Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Square-Enix Announces Two New ‘Final Fantasy 7’ Mobile Spin-Offs

    Square-Enix Announces Two New ‘Final Fantasy 7’ Mobile Spin-Offs

    The Final Fantasy 7 Remake franchise is continuing to expand. In the latest PlayStation State of Play, we got a trailer for the first DLC of last year’s remake. It will explore a story that takes place during the Midgar chapter, as Yuffie tries to uncover Shinra’s dark secrets and take them down from within. It looks like Square-Eni wasn’t done with the franchise yet, as they simultaneously revealed two brand new mobile games. Interestingly enough, the titles for these games were leaked two months ago due to trademarks.

    The first mobile game is titled Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis. It will be a single-player game that covers the entire franchise’s timeline. It even includes the compilation and designs from the Remake franchise. The gameplay showcases the return of the classic ATB system. It even switches between chibi-versions of the characters and their larger designs. The ending seems to tease a story featuring Zack, which could potentially be tied to the ending of Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

    As mentioned before, it wasn’t the only mobile game reveal. It looks like they are dipping their toes in third-person shooters as well. Final Fantasy 7 The First Soldier will be a Battle Royale game that takes place in Midgar before the events of the original game. You take over the role of a SOLDIER candidate, who will take on other players and some classic enemies from the original game.

    The quality of these games is impressive and showcases how far mobile gaming has come. There is a good chance there are some gacha or microtransactions integrated into the game, as is common for mobile games. I might check out The First Soldier game, as it seems like a fun distraction. Ever Crisis would technically count as a remake of the original with how faithful its adaptation seems to be. I am excited to see what else the franchise might have in store for us, as we anxiously wait for the sequel to last year’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

    Source: Twitter (Ever Crisis), Twitter (The First Soldier)

  • First ‘Final Fantasy 7 Remake’ DLC Reveals the Return of Yuffie

    First ‘Final Fantasy 7 Remake’ DLC Reveals the Return of Yuffie

    I didn’t expect this. In the latest PlayStation State of Play, we got a look at various upcoming game releases and the showcase of upgrades for PlayStation 5 owners. Among them, we got a showcase of 2020’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake with new textures, lighting, and so much more. It even comes with some Quality of Life improvements. We finally get a Photo Mode to see all the detailed work in the game. The biggest surprise was the reveal of an entire story chapter focused on everyone’s favorite ninja Yuffie. The new story will be available for PlayStation 5 players and is titled “Intergrade“.

     

     

    It starts with a recap until we suddenly get a brand new sequence looking at Midgar through a telescope. It quickly reveals Yuffie’s updated design and introduces a new cast of characters. We even get some gameplay that shows her maneuverability on the field. It looks like they want to add a lot more ways to get around the map in the sequel. Yuffie’s Intergrade storyline will take place at the same time as the original game.

    The trailer even ends on a curious cliffhanger. It reveals a mysterious character, who may be the main antagonist for this storyline. The DLC will be released on June 10th worldwide, and it will expand the franchise before the official sequel gets released. I didn’t expect any smaller content drops, as they already broke the original game into multiple pieces. It also is a brand new story that wasn’t a part of PlayStation’s Final Fantasy 7 release in 1997, so we might see more additions in the future. I cannot wait to revisit this world on the next-gen console.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ Adds ‘West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler in Undisclosed Role

    ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ Adds ‘West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler in Undisclosed Role

    We recently reported that Shazam‘s upcoming sequel Fury of Gods is eyeing a May production start in Georgia. Well, some casting news just dropped that would help support it, as The Wrap has revealed that West Side Story‘s Rachel Zegler has joined the sequel in a key role. She is the second Colombian American actress to join a DC production right after Sasha Calle‘s casting as Supergirl for the upcoming The Flash film.

    There are no details on what character she might be playing, as the film’s script is still kept under wraps. There is a chance her character could be connected to a report from four months ago. It was about the film looking to cast Greek mythologies’ Three Sisters. She could be playing one or even portray all three if they want to go down a triplet route with their portrayal. Her career has been rising, as the singer and actress will star opposite Ansel Elgort in the upcoming remake of West Side Story by Steven Spielberg.

    The upcoming sequel will continue the story of Billy Batson, who can transform into an adult with superpowers after saying the iconic word. Zachary Levi will return to play the titular hero, whose name is the summary of the six gods, whose powers he was given. David F. Sandberg is also back to direct the film. He will bring a screenplay by Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan to life, which will explore the aftermath of Billy giving his adoptive siblings similar abilities. 

    Source: The Wrap

  • Hulu’s ‘M.O.D.O.K.’ Series to Premiere in May

    Hulu’s ‘M.O.D.O.K.’ Series to Premiere in May

    It is going to be a massive year for Marvel. Marvel Studios is lining up around six series to release on Disney+ throughout the year. There have still been some remnants of the original Marvel TV team, whose last projects are getting released. Helstrom released at the end of last year exclusively on Hulu without the iconic branding, which made it feel disconnected from the other releases. The streaming service has one more Marvel series, and that is the upcoming stop-motion series MODOK. After a long wait, we finally got the official release date. According to an official post by the service, it will release on May 21st. Not just that, the release date also came with a brand new trailer that teases a lot of insanity, fights with SHIELD, and a new perspective on Marvel’s world. 

