Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Lots of MCU and DCU Talent up for Academy Awards

    Lots of MCU and DCU Talent up for Academy Awards

    The nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards are out as the film industry is seemingly fighting its way back to a more normal reality with cinemas across America opening back up. The biggest night in Hollywood in 2021 is set for April 26 and there is a lot that superhero movie fans can look forward to as the main categories are packed with talent that is a part of both the MCU and the DCU.

    Perhaps the name that deserves the most attention is that of Chloé Zhao, the director of the upcoming Marvel Studios sci-fi epic Eternals. Zhao‘s Nomadland has had an amazing award season so far, having won her the Golden Globe for Best Director and Best Motion Picture – Drama just last month. She now has the possibility to take home four Academy Awards as she is nominated for Best Director, Best Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay and, by being a producer of the movie, can also grab the Oscar for Best Picture. Nomadland is nominated for a further two awards, Best Cinematography and Best Actress (Frances McDormand).

    Black Panther’s director Ryan Coogler also has a chance to take home an award as he is one of the producers behind Judas and the Black Messiah which, as Nomadland, is nominated for Best Picture. In terms of acting, there are several names of which to take note. The late Chadwick Boseman and Odin himself, Anthony Hopkins, are nominated for Best Actors, for their roles in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and The Father, respectively. The George C. Wolfe directed movie also gave us an incredible performance by Viola Davis, the DCEU’s Amanda Waller, who is nominated for Best Actress. In terms of the awards for supporting roles, Glenn Close, Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Nova Prime Irani Rael, is up for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Ron Howard‘s Hillbilly Elegy, and another former Black Panther cast member, Daniel Kaluuya, is nominated for Best Supporting Actor following his performance in the aforementioned Judas and the Black Messiah.

    From outside of the MCU and from the current DCU being put to film, but still within the comic book movie realm, we can also find The Dark Knight Trilogy‘s Commissioner Gordon, Gary Oldman, as well as Venom’s Riz Ahmed, alongside Boseman and Hopkins in the Best Actor category.

     

  • ‘Ironheart’: Dominique Thorne Reveals How She Became Riri Williams

    ‘Ironheart’: Dominique Thorne Reveals How She Became Riri Williams

    One of Marvel’s newest stars is opening up about her unique casting experience. Dominique Thorne was announced as the MCU’s next iron-clad heroine at Disney’s Investor’s Day last December, with the young actress set to play Riri Williams in Disney+’s Ironheart series. Best known for her role in Barry Jenkins’ critically acclaimed film If Beale Street Could Talk and the recently released Judas and the Black Messiah, Thorne’s casting came as a surprise to many. While some fans may have expected the Ironheart announcement, nobody was quite prepared for a casting to reveal to happen so early in the show’s marketing process. As it turns out, Thorne wasn’t really expecting the announcement so early either. The talented performer opened up to Empire about her audition-free casting process:

    I was at home in Delaware and I got a call asking if I would like to play this role. It was the best phone call I could have ever received. I was so shocked, in fact, that there was a considerable lag in the conversation! I was waiting for them to say, like, ‘Oh, we’ll send you the sides’, or, ‘Get your tape over to us.’ But there was none of that. It was just like, ‘Would you like to do this?’ It was probably the most unique experience I’ve ever had because there was no audition at all.

    Riri Williams is a relatively new character in the Marvel mythos. She got introduced by Brian Michael Bendis in 2015, the same man who created Miles Morales a few years prior. Williams is a teenage prodigy at MIT, who creates a new version of the Iron Man armor. She later takes up her superhero mantle. She has since appeared in various animated Marvel projects, and it was only a matter of time before she found her way to the MCU. The Ironheart series is currently in pre-production, with no official confirmation of a release date but with casting already in place, one could expect to see Dominique Thorne pop up on their screens sooner rather than later.

