Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • EXCLUSIVE: Details on ‘Hawkeye’s Version of Clown Revealed

    EXCLUSIVE: Details on ‘Hawkeye’s Version of Clown Revealed

    The upcoming Hawkeye series will explore many aspects of Clint Barton’s comic history yet non more than that of the My Life as a Weapon run. The story by Matt Fraction and David Aja introduced us to the bro-speaking gang known as the Tracksuit Mafia and the dangerous assassin Kazimierz Kazimerczak, or better known as the Clown. Fra Fee will take on the role in the series and they might switch it up for this adaptation.

    Our very own Charles Villanueva got a chance to sit down with producer Trinh Tran to discuss the upcoming series. In it, she offered some insight into how the show tackled the character and teased that he might be quite a bit different from what we are used to from the popular comic storyline.

    I can’t say much about how his character unfolds in this series, but what I can say is that part of the interesting thing about bringing these characters to life from the comics is that we wanted to give it a fresh spin. I think part of Kazi’s story in the comics is a little bit tied to how Kate’s world is like in the Matt Fraction run. But that’s not necessarily true in the MCU because once we bring that character in and explore them in the story that we have, it can go in any and all kind of direction.

    Trinh Tran

    It’s not uncommon that they change the characters to fit these new adaptations that take familiar comic storylines but add a new twist. Captain America: Civil War only loosely explores the themes and registration act from the comics, but doesn’t completely feature a full-on war between countless superheroes. It’ll be interesting to see how they adapt this character and what their role will be in the story.

  • EXCLUSIVE: How Newbie Alaqua Cox Convinced Marvel Studios To Star In Her Own Show

    EXCLUSIVE: How Newbie Alaqua Cox Convinced Marvel Studios To Star In Her Own Show

    Alaqua Cox might just be the MCU’s boldest discovery yet. She’s a newcomer with zero experience in acting and performing prior to her supporting role in Hawkeye as Maya Lopez yet Marvel Studios saw it fit to give her a spin-off show in Echo, which was just confirmed this weekend.

    I spoke to Hawkeye producer Trinh Tran on what convinced Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios to give Cox her own series based on her performance alone. Tran’s answer was nothing short of exciting:

    She is such a badass in this series. She really completely impressed us all with her determination and hard work in wanting to make sure Maya Lopez is the way everybody wants. I have to say there was a bit of nervousness at the beginning because Alaqua hasn’t been a part of the industry. To get somebody brand new and pull her into a character like Maya Lopez, it’s a big deal. But she took it in strides, worked hard, and proved to us that there is a character who’s deaf but is able to be a part of the MCU and be a superhero in her own right.

    The Hawkeye trailers haven’t given audiences much Echo at the moment. The first two episodes we got to screen didn’t feature her much either. But the enthusiasm Marvel Studios has for her is nothing short of infectious. The mere prospect of Cox holding her own against rumored Echo co-star Vincent D’Onofrio sounds like a must-watch so we’re hoping to see the full scope of her talent in a few weeks’ time.

  • ‘Hawkeye’ Will Include “Giant Reminders” of Natasha Romanoff

    ‘Hawkeye’ Will Include “Giant Reminders” of Natasha Romanoff

    One of the most heartfelt scenes in Avengers: Endgame was the exchange between Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton, as they both try to make the sacrifice for the sake of half the universe. Natasha is the one who takes the leap of faith and leaves behind her closest friend to carry the weight of the Soul Stone in his hand. Her legacy lives on through Yelena Belova, who we were introduced to in the solo Black Widow film and is set to return in Hawkeye. She is confirmed to appear in the upcoming series and it seems like Clint Barton hasn’t quite gotten over the events either.

    In an interview with the Evening Standard, actor Jeremy Renner talked about how Black Widow will play into the story beyond just the appearance of Belova. It seems that we’ll also use this series to explore Barton’s grief from losing her, especially as he did it all for the sake of his family that he once again has to leave behind to look after Kate Bishop and her shenanigans.

    There are giant reminders of Natasha in this series. Reminders of things that tie into losing somebody and reminders of all that beautiful things that come with a lot of pain as well.

    Jeremy Renner

    It makes sense that this death would still hang over his head, as he was the one that had to let go when they were hanging from a cliff on Vormir. Belova’s appearance in the series will definitely bring back the dark reality of that moment and once again bring him face-to-face with the consequences.

    Source: Standard

  • ‘Hawkeye’ Director Plays Coy on Yelena Belova’s Role in the Disney+ Series

    ‘Hawkeye’ Director Plays Coy on Yelena Belova’s Role in the Disney+ Series

    The post-credit sequence of Black Widow set up the return of Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova. We meet her at Natasha Romanoff’s grave where she gets a new mission from the mysterious Val. The reality of the events that took place in Avengers: Endgame was twisted, as she is given the task to take out Clint Barton. Of course, we already knew he was getting his own Disney+ series and her return in the series was already confirmed ahead of time. There was also a report in July that she might even appear in multiple episodes. So, Total Film tried to get a bit more out of Hawkeye director Rhys Thomas, who played coy on her exact role.

