Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’: Zendaya Voicing Lola Bunny

    ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’: Zendaya Voicing Lola Bunny

    Here’s an interesting surprise. It looks like the upcoming Space Jam sequel has recast the voice of Lola Bunny. Entertainment Weekly has unveiled that Spider-Man actress Zendaya will be the new voice for Lola Bunny. She is joining the LeBron James-led project that will introduce us to the Serververse of Warner Bros. The first trailer teased an all-star cast of iconic WB characters making an appearance. Director Malcolm D. Lee has been vocal about the fact that he wants to fully realize the character since he saw her portrayal in the first film in 2019. He gave the following statement during the Space Jam: A New Legacy cover story.

    Lola was not politically correct. This is a kids’ movie, why is she in a crop top? It just felt unnecessary, but at the same time, there’s a long history of that in cartoons. We reworked a lot of things, not only her look, like making sure she had an appropriate length on her shorts and was feminine without being objectified, but gave her a real voice. For us, it was, let’s ground her athletic prowess, her leadership skills, and make her as full a character as the others.

    The way he describes the character makes Zendaya the perfect choice to tackle the character. She has been considered a leading voice of her generation with her work on Euphoria. She is taking over the role that Kath Soucie made iconic in the original 1996 film. Kristen Wiig gave the character a unique spin in The Looney Tunes Show, which was a personal favorite. We cannot wait to see the actress lend her voice and bring the character to life in the upcoming legacy sequel.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’: Toho Refuses That Godzilla Shows Emotions

    ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’: Toho Refuses That Godzilla Shows Emotions

    Godzilla vs. Kong has just been released in theaters and on HBO Max. The film showed the two cinema icons face off in a battle of the Titans. Yet, some fans might have noticed that Kong got a bit more attention throughout the story. He has an entire arc and shows quite a bit of emotion, while his counterpart seems to be consistently pissed about having to fight the giant monkey. It looks like there is a reason why Godzilla only gets very brief moments to emote. According to the film’s director Adam Wingard, Toho has set strict rules about how Legendary can use their trademarked character.

    One of [the rules], for instance, is (that) they don’t want Godzilla to emote. They see him as like this god-like force of nature, and so to them, it’s out of character if you have him reacting in a normal way to things. But, there’s always ways around it. We definitely have some moments where I think Godzilla is more emotive in this film than he has been in any of the MonsterVerse movies. We just had to get clever with it. And I think that sometimes that stuff is kind of presented to you in a very kind of brick-wall kind of way. But if you just do certain things, and present it to them just right, and if they’re on board with the movie, they seem to give us plenty of leeway.

    It’s certailny curious that they want to avoid the giant to show any emotions. Yet, it makes sense if you consider that Godzilla is a force of nature, whose origins are rooted in Japanese history. So, they would want to avoid the giant lizard being overly emotive. Wingard does tease that they snuck in some moments, which offer a slight glance into the King of the Monsters’ mind. Here’s hoping we get more

    Source: ReelBlend via Dread Central

  • Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Reveals a Brand New Superior Iron Man Skin

    Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Reveals a Brand New Superior Iron Man Skin

    We got another developer stream with Crystal Dynamics discussing some developments for Marvel’s Avengers. It was a shorter one again, but we still got some minor updates and one reveal. They revealed that a smaller update (1.4.1a) will be released probably next week. It will aim to fix various minor bugs. They also fixed the PS Plus Hawkeye issue for those that haven’t downloaded it yet. CD is actively looking at a way to correct it for those that got the wrong skin.

    Now, let’s get to the big guns. They revealed that we will get a roadmap update next week with potentially exact release dates for Tachyon Anomaly and the Black Widow-inspired Red Room Takeover. We also got a minor update for Omega-Level Threats, and it seems they were able to allocate some resources to fix the issues. They confirmed that one of the issues they faced was that also due to a part of their team being busy with other content. So, once the last bugs get squashed, they’ll test it one last time before rolling it out. CD also revealed a comic-accurate costume for next week’s marketplace inspired by 2014’s Superior Iron Man run. They didn’t only tease it but even “leaked” our first look at the design:

     

     

    We even got a short showcase video of the new skin in action. We have to keep in mind that it was shown on an older model of the game. So, it will change a bit once it officially releases:

    https://twitter.com/PlayAvenger/status/1378099040731213826?s=20

     

    It was a great stream, as they openly discussed patch fixes as they promised last week. The skin showcase was a great touch, which I hope we’ll see more of in the future. CD also hinted that they are still actively looking into their Reddit thread for the upcoming Wasteland Patrol Zone. If you are interested in getting your ideas to the developers, you can check out the Reddit thread by clicking here. Here’s hoping we get more details next week to prepare for the first Marvel’s Avengers event.

