Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Lionsgate Eyeing Henry Cavill for Chad Stahelski’s ‘Highlander’ Reboot

    Lionsgate Eyeing Henry Cavill for Chad Stahelski’s ‘Highlander’ Reboot

    There can only be one. Well, except for the Highlander films, as Deadline has just revealed that Lionsgate is currently eyeing Henry Cavill to star in a reboot of the iconic franchise. The film will be directed by John Wick‘s Chad Stahelski. It will bring the 1986 classic into the modern age. There is no word if this will be a complete reboot or a continuation within the universe. It has been going around for a while with names like Ryan Reynolds and Justin Lin being in discussion at one point. The original franchise expanded four sequels and three TV series. As such, it was only a question of time before it would get a potential reboot.

    Of course, this would be another win for Cavill. His career has seen quite the uptick since he took on the role of Superman in 2013. He had a starring role in Mission Impossible: Fallout. Currently, he is the headliner of Netflix’s The Witcher series and even joined their Enola Holmes films, which recently got a sequel film renewal. Highlander has high franchising potential. So, he might be very busy soon.

    The 1986 film had an all-star cast consisting of Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and many more. It follows immortal beings, who hunt down each other for their powers. Of course, the only one to accomplish that is through beheading their enemies and dramatically absorb their abilities. The original producer, Peter Davis, was involved with the production’s early stages but tragically passed away in February. The film will be continued by Neal H. Moritz, Josh Davis, and David Leitch.

    Source: Deadline

  • Dwayne Johnson Cast as Kryptro in DC’s ‘League of Super Pets’

    Dwayne Johnson Cast as Kryptro in DC’s ‘League of Super Pets’

    The League of Super-Pets film has been a DC project that’s been on the back burner for some time now. It was unclear who and what the film would follow, but it seems progress is moving forward. Variety is reporting that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson will play the Man of Steel’s best friend, Krypto the Superdog. With most plot details under wraps, the project follows Krypto as he teams up with a “Flying Cat” who is most likely going to be Streaky. It remains unclear just who the villain of the film may be.

     

     The upcoming project won’t be the first time Krypto or Streaky got the spotlight. The character previously had an animated series on Cartoon Network that ran for 39 episodes. DC veterans Paul Dini and Alan Burnett developed the series. The series follows Krypto after being adopted by a family that believed he was just a normal white lab. Alongside Krypto starred Streaky, Stretch-O-Mutt, and Ace the Bathound. They were always around to help Krytpo fight Mechanikat and some of the notorious DC Villains Pets.

    The project is set to be directed by Sam Levine and is produced by Johnsons’ Seven Bucks Productions. Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, Patricia Hicks, and Jared stern will all serve as producers on the film. Serving on the project as executive producers are  John Requa, Glenn Ficarra, and Nicholas Stoller. The film is set to release in theaters on May 20, 2022.

    Source: Variety

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Blue’s Clues’ Celebrating its 25th Anniversary With a Music Video

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Blue’s Clues’ Celebrating its 25th Anniversary With a Music Video

    We’ve all had that show we watched as a kid that just stuck with us through the years. For me, it was my yearly visits to the United States when I would get to watch Blue’s Clues. The original series aired back in 1996, where the world was introduced to Steve Burns playing a fictional version of himself and his dog Blue. He would go on to host the show for four seasons before his younger brother Joe took over, who was played by Donovan Patton. The show ended in 2006 but saw a reboot with Blue’s Clues & You in 2019. Now that the show is back, many wondered if we might get a celebration for its upcoming 25th anniversary. We can now exclusively reveal that the upcoming Blue’s Clues celebration will be in the form of a celebratory music video.

