Murphy's Multiverse

Blog

  • Episode Titles for Netflix’s Live-Action ‘One Piece Series

    Episode Titles for Netflix’s Live-Action ‘One Piece Series

    It’s been a long road since we first heard about the live-action adaptation of One Piece. All the way back in 2017, Eiichiro Oda confirmed that he alongside Netflix was working on the project. While the episode count has decreased from ten to eight, the wait for the series to finally reveal seemed endless. Now, we are only a few weeks away from it finally hitting Netflix and the official press offers some insight into the episode titles and a short description.

    If you want to remain spoiler free for any potential plot points of the live-action adaptation then only continue risking at your own risk.

    Episode 1: Romance Dawn

    Directed by Marc Jobst, Teleplay by Matt Owens and Steven Maeda

    Monkey D. Luffy, an optimistic young pirate with dreams of finding the One Piece, sets off in search of the loyal crew he needs to navigate the vast oceans. His journey begins when he helps Koby, a deckhand forced into servitude, escape an undesirable situation. While in Shells Town, Luffy meets Roronoa Zoro, a famed pirate hunter, and Nami, a Master thief, and the three form a tenuous alliance.

    Episode 2: The Man in the Straw Hat

    Directed by Marc Jobst, Written by Ian Stokes

    Luffy, Zoro, and Nami find themselves imprisoned on an island overtaken by the deranged clown pirate, Buggy. Koby joins the Marines and proves his mettle.

    Episode 3: Tell No Tales

    Directed by Emma Sullivan, Written by Matt Owens and Damani Johnson

    Luffy, Zoro, and Nami land in Syrup Village, where they meet Usopp, a local who introduced the group to Kaya, a sickly shipyard heiress under the care of trio of overbearing house staff. With the help of Koby, Vice Admiral Garp, a powerful marine, sets off in search of Luffy.

    Episode 4: The Pirates Are Coming

    Directed by Emma Sullivan, Written by Tiffany Greshler and Tom Hyndman

    Luffy, Zoro, and Nami fight their way through Kaya’s mansion, which has now become a prison. Usopp enlists the help of Koby, Helmeppo and the Marines. Luffy finally gets the ship of his dreams as Garp closes in.

    Episode 5: Eat at Baratie!

    Directed by Tim Southam, Written by Laura Jacqmin

    Luffy and the gang are tested in their ability to fight together on the high seas. They arrive at Baratie, a floating restaurant, where they encounter Sanji, a young chef with a love of fine dining. A duel on the docks shocks the group.

    Episode 6: The Chef and the Chore Boy

    Directed by Tim Southam, Written by Steven Maeda and Diego Gutierrez

    The group is ambushed by a threat no one sees coming. After a hard-fought battle at Baratie, Sanji finally follows his dreams, while another crew member shows their true colors.

    Episode 7: The Girl with the Sawfish Tattoo

    Directed by Josef Wladyka, Written by Tiffany Greshler & Ian Stokes and Allison Weintraub & Lindsay Gelfand

    The crew comes to the aid of a member in dire need of family.

    Episode 8: Worst in the East

    Directed by Josef Wladyka, Written by Matt Owens and Steven Maeada

    A new pirate crew is born.

    Matt Owens, one of the showrunners for One Piece, highlights that the show was built in a way that allowed for four two-episode arcs that each introduce us to the members of the Straw Hat pirate crew and focuses on the “spirit of togetherness and adventure.”

    Our whole season is set up in four two-episode arcs where we’re meeting a new Straw Hat, getting to know them, and finding where they fit into their world. It’s not only an origin story of how this crew comes together…It’s an encapsulation of the idea of found family. A spirit of togetherness and adventure.

    Matt Owens

    The series remains ambitious and with only a few more weeks to go, we’ll finally see how they bring this iconic story to life. Monkey D. Luffy’s journey for One Piece remains an iconic story that has yet to find its end and is about to start anew for a new generation that missed out on the journey a long time ago.

  • REPORT: ‘Reservation Dogs’ Mato Wayuhi to Score Marvel Studios ‘Echo’ Series

    REPORT: ‘Reservation Dogs’ Mato Wayuhi to Score Marvel Studios ‘Echo’ Series

    While the Loki trailer finally dropped teasing the second season, it isn’t the only other Disney+ series that is set to release later this year. Secret Invasion didn’t quite leave the internet ablaze as Andor did, Marvel Studios seems very intent on building up the latter half after a long hiatus before the last Disney+ series finally released. Echo will also mix things up with a binge drop, which might be a big test to see if that works better for Marvel Studios’ releases.

    News has been sparse on the series, but it seems we got at least one little detail on who will compose the music for the series. Native American composer Mato Wayuhi, famous for his work on the iconic series Reservation Dogs, is seemingly set to compose the soundtrack for Maya Lopez’s upcoming spinoff series.

