We’ve heard a lot about the work that’s been done on the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel. Multiverse of Madness will be filmed to the brim, as is expected with a project that explores the multiverse. We’ve heard that Spider-man: No Way Home was forced to change directions due to the pandemic and Marvel Studios had to reshuffle their schedules, but it looks like something similar happened to the upcoming Doctor Strange film.
In an interview with Game Informer, Bruce Campbell was asked a few questions which included the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. There were many rumors about various reshoots being underway as they were building up to its release in a few weeks. While it’s not uncommon, he did offer some insight into what led to some of the changes, such as some story aspects needing to be adapted by Sam Raimi.
The Marvel guys, they make eight of these movies at the same time, so they’re always updating storylines. So, my buddy Sam [Raimi] has had to add scenes that [Marvel] told him he had to shoot, and he’s removed scenes that no longer apply. So until May rolls around I don’t think Benedict Cumberbatch even knows if he’s in this movie or not.
Bruce Campbell
It’s not uncommon that executives have some influence on how productions follow, but Marvel Studios has the challenge of also keeping somewhat of continuity between their overarching storylines and connections from one project to another.
The pandemic, as mentioned previously, left them with quite the blow as more things ended up getting shuffled around and it seems Doctor Strange was affected as well. Of course, his reference to Benedict Cumberbatch not knowing if he’s in the film is more of a joke on how much work goes into these films and their many moving parts.
A surprising new video has found its way online from Netflix’s live-action One Piece series. Now, what makes this video stand out is that it’s the closest look we’ve ever had at one of the boats for the One Piece production. Not too long ago, we got our first look at it in the distance but a new set of video reveals the entrance to the Baratie, the famous ship where Sanji and Zeff feed traveling merchants, marines, and pirates. While it seems they are still working on the boat, it is our best look yet at the details they’ve put into these ships.
You can clearly see the fish mouth on the left side, which is surprisingly accurate to the manga. The eyes stand out as they seem to be small windows. It even has its own entrance. So, maybe we have a chance to see it work as a separate little boat like it did in the manga. There’s a lot of detail put into the boat to bring it to life and it definitely looks like they’re sticking to it remaining a floating restaurant.
— ONE PIECE NETFLIX FAN (@OP_Netflix_Fan) April 20, 2022
What’s unclear is if they’ll also include the additional floats on the outside, as it seems they’ve provided a few smaller areas for people to enter. It wouldn’t be surprising, especially with rumored set photos for the interior making the rounds, that they’ll have some of the fights take place inside. If they’ve built multiple stories for a few shots of people eating, it would seem like a waste not to use it. So, perhaps Sanji’s fight with Gin might mainly take place inside.
There are a lot of opportunities in how they could approach the project, as they might see it start in the restaurant before Luffy takes on Don Krieg while avoiding falling into the water. Whatever direction they might take, the first looks are quite impressive and really showcase how much work is being put into this series to offer a very distinct look that combines the manga with real-world influences.
At one point, J.J. Abrams was set to direct a film titled Superman Flyby. In the early 2000s, the director offered a script that would explore the origin story of Kal-El, as well as explore the civil war on his home planet before being launched to Earth. At the time, Brett Ratner was attached to direct the film, which was going to start production in 2003. Supposedly he approached Josh Hartnett and Jude Law for the titular role. As we know now, the project never came together
While we’ll never know what could’ve been, Ryan Unicomb, shared some of the unused concept artwork from Flyby that offers a glimpse of what could’ve been. Not only do we get a look at what the film’s Superman costume was going to look like, but it feels like a mixture of Brandon Routh‘s Superman Returns look with what Henry Cavill would make iconic.
We also get a good look at Metropolis with a very comic-accurate version of the Daily Planet. What stands out is this version of Kryptonite that feels closer to what we see in Star Wars than the more modern version showcased in other media. The script included Superman fighting a group of Kypronians that fled its destruction. So, elements of Flyby may have found their way into Man of Steel which would release in 2013. Ideas tend to always carry over through multiple drafts and it’s fun to get a glimpse on what could’ve been so long ago.
Viewers finally got to see the Moon Knight episode that creators and critics have been teasing for weeks. The series’ fourth episode packs quite a lot into its runtime, but the only part that viewers are going to cling on to going forward is that twist of an ending. It was quite the exciting changeup, and it truly revamps the narrative on multiple levels and allows the psychological mystery setup to pay off dramatically. Comic book fans might recognize how eerily similar the psych ward at the end of the episode is to the popular Jeff Lemire-Greg Smallwood run, but it does not need that connection to carry its excitement forward. It does beg the question—between where the episode left the previous “reality” and where this new reality could go, how can Moon Knight possibly wrap this story up in a satisfying way with only two episodes left?
The episode pre-twist was notable for several reasons. It brought with it its own genre because with Khonshu out of the picture it turned into a more recognizable adventure a la Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider. Admittedly, it was not the most thrilling plotline the MCU had ever explored, but the wealth of Egyptian lore in Episode 4 was extremely interesting and packed a lot of potential into the series. Still, the pre-twist episode spent time adding major detail to not only the main story but also several of the characters. Had the episode not ended in a twist, there would have been a great deal of speculation leading out of this episode purely on the Arthur Harrow and Ammit plot. But, as we know, Harrow seemingly kills Marc Spector who drifts away through water only to reawaken someplace very different.
While the information in the pre-twist episode still, hopefully, brings value to the series later, it is difficult to expect any viewer to truly pay attention to that when Marc wakes up in what looks like a mental institution or psych ward. Everything we thought we knew is turned upside down, which brings the theme of wondering what is real and what isn’t back into the spotlight after the first episode. Moon Knight gave a sense of security with the reveal of Marc and Khonshu, and nothing had really suggested that they were not real or that the story was not taking place in reality. Now, Episode 4 spends its last ten minutes or so trying to convince you that none of it was real—sort of. The odd amount of Egyptian imagery and, of course, what looks like Egyptian goddess Taweret (whose stuffed animal we saw in the gift shop in Episode 1) suggests that this mental institution is not simply the true reality either.
So now Moon Knight is genuinely and beautifully under the “What is real?” umbrella. The already-phenomenal psychological aspect of the series will take center stage in a grand way going forward without a doubt. A psych ward—or some kind of projection of it—is the perfect place to dive deeper into the Marc/Steven psyche. There are many obvious Easter eggs (such as the cupcakes, Gus, maps, the adventure film, etc.) to suggest that what we watched of the series so far may have actually all been in Marc’s head. There is also a very eager extra sarcophagus like the one Steven was found in that has to be the most obvious tease of another personality of the entire series. Given how the episode ended, it looks like the next episode could have an escape-oriented theme with Marc and Steven working together as two different bodies. This is a perfect way to “bring to life” to both alters the amazing performance that Oscar Isaac has already put in with the characters so far. Watching them interact may very well be the highlight of Moon Knight.
While previous episodes felt as though they sometimes gave too little information or background on the major subjects of Marc Spector and Khonshu, it is almost certain that the events of Episode 4 and what it teases is coming will blow that whole issue wide open. We end in such an introspective place where the pieces of Marc’s life and mind are literally just scattered around him. It could be a perfect opportunity to journey into his mind and past.
As mentioned, the twist looks a whole lot like the Lemire-Smallwood run. That might mean the last two episodes of Moon Knight borrowed heavily from it. But even if the series does attempt a direct adaptation of the comic—which it almost certainly will not—it is not reasonable to fit that into two episodes. Even if the series seeks to merge elements of the Lemire-Smallwood story with the very original plot from the series so far, it still seems unlikely that two episodes is enough time. Overall, it is hard to picture how a twist of this magnitude could lead to a comprehensive and satisfying ending so quickly. Moon Knight could be another victim of the MCU Disney+ series curse of not quite sticking the landing. Or, it could keep surprising us like it has been.
In any event, Episode 4 might have just been the biggest “twist” of the entire MCU. Obviously some fans of the Moon Knight comics might feel less lost than those unfamiliar with them, but nearly the entirety of the first four episodes of Moon Knight were a far cry from how it looks like the series might try to tell the story from here on out. The jarring transitions between the two was one of the most enjoyably “What the f***?!” moments in MCU memory. It means that the series has to take the character’s psychological origins and backgrounds seriously story-wise and that requires going to places that other projects are usually uncomfortable with. There is certainly something wildly unnerving about what just happened in this episode. It is not unreasonably optimistic to think that the final two episodes of the series will make Moon Knight one of the most triumphant MCU installments.
There’s been a lot of excitement for Zack Snyder‘s next project for Netflix, as he is taking a break from a zombie-filled world to embrace a space opera. What was originally pitched as part of the Star Wars franchise has now become its own potential franchise started titled Rebel Moon. The Justice League director took to Twitter to share that they’ve not only started production on the project but also included a few set photos teasing what they’re up to on the first day of production.
What naturally sticks out is our first look at Djimon Honsou, who is in a piece of armor that was teased with some artwork for the series early on. We can see that they are filming in a desert with a tease of the interior of whatever their flightcraft is that’ll bring them from one planet to another. Going by the wound and sand on his face, he likely ends up in a battle once arriving on this desert planet.
We’ve gotten a few teases on the film’s story, as it’ll take some inspiration from the classic Seven Samurai film to follow an unlikely group that has to face off against the biggest threat they probably have no chance to defeat. It’ll be interesting to see what Snyder brings to the film with his usual style and flair, especially with the backdrop given for this project. Perhaps some Star Wars references also still managed to stick in the story as a nice nod to what almost was.
It was a rough day for Netflix, as not only did their subscribers drop for the first time in over ten years but also saw their share drop by over 25%. Yet, it seems that the company has plans to counter ct its recent developments and plans, as Co-CEO Reed Hastings has revealed they are planning on releasing an ad-supported version of the service. In a new statement, he has revealed their decision to push forward with this offering, and they plan to release it in the next “year or two.”
Those who have followed Netflix know that I have been against the complexity of advertising, and a big fan of the simplicity of subscription. But as much as I am a fan of that, I am a bigger fan of consumer choice. And allowing consumers who would like to have a lower price, and are advertising-tolerant get what they want, makes a lot of sense.
Reed Hastings
the move makes sense to push its development forward, especially as there’s a big market that obviously hit its pay gap with the recent raise. So, this ad version not only offers them an alternative income stream but gives viewers an option to watch their favorite shows at a more affordable price. Though trying to pull the sharing aspects may backfire, as while it seemingly has a potential of up to 100M sharers, it doesn’t mean they will translate that number directly to new subscribers if they take away a function they’ve been used to for years. We’ll see if this pays off long-term for the service.
As is tradition, every new Disney+ show will also come bagged with a new entry in the Assembled series. Disney+’s offering to those that want a look behind the scenes and get a feel for how their new favorite series was made. They also made some for the film was well, which made it the go-to for those wanting to know what exactly is happening over at Marvel Studios. Moon Knight will also get its own episode and it seems that the release will be the week after its finale.
There’s also the potential of getting to know just how Oscar Isaac created his take on DID, especially with how complex they try to showcase it as two personalities are fighting for the same body. Episode 3 included quite the seamless transition from Marc Spector into Steven Grant, which may be something the actor can talk about in the project and how he conducted his research on bringing it to life. Whatever that may be, it’s going to be exciting to see what the latest entry in Assembled has to offer when it releases in May.
Here’s a somewhat surprising development, but ever since Netflix started its online streaming service, it has been in a state of constantly growing. Yet, for the first time in over ten years, the streaming giant faced a stark drop in its shares by 20% after losing 200K subscribers in the first quarter of 2022. That’s not all, as they suspect another drop in the next quarter as large as 2 million at this rate.
The cause for this development is mostly associated with two key factors. On the one hand, the recent increase in costs due to the ever-growing amount of originals being added to the project has swayed customers away from their subscriptions. As competition continues to grow in the market, it seemingly backfired on them in the short term but hope to see it work out in the long term. It may be the first hint at a potential shift for the company to embrace an ad-supported model moving forward to counteract the price increase.
On the other, there’s also the big move to pull out of Russia due to the recent event involving Ukraine. Naturally, that also left an impact on its subscriber basis moving forward. Once things potentially calm down and they can once again one, the question remains if they can get those subscribers back. Vladimir Putin‘s answer to companies pulling from the country came in the form of allowing legal piracy, which could hurt releases in the country.
While some are seeing this as an end of an era, there was always going to be a point where they won’t manage to consistently grow as the market potentially saturates with new competition. Of course, losing 20% of your stock is going to hurt and the bigger question remains if the streaming market will start cannibalizing itself moving forward. As of right now, we’ll have to see if they see a continued loss going through 2022. Whatever the future holds, it’s certainly a rough start to the year for the company.
After several long weeks of anticipation, fans have finally gotten their first look at Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder. The new adventure, from returning director Taika Waititi, will take the God of Thunder through the farthest reaches of the galaxy, and more importantly, put him in a wide variety of new suits. In the span of just one brief teaser, Chris Hemsworth‘s noble protagonist is shown wearing at least seven new outfits. This may be the highest quantity of costume changes we’ve ever seen a Marvel hero pull off in a single film, except for maybe Iron Man 3, and many of the looks appear to be a far cry from the style Thor had when audiences first met him.
As such, it seems appropriate to take a walk back down memory lane and revisit every single armor the one-time Prince of Asgard has worn during his time in the MCU. From the first time, he raised the hammer in Thor to the last time he laid down the axe in Avengers: Endgame. Let’s get started:
Thor (2011) – the Mighty Thor
The armor that started it all. This look was heavily inspired by the suit designed for Thor’s 2007 comic reboot, created by Olivier Coipel, with chainmail sleeves covering Hemsworth‘s bulky arms and a striking red cape flowing down his back. At the time, it was the signature look associated with the character and made much more sense to adapt in live-action than Thor’s original over-the-top comic look. Kenneth Branagh made good use of the armor’s colored highlights, employing their vibrancy as a way of helping Thor stand out against golden backdrops and in the heat of Shakespearian conflicts. These exact threads have not been worn since his first movie outing, but they’re still some of the most iconic associated with the character.
The Avengers (2012) – Ultimate Thor
The next time we see Thor, in 2012’s monumental The Avengers, he’s wearing an armor notably similar to the one designed by Bryan Hitch for 2002’s The Ultimates. This look is a little sleeker than one may be accustomed to seeing in an Asgardian sport. It’s perhaps a little more “superhero-ish” than its predecessor, likely to help Thor fit in with his Earthly teammates. The suit removed the sleeves and cape and puts the focus on bulky wrist bands, darker red-streaked pants, and silver highlights. It even removes the famous discs from his torso in favor of flashier Asgardian details. Essentially leisure-wear for the God of Thunder.
The Avengers (2012) – Avenging Asgardian
Basically just an evolution of the earlier suit, this is the armor Thor wears after taking a beating from the Hulk and deciding he needs a little more protection for the incoming alien invasion. He summons his hammer and adds an extra layer to the Ultimate-inspired ensemble, bringing back the sleeves, cape, and discs, and adding a little more the wrist bracers. A cool mix of his 2011 and 2012 designs. Who knew hammers also double as a wardrobe summoning.
Thor: The Dark World (2014) – Game of Thor
2014’s Thor: The Dark World was received poorly by fans of the character, but it may have had one of the coolest Thor designs to date. Directed by Game of Thrones creative Alan Taylor, much of the costumes and sets created for the movie were reimagined to bring them away from the first film’s high-concept Shakespearean vibe and closer to the realm of gritty fantasy. As a result, Thor’s armor switched from glistening silver to stained gold, with a leather protective skirt, simplified braces, and added chainmail on the thighs. The color of his cape was also dimmed to match the Earth-colored backdrops of the installment. Other parts of the movie feature the armor without its sleeves or cape, but it’s otherwise the same look.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – Ultimate Avenging Thor
Avengers: Age of Ultron infamously took Thor on a somewhat confusing, sidetracked journey away from his Earthly compatriots. However, it did serve up some cool garments with a design that seems to be a mix of all the looks that came before it. Sleeveless like The Avengers, silver, and red like Thor, with the leather skirt from The Dark World to tie everything together. Aside from switching into a fancy party suit, Thor basically maintains this look for the whole movie. Weirdly, the first time he goes without chainmail for a final battle.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017) – God of Thunder
The initial, less-famous armor worn by Thor in the fan-favorite Thor: Ragnarok. It draws heavy inspiration from the suit designed by Essad Ribic for 2012’s Thor: God of Thunder comic, with a much simpler wardrobe combination than viewers had seen the character wear at that point in the MCU. It looks to be mostly just a leather torso piece, with basic wrapped bracelets and a dark brown belt and chest strap. Thor wearing this into a conflict against the Fire Demon Surtur and the Goddess of Death Hela says a lot about how difficult he thought the task at hand would be.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017) – Sakaarian Gladiator
For the rest of the movie, Thor wears this now-iconic look inspired by the colorful early Marvel designs of Jack Kirby and the 2006 Planet Hulk aesthetic created by Carlo Pagulayan and Aaron Lopresti. A mish-mash of armor jumbled together from items found on the junk planet Sakaar, thrown over the torso piece Thor was wearing earlier in the film. This look also gets super extra bonus points for actually including a version of the character’s famed helmet, which he hadn’t worn since the first Thor and had never been seen being used in a fight.
Debuting in the post-credits scene of Thor: Ragnarok before becoming his main look for most of Avengers: Infinity War, this design features the beloved hero in all-black and with an eye patch. He’s rocking the eye patch because, of course, he lost an eye in the fight against Hela. Plus, the cool, dark color scheme of his armor is a good indicator of things to come. Nothing good happens to Thor while he’s adorned in these threads, but its further exploration of the Ultimates style in the MCU is something to admire.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) & Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Stormbreaker
A look that tells Thor fans something really cool is about to happen. Keeping with the all-black theme established in Infinity War, it’s a little heavier and battle-ready than the casual armor used for the galactic adventuring happening earlier in the movie. Even the iconic chainmail is turned black for Thor’s vengeful hunt for Thanos. It brings back the cape to show things are getting serious and features the hero wielding Stormbreaker for the first time. Those black discs light up blue as Thor achieves his full Godly potential for the Battle of Wakanda and the eventual death of his timeline’s Mad Titan.
Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Quantum Suit
The five-year time jump in Avengers: Endgame finds Thor depressed and having let himself go. He doesn’t wear any armor for a large chunk of the film, but he does put on the specialized Quantum Realm suit made for him by Tony Stark for interdimensional time travel. It acts as armor against the effects of the microscopic realm, so it gets the nod on this list.
Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Viking Thor
In the final battle for Earth, Thor puts on a new set of armor that more accurately reflects his new image. Looking like something of a Viking, the character’s new torso armor is rounded to fit his stomach, and flanked by warrior braids in both his hair and beard. It’s not that different from the black ensemble worn in the previous Avengers flick, just modified for the occasion. It still remains a memorable addition, especially as even in his condition he was keeping up quite the fight.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Classic Thor
It’s only a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance, but the trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder do show a teenage Thor dressed in the classic Kirby design from his original comic outings. It’s ripped straight from the comics, and it’s beautiful. Marvel Studios continues its trend in Phase 4 of bringing back some more comic-accurate designs.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Norse God
Another set of duds inspired by the legend Ribic, this is a sleeveless get-up Thor looks to be wearing in some sort of northern village. The fur around the shoulders is a nice touch to give the otherwise simple chest piece a bit of flare. This is presumably the look of a man who is learning that a bunch of other gods is being slaughtered. Maybe.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Battle Armor
Last but not least is this cool, brightly colored, gold, and blue fit that was previously leaked via concept art. It appears to be inspired by the character’s enchanted “Battle Armor” from 1987’s The Mighty Thor #378, designed by Sal Buscema. We here at Murphy’s Multiverse have our own theories about the armor’s MCU origins, but only time will tell if they’re correct.
That completes our journey into the mystery. Oh wait, I meant to write a journey through Thor’s massive wardrobe. The character has had quite a few awesome outfits, and the trailer for Love and Thunder indicates he won’t stop outdoing his fellow Avengers anytime soon. Here’s hoping Thor’s MCU future continues to thrive, and fellow God of Thunder Jane Foster is able to keep up the tradition of battle-worthy attire.
Not too long ago, we learned thatRed Notice director, Rawson Marshall Thurber, has been busy finding a home for this live-action adaptation of the popular anime series Voltron. While it still hasn’t found a home, Deadline shared the update that Amazon Studios is currently the front runner. There were quite a few studios involved to get their hands on the series that’ll adapt the classic 80s series Voltron: Defender of the Universe where multiple lion bots would fuse together to become one bigger bot.
It’s surprising that it didn’t directly go to Netflix considering the director’s background with the streaming service. Not only that but they were also the home for a long-running animated series that gave the classic anime a modern twist. So, they would seem like a fitting home but it seems like it is mostly a first-come, first-serve scenario during the bidding war.
For now, it’s not a confirmation but it wasn’t uncommon for those hinted at as the “front runners” to get their hands on the new project. Amazon Prime has been following a similar strategy to Netflix, as they try to get their hands on franchise after franchise to build their brand with well-known IPs. So, we’ll see if we might even get other larger additions in the future.
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