    I can’t speak to that. But yes, we know their past, and obviously what happened in Endgame. We know in these first two episodes that Clint’s dealing with the fallout of that. But in terms of how they meet, I can’t – I’ll just pretend I don’t know. Imagine it’s a happy meeting, where they talk over coffee and work things out.

    Rhys Thomas

    Total Film was open about the fact if we’ll see these two at each other’s throats, but the director wouldn’t give anything away. Thomas did tease that “it all connects in some way” and that “the story is its own little world.” So, we can expect callbacks and connective tissue to the rest, but given its smaller scale, we might have a much more intimate story on our hands.

    Source: Total Film

  • Lucasfilm’s Micro-Management May Have Led to ‘Rogue Squadron’s Indefinite Delay

    Lucasfilm’s Micro-Management May Have Led to ‘Rogue Squadron’s Indefinite Delay

    A new piece by Puck from former THR editor Matthew Belloni has offered an update on why exactly Patty Jenkins‘ Rogue Squadron was delayed indefinitely. Initially, rumors had it pushed back until 2024, just a year away from its original release. Shortly after, we got the official word that it was postponed indefinitely and without any word of a project taking its place. The official word is that scheduling conflicts are the main reason, especially with Warner Bros. fast-tracking the third Wonder Woman film. So, Star Wars‘ cinematic future remains uncertain but it looks like there might be more to this story.

    In a new piece on the site Puck, they report that a significant lack of Star Wars films is mainly due to the company behind them, Lucasfilm. According to their sources, Jenkins couldn’t agree on a script with the executives, which naturally drags out any talks. The issue sadly isn’t uncommon in the industry but seems to have especially become an internal one with Lucasfilm. They cite that the new trilogies that were in development, one by Game of Thrones‘ David Benioff, and Dan Weiss as well as one by The Last Jedi‘s Rian Johnson‘s, both got shelved due to the same issues.

    The article highlights Kathleen Kennedy‘s role in the company’s current development. She’s the president of the company and has an important role in keeping the machine running. Yet, it seems that their hands-on approach is damaging their relationship with directors and talent within the industry. Phil Lord and Chris Miller famously kicked from their own production only for Ron Howard to take over directing duties. So, it opens up the question of what this direction for Lucasfilm might mean for the franchise if one of the hottest properties in the industry is burning bridges.

    Source: Puck, IndieWire

  • Matt Fraction Was a Consulting Producer on Disney+’s ‘Hawkeye’

    Matt Fraction Was a Consulting Producer on Disney+’s ‘Hawkeye’

    The upcoming Disney+ series Hawkeye takes many visual and story beats from the popular Matt Fraction and David Aja‘s run on the character. My Life as a Weapon took a more personal approach with the character, as he took care of an apartment building from a local gang called the Tracksuit Mafia. Of course, he’s not superhuman and gets injured quite a bit on the way. So, he also relies on his protégé, Kate Bishop. Hailee Steinfeld will join the MCU in the iconic role. It looks like Fraction did more than just offer the inspiration, but revealed in an interview with The Ringer that he was also part of the production as a consulting producer.

    I am, I think, credited as consulting producer, though, I’d have to check with my agent and probably just read the credits, but it’s the best because I get to take all the credit. And I get to cast glory and David and Annie and hope none of the blame. I read scripts and offered thoughts. And that was in sort of throughout the process.

    Matt Fraction

    In the same interview, he revealed that he also was supposed to play a member of the Tracksuit Mafia during production, but it ended up getting cut due to the pandemic making things a bit difficult.

    I was supposed to be a tracksuit. It was gonna fit, but between COVID, [this] was before shots were really happening and my immunocompromised mother lives with us and traveling was kind of a thing. And we got a pandemic puppy. So between quite feeling cool to travel and a puppy, I didn’t get to be a tracksuit. So I was this close to being a tracksuit. Other than that consultant producer.

    Matt Fraction

    [UPDATING]

    Source: The Ringer

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Releasing 2 Days Earlier in the UK

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Releasing 2 Days Earlier in the UK

    It looks like UK viewers are in luck, as Digital Spy has confirmed that the next Sony-Marvel Studios collaboration will hit UK theaters early. Spider-Man: No Way Home is going to release on Wednesday, December 15th while the US and other territories are still scheduled for a December 17th release. The announcement comes at a perfect time, as we’re about to get a second trailer tomorrow that’ll be revealed in a fan event. It’s uncertain what exactly we can expect and when it might find its way online, but there is hope we get an announcement sometime today.

    It’s not uncommon for a Marvel film to release early in the UK or even Europe. There’s no word if this will also expand to other European countries, but it’s not uncommon in these countries to have an early preview on Wednesdays. Austria generally has early blockbuster releases on Wednesday to better split viewership over a few days, especially with fan screenings. They even timed the release of Avengers: Endgame that Infinity War ended on midnight of the US release to start the film. So, it’s not too uncommon but great to see it openly confirmed by Sony.

