Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • ‘ETERNALS’ Confirmed for Exclusive Theatrical Release

    ‘ETERNALS’ Confirmed for Exclusive Theatrical Release

    The Eternals is taking a cue from Shang-Chi.

    As COVID-19 numbers continue to spike, movie studios have opted to use a hybrid release method. Such has been the case with films like Black Widow and The Suicide Squad, two of the bigger blockbusters released this year. Which is why it was surprising Marvel Studios decided to change things up for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Unlike Black Widow, Marvel made Shang-Chi an exclusive theatrical release.

    With Shang-Chi hitting theaters, all eyes were on the film’s box office performance to determine how Disney would proceed with The Eternals. So, it’s not surprising that since Shang-Chi has beaten expectations, Marvel Studios and Disney will move ahead with its planned exclusive 45-day theatrical release for The Eternals. Matthew Belloni, formerly of The Hollywood Reporter, was able to confirm the news on Twitter.

    The news comes as reports recently stated Disney had three weeks to decide on how to proceed with the movie’s release. It was suggested a hybrid release was being considered for The Eternals. To decide to forgo a hybrid release, the studio seems to have considered Shang-Chi’s box office performance.

    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has already crossed $100 million at the domestic box office. The film surpassed expectations and pulled in $94.4 million over the Labor Day weekend, earning a new record in the process.

    CONTINUE READING: Fala Chen Talks Tony Leung and Being the Heart of ‘SHANG-CHI’

  • First Full Look at Thor Released for ‘GOD OF WAR: RAGNAROK’

    First Full Look at Thor Released for ‘GOD OF WAR: RAGNAROK’

    PlayStation Showcase gave us quite a few great reveals. Spider-Man 2 got its first tease alongside a brand new Wolverine game. Among them was the first look at the long-awaited God of War sequel subtitled Ragnarok. Not only did we get the confirmation for the title, but also an extensive look at what the game has to offer. It even included the reveal for the Norse God of War Tyr. Sadly, the trailer only gave us a small hint at Thor with the scene we witnessed at the end of the first game. Luckily, the game’s character designer Raf Grassetti took to Twitter to share the first full look at Thor and he certainly is different from the version we’ve grown accustomed to from Marvel Studios‘ take on the mythology.

    We’ve gotten glimpses of the mighty Thor throughout the first game. The mighty monster that took down the giants of Jotunheim. Statues were built in his honor showing the might of the thunder god. It isn’t until a small post-credit sequence that he finally makes his arrival. Yet, we never get a full look at him. We only get the tiny glimmer of his iconic hammer. It looks like he’ll have quite a gut in the game once we get to face him.

    It’s also our first confirmation that Ryan Hurst will voice Thor in Ragnarok. The actor is well-known for his work on The Walking Dead, Bosch, and Sons of Anarchy. One of the first game’s strengths was the voice performances that brought these characters to life. Jeremy Davies‘ Baldur will be a tough act to beat but Santa Monica Studios has quite a track record of finding incredible talent to bring their characters to life.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC’ Remake Heading to PlayStation 5

    ‘STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC’ Remake Heading to PlayStation 5

    There have been many rumors surrounding the grand return of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Today’s PlayStation Showcase finally gave us a tease of the infamous sith from the game alongside the confirmation it is heading to PlayStation 5. Developer Aspyr is working on the project and there’s no current release date set.

    It’ll explore the original story set 4,000 years before the original trilogy. The original reinvented the way we looked at the iconic franchise as we saw the time when the Jedi and Sitz were at their pinnacle. The PlayStation blog entry on the release confirmed that they will rebuild modern tech, features, and visuals to bring the iconic franchise back to life.

    They will maintain the story and characters that many came to love. As they didn’t showcase any gameplay, it’ll be interesting to see if any corners are cut to make the original RPG more cinematic. It’s not going to be an easy feat and the lack of release date might mean we’ll still have to wait sometime until it finds its way unto the PlayStation 5.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘CANDYMAN’s Tony Todd Voicing Venom in Insomniac’s ‘SPIDER-MAN 2’

    ‘CANDYMAN’s Tony Todd Voicing Venom in Insomniac’s ‘SPIDER-MAN 2’

    PlayStation’s latest showcase finally unveiled Insomniac’s sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man. It gave us our first look at Venom and even teased the appearance of another villain, whose monologue could hint at Kraven the Hunter’s inclusion. In an official PlayStation blog, the developers also revealed that the voice we heard in the trailer was the original Candyman, Tony Todd voicing the symbiote.

