Murphy's Multiverse

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  • ‘Black Widow’ Nearly Doubled Its U.S. Disney+ Viewing Households In Its Second Week

    ‘Black Widow’ Nearly Doubled Its U.S. Disney+ Viewing Households In Its Second Week

    There has been much debate surrounding Black Widow‘s release. Its second weekend saw a sharp drop at the Box Office, which was on par with other releases in the pandemic. What didn’t help was that Disney+ did not release the official numbers for the second week. So far, we only are aware that they made $60M from their Premier Access service. Once again, we have to rely on third-party analysts to figure out how exactly the film will perform on the streaming service. Luckily, Samba TV offered insight into how many US households watched Marvel Studios’ latest during its release. Keep in mind, these are estimates and not official numbers.

    It seems that they almost doubled the viewership, as it rose from 1.1M households to 2M over the last week. So, an estimated 900K purchased the film from July 12th up until the 18th. It’s quite an impressive number that could hint at a steady growth on the streamer. Their analysis is based on 3M SmartTV terrestrial households that consume a show or film for at least five minutes. It doesn’t include mobile viewers.

     

    Black Widow snags $215M in biggest opening since pandemic began - CNET

     

    Going by their analysis, the film managed a domestic total of $131.6M through Disney+ alone. Even with the 67% drop in its second weekend, the film still earned $263M so far. If you add in the Diseny+ Premier Access numbers, Black Widow might already be nearing $400M. It’s impressive growth, but piracy is still an issue with simultaneous releases. It’ll hurt the film’s Box Office legs which are already questionable due to the pandemic’s influence on the cinema market.

    There’s a strong likelihood that Jungle Cruise will be the last Disney film to use this model moving forward, even if they only have to share around 15% with platform providers rather than the 40% cinema share. Whatever happens, we’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on its development and what it could mean for Marvel Studios’ next release, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

    Source: Deadline, The Numbers

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Loki’ Director Kate Herron Explains Marvel’s Interconnected Multiverse

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Loki’ Director Kate Herron Explains Marvel’s Interconnected Multiverse

    The final episode of Loki introduced the world to the multiverse. A single decision unleashed a new Multiversal War and opened up new paths for the once Marvel Cinematic Universe. What If and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be our first visits int the multiverse, but we don’t know quite yet how it works. Luckily, our own Charles Murphy got a chance to sit down with director Kate Herron. She offered some insight into how the Sacred Timeline expanded.

    So, there’s the branches, right, which is like the alternative reality. But then something, you’ll see it, it’s very subtle but in the very last shot where you see the multiverse, there’s like basically other bigger physical timeline branches. So, it’s almost like these different separate trees that are now connecting.

    The visual of the Sacred timeline branching off was quite a memorable moment for those wanting to explore the infinite possibilities o the multiverse. The latest What If the trailer teased a crossover of these different Variants in the form of the Guardians of the Multiverse. Luckily, Herron elaborated that there will indeed be some points where these timelines interconnect.

    It’s almost like a bridge. If you imagine the branch, it is like another reality. But if the branch extends beyond a certain point, it will then connect to other physical timelines. […] That last shot we did, there are other like thicker [branches] that are meant to be like our timeline. And there are other timelines like that and the branches are the connectors basically.

    It’ll be interesting to see if Doctor Strange will be able to clean up the multiverse in the upcoming sequel, or simply witness the results of timelines colliding. We know that Kang is the cause of the Multiversal War. It might end up becoming the final connection point between them. It still seems very likely Secret Wars in our future and we cannot wait to see how the second season of Loki further explores the multiverse.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Director Kate Herron Hopes ‘Loki’ Season 2 Explores Hunter B-15’s Backstory

    EXCLUSIVE: Director Kate Herron Hopes ‘Loki’ Season 2 Explores Hunter B-15’s Backstory

    The season finale of the Disney+ series Loki left quite the impression on fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As it answered many of the questions we had since the show premiered, the finale left us with quite a few cliffhangers. We are left wondering where Judge Renslayer was heading and why the Time Variance Authority can’t remember Loki. Sylvie was last seen in the citadel at the end of time, as Kang’s image replaces the Time-Keepers. In an interview with the show’s director Kate Herron, our very own Charles Murphy asked her about the various cliffhangers, and she even proposed an additional one: What is B-15’s secret past?

