Murphy's Multiverse

Category: News

  • Disney+ STAR Line-Up Includes ‘Lost’, ‘Deadpool’, And So Much More

    Disney+ STAR Line-Up Includes ‘Lost’, ‘Deadpool’, And So Much More

    Disney+ is doing its first major expansion in Europe and Canada. As Hulu remains a US-only service, the rest of the world is getting the new STAR brand. It differs between countries, as India has a unique offering with Disney+ Hotstar that includes sports content. The STAR expansion is going to premiere on the 23rd of February. There is a chance that different regions will have a unique line-up. It is mainly the result of local dealings, where the shows or films are exclusively available in existing streaming services. We haven’t received an overview of what shows are made available in different countries, but a post by @DisneyPlusUK offers our closest look at what we can expect.

    https://twitter.com/DisneyPlusUK/status/1354702270160658433

    I love the approach that they took here by creating the new STAR logo through the various show and film titles. A newsletter got sent out shortly after the announcement during Disney’s Investors Day, so we might see another get sent out that details what will be made available in different countries. The tweet calls this their largest content drop yet, so it may be the main template for what we can expect for the future of this new branding.

    So far, there has been no word if we will also see STAR Original series. It may be a way for Disney to create mature stories from Marvel Studios and LucasFilms. I made a theory on how the expansion may influence the future of how Disney+ content is handled, which you can check out here. This reveal also confirms that Deadpool will be made available under the STAR banner, so once that is unlocked, it may get added to the existing Marvel branding. We are only a few weeks away from the official release, so hopefully, we’ll get more details before it rolls out in selected countries.

    Source: Twitter

  • HBO Max Developing an Animated ‘Game of Thrones’ Series

    HBO Max Developing an Animated ‘Game of Thrones’ Series

    Game of Thrones is rapidly expanding. In addition to the prequel House of Dragons, HBO is looking into adding various brand new original series. So far, only The Tales of Dunk and Egg was confirmed to be in some form of development. Well, it seems that HBO Max has set their eyes on adding an animated project into their list of adaptations. According to Variety, the series is in the very early stages of development. Currently, there is no writer or talent attached to the project.

    It isn’t too surprising that they are also looking into another medium to expand the franchise, as other shows have started to test out animated shows. Just last year, we got a new animated series for Star Trek titled Lower Decks. It added a unique comedy to the classic sci-fi epic. HBO Max seems to be mapping out its future line-up, as the latest rumors also hinted at an original Harry Potter series is being developed for the streaming service.

    The interesting question will be if this adaptation will stick to the adult themes of the original. I doubt they will be trying to create a child-friendly version of the franchise, so we could see something closer to Netflix’s Castlevania once it releases. They might use this opportunity to explore stories that would be too expensive in live-action, such as a project exploring the Night King. As an animated series takes quite a bit of time, this series might not release before 2024. Until then, we have House of Dragons to fill the void that the last season of Game of Thrones left in our hearts.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘SKULL ISLAND’ and ‘TOMB RAIDER’ To Receive Anime Treatment at Netflix

    ‘SKULL ISLAND’ and ‘TOMB RAIDER’ To Receive Anime Treatment at Netflix

    Legendary’s MonsterVerse and Tomb Raider franchises are getting bigger on a small screen near you. Netflix revealed today that it will be producing an anime series for each, set within the monster film universe and the recently rebooted video game timeline, respectively.

    Skull Island will spin-off of the 2017 Kong: Skull Island film directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, and is set to chronicle the fate of a group of shipwrecked survivors on the mysterious island inhabited by King Kong. Not much else is currently known about the plot, but you can almost certainly bet on the story’s protagonists encountering their fair share of dangerous scenarios and terrifying titans. The decision to go forward with the animated project, which will be created by the Powerhouse Animation studio behind the successful Castlevania and Blood of Zeus animes, capitalizes on the recent hype surrounding Godzilla vs. Kong, the fourth film in the MonsterVerse, and it’s well-shared trailer.

