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  • First Look at New Comic-Inspired ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Promo Art

    First Look at New Comic-Inspired ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Promo Art

    Thor: Love and Thunder’s trailer is still nowhere to be seen, but we’re still getting a few glimpses of the film from some promo art and merchandise that is finding its way online. So, we may still have to wait a little longer for some actual footage, but @lovethundernews has uncovered some more promotional material for the film with a comic-inspired cover that features Thor alongside Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor.

    They aren’t alone, as the comic cover also includes Valkyrie and Korg. We even get a tease of Thor’s two goats that behind-the-scenes set photos revealed would be joining the upcoming production. It certainly looks like we’ll get to spend some time with Tanngrisnir and Tanngrnjostr in the upcoming film if they are heavily featured in the promotional material.

    For now, the merchandise is the only thing carrying us over until we actually get our first look of both in action. Gorr is noticeably absent from all merchandise, which means they are mainly focusing on the heroes for most of the promotional material. Of course, he was included in the Marvel Legends leak but that was our only real look at him so far.

    Still, it’s a great design and comic-inspired designs were always a great addition to merchandise. It’s great to see Korg get a stronger focus, as he was a stand-out character in Thor: Ragnarok. We’ll see if he has a bigger role in the upcoming film and how his life has been since King Valkyrie took over.

    Source: Mercari via Twitter

  • Takashi Doscher to Write ‘Ghost of Tsushima’s Screenplay

    Takashi Doscher to Write ‘Ghost of Tsushima’s Screenplay

    The Ghost of Tsushima film continues to make progress at Sony Pictures. The game was an instant hit, selling more than 8 million units to date. The IP was fast-tracked to be adapted as a film due to the success which was supported by Sony’s large desire to bring more PlayStation franchises to the big screen. With Uncharted and Ratchet & Clank being the first franchises to get films, they are soon going to follow up with The Last of Us as an HBO series.

    Ghost of Tsushima is a samurai adventure game with heavy inspiration from classic samurai films, making it a perfect franchise to adapt to film. It is currently in production at PlayStation Productions and Sony Pictures, which recently tapped Takashi Doscher to pen the screenplay. The writer recently finished Blue, which is still in production. His debut film Still can be found on Hulu today.

    With Doscher‘s writing, we now have a pretty good idea of the creative talent producing the film. Chad Stahelski (John Wick) is set to direct. His action and combat scenes, largely considered to be a modern evolution of the genre, should translate well to a samurai action film. So, we might see a great combination of its Akira Kurosawa-inspired roots with a modern twist.

    Developed by Sucker Punch Studios, Ghost of Tsushima became one of PlayStation’s most successful IPs practically overnight. The game went on to win multiple awards, including the Player’s Voice award at The Game Awards, an annual award show that celebrates the year in gaming. You can currently check out Ghost of Tsushima, as well as its Iki Island DLC on PS5 and PS4.

    Source: Deadline

  • Gearbox’s Parent Company Embracer Group Plans to Continue Acquisition Spree

    Gearbox’s Parent Company Embracer Group Plans to Continue Acquisition Spree

    The acquisition wars in the gaming industry continue. In a new norm where IP and top-tier studios are being snatched up like candy on Halloween, it seems no independent studio is safe anymore. Microsoft and Sony are certainly the big players in the space currently, and they definitely aren’t the only ones trying to expand. Take-Two recently purchased mobile game company Zynga for $12.7 billion, Netflix has purchased two studios in the last month, and Embracer Group has completed over 60 acquisitions, big and large, since 2020.

    As it stands, Embracer Group has spent more than $8 billion on acquisitions. This is noteworthy as a brand most people have never heard of has suddenly become one of the biggest players in gaming today. Between Gearbox Software (Borderlands), Deep Silver (Saints Row), THQ Nordic (Destroy All Humans), and Saber Interactive (World War Z, Witcher 3), the holding company has managed to secure some of the most recognized AA studios in existence.

    Not only that, but they also have managed to acquire some big-name IP that will certainly bolster their portfolio. While they won’t own The Witcher 3 as Saber was just a port house for the project, they did secure Borderlands, one of the largest IPs in gaming today. The CEO of the company recently said that this wasn’t the end. Lars Wingefors has said in an interview that he plans to make a similar number of acquisitions in the upcoming months and years.

    While the company continues to look at the gaming industry for new opportunities, game studios aren’t the only companies the group has looked at. Embracer recently bought Dark Horse Comics for an undisclosed sum. So while any studio may be in the crosshairs, Embracer is definitely diversifying its portfolio, meaning your favorite studios may be able to hold out for now.

    Source: Video Game Chronicle

  • ‘Isle of the Dead’ Spinoff is One of Many Pitched Maggie and Negan Spinoffs

    ‘Isle of the Dead’ Spinoff is One of Many Pitched Maggie and Negan Spinoffs

    The Walking Dead continues to grow its potential with various new spinoff series in some form of production. There’s an anthology series on its way titled The Tales of the Walking Dead, and we also got the confirmation of one titled Isle of the Dead. This series caught everyone by surprise as it’ll focus on Lauren Cohan‘s Maggie joining forces with Jeffrey Dean Morgan‘s Negan.

    In an interview with Comicbook.com, Cohan reveals that they went through quite a few ideas before they landed on the current version. It seems that they definitely wanted to further explore the dynamic between Maggie and Negan, which has certainly changed since Morgan joined the show in quite a memorable introduction.

    I know there have always been three, maybe four options for how Maggie would end up in a spinoff. For Maggie or Negan there’s been a bunch of ideas floating around. I think this story that Eli Jorne came up with, which is what we’ll be shooting for season one of Isle of the Dead, was just really powerful and such an interesting way for fans to get to see these characters continue.

    Lauren Cohan

    The spinoff will explore the two characters exploring what is left of Manhattan, as it became cut off from the mainland and is now filled with a horde of Walkers. It’ll be interesting to see what exactly leads them to explore Manhattan and how they end up surviving a horde of Walkers that are just waiting for some fresh meat.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Michelle Yeoh Heading to ‘Avatar’s Pandora Next

    ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Michelle Yeoh Heading to ‘Avatar’s Pandora Next

    Michelle Yeoh has been busy. Not only did she make quite the splash with the new indie hit Everything Everywhere All at Once, but she’ll also soon arrive in Pandora, as she has joined James Cameron‘s Avatar franchise. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Crazy Rich Asian actress not only confirmed she’ll appear in the upcoming sequel but it seems she might have a recurring role. As many knows, while we haven’t seen an entry in the franchise since 2009, 20th Century Fox mapped out multiple seasons long before the Disney purchase.

    Still, Disney has been quite excited about the potential of the highest-grossing film of all time, which only temporarily was taken over by Avengers: Endgame. They further supported Cameron’s vision, who has since continued work on multiple films. Yeoh shared her enthusiasm for having the chance to work with him:

    So, yes, I am in the Avatar sequels and as you know we can’t really talk very much about it. But it’s James Cameron! Come on! I would be the tea lady for James Cameron! We shot for a few weeks, and I was so impressed with the work that he’s done, the work that he’s doing, the energy. He’s a genius, he’s a walking genius. And I really really enjoyed the experience and I can’t wait to go back soon, I hope.

    Michelle Yeoh

    It certainly sounds like she’s all on board for the project and it’s always great when a talent believes in the vision of the director. It seems like she’ll have a small role, as she only shot for a few weeks, but they may build up her role moving forward. There’s a lot of potential with the sequels, as we further explore Pandora and the many parts that make the mysterious planet so fascinating as it did back in 2009.

    Source: EW

  • ‘Iron Man’ Through the Drinking Glass

    ‘Iron Man’ Through the Drinking Glass

    The team at Murphy’s Multiverse takes their job very seriously, and we have a great deal of respect for the films and television shows we cover on a daily basis. This is why, in the spirit of nostalgia, we have put together a brand new video series in which we recount all of your favorite nerdy adaptations purely from memory! No shenanigans involved! Well, except for one thing…

    Dear reader, it brings me great pleasure to say that we will also be drinking copious amounts of alcohol exclusively for your entertainment. The name of the game? Through The Drinking Glass, where we take a look at pop culture’s greatest tales through the bottom of an empty cup!

    This week’s inaugural edition, still in its infancy, features me as your host and our good buddy Joseph Aberl drinking ourselves silly and talking about Iron Man. The movie that started the MCU also starting of what we hope to be a continuous new project for all of you to laugh at. Stay tuned for more, and we hope you enjoy it!

  • 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Princess’ Heading to Disney’s Streaming Services in July

    20th Century Studios’ ‘The Princess’ Heading to Disney’s Streaming Services in July

    It looks like Disney is continuing to build its 20th Century brand as a way to produce films and offerings for their streaming services. It has been announced that The Princess will premiere globally on July 1st. It’ll be made available under the Star banner in specific locations, its US release will be through Hulu and Star+ in Latin America. Le-Van Kiet of Furie fame is in the directing chair with The Kissing Booth‘s Joey King taking on the titular role.

    The story focuses on a strong-willed princess that does not want to be forcefully married to a sociopath. Yet, as retaliation, her father locks her up in a remote tower of his castle. As you might expect, her suitor has his own plans to take the throne and she’s forced to protect her family and the kingdom. King is joined by Dominic Cooper, Olga Kurylenko, and Veronica Ngo. Kiet is working off of a script from Ben Lustig and Jake Thornton with Neal H. Moritz, Toby Jaffe, and Derek Kolstad in the producing chair.

    It’s another 20th Century production that ended up as part of their streaming service repertoire, similar to No Exit recently. With the cinemas being filled with mostly well-known IPs, it’s unclear if this will be Disney’s overall strategy moving forward or if they’ll also give these smaller productions a chance in theaters. It would be a shame that after purchasing 20th Century Fox that most of their originals end up only as streaming services.

  • REPORT: ‘Uncut Gems’ Adam Sandler and Safdie Brothers Working on a New Project

    REPORT: ‘Uncut Gems’ Adam Sandler and Safdie Brothers Working on a New Project

    Back in 2019, A24 made quite the splash with the release of Uncut Gems following set photos of Adam Sandler in some interesting getups piquing the interest of many longtime fans. The film by Josh and Benny Safdie saw Sandler pick up one of his most dramatic roles yet. He played Howard Ratner, a jewelry store owner who’d put it all on the line with a Celtics game bet. It seems the trio may be teaming up once again for another project.

    In a recent column from Executive Editor and Chief Critic Eric Kohn of Indiewire regarding Jim Carrey‘s recent comments on possible retirement, Kohn snuck a bit of info into the piece regarding the future project. He states that his sources have told him that Sandler and the Safdies are already developing a new project, but does not go into details about what the project could possibly be. This possible project would mark endeavor number three for the trio after Uncut Gems and the short-film Goldman Vs Silverman, a short produced during the free time in between the production of the first film.

    The directing duo has been a bit busy recently. They are currently developing a new Showtime series alongside Nathan Fielder titled The Curse, which is set to star Fielder, Benny Safdie, and Emma Stone. Benny Safdie will also star alongside what feels like half of Hollywood in Christopher Nolan’s World War II film Oppenheimer. No official word just yet on what could be the next collaboration between the Safdies and Sandler, but it’s unlikely to be a sequel to Gems considering how the film ends. The project will surely be something to watch out for following the success of their first collab.

    Source: Indiewire

  • NBA Play-In Preview: Western Conference 

    NBA Play-In Preview: Western Conference 

    As the Phoenix Suns and the Memphis Grizzlies wait for their first round opponents, we have three fascinating games to determine them. Each of these four teams have had a heck of a journey to get here, but now it comes down to execution.

    (7) Minnesota Timberwolves vs (8) Los Angeles Clippers

    Tale Of The Tape: The Wolves have been the 8th most efficient offense in the league this season. Led by Karl Anthony Towns (24.6 PPG 9.8 RPG 3.6 APG), they move the ball with precision and can shoot the three very well. They also attempt the most threes in the league. Being 13th in defensive efficiency is quite the improvement for coach Chris Finch, and this is a great final exam. The Clippers are a veteran laden, deep, and tough team. Their experience is an advantage here.

    The Clippers have had a ton of injuries this season, but with superstar Paul George back they have a chance here to make a run. We can disregard their 24th ranked offense because of the injuries, but a constant has been their 8th ranked defense. Coach Tyronn Lue will certainly be throwing out all types of different defenses at Minnesota to limit Towns and growing star Anthony Edwards.

    Key Matchup: The Clippers defending Karl Anthony Towns.

    3 of the 4 matchups between these teams took place in November and the final one in January so it’s going to look a lot different now. One thing Coach Lue likes to do is throw out different looks against opposing offenses. He’s a tactician of the highest degree. To start off this game he attempts to throw the Wolves off with zone and gets a turnover.

    A few possessions later, the Wolves get going as center Ivica Zubac falls asleep on KAT popping out for a 3. That can’t happen. Expect if Zubac is not effective early we see a switch heavy wing contingent from the Clippers. If the Clippers can get the Wolves tentative and meandering around the perimeter, this is their best chance. If the Wolves are swinging the ball around, it’s a tall task to stop their offense.

    The Prediction: The one thing that should concern Minnesota is their defense in a game like this. The Clippers have a habit of playing great in the fourth quarter. Paul George and Reggie Jackson have both been willing ball movers and they have the shooting to space the floor. Will experience come into play here? Minnesota has had a great season, but I’ll go with the battle tested Clippers here. 

    (9) New Orleans Pelicans vs. (10) San Antonio Spurs

    Tale Of The Tape: Its remarkable to think of where both of these teams came from. The Pelicans started the season 3-16. Zion Williamson hasn’t played at all this season with a foot injury, and no one knows what will happen going forward. The team itself made a trade for sharpshooting guard CJ McCollum and teaming him with Brandon Ingram has made the Pelicans a formidable foe. They’ve gotten contributions from guys like Herb Jones, and center Jonas Valanciunas. What a turnaround for them to get here.

    The San Antonio Spurs probably weren’t even trying to make the Play-In. They traded guard Derrick White at the deadline and have continued to look to build towards their future. Guard Dejounte Murray (21.1 ppg 8.3 rpg 9.2 apg) has had an excellent season. They have their star going forward. 

    Key Matchup: Spurs defense vs CJ McCollum 

    The Spurs are middle of the pack in defense (ranked 16th) and at the point of attack will have to stop CJ or at least limit his effectiveness. He’s just a difficult player to key in on as he can get to his spots off the dribble and is crafty getting others involved. Here as it’s late in the shot clock on a scramble play he’s able to get in the lane for a floater. 

    On another possession he’s able to come off a curl to get free for a jumper. The ability to move off the ball is just as important as being on ball. CJ McCollum is as tough as they come.

    The Prediction: It’s hard for me to see the Spurs win this game. Expect the Pelicans to get enough from CJ and Ingram on offense to win here. If the Spurs can win the battle of the boards they’ll be able to keep it close. Taking New Orleans in a comfortable double digit win.

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Episode 3 Primer

    ‘Moon Knight’ Episode 3 Primer

    Episode 2 really helped us get a better understanding of who Steven and Marc are. We learn that Marc is a mercenary who was killed and resurrected by Khonshu. As Steven learned more about Marc and how they are sharing a body, the two began to work together a little better. The episode also provides an opportunity to get to know more about what Arthur wanted. Arthur tells Marc that he used to be Khonshu’s avatar, but now he’s chosen to work for Ammut and dish out her brand of preemptive justice rather than Khonshu’s more traditional punishments. And so much of this episode dives deep down into Arthur’s plan of freeing Ammut, which involves the scarab that is a compass to her tomb.

    Steven had a problem with the idea of punishing people before they commit their crimes which causes a huge fight leading up to a pretty cool reveal: Steven and Marc can each summon their own, different suits. Steven wears the “Mr. Knight” suit while Marc wears the traditional Moon Knight “armor” suit. We also learned way more about Layla, who used to be married to Marc and knows about the suit, but doesn’t know about Steven. When she first meets up with Steven, she thinks that it is just a cover for Marc.

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    Moon Knight Still Offers New Look at Mr. Knight | CBR

    At the end of episode 2, Marc ended up in Egypt. Marc’s goal is to find the tomb of Ammut before Harrow has the chance. This is obviously going to cause an issue and they will most likely end up fighting. I feel like there will be more issues because Steven is not okay with being the man in the mirror, meaning they will most likely be fighting for control the whole time. There will also be a conflict between Marc and Layla, seeing that Marc just up and left her and never reached out.

    The next episode streams tomorrow!