Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ Runtime Revealed

    ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ Runtime Revealed

    It looks like we finally got an inclination on how long the upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be. It seems Cinemark has included the official runtime in its listing of 2 hours and 12 minutes. As such, the film will be the same length as the non-MCU film X-Men: First Class but longer than Doctor Strange by a few minutes. It’s still quite a few minutes shorter than the 2 hours and 14 minutes Black Widow ran in July. Black Panther and The Incredible Hulk are ahead by a minute in runtime.

    The film will follow Simu Liu‘s Shang-Chi, who is forced to return to the Ten Rings organization and face his father’s legacy. We got a glimpse of the confrontation between the two that’ll end up as a tug of war for the right on wielding the ten rings. On the way, it seems he’ll also face some unlikely and familiar foes.

    The runtime seems to be generally on par with most Marvel Studios and overall modern Hollywood films. It’ll be interesting to see how much time we really spend with Shang-Chi’s early childhood and time living in the United States before his past comes back to haunt him. Early trailers teased quite a bit of mythology getting explored in the film.

    It’s crazy to think we’re only a few weeks away from its release, as it originally planned for a February release. Of course, the production also got pushed back due to the pandemic. So, the team had more time to work on it. It got shifted back by a few months when Black Widow took its original July release. Here’s hoping current developments don’t mean that Eternals loses its November release slot.

    Source: Cinemark via Games Radar, Quora

  • Clancy Brown Joins ‘John Wick 4’

    Clancy Brown Joins ‘John Wick 4’

    The cast of John Wick: Chapter 4 just keeps impressing. Deadline is reporting that veteran cool guy Clancy Brown has been added to the cast of the upcoming fourth entry. It’s unknown who the actor will play, but he will join a group that already consists of Donnie Yen, Lance Reddick, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ian McShane, and Rina Sawayama. Of course, Keanu Reeves will return as the titular assassin. The film’s director, Chad Stahelski, provided some commentary on the casting:

    I have been a fan of Clancy Brown’s since I can remember. To have him be a part of this project is an honor. He will make a perfect addition to the World of John Wick!

    Brown is best known for his supporting roles in a long list of films like Starship Troopers, Highlander, and The Shawshank Redemption. However, he’s probably most iconic for his extensive body of voice acting credentials. The character actor is celebrated for his performances as Mr. Krabs on Spongebob Squarepants, Lex Luthor on Superman: The Animated Series, and Savage Opress on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Recently, he voiced Surtur in Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok.

    John Wick: Chapter 4 is set to follow up on a wildly successful action trilogy from Lionsgate. The ending of the last film, Parabellum, saw our hero at the lowest point of his life, but it seems likely the next chapter will show Wick coming back with a vengeance (again). The film was written by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch, and has been filming in multiple countries, such as Japan, Germany, and France.

    Source: Deadline, IMDb

  • REPORT: ‘Andor’ Adds ‘The End of the F***ing World’s Alex Lawther

    REPORT: ‘Andor’ Adds ‘The End of the F***ing World’s Alex Lawther

    Lucasfilm’s Andor series has been quietly moving its production along, and now we finally have a solid update. Alex Lawther has reportedly joined the cast of the Disney Plus series in a supporting role, though the identity of his character and the extent of his role in the story remains unknown. The report comes from The Direct, who adds that Lucasfilm has yet to confirm the news. The British up-and-comer is best known for his leading role in Netflix’s The End of the F***ing World, as well as a one-episode appearance on the smash-hit sci-fi anthology Black Mirror. Lawther could be playing anything from a fellow Rebel spy to an Imperial officer.

    Andor was announced way back in 2018, but several bumps in the road of production have delayed the series to a 2022 release. The show will consist of twelve episodes and will follow the early adventures of Rebel spy Cassian Andor. Introduced in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Andor is portrayed by actor Diego Luna. The series will also star a mixture of old and new faces, such as Genevieve O’Reilly, Forest Whitaker, Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Arjona, and Fiona Shaw. Alan Tudyk was originally announced to be reprising his role as the sassy droid K2-SO, but has since been left out of the project.

    The first three episodes of Andor will be directed by Toby Haynes, replacing former director Tony Gilroy after the latter was forced out of the role by the unexpected global pandemic. Rogue One also famously experienced behind-the-scenes issues, but that movie turned out alright. So there is most likely still hope for Andor.

    Source: The Direct

  • Marvel and DC Faces Controversy as Creators Speak Out on Lack of Compensation

    Marvel and DC Faces Controversy as Creators Speak Out on Lack of Compensation

    Marvel and DC films have been quite a success for the companies involved. Yet, the harsh reality unveils that it hasn’t been too kind for the creators of the characters, we’re seeing on the silver screen. In a very revealing piece by The Guardian, we get insight into how comic creators are facing the harsh restrictions set by frugal companies and their refusal to compensate their creators.

    We get quite a few examples of how contractual wordings are quite the slippery slope. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons created the iconic Watchmen series that became the basis for a popular HBO series. They had a contractual share on merchandise profits, but they simply retitled it “promotional items” and refused to pay out the comic creators.

     

    Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons – Tommy Girard

     

    An anonymous Marvel creator had the following to say after his character’s appearance in the popular film franchise:

    I’ve been offered a [special character contract] that was really, really terrible, but it was that or nothing. And then instead of honouring it, they send a thank you note and are like, ‘Here’s some money we don’t owe you!’ and it’s five grand. And you’re like, ‘The movie made a billion dollars.

    It’s just a small glimpse into how contractual obligations are misconstrued. Harley Quinn’s Jimmy Palmiotti also recommended to lawyer up when you work with a comic book company. They also get a ticket to the premiere alongside the check, but there is no obligation to do so. The reason this practice is the norm is due to how comic creators work for the companies. Marvel seems to be quite infamous for its tight contracts and frugal approach. It’s not too surprising given the rumors surrounding their CEO Isaac Perlmutter.

    Still, it’s terrible to read how these creators of our childhood classics are being treated to this day and, hopefully, this is the necessary wake-up call to make due. If you’re interested in reading the full article on the controversy, you can check it out here.

    Source: The Guardian

  • REPORT: ‘The Batman’ HBO Max Spin-Off’s New Working Title Hints at Arkham Asylum Storyline

    REPORT: ‘The Batman’ HBO Max Spin-Off’s New Working Title Hints at Arkham Asylum Storyline

    The Batman hasn’t even hit theaters yet, and it’s already expanding with a spin-off series in the works. The series is set to air exclusively on HBO Max and follow the Gotham City police department during the Caped Crusaders’ first year on the job. Little is known about the project, as it’s still looking to cast its leads to explore the corruption within Gotham City and its supposed protectors, the GCPD. Yet, it seems it may take a unique direction going by its new working title.

    The Illuminerdi is reporting that the series has the working title “Arkham.” The famous Asylum from DC is sure to get many fan’s attention, and could hint at a large chunk of the story taking place within the walls of the hospital. It seems entirely possible that the series could take place from the perspective of an officer stationed within the Asylum, turning a blind eye to what is really going on. Arkham is notorious for its corruption and houses the absolute worst of the worst that Gotham City can offer.

    The series was previously working under “Gotham Central,” which is a nod to the popular comic by Greg Rucka, but this change could indicate the series will go down a different path. The upcoming spin-off has yet to be officially titled and hasn’t made any movement on casting just yet. Following Terrence Winter’s exit, Joe Barton stepped in to fill the shoes with Showrunner on the series, with Matt Reeves and Dylan Clark serving as producers on the project.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco Reveals Involvement in Animated ‘Super Mario’ Movie

    Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco Reveals Involvement in Animated ‘Super Mario’ Movie

    Video game franchises have always had it rough when it comes to feature film adaptions. Not even Nintendo could avoid the curse. Back in 1993, the popular Super Mario Bros. franchise was adapted for the big screen, with the project starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as the titular brothers. The project was less than well received and fans rather not speak much of it. But it doesn’t seem like that was the final nail in the coffin for its future in Hollywood. An animated film is currently in the works from Illumination, which are best known for the films Despicable Me, Minions, and Sing.

    Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco was recently on Bert Kreischer’s podcast, where he revealed that he would be going to the studio following the Podcast to record lines for the film. Not just that, but he also confirmed he would be voicing a character known as Foreman Spike. The character first appeared in the 1985 game Wrecking Crew.

     

    Wrecking Crew | NES | Spiele | Nintendo

     

    Not much is known about the movie, aside from Illuminations Chris Meledandri co-producing the project alongside the creator of the Mario Bros. franchise, Shigeru Miyamoto. The project has yet to officially add anyone to its cast or even add a director, but Maniscalo confirms the film is in active development and casting has already happened.

    The film is still slated to release sometime in 2022, although no specific release has been revealed. It’s unknown if the pandemic caused any delays in production. As our first real hint at the film’s production, we hopefully will get some more news in the near future.

    Source: NintendoWire

  • First ‘Doom Patrol’ Season 3 Trailer Confirms Live-Action Debut of Monsieur Mallah and The Brain

    First ‘Doom Patrol’ Season 3 Trailer Confirms Live-Action Debut of Monsieur Mallah and The Brain

    The Doom Patrol will be back once again, this time streaming exclusively on HBO Max following DC Universe’s shift into a solely digital library of comics. The series has never been one to shy away from the weird and wild nature of the comics. It embraces absurd characters and concepts. What other show is going to give you a Kaiju fight between a Rat and a cockroach?

    A new trailer for the upcoming season has confirmed that Monsieur Mallah and The Brain will indeed be making their live-action debut. The Brain’s containment vehicle was previously seen in season 1 during the episode “Doom Patrol Patrol.” It was plainly visible in Mento’s trophy room. However, the villain was not present during that sequence. The two are a classic duo in the comics. It was, once again, Niles Caulder that turned the Brain into what he is today. Here’s the trailer with the first look at the season and the iconic villains:

    Doom Patrol season 3 is set to debut on September 23rd only on HBO Max and will feature the return of Brendan Fraser, April Bowlby, Diane Guerrero, Jovian Wade, Matt Bomer who will see themselves up against the Brotherhood of Dada for what will surely be yet another wild season.

    [Updating]

    Source: Twitter

  • Leaked ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Set Photo May Reveal New Quantum Realm Ship

    Leaked ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Set Photo May Reveal New Quantum Realm Ship

    It looks like the first set photo from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania have found their way online. @AntManNews found a delivery driver’s photos, who dropped something off in Pinewood Studios. It included the following prop that seems to have enough space to house two individuals. Its delivery also correlates with the location being where Peyton Reed teased a production featuring The Mandalorian’s Volume. So, it’s very likely they’ll use this prop to film interior shots of the ship. It seems the director might be pulling from his experience with the Disney+ show to utilize

    Of course, it’s uncertain if it truly will be used as the Quantum Realm ship, which we first saw in Ant-Man and the Wasp. The subtitle of this entry gives away the revisit to the iconic location. We know that Kang the Conqueror will make his debut in the film after Jonathan Majors brought one of his Variants to life in Disney+’s Loki. There’s a chance this ship might belong to him. We know that the TVA is connected to the character, and they rely mostly on their time doors. So, it seems safe to say that it might be connected to our titular heroes.

    The return to the Quantum Realm is an exciting prospect, as Avengers: Endgame opened the doors to how it plays a key role in how the universe works. Kang’s connection to time travel also opens up the possibility of visiting different points in history throughout the film, besides potentially visiting the mysterious bubble city hinted at in the last film. Perhaps Ant-Man was in the background of Eternals first meeting with humanity after all.

    Source: Facebook via Twitter

  • ‘Morbius’ Director May Have Accidentally Confirmed an Appearance by ‘Venom’s Tom Hardy

    ‘Morbius’ Director May Have Accidentally Confirmed an Appearance by ‘Venom’s Tom Hardy

    Sony has two major films in development based on the Spider-Man franchise that doesn’t include the iconic wall-crawler. Venom: Let There Be Carnage sees the return of Tom Hardy as the titular anti-hero. His film was slated for September, but there are already first signs it’ll potentially get delayed by a month. He’ll soon be joined by Jared Leto‘s Morbius, which got pushed back to January 2022.

    The latter teased a connection to the wider universe with a trailer cameo by Michael Keaton’s Vulture, but it seems the director Daniel Espinosa may have given away another cameo. When asked about how it is to direct big stars, he mentioned a few known actors in the film and also name-dropped Tom Hardy. Here’s the translated answer from the interview with MovieZine:

    It usually feels strange before the day begins, when you look at the schedule and stand on the set yourself. When you walk around there, the recording looks just like a Swedish production, but then when you look at the schedule and read names like Michael Keaton, Jared Leto, Tom Hardy, then it feels cool and very exciting. But once you start working, it’s exactly the same thing. An actor wants a director and actors want to be directed.

     

    Spider-Man"-Kultfigur in "Morbius" oder "Venom 2"? Darum können Marvel-Fans darauf hoffen - Kino News - FILMSTARTS.de

     

    As there has never been a word on his inclusion, it seems the director may have accidentally let his involvement slip in the interview. It looks like Sony doesn’t want to waste any time building up their wider universe. If Hardy does end up in the film, he may end up being a post-credit sequence that connects the films to a new, wider universe. Sony has also recently cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson for the role of Kraven the Hunter.

    So, they may have plans to integrate his character into this new wider universe that may or may not include Tom Holland’s Spider-Man moving forward. His inclusion would be an exciting direction forward as Sony continues to build upon Spidey’s vast number of adversaries throughout comic history. Who knows if a new attempt at the Sinister Six is in the future.

    Source: MovieZine, IMDb

  • UPDATE: ‘Agents of SHIELD and ‘Snowpiercer’ Composoer Jason Akers Not Working on ‘Hawkeye

    UPDATE: ‘Agents of SHIELD and ‘Snowpiercer’ Composoer Jason Akers Not Working on ‘Hawkeye

    UPDATE: It looks like Jason Akers isn’t working on the Disney+ series after all. The composer took to Twitter to reveal that he’s not directly involved with the project. So, he’s neither is its composer nor working in Hawkeye’s music department.

     

     

    Source: Twitter

     

    We haven’t heard much on the upcoming Hawkeye series since the announcement it would release in November. Disney+ has been focused quite a bit on its release of Marvel Studios’ first animated series, What If. So, it might still be some time before we get our first full trailer for the series. Luckily, it seems DisInsider’s Derek Cornell has an update for the series, as Jason Akers may have joined the series music department.

     

     

    He has quite the repertoire, as he worked in the music departments of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Sony’s God of War, Snowpiercer, and even Black Sails. He’s also had some experience with Marvel in the past, as he worked on 42 episodes of Marvel TV’s Agents of SHIELD series as a scoring assistant. So, he has some experience working with Disney and Marvel. His exact role in the series remains unknown.

    It’ll be interesting how they tackle the soundtrack of Hawkeye. So far, each soundtrack stood out and matched the series perfectly. Loki was a standout among them. The Disney+ series focusing on the archer will have a more grounded story. We also know that Clint Barton will likely be deaf throughout the series, which could add a curious meta-level to the soundtrack.

    We still know very little about the series, and it’ll be interesting how it expands the franchise. The latest entries have been more world-altering. So, a street-level series is a good chance to flip the pace. It also adds a new flair to their Disney+ ventures. There’s a lot more heading our way in the future. So, who knows, how it may surprise us.

    Source: Twitter, IMDb