Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • New ‘The Batman’ Merchandise Offers New Look at Paul Dano’s Riddler

    New ‘The Batman’ Merchandise Offers New Look at Paul Dano’s Riddler

    The Riddler has been one of Batman’s greatest rogues ever since the character debuted in Detective Comics #140 back in 1948. He was famous for his mind, one that rivaled even the wit of the caped crusader, putting his detective skills to the test in a constant storm of riddles that all lead back to Edward. When word got out that actor Paul Dano would be playing the character, fans were stricken with joy. The actor’s performances in Prisoners and There Will be Blood made him the perfect choice for a cunning as well as obsessed Riddler.

    The DC FanDome trailer offered a brief glimpse at the character’s redesign. Luckily, new merchandise from the upcoming film offers a closer look at Dano‘s Riddler, which was previously shrouded in thick shadows. The calendar includes a closeup of the character’s mask. It is a complete reinvention of the Batman rogue. He is famous for his green question-mark-covered clothing, domino mask, and top hat. Modern renditions ditched most of those staples, and he would reduce his wardrobe to a green shirt. This rendition of the character is sporting a full face mask, only revealing his eyes. The image reveals that he is wearing glasses underneath those goggles. 

     

     

    More graphics from the merchandise include a few more Riddler-centric months. They include the phrases “My Life has Been a Riddle” and “Unmask the Truth,” hinting at a new angle for the character. In a scene from the trailer, we hear him tell Bruce that “He’s a part of this,” adding to that theory. It feels like he could act as an anti-hero in a city like Gotham, where crime and corruption know no better home. Could this version of the Riddler be a byproduct of that society, which uses violent methods to expose the dark secrets Gothams held for years to come?

    Of course, the merchandise won’t give away every secret the film has in store for us. We cannot wait to see this rendition of the character and what Dano has to offer for the interpretation. It looks like the character has an ulterior motive that may tie directly into Bruce Wayne’s family heritage. We’ve theorized there might be a connection to build up Scott Snyder‘s Court of Owls storyline, which you can read here. Hopefully, in the coming months, we’ll get a new trailer offering a closer glimpse at what the future may hold.

    Source: Erik

  • Jason Momoa Reveals He Co-Wrote ‘Aquaman 2’

    Jason Momoa Reveals He Co-Wrote ‘Aquaman 2’

    2018’s Aquaman took one of the oldest as well as most prominent characters in DC and rose the character to new heights. For years, he was always the butt of the joke, as many saw him as a glorified lifeguard with a social life that consisted of marine life. The first film saw the return of Jason Momoa as the titular Atlantean hero after his debut in a brief sequence in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. He was the product of two worlds, a relationship that never should’ve been. In the franchise’s first entry, he teamed up with Mera and Vulko to find the Trident of Atlan and unite the seven kingdoms that once made up Atlantis.

    Following the film’s critical and financial success, a sequel was quickly greenlit with James Wan returning to direct. While plot details for the upcoming film are still under wraps, Momoa recently shared some interesting tidbits on The Drew Barrymore Show on the film’s production:

    After we ended the first one I went in with my writing partner and we dreamed up the second one and we went in and pitched the idea and the best thing I can give you is that I love it so much that I participated in the writing of it. And so, we did the first treatment and then James and our original writer David finished it off and all of our hearts are in it. Instead of just like getting a script and doing that like you are 100% being encouraged by your director and co-writers so that’s exciting for me and I’m excited to go over there. I leave in July and we start filming.

    Momoa being much more hands-on with the upcoming sequel shows just how important this role is to him. He also confirmed that filming on the anticipated follow-up begins this summer. Hopefully, we’ll get more casting news on the rest of the sequel’s cast as we get closer to the production start.