    They are currently casting fans of different generations to share their enthusiasm for the long-running series. There already has been a visual going around teasing a potential vent since February, but there was no official announcement so far. It looks like Nickelodeon aims to explore the franchise’s history and celebrate the viewers that stuck with the little blue dog since he got introduced to the world back in 1996. There is currently no word if we might see the return of the original host Steve Burns or even Donovan Patton. Surprisingly, they aren’t doing a special episode, but it’s a nice sentiment to have fans of all ages become part of a franchise they grew up with.

    Source: NickAlive

  • ‘The Mandalorian’ Spin-Off ‘Rangers of the New Republic’ Currently Not in Active Development

    ‘The Mandalorian’ Spin-Off ‘Rangers of the New Republic’ Currently Not in Active Development

    A recent article from Variety was meant to shine a light on executive producer Dave Filoni’s role at Lucasfilm, but it may have casually revealed something far more interesting. The article is quick to highlight Filoni’s involvement as an executive on both The Book of Boba Fett and Ashoka, two upcoming live-action spin-offs of The Mandalorian, before making a rather intriguing side note, as first noticed by @BespinBulletin.

    A third announced spinoff, “Rangers of the New Republic,” is not currently in active development.

    It would seem fans of Star Wars television may be down a project. The news isn’t all that surprising if you consider the media circus that went on with former star Gina Carano earlier this year. The actress, and retired mixed martial artist, portrayed New Republic ranger Cara Dune but was fired from the franchise after making several controversial remarks on social media. There was an early rumor that the actress was going to lead the, at the time, untitled series. Carano’s forced exit may have thrown that series’ future into a state of flux.

    It is important to note that Variety does not claim the Disney+ show to be canceled. This development means we could still get the series down the line, or perhaps in a different form. Rangers of the New Republic got revealed on Disney’s Investors Day. It was intended to be part of a Mandalorian spin-off chain that would potentially crossover with Ashoka and The Book of Boba Fett, as well as the original series. Fans have spent months speculating which characters could appear, but now it seems they can put their theories to rest in the meantime.

    Source: Variety, Instagram

  • New ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Set Photos Reveal a Secret New Asgard Set

    New ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Set Photos Reveal a Secret New Asgard Set

    Thor: Love and Thunder will see the return of Taika Waititi in the director’s chair. Some of the first set photos teased a wild ride that could even trump his last outing with Thor: Ragnarok. The moment we saw Melissa McCarthy playing Hela in a stage play already teased what a wild ride is heading our way. It looks like the Daily Mail has uncovered some curious set photos from a hidden set that offers a closer look at New Asgard. They got their hands on some aerial photographs that show the construction of various buildings that reflect the set we saw in Avengers: Endgame. There are some interesting details, such as a New Asgard hotel showing they have a booming tourism economy. 

     

    There is an interesting lack of Asgard-inspired architecture, which may be added in through the blue screens. Yet, there is one very interesting piece of set design that offers some Norse flair to the set. In another aerial shot, we see a classic Viking ship with seats that seem straight out of a rollercoaster. The house next to it hints at this ship being used for sightseeing, as tourists might want to explore Norse history. Perhaps the re-enactment of Ragnarok could be part of this tour.

     

     

    What stands out with this ship is that it looks like the one we see in God of Thunder #8. Christian Bale‘s Gorr the God Butcher faced off against Thor. There is a good chance that the finale takes place on this ship. Unlike the comics, we don’t have three versions of the same character. So, it might be Chris Hemsworth‘s Thor fight the god butcher alongside the returning Natalie Portman‘s Jane Foster. There was also a comic panel where she threw a similar-looking ship at Enchantress, which would make for a fun way to take down someone. If it takes place in New Asgard, we may also see its new ruler, Tessa Thompson‘s Valkyrie, join the fray. We’ll get to spend a lot more time in New Asgard, which is exciting no matter what direction they take.

