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  • Marvel Studios May Have Plans for Jeffrey Wright’s Watcher Beyond ‘WHAT IF…?’

    Marvel Studios May Have Plans for Jeffrey Wright’s Watcher Beyond ‘WHAT IF…?’

    We have previously seen hints that characters in What If…? might appear in future live-action projects in the MCU. With the many alternate universes on show, it makes sense that some of them might cross into other films and TV series we watch. The standout is Jeffrey Wright‘s chilling performance as the Watcher. A formless entity constantly hanging over the many stories of the animated series.

    Yet, the recent episode pulled him into action as he got confronted by Doctor Strange. So, we’ll see how long he will hold to his rule to never interact in the happenings of the multiverse, as his future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe remains open. In an interview with The GOAT Movie Podcast, Head Writer AC Bradley hints that Marvel Studios may have future plans for the character while playing coy on the topic.

    I’m not fully aware or able to discuss what Marvel might be doing with the character of The Watcher in the future.

    AC Bradley

    While she’s not fully aware, her leaving the door open by stating she can’t discuss matters on the Watcher’s future does hint that some discussions might have taken place at some point. The end of Loki broke open the multiverse meaning we’re likely to see a lot more crossover characters from other universes soon. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness seems like it might be the kind of event that includes characters we’re familiar with in new guises. It will be exciting if any of these characters make their live-action debut having seen them previously in the animated series!

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘WHAT IF…?’: Christine’s Death Was a ‘LOKI’ Nexus Point in the Doctor Strange Episode

    ‘WHAT IF…?’: Christine’s Death Was a ‘LOKI’ Nexus Point in the Doctor Strange Episode

    The fourth episode of What If…? explored the dark and tragic story of what would have happened to Doctor Strange if, instead of losing his hands in his car accident, he lost his love, Christine Palmer, instead. The episode was well-received for several reasons including its emotional depth. But the episode was also crucial in introducing more lore around potential multiversal connections and how variations in timelines work.

    The MCU Makes Rachel McAdams' Doctor Strange Snub Even Worse

    Obviously, we first got a taste of this in the Loki series when we got introduced to the so-called Nexus Events that marked the beginning of a new timeline. In the Doctor Strange episode, the Ancient One tells him that Christine’s death was an “absolute point” in time that needed to happen in order for him to start on his journey. Changing it through magic he only gained as a result of this incident leads to a paradox. Well, What If…?‘s head writer, AC Bradley, clarified in an interview that:

    I should have called it a Nexus point instead of an absolute point, but the Loki scripts weren’t even written yet.

    AC Bradley

    Considering the What If…? episode script was apparently written in February 2019, it makes sense that all of the future multiversal languages that the MCU ended up using would not have been universally used in other projects so far out. But the confirmation that Christine’s death was a Nexus Point connects the franchise with Loki and the event that created the multiverse. We’re currently exploring the aftermath of that very moment. It also gives us our first look at a Nexus Point occurring in one of the many timelines and how exactly it works. As Doctor Strange can tell you, it’s not all that easy or safe to find a loophole around one.

    Source: YouTube

  • New ‘WHAT IF…?’ Zombie Funkos Revealed

    New ‘WHAT IF…?’ Zombie Funkos Revealed

    As is per Disney+ tradition, we get brand new Funko Pops as the series continues to expand. The latest episode of What If…? gave us the darkest storyline yet, as Bruce Banner returned to a world invested with zombies. Even the title didn’t waste any time to get to the point of the latest entry. Now that the episode is out there, Funko has unveiled the brand new Funkos that include the zombified Captain America, Sam Wilson, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and Wanda Maximoff. Zombie Hunter Spider-Man also gets his own Funko.

    Marvel Studios found a creative way to balance the designs for Zombies that can work within a PG-13 setting. Yet, the series still includes some pretty brutal fatalities, as we see heads explore, zombies get cut in half, and so much more. We don’t see anyone getting eaten, with one planned exception by the Wasp, which might be the one aspect they couldn’t get past Disney+.

    In Europe and specific countries, Disney+ includes the STAR branding that adds some adult-themed projects to the service. So, while it is strange to see the Avengers fight zombies on the family-focused streaming service, some markets are also enjoying shows like The Walking Dead. Who knows if the popularity of this episode opens up for the service to explore darker avenues moving forward. Deadpool 3 will be our first R-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe project that might not find its way on the service. It’ll be interesting how it continues to grow as they explore new concepts.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’s China Release Uncertain as Comments by Simu Liu Resurface

    ‘SHANG-CHI’s China Release Uncertain as Comments by Simu Liu Resurface

    It’s been no secret that some upcoming Marvel Studios’ films were facing challenges with a potential Chinese release. The market is a welcome boost to international numbers, as it gave many films a second life. Currently, China is quite stingy with non-local releases, as F9 and Free Guys are the only films that really managed to enter the market. Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings, as well as Eternals were already very uncertain, but it seems some comments from a 2017 interview with Simu Liu may have sealed Shang-Chi‘s fate.

    In the interview with CBC, the actor opened up about stories from his parents where he called China a “third world” country. Even highlighting that “people were dying of starvation.” These kinds of statements are most likely going to make the rounds putting it on China’s radar. As such, it looks like the film won’t find its way into the market due to the necessity of approval.

    Eternals is also facing a similar challenge due to Chloé Zhao‘s own history with openly discussing the Middle Kingdom. Her Oscar win was praised by China before comments surfaced and it took a very different direction. It doesn’t seem like Marvel Studios is putting all their bets on any releases, but there have been hints they are still hoping that the films find their way to the country.

    It’s uncertain if these restrictions will remain for some time, but Black Widow is still facing troubles without an Eastern release. On top of it all, the Disney+ release is also facing the challenges of being a digital release, as piracy is an issue in the country. Until there’s an official statement by

    Source: Deadline

  • Insomniac’s ‘WOLVERINE’ Adds ‘MARVEL’S AVENGERS’ Story Consultant Evan Narcisse

    Insomniac’s ‘WOLVERINE’ Adds ‘MARVEL’S AVENGERS’ Story Consultant Evan Narcisse

    It was quite a surprise when we got the reveal of Insomniac’s Wolverine game. The PlayStation 5 exclusive game is still quite a mystery, but it looks like a familiar face is joining the project as a story consultant. Evan Narcisse, who is famous for his work on the Rise of the Black Panther comic series, took to Twitter to announce that he’s working on the new Marvel game as a story consultant alongside Kim Belair. He also recently worked on developing the Black Panther DLC titled War for Wakanda, which added the iconic hero to the ever-expanding Marvel’s Avengers.

    https://twitter.com/EvNarc/status/1436346986765115406

    He helped developers Crystal Dynamics bring the world of Wakanda to life and has quite a bit of experience in the world of gaming and with Marvel. It’ll be interesting to see what he might bring to adapt to the popular X-Men family member. While the trailer includes various references, it’s uncertain which direction they might be taking with his character. We may explore the vast history he shares as far back as World War 2. It’s uncertain if this entry is also in the same universe as Spider-Man, which seems like a perfect opportunity to build up a connected universe.

    Narcisse addition is a great sign and hopefully, we might see other comic writers join these projects as consultants. Paul Dini famously joined the first Batman: Arkham Asylum game to help solidify the characters and its story. So, it’s great seeing the writers from these many iconic characters add some much-needed life to these projects. It’ll be interesting to see if Spider-Man 2 may also have some story consultants help bring the infamous Venom storyline to life.

    Source: Twitter

  • EXCLUSIVE: How ‘WHAT IF…?’s Composer Balances Dozens of MCU Themes

    EXCLUSIVE: How ‘WHAT IF…?’s Composer Balances Dozens of MCU Themes

    The MCU may not have the most consistent of iconic musical themes but when they’re iconic, they’re pretty damn iconic. A theme like the Avengers theme has penetrated the zeitgeist in the same way the Superman Donner theme has.

    Being an anthology show about the MCU, What If…? unifies all the themes together to create a tapestry of familiar yet unique sounds. At the center of this is composer Laura Karpman, who shared with us how she balances all the different sounds and melodies of the MCU.

    The great thing about all the themes is they have these wonderful handles you can just grab onto. You see Captain America, you hear Captain America’s theme, and then you move on. If you think about Endgame, that’s the way they’re handled. When somebody appears, you hear their signature, and then move on.

    This season’s Black Panther x Guardians of the Galaxy mashup is the prime example of just how a unified What If…? score could be. It meshes the best of both worlds; Ludwig Gorranson‘s hi-fi tribal soundtrack and Tyler Bates’ cosmic orchestral work. Karpman had this to say about that episode’s particular sound.

    For Episode 2, we took elements of Ludwig Goransson’s wonderful score for Black Panther. So you have a Roland TR-808 sound or an African flute and then you can layer that with the orchestral sounds of Guardians of the Galaxy. And it works in addition to the heist theme that I composed. The references to themes of the MCU are spices in a stew that is quite different.

