that was changed in the development process.

    And we actually had another ending that is really bleak. Bleak. I didn’t hate it, because I’m used to films that are more melancholy. But I don’t think it went down well with audiences. It used to end with everybody back on the ship, minds erased and just going on to another planet, like The Twilight Zone. I remember when it goes to black, everyone was like, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ And also, it’s the MCU, and you want to be excited for what’s next.

    Chloé Zhao

    It seems that this ending was also going to be a bit more depressing and Harry Styles‘ Eros was originally going to have a role in it, which opens up quite a few interesting questions on how much his original role changed given how he is introduced in the final cut.

    I can tell you why! Long story short, with that depressing ending, at some point he was going to be one of the Eternals on that ship. And that didn’t quite work out.

    Chloé Zhao

    It would’ve been interesting to see this vicious cycle continue, especially after just saving a planet, but I do agree that it would’ve bookended their story much faster than what some MCU fans are used to. Yet, it may have added an interesting dilemma and added quite a bit of drama to the events that unfolded throughout the film. Yet, the open-ended judgment by Arishem does also continue the bleaker tone that the ending was going for without directly ending their specific journey.

    Source: Empire

  • REPORT: First Look at ‘Tron 3’s New Flynn’s Arcade Hints at an Early 2022 Production Start

    REPORT: First Look at ‘Tron 3’s New Flynn’s Arcade Hints at an Early 2022 Production Start

    It looks like our friends over at DisInsider may have gotten their hands on something quite interesting. Last year, it seemed like Disney was moving forward with a third entry in the cult classic Tron series, which will receive the sub-title, Ares. Jared Leto is attached with Garth Davis set to direct the project. Sadly, news died down considerably since and we haven’t really gotten any new details since. Luckily, it seems that DisInsider’s John Bishop was able to get his hands on some set photos featuring an updated look for the iconic Flynn’s Arcade.

    If sets are already being built and prepared, it’s a good sign that production may start in early 2022. Of course, this isn’t enough to really hammer down a specific start date, but it’s enough to at least get a feeling that things are finally moving forward. It’s uncertain if they’ll dive into the classic designs provided by the original Tron from 1982, or continue the neon look from Tron: Legacy.

    The return of Flynn’s Arcade does confirm that it’ll continue the building blocks set by the previous, as this is the location where Sam would get transported into the digitized world of The Grid. It might also be where the next storyline starts off, as the next person gets sucked into this new world.

    Source: DisInsider