    I have no idea. I don’t know the future plans but the other thing I will say to just kind of add on to your cliffhanger pile: “Who is B-15?” I loved that scene when her and Slyvie see her memories but we don’t know who she is and why was she happy? I don’t know, I feel like there’s a lot of unresolved questions in the first season, but as to when they’ll be answered, I don’t know.

     

     

    The focus on Wunmi Mosaku‘s B-15 is quite interesting. It shows that her backstory could hide some interesting secrets than we previously anticipated. In the scene that Herron specifies from the fourth episode, we see Hunter B-15 going to the year 2050 with Sylvie. There she confronts her what exactly she did to her coworker and fellow TVA hunter, C-20. Sylvie then proceeded to unlock Hunter B-15’s memories from before she became a Variant. Now, we are left to wonder what exactly those memories were. There’s also the question of what her Nexus Event was that brought her to the TVA in the first place. Hopefully, by the time we enter Loki‘s second season, we’ll get an answer to all of these questions even though Kate Herron isn’t returning to direct.

  • Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen Meets Another Flash in the Latest ‘The Flash’ Set Photos

    Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen Meets Another Flash in the Latest ‘The Flash’ Set Photos

    With plot details for the upcoming Flash solo film still under wraps, fans’ minds are racing to try to piece together just how the film will play out. With so many set photos leaked, we’ll be in for quite the surprise with this next installment in the DCEU. The film will see the return of Ezra Miller as the titular speedster. Following the events of Justice League, he has become Central City’s newest defender. After a brief meeting with Grant Gustin‘s Barry Allen during CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths event, he found his namesake.

    Set photos from The Flash seem to be a weekly occurrence at this point, with new looks at the film making us even more confused than we were before. Recent photos have seen Ezra alongside a double, who might also be playing a version of the Flash. Via the green pole attached to the back of the yellow coat double, it seems they might change his face through CGI. They’ll likely use Miller’s likeness for the double can be seen wearing the same flash ring. The context of the scene is still unknown, but the long hair and ring hint at one of them being from the future.

     

     

    While The Flash won’t be speeding into theaters for a while. We probably could expect a glimpse this October during DC Fandome. The film is most likely wrapping by then. The film is set to release in theaters on November 4th, 2022, and will be directed by Andy Muschietti. The film will star Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, and Maribel Verdú.

    Source: Twitter

  • Mahershala Ali’s ‘Blade’ Eyeing ‘Mogul Mowgli’ Director Bassam Tariq

    Mahershala Ali’s ‘Blade’ Eyeing ‘Mogul Mowgli’ Director Bassam Tariq

    It looks like Marvel Studios has finally found its director for the Mahershala Ali-led Blade film. Deadline is reporting that Bassam Tariq is in talks to join the project to bring the famous vampire hunter to life. Stacy Osei-Kuffour joined the project around five months ago to write its script after her work on HBO’s Watchmen. The director is best known for his work on Mogul Mowgli, where he worked together with Riz Ahmed. Negotiations aren’t final as of now. It seems they’ve been meeting with dozen of candidates since last fall.

    Marvel Studios has been hard at work finding a director for this project. They’ve gone through various options, such as a writer-director but then decided to hire Osei-Kuffor. Her joining the project shortened the list of potential candidates. It looks like Tariq’s pitch was the one to beat out the rest but he has yet to sign a deal. The film originally was pitched by Mahershala Ali, who is heavily involved with the film’s development.

    It’ll be the director’s first major deal and is similar to how they chose Taika Waititi after his success with Hunt for the Wilderpeople. His vision of introducing the vampires officially into the MCU will be a must-watch, as it could open up darker avenues for the company. It seemed early on that the film was going to release October 2022, but the search for the right team delayed the production by quite a bit. Still, it’s good they are prioritizing the project and not rushing it out to hit a specific deadline.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Loki’s Threshold: A Scarlet Nexus Event Into the Multiverse

    ‘Loki’s Threshold: A Scarlet Nexus Event Into the Multiverse

    There’s still a lot to digest from Loki‘s grand finale. Time is no longer what it used to be, and we face a multiverse of problems. He Who Remains warned our loving duo that the other villains to follow are far more dangerous than his control over the Sacred Timeline. Yet, throughout all the explanations on the future coming of Kang, we break past a threshold. The point of no return where a single choice will change the outcome of the entire multiverse. All eyes were on Jonathan Majors‘ performance. So, we never thought to question what that very threshold ended up being. So, let’s take a closer look and see what may cause such an event where even the master of time has no more control.

    Once the threshold got broken, we see the multiverse slowly grow. It’s not at one point but multiple nexus events simultaneously. The show implied that it would be Sylvie and Loki’s love that ends everything. Yet, the threshold takes hold long before the kiss. It does lead to the eventual breaking point, as it is the last act in deviance before the multiverse completely breaks free. In the end, it wasn’t the literal breaking point but rather the event that would push it. He Who Remains knew their journey. So, the events beyond that point were merely a prediction. In a way, the way he acts before his death. It seemed like it was his hope of freedom. Somehow it was He Who Remains’ last act of free will. Even if he knew nothing beyond that point, he did know of the threshold’s existence and potential.

     

    Who Is He Who Remains in 'Loki'? Could He Be Phase 4's New Villain?

     

    Yet, if he knows what will happen throughout time, what kind of chaos would keep him from knowing beyond this point. The Time Variance Authority’s existence is to keep order across the Sacred Timeline. In a way, their natural enemy would be chaos. It’s an important element we’ve gotten introduced to in the first Disney+ series by Marvel Studios. In WandaVision, we learn that the Darkhold predicted the coming of the Scarlet Witch. A being forged out of chaos magic that may break reality as we know it. Her chapter states she will destroy the world. Yet, it never specifies which one. It doesn’t even specify but we know it connects to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of the Madness.

    All we know is the Darkhold in her possession may break reality as we know it. With the rumored appearance of Shuma-Gorath, perhaps the book was created by this being rather than Cthon to lure the being to break him free from the restraints of time. Perhaps the Scarlet Witch is a nexus being within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but not in the way we know it from the comics. Loki introduces us to Nexus events that create Variants within the Sacred Timeline. Perhaps, her fully coming into control of that power created the ultimate Variant. Her existence of pure chaos energy is not just a Nexus event but an entire being. The word exists within her dreams for a reason.

     

    WandaVision: Finale erklärt Ursprung und Schicksal der Scarlet Witch

     

    Even from an outsider’s perspective of time, it is an “event” that happens randomly to onlookers. In a way, it happens at a transfixed point of time outside of the literal timeline. The man knew when Loki and Sylvie’s Variants would come into existence. So, he must know when the Scarlet Witch would be born. He exists beyond time, but the only variable to how time breaks is through a Variant. From an outside perspective, time is flat. They aren’t living at a specific point in time. Yet, the threshold echoed throughout the room as a certain event passed. So, the only way a breaking point erupts is when a specific Variant breaks away from the timeline. We learn that Loki’s are the most frequent visitors of the TVA. They are agents of chaos. As such, they can easily break free from their timely restraints. In a way, a being that forged in pure chaos could even break beyond those limitations that even He Who Remains loses sight of what is to come.