    If you want to check out the original interview on The Drew Barrymore Show, you can check it out here:

     

    Source: YouTube via Heroic Hollywood 

  • Leslie Odom Jr. Joins Upcoming ‘Knives Out’ Sequel

    Leslie Odom Jr. Joins Upcoming ‘Knives Out’ Sequel

    There is no stopping Ryan Johnson‘s upcoming Knives Out sequel. Throughout the last few days, we’ve been getting one casting announcement after another. It looks like his next entry in the Netflix-owned franchise will feature another stellar all-star cast. With production set to begin in Greece sometime this summer, casting on the project has kicked into full gear. Following his recent Oscar nomination for their work in One Night in Miami, actor Leslie Odom Jr is set to join the cast of the upcoming sequel in an undisclosed role.

    Odom joins the likes of recent additions such as Dave Bautista, Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, and Edward Norton in what’s undoubtedly going to be a cast that’ll definitely rival that of the first. The sequel to 2019’s Knives Out will instead release exclusively on Netflix. This development comes after it was announced in a massive $400M+ deal that they’d acquired two sequels. In it, we got the confirmation that writer and director Rian Johnson will return alongside Daniel Craig.

    The sequel currently has no set release date as production on the film has yet to begin. The film was once again written by Johnson who will produce the project alongside Ram Bergman. There have been no hints at what direction the film will go or even what kind of setting we can expect. If they are filming in Greece, we can expect a story taking place in that region. Perhaps Benoist Blanc’s vacation gets disrupted by a sudden case of murder?

    Source: THR

  • REPORT: First Plot Details for ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Revealed

    REPORT: First Plot Details for ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Revealed

    We’ve been excited for the future of Marvel Studios as they start embracing the multiverse. There have been various rumors hinting at Spider-Man: No Way Home exploring the vast incarnations of the characters, but there is one project that wears it proudly. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will thrust Benedict Cumberbatch‘s Stephen Strange into the countless realities that could’ve been. Story details still remain under wraps, but it looks like Illuminerdi got their hands on some interesting details for the upcoming film.

    According to them, the intergalactic being Shuma Gorath, whose inclusion has been teased some time ago, will have close ties to Xochitl Gomez‘s America Chavez. Her abilities would give him full control over the multiverse. Illuminerdi reveals that he will be the main antagonist of the project. No word on how Wanda Maximoff will fit into the overarching story.

    Gorath hunting down Chavez is an interesting story element that may be the reason that Strange ends up exploring the multiverse. The ending of WandaVision could hint that the Sorcerer Supreme stumbles upon Wanda, who is exploring a part of the multiverse to find her children. Perhaps they might even have a connection to the Eldritch being instead of being parts of Mephisto’s soul. There are a lot of angles they can take with this film and it’ll be exciting to see what direction Sam Raimi and Marvel Studios take when bringing it to life.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • Mark Strong Not Returning for ‘Shazam: Fury of The Gods’

    Mark Strong Not Returning for ‘Shazam: Fury of The Gods’

    The first Shazam film followed Billy Batson’s journey into becoming a hero and facing his first real supervillain, Thaddeus Sivana. The character was played by Mark Strong and left quite an impression. After the credits rolled, he was visited by the sentient caterpillar Mr. Mind in jail, which led to many of us assuming they would become the main antagonists in the sequel. The recent castings have pointed the sequel in a different direction and in a recent interview with Den of Geek, Strong confirmed that he would not be returning for the sequel.

    I literally spoke to the producer last night, because I saw that Zach Levi tweeted that they’re about to start shooting in Atlanta. Doctor Sivana isn’t in Shazam! 2. What’s happened is, I think Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu and perhaps someone else — they’ve got some female villains in. And to be honest with you, I’m very happy to take a back seat to some female villains and let them have a go, because judging by the work that Emma Thompson and Emma Stone have done in Cruella, it’s about time.

    It’s entirely possible Sivana and Mind could return in a future project. They may be assembling the Monster Society of Evil behind the scenes so that they have a fighting chance against the newly founded Shazamily. Shazam: Fury of the Gods will release in 2023 and will see the additions of Luci Liu and Helen Mirren in antagonistic roles.