    Tomb Raider will continue the story of Lara Croft after the events of the recent Square Enix video game trilogy, which gave the franchise a fresh start and a new timeline. The story will take place 25 years after the start of the first game, and will be written by The Witcher: Blood Origin alum Tasha Huo. The series should serve as an exciting new chapter for fans of the treasure hunting adventure franchise and is a unique way to expand this version of Lara’s world while still leaving room for more games in between settings. As a fan of anime, I absolutely cannot wait to see both of these exhilarating franchises take on such a fast-paced form.

    Source: Deadline

  • EXCLU: Ally Maki and Kal Penn Join Tom Huang’s ‘Dealing With Dad’

    EXCLU: Ally Maki and Kal Penn Join Tom Huang’s ‘Dealing With Dad’

    We got our hand on some exclusive casting news for an upcoming Indie film. It seems that Ally Maki and Kal Penn has joined the latest film by Tom Huang‘s titled Dealing With Dad. The story follows a slightly dysfunctional family, as the kids have to deal with their clinically depressed father. Huang was selected among a number of screenwriters to join the Film Independent’s Screenwriting Lab2015, which helped him gain a grant to produce the script of the film. He is now finally tackling the project after his success with the award-winning Indie film Find Me in 2019, which he wrote, directed, and starred in.

    Cloak and Dagger‘s Ally Maki will tackle the role of Margeret Chang. Maki is a fantastic choice for the lead, as she was great in TBS’ Wrecked. Some might also recognize her voice from Toy Story 4, where she played Giggle McDimples. The role of her father will be played by Dana Lee, who some might recognize from Curb Your Enthusiasm. There is also the casting of Kal Penn, who is a great addition to the cast. His filmography ranges from Harold and Kumar to hit shows like House M.D. and Designated Survivor. Even with his extensive past as a comedy actor, he certainly has proven himself in more serious roles.

    The concept of a dysfunctional family is always a fascinating one to explore. Dealing With Dad will take a closer look at how much a person can change when facing depression and if a family can truly forgive their behavior from the past. It certainly sounds like a story many will be able to relate to. Going by the cast The film is set to start production in spring, so we might see more casting news in the coming weeks.

    Source: IndieWire, Film Independent, Find Me

  • REPORT: Disney May Consider a Hybrid Release for ‘BLACK WIDOW’

    REPORT: Disney May Consider a Hybrid Release for ‘BLACK WIDOW’

    The Covid-19 pandemic has affected different industries worldwide. And Hollywood is one of those industries that took a heavy hit. Many of these studios are still holding their films back, with many of them having been delayed into 2021 and are now being pushed even further into 2021 or 2022.  As the global film industry loses billions of dollars as months push by and these films keep getting delayed, many have been looking at another approach to distributing such projects for the audience to see in a post-pandemic world. At the beginning of the pandemic, studios seemed to be reluctant to release the movie on a different online platform instead of a theatrical release, making it tough for them to choose the right platform to release their films. But, in times of desperation, more and more studios have started to opt for releasing their films on streaming platforms, some even going as far as making a hybrid option to release their films on theaters and streaming platforms on the same day, at no additional cost. And this has been a heavily debated topic during this past year, some calling the move bold and great for fans of these films, while others seem to think otherwise. Well now, it seems that Disney and Marvel may follow suit with the upcoming release of the Black Widow film.

    According to Variety, following the slate shift Walt Disney Studios did last week and seeing how the MCU films were practically left untouched, there exists a strong possibility that Marvel Studios could be considering a hybrid release for the first film of Phase 4: Black Widow. What does this mean? Chances are they’re waiting for the release of Raya and the Last Dragon, due out on March 5th. Raya and the Last Dragon is opting for Disney’s first hybrid release, so to speak, by releasing the film in theaters and via Disney+’s Premier Access service on the same day. Depending on how the film does with that hybrid business model, there is now a real possibility that Black Widow could opt for that option as well. And with the weight that this is a Marvel Studios film, chances are that this film could make some real gains in a post-pandemic world.