    Image

    It’s the first official casting we have for the game, but there was no word on who was the second voice before we get our glimpse at Venom. Still, Todd is an incredible choice who is famous for lending his unique vocal performance to a variety of evil characters. He famously played the evil version of The Flash in the CW’s second season, which was one of the few highlights.

    As the game won’t release until 2023, we might not get any more updates on it until the next year, but it’s promising to know more is heading our way. The game will act as a sequel to both the 2018 original and its spin-off, or rather midquel, Spider-Man: Miles Morales. There’s no word what other villains will join, but the first gave us the Sinister Six and they might try to top it with the next entry.

    Source: PlayStation

  • First Look at Venom and 2023 Release Confirmed for Insomniac’s ‘Spider-Man 2’

    First Look at Venom and 2023 Release Confirmed for Insomniac’s ‘Spider-Man 2’

    It’s been a long wait but we finally got our first look at the Spider-Man sequel. Right after they revealed our first look at a new Wolverine game, they dropped a teaser trailer for Spider-Man 2. It’ll release 2023 and it also includes our first look at Venom in the trailer.

    The trailer starts off quite simple with both Spider-Men taking on some goons. Yet, the curious voice-over hints at someone finally finding a foe they’ve always wanted to face. It seems very likely this is Kraven the Hunter. It fits his usual story of seeking the ultimate hunt and he also seems to have an accent, which might mean they’ll stick to his Russian origin.

    Overall, the Venom reveal is great. They’ve teased his future in the franchise in both the 2018 Spider-Man game and Miles Morales. It’s quite surprising to get a full face reveal for the character rather than teasing it purely through the voice. Still, it’s a great surprise, and the 2023 release date was one of the few in the entire showcase. So, the wait won’t be too long luckily unlike other projects.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘SPIDER-MAN’s Insomniac Working on ‘WOLVERINE’ Game

    ‘SPIDER-MAN’s Insomniac Working on ‘WOLVERINE’ Game

    During the PlayStation Showcase, we got the reveal that Insomniac, famous for their work on Spider-Man and Ratchet and Clank, is working on a new Marvel game. No, it’s not the long-awaited sequel to Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but a new game focused on the popular X-Men character, Wolverine.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iTjgmp3SnA

    It’s a huge surprise, as it may also be the beginning of Insomniac expanding into new territory. The trailer doesn’t give us much insight into gameplay, but they might take some inspiration from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which took a very unique hack-and-slash approach. His healing factor might also add a curious gameplay mechanic that’ll make some encounters quite challenging.

    Insomniac expanding their Marvel repertoire shows the trust in the developer by both Sony and Marvel. Who knows if they might also try to venture out with other iconic characters. They’ll still venture out with other entries, such as Marvel’s Avengers, the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy game, and many more. Still, Sony went out of its way to make an exclusive deal for Spider-Man to only be playable on that console. Who knows what else they might be working on moving forward.

    Source: YouTube

  • Chloé Zhao Reveals How Denis Villeneuve’s Films Influenced ‘ETERNALS’

    Chloé Zhao Reveals How Denis Villeneuve’s Films Influenced ‘ETERNALS’

    Chloé Zhao and Denis Villeneuve participated in an interview for Harper’s BAZAAR to discuss the power of the cinematic experience and their worries with the changes in the industry. They both made no secret of the fact that they appreciated each other’s work, gaining a lot of inspiration from each other.

    Villeneuve is well known for his love of the cinematic experience and as he has repeatedly stated that the big screen is part of its language. In this interview, the Canadian director did not hide his support for IMAX, which according to him increases the feeling of intimacy with the characters. Chloé Zhao, whose previous film Nomadland was also screened in IMAX, also shares in that belief. She goes on to say that while pitching Eternals, she used stills from his films. She also mentioned that she has always appreciated creators who have a strong hand in world-building:

    Oh, my gosh. Okay, well, I would like to apply for a job on your set to be your assistant. You know, when I went to pitch Eternals, I had stills from your films as references. I’m naturally drawn to filmmakers who have a very strong hand in world building. When I watch your films, even though they’re of different genres, from Sicario to Arrival to Prisoners and then Blade Runner 2049, you managed to build such visceral worlds I can feel and almost touch.

    Chloé Zhao
    Marvel Studios’ Eternals

    If you look at the filmography of both directors, you will conclude that they both come from similar filmmaking backgrounds. Both have roots in non-fiction cinema, where they focus on reflective and intimate experiences with their characters. In both of them, one can notice the influence of direct cinema, which has been later successfully incorporated into mainstream cinema.