    Source: Twitch, Twitter

  • REPORT: Olga Kurylenko to Appear in ‘Black Widow’

    REPORT: Olga Kurylenko to Appear in ‘Black Widow’

    Black Widow will finally release in July. After all this time, we are so close to actually watching the film either in theaters or on Disney+. Of course, there is always the fear that the longer we wait, the more information hits the web. Well, it looks like that has happened as The Direct has exclusively learned that Quantum of Solace‘s Olga Kurylenko will have a role in the first film of Marvel Studios’ Phase 4. The Ukrainian actress is a perfect choice for the Russian-focused story with her history and fluency in Russian. So, there is a good chance she is playing one of the many newly introduced assassins of the Red Room that we saw in the trailers.

    Kurylenko has also appeared in 2013’s Oblivion opposite of Tom Cruise. Her latest projects include The Bay of Silence, The Translators, and Sentinelle. As The Direct points out, there are many angles they can take with her inclusion. She could be involved with a flashback to Romanoff’s upbringing. We could also potentially see her be one of the many trained assassins with them believing she is a prime candidate for the role of Red Widow.

    The film has been ready for over a year. We are still not certain who is behind Taskmaster’s mask. It is refreshing to know that there are still many surprises heading our way once it releases in July. Its release date may also finalize the future slate, as we hopefully get trailers that showcase upcoming projects like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals. The year isn’t over yet and there is a lot more Marvel heading our way in the near future.

    Source: The Direct

  • Disney+ Unveils New ‘STAR WARS VINTAGE’ Branding for Classic Series and Films

    Disney+ Unveils New ‘STAR WARS VINTAGE’ Branding for Classic Series and Films

    Some time ago, Disney+ announced that Disney+ would be adding the original Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series alongside several Ewok properties. The time has finally come as the streaming service has now gone live with the collection. The curious thing is that they added an entirely new branding to make these stand out from the other films and series. It has now been titled the Star Wars Vintage Collection. It looks like they are trying to distinguish between canon and non-canon features easier within the service while still offering both to viewers. They even added some unique visuals to make these series stand out in the service:

     

     

    We can now access several long-out-of-print or previously unavailable movies and series such as Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure, Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, Story of the Faithful Wookiee, Ewoks, and Clone Wars 2D Micro-Series (both volumes). The Star Wars: Droids animated series, although absent from the service at the moment, is set to become available later this year.

     

     

    Disney continues to add this sort of legacy content to their streaming service as their previously signed contracts reach their end. They are getting one step closer to unifying the content under their streaming service, which offers a wide variety of properties that seemed long-forgotten. It will be interesting to see if they also start trying to add content that got scattered due to various deals. Here’s hoping we could see The Incredible Hulk or the Spider-Man series and films find their way home one day.

  • New Look at Henry Cavill Released as ‘The Witcher’ Season 2 Wraps Up Production

    New Look at Henry Cavill Released as ‘The Witcher’ Season 2 Wraps Up Production

    Netflix has been continuing to expand its repertoire with various franchises. One of its stand-outs was The Witcher, which saw Henry Cavill take on Gerald of Rivia. The franchise is an adaptation of the Polish novels by Andrzej Sapowksi. Of course, there is also CD Projekt Red’s very popular gaming franchise. The Netflix series takes inspiration from both properties but tries to maintain a unique identity to stand out. They are celebrating the production end for the second season. As such, the official Twitter channel released a new image with a closer look at the White Wolf.

     

    Now, Netflix went out of its way to also celebrate the production’s ending with a new video that showcases how large the production was and how they stayed safe.

     

     

    In the video, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich confirms that they are adapting the storyline of The Blood of Elves in the upcoming season. They also went all out with this production. They confirm 15 locations with a whopping 89 cast members. The production team shot 184 days, which is significant if you consider that they also faced delays due to the ongoing pandemic. It couldn’t have been easy to keep everything safe with such a large ensemble cast while making sure no one gets infected. The details on the upcoming season are still kept under wraps.

    Source: Twitter, YouTube

  • Tom Holland’s ‘UNCHARTED’ Film Delayed Slightly

    Tom Holland’s ‘UNCHARTED’ Film Delayed Slightly

    According to a trade report, the upcoming Uncharted movie adaptation, starring Tom Holland, has seen its premiere date delayed by a week. The film is eyeing a February 18, 2022 release. After going through 2020, when every other week there was news of studios postponing their most relevant IPs for several months, this feels somewhat like a best-case scenario.

    The project, which is adapting one of the highest-regarded videogame franchises of the XXI century to the big screen, has had its fair share of delays, going back to its original release date of June 10, 2016. Since then, several directors have attempted to adapt the iconic gaming franchise. They also went through several actors for the Nathan Drake role. It was not until May 2017 that Holland officially signed on director Ruben Fleischer (Venom), who only got confirmed in late 2020. Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, and Sophia Taylor Ali joined the project at different stages, with Wahlberg playing Victor Sullivan, Nathan Drake’s friend, and mentor.