    Source: Daily Mail

  • REPORT: First Details for Mads Mikkelsen’s Villainous Role in ‘INDIANA JONES 5’

    REPORT: First Details for Mads Mikkelsen’s Villainous Role in ‘INDIANA JONES 5’

    We may finally have our first solid details on James Mangold’s Indiana Jones 5. According to a new article from The Illuminerdi, Mads Mikkelsen will be portraying the film’s main antagonist. The Danish actor, known for his villainous roles, will reportedly play a former Nazi scientist enlisted by NASA to work on their moon landing initiative. Mikkelsen’s CIA handler, tasked with being his “babysitter”, will supposedly be played by Shaunette Renee Wilson. The Illuminerdi went further, reporting that the fifth Indiana Jones will also include a female villain working side by side with Mikkelsen, described by the outlet as “an evil and brutal killer”. Scarlett Johansson was offered the role but passed.

    If this information is true, it would place the events of the movie smack dab in the middle of the United States’ famed “space race” with Russia. That would mean Indiana Jones 5 is set in the late 1960s, around a decade after the end of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It also means the franchise could be leaning further into the science-fiction elements introduced by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas in the franchise’s last installment.

    Indiana Jones 5 has been in various stages of production for over ten years, with Mangold being selected by Spielberg to take the reins just last year. The director will create the film based on a script by Solo scribe Jonathan Kasdan. The star-studded cast also includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Boyd Holbrook, Thomas Kretschmann, and, of course, Harrison Ford reprising his iconic title character.

    Source: The Illuminerdi

  • ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ Plot Leaks Online

    ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ Plot Leaks Online

    Here’s an interesting way for a film’s first description to find its way online. The United States Copyright Office released an entry for the upcoming sequel of 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog. The problem is that it includes the film’s first official description. There is a chance that it may change but only continue reading at your own risk if you want to avoid any spoilers regarding the film’s plot. There are some considerable reveals included in the plot. It was first found by Twitter user @Ninja_risu.

    After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is ready for more freedom, and Tom and Maddie agree to leave him home while they go on vacation. But, no sooner are they gone, when Dr. Robotnik comes back, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search for an emerald that has the power to both build and destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.

    It looks like Sonic will be on his own, as James Marsden and Tika Sumpter only have brief appearances in the film. The plot also confirms the return of Jim Carrey, which was uncertain until now. Dr. Robotnik was a highlight of the first film and it is great to know the actor will return to the role. Knuckles’ involvement already hinted at the live-action appearance of Master Emerald, which may tie into Sonic’s origin story teased in the first entry. It’ll be curious to see if it also sets up the existence of the Chaos Emeralds in the real-world or they might travel through some alternative dimensions.

    Source: United States Copyright Office

  • Upcoming ‘The Mandalorian’ Funko Pop Vinyls Include Bo-Katan, Boba Fett, Dark Troopers, and More

    Upcoming ‘The Mandalorian’ Funko Pop Vinyls Include Bo-Katan, Boba Fett, Dark Troopers, and More

    Since the early days of Star Wars, it’s been all about the merchandise. It seemed like they were out of stock most of the time, as fans tried to get their hands on the latest toys. Star Wars continued to expand with sequels and spin-offs. The latest entry, The Mandalorian, followed the trend closely. Upon the show’s premiere, people were instantly smitten by the introduction of the fan-dubbed Baby Yoda, whose name would turn out to be  His Pop Vinyl figure became the highest-selling of all time. The show’s second season led to even more memorable characters getting added. It looks like we’ll finally get our hands on them.

    The latest wave of Pops in from The Mandalorian line includes Grogu eating a blue cookie, a Dark Trooper, Boba Fett, Bo Katan, and Ahsoka Tano. There is also one paying tribute to the iconic scene of Din Djarin holding Grogu for the last time before he sends him on his way with Luke Skywalker. The upcoming wave currently has no release date and is unknown if the line includes any figures exclusive to certain retailers.

     

    The Mandalorian has become a staple in the Star Wars franchise and these figures will surely find a home in some diehard fans’ collection. The adventures of Din Djarin will continue in the show’s upcoming third season, and sure to provide more characters and moments to be immortalized for fans around the world, even if Grogu may just sit this one out.