    The series will follow the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing.  Patton Oswalt will be voicing the giant head. It will follow the iconic Marvel villain as he balances leading AIM as a company, his dream of conquering the world, and still maintaining a family life. The series was created by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, who many might know from their work on Robot Chicken. It originally was intended to crossover with other series, which would become The Offenders series. Marvel canceled Howard the Duck, as well as Tigra and Dazzler. There currently do not seem to be any plans for MODOK to continue beyond its first season as Marvel Studios expands into Disney+.

    Source: Twitter, Slash Film

  • EXCLU: HBO’s ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ Eyeing a May Production Start in NYC

    EXCLU: HBO’s ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ Eyeing a May Production Start in NYC

    Love is a tale as old as time. In 2003, Audrey Niffenegger tested its timelessness with her novel, The Time Traveler’s Wife. It told the story of Henry, who has a gene that makes him involuntarily travel through time. Of course, his absence strains his relationship with his wife, Claire. The story got adapted into a film back in 2009 by Warner Bros.’s New Line division. Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana were in the leading roles.

    Steven Moffat, the creator of BBC’s Sherlock and former Doctor Who showrunner, plans to adapt the story once more for HBO. The series still has no release date, but we learned that HBO is eyeing a May production start. It looks like the production is planning to film in New York City. It is uncertain if they plan to change the book’s location from Chicago to the Big Apple. There is also the chance that as he travels through time, he may arrive in different locations at various points in time, so anything is possible.

     

     

    Moffat has been an avid fan of the story, as it was the inspiration for the Doctor Who episode, “The Girl in the Fireplace.” Of course, his experience with time travel shows will be a great help with the drama. He will serve as writer and producer for the series alongside executive producers Sue Vertue and Brian Minchin. Moffat gets the chance to adapt a story he adores, which is always an exciting prospect. It makes you wonder if he’ll also sneak in a few references to his previous work.

    Source: HBO, Deadline

  • Amazon Developing a Live-Action ‘G.I. Joe’ Series

    Amazon Developing a Live-Action ‘G.I. Joe’ Series

    Hollywood is trying to revive the G.I. Joe franchise once again. Snake Eyes will be the first characters to get that second chance, as a solo film is still in production. The project got hit with a massive delay due to the ongoing pandemic. It will release October 22nd and will introduce multiple classic characters, such as Snake eyes, Baroness, Scarlett, and Storm Shadow. Now it seems the G.I. Joe universe is expanding. This time, it is in the form of a live-action series that will follow another popular character.

    The Hollywood Reporter reports that Amazon has begun development on a series following the character of Lady Jaye. The series is set to be produced by Paramount TV Studios, Entertainment One, and Skydance TV. The project currently has no talent attached to it and still in the early phases of development. The showrunner of Netflix’s Daredevil, Erik Oleson, will act as showrunner for the series. Lorenzo Di Bonaventura will also co-produce alongside Oleson. The series will reportedly take place in the same world as the upcoming Snake Eyes film.

    It is only the first in many projects to come from Hasbro, as they are reviving their classic toy lines with multimedia deals. The studio is hard at work developing new films for the Transformers and Power Rangers franchise, straying from past adaptions and softly rebooting many. It will be interesting to see how they continue to expand these different franchises and even pull off an Avengers: Endgame style crossover. We’ve seen it in the comics witch Transformers and G.I. Joe, so it would be a fun surprise later down the line.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Titans’: First Look at Damaris Lewis’ Blackfire

    ‘Titans’: First Look at Damaris Lewis’ Blackfire

    After months of delays, production on the upcoming third season of Titans is underway. The show’s social media has begun to tease the character’s new design for this new season. The first reveal was the highly anticipated Red Hood costume. Shortly after, we got a good look at the redesign of Starfire. Fans have been begging for more. Luckily, they aren’t stopping anytime soon. After a long wait, they finally revealed the look of Blackfire. She will be played by Damaris Lewis, who is reprising the role after a brief appearance in the last season. She is sporting a purple and silver suit similar to her first appearance in New Teen Titans #23.

    The series still has no official release date. It will release on HBO Max now that DC Universes shifted to being a digital comic library. This season will see the return of Brenton Thwaites, Anna Diop, Ryan Potter, Teagan Croft, Alan Ritchinson, Minka Kelly, Joshua Orpin, Curran Walters, Damaris Lewis with Connor Leslie also set to return following Donna Troy‘s fate at the tail end of Titans’ second season. Joining the cast this season is Savanna Welch as Barbra Gordon and Jay Lycurgo as Tim Drake, who hopefully will be revealed in the near future. It is still unclear what role Tim will have in the story, as we may not get his introduction as the new Boy Wonder until the end or a future season. Hopefully, we get a trailer alongside a release date in the coming months.