     

    The film has already been delayed twice this past year, and in any other normal case, the film could be delayed again no problem. But there is a catch and it is ultimately Marvel’s Achilles heel. By having these “Phases” into check, and by pushing the films further and further back, not only would Black Widow be delayed, but that would cause a domino effect that could shift the entire current MCU Slate back. There have been murmurs that the reasoning behind Black Widow‘s delay is due to the contract clauses that some actors have regarding this film, asking for a theatrical release rather than a full Disney+ Premier Access. So now, with this hybrid release becoming a possibility, there may exist a loophole to these clauses and there is a real chance that we could be seeing this on our devices really soon.

  • Robert Kirkman Confirms ‘INVINCIBLE’ Movie is Still Happening

    Robert Kirkman Confirms ‘INVINCIBLE’ Movie is Still Happening

    Ever thought that two Invincible properties are better than one? Me neither, but apparently franchise creator Robert Kirkman and Universal have taken this to heart. Despite a highly anticipated animated adaptation of the Image comic series being only a handful of weeks away, Kirkman revealed to Entertainment Weekly that the long-gestating live-action movie is also still in the works. The announcement of the Amazon series had led to many wondering if the film adaptation was dead. It seemed unusual to produce such a high-quality animated series and then follow it up with a live-action adaptation.

    There is the fear that it would just be repetitive. If I can watch a long-form version of the story, why invest the money to watch it in theaters again? According to Kirkman, there will be enough differences so that they can co-exist and complement each other. He does make the comparison between the Spider-Man live-action and Into the Spider-Verse animated film. The problem is that the stories told are very distinct from each other, so perhaps the live-action adaptation might have a unique take on the original story.

    The live-action version got announced in 2017. The film will be produced by the creative pairing of Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg. The duo has previously found success with comedic works such as Superbad and The Interview. On another note, Rogan is also set to be a part of the concurrently produced animated series. He will be voicing Allen the Alien, so he is also involved with its production in some form. Kirkman did confirm that the film is in very early stages so it won’t release for a few years.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Kevin Hart Joins ‘Borderlands’ Film as Soldier Roland

    Kevin Hart Joins ‘Borderlands’ Film as Soldier Roland

    Here’s an interesting casting announcement. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Kevin Hart will officially join the upcoming adaptation of Borderlands. It seems that Lionsgate was hard at work closing a deal with the Jumanji actor, who will take on the role of soldier Roland. The character has appeared in various games including Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Borderlands 2, and Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep. THR points out that this will indeed be a more serious acting turn for Hart, who has a track record in comedies. So far, he is the second actor to join the project after Cate Blanchett, who is set to play thief Lilith. Director Eli Roth is working on the project based on a script by Craig Mazin. Lionsgate Motion Picture Group President had the following statement:

    Kevin has been behind some of the world’s biggest blockbusters, and our source material is inspired by one of the world’s best-selling video games. We love the way our filmmaking team has adapted this story and we couldn’t be in better creative hands.

    Borderlands is a popular franchise and released its official third entry in 2019. As THR points out, the franchise sold 66 million units since it initially launched. Hart is an interesting choice for the character of Roland. Roth also commented on the casting, as he is excited to showcase a different side of the actor. It is great to see Kevin Hart attempt a more serious role. He still has some comedies that wrapped up production recently, such as Man from Toronto and No F**s Given, but he is starting to venture out. One of his upcoming films Fatherhood deals with the story of a man losing his wife after she gave birth. So, Hart is slowly leaving his comfort zone to find new ventures in acting, which is always great to see.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • New ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ Trailer Teases a Mystical Adventure

    New ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ Trailer Teases a Mystical Adventure

    After revisiting the land of Arendale in 2019’s Frozen 2, Walt Disney Animation Studios is heading to the East and explore the story of Raya. It was among the many films that were delayed as a result of the 2020 pandemic, which will now see a release via Disney+ Premier Access and in theaters. As we are only a little over a month away, Disney released a brand new trailer for Raya and the Last Dragon giving us our first official look at Kelly Marie Tran’s Raya and Awkwafina‘s dragon Sisu.