    Source: Comic Book, Instagram 

  • Netflix’s ‘Knives Out’ Sequel Adds Kate Hudson

    Netflix’s ‘Knives Out’ Sequel Adds Kate Hudson

    Murder is afoot, as Knives Out 2 adds another famous face. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Kate Hudson has joined the project alongside various franchise newcomers. She is joining the latest additions that include Leslie Odom Jr., Kathryn Hahn, and Janelle Monae. So far, the only returning actor from the original film is Daniel Craig. They continue to keep the plot of the production hidden as it eyes a production start in Greece.

    Hudson has quite the filmography but took a brief break after 2017’s Marshall. Her first film since was the 2021 musical drama, fittingly titled Music. The actress is well-known for her work on films such as Almost Famous, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Bride Wars, and Fool’s Gold. As director and writer Rian Johnson loves to play with conventions, we can’t really pinpoint which type of role she may tackle in the upcoming sequel.

    As the first film had quite an all-star cast, it is too early to say if there are more to come. At this point, it wouldn’t be too surprising if Johnson tries to expand as much as possible. With the setting potentially being in Greece, we may be introduced to an entire town of potential victims and murderers. Hopefully, we might get some more details as production starts and a word on just how large this cast may end up being. It is uncertain if they might even be hiding one or two guest appearances to catch us off-guard once it releases on Netflix.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter, IMDb

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Used VFX Teams from Previous Raimi and TASM Films

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Used VFX Teams from Previous Raimi and TASM Films

    As we steadily approach the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the anticipation grows for any new information or details regarding the upcoming film. The biggest question on everyone’s mind is whether or not the film will indeed adapt a “Live-Action” Spider-Verse storyline that will reintroduce Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as the Spider-Men from their respective universes. Along with that rumor, there are also murmurs that the film could potentially bring in tow their fellow crewmates from the previous films such as Kirsten Dunst, Emma Stone, and many of the film’s previous villains to form a multiversal Sinister Six. While those rumors remain to be confirmed until we get an official confirmation with either a poster or a trailer, there are clues that could certainly make that rumor mill spin even faster.

    Thanks to our sources, we are able to confirm that the upcoming installment in the MCU Spider-Man saga is incorporating VFX teams that previously worked on the visual effects for both the Raimi Spider-Man trilogy and TASM films. This development is interesting for a number of reasons. First and foremost, they’ll be joining forces with the multiple teams that have worked on the effects for the previous MCU Spider-Man installations. Not only that, but Marvel Studios and Sony seem to be holding no punches when it comes to the supervisors that will helm the post-production for this project as a number of their VFX Supervisors were also the supervisors to some of the groundbreaking visual effects for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

     

    Having the VFX teams that worked on the previous Spider-Man franchises could be a huge indicator as to which direction this film could potentially go. If Maguire and Garfield are indeed involved in the film, then who better to have work on the VFX involving them than the people who actually worked on them all those years ago. They understand the character’s unique movements, styles, and micro-expressions better than anyone. Putting to use those models and animations that were used to bring to life the Raimi and TASM Spider-Men is a great way to differentiate the 3 Spider-Men from each other from a stylistic point of view. And even if this film doesn’t include the Spider-Verse storyline, there are scenes from both of these film franchises that have stood the test of time in terms of visual effects and it would be great to see those techniques and styles applied to better enhance the Spider-Man experience in this film. Just look at the train scene from Spider-Man 2 or the visuals from The Amazing Spider-Man franchise, which arguably had the greatest web-swinging sequence of the three iterations. Having this group of individuals work together for a film is absolutely outstanding and it’s certainly seeming like Spider-Man: No Way Home is setting itself up to be one of the most visually stunning films for Phase 4 and we can’t wait to see what this film has in store when it hits theaters in December.