Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Surprise Marvel Animation Series Slips into 2025

    Surprise Marvel Animation Series Slips into 2025

    In March 2023, rumors began to swirl that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s Proximity Media production company had begun developing an animated series for Marvel Studios. As Marvel Studios revamped their streaming slate and skipped out on SDCC ’23, the series, said at the time to be referred to as The Golden City, remained nothing but a rumor. However at a press event for Season 2 of What If…? held at the Walt Disney Studios Lot in December 2023, head of streaming, television and animation for Marvel Studios, Brad Winderbaum, revealed that the new series, titled Eyes of Wakanda, was set for a 2024 release on Disney Plus.

    Directed by Todd Harris, the series will follow “brave warriors” known as War Dogs, who “throughout Wakandan history have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts.” Eyes of Wakanda, Winderbaum revealed, “fits right into our sacred MCU timeline continuity,” making it MCU canon. A leaked description of one episode of the series revealed that it would introduce an Iron Fist named Janora, an original character created just for the show, who would be working with a Wakanda named Basha. In 2022, we first shared information that indicated the studio was developing an animated series that would feature a character named “Jin”, described as a “Chinese warrior” and “perhaps the best-trained martial artist in the world.” According to that information, “Jin’s” story kicks off when another character named “Bosco” steals one of the series’ MacGuffin artifacts. Connect the dots and it sounds like Basha may head to K’un Lun to retrieve some type of Vibranium artifact and then find himself at odds with Janora.

    Despite being developed mostly in secret, Eyes of Wakanda quickly became a hot topic of discussion among fans but as 2024 went on with no word of a premiere date, concern over the project grew. Fans can rest easy now, however, as an update to Disney’s All Access page revealed that the series is now part of Marvel Studios’ 2025 slate with an expected release date of August 6th.

    Throughout Wakandan history, brave warriors have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts. This is their story.

    -Official Synopsis, Eyes of Wakanda

    As seen in Black Panther, the history of Wakanda stretches back to 28,000 B.C. though the meteorite that brought Vibranium to Africa and the Atlantic Ocean fell from the sky much earlier in 2,500,000 B.C.. This provides Marvel Studios the opportunity to use the series, which consists of 4, 30-minute episodes, an opportunity to redefine its Sacred Timeline by telling stories whose primary settings predate any seen to date in the MCU.

  • First Logo, Tentative Release Date Revealed for Marvel Television’s ‘Wonder Man’

    First Logo, Tentative Release Date Revealed for Marvel Television’s ‘Wonder Man’

    A dozen years after The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron director Joss Whedon dismissed the character, Simon Williams’s time in the (Marvel) spotlight is almost here. Revealed to be in development in the summer of 2022, Marvel Studios Wonder Man streaming series has been shrouded so heavily in mystery that some fans have questioned its existence. Developed for Disney Plus by Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man 4 director Destin Daniel Cretton and Brooklyn Nine-Nine writer Andrew Guest, the streaming series has never been included in any of Marvel Studios’ head honcho Kevin Feige’s convention presentations despite originally being slated for a late-2023 release.

    Pretty much everyone but Wonder Man. I never did figure out what he was for.

    -Joss Whedon on which Avengers he’d like to add to the roster of a sequel to 2012’s The Avengers

    In early 2023, Marvel exec Stephen Broussard confirmed the series’ development, saying, “Destin is doing a television show for us called Wonder Man,” before joking that, “I think that’s out there in the world.”With Yaha Abdul-Mateen II set to lead the series as the eponymous character, Wonder Man began principal photography in Los Angeles in the spring of 2023 with Just Mercy director of photography Brett Pawlak charged with crafting its aesthetic. However, as the Hollywood writers’ strike grew, Marvel Studios was forced to halt production on the series. Following the timeout, which saw some Marvel Studios rethink their approach to streaming series, production resumed on Wonder Man under the Marvel Spotlight banner and then quietly wrapped with no word from the studio on when it may see the light of day. Now it seems as though the studio might have some idea of when it’ll be Simon Williams’ turn to shine.