    Although the premiere of Eternals is still ahead of us, promotional materials tease some visual inspirations taken from Denis‘ works. Among others, the Eternals’ ship with its brutalist and austere shape, embedded in the natural landscape, brings to mind the monumental Heptapod ship in a similar aesthetic from Villeneuve‘s Arrival.

    Source: Harper’s Bazaar

  • Bobby Lee Was Almost Cast in ‘SHANG-CHI’

    Bobby Lee Was Almost Cast in ‘SHANG-CHI’

    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is tearing up box offices everywhere. For the many talented people involved, the film is a vehicle that’ll propel their names to the forefront of the mainstream. Comedian Bobby Lee was almost one of those people, as he revealed the missed opportunity in jest in his latest podcast. According to the Slept King:

    I auditioned for it. Ronny Chieng beat me out and he always beats me out. I refuse to watch it, especially when they said, “Your audition was great! They loved it!” But thanks for the opportunity [laughs].

    Now, the Slept King really didn’t miss out on a sizeable role as Ronny Chieng‘s role as the fight club announcer and middleman was only for a few scenes. That being said, it would have been nice to see the MadTV comedian in that brief appearance.

    This isn’t the first time Bobby Lee has orbited around a comic book film, having previously auditioned for Randall Park‘s role in the first Aquaman film. His next big appearance is in the upcoming Borderlands film so maybe after that, he can finally snag a cool comic book role.

    Source: Tiger Belly

  • The Hardest Thing About Making ‘WHAT IF…?’

    The Hardest Thing About Making ‘WHAT IF…?’

    Making a Marvel Studios property seems hard on so many levels and an animated show like What If…?, done in the vein of the big MCU films, looks like an impossible feat to accomplish. But the people behind the show do the seemingly impossible and pull off thrilling episodes on a weekly basis.

    In an interview we did with Animation Supervisor Stephan Franck, he shared with us what the toughest part of making What If…? is.

    There are different angles that we try to be mindful of. One of them is the continuity of these characters. Their vibe is well established in the movies and we really try to honor that in these new incarnations of the characters. Connecting to that is very important. Who’s a smartass? Who’s more earnest? Who’s more deadpan? All that stuff.

    Keeping characterization is one thing but making sure the action lives up to the million-dollar action sequences of Avengers: Infinity War or Captain America: The Winter Soldier is another thing. Franck notes that action is something they hone in on.

    We try to be very specific with the action. As you mentioned, the action is crazy and intense. The fighting styles are very specific. Those are things we always look out for making this show.

  • All We Know About ‘THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS’ So Far

    All We Know About ‘THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS’ So Far

    The Matrix Resurrections is the upcoming fourth feature film in the Matrix movie series and after a long wait, the first trailer finally dropped. The franchise has gone beyond its initial trilogy. It has given us an animated anthology film in The Animatrix, comics, and video games to tie us over to this day. 1999’s The Matrix is still, to this day, one of the most influential movies ever made. It still holds up thematically and in terms of pure movie-making prowess, but after both sequels didn’t manage to resonate as much with audiences there never seemed to be much certainty surrounding an eventual return to the world created by the Wachowskis.

    In 2017, almost fifteen years after The Matrix Revolutions premiered, it got reported that a relaunch was in development at Warner Bros. At the time neither of the Wachowskis, who directed the trilogy, was attached to the project. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019, following the official announcement that the studio had greenlit a sequel, that Lana Wachowski was confirmed to be returning as writer and director. This time she was returning without her sister Lilly Wachowski by her side. It also got reported that Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss would be reprising their iconic roles as Neo and Trinity.

    In the following months, the cast grew significantly, with the additions of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman, Watchmen), Jessica Henwick (Iron Fist, Game of Thrones, Love and Monsters), Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Christina Ricci (The Addams Family, Monster). As for other returning actors, Jada Pinkett Smith and Lambert Wilson signed on to the project meaning Niobe and The Merovingian will also return.

    Principal photography began in February 2020 in San Francisco, before moving to Chicago and Berlin, Germany. While filming in California, it shared the city as a stage with both Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Venom: Let There be Carnage, before moving to the studios in Germany, where Uncharted was also filming. Production wrapped in November 2020, around the same time the project’s final release date was settled with the studio eyeing a December 2021 release date. It took another nine months for the title to be confirmed as The Matrix Resurrections in August 2021, after some leaks already hinted at it for some time.

    The first footage was privately shown at Cinemacon before the trailer announcement on September 7 giving us a few glimpses of the full trailer that finally dropped. You can check it out right here:

    https://twitter.com/TheMatrixMovie/status/1435951131071500296?

    Source: Variety, SFGATE, Deadline, The Verge