    Source: Twitter

  • Connecting Imaginary Dots: Polish actor Piotr Adamczyk a Tracksuit Mafia member in ‘Hawkeye’

    Connecting Imaginary Dots: Polish actor Piotr Adamczyk a Tracksuit Mafia member in ‘Hawkeye’

    It’s been reported for quite some time that Matt Fraction’s infamous Hawkeye mobsters, The Tracksuit Mafia, would have a significant presence in the upcoming Disney+ series. However, little has come out about specific casting for this group of baddies, aside from assassin Kazimierz Kazimierczak (aka the Clown played by Fra Fee). After a bit of connecting imaginary dots by a Facebook user, and a bit more investigation by myself, I believe another actor and possible significant character related to the gang has been uncovered. 

    Facebook user Lysy z Marvela, recently posted that popular Polish actor Piotr Adamczyk appeared on Good Morning TVN and said that he is in Atlanta shooting a project that he can’t talk about. We all know how secretive Marvel Studios is about their projects, and there are several Marvel projects currently filming in Georgia, so, it really isn’t a stretch to think he’s appearing in one of those. Lysy z Marvela also notes that Adamczyk is following Marvel, and several actors from Hawkeye on his Instagram, which I confirmed. He is following Marvel, Hailee Steinfield, Jeremy Renner, Vera Farmiga, and perhaps most interestingly, he is mutually following Fee. That would appear to link the two actors more closely within the show.

    In August of 2020, it was reported by the Direct that Hawkeye was looking for Eastern European actors to portray mobsters, and Adamczyk being Polish would certainly fit the bill.

    A quick look at the actor’s IMDB reveals he’s had a significant career, most recently appearing in For All Mankind on Apple TV, as well as Madame Secretary, and he has starred in biopics about both Chopin, and Pope John-Paul II. It is not a stretch to assume, if he is indeed in Hawkeye, that he is playing a member of the Tracksuit Mafia. And if he’s playing a member of the Tracksuit Mafia, given the depth of his filmography, it’s certainly not a stretch to think he’s a significant member of the gang. Bro!

    Sources: Facebook, YouTube, Direct, IMDB, Instagram

  • ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Production Update

    ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Production Update

    A few weeks ago actress Meagan Good, who played Super Hero Darla in 2019’s Shazam!, appeared on the Carlos Watson show and told him “God willing and by the grace of God, Shazam 2 starts in May.” Now, this was not exactly an answer that instilled a huge amount of confidence that Shazam! Fury of the Gods, would begin filming in May after a significant delay, but it was certainly hopeful. I can now confirm that the Shazam! sequel is still on schedule to begin filming in Georgia at the end of May or early June.

    The Shazam family!

    Previously it had been reported that Shazam! Fury of the Gods would film in Toronto, ON, Canada this Spring, but this has apparently changed. At this time, it’s unclear whether or not the production will film entirely in Georgia or they will travel to Canada at some point to film as well. But I have heard that the Georgia part of production is prepping currently and is on course to begin filming at the end of May.

    Black Adam vs Shazam

    It is interesting to note that Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam is also currently in pre-production in Georgia and should be filming at the same time. Whether or not the Shazam! production “powers that be” decided to move to Georgia for this reason (in order to make any potential cross overs between the films much easier to make happen and keep secret) is unclear, but it’s certainly a possibility!

    Shazam! Fury of the Gods, starring Zachary Levi and directed by David F. Sandberg,  is scheduled to be released June 2, 2023

    Source: Twitter (Carlos Watson Show video)

    Note: This is not my source, however a shout out to @pridenation on Twitter who also got the info a few days ago that Shazam! Fury of the Gods would be filming in Georgia, so kudos to them on getting the location!

  • ‘RUGRATS’ To Return With Original Cast On Paramount+

    ‘RUGRATS’ To Return With Original Cast On Paramount+

    Paramount+ is following up its iCarly revival with the return of another iconic franchise. Nickelodeon revealed at today’s ViacomCBS Investor’s Day event that the upcoming streaming service, born out of CBS All Access, will bring back the Rugrats in 2021. The brand-new series will feature a CG animation style, which some may consider a bold departure from the franchise’s traditional hand-drawn look. Something that won’t change, however, is the cast of the characters and their voice actors. This means die-hard fans of the original show will once again hear the likes of E.G. Daily, Nancy Cartwright, and Cree Summer in their iconic roles, as troublesome toddlers.

    The revival will be produced by Nickelodeon Animation, and company president Ramsey Naito had the following to say regarding the project:

    Rugrats is one of the most iconic cartoons recognized by fans around the globe, and this original version is one we are taking great care and pride in creating for a brand-new audience. Having the voice cast behind these special characters come together is one of the essential pieces to making the show recognizable and we can’t wait to watch this talented group bring them to life again.

    The original version of the series debuted in 1991 and ran for nine seasons throughout 13 years. It was critically acclaimed by adults and children alike, winning four Daytime Emmys and six Kid’s Choice Awards. Rugrats was followed by a sequel series in 2003 titled All Grown Up!, which followed the same group of friends through their teenage years. The flagship show also produced three spin-off films, beginning with The Rugrats Movie in 1998. The latest addition to the Rugrats fold looks to bring all the same lovable energy as the projects before it. Check out the first footage in the tweet below.

    Source: Variety, Twitter