    As per the Disney All Acess for the project, Wonder Man is tentatively scheduled to stream on Disney Plus in December 2025.
    wonder man series

    Based on the character of Wonder Man, one of Marvel’s oldest characters, first introduced in 1964 in the pages of Avengers No 9. Known as Simon Williams, a celebrity actor and stuntman. In a nutshell, it is a story of two actors struggling to make it in the Hollywood of the MCU, [asking] the big question what does Hollywood look like in a world where super heroes are real?

    –Reported logline for Marvel Television’s Wonder Man

    Given Marvel Studios’ current plan to slow the development and release of Marvel Television’s streaming series, a 2025 release for Wonder Man is a pleasant surprise. With Daredevil: Born Again debuting on D+ on March 4, 2025 and Ironheart expected later in the year, Wonder Man, which was expected by many to kick off the streamer’s 2026 slate, would become the third streaming series of the year.

    [Wonder Man will] be definitely influenced by the comics. One of the things that we’re excited about it is that it’s going to feel very unique. It’s not going to feel like anything you’ve quite seen in the MCU before. And the kind of stories we can tell on Disney+, which has been fun. Like streaming, serialized storytelling is a totally different muscle. So, we’re having a blast making that one.

    –Marvel Parliament member Stephen Broussard

    In addition to Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder Man will also see Ben Kingsley return as Trevor Slattery and feature Demetrius Grosse as Eric Williams, the villainous Grim Reaper and the brother of Simon. Ed Harris, Josh Gad, Lauren Glazier and Werner Herzog were also reportedly added to the cast of the series which is being helmed by a team of directors including Stella Meghie and James Ponsoldt.

  • ‘Blade’: New Report Details Marvel Studios’ Latest Plans for the Daywalker

    ‘Blade’: New Report Details Marvel Studios’ Latest Plans for the Daywalker

    For those able to read between the lines, the recently announced decision by Marvel Studios to remove Blade from its 2025 theatrical lineup wasn’t much of a surprise. Production on the film has been delayed multiple times beginning with the decision of original director Bassam Tariq to leave the film in 2022. At least five different writers have taken a turn on the script after original scribe Stacey Osei-Koffour parted ways with the project with Marvel Studios’ vet Eric Pearson (Black Widow, Thunderbolts*) having most recently penned a draft. Without a director since Tariq’s replacement, Yann Demange, bailed in June 2024, there was simply no way Blade was making it in front of cameras this year.

    However, further extrapolation of the latest news could also lead one to believe that while Blade was not going to be ready for its November 7, 2025 release date, the studio had not abandoned the project. In fact, the lack of recent movement on any other Marvel Studios films was rather an indicator that Kevin Feige and the Parliament (didn’t they chart in the ’60s?) still hoped to get Blade up and running as soon as possible, potentially with an eye on making it into theaters on February 13, 2026. Now, a new report from a reliable Marvel Studios insider gives some credence to that possibility.

    As Marvel Studios focuses on finalizing its 2026 theatrical slate, Daniel RPK has reported that work continues on a new script for Blade with an eye on principal photography getting underway in the UK next year.
    blade update

    Though the new report does not indicate whether Pearson is still on board the project, RPK also reports that the studio is still developing Blade as a dark, R-rated film, although now with a smaller, more reasonable budget than some of its previous projects.

    As the studio heads down the home stretch of the Multiverse Saga, tentatively slotting Blade into the first open 2026 release date would leave the powers that be at Marvel with just one more film to pull together and have in theaters on November 6, 2026. Even if Blade continues to face challenges in its development, Marvel could easily vacate the February 13th date and choose to either move it to one of Disney’s four open dates that year or shoot for a November 2026 release and bump whatever unknown project they have slotted in for that date into early 2027, ahead of Avengers: Secret Wars. Whatever the case, it seems as though fans shouldn’t put a stake in the heart of their hopes to see Mahershala Ali‘s Daywalker just yet.

  • Marvel Studios Adds Two Projects to Its 2026 Slate

    Marvel Studios Adds Two Projects to Its 2026 Slate

    Coming out of the 2024 summer convention circuit, Marvel Studios’ plans for 2026 were almost a complete mystery. Short of Avengers: Doomsday being slotted in for a May 1st release, the studio’s schedule was mostly the subject of speculation. However, over the course of a few hours, that’s all changed as a pair of projects have been tabbed by the trades as having been slated for release in 2026.