    Source: Den of Geeks via Heroic Hollywood

  • First Look at ‘My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission’s Original Character

    First Look at ‘My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission’s Original Character

    We are currently enjoying the fifth season of My Hero Academia that continues to tell the story of the manga’s famous Joint Training Arc. The series has been going strong and the third film is nearing its release. Luckily, to give us informed until its release, we got some more news for the project. It’s now been confirmed that My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission will introduce a brand new character. This time, we’ll be introduced to Rody Soul and he will be voiced by the incredible Japanese Voice Actor; Ryo Yoshizawa. You can check out the official announcement by clicking here, but luckily Twitter user @ryiopict translated the tweet.

    https://twitter.com/ryopict/status/1394429266238967809?s=20

    Regarding the character, Rody Soul has been given quite an interesting backstory. With the help of an app, we were able to translate the official description from the film’s official website:

    A boy who lives in a trailer house in Oceon, where Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki have landed. He gave up his drea, to feed his younger sibblings and made a living by working as a carrier.  In the wake of a certain incident, he decided to act with the three heroes, even though he is distrustful of heroes because of the enviroment he grew up in. Although he is in a good mood and has a humble personality, he does not reveal his true intentions to anyone.

    We already know that Oceon is a region that Izuku, Bakugo, and Shoto will travel to during their internship with Endeavor. In the film, something will occur that will make Izuku look like a mass murderer and a criminal in the eyes of the world. Could Rody Soul have something to do with the terrorist organization known as Humanist? Guess we’ll find out when the film officially drops in Japan this coming August 6th.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter (Translation), Hero Academia Film

  • Peyton Reed Shares First ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quanumania’ Production Image From ‘The Mandalorian’s Volume

    Peyton Reed Shares First ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quanumania’ Production Image From ‘The Mandalorian’s Volume

    It looks like the third entry in the Ant-Man and the Wasp series is finally entering production. Director Peyton Reed took to Twitter to share an image teasing as they prepare for the threequel’s production. In it, he also confirms that they will be using the Volume. It is a 20 feet tall, 270-degree stage that allows ILM to create the backgrounds during production. Instead of adding them into the film through post-production and green screens, they create a space that allows the actors to interact with CG backgrounds. It is the next evolution step from classic green screens that offers a new experience for those involved.

    Of course, Ant-Man’s shrinking abilities are perfectly suited for production in the Volume. We may get to explore the world from a new perspective through this technology. It may also be an easier way to film sequences in the Quantum Realm, which will have a larger role going by the title. It is uncertain if the snow background shown in the image will be used in the film. As they are only preparing, they may be testing out different environments as they get a feel for this new technology.

    There was also the filming that took place in Turkey a few months ago. At the time, the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, revealed they were filming in the country. Of course, there were no sightings of the actors at the time. As such, they may have been filming background sets that’ll get used for pre-viz and the Volume. Instead of purely relying on digital backgrounds they can use pre-shot footage to add more realism to the backgrounds. It’ll be exciting to see how much they share from the production and their experiences with the technology.

    Source: Twitter, TechCrunch

  • Graham McTavish Confirms Involvement With ‘Game of Thrones’ Spin-Off ‘House of the Dragons’

    Graham McTavish Confirms Involvement With ‘Game of Thrones’ Spin-Off ‘House of the Dragons’

    It looks like HBO has been sneaky with some of their recent castings, as actor Graham McTavish has revealed he joined the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel. Production has already started and we got our first look at Emma D’Arcy and Matt Smith on the set. There has been no sighting of the actor on set, but he gave away his involvement in an interview with the UK fashion magazine Stylist for his new documentary Men in Kilts.