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’ Producer Teases More Ta Lo in the MCU’s Future

    ‘SHANG-CHI’ Producer Teases More Ta Lo in the MCU’s Future

    It seems we might have just scratched the surface with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ new location called Ta Lo. In the film, it’s the sanctuary of the Great Protector and many other mystical creatures of Chinese mythology. While we did get a brief history lesson on the purpose of the village, there was no real exploration beyond this specific location.

    Luckily, it seems we’ve only scratched the surface as Marvel Studios producer Jonathan Schwartz hinted that we might learn more about this mysterious location in the franchise’s future, as they tried to get a clear confirmation where this mysterious dimension takes place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    I think more will be revealed about Ta Lo in the future. But I wouldn’t want to put a label on it just yet.

    Jonathan Schwartz

    He plays coy on if this is an additional dimension. The challenge is that the existence of the Multiverse parallel to other dimensions, as The Direct points out, creates the question of how the rules apply. It’s uncertain if this is some kind of pocket dimension connected. The fact we get to explore more of it is an exciting prospect, especially when they teased the existence of mysterious cities that once existed within this realm.

    Perhaps there’s a bigger connection to other mythology from Marvel Comics that will be built upon as the world continues to grow. With rumors pointing at the inclusion of Atlantis in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we might see a very different MCU once it fully expands throughout Phase 4.

    Source: The Direct

  • Hall of Murphy: Episode 2 – ‘TITANS’ Episode 301 – 304

    Hall of Murphy: Episode 2 – ‘TITANS’ Episode 301 – 304

    John and Joe are back to discuss the first four episodes of Titans‘ grand debut on HBO Max. Did the new streaming service give the show a much needed boost, or does it still fall into old habits? We discuss that and more in the latest episode:

  • ‘ETERNALS’ Confirmed for Exclusive Theatrical Release

    ‘ETERNALS’ Confirmed for Exclusive Theatrical Release

    The Eternals is taking a cue from Shang-Chi.

    As COVID-19 numbers continue to spike, movie studios have opted to use a hybrid release method. Such has been the case with films like Black Widow and The Suicide Squad, two of the bigger blockbusters released this year. Which is why it was surprising Marvel Studios decided to change things up for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Unlike Black Widow, Marvel made Shang-Chi an exclusive theatrical release.

    With Shang-Chi hitting theaters, all eyes were on the film’s box office performance to determine how Disney would proceed with The Eternals. So, it’s not surprising that since Shang-Chi has beaten expectations, Marvel Studios and Disney will move ahead with its planned exclusive 45-day theatrical release for The Eternals. Matthew Belloni, formerly of The Hollywood Reporter, was able to confirm the news on Twitter.

    The news comes as reports recently stated Disney had three weeks to decide on how to proceed with the movie’s release. It was suggested a hybrid release was being considered for The Eternals. To decide to forgo a hybrid release, the studio seems to have considered Shang-Chi’s box office performance.

    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has already crossed $100 million at the domestic box office. The film surpassed expectations and pulled in $94.4 million over the Labor Day weekend, earning a new record in the process.

    CONTINUE READING: Fala Chen Talks Tony Leung and Being the Heart of ‘SHANG-CHI’

  • First Full Look at Thor Released for ‘GOD OF WAR: RAGNAROK’

    First Full Look at Thor Released for ‘GOD OF WAR: RAGNAROK’

    PlayStation Showcase gave us quite a few great reveals. Spider-Man 2 got its first tease alongside a brand new Wolverine game. Among them was the first look at the long-awaited God of War sequel subtitled Ragnarok. Not only did we get the confirmation for the title, but also an extensive look at what the game has to offer. It even included the reveal for the Norse God of War Tyr. Sadly, the trailer only gave us a small hint at Thor with the scene we witnessed at the end of the first game. Luckily, the game’s character designer Raf Grassetti took to Twitter to share the first full look at Thor and he certainly is different from the version we’ve grown accustomed to from Marvel Studios‘ take on the mythology.

    We’ve gotten glimpses of the mighty Thor throughout the first game. The mighty monster that took down the giants of Jotunheim. Statues were built in his honor showing the might of the thunder god. It isn’t until a small post-credit sequence that he finally makes his arrival. Yet, we never get a full look at him. We only get the tiny glimmer of his iconic hammer. It looks like he’ll have quite a gut in the game once we get to face him.

    It’s also our first confirmation that Ryan Hurst will voice Thor in Ragnarok. The actor is well-known for his work on The Walking Dead, Bosch, and Sons of Anarchy. One of the first game’s strengths was the voice performances that brought these characters to life. Jeremy Davies‘ Baldur will be a tough act to beat but Santa Monica Studios has quite a track record of finding incredible talent to bring their characters to life.

    Source: Twitter