    Shortly after the news that Sony set Spider-Man 4 for a July 24th release, a trade report indicated that another Avenger is set to join the fray with a solo project in 2026. According to THR, Paul Bettany‘s untitled Vision streaming series is “reportedly set to arrive on Disney + in 2026.”

    While at the premiere of his new film Here, Bettany was asked about the Vision series, which will see him return to the role for the first time since 2021’s WandaVision. “We’re cooking up something that I’m really excited about,” said Bettany before adding that “snitches end up in ditches” and refusing further comment.

    Marvel’s 2026 Theatrical Slate

    As it stands, there will be four MCU-set films in theaters in 2026. However, at this time only Avengers: Doomsday and the Untitled Sony/Marvel Studios Spidey collaboration have been identified. Marvel Studios still has stakes placed in the ground on February 13th and November 6th although it’s unclear what projects will occupy those dates.

    Our most recent best guess was that the studio would continue to try to have Blade ready to get in front of cameras early in 2025 and in theaters for February 2026. That said, it’s easy for Disney to continue to kick that can down the road until the project is ready and eventually choose another date.

    • February 13, 2026 (Untitled Marvel Studios)
    • May 1, 2026 (Avengers: Doomsday)
    • July 24, 2026 (Untitled Sony/Marvel Studios Spider-Man sequel)
    • November 6, 2026 (Untitled Marvel Studios)

    Marvel’s 2026 Streaming Slate

    Since debuting on the streaming service in 2021 with WandaVision, Marvel Studios has been notoriously stingy with details about release dates for Disney Plus projects. At this time, the only known release date for an upcoming project is Daredevil: Born Again‘s planned March 4, 2025 premiere which was just revealed. Ironheart, which has been in the can for some time, is expected to join Born Again on the 2025 release slate though Disney has not officially confirmed a release window. Keeping all that in mind, it’s hardly surprising that there’s no official word about what projects will stream in 2026 but it’s not incredibly difficult to take some educated guesses.

    Though it has yet to be included in any of Marvel Studios’ presentations, Wonder Man completed production some time ago and with the studio slowing the rate at which its streaming series release, it’s likely to be the first live-action series on Disney Plus in 2026. With Bettany confirming that production on Vision is set to get underway next year (earlier reports have indicated that it should kick off in the UK in July) it’s possible it will be ready for release in late 2026.

    • First half of 2026 (Wonder Man)
    • Second half of 2026 (Untitled Vision series)

    Obviously this does not include any of a number of animated series being developed at the studio. In the case of those projects, any sort of predictions feel unsafe given that two series set for release by Disney in 2024 are apparently no longer on the docket.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Spider-Man 4’: Sony Finally Sets a Date for Tom Holland’s Next Outing as the Web-Slinger

    ‘Spider-Man 4’: Sony Finally Sets a Date for Tom Holland’s Next Outing as the Web-Slinger

    Reading between the lines of multiple moves and announcements that have been made over the past several months, it was clear that Sony was planning to leverage the buzz around the release of Venom: The Last Dance to update their plans for the next installment in the MCU-set Spider-Man franchise. And that is exactly what they did.

    According to THR’s Aaron Couch, Sony has finally set a date for Spider-Man 4, scheduling it for a July 24, 2026 release.

    During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Holland confirmed plans to film the sequel in the summer of 2025 driving speculation that the film would be in theaters in the summer of 2026, following Avengers: Doomsday, another MCU film in which Holland is expected to play a major role. The currently untitled fourth film in the Spidey franchise will be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who was previously on board to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty which ultimately morphed into Doomsday.

    Updating…

  • Lucasfilm’s Daisy Risley-Led ‘New Jedi Order’ Project Gets Worrying Update

    Lucasfilm’s Daisy Risley-Led ‘New Jedi Order’ Project Gets Worrying Update

    One of three new films announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023, Lucasfilm’s untitled New Jedi Order movie will feature Daisy Ridley’s return to the Star Wars universe as Rey. Set 15 years after the events of Episode IX-The Rise of Skywalker, the project will tell “the story of rebuilding the New Jedi Order and the powers that rise to tear it down.”

