Murphy's Multiverse

Blog

  • Rumor Control: The Cast of Marvel Studios ‘Fantastic Four’

    Rumor Control: The Cast of Marvel Studios ‘Fantastic Four’

    Marvel Studios highly anticipated Fantastic Four reboot continues to be a hot topic. Though its release date was recently bumped to May 2nd, 2025, the ongoing WGA and SAG strikes could produce a domino effect that bump it even further down the road should production the projects that were in the midst of filming drag too far into 2024. Strikes aside, casting rumors about the film have hardly slowed down. Recently, a pair of talented actors took their turns in the rumor mill but are they signed, sealed and delivered? While there’s no way we’re going to confirm or deny anything at all, here’s what we’ve heard about Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn’s involvement with Fantastic Four.

    Vanessa Kirby

    It’s been made clear since the casting process for Fantastic Four began that director Matt Shakman hoped to cast his Susan Storm first and then build out from there. With that in mind, it always seemed pretty suspicious that so many casting rumors were centered on Reed Richards when there was no Sue. Kirby’s name was one that made a few trips through the rumor mill, seemingly ebbing and flowing in the opposite direction of Margot Robbie’s. Over the last week, Kirby’s name popped back up with several different scoopers indicating that she had landed the role of Susan Storm and news reached us that corroborates that info. From what we’ve heard, however, Kirby is the only actor believed to have actually agreed to a deal before the SAG strike.

    Joseph Quinn

    So where does that leave Stranger Things breakout star Joseph Quinn? It sounds like Quinn is the choice for Johnny Storm (concept art of the actor as the Human Torch has been spotted, we hear) and is expected to close a deal once Hollywood returns to business as usual. However, with no end date to the SAG strike in sight, it would be wise not to count any eggs before they hatch as any number of snags with scheduling could potentially cause Quinn to end up on the outside looking in and Marvel looking for a different Torch.

    No new ground is being broken here simply some support and clarification for what’s already out there but given the wild times in Hollywood, nobody should hold their breath on either of these two stars being in Fantastic Four until after production on the reboot wraps…if it ever starts.

  • The MCU’s Watcher Set to Make His Next Move in a Most Unexpected Place

    The MCU’s Watcher Set to Make His Next Move in a Most Unexpected Place

    Marvel Studios’ first canonical animated adventure, What If…?, introduced one of the most powerful and enigmatic characters in Uatu the Watcher. A member of a race of nigh omnipresent and omnipotent aliens, Uatu lived in the Nexus of All Realties where he was tasked with observing the Multiverse while swearing an oath never to intervene. That oath was tested and ultimately broken in Season 1 of What If…? when Uatu gathered a team of heroes, the Guardians of the Multiverse, to take on Ultron after the AI became aware of the presence of the Watcher.

    That team, comprised of alternate reality versions of Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Gamora, Thor, Black Widow and N’jdaka, took on and ultimately defeated the Infinity Stone-powered Ultron and Uatu returned to the Nexus of All Realities to await whatever came next. Now, thanks to a new trailer, Uatu’s next MCU appearance has been revealed and it’s certainly not what anyone expected.

    Dr. Strange Supreme & The Watcher in Marvel Studios’ WHAT IF…? exclusively on Disney+. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

    During the trailer for Season 2 of I Am Groot, the Watcher was spotted overseeing the feisty sapling taking off in the Guardians’ ship. While rumors of his appearance in the show had circulated a while back, the trailer is the first confirmation of the surprising return of the character who is voiced by the talented Jeffrey Wright. What could Groot be up to draw the attention of Uatu? Will the events of Season 2 of I Am Groot be tied to the events of Season 2 of What If…? ? Answers to those questions will be answered soon as five new I Am Groot shorts will hit Disney Plus on September 6th!

  • Eiichiro Oda had Two Demands for Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Series

    Eiichiro Oda had Two Demands for Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Series

    We’ve known for some time that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has been heavily involved with the production. He had a big hand in choosing who would portray the iconic Straw Hat pirates and had the final say if they would release the show. We would later find out that he even asked them to reshoot a few sequences to ensure they stayed true to his original vision as much as possible but were still open to some changes.

    Matt Owens, the co-showrunner for the series, has revealed in a new issue of Shueisha that Oda had quite a few requests for the development but highlighted two very distinctive ones. The first is that the character’s backstories are not to be touched and remain as their core motivation, which Owens seemingly fully agrees with.

    They’re so pivotal to who they are as people, what their dreams and motivations are, and how Luffy digs into that as he meets them and helps them rediscover those dreams.

    Matt Owens

    The second aspect is that they would focus on the different abilities of the characters. Even if that likely was going to be a big challenge in a live-action setting, they definitely wanted to stick to the moves and devil fruits that are an iconic aspect of the entire franchise.

    Specific devil fruit powers and other skill sets were all carefully crafted by Oda and a lot of imagination went into what different people can do and what the rules are with that.

    Matt Owens

    Going by the trailers, it seems that they definitely stayed true to those requests and went all out to ensure the Devil Fruits get the love they deserve. In an era that is scared of showing off a body stretching, such as with Ms. Marvel recently, they fully embraced that aspect and made sure to show it off even in the first teaser. So, here’s hoping we get a lot more once the series releases and potentially gets multiple seasons to fully embrace the wacky world that is One Piece.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Will Focus More on Noah Schnapp’s Will

    ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Will Focus More on Noah Schnapp’s Will

    Stranger Things remains one of Netflix’s best releases, as it combines horror and 80s nostalgia in an unlikely mismatch. The Upside Down also became a rather fascinating mythology element that had many returning to this world every new season, as we slowly uncovered more of this world. Though, one big change throughout the seasons was that Noah Schnapp, who was a major player in the earlier seasons, seemed to take quite the backseat with each new season.

    Luckily, it seems that the upcoming fifth season will likely return to Schnapp’s Will having a bigger part in the story that slowly became more and more about Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven. In an interview, co-creator Ross Duffer seemingly confirms he will take “center stage again” in the upcoming fifth season and teases that he’ll be “coming into his own as a young man.”

    Will really takes center stage again in 5. This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality — it’s Will coming into his own as a young man.

    Ross Duffer

    We don’t know how they will handle the fact that they won’t be filming for some time and the cast already looks far older than the ages they are supposed to play. The writer and actors’ strike have currently halted productions across Hollywood as they are fighting for a livable wage. So, we’ll see if some elements might get adapted

    Source: Variety

  • New Rumor Reveals One of the Villains of ‘Deadpool 3’

    New Rumor Reveals One of the Villains of ‘Deadpool 3’

    With the ongoing WGA and SAG strikes, interesting news about Marvel Studios productions has been hard to come by. Even the rumor mill has seemingly stalled out with recycled fancasts passing for the most interesting thing on the internet these days. However, several online scoopers have come together to reveal one of the more interesting rumors in recent memory.

    Daniel RPK, KC Walsh and CWGST have separately shared some fascinating news about Emma Corrin‘s Deadpool 3 villain and it’s not a name that had been tossed about before. According to the scoopmeisters, Corrin will be playing Cassandra Nova, the wildly evil twin sister of Charles Xavier. In the comics, Charles attempted to kill Cassandra in the womb after sensing her true nature through his already active psychic abilities. Though stillborn, Cassandra survived and came after Charles and his X-Men decades later.

    Though production on Deadpool 3 has been put on pause, some details about the Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman team-up have emerged; however, this is the first indication of who Corwin would be playing. While unexpected, the choice to use Charles’ sister is a pretty bold step for the studio. Though there are no hints as to what Cassandra’s role would be in the film, her goal in the comics has been to wipe mutantkind from the Earth. It’s not too far fetched to believe that Deadpool and Wolverine run into Cassandra on an alternate Earth where she may have been successful.Though the films is currently slated for a May 2024 release, fans may have wait longer than that to learn exactly what Cassandra is up to as the ongoing strikes look to be placing that current release date in jeopardy.

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Adds ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’s Ian McShane

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Adds ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’s Ian McShane

    While there are still some characters that we don’t know if they’ll appear in the first season of One Piece, we still have quite the cast of characters. We will meet many familiar faces from East Blue across the (hopefully) first season. Though, there’s a surprising addition that we may have not considered making the transition from manga to live-action. It seems the mysterious narrator will remain a fixture in this adaptation of One Piece.

    The big surprise is that the narrator will be played by probably the most well-known actor in the cast. Netflix’s press release includes the mention of Ian McShane voicing the role. The iconic actor marks the first Pirates of the Caribbean addition to the cast, as he famously played Blackbeard in On Stranger Tides. He also is quite famous for his role in the John Wick franchise and Deadwood.

    We will see just how big his role might be, as there’s a chance the narrator only appears in the opening if it replicates the original series. Though, they may have him be a recurring voice throughout, as the narrator tended to appear at random times throughout the manga’s run. It definitely is a great addition and an easy way to have a very recognizable addition to the cast without having to fly him in to shoot scenes. Perhaps they also know who the narrator is at a later point.

  • Den Den Murphy 31 – One Piece Day, OPLA, Gear 5 and So Much More

    Den Den Murphy 31 – One Piece Day, OPLA, Gear 5 and So Much More

    Suki and Joe are back to talk all things One Piece Day, which gave us a first look at the animated Gear 5, a brand new trailer for Netflix’s live-action One Piece series and so much more.

  • Emma Corrin Confirms Villainous Role in ‘Deadpool 3’

    Emma Corrin Confirms Villainous Role in ‘Deadpool 3’

    In February, the internet learned that Deadpool 3 has added The Crown actress Emma Corrin in an unknown role. There were quite a few rumors making the rounds on who exactly she might be playing with some ranging from quite abstract comic characters to various Marvel Cinematic Universe connections one can imagine.

    In an interview with Variety, Corrin doesn’t reveal who they are playing but confirms that it will be a villainous role. Though, they highlight that when they met with director Shawn Levy, famous for his work on Stranger Things, they had zero idea what the role was because Marvel was keeping quite a tight grip on actual details, as per usual.

    I feel really excited to play a villain. I haven’t done that, and it’s an itch I want to scratch. I’d heard about the project but, classic Marvel, they couldn’t tell me anything about it. Absolutely nothing. Zilch. So I met [Shawn] being like, ‘I don’t know what this is about.’

    Emma Corrin

    They go on to highlight that they’re not much of “a Marvel person” but has had some history with Spider-Man and Black Panther. Though, they do go on that she believes “it’s amazing” and seemed to love the self-awareness of Deadpool.

    Hands up, I’m not a Marvel person. I’ve watched ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘Black Panther.’ I was like, ‘Look, you’re gonna have to debrief me into this.’ It’s such an intricate world. There’s so much to it, it’s an absolute mindfuck. All the language and the Easter eggs, and this person is related to that person who did this, and this person came back and this person’s dead… it’s amazing. I really understand why it means as much as it does to so many people. It’s a phenomenon, and I feel really lucky to be part of it. Especially ‘Deadpool,’ because I love the fact that it’s self-aware, and critical of its own inner-workings.

    Emma Corrin

    We’ll have to wait quite a bit longer until we find out who they are playing, especially with the SAG and WGA strikes going on due to studios not paying their talent the money they deserve for the work they invest. It’s unclear when or how much they finished from production. As the director’s guild isn’t striking, Levy might be currently busy working on post-production and waiting to finish filming they didn’t get around to.

    Source: Variety

  • Closer Look at Ted Kord’s ‘Blue Beetle’ Suit

    Closer Look at Ted Kord’s ‘Blue Beetle’ Suit

    Jamie Reyes will be the leading man in the upcoming Blue Beetle film, but we’ve known for a while that the character of Ted Kord will have a role of some kind. Details remain quite sparse on how exactly he’ll feed into the story or even if we’ll get a good look at his iconic suit from the comics. While the film is set to release soon, it seems an exhibition has unveiled not only Kord’s suit but also that of Dan Garrett.

    The suits are shared by Twitter which offers a first close-up at some rather comic-accurate designs for previous bearers of the Blue Beetle title. They aren’t as flashy as the one used by Reyes, but it’s unclear how much they will connect Kord to the blue scarab’s history. Given that Susan Sarandon is playing Viktoria Kord, we might find out what happened to him as he focused on his research of the beetle that may have inspired his costume and technology.

    The big surprise is the inclusion of Dan Garrett in a costume. Blue Beetle is a legacy character and he was the original to hold the title back in the Mystery Men Comics era of Fox Comics. Perhaps the beetle’s history is long and we’ll only see the costume as Kord shares the history that led to him becoming the iconic hero. Outside of Ant-Man, we haven’t really explored a legacy mantle that goes back multiple generations. So, it could make the film stand out.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Loki’ Season 2’s First Trailer is Disney+’s Biggest Debut Yet

    ‘Loki’ Season 2’s First Trailer is Disney+’s Biggest Debut Yet

    It looks like having a sequel season is paying off for Marvel Studios, as their recently released trailer for Loki’s second season is already breaking records. While reactions to Secret Invasion were a bit tepid, it seems that people are more than happy to revisit the story of their favorite trickster god trapped in a timeless office of the TVA. The Disney+ series debuted to 80M views with its first trailer.

    It’s not too surprising given that the first season still remains Marvel Studios’ most-watched series on Disney+. Tom Hiddleston has always been a big draw for viewers and the series may remain one of their best so far. While reactions generally have been tepid, a big break between releases and a new movement to slow down their rollout may have given this series a bit more hope to grab people’s attention. The series was also received quite positively with a 90% positive reaction from fans sharing their love for the first season.

    Marvel Studios has had a bit of an uphill battle online while still remaining a power player from a box office perspective. Viewership numbers are difficult to grasp and we have no idea how viewership numbers are considered a success for the streamer, but perhaps this second season will spark an interest to build up their series more than just dropping various single-season mini-series that are loosely connected to the movies with their own stories that add to the MCU mythos.

    Source: Deadline