     

     

    Considering Holland and Wahlberg’s age, the movie will present us with a younger Nathan Drake than the one we found in the games, probably taking a few hints from the flashback sequences in both Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. We will witness the beginnings of their friendship. It could even end up being their first shared adventure. In the games, their relationship was already well established from the start, and after their first meeting in a flashback sequence in Uncharted 3, there is quite a gap in their story just waiting to get filled.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Adds Nicholas Podany as Mojo Jojo’s Son

    ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Adds Nicholas Podany as Mojo Jojo’s Son

    Here’s an interesting surprise. We’ve all been wondering how the upcoming live-action adaptation of the Powerpuff Girls would tackle some of its more colorful villains. CW doesn’t have a massive budget. So, it would be expensive to bring characters like Mojo Jojo, HIM, and many others. Well, it looks like one classic villain is going to return unexpectedly. The Wrap has unveiled that Nicholas Podany will play Joseph Mondel Jr., the son of Mojo Jojo. He will play a “nerdy, power-hungry, insecure Jojo Jr.”, who is obsessed with the three superhero girls. He ends up struggling to balance his father’s rage and his kindness.

    Interestingly, they are adding a son character for the iconic villain. They might be exploring the dynamic between a parent and their children, which would allow Mojo Jojo’s story to parallel Plutoniums. Technically, the villainous monkey was there when the superhero trio was born. So, they might play around with that aspect as well in the angsty adaptation of a children’s cartoon.

    Now, the big question also remains if we will see Mojo Jojo appear in the series. The casting of his son may point to something tragic happening to him. Yet, The Wrap doesn’t state that he has faced any tragedy. At this point, anything is possible with the show’s direction. Hopefully, we might find out if other classic villains are joining the pilot, which will kickstart the now-titled Powerpuff series.

    Source: The Wrap

  • Warner Bros. No Longer Developing Ava Duvernay’s ‘New Gods’

    Warner Bros. No Longer Developing Ava Duvernay’s ‘New Gods’

    Back in 2017, it was announced that development had begun on a film centered around the New Gods, a popular comic created by Jack Kirby, it’s now been confirmed via the Hollywood Reporter that the film is indeed not moving forward at this time. This move also includes the shelving of James Wan‘s Aquaman spin-off, The Trench. It seems that DC wants to refocus their Warner Bros had this to say about the recent decisions:

    As part of our DC slate, some legacy development titles including New Gods and The Trench will not be moving forward. We thank our partners Ava DuVernay, Tom King, James Wan, and Peter Safran for their time and collaboration during this process and look forward to our continued partnership with them on other DC stories. The projects will remain in their skillful hands if they were to move forward in the future.

    There had been little to no word on either project for quite some time. We’d heard that Tom King joined Duvernay on the project. He was co-writing it, but it went silent shortly after. The article states that Warner Bros couldn’t find a place to put the film on its release slate. It seems that Darkseid’s recent appearance in Zack Snyder’s Justice League is also one of the reasons for this decision, as the studio wanted space between the two projects. It’s a shame they aren’t moving forward and hopefully, it could see the light of day in the near future once their figure out their future DC slate.

    Source: THR

  • James Wan’s ‘Aquaman’ Spin-Off ‘The Trench’ Not Moving Forward

    James Wan’s ‘Aquaman’ Spin-Off ‘The Trench’ Not Moving Forward

    No, it isn’t an April Fools joke. The Hollywood Reporter has just revealed that two large adaptations are sadly not moving forward with the studio. One of them being the Aquaman spin-off focused on the newly introduced Trench. It would’ve been the first DC film to jump into a more horror-focused story, as it would explore the world of the deadly amphibious creatures that we saw in the Jason Momoa-led film. Director James Wan had been producing the film together with Peter Safran. It would’ve been based on a script by Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald. The statement offered by Warner Bros. seems to hint that it is shelved for now but could be brought back to life at a later date. It isn’t the end for Wan’s time with DC, as he is still hard at work on the Aquaman sequel.

    It seems that DC has decided to take a new direction with loosely interconnected pieces, which is why Ava Duvernay‘s New Gods got canceled. It seems that at one point they considered moving it to HBO Max, just like James Gunn‘s Peacemaker series, but decided against it. It seems that his work on the Aquaman sequel was considered enough and they want to potentially return to the idea at a later date. They want to focus more on the Atlanteans. So, we could see a different spin-off for Aqualad or whatever characters they introduce in the sequel. It’s going to be interesting how this affects their future slate and what we may expect from DC moving forward.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter