Murphy's Multiverse

Blog

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Writer Reveals Changes They Made To Avoid Batman Comparison

    ‘Moon Knight’ Writer Reveals Changes They Made To Avoid Batman Comparison

    Moon Knight, the titular character in Marvel Studios’ next Disney+ series, has always had issues with comparisons to another familiar comic book hero, Batman. Despite vast differences between the two, there has always been just enough similarity between Oscar Isaac’s new addition to the MCU and the iconic Caped Crusader to inspire unwanted connections in the minds of fans. While having multiple personalities aided in setting Moon Knight apart, it didn’t help that one of those personalities was a wealthy playboy, much like the Dark Knight’s well-known civilian identity Bruce Wayne.

    In a new interview with Empire Magazine, Moon Knight’s head writer Jeremy Slater discussed “de-Wayne-ifying” the character Steven Grant, and how he set out to make a unique addition to the nerd mythos:

    “There’s all this amazing stuff from Egyptology in the comics. Raiders of the Lost Ark was actually a big reference when I first pitched. How can we tell this dark, complex story but also inject some big, fun, supernatural, Amblin-style magic at the same time?”

    With this, Grant was quickly changed from confident playboy to timid Egyptologist. Slater went on to explain how Marvel brought in a real-life professional to expand on the idea in the show:

    “He told us all these crazy details. Like, inside the Great Pyramid of Giza there’s a chamber that’s inaccessible, but large enough to contain the Statue of Liberty. And no-one knows what’s in it. Those kinds of wild, real-life facts informed everything we wrote.”

    The more is revealed about the show, the more it appears to be something brand new for the genre. Trailers have shown much of the spooky, supernatural, Egyptian elements that Slater is referring to. It seems Marvel is confident in this new take on the Grant personality, and fans have much to look forward to when the series drops on March 30th.

    Source: Empire

  • May Calamawy’s ‘Moon Knight’ Character Revealed

    May Calamawy’s ‘Moon Knight’ Character Revealed

    There’s a ton of mystery surrounding Marvel Studios’ forthcoming Moon Knight. From Ethan Hawke‘s Dr. Arthur Harrow to lead Oscar Isaac‘s accent in the trailers for the series. One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Moon Knight, however, has been who May Calamawy was playing in the highly anticipated series.

    Calamawy was the second cast member to be announced for the series and many assumed she would be playing the hero’s love interest. As it stands, though, Marvel Studios seemed keen to keep her character’s identity quiet. Thanks to the latest issue of Empire magazine, though, we now know she is playing Layla El-Faouly, and not Marlene as many had expected.

    The magazine also unveiled a photo of Calamawy alongside Isaac’s Grant/Spector as they prepare to scale a cave together. Layla appears to be a character created for the series, and it’s currently unclear if Marlene will be making an appearance on the Disney+ series. Of course, with how little has been revealed regarding Moon Knight as of now, anything is possible.

    Moon Knight, which stars Isaac, will debut on Disney+ on March 30.

    Source: Twitter

  • New Details On ‘Moon Knight’ Villain Revealed

    New Details On ‘Moon Knight’ Villain Revealed

    The character of Ethan Hawke in Moon Knight has been shrouded in mystery from the moment the acclaimed actor was announced. Dr. Arthur Harrow was a name the trailer’s closed-captioning revealed to fans but even that revelation didn’t mean much to anyone due to the obscure nature of the character in the comics.

    Luckily, Hawke himself has finally shed light on just who Arthur Harrow is in the upcoming show. In an interview with Empire, Hawke said:

    [He’s] the head of a kind of certain religious sect. Like a lot of zealots. He has his own ideas about what might make the world a better place and they may not include you.

    Hawke initially raised eyebrows when he namedropped real-world evil cultist David Koresh as one of his inspirations for the character. For the uninitiated, Harrow in the comics is a mad scientist and not a religious figure. Knowing that Harrow is indeed a cultist makes the Koresh influence clearer. Hawke revealed other real-world figures he deemed essential to the creation of his version of Harrow:

    When you build a new character, you create a blender and throw things in. So I threw in David Koresh, Fidel Castro, the Dalai Lama, Tolstoy. The best villains are the ones that think they’re heroes and that’s definitely Dr. Harrow. He sees Moon Knight as an obstacle to him healing the world.

    The recent trailer of Moon Knight showcased more aspects of Harrow that we weren’t previously privy to. Scenes that revealed his tattoo coming to life and his peculiar crocodile staff summoning a burst of energy are telling of the character’s reach in the supernatural. Whether he ends up being a truly larger-than-life character remains to be seen but it’s exciting to think about.

    Source: Empire

  • ‘Stranger Things’ Will End After Newly Announced Season 5

    ‘Stranger Things’ Will End After Newly Announced Season 5

    Just over two years ago, Murphy’s Multiverse revealed that the wildly popular Netflix streaming series Stranger Things had plans in place for a fifth season. Two years later, through COVID-delays and uncertainty around when Season 4 would stream, series creators Matt and Ross Duffer have confirmed that a fifth and FINAL season is indeed happening.

    Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things. At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but — as you’ll soon see for yourselves — we are not hurling toward our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; Season 5 will be the last.

    The statement about the fifth season comes as the long-awaited release date for the show’s fourth season was announced. Surprisingly, Season 4 of Stranger Things will be split up into two volumes, with the first premiering on May 27th and the second on July 1st.

    As indicated in another one of our 2020 scoops, the events of Season 4 will introduce a slew of new characters, many of whom were brought on under two-year deals and will be involved in the mysterious events surrounding Hopper. The fourth season is also said to pay homage to horror classics such as Alien and Maximum Overdrive, as the Duffers continue to sample some of the great horror films of the 80s in the series.

    Sources: TV Line, THR

  • Amazon To End Emmy Award-Winning Show With Fifth Season

    Amazon To End Emmy Award-Winning Show With Fifth Season

    It would seem that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will soon take her final bow. Amazon revealed today that the Emmy Award-winning series has been renewed for a fifth season, but it will be the last for showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino and her talented cast. Luckily for fans, they won’t have to wait long for the final season to air, as it was also announced that filming for the surprise fifth series is already underway in New York City. The news comes ahead of the fourth season’s premiere, which is set to debut on Prime on February 18th with two new episodes.

    Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke had the following to say about the show’s ending:

    The dozens of awards cement Maisel’s legacy in many ways, but what’s even more enduring and poignant are the characters Amy created and the joyous, brilliant, singular world she and Dan brought to life. This series has meant so much to Prime Video and the effects of its success will be felt long after its final season. I can’t wait for fans and our worldwide Prime Video audience to savor each moment as we embark on the culmination of this groundbreaking and unforgettable series.

    Maisel’s end shouldn’t be too much of a shock for viewers. Sherman-Palladino spoke about the future of her show during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic and hinted that the break-in production had led her and her team to rethink how long the series should truly last. While it may be sad news for longtime fans, it could be good fortune for the show to end on its own accord. Perhaps this means the writers will be able to conduct a proper ending, without ever jumping the shark.

    Source: Deadline

  • [SPOILER] Filmed His ‘Peacemaker’ Cameo During Production on ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3’

    [SPOILER] Filmed His ‘Peacemaker’ Cameo During Production on ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3’

    The finale of the DC HBO Max streaming series, Peacemaker, featured some high profile cameos following the episode’s big battle. As Peacemaker and his crew walked away from the ashes of the barn battle, four members of the Justice League arrived on the scene. While fans could immediately make out the silhouettes of Superman, the Flash, Aquaman and Wonder Woman, it seemed as though the cameos might be on the level of Shazam!. The surprise then took a turn when it became clear both Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller had actually filmed bits for the series. The cameo ended with a callback to one of the series’ raunchiest jokes, with Momoa and Miller both making good on the idea that Aquaman “sleeps with the fishes.”

    The appearances of the Justice Leaguers sets Peacemaker firmly within the continuity of Zack Snyder’s Justice League rather than any of the several other continuities established in their various other series. Both heroes have solo films set to release this year and having them on set would certainly have drawn some attention. So how did they manage to keep the surprises a secret? In Miller’s case, it was done by never having him on set at all.

    In an interview with Variety, director James Gunn explained that Miller filmed his Peacemaker cameo on the set up Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3:

    I think before we ever shot the show, we talked to Jason about it. We were like, “Listen, [Peacemaker] says you fuck fish all the time.” And we were a little afraid he would be upset, but he just laughed. He was cool. So he was pretty much on board from the beginning. And then Ezra I just found out through some common friends liked my movies a lot. And so I asked if he would come in and shoot this scene, and he kindly agreed to do that. Actually, Marvel shot [Ezra] for us, while we’re shooting “Guardians Vol. 3.”

    Gunn went on to explain that the cameo was part of a nice quid pro quo scenario. As it turns out, Chukwudi Iwuji, who will play a major role in the Guardians’ sequel, shot his audition on the set of Peacemaker using the DC crew, so Marvel “owed DC” one. The series also left hanging the thread of Amanda Waller’s Task Force X being exposed to the world, so what consequences, if any, will befall Waller at the hands of the Justice League could be explored in the newly announced Season 2 or a potential Peacemaker-led sequel to Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.

    Source: Variety

  • New ‘Moon Knight’ Stills Provide First Look at May Calamawy’s Layla

    New ‘Moon Knight’ Stills Provide First Look at May Calamawy’s Layla

    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight has consistently generated buzz over the past few weeks since the first look at the show was released. So far, the footage has mainly focused on Oscar Isaac’s Steven Grant as he struggles to make sense out of some disturbing events, most of which he can’t be sure are real. Beyond that, outside of a few glimpses of Ethan Hawke’s Arthur Harrow, the rest of the cast hasn’t been revealed.

    Now, thanks to still believed to be from Empire’s coverage of the series, fans have their first look at May Calamawy’s mysterious character, Layla. A couple of the images would seem to be from flashbacks that show Oscar Issac’s Marc Spector working with Calamawy’s character in Egypt. Of course, it’s possible that these are also stills showing them revisiting Egypt later in the series, but given the gear worn by both characters, I’m inclined it’s the former scenario and takes place before Spector is killed and revived by Khonshu.

    Little is known about Calamawy’s Layla, though it’s possible, given the fact that Marvel Studios seems to be reinventing minor characters for this series (like Hawke’s Harrow), that her character is a reworked Leila O’Toole, an archeologist and Egyptologist who while in Egypt studying the ruins, became a member of the Cult of the Living Pharaoh. The photos certainly seem to support her having some interest in exploring whatever dig Spector is part of and while it’s unlikely she’ll be a direct adaptation of the character (she’s probably not a mutant in the show), we still don’t know anything at all about her role in the series.

    Source: Reddit

  • New Figure Provides a Detailed Look at Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor from ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    New Figure Provides a Detailed Look at Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor from ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Marvel Studios continues to get beat to the punch in terms of costume reveals for their upcoming films. Recently, early looks at collectible figures have given fans detailed looks at the costumes of characters from upcoming films such as Eternals, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Now, a set of images has hit the internet, courtesy of Mephistu, that provides a very detailed look at Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor costume from the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder.

    While this isn’t the first time fans have had a chance to glimpse Jane’s new look, the collectible, from S.H. Figuarts, is incredibly detailed even if the photos are a bit lo-res. The poseable figure not only comes with Mjlonir and a very cool looking blue lightning effect, it also seems to capture the moment in which Jane becomes Thor and Mjolnir is reforged! Set photos taken early in the film’s production seemed to tease the exact moment captured by the figure.

    Thor: Love and Thunder, which is now scheduled for a July 8, 2022 release, will see Natalie Portman return as Foster and team up with Chris Hemsworth’s Thor to take on Gorr the God Butcher, played by Christian Bale.

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Trailer Dominated Social Media Post-Super Bowl

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Trailer Dominated Social Media Post-Super Bowl

    The Super Bowl was quite the night for sports fans and media fans. We got some new movie and TV trailers to highlight what is heading our way in the year, such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It looks like it created quite the online buzz. Deadline shared a new statistic on how the various trailers have performed within a 24-hour window. RelishMix provided the data and took a 24-hour viral analysis between Facebook Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. It looks like the latest Marvel film was the winner followed by Jurassic World: Dominion.

    To offer some comparison, Doctor Strange has garnered five times the amount that Black Widow did during the Super Bowl before the pandemic hit. Though it garnered 143M global online views, which is behind Spider-Man: No Way Home and Avengers: Endgame‘s 355.5M and 289M respectively. Even Dominion tripled its numbers from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom back in 2018. Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power though garnered an impressive 257M views and held the all-time post-game traffic for a trailer dropped during the Super Bowl.

    Moon Knight is quite low surprisingly, but there’s a chance that it simply was overshadowed by the cinematic offering. It’s the drawback of multiple trailers releasing from the same franchise, as the Disney+ series overall has been performing quite impressively so far. All eyes were on the massive tease from the Doctor Strange trailer and Amazon was smart to offer its very first full trailer during the night. As such, all new trailer releases were the ones to dominate the night while shorter spots probably gained most of their viewership during the event directly. Still, really interesting to see this development.

    Source: Deadline

  • Kate McKinnon is Latest Star to Join ‘Barbie’

    Kate McKinnon is Latest Star to Join ‘Barbie’

    There must be something about Barbie, as the upcoming live-action adaptation has found another actress to join the project. We just recently reported that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ Simu Liu has joined the project and now it seems like former Ghostbuster Kate McKinnon is also on board. Mattel is putting together quite the cast for a unique take on the classic Barbie doll toy. As of now, the cast consists of Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrara, the previously-mentioned Liu, and now McKinnon. Greta Gerwig is attached to direct Sadly, no word on who the latest addition will play in the film.

    Gerwig‘s filmography would certainly hint at a very different take on the classic Barbie doll, which isn’t a stranger to film adaptations. The cast is certainly becoming a promising addition to hint at just how invested the team behind this project is. It’ll be interesting to see what roles the actors will take on and how they might tackle the project from a modern perspective. Not much is known about the project, which has the potential to reach similar highs as The Lego Movie did back when it was released. We’ll certainly be keeping an eye out who else might end up joining, as anything is possible at this rate.

    Source: Deadline