    https://twitter.com/DisneyRaya/status/1354066562903404544?s=19

    The film was directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada alongside Paul Briggs and John Ripa as co-directors. The story takes place in the world of Kumandra, where the dragons once sacrificed their lives to save humanity from a great evil. Now that the evil has returned after 500 years, the young warrior Raya sets out to track down the last dragon. The visuals alone are already showcasing how far Disney has come in its 3D animation department. The film has a stellar cast with Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Benedict Wong, Izaac Wang, and many more. The trailer also came with a brand new poster:

    Raya and the Last Dragon is the second film t premiere on Disney+’s new Premium Access function. The movie will be available for $29.99 once it releases on March 5th. Everyone is going to keep an eye on the film’s release, as it may determine if the rest of the Disney line-up for 2021 gets delayed. the film looks to be a great addition to the Disney line-up and you can’t go wrong with a film that includes a baby that can do kung-fu.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Tomb Raider’ Adds ‘Lovecraft Country’s Misha Green as Writer and Director

    ‘Tomb Raider’ Adds ‘Lovecraft Country’s Misha Green as Writer and Director

    2018’s Tomb Raider wasn’t a massive success with a gross of $250 million worldwide but still made enough to kickstart a new cinematic franchise. It looks like the sequel is finally getting ready, as Misha Green is set to write and direct the upcoming sequel. Green might be most well-known for her work as showrunner of Lovecraft Country. She also wrote Netflix’s The Mother and wrote the successful WGN Underground series. As you can see, she has quite an extensive filmography. However, this will be Green‘s first time taking on directing duties for the film.

    The first film’s adaptation took heavy cues from the 2016 Crystal Dynamics remake of the iconic franchise. It mostly focused on a young Lara Croft fighting for survival while being outnumbered. No details are given what we can expect from the sequel, but there will certainly be tombs involved. The report also confirms that Alicia Vikander will return in the titular role once again.

    Tomb Raider has quite a history with the gaming franchise starting back in 1996. Originally it was designed by the British video game company Core Design, which was owned by Eidos Interactive. Vikander‘s incarnation isn’t the first adaptation to film. Angelina Jolie played the titular role in 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider before returning for a sequel. It will be interesting to see how Vikander‘s franchise may grow moving forward, as it may start embracing the franchise’s crazier origins. I am still waiting for her to fight some dinosaurs. Misha Green‘s addition may also add some more horror elements to make the sequel stand out from its predecessor, which is an exciting prospect.

    Source: Deadline

  • Live-Action ‘Harry Potter’ Series in Development for HBO Max

    Live-Action ‘Harry Potter’ Series in Development for HBO Max

    The Wizarding World is about to grow even bigger, as The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that a live-action Harry Potter series is in development. It seems the Executives over at WarnerMedia have been in talks with various writers but nothing is set in concrete as of now. No deals have been made, as HBO Max and Warner Bros. have made the statement that nothing is in active development. The franchise is one of the studio’s most valuable IPs, so it makes sense that they have something planned. J.K. Rowling is presumed to still be involved, as she still has control over the franchise.

    The franchise hasn’t been free from controversy, mostly surrounding Rowling‘s recent comments. Warner Bros. also replaced Johnny Depp with Mads Mikkelsen in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts film. Still, the franchise has quite the following ever since the original film aired in 2001 before Deathly Hallows ended the story of the franchise’s titular character. It wasn’t until 2016 that Fantastic Beasts sparked a new wave of excitement, as Warner Bros. saw to expand upon the now-titled Wizarding World.

    As there are no writers involved, the series can be a prequel, sequel, or even a midquel. It would be interesting to explore a modern Hogwarts, where students are also using modern technology in combination with their magic. There is also a lot of wizarding history that has yet to be explored, so anything is possible. We’ll most likely hear more from this project once they’ve found the right writer.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter