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‘DOCTOR STRANGE: IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS’ Will Irrevocably Alter the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Over the course of the first 23 MCU films, several films stand out as having steered the longform narrative. AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, CAPTAIN AMERICA:THE WINTER SOLDIER, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, THOR: RAGNAROK and ANT-MAN AND THE WASP all featured choices, consequences and plot points that impacted more than just the events of those films. It’s hard to argue that Bucky’s reintroduction in The Winter Soldier, the implications of which rippled through the MCU for 5 years, might not have been the point from where the MCU changed forever. It was the beginning of the end of the Avengers, the inciting moment that lead to Civil War and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes being scattered around the globe when its people needed them most. The heroes, of course, came back together to defeat Thanos but it cost them dearly and we are left with a world, 4 years into the future, without a team of Avengers to defend it, alternate timelines created by their attempt to undo Thanos’ destruction and a group of survivors who have experienced a great deal of loss and trauma. While the first two films of Phase 4, 2020’s BLACK WIDOW and THE ETERNALS, don’t seem primed to explore the repercussions of AVENGERS: ENDGAME, it’s beginning to become clear which film will and, by doing so, become a game changer in the same way as Age of Ultron or Ragnarok before it: DOCTOR STRANGE: IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS.

While we know very little about the plot of the sequel at this point, it’s becoming clear that it is being set up to be the fulcrum of Phase 4 and, perhaps, the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following its introduction in 2016’s DOCTOR STRANGE, the idea of the multiverse was largely left to marinate in the minds of fans before being brought back into the spotlight in SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME. Though Quentin Beck’s story of the multiverse turned out to be nothing more than part of his plan to deceive Peter, it did bring the idea back to the forefront of fan’s minds so when Kevin Feige revealed the full title of the Doctor Strange sequel at last summer’s SDCC, it caused an uproar. At that time, we found out that Wanda would be a key player in the film and that the events of WANDAVISION would spill directly into it. Just recently, Feige indicated that DOCTOR STRANGE: IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS would also be connected to the events of LOKI, which will somehow follow the unredeemed 2012 version of the Lord of All Liars on a trip through time, already making the Scott Derrickson sequel the central hub for MCU fans in 2021.

While we don’t know exactly what to expect from DOCTOR STRANGE: IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS or how WANDAVISION and LOKI will impact it or be impacted by it, it certainly seems that the film is positioned to reshape how we will think about the MCU going forward. Opening up the true multiverse means almost endless possibilities for story telling going forward. Other universes mean other versions of familiar characters, territory that has been mined in the comics for decades. It might also mean new characters such as Captain Britain, the Squadron Supreme or Miles Morales. Having Strange learn to navigate between these universes could also mean he might come into contact with cosmic entities that exist outside the confines of a singular universe, being such as Eternity, the Living Tribunal or even the Beyonder, who might have a thing or two to say to the Sorcerer Supreme.

In the way that CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER set the pace for the longform narrative for the films from 2014-2019, it’s possible that DOCTOR STRANGE: IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS could set the stage for the next several years of films after 2021. If anyone is looking for a path the connects Sony’s films to the MCU or for some version of SECRET WARS to make its way to the big screen, it seems like establishing the true multiverse is a necessary first step.

November 8, 2019
Welcome to Murphy’s Multiverse

Welcome to Murphy’s Multiverse. This is something I’ve considered doing for some time now. This allows me to share my thoughts in more than however many characters Twitter gives me and to get back into doing some of the writing I enjoyed so much in my time at MCU Exchange and That Hashtag Show. I plan to use it to host my scoops, our podcast and as a place to continue growing as a thinker and member of an enormous fan community. Be patient as I work through the bugs. Hopefully this is the right amount of fun for all of us.

November 7, 2019
EXCLUSIVE: New ‘BLACK ADAM’ Script Features Hawkman, Atom Smasher and Stargirl

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at That Hashtag Show on March 8, 2019.

In 2014, Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment made headlines with the announcement that Dwayne Johnson had signed on to star as the titular character in a solo Black Adam film. Nearly four and a half years later, we’ve still yet to see Johnson suit up as the DC Comics antihero, with the studio passing on what seemed like sure fire appearance in Shazam, but it seems that things might be looking up on that front.

Late last month, scribe Adam Szytkiel, who was brought on by New Line back in 2017 to pen the Johnson vehicle, turned in an updated draft of the script which is sure to please fans of DC Comics. Szytkiel’s script seems to be taking some cues from Geoff Johns’ early 2000’s work with the character and sets up a battle of heavyweights as it pits Hawkman against the protector of Khandaq!

The studio will be looking to cast an actor, 30-39, to take on the role of Carter Hall with an emphasis on landing someone the audience can believe could go toe-to-toe with the Brahma Bull!

The script also features Adam’s fellow JSA members Atom Smasher and Stargirl, the two of whom have often been depicted to be in a relationship in the comics. The studio will be searching for talent, 20-29, to play the duo.

While plot details are being kept under wraps, the addition of Hawkman to the film could certainly indicate that the studios is at least entertaining the thought of pushing the envelope on the amount of violence we’ll be seeing on screen. In a 2018 interview, producer Hiram Garcia stated that the film was not going to be “softened up” for audiences and the inclusion of Hawkman would seem to indicate that they’re standing by that claim.

Black Adam is tentatively set for a March 2020 start of production and is currently searching for a director.

March 8, 2019
EXCLUSIVE: Emma Watson Headlines List of Front Runners for Female Lead in ‘BLACK WIDOW’

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at That Hashtag Show on March 6, 2019.

Marvel Studios is now actively casting for its solo Black Widow film ahead of a scheduled June start to production and casting director Sarah Finn and company have begun to narrow down the lists of candidates for several roles. Chief among those roles is a second female lead, which we originally described here as a “kick ass female Bond”, for which the studio is said to be seeking an actress capable of a physically demanding role who also “feels similar” to star Scarlet Johansson.

The studio has been looking at available talent for the role since late last year and now a partial list of front runners for the role has emerged. While it’s important to remember that this list does not represent everyone up for the role and that, at the time of publishing, none of these actresses had been officially offered the role, the list does provide us significant insight into the type of actresses the studio has been auditioning. It’s an interesting list and one that we at That Hashtag Show are excited to be able to share with you in this exclusive!

Headlining the list is actress Emma Watson. Best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise, Watson starred as Belle in Disney’s 2017 live-action version of Beauty and the Beast and recently wrapped filming on Little Women. We are told that the idea of Watson landing the role is gaining momentum and that her name is prominent in discussions between director Cate Shortland, Brad Winderbaum and Kevin Feige.

Actresses Alice Englert (Beautiful Creatures and the upcoming Netflix series Ratched) and Dar Zuzovsky (Hostages, Neighborhood) recently auditioned for the role and both made a strong impression on the studio. Additionally, Florence Pugh, who will star alongside Watson in Little Women, is also still in the running. While the role originally called for an actress in the 30-39 range, this list certainly indicates a willingness on the studio’s part to expand their search to find the right woman for the job and it seems that they now have a handful of talented actresses from which to chose.

Casting for any film is a dynamic process with names jumping in and out of contention, so while this list of front runners is a great place to start, it by no means is intended to represent everyone who may eventually be up for the role and certainly not an indication of who will ultimately accept it. Looking at the role of Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel as a cautionary tale (DeWanda Wise originally held the role before Lashana Lynch came on board), we can understand how quickly things in Hollywood can change. That having been said, we should expect movement one way or another on this role fairly quickly as testing for it and other roles has been ongoing very recently, indicating the search is narrowing down.

March 6, 2019
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Black Widow’ Searching For An Ethnically Diverse Male Villain

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at That Hashtag Show on March 4, 2019.

Last month it was reported that the script for Marvel Studios Black Widow was being rewritten by Ned Benson. This rewrite was almost certainly responsible for the delay in production which saw the film’s start date get pushed all the way back to June. Should things stay on schedule, principal photography will conclude in October, freeing up stage space in London for Marvel Studios next film, The Eternals to move in.

While the magnitude of Benson’s rewrites are unclear, it does seem that he’s done a bit of character work, reworking some of the films leads and possibly removing others. In November of last year, we gave you the first look at 6 major roles the studio was looking to fill. While most of those roles still exist, it seems that there have been some changes to them, most notably the film’s villain, which could help us deduce his identity.

We originally reported that the studio was looking for an actor of any ethnicity in his 40s to play someone “exciting” to portray the film’s main antagonist. The recent rewrites have given us a little more clarity on this character, though to be honest, we still don’t have much to go on in any effort to figure out just who he is. The studio is now looking for either a Black British or African actor, 30-45, to portray a “tough, dangerous and mysterious” villain.

This new update certainly seems to eliminate Red Guardian and any other Russian villain from contention as they’d likely not have a British accent. It certainly still leaves someone like the Taskmaster in play, but at this point, it really could be anyone.

The film will still feature a second female lead, as we first reported in November, an older European male and female and the “bookish” male for which the studio is seeking a Paul Dano-type. As we originally reported in December, the studio had been meeting with talent for the second female lead (a “kick ass female Bond”), though at this time nobody has signed on for for the role.

With cameras set to roll in roughly 3 months, we should certainly start to see some movement with casting very soon, though you shouldn’t expect it to come through Marvel Studios. Kevin Feige has maintained that they will not officially discuss any of their upcoming films beyond Spider-Man: Far From Home until after that film has been released in theaters, so we could expect a very big presence by the studio at SDCC this year or, more likely, during D23.

March 4, 2019
EXCLUSIVE: ‘THE ETERNALS’ Set to Star Marvel Studios First Openly Gay Male Lead

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at That Hashtag Show on March 1, 2019.

As Marvel Studios begins its search for the cast of the 2020 feature film, The Eternals, we at That Hashtag Show have learned that they are looking to cast an openly gay actor for a lead role in the film.

During the press coverage of Ant-Man and The Wasp last year, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige stated that the studio was working towards bringing a new, LGBTQ character to the mix in the near future. As it turns out, that future is nearly upon us as the studio searches for an actor, 30-49, who “physically looks like a superhero” for one of the film’s leads. While the studio is open to actors of all ethnicity, they would prefer the role to go to an openly gay actor.

Over the past several years, Marvel Studios has made an impressive effort to make films more representative of the modern world and this is another example of them making good on that. This role will mark the first time Marvel Studios has featured an openly gay male as a lead as this character will have a major presence in the film alongside the other leads expected to be Sersi, Ikaris and “Piper.” The studio is going to great lengths to keep the identity of the character a secret and it would take away from the focus of this piece to speculate on the identity of the character her.

While rumors have swirled to the contrary, the film is still scheduled to begin filming in the UK on September 9th of this year and continue filming through January of 2020. With cameras set to roll in just over 6 months, the studio is already actively searching for candidates to fill several roles and, we are told, may have already identified a favorite for the role of Ikaris. Additionally, director Chloe Zhao has expressed interest in Cameron Britton (The Umbrella Academy) and Polish actor Tomasz Kot for a supporting role in the film that requires an imposing physical presence. No offers have been made to either of these actors at the time of publishing.

March 1, 2019
Connecting Imaginary Dots: Annette Bening is the MCU Mar-Vell

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at That Hashtag Show on January 7, 2019.

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; to counter that, 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. The bottom line is this: these are fun spec pieces that allow me to just be a fan. With that out of the way…

I’ve been all over the map on this one and have never been 100% certain about how things will shake out, but right now I am more convinced than ever that Annette Bening will be portraying the MCU version of the Kree hero Mar-Vell in Captain Marvel. The casting of Jude Law threw me for a loop as it was reported that he would be playing both Carol’s mentor and a character named Walter Lawson. Lawson, of course, was the alias Mar-Vell used in the comics when he was sent by the Supreme Intelligence to Earth as a spy under the command of Yon-Rogg. The trades said Law was Lawson, I thought that must mean Mar-Vell and so for a while I was set on that and I was fine with that.

However, as we’ve drawn nearer to the film’s release, evidence has piled up that leads everyone to believe that Law is actually playing Yon-Rogg. To be fair, that doesn’t mean that he’s not also playing Walter Lawson; just because that was Mar-Vell’s alias in the comics does not mean that it can’t be the assumed identity of Yon-Rogg while he’s on Earth in the film. This isn’t so much about Law, though; it’s about Bening.

Bening was added to the cast of the film amid conflicting reports from the trades. One trade said she would “most likely” be playing Carol’s mom and another said she was a scientist. As with Law’s role, there’s no reason both things cannot be true, but I do believe we can identify the role in which she was cast. We were the first to reveal the character breakdowns for the film way back in November of 2017. Unfortunately, much of the work I did was lost in the hack of our site earlier this year, but here is the relevant info:

[UNKNOWN MALE /SCIENTIST] Supporting Lead Male (40-59) Intelligent, but can throw a punch. Open ethnicity. Sounds like he may be tied to a well-known character.

As I’ve said before, I originally wondered if this character might not be Rick Jones, but that clearly isn’t the case. What is most likely the case is that the studio gender-swapped this role and cast Beninig in it. She’s the right age (60 now, but was 59 at the time of filming) and even if Marvel Studios had hoped for a male, you don’t turn away an actress of Bening’s caliber if she comes in to audition for the part. We know that Bening has a stunt double for the film, so we’ll certainly get to see her “throw a punch” or two and, as time has gone on, the clues have lined up as to what well-known character she is playing: Mar-Vell.

It’s a leap of faith, to be sure, but I think the breadcrumbs lead me close enough to make it. I don’t have to be correct here, but I cannot imagine a Captain Marvel film or a Marvel Cinematic Universe that does not have a Mar-Vell. It’s incredibly uncomfortable to me to imagine how Carol ends up with the name Captain Marvel if she doesn’t have a Mar-Vell, but beyond that, there was a reason Carol eventually took on the mantle: Mar-Vell was a noble, romanticized hero whom she greatly admired. While it’s clear that Law’s Yon-Rogg is going to be her mentor in the film, it’s also clear from the quick snippet we’ve seen that she has a relationship with Bening’s character as well. Bening’s character has a much larger role in the film than what the marketing has lead us to believe so far and I’m willing to be that it’s her relationship with Carol that helps Carol decide to step up and take charge by doing what she believes is right and that sounds a lot like what Mar-Vell would do, even if it meant defying orders and turning her back on the Kree.

I know there are a lot of people who think otherwise. I know people believe Bening is playing Yon-Rogg, the Supreme Intelligence or someone else entirely inconsequential. I don’t like any of those arguments. I have no idea why the Kree Supreme Intelligence, a 54-foot head in a jar that holds the collective intelligence of the greatest Kree minds in their history inside its genetically engineered head would feel the need to speak to Carol through an avatar. I also don’t know why said avatar would need a stunt double. Additionally, and on a personal level, I absolutely need Marvel Studios to embrace the ridiculousness that is the Supremor and give me a 54-foot head in a jar. So process of elimination says she’s not the Supreme Intelligence.

She’s also not Yon-Rogg. I don’t believe that Hasbro and Funko mistakenly mass produced a million toys with the wrong name. I also don’t buy the super convoluted theories that suggest Law is both Yon-Rogg and Mar-Vell. In this instance, I’m a fan of Occom’s Razor: the simplest answer is that Bening is Mar-Vell.

While it may end up being the wrong assumption to make, it is the simplest and, I believe, there’s at least a tiny bit of evidence to support it beyond what I’ve discussed above. In his earliest appearances, Mar-Vell was draw with white hair. It was a great coincidence that the human doctor whose identity he assumed (Walter Lawson) had white hair and looked just like him. Add that to him being a pink-skinned Kree and he was the perfect replacement for Lawson and the perfect spy.

While his hair later became blond, it’s the white hair that always stuck with me as a kid and it’s the white hair that might provide the smallest clue as to whom Bening is playing. A quick Google search of Annette Bening will provide you with evidence that for most of the last 4o years, she’s been a redhead. Sometimes it’s blond; sometimes it’s brunette; mostly it’s red. You know what she’s not done? She’s not done white, not until she took the role in Captain Marvel.

Why? Why cast an actress of Bening’s caliber in a small, meaningless role and then make her dye her hair white? I don’t have an answer for that question other than “you wouldn’t.” I’m aware that it’s not much, but combined with everything else I’ve been tossing around in my brain, it’s enough to convince me that in the MCU, Bening is playing Mar-Vell, a Kree scientist who may of may not have been on Earth and who may or may not be Carol’s mother, but who definitely has a relationship with Carol and plays an integral part in helping her become the hero she is meant to be!

January 7, 2019
Charles Murphy Takes On The ‘BLACK PANTHER’ and ‘DOCTOR STRANGE’ Sequels

Note this article was originally published by Charles Murphy at That Hashtag Show on December 20, 2018.

As Phase 3 and the saga of the Infinity Stones comes to a close, the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has begun to come into focus. Though Kevin Feige has stuck to his guns and made no official announcements about what to expect after Avengers: Endgame, it’s nearly impossible to hide things anymore and the post-Thanos slate has started to fill up.

Black Widow and The Eternals are set for 2020 and the gears are in motion for sequels to Black Panther and Doctor Strange to occupy two of the three 2021 films. While the first two have scripts and are in different stages of pre-production, the latter have only recently secured directors with Ryan Coogler and Scott Derrickson returning for their respective sequels. Coogler is set to write the sequel to Black Panther and the search for a screenwriter for a second Doctor Strange film is underway, but both directors have indicated in the past that they have plenty of ideas where their characters might go next. Of course, as fans, we all have our ideas too and that’s what this is all about…my takes on what I would love to see in the next installments of Black Panther and Doctor Strange. These are just some ideas that have been floating around in my head. You may like them or you may not. That’s how ideas work.

Black Panther: The Conscience of the King

Had I written this up 6 months ago, I’d have had an entirely different take on this one. For a long time, I’d thought that a Black Panther sequel would be an ideal time to introduce Namor. I don’t claim to understand the intricacies of his live-action rights, but I’ve always assumed that, like Hulk, it would be easier for Marvel Studios to include him in another film than to make a Sub-Mariner solo. That may or may not be true, I’m just explaining my thinking here. However, the impending arrival of the Fantastic Four has changed my thinking on Namor as has the evolving structure of the landscape of films happening post-Endgame. At this point, I’m not so sure we might not FINALLY see a Sub-Mariner film, but if we don’t, I’d love to see Namor come into the picture as a Fantastic Four antagonist and then develop over time. So that’s a long way of saying what the sequel won’t be about, so let’s move on to what I’d like to see.

Black Panther left things pretty well set up not only for Wakanda’s role in Avengers: Infinity War, but also for the sequel to take any number of routes. With Wakanda fully-revealed to the world and establishing a Wakandan outreach center in Oakland, any number of new issues could arise and I think that turning to Christopher Priest’s acclaimed run gives us an idea of what they might be.

Between 1998 and 2003, Priest wrote 60 issues of Black Panther for Marvel Comics and, to this day, they are considered among the seminal work done on the character. Priest’s run began with T’Challa in an interesting pinch: a girl who was a part of T’Challa’s Tomorrow Fund, an organization he founded in the United States to help clean up some inner cities, has been found murdered. Meanwhile, refugees flock to Wakanda’s border, led by the enigmatic Reverend Doctor Michael Ibn al-hajj Achebe. When T’Challa chooses to leave to investigate the murder of girl, Achebe makes his move to overtake Wakanda.

Achebe represents an entirely different type of threat to T’Challa and Wakanda. A master manipulator willing to go great lengths to remove T’Challa from the throne, his motives and means are vastly different than those of Killmonger’s. Achebe is a villain that many fans have longed to see brought to the screen and who has been described as the Joker to T’Challa’s Batman. It’s entirely possible that not only could Coogler make him a memorable villain, but also that he’s already set things in motion to work Priest’s arc into a sequel.

The Wakandan outreach center in Oakland could quite easily become the Tomorrow Fund. T’Challa’s descision to open Wakanda’s borders could very easily result in a refugee crisis (something that we are all too familiar with and that would allow Coogler to inject a measure of social commentary into his film). Achebe’s goal is to essentially destabilize T’Challa and Wakanda, allowing him to take over. He hits the King from all fronts, leaving nothing off the table. Unlike Killmonger and M’Baku, he presents no physical threat to the King which would allow for Coogler to show audiences what fans of the comics have known for years: T’Challa is one of the smartest characters in the Marvel Universe. Of course we’d like to see him do some fighting too, so bringing in a secondary antagonist, like arms dealer Moses Magnum and his crew, would allow for some nice action, but if Coogler wants to separate this film from the last one, Achebe has to be the threat and he has to be as different from Killmonger as possible. If we stay with the Batman analogy, this would be Coogler’s chance to make the MCU’s The Dark Knight. For all Killmonger’s physicality and emotion, he didn’t stretch T’Challa to his breaking point: that’s what a man like Achebe could do.

There are plenty of other characters that could be added (Queen Divine Justice has already been rumored to appear) and plenty of twists and turns to take, but on the whole, I’d love to see this film end with T’Challa having reclaimed the country, handing the throne to Shuri and becoming the King of the Dead, living in the Necropolis.

Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme

Director Scott Derrickson has gone on record that his original Doctor Strange pitch included Nightmare, the first villain Stephen Strange faced in the comics. He was talked out of it by Kevin Feige who believed that if the first film took place partially in another dimension, it might require too much exposition and bog down the film. With the idea of alternate dimensions know established, it’s very likely that Derrickson gets to bring Nightmare into the sequel.

Nightmare is a fascinating character who lives in the Dream Dimension (aka the Nightmare Realm) where he has long tortured people in their sleep. While his appearance in the comics has changed over the years, he’s relatively terrifying to look at and would afford Derrickson the opportunity to push the film into some darker corners that he’s familiar with as a director of horror films. I have no inside info here, but I’d say the fact that Derrickson is back on board is a fairly good indicator that we will be seeing Nightmare in the sequel.

I’m 100% on board with Nightmare being in the film but I hope that Marvel Studios takes the opportunity to mess around within the dreams of people to introduce the Sleepwalkers, the protectors of yet another sleep-related dimension known as the Mindscape. Nightmare was long-considered an enemy of the Sleepwalkers in the comics and it wouldn’t take much tinkering to make things a little less complicated in the sequel. In 1991, Marvel Comics began a short-lived Sleepwalker series which focused on one of the guardians of the Mindscape who became trapped in the mind of a man named Rick Sheridan while protecting him in his sleep. One of the fascinating things about old school Doctor Strange comics is that he seemed to frequently be teaming up with other heroes. If Derrickson wants to make this an entirely quirky and unsettling horror film, the combo of Nightmare and Sleepwalker would do the trick.

Nightmare is the perfect villain to keep Strange busy in the sequel while the real villain of the piece does his work. When last we saw him, Karl Mordo was in a bad place and we can only imagine that things will have gotten much worse in the time that passes. Though Mordo walked away from Kamar-Taj and Strange after learning of what he considered to be a betrayal by the Ancient One, we all know Mordo is on a path to become Strange’s ultimate challenge.

Mordo is not only reducing the number of sorcerers in the world, he’s also stockpiling their power. It wouldn’t be shocking to see a changed Mordo here, perhaps one who has been mislead again and has entered into an agreement with Dormammu that would benefit them both: if he can deliver Strange to Dormammu, Mordo can take Strange’s power. Mordo enters into a deal with the Lord of Chaos that keeps him from breaking his vows. Though distasteful to Mordo, it serves his purpose. This scenario would require something to trap Stephen, someone in whom he doesn’t suspect evil intentions. This scenario allows for the introduction of Clea, the niece of Dormammu, and Stephen Strange’s one, true love…perhaps the girl of his dreams.

There are other characters I’d love to see make their way into Strange’s life eventually (Rintrah chief among them), but if you could slap together a plot where Strange has grown comfortable following the events of Infinity War and Endgame, is distracted by Clea, weakened by his battle with Nightmare and has to somehow team up with Sleepwalker to overcome Mordo before losing his powers, that would be a super fun film full of opportunities to scare the hell out of anyone.

There they are. The two worst ideas for sequels that you’re likely to read today! It’s always fun to do this kind of thing, but also it’s a lunatic mission because the ideas I come up with are the least likely to end up in a film written by actual professionals. At any rate, thanks for reading and have a great holiday season!

December 20, 2018
EXCLUSIVE: Michelle Rodriguez and Tyrese Set to Ride Again in ‘FAST & FURIOUS 9’

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at That Hashtag Show on December 19, 2018.

Michelle Rodriguez and Tyrese Gibson have both flirted with leaving the Fast and Furious franchise for their own reasons, but it looks like they’ve signed up to ride or die one more time. With filming set to begin this April on the 9th installment of the Vin Diesel led franchise (and the 10th Fast and Furiousverse film, including Hobbs and Shaw), Universal has begun getting the gang back together with Rodriguez, who has been on board since 2001’s The Fast and The Furious, and Gibson, who entered the franchise in 2003’s 2 Fast 2 Furious, the first dominoes to fall.

In 2017, Rodriguez threatened to leave the franchise if the studio did not improve the quality of the roles available to females. Fast 9 will be her 6th appearance in the series. Like Rodriguez, Gibson also threatened to leave the franchise, though in his case it occurred when he sided with franchise star Diesel in a feud with Dwayne Johnson following the filming of The Fate of the Furious (the 8th film in the series). The so called “candy ass” feud worked out well for Johnson, who now has his own spinoff film set in the same continuity and allowed Gibson to stay involved on the Diesel-side of things.

December 19, 2018
EXCLUSIVE: Details on Paramount’s ‘SNAKE EYES’ Solo Film

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at That Hashtag Show on December 18, 2018.

Paramount Pictures seems to have found the key to successfully rebooting their Transformers franchise with their solo Bumblebee solo film which is already receiving rave reviews. Bumblebee took a deep dive into nostalgia with its 80’s setting and G1 character designs and the gamble appears to have paid off. Now, it appears that the studio is going to roll the dice on rebooting their GI Joe franchise in a similar fashion, beginning with a solo film for one of its most popular characters: Snake Eyes.

Paramount is hoping to capture a little more 80’s kid nostalgia with the film, which will be made working off a script from Evan Spiliotopoulos. Snake Eyes, which is eyeing a late-spring 2019 start of production, will focus on the origin story of the famed GI Joe warrior who finds the family and training he desperately needs amongst a clan of Japanese warriors who must simultaneously thwart a terrorist attack. That origin, as fans of the character will know, has been cobbled together over the years through the various iterations of the character. The Hasbro toy line, an animated series and several different comic book publisher (Marvel and IDW chief among them) have contributed to the story of the real American hero, but we have the scoop on what to expect.

It was recently reported that Ray Park, who played Snake Eyes in the two previous GI Joe films, would not be returning for the origin film as the studio is looking for a younger actor, preferably someone in their early twenties. When we meet this new, younger Snake Eyes, it’ll be as a street fighter in Peru. Driven by the desire to avenge the death of his father, Snake Eyes is apparently a man on the move until he ends up in Japan, where he and his best friend, Tommy, aka Storm Shadow, will begin their training with the Arashikage Clan. The film will see at least 3 of the clan’s legendary masters as they train Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow as Hard Master, Soft Master and Blind Master are all set to appear. Also present at the Arashikage compound is the film’s female lead, Akita. In comic continuity, Junko Akita was an apprentice and lover of Storm Shadow; here she is the head of security and will be a love interest for Snake Eyes.

Of course if it’s a GI Joe movie, Cobra must somehow be present and in this instance their presence is made manifest in what appears to be a character created for the film: Kenta. Kenta is revealed to Storm Shadow’s brother who has long since left his family, the Arashikage, and joined with a rival ninja clan, the Kurayami. It is Kenta who attempts to lure Snake Eyes away from the Arashikage and into a terrorist plot being devised by Cobra. We won’t delve too deeply into spoiler territory here, but we can see what side of things Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow will take and this film certainly seems to set the stage for one of the great comic book rivalries.

Snake Eyes will feature an almost entirely Asian cast (Snake Eyes being one obvious exception), featuring at least 9 lead and supporting roles for which they are only seeking Asian talent. Director Robert Schwentke is currently in talks to helm the project and should things work out between the two sides, we could expect casting to begin shortly after business resumes in Hollywood in 2019.

December 18, 2018