    The project was originally developed by Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson, both of whom left the project shortly before it was officially announced. In March 2023, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight took over scripting duties with an eye on having the film in theaters in 2026. Now fans may find themselves having bad feelings about that possibility.

    A pair of new reports revealed that Knight has left the project, leaving Lucasfilm searching for a third writer. According to Variety, as a result, production will be delayed until “well into” 2025 at the earliest, casting doubt on a potential 2026 theatrical release. The studio has already begun the search for a new writer for the film which will still be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

    Though no release date for the New Jedi Order film was ever provided by Disney, it was believed that Lucasfilm had planned to launch the Star Wars franchise’s return to theaters with the film. While those plans changed with the announcement that The Mandalorian and Grogu would lead off the studio’s new theatrical era on May 22, 2026, it was believed that the untitled Ridley project was intended for release on December  18, 2026.

    Sources: Variety, Puck News

  • ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ Production Timeline Revealed

    ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ Production Timeline Revealed

    Through the many twists and turns that have popped up on the way through the Multiverse Saga, the endpoint has remained the same. While the release date may have changed, Avengers: Secret Wars has been the North Star for Marvel Studios as they continue to navigate what has been an ever-changing path toward it.

    Stephen McFeely is writing the script. We are right in the middle of the writing process. We’ve always worked very closely with Markus and McFeely through all the work that we’ve done together. It’s a little bit like getting back on a bike. We have a really codified process that we all work together through… It’s very complicated to iron out a story of this scale.

    -Joe Russo

    After originally being developed by Michael Waldron, Avengers: Secret Wars is now being written by MCU vet Stephen McFeely who is working with Anthony and Joe Russo on both that film and Avengers: Doomsday. In a recent interview, Joe Russo revealed that while the scripts for both films were still being written, the studio was planning to kick off production on Doomsday in the spring of 2025. Additionally, Russo indicated that unlike the shooting schedule for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Doomsday and Secret Wars would not be filmee back-to-back. Now a reliable insider has shared the tentative status of production date for the Multiverse Saga finale.

    According to Daniel RPK, Avengers: Secret Wars is expected to begin filming in the UK in the Spring of 2026.

    The report lines up nicely with comments from the directing duo about their plans for the two films. “It’ll be similar [to the process of filming Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame], but we’ll have a larger break in between the two movies than we did,” said Joe Russo before asking his brother, Anthony for clarification “I think it was four weeks maybe? Was it four weeks between Infinity War and Endgame?“. Anthony then confirmed that they do not plan to film the two projects back-to-back, indicating that they may have “a year or so” of separation.

    These are gonna be very, very big movies with a lot of characters in them and a lot of story lines coalescing. We’re really happy with how they’re coming together right now.

    -Joe Russo

    Given the moves made by Marvel Studios to redirect the Multiverse Saga, giving the brothers Russo more time to get each project right can only be a good thing. As the Infinity Saga proved, all anyone will remember is how it ended.

  • ‘Spider-Man 4’: Tom Holland Confirms Production Plans; Summer 2026 Release Likely

    ‘Spider-Man 4’: Tom Holland Confirms Production Plans; Summer 2026 Release Likely

    With Venom: The Last Dance opening in theaters and no word on another installment in Sony’s MCU-set Spider-Man franchise, it was increasingly likely that the studio would add to the buzz around Venom’s release by addressing its plans for Spider-Man 4. And with just a couple of days remaining before Tom Hardy‘s last go around as the lethal protector, Tom Holland did indeed let the cat out of the bag.

    During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Holland confirmed plans to film the sequel in the summer of  2025. Should Marvel Studios stick to that schedule, it is likely that Sony will release the film in the summer of 2026 with the July 24th date recently abandoned by Marvel Studios being likely.

    When asked by Fallon if he could confirm that he would be back as Spider-Man in Spider-Man 4, Holland played to the crowd a bit before saying,”It’s happening.” The star went to reveal a start date for the project, confirming recent reports. “Next summer, we start shooting. Everything’s good to go – we’re nearly there. Super exciting. Yeah, I can’t wait!“

    Holland didn’t give anything more away but it is likely that Spider-Man 4 will join Avengers: Doomsday as MCU-set films releasing in 2026. Marvel Studios has an additional two dates set aside for currently untitled films.