    After first being introduced in Hawkeye, the character is going to have her own little story that’ll likely also set up the return of Charlie Cox’s Daredevil ahead of his own spinoff series that is currently on hold due to studios’ not paying their writers and actors. It’s a promising addition for the November release and also continues the trend of the series including a mainly Native American production.

    Source: Film Music Reporter

  • Mackenyu on How He Got the Play Zoro in Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Series

    Mackenyu on How He Got the Play Zoro in Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Series

    Mackenyu is no stranger to live-action adaptations of anime and manga. He appeared in the Rurouni Kenshin films as well as recently having the leading role in a multi-national adaptation of Knights of the Zodiac.

    Now, he has his next major role ahead of him in Netflix’s adaptation of the iconic manga by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece. In a new interview with GamesRadar, he shares what got him the role of Roronoa Zoro.

    I’m like Zoro, maybe that’s what helped me book the role!

    Mackenyu Arata

    The answer gets quite straight to the point, but Mackenyu also has a lot to show which makes him a perfect choice to tackle a character famous for his sword-fighting skills. He has worked with multiple swords in the past but does highlight that having to fight with three swords, one being in his jaw, did require quite a bit of training.

    I have experience using two swords simultaneously and have done live-action shows using swords in the past, but when it comes to three, that’s a different story. The training I did for One Piece was specific for Zoro and the skills needed to really be him. My jaw had on-the-job training!

    Mackenyu Arata

    It must’ve been challenging for the actor’s jaw to adjust to having to carry an entire sword. While it’s likely that they used some CG, he still had to hold a sword hilt in his mouth. We only got a glimpse of what he was capable of doing and we’ll have to wait just a bit longer to see his sword-fighting techniques in action once the first season releases on August 31st.

    Source: GamesRadar

  • Inaki Godoy on the Pressure of Playing Luffy in Netflix’s Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Series

    Inaki Godoy on the Pressure of Playing Luffy in Netflix’s Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Series

    Monkey D. Luffy is synonymous if anyone discusses the manga series One Piece. It wouldn’t work without him as its main protagonist, whose unique personality makes him stand out among the many Shonen Jump characters we’ve followed throughout the years. Now, Inaki Godoy has the challenge of taking on this iconic role. In an interview with GamesRadar from before the strike, he acknowledged the pressure of taking on this role.

    Of course! Of course! Of course there was a lot of pressure. There is a big responsibility to honor the work of more than 20 years of a man, you know? He’s been writing this since he was 17. Not only just honor Mr. Oda, but honor the anime too. Mayumi Tanaka, she has been performing this character for so long. And the way they’ve been doing the anime for so long too, and there are so many people who have grown up with Luffy, and the Straw Hats and the world of One Piece. So you want to respect that, and you want to honor that.

    Inaki Godoy

    Though, he goes on to highlight that his own experience from the manga also carried him through the experience. All that pressure became excitement as he took on the challenge of becoming Monkey D. Luffy in Netflix’s adaptation.

    But if there’s one thing that I have learned from One Piece, it’s that even though things are challenging, you have to find a way to have fun. So yeah, there was a lot of pressure, there was a lot of anxieties, but there was also a lot of fun! And there was a lot of love. And just like any adventure, it was exciting. You know, I was so excited to get to be a part of something this massive and so incredible, and it’s an exciting adventure.

    Inaki Godoy

    As Usopp actor Jacob Romero highlighted, the production had a lot of heart involved that could make it stand out from others. It seems that everyone involved with the production knew that this wasn’t going to be easy and the wait isn’t long until we can see if all their hard work paid off.

    Source: GamesRadar

  • Usopp Actor Highlights That Live-Action ‘One Piece’s Production “Has So Much Heart”

    Usopp Actor Highlights That Live-Action ‘One Piece’s Production “Has So Much Heart”

    If there is one thing many will take away from Netflix’s live-action One Piece series is that it’s one of those few productions where everyone involved seemed to truly care about the material. Eiichiro Oda was actively involved in the production. They were aware of the weight that this franchise holds, but in an interview with GamesRadar, Usopp actor Jacob Romero Gibson highlights the “heart” that went into this production.

    But there was so much heart involved in this production, there’s so much heart involved in One Piece, the story. And to me, I feel that it’s like the One Piece gods blessing us just with all this wonderful, trusting loving energy. And I’m like, the challenges seem so small in comparison to how wonderful this really all was.

    Jacob Romero Gibson

    He also highlights the beauty of the source material, which left quite an impression on him. What seems like a simple adventure across the seas with an unlikely band of pirates, quickly evolves into a story unlike many given how it explores important themes of our history.

    In a way it all seems so simple and basic, but the way in which these concepts are presented throughout One Piece’s story and the way they’re revisited it’s unbelievable, you know, it makes me tear up. I remember the first couple episodes or the first time that One Piece really got me, I’m like, “Oh my God, OK. I see what’s happening here. I see where we’re going in.” And beyond that, it’s also just deeply entertaining. Like, it’s also a great time. So, it’s a full-package experience for me.

    Jacob Romero Gibson

    Of course, adaptations aren’t easy, and Gibson was asked what he hopes people would take away from this adaptation. And, the one thing that the showrunner had already highlighted, was that this adaptation might be the jumping-off point for someone out there that hasn’t had the joy of watching One Piece.

    I hope that people see our show, and then go check out One Piece as it already exists. Go read the books, go watch the show. Like, fall into it. It’s such a wonderful experience. My dream is – even though the whole world already knows about One Piece – my dream is that someone, somewhere, somehow didn’t, and this show helps them come to One Piece.

    Jacob Romero Gibson

    It is a daunting task for anyone to try and get people to join an already gigantic franchise. One Piece has outsold even some iconic comic book characters that have existed for 70+ years. Yet, there ar still millions out there that haven’t given the show a chance, and this live-action adaptation may be the one to push them into finally giving it a shot.

    Source: GamesRadar

  • Jacob Gibson Shares His Favorite Usopp Fight from ‘One Piece’s Manga

    Jacob Gibson Shares His Favorite Usopp Fight from ‘One Piece’s Manga

    Jacob Romero Gibson has the challenging role of playing the lovable liar Usopp in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece. Not a single role in this series is going to be easy given just how beloved the original manga by Eiichiro Oda. Yet, the cast is one of the biggest selling points for this new adaptation and a new batch of interviews done from before the SAG strike.

    One big question for Gibson was how much he knows about the original manga and while he confesses he doesn’t have the deepest knowledge of the source material, he does, however, share what his favorite moment is. And, unsurprisingly, it’s the iconic fight in the Alabastsa Arc where he fought alongside Chopper against Baroque Works.

    Oh, man, you know, I’m still a noob. You know, I’m not going to claim that I have the whole canon in my back pocket. But one of my favorite Usopp fights is the Alabasta Arc, so. [deep laugh] With him and Chopper and [deeper, longer laugh] just that whole scene of him riding on the hedgehog, like, so funny. So funny.

    Jacob Romero Gibson

    The sequence is iconic and one of the most creative fights of the early era of One Piece. Here’s hoping that the series gets a renewal shortly after its release. Once actors and writers are paid fairly, it would be great if they get a chance to bring it to life once more.

    Source: GamesRadar

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Series Tries to Maintain “The Spirit of the Original”

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Series Tries to Maintain “The Spirit of the Original”

    Emily Rudd has been quite open about her love for One Piece and the excitement of getting to work with Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the franchise. Now, she has the chance to play her favorite character, Nami, in a series that is famous for being goofy and silly. Yet, they still try to aspire to make a “grounded version.“

    I think there have been crazier shows done. And yes, it’s a little bit silly and a little bit wacky. But again, I think something that we have really focused on is just the heart of the show. It’s a really beautiful story. And I think it’s the adventure, it’s the play, but it’s also like real stories, real people. And so, finding the grounded version of it while still maintaining the spirit of the original was something that we tried to find the balance of.

    Emily Rudd

    One thing that Emily Rudd is very aware of is the importance of her performance in the East Blue Saga. Most of this storyline is built around the emotional arc and an iconic moment that defined many’s journey into the 25+ years of One Piece.

    Oh, I was so deeply aware that this was going to hinge on me. I mean, the scene that we are addressing was the one that made me a fan of the show. It was what locked me in, and I remember the first time seeing it, I was bawling. And every time I have seen or read it since, I cry. I think about it, I cry.

    Emily Rudd

    Especially that iconic sequence is something that the actress is well aware of, and probably put a lot of pressure on herself to ensure it is done justice. But not just her, the entire crew that is bringing the series to life wanted to make sure they pull it off.

    But that scene, because it means so much not only to existing fans, but to me, that was like, ‘I have to make it right. I have to make it right,’ and I really think that we did. Like the entire team really kind of turned it out for that moment.

    Emily Rudd

    She shares that what makes Namis stand out among the Straw Hats is that “she’s the brains of the bunch” as “she’s keeping the boys in line” throughout their voyage into the Grand Line. It’ll be interesting to see how she pulls it off with the hopefully first of many seasons of this iconic series.

    Source: GamesRadar

  • ‘One Piece’s Taz Skylar Shares How They Tackled Sanji’s Controversial Characteristic

    ‘One Piece’s Taz Skylar Shares How They Tackled Sanji’s Controversial Characteristic

    In a new interview done before the SAG strike, GamesRadar got a chance to sit down with One Piece’s Taz Skylar. The man to bring Sanji to the live-action series had a challenging task. While he highlights the time he spent doing all the kicks himself in the same interview, he also didn’t shy away from how they approached the more controversial aspect of his character.

    He goes on to say that “everything’s a translation” and how they knew they couldn’t just adapt it “frame-by-frame,” an important lesson for most live-action adaptations.

    I think we had a lot of conversations about how everything’s a translation. Like, I had a lot of images of Sanji on my wall that were from the anime. And everything is a translation, because it can’t be frame-by-frame. But I can interpret everything that he does, everything that I see that he does, and put it into what I deem to be a translation into live action, because essentially, it’s a different language. It’s no longer 2D, it’s 3D, so like innately there is a translation there.

    Taz Skylar

    There was an understanding that the way he shows his affection to girls won’t quit work in a Western setting. He also shows his knowledge of the character given his familial relationship with his sister and mother. It seems they used that as a basis for how they tackle his take.

    As in, the background that he has with women in terms of the relationship he had with his mother, the relationship he had with his sister, the way that they interacted with him as opposed to the way that his brothers and his father used to interact with him. That to me, speaks volumes about why he may have a certain relationship with women in general and how we may react to it. In the sense that I don’t have to question at all why he cares so much about women. And that’s what I was hanging on to throughout it.

    Taz Skylar

    He highlights that instead of trying to avoid his behavior being one way, they simply wanted to take the core of his overall interaction as the basis for this “translation” of this version of Sanji.

    So as opposed to trying to really meter whether it comes off as creepy or whether it comes off as flirty, I would just imbue it with, “I really care about this person.” And hopefully what came out was a good translation. I won’t judge the result; I’ll just tell you about the process.

    Taz Skylar

    Taz Skylar is definitely showcasing a strong understanding of the character and a passion to bring him to life. It’ll be interesting to see how it comes together once we actually get to watch him in action in the series instead of just snippets during a trailer.

    Source: GamesRadar

  • Taz Skylar Did Every Kick as Sanji in Netflix’s Live-Action ‘One Piece Series

    Taz Skylar Did Every Kick as Sanji in Netflix’s Live-Action ‘One Piece Series

    Netflix has a packed August slate. After the release of the second part of The Witcher and Hearstopper in just a few weeks, we’re finally going to have the release of the live-action One Piece series. There’s something nostalgic looking back on when it was first announced in 2017 and having seen the trailer recently. Now, we got little over a month to go and the first interviews done before the SAG strikes are finding their way online.

    Taz Skylar, the man who plays Sanji in the live-action remake, gave a few insights into his journey to becoming the powerful kicker. In the interview, he highlights that “every single” kick was his own and they didn’t use any CGI on his leg.

    Yep! I did absolutely every single one of my own kicks in the show. There is no CGI on my leg, and my stunt double was my trainer, and was very enthusiastically cheering me from the side. He was with me throughout every step of it, and I had various other trainers.

    Taz Skylar

    He also goes on to highlight that he spent multiple hours a day preparing for this role. He knew exactly what he wanted to do and his stunt double ended up becoming his trainer.

    Early in the process, I decided that it was going to be… I wanted to do everything. Like, it was very much one of those jobs that if I was in for a penny, I was in for a pound. And we started with two hours a day of training when I got to South Africa. I was already training with a friend of mine here who’s a taekwondo black belt. And then when I got to South Africa, we started with like two hours a day of training. It was evident it wasn’t going to be enough, because I didn’t really have any sort of martial arts background. I had an athletic background, but not a martial arts.

    Taz Skylar

    He highlights, however, that those two hours aren’t enough and even went to continue adding more hours to nail his techniques. He even flew in his original trainer from London to further develop his abilities. It’s definitely impressive and further highlights that make this adaptation have the potential to become special.

    Source: GamesRadar

  • ‘TMNT: Mutant Mayhem’ Spinoff Series and Sequel Already in Development

    ‘TMNT: Mutant Mayhem’ Spinoff Series and Sequel Already in Development

    There’s just something about those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that lets the franchise constantly reinvent itself, but still remain a strong IP for children of any generation. A brand new film is on the horizon titled Mutant Mayhem, which will be the first to feature actual teenagers in the leading role. Now, it seems that before the film even released in theaters, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies are ready to start a brand new franchise.

    A new spinoff series has now been confirmed, the first hinted by Cinelinx. The series will be titled Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and will appear on Paramount+. It seems that they already mapped out a two-season release and it’ll bridge the story between the first and its confirmed sequel. Jeff Rowe will return to write and direct the sequel.

    Turtle veteran Alan Wan and Chris Yost will serve as the showrunners on the new Paramount+ series. Lukas Williams will be overseeing these projects as well. The main cast is expected to return and it’s unclear if we can also expect the exact same art style given a series’ smaller budget and longer runtime. Though, it seems very likely that they’ll try to keep it consistent between them.

    Source: Cinelinx