    I’m really having a lot of fun. We’ve just started. It’s a very big project, so we’re getting to know each other. They’re lovely people. It’s great, but I can’t tell you too much. I can’t tell you really anything about the story! But it involves a lot dragons.

    If anyone talks about dragons nowadays, it is a sure-fire connection that it involves Game of Thrones. His role is uncertain as of now. There is also a fun in-joke between the Outlander actor and his co-star Sam Heughan. He has tried to audition for the original series seven times and never landed a role. Perhaps his friend can help him finally nab a role of a lifetime that he’s been gunning for all this time. It’ll be interesting to see what role McTavish takes on in the series. Hopefully, the actor gets to keep his majestic beard as he stands among the rest of Targaryen royalty. Not everyone in that family needs long white hair at this point.

    Source: Stylist via The Hollywood Reporter

  • EXCLUSIVE: Djimon Hounsou Returning as the Wizard in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’

    EXCLUSIVE: Djimon Hounsou Returning as the Wizard in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’

    That’s right, you read that headline correctly. Djimon Hounsou and his character, the ancient Wizard Shazam, will return in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. While I’m sure the Shazam-Fam will welcome the return, this does come as a bit of a shock based on the fact that the Wizard disintegrated to dust in front of our very eyes in the first film and his magical staff was broken. It will be interesting to see how the sequel works around all of that. While a flashback is certainly possible, I’d say that it also seems likely that those powerful but villainous sisters, Hespera and Kalypso (played by Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu), could have something to do with his resurrection. But it won’t be out of the goodness of their hearts.

     

    Shazam! Fury of the Gods Djimon Hounsou's Wizard

     

    Hounsou is no stranger to comic book properties, appearing in both Shazam! and Captain Marvel in 2019. Before that, he was the voice of King Ricou in Aquaman (2018), appeared as Korath in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), and with Keanu Reeves in DC’s Constantine (2005). His voice work also includes a part in Amazon’s Invincible and a 2010 Black Panther animated series in which he played T’Challa. But his “nerd cred” goes back even further, with a part in Angelina Jolie’s game-based adventure film Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life in 2003, and all the way back to 1994, when he appeared as Horus in the sci-fi cult classic Stargate. 

    Shazam! Fury of the Gods stars Zachary Levi as the superhero, and Asher Angel as his teenaged alter ego Billy Batson who was gifted a major “glow up” along with all of the amazing powers of the Wizard Shazam with the help of his magical staff. The DC comics film sequel, which is on the verge of commencing filming in Georgia alongside Black Adam, is scheduled to hit theaters on June 2nd, 2023.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Description of Hawkman’s Ship in ‘Black Adam’

    EXCLUSIVE: Description of Hawkman’s Ship in ‘Black Adam’

    Back in March, a couple of images of a Black Adam set being built led our own John Sabato to speculate that the production might be building Hawkman’s Thanagarian Star Cruiser. I can now confirm that it was indeed the set-piece that was being built in those pictures. In addition, here’s an exclusive and detailed description of the finished Hawkman ship set!

    Hawkman ship DC comics

    “It’s awesome. It’s sleek… has this curved look to it…  a raised circular sitting area in the back and a big set of long red lights that curve from the back up across the ceiling.There’s a medical bay nook (reclined bed with instruments around it) and something that looks like a bar with glass chairs. Hawkman symbol in gold on the floor in the center. Also one of the hallways has a Hawkman logo in red glowing at the end of it. Pretty cool.”

    A Murphy’s Multiverse exclusive

    Unfortunately, we weren’t able to attain any pictures of the finished set. However, this information comes from a long-time trusted source of Murphy’s Multiverse, so we are confident in this description’s validity. What do you think? Are you excited to see Hawkman’s ship on the big screen?

    Hawkman ship DC comics

    Alongside Dwayne Johnson’s starring role, and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate, Aldis Hodge will play Hawkman in Black Adam. The DC film, currently filming in Georgia, is scheduled to hit theaters on July 29, 2022.