  • ‘Batgirl’ Casting Begins as Shortlist Includes Zoey Deutch, Isabella Merced, And More

    ‘Batgirl’ Casting Begins as Shortlist Includes Zoey Deutch, Isabella Merced, And More

    Many films sat idle on the DC bench. One of them is Batgirl, a film that almost had Joss Whedon at the wheel before his eventual departure. Warner Brothers ended up hiring Christina Hodson, who’d previously worked on The Flash and Birds of Prey to pen the script for the film from scratch. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah joined the project as directors around two months ago. Production seems to be moving along at a steady pace as the casting process for Barbra Gordon takes off with a new shortlist of talent.

    In a new report from Deadline, a shortlist of talent testing for the role of Batgirl has been revealed. The studio is currently in the process of working with actresses like Isabella Merced, Zoey Deutch, and Leslie Grace. Haley Lu Richardson is also included but reportedly may have already dropped out of the casting process. However, it’s being reported by The Wrap that Richardson is in fact one of the two top choices for the role, alongside Grace.

    The film will debut on HBO Max exclusively but currently has no set release date. Plot details remain under wraps. Yet, casting details seems to indicate the film could be an adaption of Batgirl: Year One, with the inclusion of Firefly, a villain who played a big role in that storyline. It is still unknown just where this film will take place in the DC Multiverse, with the film actively casting for the role of Commissioner Gordon.

    Source: The Wrap, Deadline

     

  • Marvel Studios Elders of the Universe: Bringing Eccentric Legends to the MCU

    Marvel Studios Elders of the Universe: Bringing Eccentric Legends to the MCU

    Not all things in the MCU are just as they appear in the comics. Civil War didn’t see Bill Foster killed by a clone of Thor; Yondu was a space hillbilly rather than one of the last survivors of the Badoon slaughter of Centauri IV; Ego fathered Peter Quill and considered himself a Celestial rather than and Elder of the Universe. The Elders themselves are a pretty interesting and loosely associated group of incredibly powerful beings who have popped up randomly over the years in the comics to partake in some shenanigans before disappearing again, sometimes for decades. To date, we’ve seen two of their number show up in the MCU: Benicio del Toro’s Collector and Jeff Goldblum’s Grandmaster. While neither Elder has played a huge role, their roles have been memorable, mostly for the eccentricities of the actors who portrayed them. del Toro and Goldblum aren’t the only quirky actors out there and, as it turns out, there are plenty more Elders who could show up and allow some of Hollywood’s quirkiest talents to join the MCU.

    Drew Barrymore as the Caregiver

     

    Keep in mind that the goal is for these Elders to be part of an interesting side plot for our leads. Rubanna Quormo, the Caregiver, has only made a handful of appearances in the comics and would fit nicely as a character that one of the MCU’s leads has to interact with in order to get something accomplished. Mark Gruenwald created the Caregiver during his run on Quasar, a character James Gunn once teased might be joining the MCU. I’m sure it’s too late now, but sneaking Barrymore into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and having her character interact with Drax might be worth the rewrite! Barrymore has managed to stay relevant to pop culture for 40+ years and would certainly have a blast in the role.

    Steve Buscemi as The Runner

    Like a lot of speedsters, the Elder known as The Runner is annoying as hell. When the world moves at a snail’s pace compared to your mind, it’s pretty tough. Go through that for 5 billion years, as Gilpetperdon did, and you might go a little crazy, especially if you’re immortal. This one’s a bit ironic because The Runner is typically displayed as being immaculately chiseled and covered in gold; Buscemi hasn’t hit the gym in a while and is as pasty white as it comes. But give me pasty Buscemi in a loin cloth and let one of Hollywood’s best character actors go to work while racing the Silver Surfer through the cosmos.