    Holland recently updated the status of the script for Spider-Man 4, saying he read a draft that “really lit a fire in me” while cautioning that there were “a few things we need to figure out before we can get that going.” In the same interview, the star expressed interest in eventually helping bring Miles Morales into the MCU, sparking buzz that the hero may make his live-action debut in Spider-Man 4. Despite plenty of rumors about the plot of the film, nothing has been officially revealed making Miles Morales just as likely to appear as Daredevil, Eddie Brock, The King in Black or Shang-Chi.

  • Marvel Studios Finalizes Its 2025 Theatrical Release Slate

    Marvel Studios Finalizes Its 2025 Theatrical Release Slate

    Following Marvel Studios’ Hall H presentation at 2022’s San Diego Comic-Con, 2025 was poised to be the most consequential year for any studio in the history of motion pictures. The studio’s One Above All, Kevin Feige, revealed an incredibly ambitious release schedule that included five streaming series and four films including Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. By October, the 2025 slate had already begun to change in the first of a series of cascading moves by the studio that have continued over the past two years. For myriad reasons, projects have shuffled in, out and around in 2025 leaving fans uncertain of what to expect even as time runs out on 2024.

    Avengers: Secret Wars was the first casualty, originally being moved to 2026 and then again to 2027. The Fantastic Four was moved from 2024 into 2025 and then moved later into 2025. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, originally scheduled for a May 2, 2025 release was moved into 2026 before being scrapped and reimagined as Avengers: Doomsday. And after a semi-disastrous 2023 for Marvel Studios, a Disney-mandated cutback on streaming series jettisoned the plans to have new episodes of MCU-set series releasing nearly year-round. Now, as the studio seems to be settling in following some rethinking, rescheduling and rebranding, the 2025 theatrical release slate has come into focus.

    Following the removal of Blade from its November 7, 2025 release date, Marvel Studios’ 2025 theatrical slate now consists of Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

    Captain America: Brave New World-February 14, 2025

    Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez,
    Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake
    Nelson    , and Harrison Ford.

    After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

    CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Thunderbolts*-May 2, 2025

    Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Edward Pierce, with David Harbour, with Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus

    Marvel Studios and a crew of indie veterans who sold out present “Thunderbolts*,” an irreverent team-up featuring depressed assassin Yelena Belova alongside the MCU’s least anticipated
    band of misfits.

    THUNDERBOLTS*. © 2024 MARVEL.

    The Fantastic Four: First Steps-July 25, 2025

    Marvel Studios The Fantastic Four: First Steps stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Julia Garner, Ralph Ineson, John Malkovich, Paul Walter-Hauser and Natasha Lyonne.

    The Fantastic Four: First Steps sees Galactus and Silver Surfer target Earth for destruction.

    THE FANTASTIC FOUR. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

  • Marvel Studios Officially Extends Its Post-Multiverse Saga Plans

    Marvel Studios Officially Extends Its Post-Multiverse Saga Plans

    With plans for the remainder of the Multiverse Saga likely having coalesced behind the scenes, the powers that be at Marvel Studios have begun to turn their attention to projects set a little further down the road. Though the studio has yet to reveal the titles of the 2026 films that will debut on either side of Avengers: Doomsday, they remain committed to bringing the Multiverse Saga to a close with 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. And while it may be some time before the studio officially reveals the next saga’s main focus, it’s clear they have some ideas about where things are headed.

    With a writer on board for the first MCU-set X-Men film, it’s likely the mutants will be major players in the next saga but they certainly won’t be asked to carry the load alone. It would be hard to imagine that The Fantastic Four’s time in the MCU would come to an end with Secret Wars and there’s no shortage of rumors about projects for characters such as the Scarlet Witch, Hulk and the Young Avengers and there’s no reason to assume more Avengers films won’t be made.

    Whatever the plans, thanks to an official press release, we now know the tentative dates for the first five films of the Post-Multiverse Saga MCU. Disney has added three Untitled Marvel movies to its 2028 release slate which join two previously slated 2027 dates on the calendar for the new saga.

    According to Disney, Marvel Studios has plans to release films on 2/18/28, 5/5/28 and 11/10/28. With the first two post-Secret Wars films already planned for 7/23/27 and 11/5/27, it seems rumors of the death of the MCU may have been premature.