Murphy's Multiverse

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  • Connecting Imaginary Dots: ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Might Introduce Isaiah Bradley to the MCU

    If you’ve never read an installment of Connecting Imaginary Dots, allow me to explain the idea. Connecting Imaginary Dots was the title I came up with for my speculation pieces when I was writing at MCU Exchange. These types of pieces basically allow me to unload a bunch of junk that’s circulating in my brain in a way that should never be confused for things I actually expect to happen. I basically take a bunch of facts that are almost always entirely unrelated and do my best to connect the dots with by stretching my imagination. In the past these types of pieces have resulted in me theorizing that the Spider-Man sequel which became Far From Home might end up being a team-up outing of Spidey and Hulk in the Savage Land;however, I also wrote one theorizing that Sterling K. Brown would be playing the father of Erik Killmonger in Black Panther LOOOOOONG before anyone else was considering it and one in which I theorized that Annette Bening was actually Mar-Vell when everyone else still thought Jude Law was playing the character. The bottom line is this: these are fun spec pieces that allow me to just be a fan. With that out of the way…

    A recent update to IMDB (which I am well aware can be unreliable) produced some information that, if true, could be considered incredibly interesting. The update indicated that actor Olli Haaskivi had joined the upcoming Disney Plus series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier as Dr. Wilfred Nagel.

    If you find yourself asking who Dr. Wilfred Nagel is and why he might matter, don’t feel bad because he’s certainly not a popular character and not one that has accumulated a lot of appearances. First appearing in the 2003 limited series, Truth: Red, White and Black, he is however notable for one incredibly important thing: in an attempt to carry on the work of Project: Rebirth begun by Dr. Abraham Erskine, Nagel, under the alias Josef Reinstein, experimented on a group of 300 African-America soldiers, including one by the name of Isaiah Bradley.

    Bradley, the only soldier to survive the trials, takes a Captain America costume and goes on a one man mission against the Nazis. The mission, unfortunately, fails and Bradley is captured and experimented on by the Nazis as they try to reverse engineer the new batch of Super Soldier serum. Though freed from his captors, Bradley is court-martialed and imprisoned for nearly 20 years before being pardoned. The legend of Bradley, the “Black Captain America”, however, had taken root in the Marvel Comics Universe and Bradley became well-known and respected in the African-American community.

    Upon meeting Bradley, whose physical and mental states had deteriorated significantly, Steve Rogers began to learn more about Project: Rebirth.

    If we are seeing Nagel, it seems very likely that he’s either there for the same reason he was introduced in the comics OR they’ve greatly altered his story and the MCU version will be responsible for production of the Super Soldier serum used by John Walker.

    Here’s to hoping it’s the former. As fans know, if we get to meet Isaiah Bradley, his grandson Elijah might not be too far behind. And that’s another Young Avenger and…well, that’s another story.

  • Marvel Studios Disney Plus Series ‘LOKI’ Will Reportedly Feature Transgender Character Sera

    A new report from the Illuminerdi suggests that the Marvel Studios Disney Plus Series Loki will introduce Sera, a transgender character first introduced in 2014’s Angela: Asgard’s Assassin, to the MCU in a strong supporting role.

    Image result for marvel comics sera"

    Should this report prove to be correct, Sera would be the first transgender character to be heavily featured in a Marvel Studios project. In the comics, the character is an Anchorite, a group of male angels from the previously unknown Tenth Realm: Heven. She was featured heavily in Angela: Asgard’s Assassin as she first helped, then fell in love with Angela before eventually marrying her. Sera’s inclusion in the series could very well indicate that it will introduce Heven and, potentially Angela. Though the trades suggested she might be playing a female version of Loki, actress Sophia Di Martino’s role in the series has never been clearly defined, so it’s possible that she could be playing Angela, if they are including that character in the series.

    Image result for marvel comics sera"

    Loki is now filming in Atlanta and is currently scheduled to stream on Disney Plus in the Spring of 2021.

  • Marvel Studios Hunt for Its Ms. Marvel Continues

    In early January, I had heard that Marvel Studios had settled on an actress for the role of Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel for its upcoming Disney Plus series Ms. Marvel. At the moment, it appears that search is ongoing.

    Early this afternoon I learned that Marvel Studios had either reopened or extended the search for an actress to play Khan. This means one of two things: the original actress either didn’t sign on/dropped out of the role or one was never found in the first place. I’m inclined to lean into the former as the source who shared the news with me originally has been incredibly reliable.

    Regardless of the scenario, this is an important character for the studio to cast and one that will come both with great fame and great stress, especially for a young woman 15-20 years old. As of now, it appears we may not find out the identity of that young woman any time soon.