    Gary Busey as The Astronomer

    Simply put, Busey is a mad man. He embraces and owns it as well. It’s absolutely his thing now. In lining up these potential roles, it’s not always about a perfect physical match and in this case it’s all about embracing the crazy and no Elder ever hatched a crazier plan than Seginn Gallio, the Astronomer. Alongside the Grandmaster (just imagine Busey and Goldblum sharing scenes), the Astronomer planned to kill Galactus in the hopes that his death would kill everything in the universe, including the Elders themselves.

    Crispin Glover as the In-Betweener

    Going all the way back to his perfectly awkward performance as George McFly in Back to the Future (one of Kevin Feige’s FAVORITE films, by the way), Glover has always made fans feel just a little bit uncomfortable, including in his performance as the Thin Man in the Charlie’s Angels franchise. The In-Betweener’s entire existence is based in being uncomfortable as serves as the synthesis of the cosmos’ essential concepts. He is life and death; order and chaos; powerful and weak. This is the MCU character Glover may have been born to play and one that would probably give the younger audience members nightmares if he were to show up in something like Doctor Strange 3.

    John Malkovich as The Gardener

    Malkovich was the man who inspired the creation of this list and so it’s fitting that he lands here as the Gardener, the being responsible for sowing life all over the galaxy. Ord Zyonz is a character who would fit nicely into something like an Eternals sequel or even the second season of Loki and there’s even an arc where the character is driven to madness, which puts him directly in Malkovich’s wheelhouse. Malkovich, like Goldblum, is a national treasure and we need to get him in the MCU immediately.

    Charlie Sheen as The Champion

    If you said you know someone who has lived a wilder life than Charlie Sheen, you’re probably lying. The man’s highs and lows are about as consistent as the tides but he manages to persevere and there’s one thing he’s know for: WINNING! None of the Elders do more winning than Tryco Slatterus, aka the Champion. Sure, he’ll probably have to get in the weight room for a bit to bulk up to Tryco’s size (I don’t think steroids would be the worst thing he’s put in his body), but let’s paint him blue, spike up the hair and let The Wild Thing back out.

    Christopher Walken as The Stranger

    The idea of this feature and this list was to identify potential MCU roles for some of Hollywood’s strangest personalities and arguably there are none stranger than Walken. Walken is a legend in Hollywood and, make no mistake, knows exactly how strange he is. With that in mind, why not cast him as the Elder who has made the biggest impact on the MCU and have him show up a few times over the next several years? The Stranger has ties to mutants, Thor, the Silver Surfer, Secret Wars and more. so let’s get Walken on board and let that unsettling cadence take over.

    The bulk of this list has lived either a long or hard life (both in some cases) and, unfortunately, won’t be around forever. Let’s pull the trigger on getting this band together so we can get them all on screen for one glorious MCU moment.

  • ‘Black Widow’ Drops 67% in its Second Weekend as ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ Takes Top Spot

    ‘Black Widow’ Drops 67% in its Second Weekend as ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ Takes Top Spot

    Black Widow was a very frontloaded release, which got boosted by their Disney+ Premier Access release. There was some uncertainty if it’ll have a strong second weekend or face a steep fall. Sadly, it seems the latter has come to pass as its new release Space Jam: A New Legacy took the top spot with $32M. While nowhere near the Marvel Studios’ release, it is still the year’s fourth-best release ahead of Godzilla Vs. Kong‘s 31M. The film is also the biggest family-focused film launch since Pixar’s Onward in March of 2020. Still, early predictions did believe the Scarlett Johnasson-run film would keep the top spot.

    The bigger shock is that the film’s international presence also took quite a hit. It barely scratched the $30M, which is on par with F9‘s current running after a two-month release. However, if you take a closer look at its international presence, Black Widow has yet to release in China. The latest Fast and Furious entry has been very dominant in that market throughout its run. The theatric-only release has been playing well into its hand and gave the film some considerable legs, especially as it rolls out into other markets.

