Murphy's Multiverse

Blog

  • Danai Gurira “Gently Allude” a ‘Okoye’ Disney+ Spinoff May Be In Development

    Danai Gurira “Gently Allude” a ‘Okoye’ Disney+ Spinoff May Be In Development

    With the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever last year, discussions started instantly on what the future of this franchise will look like. One avenue set up from the film is following Okoye on her journey as a Midnight Angel after her dismissal from the Dora Milaje. It has been hinted at in May of 2021 that an Okoye-based project was in the works, but no one hypothetically involved had commented up until this point.

    However, while being interviewed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, actress Danai Gurira referred to the reports of her leading a Marvel Studios Disney+ project. This is what Gurira had to say about the subject:

    I have been told that I can gently allude to this possibility. So, I am gently alluding. Just gently.

    Danai Gurira

    While not much can be gleaned from this quote about specific details, it’s notable to have confirmation that something pertaining to an Okoye-led project is in development for Disney+. Based on the description of deleted scenes for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s digital release, more direct allusions to the project were almost made in the film.

    A logical direction would be to follow Gurira’s Okoye and Michaela Coel’s Aneka as they independently serve tactical missions for Wakanda. The show or special could also dive deeper into the dynamics of the Dora Milaje, especially with Florence Kasumba’s Ayo being a romantic partner of Aneka.

    With Letitia Wright confirming that Black Panther 3 won’t be for “a while”,  it makes sense for the stories of Wakanda to continue through the perspective of different characters. Especially with the potential of some sort of invasion of Vibranium happening in the future, it would be important for audiences to see more of the sovereign nation before that sort of project.

    Source: The Direct

  • New Episodes of ‘Phineas and Ferb’ Heading to Disney+

    New Episodes of ‘Phineas and Ferb’ Heading to Disney+

    Disney+ has become the suprising stand out streaming service of the last year, but mostly for being the one that doesn’t go out of its way of canceling every show it releases or just outright taking content off the site. Now, they are kicking off 2023 strong by announcing that brand new episodes of Hamster and Gretel as well as Phineas and Ferb are on the way to Disney+.

    The announcement came through a tweet by the official Disney+ account but no further details are offered on what exactly theplans are. The series are created by Jeff Marsh and Dan Povermire, who are likely to return especially Povenmire who is featured in the official image and is famous for voicing the popular Heinz Doofenshmirtz.

    Hamster and Gretel premiered back in August of 2022 and was created by Povenmire, who explored a new take on superhero stories mixed with his usual writing. The big suprrise is the return of Phineas and Ferb, whose series officially ended back in 2015.

    They did release a variety of special episodes, but it looks like we are getting two brand new seasons expanded with 20 episodes per season. There’s also still no word on the theatrical film of the franchise, which might have been shelved by now, but it looks like Phineas and Ferb is making its grand return.

    Source: Twitter, Variety

  • UPDATED: New Rumor Has James Gunn Eyeing Release Date, Star for ‘Superman’

    UPDATED: New Rumor Has James Gunn Eyeing Release Date, Star for ‘Superman’

    ***UPDATE***

    James Gunn has responded to the rumor by indicating nobody has been cast as Superman and that casting won’t happen until the script is complete.

    As the new year marches on, fans are still eagerly awaiting word from James Gunn and Peter Safran on the first wave of films forthcoming from the newly formed DC Studios. With Gunn currently writing a script for a new Superman film–one that will not feature Henry Cavill returning to the role–it’s likely that project will be among that anticipated first wave and a new rumor indicates it might be happening sooner than you’d think.

    Rumor mill generator deuxmoi has shared some info on Gunn’s Superman project that’s sure to get people talking. According to the individual, Gunn is targeting a Summer 2025 release date for the new film, which he will direct. Additionally, the rumor indicates that a frontrunner may have emerged for the role of Kal-El; though deuxmoi didn’t explicitly name an actor, the hints given (Australian…Netflix romcom trilogy…HBO Max teen show) would seem to point at Jacob Elordi. Elordi, who starred in the Kissing Booth and Euphoria, has been a somewhat popular choice for the role on social media and fits the bill for Gunn’s vision of a younger Superman.

    Given Gunn’s track record with addressing rumors associated with his projects, fans may know a lot more about the veracity of this one soon.

    Source: deuxmoi

  • FIRST IMPRESSION: ‘One Piece Odyssey’ Demo Teases Promising JRPG

    FIRST IMPRESSION: ‘One Piece Odyssey’ Demo Teases Promising JRPG

    One Piece is returning in style, as a brand new game is about to release as part of the 25th anniversary of the franchise. One Piece Odyssey was a long-rumored project and might be the franchise’s most ambitious entry into its gaming expansion. It’s the franchise’s first foray into bringing the chaotic Straw Hat crew into the world of JPRGs and trying to bring their unique energy to the normally slower-paced gaming genre. We get a demo release that offers a first look into what we can expect from the full game. As such, here are our first impressions of the game.

    The story of One Piece Odyssey is rather straightforward. The Straw Hats were sailing along the seas before a Knock-Up stream shoots them randomly into the sky. With a last attempt to escape, they end up on the mysterious island of Waford. We start the game at the moment when Luffy wakes up and his crew is scattered, which leads to us having to help them find the rest of their crew and meet some locals along the way.

    After you wake up on the shore of Waford, you’re pretty much thrown into the game. Most of your characters start off at level 40 with quite a few abilities. It lets you try out every character while getting a tutorial on how the basic combat works. The moment you enter your first encounter you’ll instantly see the basic structure of an RPG at play. Yet, there are some interesting additions that do make it stand out.

    The Straw Hats are usually very powerful on their own. So, to ensure no one is nerfed, they created a system that has multiple areas where enemies face a member of the pirate crew. You can move between these zones, but you’ll have to defeat the enemy in front of you to join another. The combat system also allows you to swap out party members per turn to make use of their abilities; though it feels a bit too powerful as theirs no penalty for switching characters on the field or that aren’t on the field.

    A lot of work went into the animations of these attacks, which are very authentic and add a lot of charm to this game. Though, sadly these aren’t always translated to the exploration as the game will fade to black with an effect when showing someone attacking a creature in the overworld. Given the work that was put into the models, it does seem like a shame they rely a bit too often on a fade to black to transition from one moment to the next.

    One drawback is that the game has not really been challenging as of now. The Straw Hats lose their abilities and reset to Level 1 through the story but you still can one-shot specific enemies. There’s not a lot of challenge and even the puzzles are quite barebones. There’s a chance that may change over the course of the story, but there was rarely a time I had to worry about anyone taking too much damage. Though, that is mostly due to abusing the party change function to just swap out a member that would do more damage.

    Still, the mechanics at play are interesting and are fun to play around with. If they start expanding on this system, it would make for a very promising JRPG, especially with the event mechanic where you’ll get a bonus if you fulfill certain requirements. There’s also a chance to use a knockback that takes care of enemies within an area fast; though not as satisfying as the knockback element in Midnight Suns. There are a lot of great elements that make these battles dynamic and interesting, which has me excited to see how they are later in the game.

    The only drawback is that the exploration is very slow, especially in the opening area. It’s not uncommon for JRPGs to take some time before they get going, but there are small elements that seem to take up more time than they should. Luffy can swing to an area by stretching his arm, but you have to wait a certain amount of time before you can move again. Once you go the wrong way during a specific sequence, the loading times take longer than they really should. You’ll even have a cutscene before you can explore only to be halted just moving forward to enter another. Pacing issues could be a problem as some aspects might drag out more than they really should.

    Still, overall, the game is very promising and the story also offers just enough intrigue to keep new and long-time One Piece fans hooked. They make some deep-cut references that feel like elements to help make Waford feel more like a part of this world. The mystery with the weird floating orb and the cubes is just the perfect amount of bizarre that’ll likely keep players guessing. Also, they nailed the dynamics of the Straw Hats with their little interactions during cutscenes, on the map, or even during cutscenes.

    The demo also gets bonus points for letting me save at the end of it, which can be used for once you purchase the full game later on. As such, you’re not forced to replay the entire opening once again and can just leisurely jump in where you left off. Still, the first impression of this game is positive even if some exploration aspects could’ve been tweaked to run longer. With many mini-worlds to visit through memories, it’ll be exciting to see what Bandai Namco has planned for this ambitious JRPG once it releases. From what the demo offers, it definitely is a recommendation for fans of One Piece and worth trying out for those new to it.

  • Marvel Studios and a Cinematic Déjà-Vu of 2022

    Marvel Studios and a Cinematic Déjà-Vu of 2022

    We’ve entered a new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The franchise continues to grow in new ways while showing some slowdown in its box office development. The films are still successful and big hits, but they’re not taking the box office completely by storm. Discussions online are talking about a franchise that is “watering down” what it has to offer while general audiences according to the Internet are facing fatigue.

    Films are seemingly losing momentum at theaters as people question how the franchise can continue moving forward and likely end in the coming years. Two iconic franchises make a grand return and dominate theaters with stronger legs than any frontloaded Marvel film. Things are looking shaky for Marvel Studios after the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man in 2015.

    Oh wait, it’s not 2015 but 2023 has just started. We’ve entered Phase 5 of the MCU with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania about to release in theaters. The only major difference is the effect of the pandemic has taken its toll on theaters during 2020 and 2021, the last year seemed like an uplifting new direction for cinema. We saw some truly great films ranging in variety with some surprise big hits in Top Gun Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water. Two nostalgia-filmed films making a comeback with a legacy sequel.

    Instead of enjoying this newfound momentum at the box office and in cinematic offerings, it feels like we’re retreading old ground once again. Marvel didn’t take the top spot this year at the box office and so we’re analyzing the sheer success of these two entries plus the Jurassic World threequel also banking on the nostalgia of a returning cast. It’s great to see these films flourish after years of uncertainty for non-IP-driven projects but there’s a feeling in the air that we’ve gone through this all again.

    2015 saw the release of two major legacy sequels. Jurassic World returned us to a dinosaur-filled world that we last saw in 1993; a sequel 22 years in the making. That same year, December saw the breakout release of Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens which brought us back to a true sequel of the iconic franchise just under new Disney leadership to pull in $2 billion worldwide over Christmas. Jurassic World didn’t do so shabby either with a strong $1.6B.

    Ironically, here we are again with Avatar: The Way of Water releasing in December under a now Disney-owned banner on its way to passing $2B with strong legs at the box office. Earlier in the year, Top Gun Maverick pulled in $1.4B at the box office as a sequel to a long-dormant franchise with a few more extra years on its back with Tom Cruise at the forefront selling the film.

    It feels like a strange sense of déjá-vu, especially if you take into account the discussions surrounding Marvel and superhero fatigue. While some points of these discussions have evolved, it’s still the same argumentation at its basis. Comparisons were drawn to how Marvel needs to evolve or take a step back; now especially popular with its Disney+ streaming offerings doing what many have begged the Netflix shows and ABC series do years ago.

    We have comparisons drawn to how Jurassic World makes a better showcase of franchise building than Marvel. It’s something a recent article does as well with Avatar: The Way of Water which is a hard comparison to make if you consider one has multiple franchises under its belt since 2008 and the other had its first sequel release after 13 years; as such only really getting started as a franchise. We have no idea if Avatar will work long-time as the charm of exploring Pandora could also one day lose its vanity.

    What we should learn and not repeat from 2015 is what these franchises can learn from each other. Long-running franchises always hit a slump but even Marvel Studios is back to performing as they did during Phase 2. Their last phase had that extra build-up momentum towards what was deemed a “finale” of sorts for the Infinity Saga. They also serve a very different purpose if seen as films. So, they can only learn and evolve from each other if we take the right lessons from everything rather than chasing coattails once again.

    Both franchises build familiarity in different ways. Marvel creates a cast of characters that draw in their audience and become selling points to try out new parts of their franchise. The MCU has always been misunderstood as one singular franchise, but in reality, it’s just the umbrella term for multiple franchises or ongoing stories. Yes, some crossovers can interrupt specific stories but we’ve seen the “you need to do your homework” complaint back in 2015 when people complained that “they could’ve just called the Avengers” in every self-contained story or franchise.

    Will Marvel run out of steam? At one point, it’s very likely but they still remain strong performers in the market. Even with a big drop in its second weekend, some of the MCU releases in 2022 showed stronger legs later on; something that surprised me even with the Disney+ re-release always imminent due to COVID’s influences on consumer behavior and Bob Chapek‘s desire to grow its streaming service no matter what.

    Yet, one cannot deny that it’s also the franchise that has shown the most growth throughout the years. There’s a reason it cannot be emulated, just as much as why Avatar’s performance won’t easily be replicated just because Marvel doesn’t release a film for a few years. They’re a production studio that works independently and has its own quotas to meet. James Cameron released a film in the 20th Century that also is responsible for many other franchises.

    If we compare 2022 and 2015, films with massive worldwide performances and impressive legs have something in common: nostalgia. They are legacy sequels to projects that have been long dormant. They make good use of familiar ground while adding some additional elements to still make them stand out. They feel like “self-contained” stories but they are also continuations that anyone can rewatch. Of course, it’s easier to just catch up on one film to get ready for another, but that tune changes once Avatar 7 releases and we have six almost three-hour films to catch up on.

    Of course, it’s conjecture to some degree but there’s still a curious thread of these major performers that are “leaving Marvel in the dust” with their strong box office legs. 2015 and 2022 are just so eerily similar with general discussions and it’s no wonder franchise fatigue would set in with a franchise that has been a consistent part since 2008. No one can blame them for feeling a bit overwhelmed at times and if the MCU still remains a strong performer, we’ll likely have this exact same discussion once Phase 8 kicks off with Stinger and the New Avengers.

  • Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Personally Offered Ke Huy Quan to Join the MCU

    Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Personally Offered Ke Huy Quan to Join the MCU

    Ke Huy Quan is back with a vengeance. The actor once made a big splash in films like The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom but was unable to truly land a role for many years. Now, the actor returned to theaters with a stunning performance in Everything Everywhere all at Once, which just recently won him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.

    That’s not all he has planned, as the actor is also set to kick off his first franchise role as part of Loki‘s second season. Details are still being kept a secret on who exactly he might be playing, but in an interview with Josh Horowitz‘s Happy Sad Confused podcast, the actor revealed a rather interesting detail.

    In the interview, the actor revealed that he didn’t actually audition for the role. Rather, Kevin Feige watched Everything Everywhere All at Once and personally asked him if he was interested in joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There was a lot of fanfare when he was announced as part of the cast during D23 and it’s even more exciting to find out that Feige personally wanted him on board.

    Here’s hoping that the actor has many more roles just waiting for him after his recent success, and we’ll also get a tease on who exactly he is playing once the first full trailer for Loki‘s second season releases. He’s a talented actor and it would be great to see a lot more of him in the future, in more future MCU titles, and any other project he’ll join.

    You can watch the full interview here:

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘The Batman’ Director Wants to Keep the Focus on Bruce Wayne in the Sequel

    ‘The Batman’ Director Wants to Keep the Focus on Bruce Wayne in the Sequel

    Now, the headline is likely to have some wondering how a sequel to the film The Batman wouldn’t focus on Bruce Wayne, but director Matt Reeves has a good reason for that. His approach to the sequel seems to avoid the fact that the franchise’s main character isn’t overshadowed by the villains or members of his rogue’s gallery.

    It’s not uncommon for some of the villains to steal the show in the Batman franchise, especially with the Joker in The Dark Knight. As such, he is trying to keep Bruce Wayne at the “emotional center of the story.” In a way, the villains should be there to strengthen the character’s story rather than completely overtake it, as their backstory and central themes become the narrative focus point.

    To me, the thing that I really feel is that I also believe that Rob [Pattinson] is so special in the role. My goal has always been to do these point-of-view stories that allow the character to always be the emotional center of the story. Because a lot of times what happens is, after you do the first one, then suddenly other Rogues Gallery characters come in, and they kind of take over, and then Batman takes a backseat sort of character-wise, or emotionally

    Matt Reeves

    It’s a great approach to thoroughly explore Bruce Wayne and Batman’s duality in the story. The villains are there to enforce the central message but the emotional journey is always on Wayne. Christopher Nolan‘s take on the franchise tried to keep Bruce’s conflict in choosing which kind of life he wants to live. We’ll have to wait a bit longer until we find out how exactly he plans to anchor the story around Pattinson‘s take on the character.

    Source: Collider

  • RUMOR: ‘The Flash’ Reshoots Scheduled for This Month

    RUMOR: ‘The Flash’ Reshoots Scheduled for This Month

    The Flash has had one of the most out-there productions we may have witnessed for any comic book property or even film. Not only was the film in development hell for many years, it got passed on from one director to the next. At one point, it seemed inevitable that they’d skip the project altogether but surprisingly It director Andrés Muschietti ended up taking the helm.

    Finally, with a director in place and filming underway, its main star, Ezra Miller, started to gather one troubling headline after another. His actions had many wondering if they could even release the project considering his actions, but even after its merger, Warner Bros. Discovery was keen on getting the project out.

    In a new tweet from Big Screen Leaks, it seems like the film may be planning some reshoots later this month. They do point out that this isn’t to change the ending, something some expected might be done to recast Miller with another actor to avoid further drama. It seems like these are some minor pickup shots, which we’ve also seen Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania do recently.

    The long-awaited film is set to release on June 16th this year and it does seem like we shouldn’t expect another sudden delay in the production; at least as long as no sudden new headlines make the rounds. Here’s hoping we’ll finally get to sit down and see what DC’s approach to the multiverse is going to look like when it finally releases.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Quantumania’ Producer Teases an “Epic Sci-Fi War” in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ Sequel

    ‘Quantumania’ Producer Teases an “Epic Sci-Fi War” in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ Sequel

    Ant-Man is about to wrap up its trilogy in style with the arrival of Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The film will seemingly move away from the more light-hearted direction the franchise took to include some of its darkest moments, especially going by its trailers.

    IIn a new press release for the film, Stephen Broussard, who is the Marvel Studios Vice-President of Production and Development, teased that the film is going to be an “epic sci-fi war movie,” further showcasing that this isn’t going to be your usual Ant-Man adventure. Though, he still calls it “a family adventure first and foremost” but all that changes once they enter the Quantum Realm.

    Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ is many things. It’s a family adventure first and foremost. It’s the story of a family of Super Heroes basically being pulled into an adventure within the Quantum Realm, and within that, 3 it becomes an epic sci-fi war movie and a coming-of-age story. It’s a lot of different things wrapped into one film.

    Stephen Broussard

    It’s definitely an exciting prospect to not only see the franchise jump fully into the science-fiction aspects we were teased throughout the Infinity Saga. The Quantum Realm was an important milestone for the Avengers to find a way to reverse what Thanos has done to the world. Now, it seems whatever they did will catch up with the Ant-family.

    Source: The Direct

  • New Trailer for Season 3 of ‘The Mandalorian’ to Debut During NFL Wild Card Game

    New Trailer for Season 3 of ‘The Mandalorian’ to Debut During NFL Wild Card Game

    Disney loves synergy. After the latest trailer for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania debuted during the College Football Playoff National Championship game, the studio is going to be back at it soon this time to promote one of their most popular streaming series.

    A press release from ESPN revealed that a new trailer for Season of The Mandalorian is set to debut at halftime of the NFL Wild Card Playoff Game on January 16th. The game, featuring the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, can be seen on ESPN and kicks off at 8:00 PM ET.

    The third season of The Mandalorian, which is set to debut on Disney Plus on March 1st, will continue to follow the adventures of Din Djarin and Grogu, who were reunited in the Season 2 finale. The teaser trailer for the new season featured the ruined homeworld of Mandalore, high tensions and a look at several fan-favorite characters making their return.

    Source: ESPN