    Source: Digital Spy

  • Rumor: Marvel Studios Developing ‘Daredevil’ Solo Project

    Rumor: Marvel Studios Developing ‘Daredevil’ Solo Project

    With Charlie Cox’s return to the role of Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home just over a month away, a leaked casting grid seems to indicate that Marvel Studios is in the earliest stages of developing a solo project for the character.

    The grid, shown above, gives no additional information about the potential project but is in line with early grids for other projects. Cox, who is also rumored for a multi-episode arc in 2022’s Marvel Studios’ streaming series She-Hulk, has denied any knowledge about a potential return, but has been a little more forthcoming in recent weeks about what he’d like to see if he were to return as Murdock/Daredevil, saying he’d like to see a “reimagined, upgraded version of the character” in any potential revival/reboot.

    With rumors also pointing to Vincent D’Onofrio returning soon as Wilson Fisk in the Marvel Studios’ streaming series Hawkeye, fans are both thrilled and left to debate if these characters will pick up where they left off in the Netflix series or if we’ll be getting all-new, all-different versions of the characters with the same actors. In the cases of Cox and D’Onofrio, it’s hard to imagine replacing one without the other given the depth of the onscreen dynamic they developed over the 3 season of Netflix’s Daredevil. D’Onofrio recently indicated that if he were to return in the role, he’d want to eventually take on Spider-Man, giving fans hope that they might see the Kingpin, who debuted as a Spidey villain, return to his comic book roots.

    Unfortunately, the leaked screenshot doesn’t indicate if the Daredevil project is a film or intended for Disney Plus, nor does it give any timeline as to when we might expect it. With so many projects already in development, it might be a while before we get any concrete updates on this one. In the meantime, we can all start imagining what that upgraded version of the character might look like.

  • Sylvester Stallone Shares First Look at Upgraded ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Costume

    Sylvester Stallone Shares First Look at Upgraded ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Costume

    Update: Stallone has since deleted the Instagram post.

    Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone is becoming something of a frequent collaborator with director James Gunn. The actor recently starred as the voice of King Shark in Gunn’s soft reboot of the Suicide Squad franchise, and now he’s excitedly sharing first looks from the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It was revealed not that long ago by Stallone himself that the former Tango & Cash star would be reprising his role as Stakar Ogord for the film, a character he originated in the second film of the Guardians series. Now, the actor has provided fans with a look at his new costume:

    While it could just be a trick of the lighting, it would seem as though Stallone’s new outfit is brighter in color than his previous attire. His character, Ogord, was introduced in Vol. 2 as a leading member of the Ravagers and an old crew mate of Michael Rooker‘s Yondu. He was last seen reforming his old team in one of the movie’s many post-credits scenes, which consisted of big names like Ving Rhames, Miley Cyrus, and Shang-Chi‘s Michelle Yeoh. In the comics, Ogord is a powerful member of the Guardians known as Starhawk. He possesses numerous amazing abilities, such as flight, energy manipulation, and precognition. It remains to be seen if any of this will make it to the MCU’s live-action take on Stakar, or if the complicated hero will fall into the group of cosmic beings slightly de-powered for the sake of the Guardians story.

    Source: Instagram

  • Vincent D’Onofrio Wants Kingpin to Square Up with Spider-Man in the MCU

    Vincent D’Onofrio Wants Kingpin to Square Up with Spider-Man in the MCU

    Vincent D’Onofrio’s work as Wilson Fisk on the Netflix streaming series Daredevil is held in the highest of regards by Marvel fans, with many believing his Kingpin sits firmly within the top tier of modern live-action Marvel villains. Rumors of D’Onofrio’s return to the role have been rampant for months and with Hawkeye, the project at the center of those rumors, set to stream soon, fans are becoming anxious to see if the Emmy-nominated actor will indeed reprise the role in the MCU.

    D’Onofrio recently talked with Jake’s Takes and when asked what Marvel hero he’d like to see Fisk go toe-to-toe with should he return to the role, the actor had a reply at the ready saying, “it definitely has to be Spider-Man. One day…I’m hoping. We’ll see if they ask me to do it.” Obviously a well-read man, D’Onofrio continued, “Kingpin lived in a world of Punisher, Daredevil and Spider-Man so that would be the one.” Fisk, of course, debuted in 1967 in issue #50 of The Amazing Spider-Man. Over the years and especially at the hands of Frank Miller, the character evolved from a stereotypical crime lord into the monstrous threat and the archenemy of Daredevil.

    It’s those connections to the Daredevil comics, specifically to the character of Maya Lopez/Echo, that have fans on (king)pins and needles as to whether D’Onofrio will return as Fisk in Hawkeye. In the comics, Fisk raised Lopez as his own daughter after killing her father. With the character of Lopez, played by Alaqua Cox, getting her own spinoff series, sentiment is growing that Fisk MUST play a part in her life and that D’Onofrio is the man for the job.

    Watch the entire video interview below and watch D’Onofrio reprise the role of Kingpin (hopefully) in Hawkeye, which begins streaming on Disney Plus with a 2-episode premiere on November 24th.