  • Marvel Studios Searching for Their Brother Voodoo

    The illuminderi have come out of the gates swinging and, on Friday afternoon, launched another haymaker with the report that Marvel Studios is searching for a Caribbean actor for a lead role in next year’s Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness. While the character was not identified, it seems like a safe bet that it is for Jericho Drum, aka Brother Voodoo. I can confirm that the studio is searching for an actor in his late 20s to early 40s for the role.

    Image result for marvel brother voodoo"

    First appearing in Strange Tales #169, the Haitian born Jericho Drumm left for America to become a psychologist. Upon returning home, he found his brother, Daniel, the local Houngan or Voodoo priest, dying from a spell cast on him. Before he passed, Daniel made Jericho promise to study to become a Houngan, starting his path towards eventually replacing Stephen Strange as the Sorcerer Supreme.

    The inclusion of Jericho Drumm has been expected for some time. His brother, Daniel, the keeper of the New York Sanctum, was killed by Kaecilius in Doctor Strange, setting the stage for him to learn the mystic arts as he works to keep the memory of his brother alive.

    Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness is due in theaters May 7, 2021.

  • ‘STRANGER THINGS’ Season 4 Production Update

    Earlier this month, I shared the news that production on Stranger Things would kick off in Lithuania before heading to Atlanta, though I was unable to pin down an exact date. It now looks as though we can expect stateside production on the hit series fourth season to begin in or around early March.

    Recent interviews with the cast have indicated that the production wheels are just beginning to spin on the new season, meaning more news should become available soon.

  • Noah Mills Joins Marvel Studios Disney Plus Series ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’

    Actor Noah Mills (The Enemy Within, The Brave) has joined Marvel Studios upcoming live-action series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in an undisclosed role.

    Image result for noah mills"

    Mills, who was seen on set recently, joins Desmond Chiam and Miki Ishikawa as members of the cast whose roles have yet to be revealed. The series seems to have taken quite a bit of inspiration from Mark Gruenwald’s epic 80’s run on Captain America that introduced characters such as John Walker, Lemar Hoskins, Rachel Leighton, Crossbones and more to Cap’s roster of supporting characters.

    The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is filming now and is expected to stream on Disney Plus this Fall.

  • What I Heard This Week: ‘LOKI’ Likely to Have Second Season

    Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. Typically, when the second scenario occurs, I move on and forget about the information unless, in rare instances, it turns out to be proven true somewhere down the road.

    The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and WandaVision are deep into production with both series on schedule for late-Winter/early-Spring wrap parties. As those two productions start winding down, the third Disney Plus series, Loki, started production earlier this week just as I told you last week. With the start of production came confirmation of something we’ve been hearing about but, until now, I had never seen solid evidence of.

    Things I heard this week: actors being brought on board for lead and major supporting roles in Loki are having options for a possible second season written into their deals.

    Now it’s a fine line between what this does mean and what it does not mean. It does not mean that, as of today, I can confirm with 100% certainty that a second season of Loki will happen. I will say that there’s plenty of evidence which supports the idea that it’s a great possibility.

    The first indicator was the naming of the limited liability company Disney formed for Loki: Limbo Productions I LLC. The inclusion of the Roman numeral I means Kevin Feige had already given thought to a second season, which would be produced under Limbo Productions II LLC.

    Additionally, writers at other sites and “those in the know” have indicated they’ve heard rumblings about the potential for a second season of the show. Those are both great indicators, but for me, the FACT that contracts are being written to include the option is the most concrete indicator we could ask for.

    So, what this DOES mean is that Marvel Studios has developed a series that, if all things go smoothly, will not only dovetail into Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness and, possibly, Thor: Love and Thunder, but also leave some threads hanging that could be picked up again in Season 2.

    Overall, this is potentially great news for fans of Loki and Tom Hiddleston, but I’d caution against celebrating too hard just yet as there are still some moving parts that will have to mesh before it’s a certainty. That said, I’m told the studio is already looking into studio space in which to film Season 2 in 2021, so…there’s that. Things are looking good for the Son of Secrets.

  • ‘DOCTOR STRANGE’ Sequel May Introduce America Chavez

    Late last year in a chat with students at the New York Film Academy, Kevin Feige teased the introduction of several new characters in 2021’s Doctor Strange sequel, including one he indicated fans might not guess saying:

    The next Doctor Strange film, for instance, features some new MCU characters which will be making their debut in that movie you won’t expect or won’t guess who it is but we found a cool way to make it work because we want to make a particular type of movie there and there was a character who we always wanted to do something with who will fit really well there.

    A new report from The Illuminerdi might shed some light on who that unexpected character might be: America Chavez!

    According to the site, Marvel Studios casting director Sarah Finn is searching for an Hispanic actress, 15-17 years of age for a supporting lead role in Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness. While no name was given in the description, it’s not much of a leap to jump to the multiverse-traveling powerhouse, America Chavez.

    First appearing in 2011’s Vengeance #1, the nearly invincible Chavez quickly became a fan favorite, appearing in Young Avengers, A-Force, Ultimates,her own solo series and, most recently, West Coast Avengers.

    Chavez posseses the ability to open star-shaped portals that allow her to navigate her way through the Multiverse, a talent that may just come in handy given that the Strange sequel is set to introduce that construct to fans.

    Though no list of actresses was given, I’d expect to see Isabela Merced (formerly Moner) and Jenna Ortega (both of whom were on Marvel Studios radar for a smaller role in Black Widow), Rachel Zegler and Dylan Conrique under consideration. Whoever lands the role, if it is in fact Chavez, should expect to be busy as the character will likely play a large role moving forward as a member of the Young Avengers.

    Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness will begin production later this year and will be in theaters on May 7, 2021.

  • ‘CAPTAIN MARVEL’ Sequel Officially a Go at Marvel Studios

    Marvel Studios is officially moving forward with a sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel. Megan McDonnell, who has done some screenwriting for the upcoming Disney Plus series, WandaVision, has been chosen to develop the project.

    Directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Bolden, who co-wrote and directed the billion dollar franchise opener, will not return to helm the sequel, which is expected to take place in the MCU’s present day. Marvel Studios is reportedly searching for a female director to head up the project which is expected to hit theaters in 2022.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • Scarlet Witch & The Mutants: Why Wanda Maximoff Will Bring The X-Men to the MCU

    While the Marvel Cinematic Universe does not follow the comics to an exact letter, the MCU undoubtedly takes inspiration from the comics. Redwing is not an actual bird that Falcon communicates with, but it is a mechanical bird that he controls. Black Widow did not betray the Avengers in the MCU, though her relationship with the team in the comics is ambiguous at best. Needless to say, there are certain liberties taken when the MCU adopts from the source material. With that in mind, it stands to reason that where Wanda Maximoff in the comics was the reason mutants vanished the MCU’s Scarlet Witch is going to be the reason mutants join this shared universe over the course of WandaVision and Doctor Strange 2.

    In the comics, Wanda Maximoff was trained by an actual witch named Agatha Harkness, who is set to be played by the criminally underrated Kathryn Hahn in WandaVision. Agatha is the Morpheus to Wanda’s Neo and she shows her how to unlock the true strength of her powers. With the ever-expanding MCU set to embrace the more supernatural elements of the comics (Doctor Strange has already been introduced, and Moon Knight, Ghost Rider, and Blade have all either been announced or teased by Kevin Feige and that’s before we even get to the multiverse shenanigans that would need to occur to make Jared Leto’s Morbius interacting with Tom Holland’s Spider Man a logical reality), it stands to reason that the MCU takes those first steps with their Witch, Wanda, and an actual witch in Agatha. With casting calls being put out for Wanda and Vision’s twins Wiccan and Speed, one need not speculate very far as to what could be the cause of Wanda’s potential mental break. In the comics, Wiccan’s powers very much resemble his mother’s, while Speed’s powers resemble his uncle Quicksilver’s powers. At the end of Winter Soldier, Baron Van Strucker said that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch represented the Age of Miracles. I can think of a different M word that one could use in the 1950s, the rumored Scarlet Witch setting, if they saw two kids running really fast and warping reality. Imagine if, in 1950, a devastated Scarlet Witch utters the words “More Mutants” because she wishes that someone could’ve protected her children after Agatha was responsible for taking them away.

    Wanda’s nightmare, indeed.

    The MCU’s Scarlet Witch losing her children after she lost her twin brother, her partner Vision right in front of her after being forced to kill him herself, turned to ash herself by the Mad Titan, and then resurrected only to be robbed of her vengeance is undoubtedly enough to push her over the edge. Feige has already said that, entering Phase Four, Wanda is the most powerful character they have. Throw in Wanda’s presence in Doctor Strange 2, existing in one universe where she has to potentially deal with The Wasp jokingly mocking Wanda’s desire to be a mother after having that reality brutally ripped away by Agatha. You can clearly see a scenario where losing her children leads her to not only bring the mutants from another universe into the main MCU universe due to the sheer loss she has experienced, but also leads to the Sorcerer Supreme to have to intervene to eventually put the Scarlet Witch down like in the House of M comic. This becomes even more likely when Wanda realizes that the reason Thanos was able to turn back time and kill Vision in front of her, and ergo rob her of the future she thought they’d have, is because Doctor Strange gave up the Time Stone.

    With a new Doctor Strange synopsis being released, and a new director being brought in (three cheers for Jordan Peele being the one who takes the helm), Strange’s continued study of the now gone Time Stone has been teased. Mordo’s decision to eradicate the world of sorcerers could bring him into contact with Wanda Maximoff. Could Mordo be in cahoots with another villain, one that has been here for hundreds of years, and who the Scarlet Witch has an extended history with? And could her past interaction be the reason mutants will now exist in the MCU?

    Time will tell.