    Source: Empire

  • ‘Secret Invasion’ Casts Kingsley Ben-Adir as Series Villain

    ‘Secret Invasion’ Casts Kingsley Ben-Adir as Series Villain

    As Marvel Studios fans turn their attention from WandaVision to The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, the studio is moving ahead on future Disney Plus projects. One such project that is due to film this summer, Secret Invasion, is casting now and, according to a trade report, has found its big bad. Kingsley Ben-Adir, who starred as Malcolm X in Regina King’s Oscar-nominated One Night in Miami, has landed the role as the series’ lead villain.

    Introducing Kingsley Ben-Adir | Meet the new star of 'The OA'

    Ben-Adir will star opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn who will reprise their roles as Nick Fury and Talos, respectively. The series, written and produced by Kyle Bradstreet, will follow the two as they deal with a secret Skrull invasion on Earth and will be based on the 2008 Marvel Comics event series written by Brian Michael Bendis. Little else is known about the series at this time, though the studio is also searching for a female lead to feature opposite Jackson and another female for a supporting role. Production should start late this summer ahead of a 2022 streaming debut.

    Source: Variety

  • Sneak Peak: Disney’s ‘Cruella’

    Sneak Peak: Disney’s ‘Cruella’

    After debuting at last night’s Grammy Awards, Disney has dropped a new sneak peek of their upcoming feature film, Cruella.

    Have a look at the official press release from Disney:

    Academy Award® winner Emma Stone (“La La Land”) stars in Disney’s “Cruella,” an all-new live-action feature film about the rebellious early days of one of cinemas most notorious – and notoriously fashionable – villains, the legendary Cruella de Vil. “Cruella,” which is set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, follows a young grifter named Estella, a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs. She befriends a pair of young thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they are able to build a life for themselves on the London streets. One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness von Hellman, a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute, played by two-time Oscar® winner Emma Thompson (“Howards End,” “Sense & Sensibility”). But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable and revenge-bent Cruella. 

    Disney’s “Cruella” is directed by Craig Gillespie (“I Tonya”) and produced by Andrew Gunn (“Freaky Friday”), Marc Platt (“Mary Poppins Returns”) and Kristin Burr (“Christopher Robin”), with Emma Stone and Michelle Wright (“Baby Driver”) serving as executive producers. Two-time Oscar®- winning costume designer Jenny Beavan (“Mad Max: Fury Road,” “A Room with a View”) creates the dazzling and imaginative costumes, which take on a life of their own. 

     

    Cruella is scheduled to release theatrically on May 28, 2021.

  • Marvel Studios Drops the Final ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Trailer Ahead of This Friday’s Debut

    Marvel Studios Drops the Final ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Trailer Ahead of This Friday’s Debut

    Over the weekend, the cast and crew of Marvel Studios upcoming Disney Plus streaming series, The Falcon and The Winter Solider, did the press rounds and the hype for the upcoming action-adventure series hit an all-time high. Now, just  4 days ahead of its streaming debut, the studio has released a final trailer for the series.

    The new trailer gives us our first extended look at the series villains, The Flag-Smashers, and sells the big action we’re all expecting!

    The Falcon and The Winter Soldier begins its 6-week streaming run this Friday on Disney Plus.

  • New ‘Black Widow’ BTS Images Offer Closer Look at Taskmaster, Red Guardian, And More

    New ‘Black Widow’ BTS Images Offer Closer Look at Taskmaster, Red Guardian, And More

    Disney+ has been our main source of Marvel Studios goodness since everything was delayed for a year. We are still crossing our fingers that Black Widow will release in May, but things are as uncertain as they have always been. Still, we are always excited to see new images from the upcoming project make their way online to build up some hype, as we wait for the official trailer to confirm the upcoming release. The Twitter user @ImAFilmEditor has taken to Twitter to release various new stills from the upcoming film that offer a small glimpse of what is to come.

    https://twitter.com/ImAFilmEditor/status/1371219729625456640

    There are some great images in here, especially those close-up shots from Taskmaster. His design is certainly unique, but it has been growing on us over time. He still has his iconic skull design and you can see the camera that is built into his helmet. That is a great detail for the character, whose main ability is to be able to copy moves from anyone he fights. Even after all this time, we still don’t know 100% who is behind that mask even after it got delayed by a year. There is also a picture of O-T Fagbenle‘s Rick Mason, who has been noticeably absent from the trailers.

    I also love the image of David Harbour holding an action figure of Red Guardian. If this is indeed in the film, it would imply that the Soviet version of Captain America was a public figure. It will be interesting to explore his backstory. It makes you wonder if his legacy might also be discussed in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which is focused on the legacy that the iconic shield carries. There are also a variety of pictures showing off Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, and, of course, Scarlett Johansson on the film’s set. Here’s hoping we can see them in action this May.

    Source: Twitter

  • Kevin Feige Talks Sam and Bucky’s Role’s After ‘Falcon and The Winter Soldier’

    Kevin Feige Talks Sam and Bucky’s Role’s After ‘Falcon and The Winter Soldier’

    Among the many things that fans have been wondering about in the lead-up to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, is whether or not Sam and Bucky’s show will be one and done. Some worry about what their future holds after the big “Who will wield the shield?” dilemma is answered. A quote from today’s press junket from Kevin Feige left encouraging signs for Bucky and Sam’s Marvel Cinematic Universe future.

    The characters of Bucky and Sam are essential to the MCU and as they change, or as they evolve, or whatever they go through could and should have a big impact on the MCU so the answer’s yes….There can be character shifts that have massive massive implications for the stories we’re telling in the future.

    It’s not exactly an announcement of a fourth entry in the Captain America franchise, or another TV series featuring Sam Wilson or Bucky Barnes. However, it is an indication that Feige knows both of the characters’ worth to the MCU, and why it’s important to keep them involved in it. These characters and their experiences will help ground the more extraordinary elements of this ever-expanding universe. Feige knows that an audience can get a much more fulfilling experience out of films by using relatable and emotionally engaging characters, rather than just creating a big spectacular blockbuster that gets panned because it’s not much else.

     

    The Falcon & The Winter Soldier Director Wants A Season 2

     

    I think you feel it more because we have more time with the Disney+ series but I think that’s something we’ve always tried to do. Iron Man 3 was all about Tony Stark’s PTSD from Avengers essentially. What’s great about the Marvel characters is you’ve always heard us say: is there flaws? It’s grounding something for as crazy and extraordinary and science fiction and fantasy and supernatural as the MCU can get. It’s grounding in the character experiences and the emotions of the character and that’s always by far the most important anchor for any story we’re going to tell.

    As wild and fun as parts of WandaVision were, the emotional journey we went through with Wanda’s grief hit many of us hard. Yet it was important to do on many levels. The audience is allowed to see her trauma through the series, is grounding and relatable, and anchors the more fantastical elements. It seems as if we will have an emotional deep dive with Sam and Bucky in their series as well. This is what has always most attracted me to the Marvel universe and why I love the MCU characters so much. I enjoy the spectacle but still feel connected to the characters within it. It’s good to see that although the MCU will soon involve the multiverse, alongside more space and time travel, that Kevin Feige continues to understand that the most important part of these films is the connections made with the characters along the way. I’m hopeful we will continue to see more of that, and that this series isn’t the last of Sam and Bucky that we’ll see.

  • ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’: Kevin Feige Teases Wyatt Russell’s Captain America

    ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’: Kevin Feige Teases Wyatt Russell’s Captain America

    Ever since Falcon and the Winter Soldier was announced, we knew that the Disney+ series will focus on the passing of the mantle of Captain America. After the end of Avengers: Endgame, Sam Wilson was given the shield by Steve Rogers, but he is hesitant on accepting the role. In the trailers, we get a brief look at another man in a very familiar-looking suit. We know that Wyatt Russell is taking on the role of a government-funded Captain America, John Walker. In the press release,

    The past is prologue. The clues are everywhere in what has led to this moment. Certainly that character and that name, sometimes it’s just a name, but often times, we do, of course, pull from the lineage of their biographies from the comics and then tweak it as it is appropriate for the point of time we are introducing them into the MCU. Stay tuned over the course of this series.

    We have seen Marvel Studios adapt a lot of its characters. Sometimes they add unique spins or even combine characters, such as Iron Man 2′s Ivan Vanko being a combination of Crimson Dynamo and Whiplash. We don’t know if there is a history for Russell‘s version of the character moving forward as the US Agent, or even as Captain America. He will potentially become the public face for the character, as we saw him getting introduced in a football stadium. It is crazy to think that was the first trailer that was released during 2019’s Super Bowl. It will be interesting to see how his character evolves throughout the show, and what implications it could have for the future of the MCU.

  • ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’: Anthony Mackie Talks Sam Wilson’s Hesitance on Becoming Captain America

    ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’: Anthony Mackie Talks Sam Wilson’s Hesitance on Becoming Captain America

    As the logo of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier teases, the main focus of the upcoming show continues where Sam Wilson’s story last ended in Avengers: Endgame. As we learned in the first trailers, it seems that Sam isn’t quite ready to take on that heavy role. In the press release, our own Charles Murphy got a chance to ask Anthony Mackie about why Sam Wilson is hesitant to take on the shield even after Steve Rogers passed it on to him. He offered a heartfelt answer on the pressure that Sam is facing after holding the iconic Vibranium frisbee.

    Sam’s whole thing is: he went on this journey, this Avenger story over six movies with Steve because of his respect and admiration for Steve. When Captain America, he says, when Captain America shows up at your door, you answer in the movie Captain America: Winter Soldier. That being said, it is, you know, it is the pain, the idea of not being able to go on these missions, not going to be able to help his friend. You know, there are still people out there that really appreciate camaraderie and friendship […] Just like everybody else, you don’t want to see Steve Rogers go away. You don’t want to see Captain America go away. Because just like Captain America was your Cap, Captain America was Sam Wilsons Cap. So, you know, that is why he says at the end of Endgame, it feels like, when he is holding the shield, it is someone else’s. It feels like it is yours. He was a fan like everybody else.

    hH ends the question with a joke that Sam Wilson’s entire goal was to get a spin-off with Black Widow when she knocked on his door. It was a great way to break the tension after a very heartfelt and introspective answer on why this decision is so difficult for Sam. He spent so many films alongside his friend and now, he is gone. The moment he accepts the shield, he also has to face the fact that his friend has moved on. Of course, others being after the iconic symbol isn’t making that decision any easier and we can’t wait to see how they approach it once it premieres on March 19th.

  • Anthony Mackie Teases That ‘The Falcon and Winter Soldier’ Will Explore Sam Wilson’s Backstory

    Anthony Mackie Teases That ‘The Falcon and Winter Soldier’ Will Explore Sam Wilson’s Backstory

    Throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we are introduced to a long-list of characters. Sadly, we don’t always get to explore the characters’ history before they join the franchise. When Sam Wilson was introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, we only briefly hear about his time in the military. Luckily, as this franchise continues to expand we also get a new perspective on different characters. Luckily, it looks like The Falcon and The Winter Soldier will do exactly that, as we will get to find out more about Sam’s past before he became the iconic winged Avenger.

    It’s always a surprise when the minds get-together and the information trickle down to you. When I first read the script, I was really happy and acknowledged the fact, that he was from Louisiana.

    Anthony Mackie also briefly mentioned that he wanted to eat crawfish on camera to pay tribute to Wilson’s family history from Louisiana, but it sadly wasn’t possible. He also briefly talks about how this changes the characters’ comic history.

    The First Reactions To 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Are Here – BroBible

    The idea of Sam Wilson, he’s always evolved in the world of the Marvel comic books and now he’s evolved in the Marvel cinematic universe. Because if you remember when Sam Wilson started out he was a huslter, from Harlem, and then as African American culture evolved, Stan Lee evolved him in the comic book into different incarnations. So I’m excited for everyone to see the new and improved Sam Wilson

    Still, it is great that the upcoming series will take a deeper look at these character’s history. It may also be used as a contrast to Bucky, who has no one left. All he had left in the modern age was Steve, so he might get accepted into a new world, as his relationship with Sam evolves by getting to know him better throughout the series’ runtime. It certainly opens up a lot of interesting character moments that would not get the spotlight in a feature film.