    The second weekend was a 67% drop for the Marvel Studios film, which some expected. The Friday 79% drop was the worst the franchise has ever seen and is on par with Batman v Superman or Man of Steel. To offer a pandemic comparison, F9 dropped 67% and Wonder Woman 1984 around 67.1%. The last two Marvel films to see that kind of drop were quite leggy experiences and managed to hold over quite a bit over their total runtime. So, theories are that the film could still manage a $200M+ domestic launch. If you include their Disney+ numbers, they add another $60M on top, which also doesn’t have to get shared with theaters. Sadly and expectedly, Disney has not released the numbers for their second weekend.

    Without a China release, it’s unclear if Black Widow will manage to pass F9‘s total Box Office, which seems likely at around $700M. China’s Hi, Mom is currently the top grosser with $825M. Many factors have been influencing its growth, such as international markets fearing the rise in COVID’s delta variant and the return of harsher restrictions. The film has shown some commendable Monday to Thursday performances, which could be the film’s saving grace, as it topped $100M in record time domestically.

     

    Black Widow": Superheldin auf Schmerzmitteln und ein heimlicher Star | STERN.de

     

    Disney+’s Premier Access also hurts the film’s legs if you consider that a one-time payment includes multiple viewings at your leisure. Why should one risk going to the theaters again if I can watch it from the comfort of my home? Plus, piracy is a growing issue with this approach to film releases. If Disney simply accepted the risk, they might be looking at a much stronger second weekend. Still, the lack of transparency after boasting the numbers may leave a sour taste and it’ll be interesting to see if Jungle Cruise follows the same drop once it releases later this month to have a direct comparison.

    Source: Forbes (Space Jam), The Numbers (F9), Forbes (BW), Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, The Numbers (BW)

  • ‘Loki’: Open Questions for Season 2

    ‘Loki’: Open Questions for Season 2

    After a long six-week wait, Loki has come to an end. Luckily, it is just the beginning as a second season is already in the books. Even if it closed many questions, there are still quite a few questions left remaining. As we enter the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse, it’s time to ask how the events of this first season will shape the second.

    • Loki and Sylvie learn that free will is an illusion after meeting Jonathan Majors’ He Who Remains. A season of running through time and introspection led them to a dissertation of horror. This leads to Sylvie’s dead-set thirst for vengeance being quenched, and Loki being left alone. The additional gut punch comes when even Mobius and B-15 don’t recognize him. We are left questioning what happened and if Loki will be able to trust again or fall back to his old ways.
    • We know that Jonathan Majors will return as Kang the Conquerer in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. He Who Remains made sure to warn Loki, Sylvie, and the audience with his chilling words in the finale. It does open the question if we will see any of those Variants before then, or will we just have to wait for the second season. The terror is foreboding, whether it’s Kang, Scarlet Centurion, or Rama Tut, all as we know is in grave danger.

     

    Loki season finale recap: Post-credits scene, ending of episode 6 explained - CNET

     

    • Ravonna still has faith in the TVA. She wants to know the truth and heads out on the search for free will. We know the comic book implications of Ravonna and Kang throughout history. Miss Minutes changed the notes Ravonna downloaded and she’s on her way to somewhere else in time. Whatever her goal is, it may redefine her own path moving forward.
    • One has to wonder if He Who Remains knew that the kiss between Loki and Sylvie would be the Nexus event that breaks the timeline. As Sylvie chooses to breaks time as we know it, where does she go from here? She has spent her life believing that she deserved retribution. Consumed by it, now nothing will ever be the same. It’s quite the weight to carry. Will she find Loki and try to repair things? Maybe not immediately. It feels like there’s a new road for her to travel in light of the cataclysmic events.

    There’s a lot to accomplish in the second season, as it continues to build upon the rules set in the first season. We don’t know what the Multiverse truly has in store with only inclinations for the Doctor Strange and Spider-Man sequels. We have no idea when the second season releases and how it ties into the overarching storyline set with future installments. Of course, the only question that truly matters at the end of the day is if Mobius finally gets to ride a jet ski next season.